Editor's Note The global ambulatory services market was valued at $2.3 trillion in 2016 and is forecast to grow to $3.7 trillion by 2024, according to a new study by Ameri Research. In 2016, primary care offices accounted for the majority of market share at more than 48% because they…

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Editor's Note The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) and American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons (AAHKS) have released a new guideline to help reduce postoperative total hip and knee infections through the perioperative management of antirheumatic medications. Among the recommendations: Discontinuing biologic therapy before surgery in patients with inflammatory…

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Editor's Note Discharge from the postanesthesia care unit (PACU) without assessment of lower limb motor function after spinal anesthesia for total hip or knee arthroplasty did not increase length of hospital stay or readmissions but significantly reduced time in the PACU (0.40 vs 1.56 hours), this study finds. This multicenter…

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Editor's Note Using patient-specific preoperative variables, a validated logistic regression model predicted transfusions in total hip and knee patients in this study. The model identified preoperative hemoglobin, total hip arthroplasty, and females 65 years of age and older as predictors of perioperative transfusions. The model also may help identify those…

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Editor's Note Deep surgical site infection (SSI) rates in orthopedic surgical procedures may be a better tool for interhospital comparisons than overall SSI rates, this study finds. Researchers in Finland analyzed infection surveillance data for 73,227 total hip arthroplasties and 56,860 total knee arthroplasties performed in 18 hospitals from 1999…

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Editor's Note The combination of femoral and sciatic nerve blocks is the overall best approach to pain management after total knee arthroplasty, finds this meta-analysis. The best five modalities for pain at rest were: femoral/obturator, femoral/sciatic/obturator, lumbar plexus/sciatic, femoral/sciatic, and fascia iliaca compartment blocks. For reducing opioid consumption, the best…

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Editor's Note Total hip replacement patients experience meaningful and lasting improvement in quality of life (QOL) through at least 5-years after the procedure, this study finds. The analysis included 188 total hip replacement patients at seven hospitals who were evaluated with a standard quality-of-life assessment, called the “Short Form 36,”…

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Editor's Note Differences in perception of hospital care exist between men and women after total hip replacement (THR), finds this study presented March 14 at the 2017 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons in San Diego. Using patient satisfaction data from Press Ganey, researchers found that staff…

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Editor's Note A Transparency Market Research analysis predicts the global market for hip replacement implants will reach $9.1 billion by 2024, with a 3.9% compound annual growth rate, the March 17 Becker’s Spine Review reports. Fueling the growth are an expanding geriatric population, an increasing incidence of osteoarthritis, and technological…

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Editor's Note In an interim final rule, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has delayed expansion of the Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement (CJR) bundled payment program and  implementation of its bundled payment programs for cardiac care from July 1 to October 1, 2017, the March 20 Modern…

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