Total Joint Replacement Registry Research Articles

Risk Factors for Total Hip Arthroplasty Aseptic Revision

The purpose of this study was to evaluate patient, operative, implant, surgeon, and hospital factors associated with aseptic revision after primary THA in patients registered in a large US Total Joint Replacement Registry. A total of 35,960 THAs registered from 4/2001–12/2010 were evaluated. The 8-year survival rate was 96.7% (95% CI 96.4%–97.0%). Females had a higher risk of aseptic revision than males. Hispanic and Asian patients had a lower risk of revision than white patients. Ceramic-on-ceramic, ceramic-on-conventional polyethylene, and metal-on-conventional polyethylene bearing surfaces had a higher risk of revision than metal-on-highly cross-linked polyethylene. Body mass index, health status, diabetes, diagnosis, fixation, approach, bilateral procedures, head size, surgeon fellowship training, surgeon and hospital volume were not revision risk factors.

Can total knee arthroplasty be safely performed in patients with chronic renal disease?

Background and purpose — The prevalence of chronic renal disease (CRD) is rising worldwide. Patients with CRD are more likely to have associated medical problems and are at greater risk of postoperative morbidity and mortality. We evaluated patient characteristics and risk of early revision, surgical site infection (SSI), thromboembolic events, mortality, and re-admission of patients with CRD undergoing total knee arthroplasty (TKA). We hypothesized that this patient population would have higher rates of complications.Patients and methods — We conducted a retrospective analysis of data that had been prospectively collected by a Total Joint Replacement Registry. All primary TKAs performed from 2005 through 2010 were included. 41,852 primary TKA cases were evaluated, of which 2,686 (6.4%) TKA procedures had been performed in CRD patients. Patient characteristics, comorbidities, and general health status were evaluated. Cox proportional hazard regressions and logistic regressions were used to evaluate the association of CRD with outcomes while adjusting for confounding variables.Results — The mean age of the CRD cohort was 67 years and approximately two-thirds of the patients were female. The median follow-up time was 2.1 years. Compared to TKA patients without CRD the CRD patients were older, had poorer general health, and had a higher prevalence of comorbidities. They had a higher incidence of deep SSI (0.9% vs. 0.7%), superficial SSI (0.5% vs. 0.3%), deep vein thrombosis (0.6% vs. 0.4%), any-time mortality (4.7% vs. 2.4%), 90-day mortality (0.4% vs. 0.2%), and 90-day re-admission (10% vs. 6.0%) than patients without CRD. However, after adjustment for confounding variables, CRD patients were at 1.9 times (95% CI: 1.1–3.5) increased risk of superficial SSI, 1.3 times (CI: 1.1–1.6) increased risk of re-admission within 90 days, and 1.5 times (CI: 1.2–1.8) increased risk of mortality at any point after the procedure. The risks of all other complications were not statistically significantly different in patients with CRD compared to patients without CRD.Conclusions — CRD patients undergoing TKA have more comorbidities and a higher risk for superficial SSI, 90-day re-admission, and any-time mortality.

Risk Factors for Total Knee Arthroplasty Aseptic Revision

Using a Total Joint Replacement Registry, patient, operative, implant, surgeon, and hospital risk factors associated with aseptic revision after primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA) were evaluated. From 04/2001 to 12/31/2010 64,017 primary TKA cases, followed for a median time of 2.9 years, were registered and included in the analysis. Patients were predominantly female, white, with osteoarthritis, and obese. The crude aseptic revision rate is 1.3% (N=826). The cumulative survival for aseptic revision at 8 years is 97.6% (95% CI 97.3%-97.8%). Adjusted models revealed that age, race, body mass index, diabetic status, bilateral procedures, high-flex implants, and the LCS mobile bearing knee are associated with risk of revision. Gender, general health status, diagnosis, surgeon fellowship training, surgeon volume, hospital volume, fixation, and bearing surface material were not associated with risk of aseptic revision. Recognition of surgical factors associated with TKA failures can help the surgeons with their choices of surgical techniques and implants.

