On-Table and Short-Term Mortality: A Single-Institution Experience With Cementing All Hip Arthroplasties for Neck of Femur Fractures

BackgroundTo review on-table, day 0, day 1, day 7, and day 30 mortality after hemiarthroplasty or total hip arthroplasty (THA) using cemented femoral stems for femoral neck fractures in order to evaluate risk factors for perioperative and short-term mortality.MethodsThe medical records of 751 consecutive cases with neck of femur fractures who underwent hemiarthroplasty (n = 602) or THA (n = 149) with cemented stems between January 2011 and December 2016 were retrospectively reviewed from a prospectively gathered database. The primary outcome measures were on-table, day 0, day 1, day 7, and day 30 mortality. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed in order to identify various contributing patient and surgical variables.ResultsThere were 2 on-table deaths (0.27%): one patient had a cardiorespiratory arrest at the time of inserting the femoral stem and the other had a cardiorespiratory arrest at the end of wound closure some 20 minutes after cementing. There were 3 further day 0 deaths meaning the day 0 mortality rate was 0.67% (5/751). All 5 patients were older than 80 years and had an American Society of Anesthesiologists grade 3 or more. The 1-day, 7-day, and 30-day mortality rates were 0.93% (7 patients), 2.7% (20 patients), and 6.8% (51 patients), respectively. There is significantly higher 30-day mortality risk associated with increasing American Society of Anesthesiologists grade (P < .001) when adjusted for age, gender, and type of surgery (hemiarthroplasty compared with THA).ConclusionIn our neck of femur fracture patients who were operated with cemented stems, 7-day and 30-day mortality rates were 2.7% and 6.8%, respectively. Cemented stems should be used with caution in elderly hip fracture patients with multiple comorbidities who are at high risk of perioperative mortality.     

Arthroscopically Assisted Treatment of Complex Ankle Fractures: Intra-articular Findings and 1-Year Follow-Up

Especially after complex ankle fractures, patients regularly suffer from residual symptoms, presumably due to occult intra-articular injuries. The aim of this study was to evaluate the intra-articular lesions, identify fractures specifically at risk for these, and assess the results after arthroscopically assisted open reduction and internal fixation of complex ankle fractures after 1 year. The primary outcome was the American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) hindfoot score. Secondary outcome parameters were the Olerud and Molander Ankle Score (OMAS), Tegner activity scale, arthroscopic findings, functional assessment, and complications. Thirty-two patients (56% female) were enrolled. Chondral lesions were detected in 91%. Full-thickness lesions treated by microfracturing were observed in 0% of unimalleolar, 43% of bimalleolar, and 40% of trimalleolar fractures. After 1 year, the median (interquartile range) AOFAS was 94 (9) and OMAS was 90 (10) for all patients. When analyzing factors possibly influencing the outcome, age, sex, smoking, grading for surgical procedures according to the American Society of Anesthesiologists, fracture type (uni-, bi-, or trimalleolar), severity of chondral lesions graded according to the International Cartilage Repair Society (grade <4 versus grade 4), and syndesmotic instability had no significant influence on the outcome. The only variable significantly influencing the AOFAS (p = .004) and OMAS (p < .001) was body mass index (BMI; r_s = –0.522 and –0.606, respectively), with a higher BMI resulting in inferior outcome scores. Complications were observed in 3 patients, 2 with superficial skin necrosis at the posterolateral incision and 1 nonunion of the medial malleolus. Taken together, these data show that intra-articular injuries were common in ankle fractures. Bi- and trimalleolar fractures were particularly at risk for full-thickness lesions. A higher BMI tended to result in inferior outcome scores. Arthroscopically assisted open reduction and internal fixation led to good to excellent results in all but 1 patient.     

