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Background: Perioperative complications of deep vein thrombosis are well described in the total joint arthroplasty (TJA) literature. Few studies have investigated short-term perioperative outcomes of patients with primary hypercoagulable diseases (PHDs). Optimal perioperative management of PHD patients remains unknown, and they are often referred to tertiary centers for care. We investigated the influence perioperative hematology consultation and anti-coagulation use had on PHD patient outcomes following TJA surgery within the 90-day postoperative period. Methods: This retrospective cohort study examined perioperative outcomes of PHD patients undergoing TJA. Thirty-eight PHD patients were identified and compared to a 3:1 matched control group in a consecutive series of 6568 cases (2007-2019). Perioperative hematology consultations, use of anticoagulants (AC) or antiplatelet therapy, emergency department (ED) visits, readmissions, and complications within 90 days of surgery were determined. Results: The PHD cohort exhibited more frequent hematology consultations (odds ratio 5.88, 95% confidence interval: 2.59-16.63) and AC use (odds ratio 7.9, 95% confidence interval: 3.38-23.80) than controls. PHD patients did not show significantly greater rates of deep vein thrombosis, transfusion, infection, ED visits, or need for operative intervention. Similarly, AC vs antiplatelet therapy yielded comparable ED visits and readmissions within 90 days postoperatively (11.0% vs 9.7%, P = .85 and 5.5% vs 5.5%, P = 1, respectively). Conclusions: These findings suggest that despite increased hematology consultation and AC use, PHD patients do not demonstrate significantly elevated perioperative risks post-TJA, favoring careful preoperative workup and outpatient postoperative follow-up.

Background: Lymphedema is rare in arthroplasty patients but has been associated with a higher complication rate. This study sought to determine the outcomes of total joint arthroplasty in patients with lymphedema as compared to a matched control cohort. Methods: Treatment-control propensity matching was implemented on 335 patients following total knee or hip arthroplasty generating 5-patient sets of one patient with presurgery lymphedema (67 total) to 4 patients without presurgery lymphedema (268 total) and matched on age, sex, and surgery year. Body mass index and presence of diabetes were controlled using multivariable generalized estimating equations. Results: In the lymphedema cohort, 1 patient (1.5%) had a deep vein thrombosis within 90 days of their surgery, 36 (53.7%) were discharged to a rehabilitation center, 16 (23.9%) had a readmission, 14 (20.9%) were admitted to the emergency room within 90 days, 6 (9.0%) experienced infection, and 6 (9.0%) had a revision/reoperation. Lymphedema significantly increased emergency room admission within 90 days (odds ratio [OR] 4.56, P = .01) and non-home discharge (OR 4.14, P < .01), affected readmission within 90 days (OR 2.21, P = .09), revision/reoperation (OR 2.82, P = .09), and no effect on deep vein thrombosis within 90 days (OR 0.57, P = .45), postsurgical infection (OR 1.47, P = .45), length of stay (OR 0.00, P = .99), operative time (OR 0.04, P = .38), or estimated blood loss (OR 0.09, P = .47), after adjusting for various factors. Conclusions: Preoperative lymphedema is a significant risk factor for patients who are undergoing total joint arthroplasty. Preoperative and postoperative modalities should be utilized to help control lymphedema and mitigate these increased risks.

This article reports a rare case of a total knee arthroplasty femoral component fracture. Fractures of early knee systems were attributed to design flaws. Modern design failures have been attributed to poor surgical technique or underlying osteolysis. Here, we report a fracture in the Vanguard prosthesis (Zimmer Biomet, Warsaw, IN) 12 years after implantation in a patient with a persistent flexion contracture. The fracture likely occurred due to fatigue failure of the anterior flange secondary to increased stress from a high riding patella. Although femoral component fractures are rare, they should be considered as a potential complication, especially in patients with special load considerations. For these patients, it is essential that the prosthesis be properly supported with clean cuts and an adequate cement mantle.

Background: Knee arthrodesis is predominantly a salvage procedure. In present time, knee arthrodesis is mostly considered for cases of unreconstructable failed total knee arthroplasty after prosthetic joint infection or trauma. Knee arthrodesis has shown better functional outcomes than amputation for these patients but has a high complication rate. The purpose of this study was to characterize the acute surgical risk profile of patients undergoing a knee arthrodesis for any indication. Methods: The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database was queried to determine 30-day outcomes after knee arthrodesis between 2005 and 2020. Demographics, clinical risk factors, and postoperative events were analyzed, along with reoperation and readmission rates. Results: A total of 203 patients that underwent a knee arthrodesis were identified. Forty-eight percent of patients had at least 1 complication. The most common complication was acute surgical blood loss anemia requiring a blood transfusion (38.4%), followed by organ space surgical site infection (4.9%), superficial surgical site infection (2.5%), and deep vein thrombosis (2.5%). Smoking was associated with higher rates of reoperation and readmission (odds ratio 9, P < .01, and odds ratio 6, P < .05). Conclusions: Overall, knee arthrodesis is a salvage procedure that has a high rate of early postoperative complications and is most often performed in patients at higher risk. Early reoperation is strongly associated with a poor preoperative functional status. Smoking places patients at higher risk of early complications.

Summary: Background: Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) can be used in genomic epidemiology investigations to confirm or refute outbreaks of bacterial pathogens, and to support targeted and efficient infection control interventions. We aimed to define a genetic relatedness cutoff, quantified as a number of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP), for meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), above which recent (ie, within 6 months) patient-to-patient transmission could be ruled out. Methods: We did a retrospective genomic and epidemiological analysis of MRSA data from two prospective observational cohort studies in the UK to establish SNP cutoffs for genetic relatedness, above which recent transmission was unlikely. We used three separate approaches to calculate these thresholds. First, we applied a linear mixed model to estimate the S aureus substitution rate and 95th percentile within-host diversity in a cohort in which multiple isolates were sequenced per individual. Second, we applied a simulated transmission model to this same genomic dataset. Finally, in a second cohort, we determined the genetic distance (ie, the number of SNPs) that would capture 95% of epidemiologically linked cases. We applied the three approaches to both whole-genome and core-genome sequences. Findings: In the linear mixed model, the estimated substitution rate was roughly 5 whole-genome SNPs (wgSNPs) or 3 core-genome SNPs (cgSNPs) per genome per year, and the 95th percentile within-host diversity was 19 wgSNPs or 10 cgSNPs. The combined SNP cutoffs for detection of MRSA transmission within 6 months per this model were thus 24 wgSNPs or 13 cgSNPs. The simulated transmission model suggested that cutoffs of 17 wgSNPs or 12 cgSNPs would detect 95% of MRSA transmission events within the same timeframe. Finally, in the second cohort, cutoffs of 22 wgSNPs or 11 cgSNPs captured 95% of epidemiologically linked cases within 6 months. Interpretation: On the basis of our results, we propose conservative cutoffs of 25 wgSNPs or 15 cgSNPS above which transmission of MRSA within the previous 6 months can be ruled out. These cutoffs could potentially be used as part of a genomic sequencing approach to the management of outbreaks of MRSA in conjunction with traditional epidemiological techniques. Funding: UK Department of Health, Wellcome Trust, UK National Institute for Health Research.