The Journal of arthroplasty
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Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement (CJR) is a Medicare initiative to test the impact of holding a hospital accountable for services provided during an episode of care for a lower extremity joint arthroplasty on costs and quality. This study examines whether hospital participation in CJR is associated with having programs focused on improving posthospitalization care or reducing costs using a survey of orthopedic surgeons. ⋯ Participation in CJR is associated with higher utilization of hospital practices aimed at improving postdischarge care and higher utilization of linking surgeon compensation to cost and quality.
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Peri-operative dexamethasone has been shown to effectively reduce post-operative nausea and vomiting and aide in analgesia after total joint arthroplasty (TJA); however, systemic glucocorticoid therapy has many adverse effects. The purpose of this study is to determine the effects of dexamethasone on prosthetic joint infection (PJI) and blood glucose levels in patients undergoing TJA. ⋯ Although diabetic patients were found to have a higher infection rate overall, this was not affected by administration of intravenous dexamethasone, nor was the post-operative elevation in serum glucose levels. In this study population, peri-operative intravenous dexamethasone did not increase the rate of PJI and was safe to administer in patients undergoing TJA.
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Meta Analysis Comparative Study
Factor Xa Inhibitors and Direct Thrombin Inhibitors Versus Low-Molecular-Weight Heparin for Thromboprophylaxis After Total Hip or Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
The purpose of this study is to perform a meta-analysis to compare outcomes of venous thromboembolism (VTE) prophylaxis with low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) vs other anticoagulants in patients who received total knee (TKA) or total hip arthroplasty (THA). ⋯ LMWH is associated with a higher rate of VTE than factor Xa inhibitors in TKA and THA patients. Direct thrombin inhibitors are associated with a lower rate of VTE in THA patients, but their effectiveness with respect to DVT and pulmonary embolism prophylaxis is similar to that of LMWH in TKA and THA patients.
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Comparative Study
Benchmarks of Duration and Magnitude of Opioid Consumption After Total Hip and Knee Arthroplasty: A Database Analysis of 69,368 Patients.
Opioid prescribing after orthopedic surgeries varies widely, and there is little consensus establishing proper standards of care. This retrospective cohort study examines opioid prescribing trends following total hip (THA) and knee (TKA) arthroplasty and evaluates preoperative opioid use as a predictor of duration and magnitude of postoperative opioid use. ⋯ Chronic users obtain more opioids postoperatively and continue filling prescriptions for longer than naive patients. This work benchmarks norms regarding opioid use and furthermore these data highlight the powerful effect of opioid exposure during surgery as 10%-13% of naive patients continued opioids at 1 year postop.