Factors affecting surgical outcome in the elderly at Auckland Hospital

Background: The aim of the present study was to define the factors which affect the outcome of major abdominal surgery in elderly patients. Method: Data were collected prospectively using the surgical audit on all patients who were 65‐years‐old or older and had undergone major abdominal surgery at Auckland Hospital between January 1997 and November 2000. Risk factors studied were age, sex, American Society of Anesthesiologists grade, operative duration, timing of surgery (elective, urgent or emergency), surgeon (consultant or registrar) and the presence of the scrubbed consultant in theatre. Surgical outcome (no complications, complications or death) was defined according to the complication stratification and severity score developed by the University of Otago. Direct logistic regression was used to determine the significance of the risk factors. Results: 1141 patients (614 women and 527 men) who underwent 1248 procedures were studied. The factors that affected the mortality were the ASA grade (P = 0.0001) and operative timing (P = 0.0008). The factors that affected the severity of postoperative complications were ASA (P = 0.0001), operative timing (P = 0.0001) and duration (P = 0.0001). Conclusions: The ASA, timing and duration of surgery were the most significant factors affecting patient outcome. Age had a less important effect. Arranged surgery and short operative duration have a favourable outcome in selected elderly patients. Therefore, the elderly should not be denied indicated major abdominal surgery on basis of age alone.     

Achilles tendon rupture. A review of the literature comparing surgical versus nonsurgical treatment

Rupture of the Achilles tendon is being reported more frequently. Results published in the literature in the past 25 years were reviewed to determine the overall outcome comparing surgical with nonsurgical treatment and to identify areas needing further study. The rerupture rate for surgically treated patients was 12/777 or 1.54%, while that for nonsurgically treated patients was 40/226 or 17.7%. The complication rate for surgical treatment was 155/775 or 20.0%, while the nonsurgical rate was 2/20 or 10%. Most complications did not affect the eventual outcome. Time lost from work averaged 13 weeks for surgically treated patients and nine weeks for nonsurgically treated patients. Results of tests for functional recovery after treatment were slightly better for surgically treated patients and were worse for patients with reruptures treated nonsurgically. No study tested strength at a specified joint angle; this constitutes a major flaw in strength-testing studies, because strength is related to the functional joint position. The difference in cost between surgical and nonsurgical treatment, including the cost of rerupture treatment, may not be significant.     

Criteria to consider when assessing the mortality risk in geriatric surgery

As the population ages, surgery is performed more frequently on geriatric patients for both elective and emergency situations. Four hundred sixty-nine patients > or = 70 years of age who underwent operations were retrospectively reviewed. Sex, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score, type of admission, main surgical diagnosis, benign or malignant nature, site of disease, concomitant disease, preoperative ASA grade, and death were assessed. The ratio of the elderly against all those who were operated on in our department during the same period was 5.9%. The mortality rate was 8.5% for men and 9.4% for women. According to ASA scoring, mortality rates were 0%, 8.8%, 29.8%, 36.8%, and 66.6%, respectively (P < 0.05). The mortality rate was 2.5% for elective and 49.2% for emergency procedures (P < 0.0001). The mortality rate was 9.7% for benign and 7.2% for malignancy. Hepatopancreatic biliary conditions were most common (39.6%), followed by colorectal (19.4%), hernia (18.8%), upper gastrointestinal (15.3%), and endocrine disease (6.9%). The highest mortality rate was for diseases of the upper gastrointestinal system (30.5%; P < 0.001). The incidence of associated disease was 13.1% in patients who died (P < 0.005). Overall mortality rate in this study was 8.9%. In emergency surgery, the presence of associated disease, an ASA score of III-V, and upper gastrointestinal surgery affected the risk of postoperative death in elderly patients.     

Operative versus Nonoperative Treatment of Displaced Intra-articular Calcaneal Fractures in Elderly Patients

We compared the outcomes of displaced intra-articular calcaneal fractures in 33 patients aged 65 to 75 years, who were treated either operatively (n = 18) or nonsurgically (n = 15), between December 2001 and December 2005. The operative treatment group scored higher on the American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society ankle-hindfoot score and had less pain as measured with the 10-cm visual analog scale than did the nonsurgically treated group, with the differences being statistically significant (P ≤ .05), suggesting that results can be improved by operative treatment. Böhler's angle, the quality of operative reduction, subtalar joint motion, gender, and the Sanders type of fracture were also analyzed and compared between the treatment groups. The results confirmed that Böhler's angle, the quality of the reduction, and subtalar joint motion were important prognostic factors related to outcome, regardless of treatment; whereas gender and Sanders type had less influence on the results at the 2-year follow-up evaluation. The prevalence of complications observed in the surgically treated group was similar to that reported in prior publications, except for subtalar arthritis (38.9%), which may have been higher because of the age of our patients and the duration of follow-up.     

