We have analysed the management and clinical outcome of a series of consecutive patients who had a total hip replacement and developed post-operative surgical site infection (SSI) with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. The incidence of this infection was 1% over a period of five years. We studied SSI in 15 patients (16 infections) with a mean age of 72.7 years (53 to 81). In all, 12 of the infections occurred early and half of the infections involved the prosthesis, resulting in an increase of 11-fold in the cumulative hospital stay. Methicillin-resistant Staph. aureus was successfully eradicated in all the patients after a mean follow-up of 53.6 months (25 to 88). Superficial incisional infections resolved after antibiotic therapy alone while deep infections required multiple operative debridements. Attempted retention of the implant in early organ space infections was successful in only one of five patients. Only three patients with implant-level infections obtained a pain-free, functional prosthesis while a further three required excision arthroplasty. We have formulated a protocol of treatment which may serve as a guide in the management of these infections

Background. Much effort has been aimed at strategies for patient optimization, perioperative standards of care, and postoperative risk stratification to reduce the incidence of SSI. Examples include, newer dressing modalities, antibiotic-impregnated bone cement, intra-wound powdered antibiotics, as well as novel suture types and techniques, all of which have shown great potential. However, the question remains as to whether these changes in practice have led to lower overall infections over the past few years. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to track the annual rates and trends of: 1) overall; 2) deep; and 3) superficial SSI following total hip arthroplasty (THA) using the most recent data (2012 to 2016) from a large nationwide database. Methods. The National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database was queried for all primary THAs (CPT code 27130) between 2012 and 2016, yielding 122,451 cases. Cases with reported superficial and/or deep SSIs were combined for an overall rate, and then independently analyzed as deep and superficial SSIs. The infection incidence for each year was calculated. After an overall 5-year correlation and trends, univariate analysis was also performed to compare the most recent year, 2016, with each of the preceding 4 years. Furthermore, a comparison of overall and deep SSI incidences from this study were compared to meta-analysis of pooled data from 2001 to 2011. Pearson correlation coefficients and chi-squared tests were used to determine correlation and statistical significance which was maintained at a p-value less than 0.05. Results. Over the 5-year period, 1,154 cases out of 122,451 (0.94% of all cases) were complicated by any SSI. The lowest incidence was in the latest year, 2016 (n=289, 0.81%), while the greatest was in the earliest year, 2012 (n=163, 1.12%). There was a significant inverse correlation between overall SSI rate and year (p<0.01). A 31% decrease in rate was found between 2016 and 2012 (0.81% vs. 1.12%, p<0.01). For deep SSI, the lowest incidence was in the most recent year, 2016 (n=82, 0.23%). The incidence over 5 years was 0.30% (364 out of 122,451 cases). The mean percent decrease in deep SSI incidence over the 5 years was 31%. There was a 49% decrease in deep SSI rate in 2016 compared to 2015 (0.23% vs. 0.38%, p>0.05). Additionally, there was an inverse correlation between deep SSI rate and year of surgery (p>0.05). The lowest superficial SSI incidence occurred in the most recent year, 2016 (n=204, 0.58%), while 2012 had the greatest incidence (n=121, 0.83%). There were a total of 796 cases out of 122,451 over 5 years, an incidence of 0.65%. A 31% decrease was observed between 2016 and 2012 (0.58% vs. 0.83%, p=0.001). There was a statistically significant inverse correlation between superficial SSI rate and year (p<0.01). A meta-analysis evaluating primary THA SSIs from 2001 to 2011 reported an overall SSI incidence of 2.5% (95% confidence interval [Cl], 1.4%-4.4%; P<.001; n=28,883), substantially higher (309%) than the 2016 incidence of 0.81% found in this study. Furthermore, the meta-analysis reported an incidence for deep SSIs to be 0.9% (95% Cl, 0.4%-2.2%; p<.001; n=28,883), also found to be markedly lower than the 2016 incidence noted here (0.23%), marking a 391% difference. Conclusion. The findings from this study suggest that the evolving standards of care have brought about improvements in SSI prevention following THA over time. Deep SSIs, which can pose substantial threats to implant survivorship, have decreased throughout the years. These results highlight the importance of following up-to-date clinical recommendations to reduce surgical site infections and substantially improve patient outcomes

