Total Knee Arthroplasty

According to published results, the expansion of Medicaid coverage under the Affordable Care Act has led to increased utilization of Medicaid-funded total hip and total knee arthroplasty procedures.

During a 6-year retrospective, single-institution study, investigators found a 60% increase in cannabinoid use and a 30% decrease in opioid use among patients who underwent total joint arthroplasty.

Compared with conventional instrumentation, navigation-enhanced instrumentation improved cut accuracy and reduced surgical outlier rates during total knee arthroplasty procedures, according to published results.

Use of a rapid recovery protocol after total knee arthroplasty may lead to faster restoration of range of motion and shorter length of stay compared with the use of a standard recovery protocol, according to published results.

Although the rate of discharge after total hip and knee arthroplasty did not increase with use of a remote monitoring program, published results showed remote monitoring led to high patient engagement and a reduced rehospitalization rate.

Image-based robotics can provide accurate planning, precise execution and actionable feedback during simple and complex total knee arthroplasty, according to a presenter at the Current Concepts in Joint Replacement Winter Meeting.

While some surgeons are hesitant to rely on digital technology, a “tipping point” may be coming for the use of digital instrumentation in total joint arthroplasty, according to a joint replacement specialist.

Results showed use of an all-polyethylene tibial component in total knee arthroplasty may significantly lower surgical and total hospital admission costs while maintaining equivalent 90-day outcomes compared with metal-backed components.

Outpatient total joint arthroplasty provides a safe option for the right candidate, increases patient satisfaction and may be beneficial for the surgeon, according to a presenter at the Current Concepts in Joint Replacement Winter Meeting.

It takes careful patient selection, a sound surgical technique and stable components to achieve reliable uncemented fixation of total knee arthroplasty, a presenter at the Current Concepts in Joint Replacement Winter Meeting said.