No Difference Between Hemiarthroplasty and Total Hip Arthroplasty in the Treatment of Pathologic Femoral Neck Fractures

BackgroundHemiarthroplasty (HA) and total hip arthroplasty (THA) have been widely discussed as treatment options for displaced osteoporotic femoral neck fractures. Pathologic femoral neck fractures from primary or metastatic tumors are comparatively rare and poorly investigated. The purpose of this study was to compare outcomes, complications, and perioperative survival for HA and THA in the treatment of pathologic femoral neck fractures of neoplastic etiology.MethodsA multicenter retrospective cohort study identified patients with pathologic femoral neck fractures treated with HA or THA from 2005 to 2018. Demographics, American Society of Anesthesiologists classification, Charlson comorbidity index, Dorr classification, histopathologic diagnosis, and surgical data were compared. The primary outcome was reoperation. Secondary outcomes included 90-day mortality, estimated blood loss, length of stay, periprosthetic fracture, periprosthetic joint infection, and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status.ResultsThere were 116 patients with HA and 48 patients with THA, with no differences between groups with regard to American Society of Anesthesiologists classification, Charlson comorbidity index, or Dorr classification. There were no differences between HA and THA in the primary outcome of reoperation (5.2% vs 4.2%, P = 1.00) or secondary outcomes of perioperative 90-day overall mortality (30.2% vs 25.0%, P = .51), estimated blood loss, transfusion rates, length of stay, discharge location, periprosthetic joint infection, periprosthetic fracture, or preoperative or postoperative Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status.ConclusionsBoth HA and THA are viable options for the treatment of patients with pathologic femoral neck fractures and demonstrated no differences in reoperations, complications, perioperative 90-day mortality, or functional outcome scores.Level of EvidenceLevel III.     

Emergency hernia repairs in elderly patients

The aim of this study was to determine the clinical presentation, morbidity, and mortality and to identify the factors that might affect the outcome of emergency repair in elderly patients. A study of 143 patients (> 65 years old) who underwent emergency surgical repair for incarcerated external hernias during the period 1992-2001 was done. Fifty patients (35%) presented after 48 hours of symptoms onset. Coexisting diseases were found in 104 cases (77.7%). Bowel resection was required in 25 patients (17.5%). Overall morbidity was 46.2%, and major complications were seen in 17 cases (11.9%). Mortality was observed in seven patients (4.9%). Longer duration of symptoms, delayed hospitalization, concomitant illness, and high American Society of Anesthesiologists scores were significant factors linked with unfavorable outcome. To avoid the increased risks of emergency hernia repairs in the elderly, priority admission and early elective surgery should be used.     

Treatment strategies in elderly breast cancer patients: Is there a need for surgery?

BackgroundThe aim of this study was to determine the role of surgery in elderly patients with breast cancer.MethodsBetween 1999 and 2009, 153 consecutive women, ≥80 years old with breast cancer were treated at our hospital. Surgically and non-surgically treated patients were compared with respect to characteristics and survival.ResultsTreatment was surgical in 102 patients (67%). The non-surgically treated patients were older than surgically treated patients, had more co-morbidity and were more often diagnosed with a clinically T3/T4 tumour and distant metastasis. Patients not receiving surgery, had an 11% overall survival rate at 5-year versus 48% in surgically treated patients (P < 0.001). Independent factors for survival were clinical N0 status, M0 status at presentation and surgery.ConclusionOne in three patients of 80 years and older did not have surgical treatment for breast cancer. Patient not treated surgically are older, have more severe co-morbidity and are diagnosed with more advanced disease than patients who underwent surgery.The selection of patients, who have a poor prognosis, is made on clinical grounds not measurable with a common co-morbidity survey. Better and evidence-based selection criteria for surgical and non-surgical treatment in these patients are needed.     