This trial aims to assess the effectiveness of quality improvement collaboratives as a technique to introduce large-scale change and improve outcomes for patients undergoing primary elective total hip or total knee arthroplasty. 41 NHS Trusts that did not have; a preoperative anaemia screening and optimisation pathways, or a methicillin sensitive Staphylococcus Aureus (MSSA) decolonisation pathway, in place were randomised to one of two parallel collaboratives in a two arm, cluster randomised controlled trial. Each collaborative focussed on implementing one of these two preoperative pathways. Collaboratives took place from May 2018 to November 2019. 27 Trusts completed the trial. Outcome data were collected for procedures between November 2018 and November 2019. Co-primary outcomes were perioperative blood transfusion (within 7 days of surgery) and deep surgical site infections (SSI) caused by MSSA (within 90 days) for the anaemia and MSSA arms respectively. Secondary outcomes include deep and superficial SSIs (any organism), length of stay, critical care admissions, and readmissions. Process measures include the proportion of patients receiving each preoperative initiative. 19,254 procedures from 27 Trusts are included. Process measures show both preoperative pathways were implemented to a high degree (75.3% compliance in MSSA arm; 61.2% anaemia arm), indicating that QICs can facilitate change in the NHS. However, there were no improvements in blood transfusions (2.9% v 2.3% adjusted-OR 1.20, 95% CI 0.52–2.75, p=0.67), MSSA deep SSIs (0.13% v 0.14% adjusted-OR 1.01, 95%CI 0.42–2.46, p=0.98), or any secondary outcome. Whilst no significant improvement in patient outcomes were seen, this trial shows quality improvement collaboratives can successfully support the implementation of new preoperative pathways in planned surgery in the NHS

There is an increasing incidence of revision for periprosthetic joint infection. The addition of vancomycin to beta-lactam antimicrobial prophylaxis in joint arthroplasty may reduce surgical site infections, however, the efficacy and safety have not been established. This was a multicenter, double-blind, superiority, placebo-controlled trial. We randomized 4239 adult patients undergoing joint arthroplasty surgery to receive 1.5g vancomycin or normal saline placebo, in addition to standard cefazolin antimicrobial prophylaxis. The primary outcome was surgical site infection at 90-days from index surgery. Perioperative carriage of Staphylococcus species was also assessed. In the 4113 patients included in the modified intention-to-treat population, surgical site infections occurred in 72/2069 (3.5%) in the placebo group and 91/2044 (4. 5%) in the vancomycin group (risk ratio 1.28; 95% confidence interval 0.94 to 1.73; p value 0.11). No difference was observed between the two groups for primary hip arthroplasty procedures. A higher proportion of infections occurred in knee arthroplasty patients in the vancomycin group (63/1109 [4.7%]) compared with the placebo group (42/1124 [3.7%]; risk ratio 1.52; 95% confidence interval 1.04 to 2.23; p value 0.031). Hypersensitivity reactions occurred in 11 (0.5%) patients in the placebo group and 24 (1.2%) in the vancomycin group (risk ratio 2.20; 95% confidence interval 1.08, 4.49) and acute kidney injury in 74 (3.7%) patients in the placebo group and 42 (2.1%) in the vancomycin group (risk ratio 0.57; 95% confidence interval 0.39, 0.83). Perioperative Staphylococcus aureus carriage was detected in 1089/3748 (29.1%) of patients. This is the first randomized controlled trial examining the addition of a glycopeptide antimicrobial to standard beta-lactam surgical antimicrobial prophylaxis in joint arthroplasty. The addition of vancomycin to standard cefazolin prophylaxis was not superior to placebo for the prevention of surgical site infections in hip and knee arthroplasty surgery

