Factors Affecting 30-Day Mortality following Primary Elective Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Database Study of 326,157 Patients

Preoperative Optimization for Orthopaedic Surgery: Steps to Reduce Complications

As the population ages and patients maintain higher levels of activity, the incidence of major and minor orthopaedic procedures continues to rise. At the same time, health policies are incentivizing efforts to improve the quality and value of musculoskeletal health services. As such, orthopaedic surgeons play a key role in directing the optimization of patients before surgery by assessing patient risk factors to inform risk/benefit discussions during shared decision-making and designing optimization programs to address modifiable risks. These efforts can lead to improved health outcomes, reduced costs, and preference-congruent treatment decisions. In this review, we (1) summarize the evidence on factors known to affect outcomes after common orthopaedic procedures, (2) identify which factors are considered modifiable and amenable to preoperative intervention, and (3) provide guidance for preoperative optimization.

30-Days to 10-Years Mortality Rates following Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of the Last Decade (2011-2021)

Mortality data following primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA) beyond 1-year postoperative time period is sparse. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to: (1) estimate contemporary mortality rates at 30 days, 90 days, 1 year, 5 years, and 10 years following primary TKA; and (2) identify risk factors and causes of mortality following TKA. PubMed, MEDLINE, Cochrane, EBSCO host, and Google Scholar databases were queried from January 1, 2011 to October 30, 2021 for all studies reporting mortality rates following primary TKA. A meta-analysis of proportions was conducted using a random-effects model to ascertain pooled mortality rates (95% confidence interval [CI]). Meta-regression was utilized to account for confounding effects on mortality rates due to the study's country of origin, median date of study data, average patient age, and patient gender ratios, with a level of significance maintained at p-value <0.05. A total of 44 articles were included in quantitative synthesis. The pooled 30-day mortality rate was 0.14% (95% CI:0.05-0.22%; n = 1,817,647). The pooled 90-day mortality rate was 0.35% (95% CI:0.0.28-0.43%; n = 1,641,974). The pooled 1-year mortality rate was 1.1% (95% CI:0.71-1.49%; n = 1,178,698). The pooled 5-year mortality rate was 5.38% (95% CI:4.35-6.42%; n = 597,041). The pooled 10-year mortality rate was 10.18% (95% CI:7.78-12.64%; n = 815,901). Our 30-day mortality rate was lower than previously reported. The most common causes of death at all time points were due to cardiac disease, cerebrovascular disease, and malignancy. Obesity demonstrated mixed effects on long-term mortality rates. Overall mortality rates of TKA remain low worldwide at all time points and immediate postoperative mortality rates continue to fall. Compared to symptomatic knee osteoarthritic patients reported in the literature, TKA patients qualitatively exhibited lower mortality rates, which may support the value of TKA in improving quality of life without associated excess mortality. Future long-term mortality studies should be conducted to account for geographical variability in mortality rates and further elucidate modifiable risk factors associated with mortality among TKA patients.

Decreasing trend of inpatient mortality rates of aseptic versus septic revision total hip arthroplasty: an analysis of 681,034 cases

BACKGROUND

While most revision total hip arthroplasties (rTHAs) are for aseptic loosening/instability, infection accounts for approximately 16%. The purpose of this study was to: (1) quantify mortality rates of aseptic versus septic rTHA; (2) determine if mortality rates have changed over the past 20 years; and (3) identify associated preoperative risk factors, focusing on the utility/validity of the Elixhauser comorbidity index (ECI).

METHODS

ICD-9/ICD-10 codes were used to identify patients undergoing rTHA in the National Inpatient Sample database between 1998 and 2017. A total of 681,034 cases (576,143 aseptic THA and 104,891 septic THA) were identified. For each patient, demographic variables including age, sex, race, insurance type, ECI, and inhospital mortality were gathered. A logistic regression model was constructed to assess risk of inhospital mortality.

RESULTS

From 1998 to 2017, inpatient mortality rates of aseptic and septic rTHA decreased from 0.83 to 0.45%, and from 2.58 to 1.24%, respectively. Septic rTHA was independently associated with higher odds of mortality relative to aseptic (odds ratio (OR): 2.305, 95% confidence interval (CI): (2.014, 2.638), p < 0.0001). Increased ECI was associated with higher odds of mortality at both medium (OR: 5.147, 95% CI: (4.433,5.977), p < 0.0001) and high index scores (OR: 13.714, 95% CI: (11.519,16.326), p < 0.0001).

CONCLUSIONS

Mortality rates for both aseptic and septic rTHA have been declining over the past 20 years, potentially due to patient selection guidelines and advances in medical management. Our study confirms that the ECI is independently associated with increased inpatient mortality.

Thirty-Day Mortality and Complication Rates in Total Joint Arthroplasty After a Recent COVID-19 Diagnosis: A Retrospective Cohort in the National COVID Cohort Collaborative (N3C)

BACKGROUND

The risk of postoperative complications in patients who had a positive COVID-19 test prior to a total joint arthroplasty (TJA) is unknown. The purpose of this investigation was to study the complications and mortality associated with a recent COVID-19 diagnosis prior to TJA.

METHODS

Patients undergoing primary and revision total hip arthroplasties (THAs) or total knee arthroplasties (TKAs) were identified using the National COVID Cohort Collaborative (N3C) Data Enclave. Patients were divided into a COVID-19-positive group (positive polymerase chain reaction [PCR] test, clinical diagnosis, or positive antibody test) and a COVID-19-negative group, and the time from diagnosis was noted. There was no differentiation between severity or acuity of illness available. The postoperative complications reviewed included venous thromboembolism, pneumonia, acute myocardial infarction, readmission rates, and 30-day mortality rates.

RESULTS

A total of 85,047 patients who underwent elective TJA were included in this study, and 3,516 patients (4.13%) had had a recent positive COVID-19 diagnosis. Patients diagnosed with COVID-19 at 2 weeks prior to TJA were at increased risk of pneumonia (odds ratio [OR], 2.46), acute myocardial infarction (OR, 2.90), sepsis within 90 days (OR, 2.63), and 30-day mortality (OR, 10.61).

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with a recent COVID-19 diagnosis prior to TJA are at greater risk of postoperative complications including 30-day mortality. Our analysis presents critical data that should be considered prior to TJA in patients recently diagnosed with COVID-19.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Prognostic Level III . See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.