Patients With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Are at Higher Risk for Pneumonia, Septic Shock, and Blood Transfusions After Total Shoulder Arthroplasty

Current Smoking Status Is Not a Risk Factor for Perioperative Outcomes in Patients with Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage Who Underwent Craniotomy Repair

BACKGROUND

Aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage is a rupture leading to blood accumulating in the subarachnoid region. Smoking status is often a risk factor for postoperative complications for vascular procedures. This study aims to retrospectively examine the effect of being a current tobacco smoker on postoperative outcomes in patients with nontraumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage.

METHODS

Patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage who underwent craniotomy were identified in the American College of Surgeons-National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database. The 30-day perioperative outcomes of current smokers were compared with those of control individuals, who were patients who had not smoked tobacco in the past year. Postoperative outcomes included death, cardiac complications, stroke, operation time >4 hours, bleeding, and other events. In addition, this study examined the same surgical outcomes in patients older than 65 years.

RESULTS

We found no significant difference between these 2 groups across all adverse outcomes analyzed. In patients aged >65 years, we again found no significant differences between these 2 groups across all adverse outcomes analyzed.

CONCLUSIONS

This study shows that although current tobacco smoker status is commonly a risk factor for vascular diseases and postoperative complications, it is not a risk factor for the postoperative variables that we analyzed during craniotomy for aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage. Additional research should be conducted to determine if different procedures to treat aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage may have different outcomes among smokers.

Risk Factors for Post-Operative Pulmonary Infection in Patients With Brain Tumors: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background: This study aims to analyze the risk factors for post-operative pulmonary infection in patients with brain tumors by meta-analysis to provide a reference for its prevention. Methods: PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Ovid, and four Chinese databases (CNKI, SinoMed, VIP, and Wanfang databases) were searched for studies covering risk factors of pulmonary infection in patients with brain tumors, limited to the duration from the dates of inception of the respective databases to December 31, 2022. The Newcastle-Ottawa scale was used to assess the evidence. A meta-analysis of the factors affecting the incidence of pulmonary infection was performed using Revman 5.4 software. Results: Twelve studies were selected, covering 35,615 patients with brain tumors, among whom pulmonary infection occurred in 1,635 cases with an accumulated incidence of 4.6%, including 38 related risk factors. Meta-analysis results indicated: history of chronic pulmonary disease (odds ratio [OR], 5.74; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.34-24.51; p = 0.02], diabetes mellitus (OR, 1.58; 95% CI, 1.29-1.95; p < 0.0001), history of cardiovascular disease (OR, 3.97; 95% CI, 2.18-7.24; p < 0.00001), age ≥60 years (OR, 1.55; 95% CI, 1.12-2.15; p = 0.009)], operation time ≥3 hours (OR, 1.03; 95% CI, 1.00-1.05; p = 0.03], Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score <13 (OR, 3.5; 95% CI, 1.90-6.46; p < 0.0001), and the American Society of Anesthesiologists classification (ASA) ≥3 (OR, 2.03; 95% CI, 1.68-2.46; p < 0.00001) as independent risk factors. Conclusions: History of chronic pulmonary disease, diabetes mellitus, history of cardiovascular disease, age ≥60 years, operation time ≥3 hours, GCS score <13, and the ASA grade ≥3 are independent risk factors for post-operative pulmonary infection in patients with brain tumors, which nursing staff should be aware of.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease is Associated With Serious Infection and Venous Thromboembolism in Patients Undergoing Hip or Knee Arthroplasties: A Meta-Analysis of Observational Studies

BACKGROUND

Although previous studies evaluated postoperative outcomes of arthroplasty patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), no meta-analysis has been conducted.

METHODS

An electronic search was conducted on PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases to identify relevant studies published from inception to May 1, 2022. To assess the impact of COPD on postoperative outcomes, the odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were calculated; pooled results were calculated using a random effects model. Sensitivity and subgroup analyses were carried out according to surgical type and statistical method. A total of 11 retrospective cohort studies involving patients with COPD who underwent hip or knee arthroplasties were included in the meta-analysis. There were 195,444 patients with COPD and 1,592,908 patients without COPD.