Aims. Periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) in total hip arthroplasty in the elderly may occur but has been subject to limited investigation. This study analyzed infection characteristics, surgical outcomes, and perioperative complications of octogenarians undergoing treatment for PJI in a single university-based institution. Methods. We identified 33 patients who underwent treatment for PJIs of the hip between January 2010 and December 2019 using our institutional joint registry. Mean age was 82 years (80 to 90), with 19 females (57%) and a mean BMI of 26 kg/m. 2. (17 to 41). Mean American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) grade was 3 (1 to 4) and mean Charlson Comorbidity Index was 6 (4 to 10). Leading pathogens included coagulase-negative Staphylococci (45%) and Enterococcus faecalis (9%). Two-stage exchange was performed in 30 joints and permanent resection arthroplasty in three. Kaplan-Meier survivorship analyses were performed. Mean follow-up was five years (3 to 7). Results. The two-year survivorship free of any recurrent PJI was 72% (95% confidence interval (CI) 56 to 89; 18 patients at risk). There were a total of nine recurrent PJIs at a mean of one year (16 days to eight years), one for the same pathogen as at index infection. One additional surgical site infection was noted at two weeks, resulting in a 69% (95% CI 52 to 86; 17 patients at risk) survivorship free of any infection at two years. There were two additional revisions for dislocations at one month each. As such, the two-year survivorship free of any revision was 61% (95% CI 42 to 80; 12 patients at risk). In addition to the aforementioned revisions, there was one additional skin grafting for a decubitus ulcer, resulting in a survivorship free of any reoperation of 54% (95% CI 35 to 73; ten patients at risk) at two years. Mean Clavien-Dindo score of perioperative complications was two out of five, with one case of perioperative death noted at six days. Conclusion. Octogenarians undergoing surgery for PJI of the hip are at low risk of acute mortality, but are at moderate risk of other perioperative complications. One in two patients will undergo a reoperation within two years, with 70% attributable to recurrent infections. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2023;105-B(2):135–139

We aimed to use data from a randomized controlled trial (RCT) comparing the sliding hip screw vs. intramedullary nailing (IMN) for trochanteric fractures to examine complication rates between those managed with a short vs. long IMN. This is a secondary analysis using one arm of an RCT of patients ≥18 years with trochanteric fractures. We examined differences in fracture-related (femoral shaft fracture, implant failure, surgical site infection (SSI), nonunion, limb shortening, and pain) and medical (organ failure, respiratory distress, stroke, deep vein thrombosis [DVT] gastrointestinal upset, pneumonia, myocardial infarction, sepsis, or urinary tract infection) adverse events (AE), and readmission between short vs. long IMNs. We included 412 trochanteric fracture patients, 339 (82.2%) of whom received a short (170mm–200mm) nail, while 73 (17.7%) received a long (260mm–460 mm) nail. Patients in the long group were more likely to be admitted from home (vs. an institution), and have comorbidities, or more complex fracture types. Patients in the long group had higher rates of fracture-related AE (12.3%) vs. the short group (3.5%). Specifically, SSI (5.5% vs. 0.3%) and pain (2.7% vs. 0.0%) were significantly higher in the long group. Patients in the long group were also more likely to develop DVT (2.7% vs. 0.3%), and be readmitted to the hospital (28.8% vs. 20.7%). Following covariable adjustment, long nails remained associated with a higher odds of fracture-related AE (5.11, 1.96–13.33) compared to short nails. We found no association between the adjusted odds of readmission and nail length (1.00, 0.52–1.94). Our analyses revealed that trochanteric fracture patients managed with long IMN nails may have a higher odds of fracture-related AE compared to short nails. Future research is required to validate these findings with larger event rates, and further optimize IMN for trochanteric fracture patients

Emerging evidence from different countries around the world is increasingly associating hip and knee replacements performed during the summer months with an increased risk of surgical site infection (SSI). We aimed to synthesise evidence on this phenomenon globally. A systematic review was performed according to PRISMA guidelines using Medline, PubMed, and EMBASE from inception until August 2021 for relevant original articles without language restrictions. Meta-analysis was performed using random effects models to estimate and compare the pooled odds ratio (OR) and the confidence interval (CI) of operations undertaken during the summer season as defined by study authors. Five studies from Canada, Japan, Pakistan, and the USA (n= 2) met the inclusion criteria. Data involving 1,589,207 primary hip and knee replacements, were included in the meta-analysis. There were 5985 superficial SSIs, out of total 420121 operations during the summer season, equating to a risk of 1.4%. During the other 3 seasons, there were 15364 Superficial SSIs out of 1169086 total operations, a risk of 1.3%. The pooled OR highlighted increased odds of developing superficial SSI for patients who underwent joint replacements during the summer months (OR 1.29, 95% confidence interval 1.05 – 1.60, P < 0.0001); with evidence of significant heterogeneity. Our preliminary meta-analysis suggests a 29% increased chance of having an SSI if the joint replacement was performed in the summer months. A high degree of heterogeneity was evident which warrants further exploration. Given the concerning consequences of developing wound infections after joint replacements, these findings may have important implications for informing individual patient-surgeon preoperative consent, surgical planning, and guiding future research