Improved Survival of Uncemented versus Cemented Femoral Stems in Patients Aged < 70 Years in a Community Total Joint Registry

Aseptic loosening of the femoral stem remains a significant reason for revision in total hip arthroplasty (THA). Although stem fixation methods have changed over time, there is relatively little evidence supporting cemented or uncemented stems as more durable constructs. We examined whether there was a difference in survival to revision between cemented and uncemented THA stems (1) for any reason; (2) for aseptic loosening or loosening related to wear/osteolysis; (3) based on patient age groupings (as a proxy for patient activity level); and (4) based on procedural timeframe groupings between cemented and uncemented stems. A total of 6498 primary cemented and uncemented THAs were registered in our community total joint replacement registry between 1991 and 2011. Analysis was performed to compare age, sex, procedural timeframe, and diagnosis for both groups. Our primary outcome was revision of the stem component for aseptic loosening or loosening secondary to wear/osteolysis. Analyses were done using Wilcoxon rank sum tests, Pearson's chi-square tests, Kaplan Meier methods, and Cox regression. After adjusting for age, sex, primary diagnosis, and procedural timeframe as confounders, cemented femoral stem components were 1.63 times as likely as uncemented stems to be revised for any reason (p = 0.02) and 3.76 times as likely as uncemented stems to be revised for aseptic loosening or loosening related to wear/osteolysis (p < 0.001). When grouped by age, specifically in regard to revisions for aseptic loosening or loosening related to wear/osteolysis, uncemented stems had lower cumulative revision rates in patients aged < 70 years (p < 0.001) compared with cemented stems. There was a trend away from cemented fixation in our registry, which shifted from over 80% cemented stem use in 1996 to 3% in 2011. We found that uncemented stems were associated with fewer revisions for aseptic loosening in patients < 70 years old, but when all reasons for revision were considered, neither group demonstrated superior survival. With a mean followup of 6.5 years, longer followup is needed to verify these results over time.

Risk Factors Associated with Deep Surgical Site Infections After Primary Total Knee Arthroplasty

Deep surgical site infection following total knee arthroplasty is a devastating complication. Patient and surgical risk factors for this complication have not been thoroughly examined. The purpose of this study was to evaluate risk factors associated with deep surgical site infection following total knee arthroplasty in a large U.S. integrated health-care system. A retrospective review of a prospectively followed cohort of primary total knee arthroplasties recorded in a total joint replacement registry from 2001 to 2009 was conducted. Records were screened for deep surgical site infection with use of a validated algorithm, and the results were adjudicated by chart review. Patient factors, surgical factors, and surgeon and hospital characteristics were identified with use of the total joint replacement registry. Cox regression models were used to assess risk factors associated with deep surgical site infection. A total of 56,216 total knee arthroplasties were identified; 63.0% were done in women, the average age of the patients was 67.4 years (standard deviation [SD] = 9.6), and the average body mass index (BMI) was 32 kg/m2 (SD = 6). The incidence of deep surgical site infection was 0.72% (404/56,216). In a fully adjusted model, patient factors associated with deep surgical site infection included a BMI of ≥35 (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.47), diabetes mellitus (HR = 1.28), male sex (HR = 1.89), an American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score of ≥3 (HR = 1.65), a diagnosis of osteonecrosis (HR = 3.65), and a diagnosis of posttraumatic arthritis (HR = 3.23). Hispanic race was protective (HR = 0.69). Protective surgical factors included use of antibiotic irrigation (HR = 0.67), a bilateral procedure (HR = 0.51), and a lower annual hospital volume (HR = 0.33). Surgical risk factors included quadriceps-release exposure (HR = 4.76) and the use of antibiotic-laden cement (HR = 1.53). In a subanalysis, operative time was a risk factor, with a 9% increased risk per fifteen-minute increment. Use of a comprehensive infection surveillance system, combined with a total joint replacement registry, identified patient and surgical factors associated with infection following total knee arthroplasty in a large sample. High-risk patients should be counseled, and modifiable clinical conditions should be optimized. Use of antibiotic irrigation should be encouraged, but antibiotic-laden cement may not be useful. Prognostic Level II. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

What Is the Role of Antibiotic-Containing Cement in Total Knee Arthroplasty?