RESULTS

A pooled analysis showed that the COPD group was at higher risk for mortality, readmission, pneumonia, sepsis, septic shock, and surgical site infection within 30 days following hip arthroplasties than the non-COPD group. Moreover, COPD patients were more likely to experience mortality, readmission, pneumonia, sepsis, septic shock, and surgical site infection 30 days after knee arthroplasties.

CONCLUSION

In this study, coexisting COPD was associated with worse outcomes in patients with lower extremity joint arthroplasties. The findings highlighted the importance of preoperative optimization and proactive interventions for COPD in the perioperative period.

Identification of Independent Predictors of Increased 90-Day Complication and Revision Rates Following Total Elbow Arthroplasty

Introduction

Total elbow arthroplasty (TEA) is an increasingly popular surgical option for many debilitating conditions of the elbow. There currently exists a paucity of literature regarding patient and hospital factors that lead to inferior outcomes following TEA. The purpose of this study is to identify independent predictors of increased complication and revision rates following TEA.

Methods

The National Readmissions Database (NRD) was queried from 2011 to 2018 to identify all cases of TEA (n = 8932). Relevant patient demographic factors, comorbidities, and hospital characteristics were identified and run in a univariate binomial logistic regression model. All significant variables were included in a multivariate binomial logistic regression model for data analysis.

Results

Independent predictors of increased complication rates included age, female sex, Medicare and Medicaid payer status, medium bed-sized center, and 18 of 34 medical comorbidities (all P < .05). Independent predictors of increased revision rates included medium bed-sized centers, non-teaching hospital status, chronic pulmonary disease, depression, and pulmonary circulatory disorders (all P < .05).

Conclusion

This study identified several patient and hospital characteristics that are independently associated with both increased complication and revision rates following TEA. This information can aid orthopedic surgeons during shared decision making when considering TEA in patients.

Level of Evidence

Level III, retrospective cohort study.

Risk factors for postoperative medical morbidity and 3-month mortality in elderly patients with hip fracture following hip arthroplasty during COVID-19 pandemic

BACKGROUND

The purpose of the current study was to investigate the incidence of postoperative medical complications and 3-month mortality in patients  ≥ 70 years old with hip fracture following hip arthroplasty (HA) and independent risk factors associated with postoperative medical complications and 3-month mortality during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

METHODS

A multicenter retrospective study was conducted, patients  ≥ 70 years old with HA for hip fracture under general anesthesia were included during COVID-19 and before COVID-19 pandemic. The outcome was defined as postoperative medical complications and 3-month mortality. The baseline characteristics and risk factors were collected, multivariable logistic regression was used to identify independent risk factors for postoperative medical complications and 3-month mortality.

RESULTS

A total of 1096 patients were included during COVID-19 pandemic and 1149 were included before COVID-19 pandemic in the study. Patients  ≥ 70 years with hip fracture for HA had longer fracture to operation duration (7.10 ± 3.52 vs. 5.31 ± 1.29, P < 0.001), and the incidence of postoperative medical complications (21.90% vs. 12.53%, P < 0.001) and 3-month mortality (5.20% vs. 3.22%, P = 0.025) was higher during COVID-2019 pandemic. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that dementia (OR 2.73; 95% CI 1.37-5.44; P = 0.004), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (OR 3.00; 95% CI 1.92-4.71; P < 0.001), longer fracture to operation duration (OR 1.24; 95% CI 1.19-1.30; P < 0.001) were associated with increased risk for postoperative medical complications. COPD (OR 2.10; 95% CI 1.05-4.17; P = 0.035), dementia (OR 3.00; 95% CI 1.11-7.94; P = 0.031), postoperative medical complications (OR 4.99; 95% CI 2.68-9.28; P < 0.001), longer fracture to operation duration (OR 1.11; 95% CI 1.04-1.19; P = 0.002) were associated with increased risk for 3-month mortality.