Aims. Although periarticular injection plays an important role in multimodal pain management following total hip arthroplasty (THA), there is no consensus on the optimal composition of the injection. In particular, it is not clear whether the addition of a corticosteroid improves the pain relief achieved nor whether it is associated with more complications than are observed without corticosteroid. The aim of this study was to quantify the safety and effectiveness of cortocosteroid use in periarticular injection during THA. Methods. We conducted a prospective, two-arm, parallel-group, randomized controlled trial involving patients scheduled for unilateral THA. A total of 187 patients were randomly assigned to receive periarticular injection containing either a corticosteroid (CS group) or without corticosteroid (no-CS group). Other perioperative interventions were identical for all patients. The primary outcome was postoperative pain at rest during the initial 24 hours after surgery. Pain score was recorded every three hours until 24 hours using a 100 mm visual analogue scale (VAS). The primary outcome was assessed based on the area under the curve (AUC). Results. The CS group had a significantly lower AUC postoperatively at 0 to 24 hours compared to the no-CS group (AUC of VAS score at rest 550 ± 362 vs 392 ± 320, respectively; mean difference 158 mm; 95% confidence interval (CI) 58 to 257; p = 0.0021). In point-by-point evaluation, the CS group had significantly lower VAS scores at 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, and 48 hours. There were no significant differences in complication rates, including surgical site infection, between the two groups. Conclusion. The addition of corticosteroid to periarticular injections reduces postoperative pain without increasing complication rate following THA. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2020;102-B(10):1297–1302

Aims. Intravenous dexamethasone has been shown to reduce immediate postoperative pain after total hip arthroplasty (THA), though the effects are short-lived. We aimed to assess whether two equivalent perioperative split doses were more effective than a single preoperative dose. Methods. A total of 165 patients were randomly assigned into three groups: two perioperative saline injections (Group A, placebo), a single preoperative dose of 20 mg dexamethasone and a postoperative saline injection (Group B), and two perioperative doses of 10 mg dexamethasone (Group C). Patients, surgeons, and staff collecting outcome data were blinded to allocation. The primary outcome was postoperative pain level reported on a ten-point Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) at rest and during activity. The use of analgesic and antiemetic rescue, incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV), CRP and interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels, range of motion (ROM), length of stay (LOS), patient satisfaction, and the incidence of surgical site infection (SSI) and gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB) in the three months postoperatively, were also compared. Results. The pain scores at rest were significantly lower in Groups B and C than in Group A on postoperative days 1 and 2. The dynamic pain scores and CRP and IL-6 levels were significantly lower for Groups B and C compared to Group A on postoperative days 1, 2, and 3. Patients in Groups B and C had a lower incidence of PONV, reduced use of analgesic and antiemetic rescue, improved ROM, shorter LOS, and reported higher satisfaction than in Group A. Patients in Group C had significantly lower dynamic pain scores and IL-6 and CRP levels on postoperative days 2 and 3, and higher ROM and satisfaction on postoperative day 3 than in Group B. No SSI or GIB occurred in any group. Conclusion. Perioperative dexamethasone provides short-term advantages in reducing pain, PONV, and inflammation, and increasing range of motion in the early postoperative period after THA. A split-dose regimen was superior to a single high dose in reducing pain and inflammation, and increasing ROM, with better patient satisfaction. Level of evidence: I. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2020;102-B(11):1497–1504