Despite a prevalence of <1% in most series, periprosthetic joint infection is a devastating complication that is of major concern to patients, surgeons, and payers because of its attendant disability, difficult treatment, and cost. Risk factors leading to periprosthetic joint infection and methods of prevention are difficult to investigate because these infections are uncommon and large patient populations are necessary for sufficient statistical power to differentiate between treatment methods or to identify causative factors. The May 1 issue of JBJS includes two important contributions toward understanding infection after total knee arthroplasty; however, both papers also demonstrate the problems attendant to investigating this clinical problem. Risk Factors Associated with Deep Surgical Site Infections After Primary Total Knee Arthroplasty by Namba et al. is an observational study of prospectively collected data on 56,216 patients treated with primary total knee arthroplasty derived from the total joint replacement registry of the Kaiser Permanente health system. As has been reported in other studies, the authors showed that deep surgical site infection was associated with obesity, male sex, osteonecrosis, posttraumatic arthritis, and duration of surgery. The authors found that Hispanic race was protective against deep infection as was the use of antibiotic irrigation. Paradoxically, they also found that antibiotic-containing bone …

Sex and Risk of Hip Implant Failure

The role of sex in relationship to implant failure after total hip arthroplasty (THA) is important for patient management and device innovation. To evaluate the association of sex with short-term risk of THA revision after adjusting for patient, implant, surgery, surgeon, and hospital confounders. A prospective cohort of patients enrolled in a total joint replacement registry from April 1, 2001, through December 31, 2010. Patients undergoing primary, elective, unilateral THA. Failure of THA, defined as revision procedure for (1) any reason, (2) septic reason, or (3) aseptic reason after the index procedure. A total of 35,140 THAs with 3.0 years of median follow-up were identified. Women constituted 57.5% of the study sample, and the mean (SD) patient age was 65.7 (11.6) years. A higher proportion of women received 28-mm femoral heads (28.2% vs 13.1%) and had metal on highly cross-linked polyethylene-bearing surfaces (60.6% vs 53.7%) than men. Men had a higher proportion of 36-mm or larger heads (55.4% vs 32.8%) and metal on metal-bearing surfaces (19.4% vs 9.6%). At 5-year follow-up, implant survival was 97.4% (95% CI, 97.2%-97.6%). Device survival for men (97.7%; 95% CI, 97.4%-98.0%) vs women (97.1%; 95% CI, 96.8%-97.4%) was significantly different (P = .01). After adjustments, the hazards ratios for women were 1.29 (95% CI, 1.11-1.51) for all-cause revision, 1.32 (95% CI, 1.10-1.58) for aseptic revision, and 1.17 (95% CI, 0.81-1.68) for septic revision. After considering patient-, surgery-, surgeon-, volume-, and implant-specific risk factors, women had a 29% higher risk of implant failure than men after THA in this community-based sample.

Surgical Outcomes of Total Knee Replacement According to Diabetes Status and Glycemic Control, 2001 to 2009

Poor glycemic control in patients with diabetes may be associated with adverse surgical outcomes. We sought to determine the association of diabetes status and preoperative glycemic control with several surgical outcomes, including revision arthroplasty and deep infection. We conducted a retrospective cohort study in five regions of a large integrated health-care organization. Eligible subjects, identified from the Kaiser Permanente Total Joint Replacement Registry, underwent an elective first primary total knee arthroplasty during 2001 through 2009. Data on demographics, diabetes status, preoperative hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) level, and comorbid conditions were obtained from electronic medical records. Subjects were classified as nondiabetic, diabetic with HbA1c < 7% (controlled diabetes), or diabetic with HbA1c ≥ 7% (uncontrolled diabetes). Outcomes were deep venous thrombosis or pulmonary embolism within ninety days after surgery and revision surgery, deep infection, incident myocardial infarction, and all-cause rehospitalization within one year after surgery. Patients without diabetes were the reference group in all analyses. All models were adjusted for age, sex, body mass index, and Charlson Comorbidity Index. Of 40,491 patients who underwent total knee arthroplasty, 7567 (18.7%) had diabetes, 464 (1.1%) underwent revision arthroplasty, and 287 (0.7%) developed a deep infection. Compared with the patients without diabetes, no association between controlled diabetes (HbA1c < 7%) and the risk of revision (odds ratio [OR], 1.32; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.99 to 1.76), risk of deep infection (OR, 1.31; 95% CI, 0.92 to 1.86), or risk of deep venous thrombosis or pulmonary embolism (OR, 0.84; 95% CI, 0.60 to 1.17) was observed. Similarly, compared with patients without diabetes, no association between uncontrolled diabetes (HbA1c ≥ 7%) and the risk of revision (OR, 1.03; 95% CI, 0.68 to 1.54), risk of deep infection (OR, 0.55; 95% CI 0.29 to 1.06), or risk of deep venous thrombosis or pulmonary embolism (OR, 0.70; 95% CI, 0.43 to 1.13) was observed. No significantly increased risk of revision arthroplasty, deep infection, or deep venous thrombosis was found in patients with diabetes (as defined on the basis of preoperative HbA1c levels and other criteria) compared with patients without diabetes in the study population of patients who underwent elective total knee arthroplasty.