Do-Not-Resuscitate status is an independent risk factor for medical complications and mortality among geriatric patients sustaining hip fractures

BackgroundThe purpose of this study was to compare outcomes after hip fracture surgery between DNR/DNI and full code cohorts to determine whether DNR/DNI status is an independent predictor of complications and mortality within one year. A significant number of geriatric hip fracture patients carry a code status designation of DNR/DNI (Do-Not-Resuscitate/Do-Not-Intubate). There is limited data addressing how this designation may influence prognosis.MethodsA retrospective chart review of all geriatric hip fractures treated between 2002 and 2017 at a single level-I academic trauma center was performed. 434 patients were eligible for this study with 209 in the DNR/DNI cohort and 225 in the full code cohort. The independent variable was code-status and dependent variables included patient demographics, surgery performed, American Society of Anesthesiologists, score, Charlson Comorbidity Index, significant medical and surgical complications within one year of surgery, duration of follow-up by an orthopaedic surgeon, duration of follow-up by any physician, and mortality within 1 year of surgery. One-year complication rates were compared, and multiple logistic regression analyses were performed to analyze the relationship between independent and dependent variables.ResultsThe DNR/DNI cohort experienced significantly more surgical complications compared to the full code cohort (14.8% vs 7.6%, p = 0.024). There was a significantly higher rate of medical complications and mortality in the DNR/DNI cohort (57.9% vs 36%, p < 0.001 and 19.1% vs 3.1%, p = 0.037, respectively). In the regression analysis, DNR/DNI status was an independent predictor of a medical complication (odds ratio 2.33, p = 0.004) and one-year mortality (odds ratio 9.69, p < 0.001), but was not for a surgical complication (OR 1.95, p = 0.892).ConclusionsIn our analysis, DNR/DNI code status was an independent risk factor for postoperative medical complications and mortality within one year following hip fracture surgery. The results of our study highlight the need to recognize the relationship between DNR/DNI designation and medical frailty when treating hip fractures in the elderly population.     

Risk of Reoperation in Simple Ankle Fracture Surgery When Comparing Locking Plate With Nonlocking Plate

Locking plates were initially designed to provide improved stability to ankle fractures with poor bone quality but are currently widely used. The aim of this study was to compare the reoperation risk when using locking plates compared with nonlocking plates in patients with simple ankle fractures. This study was a population-based register study. Data regarding patients with AO type 44A1/2 and 44B1/2 injuries who were treated with either locking or nonlocking plates were obtained from the Danish Fracture Database. The follow-up period was 24 months. Major complications were defined as complications requiring surgical intervention, with the exception of simple hardware removal 6 weeks after primary surgery, which was defined as a minor complication. Multivariate regression analysis was performed to determine relative risk (RR), adjusted for age, sex, American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status classification (ASA)-score, and level of the surgeon's experience. A total of 2177 ankle fractures were included, among which 718 (33%) were treated with locking plates, and 1459 (67%) were treated with nonlocking plates. Data were linked with the Danish National Patient Registry to ensure complete information was obtained regarding reoperations, which were divided into major and minor complications. In both groups, the risks for major and minor complications were 3% and 22%, respectively, resulting in adjusted RRs of 1.00 (0.66; 1.66) for major reoperation comparing locking with nonlocking plates and 0.92 (0.76; 1.11) for minor reoperations. We conclude that no significant association with reoperation exists for locking compared with nonlocking plates among patients with surgically treated simple ankle fractures.     

Surgical and nonsurgical management of lumbar spinal stenosis: four-year outcomes from the maine lumbar spine study

