Should the Pareto Principle Be Applied as a Cost Savings Method in Hip and Knee Arthroplasty?

BackgroundUnderstanding the most significant contributions to the cost of completing total hip arthroplasty (THA) and total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is essential to optimize costs and meet funding standards. The objectives of this study are to determine whether cost distribution of THA and TKA follows the Pareto Principle (80/20 rule) and factors predictive of costs that could be modified.MethodsAll inpatient, primary, elective, and unilateral THA and TKA patients from April 2008 to September 2017 were retrospectively reviewed. The Pareto Principle was tested by dividing patients into top 5% cost increments and calculating patient cost category ratio. Relationship between patient-related factors and acute care costs and relationship between cost categories and length of stay (LOS) were examined using multiple regression.ResultsThe Pareto Principle does not apply for THA or TKA patients, with the top 20% of costly patients accounting for approximately 30% of total costs. LOS is the strongest independent driver of costs. Operating room services and supplies accounted for over 50% of total costs but with low variability (coefficient of variation < 0.25). Laboratory and allied health costs had high variability (coefficient of variation > 1.5), but their contribution to total costs was low (from 0.76% to 5.68%).ConclusionTHA and TKA costs do not follow Pareto Principle, concluding that targeting top costly patients is not as effective as focusing on overall patient population. Efforts to decrease overall costs should focus on decreasing the LOS and improving operating room process efficiencies including human resources for supplies and instruments.     

Caregiver Burden for Patients With Severe Osteoarthritis Significantly Decreases by One Year After Total Knee Arthroplasty

Background

The impact of total knee arthroplasty (TKA) on patients’ informal caregivers (eg, family members, friends) has gone largely ignored. The goals of this study are to measure the impact of TKA on the caregiver and identify factors contributing to higher burden.

The Validity of All-Cause 30-Day Readmission Rate as a Hospital Performance Metric After Primary Total Hip and Knee Arthroplasty: A Systematic Review

BackgroundRisk-adjusted all-cause 30-day readmission rate (ACRR) following total hip arthroplasty (THA) and total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is currently used as a metric of hospital performance as part of the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program. However, the extent to which it is determined by hospital-related factors and is therefore a fair method of determining reimbursement remains unclear.MethodsOur aim was to systematically review the available literature pertaining to whether ACRR is a valid metric of hospital performance after elective primary THA or TKA as determined by (1) its association with other performance metrics, (2) the extent to which variation in ACRR can be explained by between-hospital variation, and (3) the relative importance of hospital-related versus surgeon- or patient-related factors in determining ACRR. The MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Health Management Information Consortium databases were searched from inception to November 2018 and reference lists of selected articles scanned. The final list of articles was determined by consensus.ResultsEight articles were included. Correlation of ACRR with established composite metrics of both outcome and process measures was poor. There was a weak positive correlation between ACRR and mortality. Only 1.5% of the variation in readmission rates for THA and TKA was found to be attributable to hospital-level factors, with patient-related factors such as age and comorbidities having much greater influence. Use of composite outcome metrics, for example, combining readmission and mortality, or considering the “surgical” readmission rate, improved the sensitivity to detect important between-hospital variation.ConclusionThere is insufficient evidence in the current literature to justify the use of ACRR following elective THA and TKA for financially penalizing hospitals. Further work is needed to define what is acceptable variation. The use of a composite metric or surgical readmission rate may improve the ability to detect between-hospital variation.     

Adverse Events Associated With Robotic-Assisted Joint Arthroplasty: An Analysis of the US Food and Drug Administration MAUDE Database