Introduction. Wound complications following revision total hip arthroplasty (THA) are associated with an increased risk of superficial and deep infections. Closed incision negative-pressure therapy (ciNPT) has been reported to decrease this risk. This study's purpose was to assess if ciNPT decreases the rate of wound complications following revision THA versus a conventional, silver-impregnated dressing. Methods. This was a single center, randomized controlled trial of patients undergoing both septic and aseptic revision THA. Patients received either ciNPT or a silver-impregnated dressing (control) for 7 days. Wound complications within 90 days of the procedure were recorded, including: surgical site infection (SSI), periprosthetic joint infection (PJI), prolonged drainage greater than 5 days, erythema requiring antibiotics, and hematoma formation. An a priori power analysis determined 201 patients per cohort were necessary to demonstrate a 10% decrease in wound complication rate. Results. Between 2017 and 2020, 113 patients have been enrolled: 57 (50.4%) to ciNPT and 56 (49.6%) to the control dressing. Two revisions (1.8%) were performed via a direct lateral approach; all others via a posterior approach. There were no differences in age, BMI, ASA score, revision performed, wound closure method (staples, superficial nylons, subcuticular), or postoperative anti-coagulation (p=0.2–0.8). Seven (12.3%) patients in the ciNPT cohort sustained a wound complication versus 4 (7.1%) in the control cohort (p=0.2). There was no difference in type of wound complication sustained (p=0.4). Four (7.0%) patients in the ciNPT cohort underwent re-operation for wound-related complications (2 PJI, 1 SSI, 1 prolonged drainage) versus zero in the control cohort (p=0.04). Conclusion. Prior studies have shown ciNPT to be effective in decreasing the rate of wound complications in total joint arthroplasty. Preliminary results of this randomized trial of revision THA patients do not corroborate these prior reports. Continued enrollment is required to confirm these initial findings

Background. Few studies have compared aspirin with DOACs (direct oral anticoagulants = direct thrombin inhibitors and factor Xa inhibitors) for venous thromboembolism (VTE) prophylaxis following total hip and knee replacement (THR and TKR). We assessed the efficacy and safety of aspirin compared with DOACs for VTE prophylaxis following THR and TKR using the world's largest joint replacement registry. Methods. We studied the National Joint Registry linked to English hospital inpatient episodes for 218,650 THR and TKR patients. Patients receiving aspirin were matched separately to (1) direct thrombin inhibitors, and (2) factor Xa inhibitors using propensity scores. Outcomes assessed at 90 days included VTE, length of stay, and adverse events. Results. Following THR, the risk of VTE was significantly lower in patients receiving direct thrombin inhibitors (0.44%; odds ratio (OR)=0.69, 95% confidence interval (CI)=0.55–0.87, p=0.002) and factor Xa inhibitors (0.37%; OR=0.63, CI=0.47–0.85, p=0.003) compared with aspirin (0.63%). Following THR, direct thrombin inhibitors (coefficient=−0.37, CI=−0.43 to −0.31, p<0.001) and factor Xa inhibitors (coefficient=−0.80, CI=−0.87 to −0.74, p<0.001) reduced length of stay compared with aspirin. Similar findings for both outcomes were observed following TKR. Compared with aspirin, DOACs did not increase the risk of short-term revision surgery; reoperation; major haemorrhage; wound disruption; surgical site infection; and mortality. Conclusions. Following THR and TKR, the risk of VTE was lower in patients receiving DOACs compared with aspirin. DOACs were associated with a reduced length of stay, and DOACs did not increase the risk of further surgery, wound problems, bleeding complications, or mortality compared with aspirin

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently published guidelines for the prevention of surgical site infection. The WHO guidelines, if implemented worldwide, could have an immense impact on our practices and those of the CDC have implications for healthcare policy in the United States. Our aim was to review the strategies for prevention of periprosthetic joint infection in light of these and other recent guidelines. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2017;99-B(4 Supple B):3–10