STUDY DESIGN: A prospective cohort study of patients with lumbar spinal stenosis recruited from the practices of orthopedic surgeons and neurosurgeons throughout Maine. OBJECTIVE: To assess 4-year outcomes for patients with lumbar spinal stenosis treated surgically or nonsurgically. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Surgery for lumbar spinal stenosis has increased dramatically despite the lack of randomized trials comparing surgical with nonsurgical treatments. Long-term evaluation of surgical series has documented deterioration in initial symptomatic improvement, but few studies have compared long-term outcomes of surgical and nonsurgical treatment. METHODS: Eligible, consenting patients had baseline interviews with mailed follow-up questionnaires at 3, 6, and 12 months, then annually thereafter. Clinical data were obtained at baseline from a physician questionnaire. Outcomes included patient-reported symptoms of leg and back pain, functional status, and satisfaction. RESULTS: Of 148 patients with lumbar spinal stenosis initially enrolled, 4-year outcomes were available on 119 patients (80.4%): 67 of 81 (83%) treated surgically and 52 of 67 (78%) treated nonsurgically. The surgically treated patients had more severe symptoms and worse functional status at baseline and better outcomes at 4-year evaluation than the nonsurgically treated patients. After 4 years, 70% of the surgically treated and 52% of the nonsurgically treated patients reported that their predominant symptom, either leg or back pain, was better (P = 0.05). Satisfaction of patients with their current state at 4 years was reported by 63% of the surgically treated and 42% of the nonsurgically treated patients (P = 0.04). Surgical treatment remained a significant determinant of 4-year satisfaction, even after adjustment for other independent predictors (P = 0.001). For the nonsurgically treated patients, there was no significant change in outcomes over 4 years, whereas the initial improvement seen in the surgically treated patients modestly decreased over the subsequent 4 years. CONCLUSIONS: For the patients with severe lumbar spinal stenosis, surgical treatment was associated with greater improvement in patient-reported outcomes than nonsurgical treatment at 4-year evaluation, even after adjustment for differences in baseline characteristics among treatment groups. The relative benefit of surgery declined over time but remained superior to nonsurgical treatment. Outcomes for the nonsurgically treated patients improved modestly and remained stable over 4 years. Determining whether outcomes continue to converge will require longer-term evaluation.     

Effects of laparoscopic surgery on the patterns of death in elderly colorectal cancer patients: competing risk analysis compared with open surgery

Purpose

The effects of laparoscopic colorectal surgery (LAC) on the long-term outcomes of elderly patients remain unclear. This study aimed to assess the short- and long-term outcomes of LAC in elderly colorectal cancer patients and to quantify the effects of LAC on the patient death patterns.

Methods

The clinicopathological data of elderly colorectal cancer patients aged ≥80 years old who were treated between 2006 and 2014 were extracted. The relationships between the clinicopathological factors and overall survival (OS) were assessed using the Cox proportional hazards model and Kaplan–Meier analyses. The risk factors for the types of death were estimated using a competing risk analysis.

Results

A total of 107 patients were included. Fifty-two patients underwent LAC, whereas 55 underwent open surgery (OC). There were no significant differences in the American Society of Anesthesiologists grade or comorbidity rate between the groups. The postoperative complication rate was significantly lower with LAC than OC (p < 0.001). After adjustment for covariates, laparoscopic surgery was not a significant risk factor for any of the types of death.

Conclusions

LAC is an effective and safe technique for elderly patients with colorectal cancer. Furthermore, there was no significant association between the surgical procedure and the pattern of death.

     

Periprosthetic Hip Fractures With a Loose Stem: Open Reduction and Internal Fixation Versus Stem Revision

BackgroundIt is recommended revision for periprosthetic hip fractures (PPHF) with a loose stem. However, several authors have argued that under certain conditions, this fracture could be treated using osteosynthesis. The aim is to compare stem revision versus internal fixation in the treatment of PPHF with a loose stem.MethodsAll patients with PPHF with a loose stem treated by osteosynthesis and stem revision between January 2009 and January 2019 were included. We assessed hospital stay, American Society of Anesthesiologists, Charlson comorbidity index, surgery time, blood transfusion, complications, reoperation rate, first-year mortality, radiological, and functional results.ResultsA total of 57 patients were included (40 osteosyntheses and 17 stem revision), with an average follow-up time of 3.1 years. Their mean age was 78.47 years (R 45-92). In the osteosynthesis group, fewer patients required blood transfusion (32.5% vs. 70.6%), surgical times were shorter (108 minutes vs. 169 minutes), and the cost was lower, both in terms of total cost (€14,239.07 vs. €21,498.45 and operating room cost (€5014.63 vs. €8203.34). No significant differences were found between the groups in terms of complications, reoperation rate, or functional outcomes.ConclusionCompared with stem revision, osteosynthesis requires less surgery time, has a lower need for blood transfusions, and a reduced hospital cost. Stem revision remains the treatment of choice in PPHF with a loose stem, but in V-B2 fractures in elderly patients with low functional demand, high anesthetic risk (American Society of Anesthesiologists ≥3), and many comorbidities (Charlson comorbidity index ≥5) in whom anatomic reconstruction is possible, osteosynthesis can be a viable option.Evidence LevelHistorical cohorts. Level III.     