Alternative bearings in total knee arthroplasty: risk of early revision compared to traditional bearings

Background and purpose There is no substantial clinical evidence for the superiority of alternative bearings in total knee arthroplasty (TKA). We compared the short-term revision risk in alternative surface bearing knees (oxidized zirconium (OZ) femoral implants or highly crosslinked polyethylene (HXLPE) inserts) with that for traditional bearings (cobalt-chromium (CoCR) on conventional polyethelene (CPE)). The risk of revision with commercially available HXLPE inserts was also evaluated.Methods All 62,177 primary TKA cases registered in a Total Joint Replacement Registry between April 2001 and December 2010 were retrospectively analyzed. The endpoints for the analysis were all-cause revisions, septic revisions, or aseptic revisions. Bearing surfaces were categorized as OZ-CPE, CoCr-HXLPE, or CoCr-CPE. HXLPE inserts were stratified according to brand name. Confounding was addressed using propensity score weights. Marginal Cox-regression models adjusting for surgeon clustering were used.Results The proportion of females was 62%. Average age was 68 (SD 9.3) years, and median follow-up time was 2.8 (IQR 1.2–4.9) years. After adjustments, the risks of all-cause, aseptic, and septic revision with CoCr-HXLPE and OZ-CPE bearings were not statistically significantly higher than with traditional CoCr-CPE bearings. No specific brand of HXLPE insert was associated with a higher risk of all-cause, aseptic, or septic revision compared to CoCr-CPE.Interpretation At least in the short term, none of the alternative knee bearings evaluated (CoCr-HXLPE or OZ-CPE) had a greater risk of all-cause, aseptic, and septic revision than traditional CoCr-CPE bearings.

Risk of Revision for Fixed Versus Mobile-Bearing Primary Total Knee Replacements

Mobile-bearing total knee arthroplasty prostheses were developed to reduce wear and revision rates; however, these benefits remain unproven. The purposes of this study were to compare the short-term survivorship and to determine risk factors for revision of mobile-bearing and fixed-bearing total knee replacements. A prospective cohort study of primary total knee arthroplasties performed from 2001 to 2009 was conducted with use of a community total joint replacement registry. Patient characteristics and procedure details were identified. Cox regression models were used. Bearing type was investigated as a risk factor for revision while adjusted for other risk factors such as age, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score, body mass index, sex, race, diagnosis, bilateral procedures, cruciate-retaining versus posterior-stabilized components, surgical approach, fixation, patellar resurfacing, hospital and surgeon volumes, and fellowship training. The study cohort consisted of 47,339 total knee arthroplasties, with 62.6% of the procedures in women. Fixed bearings were used in 41,908 knees (88.5%) and mobile bearings in 4830 (10.2%). Rotating-platform designs were used in all mobile-bearing total knee arthroplasties (3112 had a Rotating-Platform Press-Fit Condylar posterior-stabilized design; 1053, a Low Contact Stress [LCS] design; and 665, a Rotating-Platform Press-Fit Condylar cruciate-retaining design). Patients who received fixed-bearing total knee arthroplasty systems were older (mean age, 68.1 years) than those who received mobile-bearing total knee arthroplasty systems (mean age, 62.2 years); the difference was significant (p < 0.001). Overall, 515 knees (1.1%) were revised for reasons other than infection. The survival rate was 97.8% (95% confidence interval [CI], 97.4% to 98.0%) at 6.7 years. The adjusted risk of aseptic revision for the LCS total knee replacements was 2.01 times (95% CI, 1.41 to 2.86) higher than that for fixed-bearing total knee replacements (p < 0.001).There was no significant revision risk for the other mobile-bearing total knee arthroplasty systems. There was no association with surgeon and hospital case volumes and the risk of revision total knee arthroplasty. Our study suggests the benefit of potential long-term wear reduction with the LCS implant may not be realized in a community-based setting, where a variety of surgical skills, surgical experience, and diverse patient demographic factors may affect early outcomes. Therapeutic Level II.