BackgroundThe use of robotic assistance in arthroplasty is increasing; however, the spectrum of adverse events potentially associated with this technology is unclear. Improved understanding of the causes of adverse events in robotic-assisted arthroplasty can prevent future incidents and enhance patient outcomes.MethodsAdverse event reports to the US Food and Drug Administration Manufacturer and User Facility Device Experience database involving robotic-assisted total hip arthroplasty (THA), total knee arthroplasty (TKA), and partial knee arthroplasty were reviewed to determine causes of malfunction and related patient impact.ResultsOverall, 263 adverse event reports were included. The most frequently reported adverse events were unexpected robotic arm movement for TKA (59/204, 28.9%) and retained registration checkpoint for THA (19/44, 43.2%). There were 99 reports of surgical delay with an average delay of 20 minutes (range 1-120). Thirty-one cases reported conversion to manual surgery. In total, 68 patient injuries were reported, 7 of which required surgical reintervention. Femoral notching (12/36, 33.3%) was the most common for TKA and retained registration checkpoint (19/28, 67.9%) was the most common for THA. Although rare, additional reported injuries included femoral, tibial, and acetabular fractures, MCL laceration, additional retained foreign bodies, and an electrical burn.ConclusionDespite the increasing utilization of robotic-assisted arthroplasty in the United States, numerous adverse events are possible and technical difficulties experienced intraoperatively can result in prolonged surgical delays. The events reported herein seem to indicate that robotic-assisted arthroplasty is generally safe with only a few reported instances of serious complications, the nature of which seems more related to suboptimal surgical technique than technology. Based on our data, the practice of adding registration checkpoints and bone pins to the instrument count of all robotic-assisted TJA cases should be widely implemented to avoid unintended retained foreign objects.     

Assessment of a Satisfaction Measure for Use After Primary Total Joint Arthroplasty

BackgroundPatient satisfaction after total hip (THA) and total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is a core outcome selected by the Outcomes Measurement in Rheumatology. Up to 20% of THA/TKA patients are dissatisfied. Improving patient satisfaction is hindered by the lack of a validated measurement tool that can accurately measure change.MethodsThe psychometric properties of a proposed satisfaction instrument, consisting of 4 questions rated on a Likert scale, scored 1-100, were tested for validity, reliability, and sensitivity to change using data collected between 2007 and 2011 in an arthroplasty registry.ResultsWe demonstrated construct validity by confirming our hypothesis; satisfaction correlated with similar constructs. Satisfaction correlated moderately with pain relief (TKA ρ = 0.61, THA ρ = 0.47) and function (TKA ρ = 0.65, THA ρ = 0.51) at 2 years; there was no correlation with baseline/preoperative pain/function values, as expected. Overall Cronbach’s alpha >0.88 confirmed internal consistency. Test-retest reliability with weighted kappa ranged 0.60-0.75 for TKA and 0.36-0.56 for THA. Hip disability and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score/Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Scores quality of life improvement (>30 points) corresponds to a mean satisfaction score of 93.2 (standard deviation, 11.5) after THA and 90.4 (standard deviation, 13.8) after TKA, and increasing relief of pain and functional improvement increased the strength of their association with satisfaction. The satisfaction measure has no copyright and is available free of cost and represents minimal responder burden.ConclusionPatient satisfaction with THA/TKA can be measured with a validated 4-item questionnaire. This satisfaction measure can be included in a total joint arthroplasty core measurement set for total joint arthroplasty trials.     

Perioperative Telephone Encounters Should Be Included in the Relative Value Scale Update Committee Review of Time Spent on Total Hip and Knee Arthroplasty

BackgroundProviding care for patients undergoing hip and knee arthroplasty requires substantial effort beyond the actual replacement surgery to ensure a safe, clinical, and economically effective outcome. Recently, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has stated that the procedural codes for total hip (THA) and total knee arthroplasty (TKA) are potentially misvalued and has asked for a review by the Relative Value Scale Update Committee (RUC). The purpose of this study is to quantify one of the additional work efforts associated with telephone encounters during the perioperative episode of care.MethodsWe retrospectively reviewed all 47,841 telephone calls from patients to our office from 2015 to 2017 in a consecutive series of 3309 patients who underwent TKA and 3651 patients who underwent THA. We recorded reasons for communication, amount of communication, and the caller identity for both 30 days preoperatively and 90 days postoperatively. We then used the RUC Building Block Method to calculate the preservice and postservice work included in a review of the time and intensity of the codes for THA and TKA.ResultsThe average number of preoperative patient calls per patient was 2.31 for TKA and 2.44 for THA, and the average number of postoperative calls was 5.01 for TKA and 4.00 for THA. The most common reasons for patient calls were perioperative care instructions, medications, medical clearance, paperwork/insurance, and complications. Using the RUC-approved work relative value units (wRVUs) assigned to each telephone encounter, an additional 1.83 wRVUs for perioperative telephone encounters for TKA and 1.61 for THA should be assigned.ConclusionsProviding patients with appropriate support during the arthroplasty episode of care requires substantial telephonic support, which should be acknowledged. As the RUC considers reviewing the time and intensity spent on perioperative care for patients undergoing THA and TKA, they should consider appropriately documenting the amount of work required for telephone communication.     

