The Effect of Anticoagulant and Antiplatelet Medications on Wide-Awake Hand Surgery: An Analysis of 2,162 Cases.

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to determine if perioperative prescription anticoagulant (AC) or antiplatelet (AP) medication use increases the rate of revision surgeries or complications following wide-awake hand surgery performed under local anesthesia.

Methods: All patients who underwent outpatient wide-awake hand surgery under local anesthesia without a tourniquet by two fellowship-trained orthopedic hand surgeons at a single academic practice over a 3-year period were included. Prescription history was reviewed to determine if any prescriptions were filled for an AC/AP drug within 90 days of surgery.

The association of congestive heart failure on in-hospital lengths of stay, morbidity, and financial burden following primary total knee arthroplasty.

Background: Current literature states that 6.2 million adults in the United States are living with heart failure. Studies investigating the impact of congestive heart failure (CHF) following primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA) are scarce.

Comparison of Patient Demographics, Utilization Trends, and Costs of Treatment for Dupuytren's Disease in the United States From 2012 to 2019.

Introduction: Dupuytren's disease is a fibroproliferative disorder of the palm leading to flexion deformities of the digits that impair hand function. Studies have evaluated treatment trends for patients with Dupuytren's disease; however, most conclude in 2012 shortly after collagenase clostridium histolyticum (CCH) injection was introduced to the market. It is unknown how provider preferences have been influenced since its introduction.

Preoperative Depression Screening in Patients with Distal Radius Fractures: An Evaluation of Its Modifiability on Outcomes for Patients with Depressive Disorder.

 It is unclear whether nonpharmacologic intervention for depressive disorder (DD) in the preoperative period can prevent postoperative complications in hand surgery patients.  The aims were to evaluate whether psychotherapy visits/depression screenings within 90 days of open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) for distal radius fractures (DRFs) were associated with lower rates of (1) medical complications and (2) health care utilization (emergency department [ED] visits and readmissions).  A retrospective analysis of an administrative claims database from 2010 to 2021 was performed.

Opioid prescribing patterns by drug type: The Pennsylvania experience.

Objective: To explore the impact on opioid prescribing patterns and trends after implementing a prescription drug monitoring program (PDMP) in Pennsylvania from 2016 to 2020.

Design: A cross-sectional data analysis using deidentified data from Pennsylvania's PDMP delivered by the Pennsylvania Department of Health was undertaken.

Setting: Data were collected from the entire state of Pennsylvania, and statistics were run at Rothman Orthopedic Institute Foundation for Opioid Research & Education.

Preoperative Depression Screening in Primary Lumbar Fusion: An Evaluation of Its Modifiability on Outcomes in Patients with Diagnosed Depressive Disorder.

Objective: Studies have reported the detrimental effects of depression following spine surgery; however, none have evaluated whether preoperative depression screening in patients with a history of depression is protective from adverse outcomes and lowers health care costs. We studied whether depression screenings/psychotherapy visits within 3 months before 1- to 2-level lumbar fusion were associated with lower medical complications, emergency department utilization, readmissions, and health care costs.

Methods: The PearlDiver database from 2010 to 2020 was queried for depressive disorder (DD) patients undergoing primary 1- to 2-level lumbar fusion.

Clostridium difficile colitis following geriatric hip fracture surgery: incidence, trends, and risk factors from 45,910 patients.

Purpose: Clostridium difficile colitis is a serious complication in elderly patients undergoing surgery. The objectives of this study were: (1) to use a nationwide sample of patients to report the incidence and timing of C. difficile colitis in geriatric patients who underwent surgery for hip fractures, (2) to identify preoperative factors associated with developing C.

How Patients Dispose of Unused Prescription Opioids: A Survey of over 300 Postoperative Patients.

Introduction Diversion of unused prescription opioids is a common source of opioid sensitization in the community. Educating patients about safe opioid use has been shown to be effective in decreasing opioid use. However, decreasing diversion will also require educating patients on proper opioid disposal.

Trends in Opioid Prescribing Following Pennsylvania Statewide Implementation of a Prescription Drug Monitoring Program.

Background: The opioid epidemic is a major public health crisis in the United States. Legislators have enacted various strategies to combat this crisis, including the implementation of statewide prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMP). These PDMPs are electronic databases that collect and analyze patient prescription data on controlled substances, allowing physicians to review prior prescriptions before prescribing.