Risk factors associated with surgical site infection in 30 491 primary total hip replacements

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.

Short-Term Outcomes of Unresurfaced Patellas in Total Knee Arthroplasty

Selective patellar resurfacing continues in total knee arthroplasty (TKA). We define the demographics of patients selected for this procedure and report their short-term, aseptic revision rate. A community-based Total Joint Replacement Registry (TJRR) comprising 39,000 TKAs with median follow-up of 24.5 months was evaluated. Patients who underwent bicompartmental TKA were younger (p < 0.001), suffered posttraumatic arthrosis (p < 0.001), and receive hybrid fixation (p < 0.001). In multivariate analysis, the unresurfaced patella is an independent risk factor for early revision with a relative increased risk of 2.3 (95% CI, 1.4-3.7). The cumulative survivorship at 6 years for tricompartmental TKA is 98.1 versus 93.6% for bicompartmental knees (p < 0.001). Despite selecting patients with presumably healthier patellofemoral joints for bicompartmental TKA, the unresurfaced patella remains a risk factor for early revision.

Evaluation of total hip arthroplasty devices using a total joint replacement registry

The purpose of this paper is to describe the infrastructure of the total joint replacement registry of a large integrated healthcare system's and emphasize challenges associated with orthopedic device classification and evaluation. Using a large integrated healthcare system innovative infrastructure including electronic health record data, administrative data sources, and registry data collection, we evaluated device choice and outcomes of total hip arthroplasty (THA). Devices were classified into type of bearing surface (alternative versus traditional). Multiple imputation was used to accommodate missing data, and a logistic regression model was applied to assess the impact of patient and surgeon factors on choice of bearing surface. A Cox regression model was used to evaluate risk of aseptic revision while controlling for surgeon, site, and patient characteristics. Adjusted cumulative probability-of-event curves were created, comparing survival of alternative against traditional bearings of devices, with aseptic revision as the outcome of interest. The study sample consisted of 25,377 primary THAs with an average follow-up of 2.7 years. Choice of bearing surface varied by surgeon and patient characteristics. After adjusting for patient, surgeon, and hospital covariates, results showed that the risk of aseptic revision associated with alternative bearings did not differ significantly from traditional bearing surfaces (hazard ratio = 1.33; 95% confidence interval: 0.90, 1.98). Clinically rich data from a registry with linkages to electronic health records and other administrative databases improve identification of exposures, outcomes, and patient subgroups in medical device evaluation. These various data sources facilitate refined adjustment for potential confounders such as hospital, surgeon, and patient factors and ensure comprehensive device performance evaluation within registries.

Methods for developing and analyzing clinically rich data for patient‐centered outcomes research: an overview

Methods for developing and analyzing clinically rich data for patient‐centered outcomes research: an overview

Leveraging Electronic Medical Records for Surveillance of Surgical Site Infection in a Total Joint Replacement Population

To evaluate whether a hybrid electronic screening algorithm using a total joint replacement (TJR) registry, electronic surgical site infection (SSI) screening, and electronic health record (EHR) review of SSI is sensitive and specific for SSI detection and reduces chart review volume for SSI surveillance. Validation study. A large health maintenance organization (HMO) with 8.6 million members. Using codes for infection, wound complications, cellullitis, procedures related to infections, and surgeon-reported complications from the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification, we screened each TJR procedure performed in our HMO between January 2006 and December 2008 for possible infections. Flagged charts were reviewed by clinical-content experts to confirm SSIs. SSIs identified by the electronic screening algorithm were compared with SSIs identified by the traditional indirect surveillance methodology currently employed in our HMO. Positive predictive values (PPVs), negative predictive values (NPVs), and specificity and sensitivity values were calculated. Absolute reduction of chart review volume was evaluated. The algorithm identified 4,001 possible SSIs (9.5%) for the 42,173 procedures performed for our TJR patient population. A total of 440 case patients (1.04%) had SSIs (PPV, 11.0%; NPV, 100.0%). The sensitivity and specificity of the overall algorithm were 97.8% and 91.5%, respectively. An electronic screening algorithm combined with an electronic health record review of flagged cases can be used as a valid source for TJR SSI surveillance. The algorithm successfully reduced the volume of chart review for surveillance by 90.5%.