Aims. A variety of surgical approaches are used for total hip arthroplasty (THA), all with reported advantages and disadvantages. A number of common complications can occur following THA regardless of the approach used. The purpose of this study was to compare five commonly used surgical approaches with respect to the incidence of surgery-related complications. Patients and Methods. The electronic medical records of all patients who underwent primary elective THA at a single large-volume arthroplasty centre, between 2011 and 2016, with at least two years of follow-up, were reviewed. After exclusion, 3574 consecutive patients were included in the study. There were 1571 men (44.0%) and 2003 women (56.0%). Their mean age and body mass index (BMI) was 63.0 years (. sd. 11.8) and 29.1 kg/m. 2. (. sd. 6.1), respectively. Data gathered included the age of the patient, BMI, the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score, estimated blood loss (EBL), length of stay (LOS), operating time, the presence of intra- or postoperative complications, type of complication, and the surgical approach. The approaches used during the study were posterior, anterior, direct lateral, anterolateral, and the northern approach. The complications that were recorded included prolonged wound drainage without infection, superficial infection, deep infection, dislocation, aseptic loosening, and periprosthetic fracture. Finally, the need for re-operation was recorded. Means were compared using analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Student’s t-tests where appropriate and proportions were compared using the chi-squared test. Results. A total of 248 patients had 263 complications related to the surgery, with an incidence of 6.94%. The anterior approach had the highest incidence of complications (8.5% (113/1329)) and the posterior approach had the lowest, at 5.85% (97/1657; p = 0.006). Most complications were due to deep infection (22.8%), periprosthetic fracture (22.4%), and prolonged wound drainage (21.3%). The rate of dislocation was 0.84% (14/1657) with the posterior approach and 1.28% (17/1329) with the anterior approach (p = 0.32). Conclusion. Overall, THA has a relatively low complication rate. However, the surgical approach plays a role in the incidence of complications. We found that the posterior approach had a significantly lower overall complication rate compared with the anterior approach, with an equal dislocation rate. Periprosthetic fracture and surgical site infection contributed most to the early complication rates. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2019;101-B:646–651

Introduction. The obesity epidemic is a growing problem and must be considered with the projected increased demand for total hip arthroplasty (THA). Previous studies have reported increased complication rates after THA in the obese population, which has led to hesitation in offering surgery to this population. Moreover, some insurers are denying coverage for morbidly obese patients. While many consider obesity a “modifiable” risk factor, very few patients with advanced osteoarthritis have successfully lost substantial weight. The experience of centers that utilize systematic preoperative risk stratification tools and standardized postoperative total joint pathways may be underrepresented in prior studies. The aim of this study is to describe one surgeon's experience performing THA in morbidly and super-obese patient populations using an institutional preoperative Risk Stratification Tool (RST) and total joints pathway. Methods. We conducted a retrospective review of patients undergoing primary THA between May 2014 and December 2017 performed by a single surgeon at a tertiary care referral center. All patients were assessed preoperatively using an institutional RST and had a minimum of 90-day postoperative follow up. Patients were stratified by body mass index (BMI, kg/m. 2. ): non-obese (BMI < 30), obese (30–34), severely obese (35–39), morbidly obese (40–44), and super-obese (≥ 45). Primary outcomes were inpatient and 90-day complications. Continuous and binary parameters were analyzed by Kruskal-Wallis and Fisher exact tests. Logistic regression was additionally utilized to evaluate outcomes by BMI cohort. Results. A consecutive series of 368 patients met inclusion criteria across all BMI cohorts. There was significant variation with respect to age (P=0.001), BMI (P<0.001), diabetes (P=0.008), ASA class (P<0.001), and anesthesia type (P=0.003) (Table 1). Variation among BMI cohorts was also identified for several operative and postoperative parameters, including longer operative and in-room time and greater length of stay (P<0.001) (Table 2). Compared to non-obese patients, super-obese patients had 20.1 greater odds of return to OR within 90 days for superficial surgical site infection (SSI) or prolonged round drainage (P=0.008) (Table 3). Notably, morbidly and super-obese patients were not at significantly increased risk for inpatient intensive care unit (ICU) transfer, blood transfusion, 90-day emergency room visit, or 90-day readmission compared to their non-obese counterparts. For patients in whom 1-year follow-up was available, these differences between BMI cohorts remained insignificant. Conclusions. Patients with BMI>40 are more likely than non-obese patients to have increased postoperative rehabilitation needs but are not at increased risk for in-hospital complications. Super-obese patients have greater risk of superficial SSI or prolonged wound drainage than non-obese patients but are not at increased risk for revision or deep infection in any cohort. Use of a preoperative RST may help to mitigate postoperative complications and readmissions previously associated with morbid and super-obesity. We conclude that THA can be safely performed in super-obese patients and therefore care should not be denied to this population. Summary sentence. Total hip arthroplasty (THA) can be safely performed in morbidly and super-obese patients with the use of a preoperative risk stratification tool (RST) and total joints pathway. For any tables or figures, please contact the authors directly