CONCLUSIONS

In conclusion, we found that postoperative medical morbidity and 3-month mortality in patients with hip fracture underwent HA were 21.90% and 5.20%, respectively, during the COVID-19. COPD, dementia and longer fracture to operation duration were associated with negative outcome in patients with hip fracture underwent HA during the COVID-19.

Thirty-Day Morbidity and Mortality in Patients With COPD Following Open Reduction and Internal Fixation for Rotational Ankle Fractures

Prior orthopedic literature has found patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) to be at an increased risk for postoperative morbidity and mortality. Thus, the purpose of this study is to identify whether there are any differences in risk for 30-day morbidity or mortality following ORIF for ankle fractures between adult patients with COPD and without COPD. Patients undergoing operative treatment for ankle fracture were identified in the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database from 2006 to 2018. Patients were divided into 2 cohorts: non-COPD and COPD patients. In this analysis, demographics data, medical comorbidities, and thirty-day postoperative outcomes were analyzed between the 2 cohorts. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were performed. Of 10,346 total patients who underwent operative treatment for ankle fracture, 9986 patients (96.5%) did not have a history of COPD whereas 360 (3.5%) had COPD. Following adjustment to control for demographic and comorbidity data, relative to patients without COPD, those with COPD had an increased risk of pneumonia (odds ratio [OR] 4.601; p = .001), unplanned intubation (OR 3.085; p = .043), and hospital readmission (OR 1.828; p = .020). Patients with COPD did not have a statistically significant difference with regards to mortality (OR 2.729; p = .080). Adult patients with COPD are at an increased risk for pneumonia, unplanned intubation, and hospital readmission within 30 days following ORIF of ankle fractures compared to patients without COPD. Despite these risks, this is a relatively safe procedure for these patients and the presence of COPD alone should not serve as a barrier to surgery.

A nationwide analysis on the effects of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease following primary total shoulder arthroplasty for glenohumeral osteoarthritis

BACKGROUND

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients have been shown in orthopedic literature to have poorer outcomes and higher rates of complications from surgery. In this retrospective review, medical complications, length of stay, and costs were obtained to explore the effects of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease on patients undergoing primary total shoulder arthroplasty.

METHODS

Total shoulder arthroplasty cases from January 2005 to March 2014 were queried and analyzed from a nationwide database. Study patients were matched 1:5 to controls by age, sex, and medical comorbidities associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. In-hospital length of stay, 90-day medical complications, day of surgery, and total global 90-day episode of care costs were obtained for comparison.

RESULTS

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients were found to have higher incidence and odds (53.91 vs. 11.95%; OR: 3.58, 95%CI: 3.18-3.92, p < 0.0001) of 90-day medical complications, longer in-hospital length of stay (3 vs. 2 days, p < 0.0001), and significantly higher 90-day costs ($14,768.37 vs. $13,379.20, p < 0.0001) following primary total shoulder arthroplasty compared to matched controls.

DISCUSSION

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients undergoing primary total shoulder arthroplasty have higher rates of medical complications, in-hospital length of stay, and costs of care. This represents an important factor that will allow orthopedic surgeons to adequately manage expectations and educate chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients of the potential complications which may occur following total shoulder arthroplasty.

Outpatient versus inpatient total shoulder arthroplasty: A cost and outcome comparison in a comorbidity matched analysis

Background

Previous studies comparing total and reverse shoulder arthroplasty (TSA/RSA) are subject to surgeon selection bias. This study objective is to compare the outcomes and cost of outpatient TSA/RSA to inpatient TSA/RSA.

Methods

108,889 elective inpatient and outpatient TSA/RSA from Medicare claims data (2016-2018). 90-day readmission and total 90-day costs were compared following propensity score matching.

Results

Younger and healthier patients are receiving outpatient TSA/RSA. Outpatient TSA/RSA was associated with fewer 90-day readmissions (OR 0.48 CI 0.38-0.59, p < 0.001) and lower 90-day costs (-20.1% CI -19.1%; -21.1%, p < 0.001).