Free Falling: Declining Inflation-Adjusted Payment for Arthroplasty Surgeons

BackgroundOver the past decade, there have been ongoing concerns over declining surgeon compensation for lower extremity arthroplasty. We aimed to determine changes in surgeon payment, patient charges, and overall reimbursement rates for patients undergoing unicompartmental arthroplasty (UKA) and both primary and revision total knee (TKA) and hip (THA) arthroplasty.MethodsUsing Medicare data from 2012 to 2017, we determined inflation-adjusted changes in annual surgeon payment (professional fee), patient charges, and reimbursement rate (payment-to-charge ratio) for UKA and primary/revision TKA and THA. Both nonweighted and weighted (by procedure frequency/volume) means were calculated.ResultsInflation-adjusted surgeon payment decreased for all procedures analyzed, with primary TKA (?17%) and THA (?11%) falling the most. Payment for UKA increased the most (+30%). There was a small increase in charges for THA revision (+2.2%, +2.1%, and +3.2% for acetabulum only, femur only, and both components, respectively). Charges for primary TKA (?3.7%) and THA (?1.5%) decreased slightly. The reimbursement rate for all procedures fell with UKA (?15%), TKA (?14%), and THA (?10%) falling the most. After weighting by procedure frequency/volume and combining all surgeries, average charges fell slightly (?0.7%), whereas surgeon payment (?13%) and reimbursement rate (?12%) fell more sharply.ConclusionAlthough patient charges have grown in pace with the inflationary rate for primary and revision TKA and THA, surgeon payment and reimbursement rates have fallen sharply. The orthopedic community needs to be aware of these financial trends to communicate to payers and health care policy makers the importance of protecting a sustainable payment infrastructure.     

The Risk Assessment and Prediction Tool Accurately Predicts Discharge Destination After Revision Hip and Knee Arthroplasty

BackgroundThe Risk Assessment and Prediction Tool (RAPT) was developed and validated to predict discharge disposition after primary total hip and knee arthroplasty (THA/TKA). To date, there are no studies evaluating the applicability and accuracy of RAPT for revision THA/TKA. This study aims to determine the predictive accuracy of the RAPT for revision THA/TKA.MethodsProspectively collected data from a single tertiary academic medical center were retrospectively analyzed for patients undergoing revision THA/TKA between January 2016 and July 2019. RAPT score was used to predict their postoperative discharge destination and its predictive accuracy was calculated. Patient risk (low, intermediate, and high) for postoperative inpatient rehabilitation facilities or skilled nursing facilities were determined based on the predictive accuracy of each RAPT score. Other factors evaluated included patient-reported discharge expectation, body mass index, and American Society of Anesthesiologists scores.ResultsA total of 716 consecutive revision THA/TKA episodes were analyzed. Overall, predictive accuracy of RAPT for discharge disposition was 83%. RAPT scores <3 and >8 were deemed high and low risk of discharge to a post–acute care facility, respectively. RAPT scores of 4 to 7 were still accurate 65%-71% of the time and were deemed to be intermediate-risk. RAPT score and patient-reported discharge expectation had the strongest correlation with actual discharge disposition.ConclusionThe RAPT has high predictive accuracy for discharge planning in revision THA/TKA patients. Patient-expected discharge destination is a powerful modulator of the RAPT score and we suggest that it be taken into consideration for preoperative discharge planning.     

Osteopetrosis is Associated With an Increased Risk for Intraoperative Periprosthetic Fracture in Total Hip Arthroplasty but not in Total Knee Arthroplasty