Surgical treatment for acute and displaced proximal humerus fractures in elderly patients: hemiarthroplasty vs. reverse shoulder arthroplasty

BackgroundProximal humerus fractures (PHFs) are the third most common fractures in elderly patients. The best treatment option on this population is still a topic of discussion. Reverse shoulder arthroplasty (RSA) has increased popularity as a viable treatment option for these fractures. Yet, few studies demonstrate the risk factors for mortality after this procedure.MethodsThe authors present a retrospective study including patients older than 75 y with acute and displaced PHFs primarily treated with RSA or hemiarthroplasty in a public hospital between January 2004 and January 2020. The exclusion criteria were pathologic fractures and more than 6 weeks to surgery. Survival curves were obtained using the Kaplan-Meier method and the log-rank test was performed to compare survival rates.ResultsA total of 73 patients met the inclusion criteria. The mean age at the time of fracture and surgery was 78 y old, 10 males and 63 females, with a median clinical follow-up of 64 months (standard deviation 34). Forty-one patients (56%) had an American Society of Anesthesiologists score of 2. Twenty-eight patients were submitted to hemiarthroplasty and 45 to RSA. Regarding hemiarthroplasty, only one patient with hemiarthroplasty died within a year, and the 5 y survival rate was 70%. Concerning to RSA group, five patients died within a year, and the survival rate at 5 y was 66.2 %. The American Society of Anesthesiologists score (P < .001) was the only risk factor identified for mortality at 5 y. Hemiarthroplasties had more prosthetic loosening compared with RSA (P = .024). Three hemiarthroplasties were converted to RSA, and we verified 1 RSA infection. In the group of hemiarthroplasties, 56% returned to their normal daily living activities, while in the RSA 92% did that, representing a significant difference (P = .007).ConclusionRSA as a primary treatment for displaced PHFs had a high survival rate (88.9% at 1 year and 66.2% at 5 y) and better functional results comparing to patients treated with hemiarthroplasty. With proper patient selection, RSA is a safe procedure for the treatment of PHF, especially in an elderly population.     

Early postoperative complications of radical cystectomy and urinary diversion in elderly patients

Clinical and operative features and early postoperative complications were reviewed in 26 patients 75 years old and older who were treated with radical cystectomy including pelvic lymphadenectomy and urinary diversion in our hospital from 1994 to 2005. These findings were compared with those in 170 patients younger than 75 years old who received the same surgery and in 26 patients 75 years old and older who were not surgically treated. Early postoperative complications were found in 9 elderly patients (34%), but there were no deaths in the preoperative and early postoperative periods. There was no significant difference in the rate of early postoperative complications between patients 75 years old and older and those younger than 75. Preoperative performance status (PS) and the American Society of Anesthesiologists Score (ASA score) were significantly better in elderly patients with the surgery than those without surgery. Therefore, evaluation with PS and the ASA score may allow urologists to appropriately select elderly candidates for radical cystectomy and urinary diversion. Chronological age alone is not a determinant for indicating the surgery.     

Aortic dissection: surgical and nonsurgical treatments compared. An analysis of seventy-four cases at the University of Virginia.

During the eleven year period from 1965 to 1976, aortic dissection was diagnosed in seventy-eight patients treated at the University of Virginia Medical Center. The seventy-four cases that comprise the present report were confirmed by aortography, surgery, or autopsy. Forty patients (54 per cent) were surgically treated by interruption of the origin of dissection and insertion of a Dacron prosthesis. The remaining thirty-four (46 per cent) were treated according to the Wheat regimen or by nonspecific supportive measures. The overall survival at one year was 28 per cent. One year survival for patients with type I dissections treated surgically was 19 per cent compared with 8 per cent one year survival for nonsurgically treated patients. Sixty per cent of patients with type II dissections treated surgically were alive at the end of one year, whereas no patients with type II dissection treated nonsurgically survived beyond one year. Half the patients with type III dissections treated surgically were alive at one year compared with 35 per cent of those nonsurgically treated. These data suggest that surgery is the treatment of choice for all types of aortic dissections, but particularly for type II. Patients with type I dissections have a very poor prognosis regardless of therapy.