Conclusions

Outpatient TSA/RSA surgery offers lower complication rates and total costs.

Level of evidence

III.

Impact of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease on Infectious Complications and Mortality in Patients With Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage

Background and Purpose: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has been associated with several complications and mortality in acutely ill patients. For patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH), the association between COPD and clinical outcomes remains unclear.

Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, we analyzed consecutive aSAH patients admitted to the West China Hospital between 2014 and 2019. Propensity score matching analysis and cox regression models was used to assess the association between COPD and mortality. The primary outcome was long-term mortality.

Results: Using a clinical database from a large university medical center, 2,925 patients with aSAH were identified, of whom 219 (7.5%) also had COPD. Patients were followed-up for a median of 3.8 years, and during follow-up 633 patients (21.6%) died. Long-term mortality was higher in patients with COPD compared to patients without COPD in the Cox regression models [adjusted hazard ratio (HR) 1.52, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.14–2.02]. Propensity score matching analysis also showed similar associations between COPD and mortality in hospital, at 1 year, at 2 years, and at long-term. Similarly, patients with COPD had significantly higher incidence of infections, such as pneumonia [odds ratio (OR) 3.24, 95% CI 2.30–4.56], urinary tract infection (OR 1.81, 95% CI 1.20–2.73), bloodstream infection (OR 3.83, 95% CI 1.84–7.99), and hospital infection (OR 3.24, 95% CI 2.28–4.61).

Conclusions: Among aSAH patients, COPD is associated with increased mortality. COPD represents a significant risk factor for infections. Given that these are preventable complications, our findings are of clinical relevance.

Incidence, Patient-Related Risk Factors, and Outcomes of Postoperative Pneumonia after Cholecystectomy: A Population-Based Cohort Study

Background

Cholecystectomy is one of the most common surgical procedures performed worldwide. The objective of this large, population-based cohort study is to explore the risk factors of pneumonia after cholecystectomy in Taiwan.

Methods

From the Taiwanese National Health Insurance Research Database, we selected all patients who underwent cholecystectomy by using ICD-9-codes, from January 1, 1998, to December 31, 2016. The patients were separated into two groups based on the presence or absence of postoperative pneumonia. Basic information, comorbidities, and postoperative complications were evaluated using a t-test or chi-square test. There were 6056 patients in the pneumonia group and 24224 patients in the control group. These two groups were shown in a ratio of 1 : 4 and were matched by age and sex. The log-rank test was used to examine differences in postoperative mortality between patients with and without pneumonia. Preoperative risk factors were analyzed using logistic regression analysis, after adjusting for age and sex.

Results

The final dataset included 282184 cholecystectomy patients. Of these patients, 6056 (2.15%) had postoperative new-onset pneumonia. The patient-related risk factors for pneumonia after cholecystectomy in the order of relevance were chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, congestive heart failure, cerebrovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, surgical type, hemodialysis, coronary artery disease, and liver cirrhosis. Compared to patients without postcholecystectomy pneumonia, those with postcholecystectomy pneumonia had higher rates of mortality (within first month, 1.72% vs. 2.28%, P < 0.005) and admission to intensive care unit (15.02% vs. 41.80%, P < 0.0001) and longer hospital stays (10.71 vs. 18.55 days, P < 0.0001).

Conclusion

Our results show that postcholecystectomy associated with pneumonia had higher rates of morbidity and mortality in this clinical population. Early identification and possible management of risk factors for pneumonia could improve outcomes of cholecystectomy and lower the risk for patient comorbidities after surgery.

Intravenous tranexamic acid vs. topical thrombin in total shoulder arthroplasty: a comparative study

BACKGROUND

Blood loss and transfusions have been highlighted as a significant predictor of postoperative morbidity. Tranexamic acid (TXA) has been shown to decrease blood loss and transfusion in shoulder arthroplasty. However, the utility of topical thrombin in total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA) is unknown. The purpose of this study was to assess the utility of topical thrombin in TSA and compare the effectiveness of topical thrombin to intravenous (IV) TXA.