BackgroundOsteopetrosis is a rare, inherited disorder in which bone remodels to become pathologically dense. There has been a paucity of data evaluating medical and surgical complications following total hip arthroplasty (THA) and total knee arthroplasty (TKA) in this patient population. The objective of this study was to evaluate osteopetrosis as a potential risk factor for medical and surgical complications following THA and TKA.MethodsPatients who had a diagnosis of osteopetrosis and underwent THA or TKA from 2010 to 2020 were identified in a national database. A total of 534 THA and 972 TKA patients who had osteopetrosis were identified and compared with matched cohorts of 2,670 and 4,860 patients, respectively. The rates of postoperative medical and surgical complications, hospital readmissions, and emergency room visits were calculated. In addition, reimbursements and lengths of stay were determined. Osteopetrosis patients were then compared to a 5:1 matched cohort without osteopetrosis using logistic regression analyses to control for additional confounding factors.ResultsThe osteopetrosis THA group had a substantially higher incidence of intraoperative periprosthetic fracture compared to the matched cohort (1.12% versus 0.19%, Odds Ratio 5.88, P = .005). Patients who had a history of osteopetrosis were not found to be at a significantly increased risk for other investigated medical or surgical complications compared to matched controls following THA or TKA.ConclusionPatients who had a history of osteopetrosis undergoing elective primary THA are associated with a significantly increased risk for intraoperative periprosthetic fracture. Patients with a history of osteopetrosis undergoing elective primary TKA were not found to be at an increased risk for any of the investigated complications.     

Can Prior Episode-of-Care Costs Predict the Future? Identifying High-Cost Outliers for Subsequent Total Hip and Knee Arthroplasty

BackgroundIt remains unknown if a patient’s prior episode-of-care (EOC) costs for total hip (THA) or knee (TKA) arthroplasty procedure can be used to predict subsequent costs for future procedures. The purpose of this study is to evaluate whether there is a correlation between the EOC costs for a patient’s index and subsequent THA or TKA.MethodsWe reviewed a consecutive series of 11,599 THA and TKA Medicare patients from 2015 to 2019 and identified all patients who underwent a subsequent THA and TKA during the study period. We collected demographics, comorbidities, short-term outcomes, and 90-day EOC claims costs. A multivariate analysis was performed to identify whether prior high-EOC costs were predictive of high costs for the subsequent procedure.ResultsOf the 774 patients (6.7%) who underwent a subsequent THA or TKA, there was no difference in readmissions (4% vs 5%, P = .70), rate of discharge to a skilled nursing facility (SNF) (15% vs 15%, P = .89), and mean costs ($18,534 vs $18,532, P = .99) between EOCs. High-cost patients for the initial TKA or THA were more likely to be high cost for subsequent procedure (odds ratio 14.33, P < .01). Repeat high-cost patients were more likely to discharge to an SNF for their first and second EOC compared to normative-cost patients (P < .01).ConclusionHigh-cost patients for their initial THA or TKA are likely to be high cost for a subsequent procedure, secondary to a high rate of SNF utilization. Efforts to reduce costs in repeat high-cost patients should focus on addressing post-operative needs pre-operatively to facilitate safe discharge home.     

Is a Higher Number of Total Hip and Knee Arthroplasty Revisions Associated With Increased Mortality?

BackgroundIt remains uncertain whether patients who undergo numerous total hip arthroplasty (THA) and/or knee arthroplasty (TKA) revisions exhibit decreased survival. Therefore, we sought to determine if the number of revisions per patient was a mortality predictor.MethodsWe retrospectively reviewed 978 consecutive THA and TKA revision patients from a single institution (from January 5, 2015-November 10, 2020). Dates of first-revision or single revision during study period and of latest follow-up or death were collected, and mortality was assessed. Number of revisions per patient and demographics corresponding to first revision or single revision were determined. Kaplan-Meier, univariate, and multivariate Cox-regressions were utilized to determine mortality predictors. The mean follow-up was 893 days (range, 3-2,658).ResultsMortality rates were 5.5% for the entire series, 5.0% among patients who only underwent TKA revision(s), 5.4% for only THA revision(s), and 17.2% for patients who underwent TKA and THA revisions (P = .019). In univariate Cox-regression, number of revisions per patient was not predictive of mortality in any of the groups analyzed. Age, body mass index (BMI), and American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) were significant mortality predictors in the entire series. Every 1 year of age increase significantly elevated expected death by 5.6% while per unit increase in BMI decreased the expected death by 6.7%, ASA-3 or ASA-4 patients had a 3.1 -fold increased expected death compared to ASA-1 or ASA-2 patients.ConclusionThe number of revisions a patient underwent did not significantly impact mortality. Increased age and ASA were positively associated with mortality but higher BMI was negatively associated. If health status is appropriate, patients can undergo multiple revisions without risk of decreased survival.     

Does Productivity-Based Physician Compensation Affect Surgical Rates for Elective Arthroplasty Surgery?