Malnutrition has been identified as an independent risk factor for surgical site infection (SSI). Guidelines advise that malnourished patients should be counselled and strategies implemented to improve nutritional intake prior to surgery. However, the current total hip replacement (THR) literature lacks of prospective clinical trials. The aim of this study was to investigate if the probability of acute SSI following THR is related to whether or not the patient had pre-operative low transferrin levels, low albumin levels and/or low total lymphocyte cell count (TLC). All patients receiving THR in a single Institution during a 2-year period were assessed prospectively for presence of malnutrition and SSI within 3 months after unilateral THR. Malnutrition was defined as albumin <35 g/L, transferrin <2g/L or TLC < 1.5 E. 9. /L. Patients with previous infection(s) were excluded. Multivariate analysis included gender, age, BMI, diabetes, and immunocompromised status. 478 patients with a complete dataset were included in the study; 137 (27.6%) had at least one low value of transferrin, TLC or albumin. SSI was recorded in 22 hips (4.6%) including 6 deep infections. Hypoalbuminaemia (RR, 1.28, p=0.5), low transferrin (RR, 1.39, p=0.4) or low TLC (RR, 1, p=0.1) were not associated with SSI. Multivariate analysis showed no association between abnormal blood tests suggesting malnutrition, BMI and SSI. Only BMI had a low p value for association with SSI (p=0.006). This study shows that abnormal blood tests associated with malnutrition are not an independent risk factor for SSI in THR

Introduction. Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have a higher risk of surgical site infection (PJI) than patients with osteoarthritis (OA). Disease modifying therapy is in widespread use in RA patients, and biologic medications may increase Staphylococcus aureus colonization rates. Because S. aureus colonization likely increases risk of surgical infection, perioperative assessments and therapies to decrease the risk of invasive S.aureus infections may be warranted. The objective of this study was to determine if there was a difference in S. aureus carriage among patients with RA, OA, and RA on biologics (RA+B). Methods. An a priori power analysis determined 123 participants per group were needed to detect a relative difference of 20% among groups with 80% power. After IRB approval, patients were screened; included patients met American College of Rheumatology classification criteria. Patients were approached between April 2017 and May 2018 and asked to perform a nasal swab while on site using the Center for Disease Control's swabbing protocol; questionnaires pertaining to their current health status were collected. Swabs were inoculated onto ChromAgar/ChromID MRSA plates for detection of S. aureus. Mann-Whitney U and Chi-square tests were used to evaluate baseline differences between groups. Logistic regression evaluated the associations between groups and S. aureus carriage. All statistical analyses were performed using SAS Software version 9.3 (SAS Institute, Cary, NC); statistical significance was defined as p<0.05. Results. Overall the patient cohort evaluated had a mean age of 66 (+/-13.7), BMI of 29 (+/-28.2), and were predominantly female (78%) .28% of the cohort was on antibiotics within three months prior to the nasal swab, 18% were currently on steroids, and 24% had been hospitalized within the last year. We found differences in age (p<0.001), BMI (p<0.001), sex (p<0.001), diabetes (p=0.04), steroid use (p=0.02), antibiotic use (p<0.001), and hospitalizations within the last year (p<0.001). S. aureus carriage was most prevalent in RA+B37%, followed by RA (24%), and OA (20%). After multivariate adjustment, RA+B was found to have increased odds of S. aureus (OR=1.80, 95% CI 1.00–3.22); p=0.047) compared to RA group. Use of glucocorticoids, hospitalization, or diabetes did not increase the odds of S. aureus carriage. The OA group had decreased odds of S. aureus growth when compared to the RA group; however, this was not found to be statistically significant (p=0.987). Conclusion. RA patients treated with biologics have an increased prevalence of S. aureus colonization. Since nasal S. aureus carriage may play a role in the pathogenesis of surgical infections, S. aureus decolonization should be considered in RA patients on biologics prior to elective surgery