METHODS

An institutional database was used to query shoulder arthroplasty patients from January 2017 to July 2019. Patients undergoing TSA were identified with CPT (Current Procedural Terminology) code (23742). After excluding reverse shoulder arthroplasty, arthroplasty for fracture or revision, the study groups were stratified based on intervention with IV TXA, topical thrombin, or neither. Patient demographics, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) class, baseline coagulopathy, preoperative and postoperative hemoglobin levels, operative time, transfusion, length of stay, and 90-day readmission for each treatment group was obtained.

RESULTS

A total of 283 TSA cases were included for final analysis. There was no statistically significant difference in the baseline characteristics with age, body mass index, or ASA class. The postoperative hemoglobin level (mg/dL) was higher in the group that received either IV TXA or thrombin compared with no hemostatic agents (P = .001). Calculated blood loss in TSA was significantly higher in the group without hemostatic agents, 369.8 mL (standard deviation [SD] 59.5), compared with IV TXA or topical thrombin, 344.3 mL (SD 67.1) and 342.9 mL (SD 65.6) (P = .03). Operative time was highest in the group that received no hemostatic agents, 2.3 hours (SD 0.6) (P = .01). The transfusion rate for TSA treated with IV TXA or topical thrombin was equivalent (2.2%) but significantly lower than the no intervention group (12%) (P = .01). The odds ratio for transfusion with IV TXA was 0.16 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.07-0.40, P = .001) and for topical thrombin, 0.1 (95% CI 0.02-0.42, P = .02).

CONCLUSION

Topical thrombin is an effective adjunct to reduce blood loss and transfusion risk after TSA and a reasonable intraoperative alternative for TXA for patients with contraindication to IV TXA.

Routine postoperative laboratory tests are unnecessary after primary reverse shoulder arthroplasty

BACKGROUND

Obtaining postoperative laboratory studies after primary reverse shoulder arthroplasty (RSA) is a common practice. However, justification of this practice remains unclear. This study assesses the utility of routine postoperative laboratory studies in RSA.

METHODS

The electronic medical records of 369 patients who underwent RSA over 10 years were retrospectively reviewed. A total of 213 patients qualified for analysis. Primary outcomes were intervention related to abnormal laboratory values, length of stay, and 90-day emergency department visits/readmissions. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to identify risk factors associated with abnormal laboratory values and postoperative visits/readmissions.

RESULTS

Of 213 patients analyzed, 188 (88.7%) had abnormal postoperative laboratory values: 69% had an abnormal hemoglobin (Hgb) or hematocrit level, but only 12% underwent interventions. Lower preoperative Hgb was a significant predictor of receiving a transfusion. A significant association existed between abnormal postoperative electrolyte and creatinine levels with lower body mass index (BMI) and higher Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI). Only 4 patients (1.8%) received non-transfusion related intervention. Emergency department visits were not statistically different between patients with positive or negative laboratory tests (P = .73).

CONCLUSION

Because 87.3% of laboratory studies did not influence patient management, we recommend against routine testing for primary RSA. This study demonstrates that the practice of obtaining routine postoperative laboratory studies is not justified. We recommend selectively obtaining a postoperative basic metabolic profile in patients with increased American Society of Anesthesiologists classification and/or CCI with a lower BMI. We also recommend selectively ordering postoperative complete blood count in patients with a lower preoperative Hgb.

Trends in total shoulder arthroplasty from 2005 to 2018: lower complications rates and shorter lengths of stay despite patients with more comorbidities

Background

Total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA) is an increasingly common procedure. This study looked at trends in TSA using a nationwide registry, with a focus on patient demographics, comorbidities, and complications.

Methods

The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database was queried for patients who underwent TSA from 2005 to 2018. Cohorts were created based on year of surgery: 2005-2010 (N = 1116), 2011-2014 (N = 5920), and 2015-2018 (N = 16,717). Patient demographics, comorbidities, operative time, hospital length of stay, discharge location, and complications within 30 days of surgery were compared between cohorts using bivariate and multivariate analysis.