BackgroundSurgeon compensation models could potentially influence the utilization of elective procedures. We assessed whether transitioning from salaried to a relative value unit (RVU) productivity-based physician compensation model changed the surgical rate and patient selection in elective total hip and knee arthroplasty (THA and TKA) procedures.MethodsOur institution transitioned from salaried to RVU productivity-based reimbursement in July 2016. We performed a retrospective analysis on patients undergoing primary THA and TKA from July 2014 to July 2018 before and after the transition (salary period n = 820; RVU period n = 1188). Beta regression was used to determine the reimbursement structure as a predictor of surgery. The surgical rate was defined as the number of primary THA and TKA procedures per reimbursement period divided by all arthroplasty and osteoarthritis outpatient clinic encounters.ResultsThere was a surgical rate of 15.8% (95% confidence interval [CI] 13.8%-17.8%) THA and 16.7% (95% CI 15.1%-18.1%) TKA procedures during RVU reimbursement compared to 11.1% (95% CI 9.8%-12.8%) THA and 11.7% (95% CI 10.5%-12.8%) TKA procedures during the salaried period (P < .001). The adjusted odds of undergoing a THA or TKA procedure increased in the RVU compared to the salaried model (THA odds ratio 1.48, 95% CI 1.43-1.53; TKA odds ratio 1.50, 95% CI 1.46-1.55; P < .001). There were no significant differences in patient age, gender, race, body mass index, or Charlson Comorbidity Index in salaried vs RVU productivity periods (P > .05 for all covariates).ConclusionsProductivity-based physician compensation may encourage higher rates of elective arthroplasty procedures without broadening patient selection.     

Impact of Bariatric Surgery on Inpatient Complication,Cost, and Length of Stay Following Total Hip or Knee Arthroplasty

BackgroundMorbid obesity is an important risk factor for arthroplasty and also closely associated with worse postoperative outcomes. Bariatric surgery is effective in losing weight and decreasing comorbidities associated with obesity. However, no study had demonstrated the influence of bariatric surgery on the outcome of arthroplasty in a large population.MethodsWe used 2006-2014 discharge records from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample, and identified study population and inpatient complications by International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, Clinical Modification diagnosis/procedure codes. Propensity score analysis was used to match total hip arthroplasty (THA) or total knee arthroplasty (TKA) patients with morbid obesity and THA or TKA patients with bariatric surgery.ResultsProportion of morbid obesity in both TKA and THA patients demonstrated a rising trend, while proportion of bariatric surgery in morbidly obese TKA and THA patients remains steady after 2007. For THA patients, there was fewer pulmonary embolism, more blood transfusion and anemia, and shorter length of stay in bariatric surgery group. For TKA patients, bariatric surgery group had a lower risk of pulmonary embolism, respiratory complications, death, and shorter length of stay, but bariatric surgery group had a higher risk of blood transfusion and anemia.ConclusionThere is evidence that bariatric surgery prior to arthroplasty, especially THA, appears to reduce rates of pulmonary complications and length of stay. But anemia and blood transfusion seem to be more common in patients with prior bariatric surgery.     

Improvement in Sleep Patterns After Hip and Knee Arthroplasty: A Prospective Study in 780 Patients

BackgroundThis study assessed change in sleep patterns before and after total hip arthroplasty (THA) and total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and its relationship to patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs).MethodsBetween July 2016 and June 2018, surgical data and PROMs were collected on 780 subjects before and 12 months after THA or TKA. PROMs included Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score, Hip Disability and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score, patient satisfaction, and 2 questions from the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index.ResultsBefore surgery, 35% (270 of 780) reported poor quality sleep. Sleep quality and duration were worse in females over males, and in THA patients (39%) over TKA patients (30%; P = .011). Of those reporting bad sleep, 74% (201 of 270) were improved after arthroplasty. Satisfaction was higher in subjects reporting good sleep quality (626 of 676; 93%) compared with those reporting bad sleep quality (67 of 86; 78%) (P = .001). Sleep was positively correlated with better Hip Disability and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score/Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (r = 0.2-0.3).ConclusionImprovement in sleep quality and duration can be expected after THA and TKA and is associated with better outcome scores and satisfaction.     