We examined patient and surgical factors associated with deep surgical site infection (SSI) following total hip replacement (THR) in a large integrated healthcare system. A retrospective review of a cohort of primary THRs performed between 2001 and 2009 was conducted. Patient characteristics, surgical details, surgeon and hospital volumes, and SSIs were identified using the Kaiser Permanente Total Joint Replacement Registry (TJRR). Proportional-hazard regression models were used to assess risk factors for SSI. The study cohort consisted of 30 491 THRs, of which 17 474 (57%) were performed on women. The mean age of the patients in the whole series was 65.5 years (13 to 97; . sd. 11.8) and the mean body mass index was 29.3 kg/m. 2. (15 to 67; . sd. 5.9). The incidence of SSI was 0.51% (155 of 30 491). Patient factors associated with SSI included female gender, obesity, and American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score ≥ 3. Age, diagnosis, diabetes and race were not associated with SSI. The only surgical factor associated with SSI was a bilateral procedure. Surgeon and hospital volumes, use of antibiotic-laden cement, fixation method, laminar flow, body exhaust suits, surgical approach and fellowship training were not associated with risk of SSI. A comprehensive infection surveillance system, combined with a TJRR, identified patient and surgical factors associated with SSI. Obesity and chronic medical conditions should be addressed prior to THR. The finding of increased SSI risk with bilateral THR requires further investigation

Total hip replacement (THR) has been shown to be a cost-effective procedure. However, it is not risk-free. Certain conditions, such as diabetes mellitus, are thought to increase the risk of complications. In this study we have evaluated the prevalence of diabetes mellitus in patients undergoing THR and the associated risk of adverse operative outcomes. A meta-analysis and systematic review were conducted according to the guidelines of the meta-analysis of observational studies in epidemiology. Inclusion criteria were observational studies reporting the prevalence of diabetes in the study population, accompanied by reports of at least one of the following outcomes: venous thromboembolic events; acute coronary events; infections of the urinary tract, lower respiratory tract or surgical site; or requirement for revision arthroplasty. Altman and Bland’s methods were used to calculate differences in relative risks. The prevalence of diabetes mellitus was found to be 5.0% among patients undergoing THR, and was associated with an increased risk of established surgical site infection (odds ratio (OR) 2.04 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.52 to 2.76)), urinary infection (OR 1.43 (95% CI 1.33 to 1.55)) and lower respiratory tract infections (OR 1.95 (95% CI 1.61 to 2.26)). Diabetes mellitus is a relatively common comorbidity encountered in THR. Diabetic patients have a higher rate of developing both surgical site and non-surgical site infections following THR. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2013;95-B:1474–9

Aims

The aims of this study were to determine the incidence and factors for developing periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) following hemiarthroplasty (HA) for hip fracture, and to evaluate treatment outcome and identify factors associated with treatment outcome.

Introduction. Surgical site infection (SSI) remains a concern following total hip arthroplasty (THA). We aimed to identify risk factors for post-operative SSI in THA. Patients/Materials & Methods. All primary THAs performed in our institution during 2009–2010 were included, giving 1832 cases in 1716 patients. Cohort demographics were mean age 67.9 years (SD10.2), mean BMI 29.6 (SD5.3), 60% female and 90.2% primary indication of osteoarthritis. Post-operative SSI within one year was identified either through hospital infection control records or from Information Services Division (NHS Scotland). Demographic and peri-operative data for known or suspected risk factors for SSI were collected from clinical records. Groups were compared using independent t-tests and chi-squared tests as appropriate. Results. Within one year post-operatively, 27 patients (1.5%) developed SSI, with 23 (1.3%) being deep infections. The infected group had a higher mean BMI than the non-infected group (33.1 vs 30.0, p=0.001). 40.7% of the infected group had operative times ≥90 minutes compared to 22.7% in the non-infected group (p=0.026). Peri-operative blood transfusions were received by 25.9% of those developing infections but only 3.9% of those who did not (p<0.001). Discussion. The deep infection rate is similar to the national average and within the often quoted 2%. In keeping with other studies, these data have shown higher BMI, extended operative time and peri-operative blood transfusions to be risk factors for post-operative SSI. Obesity, along with other factors such as surgeon experience, may prolong surgical time and increase the risk of peri-operative blood transfusion, therefore leading to higher SSI rates. These results reinforce the importance of pre-operative weight loss for reducing SSIs. Conclusion. This study highlights that the rising incidence of obesity presents a serious ongoing challenge to surgeons performing THAs in terms of increasing risk of SSI. Reports of hospital infection rates should include the patient population BMI and be interpreted accordingly