Simultaneous bilateral hip replacement reveals superior outcome and fewer complications than two-stage procedures: a prospective study including 1819 patients and 5801 follow-ups from a total joint replacement registry

BackgroundTotal joint replacements represent a considerable part of day-to-day orthopaedic routine and a substantial proportion of patients undergoing unilateral total hip arthroplasty require a contralateral treatment after the first operation. This report compares complications and functional outcome of simultaneous versus early and delayed two-stage bilateral THA over a five-year follow-up period.MethodsThe study is a post hoc analysis of prospectively collected data in the framework of the European IDES hip registry. The database query resulted in 1819 patients with 5801 follow-ups treated with bilateral THA between 1965 and 2002. According to the timing of the two operations the sample was divided into three groups: I) 247 patients with simultaneous bilateral THA, II) 737 patients with two-stage bilateral THA within six months, III) 835 patients with two-stage bilateral THA between six months and five years.ResultsWhereas postoperative hip pain and flexion did not differ between the groups, the best walking capacity was observed in group I and the worst in group III. The rate of intraoperative complications in the first group was comparable to that of the second. The frequency of postoperative local and systemic complication in group I was the lowest of the three groups. The highest rate of complications was observed in group III.ConclusionsFrom the point of view of possible intra- and postoperative complications, one-stage bilateral THA is equally safe or safer than two-stage interventions. Additionally, from an outcome perspective the one-stage procedure can be considered to be advantageous.

Kaiser Permanente National Total Joint Replacement Registry: Aligning Operations With Information Technology

A Total Joint Replacement Registry was developed in a large community-based practice to track implant utilization, monitor revisions and complications, identify patients during recalls and advisories, and provide feedback on clinical practices. We describe the development, implementation, and integration of this Total Joint Replacement Registry, highlighting critical steps in aligning information technology and operations. The primary Total Joint Replacement Registry data source consists of standardized electronic health record forms developed by consensus. The Total Joint Replacement Registry forms are integrated into the clinical workflow (preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative) and produce a standardized progress note for electronic health record documentation. Secondary data are extracted from other electronic data sources using standard terminologies (ie, ICD-9 codes) to supplement the Total Joint Replacement Registry forms. Electronic screening algorithms are applied to identify complications, in combination with chart review validation and quality control mechanisms. Three hundred fifty surgeons voluntarily contribute to the registry with 90% participation. The registry has been used for implant recalls and advisories, contract decision making, and identification of patients at risk for revisions (eg, younger patients having total knee arthroplasty). Tracking of overall survival of implants influenced clinical practice, with feedback resulting in the reduction of the number of unicompartmental and uncemented knee arthroplasties performed, usage of femoral head sizes < 28 mm, and the number of minimally invasive surgical procedures performed. The Total Joint Replacement Registry has effectively aligned operations with information technology and leveraged that to enhance our ability to respond to recalls and advisories as well as improve quality of care, cost-effectiveness, and create research opportunities.

The kaiser permanente national total joint replacement registry.

The Kaiser Permanente National Total Joint Replacement Registry (TJRR) is a national level database designed as a postmarket surveillance system for elective total hip and knee replacement. As of March 31, 2007, the TJRR recorded 16,945 primary total hip arthroplasties (THA), 2144 revisions (11.2%); and 30,815 total knee arthroplasties (TKA), 1794 revisions (5.5%). Statistically significant findings include: older age and higher American Society of Anesthesiology risk scores for revision THAs. Osteoarthritis is the most common diagnosis for THA and TKA, and aseptic loosening and instability are most common in revision THAs and TKAs. The TJRR has provided a mechanism for recalls, identified patients at risk for early revisions and changed practice by providing feedback to physicians.

A centralized total joint replacement registry using web-based technologies.

A centralized total joint replacement registry using web-based technologies.