Perioperative Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor Use Is Associated With an Increased Risk of Transfusion in Total Hip and Knee Arthroplasty

BackgroundSelective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) have been shown in both orthopedic and general surgery literature to be associated with an increased risk of blood loss, and this is thought to occur via diminished platelet serotonin reuptake and subsequent decline in platelet aggregation potential. In this study, we aim at quantifying the effect of treatment with SSRIs on blood loss and transfusion rates following total hip (THA) or total knee arthroplasty (TKA).MethodsTHA (4485) and TKA (5584) cases from January 2013 to December 2017 at the investigating institution were queried and analyzed separately from an institutional database. Patients were stratified by utilization of an SSRI at the time of surgery. Patient demographics, baseline coagulopathy, preoperative and postoperative hemoglobin, transfusion, and length of stay were obtained to compare the 2 cohorts.ResultsThe transfusion rate for SSRI users was 3.9% in the TKA group and 8.5% in the THA group. After controlling for age, gender, body mass index, presence of coagulopathy, procedure (THA vs TKA), and SSRI status, SSRI utilization was significantly associated with increased blood loss (P < .004), and logistic regression controlling for the same variables showed SSRI utilization to be predictive of transfusion (odds ratio, 1.476; P < .001).ConclusionSSRI utilization was associated with increased perioperative blood loss and predictive of transfusion risk, particularly with THA. This represents an important factor that may be modified in the setting of total joint arthroplasty but further work will be necessary to study potential alternative medications for depression in the perioperative phase.     

The Cost-Effectiveness of Silver-Impregnated Occlusive Dressings for Infection Prevention After Total Joint Arthroplasty

BackgroundProsthetic joint infection (PJI) is a catastrophic complication after total joint arthroplasty that exacts a substantial economic burden on the health-care system. This study used break-even analysis to investigate whether the use of silver-impregnated occlusive dressings is a cost-effective measure for preventing PJI after primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and total hip arthroplasty (THA).MethodsBaseline infection rates after TKA and THA, the cost of revision arthroplasty for PJI, and the cost of a silver-impregnated occlusive dressing were determined based on institutional data and the existing literature. A break-even analysis was then conducted to calculate the minimal absolute risk reduction needed for cost-effectiveness.ResultsThe use of silver-impregnated occlusive dressings would be economically viable at an infection rate of 1.10%, treatment costs of $25,692 for TKA PJI, and $31,753 for THA PJI and our institutional dressing price of $38.05 if it reduces infection rates after TKA by 0.15% (the number needed to treat [NNT] = 676) and THA by 0.12% (NNT = 835). The absolute risk reduction needed to maintain cost-effectiveness did not change with varying initial infection rates and remained less than 0.40% (NNT = 263) for infection treatment costs as low as $10,000 and less than 0.80% (NNT = 129) for dressing prices as high as $200.ConclusionThe use of silver-impregnated occlusive dressings is a cost-effective measure for infection prophylaxis after TKA and THA.     

Chronic Thrombocytopenia and In-Hospital Outcomes After Primary Total Hip and Knee Arthroplasty

BackgroundThere is a lack of data on the influence of chronic thrombocytopenia (cTCP) on clinical outcomes following primary total hip arthroplasty (THA) and total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Limited studies mainly focused on postoperative heparin-induced TCP from single centers with small sample sizes. This study aims to describe the characteristics, trend, and outcomes of cTCP in patients undergoing THA and TKA from a nationally reprehensive perspective.MethodsWe identified THA and TKA patients with and without cTCP from the 2005 to 2015 Nationwide Inpatient Sample. Annual percent changes were calculated to reflect cTCP trends. Multivariable regression and propensity score analyses were conducted to investigate the association of cTCP and mortality, preoperative complications, cost as well as length of stay.ResultsIn total, 578,278 and 1,237,331 patients underwent primary THA and TKA, respectively. Proportion of cTCP annually increased by 6.95% in THA and 6.66% in TKA. Patients with cTCP were associated with higher risk of medical (odds ratio [OR] 2.00, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.89-2.11) and surgical complications (OR 2.72, 95% CI 2.55-2.90) in THA, and higher risk of mortality (OR 1.68, 95% CI 1.22-2.31), medical (OR 1.94, 95% CI 1.85-2.03) and surgical complications (OR 2.55, 95% CI 2.38-2.73) in TKA. Additionally, higher cost and longer length of stay were observed in patients with cTCP for both surgical procedures.ConclusionPatients with cTCP had higher risk of mortality for TKA, more perioperative complications for both TKA and THA. Further studies are warranted to improve the preoperative management and to prevent worse outcomes associated with cTCP.