Results

Bivariate analysis revealed significantly more comorbidities among patients in the 2015-2018 cohort compared with the 2005-2010 cohort, specifically American Society of Anesthesiologist class III or IV (57.0% vs. 44.3%, P < .001), morbid obesity (10.8% vs. 7.8%, P < .001), diabetes (17.8% vs. 12.1%, P < .001), and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (6.7% vs. 4.1%, P = .003). The use of regional anesthesia has decreased (5.6% in 2005-2010 vs. 2.8% in 2015-2018, P < .001), as has operative time (▵: −16 minutes, P < .001) and length of stay (▵: −0.6 days, P < .001). There were also significant decreased rates of perioperative blood transfusion (OR [odds ratio], 0.46), non-home discharge (OR, 0.79), urinary tract infection (OR, 0.47), and sepsis (OR, 0.17), (P < .001 for all comparisons) between the 2005-2010 and 2015-2018 cohorts.

Conclusions

Between 2005 and 2018, patients undergoing TSA had increasingly more comorbidities but experienced lower rates of short-term complications, in the context of shorter hospitalizations and more frequent discharge to home.

Favorable 90-Day Mortality in Obese Caucasian Patients with Septic Shock According to the Sepsis-3 Definition

Septic shock is a frequent life-threatening condition and a leading cause of mortality in intensive care units (ICUs). Previous investigations have reported a potentially protective effect of obesity in septic shock patients. However, prior results have been inconsistent, focused on short-term in-hospital mortality and inadequately adjusted for confounders, and they have rarely applied the currently valid Sepsis-3 definition criteria for septic shock. This investigation examined the effect of obesity on 90-day mortality in patients with septic shock selected from a prospectively enrolled cohort of septic patients. A total of 352 patients who met the Sepsis-3 criteria for septic shock were enrolled in this study. Body-mass index (BMI) was used to divide the cohort into 24% obese (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m²) and 76% non-obese (BMI < 30 kg/m²) patients. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis revealed a significantly lower 90-day mortality (31% vs. 43%; p = 0.0436) in obese patients compared to non-obese patients. Additional analyses of baseline characteristics, disease severity, and microbiological findings outlined further statistically significant differences among the groups. Multivariate Cox regression analysis estimated a significant protective effect of obesity on 90-day mortality after adjustment for confounders. An understanding of the underlying physiologic mechanisms may improve therapeutic strategies and patient prognosis.

Hemiarthroplasty versus total hip arthroplasty for femoral neck fractures in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

PURPOSE

This study sought to delineate whether total hip arthroplasty (THA) or hip hemiarthroplasty (HHA) had more complication rates following the treatment of femoral neck fractures (FNF) in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The ACS-NSQIP database was queried for all patients with a history of COPD who had undergone THA and HHA with FNFs, isolated by CPT codes and ICD-9/ICD-10 codes. Propensity score matching without replacement in a 1:1 manner was done to control for patient demographics/preoperative comorbidities. Multivariate logistic regression models were utilized to assess the independent effect of HHA in comparison to THA.

RESULTS

The propensity-matched (PM) HHA cohort was significantly older (76.14 years vs. 73.33 years, p = 0.001) and had significantly higher rates of pneumonia (p = 0.017), extended length of stay (LOS) (p = 0.017), and mortality (p = 0.002), but lower rates of blood transfusions (p = 0.016) and reoperation (p = 0.020). HHA was independently associated with an increased risk of pneumonia (p = 0.043), extended LOS (p = 0.050), and death (p = 0.044) but a decreased risk for blood transfusions (p = 0.008) and reoperation (p = 0.028) when compared to THA.

DISCUSSION

Patients with more comorbidities are more likely to receive HHA than THA, which may explain some of the increased complications and mortality associated with HHA for FNFs compared to THA. Patients undergoing THA were at increased risk for blood transfusion and reoperation. THA does not appear to result in increased morbidity in this population compared to HHA. While THA should be considered in these patients given improved functional outcomes, further prospective studies are needed to establish superiority.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

III.