Surgeon Prescribing Patterns And Perioperative Risk Factors Associated With Prolonged Opioid Use After Total Shoulder Arthroplasty.

Introduction: The opioid epidemic in the United States has contributed to a notable economic burden and increased mortality. Total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA) has become more prevalent, and opioids are commonly used for postoperative pain management. Prolonged opioid use has been associated with adverse outcomes, but the role of surgeons in this context remains unclear.

Effects of socioeconomic burden on opioid use following total shoulder arthroplasty.

Background: Preoperative opioid users experience worse outcomes and higher complication rates compared to opioid-naïve patients following shoulder arthroplasty. This study evaluates the effects of socioeconomic status, as measured by the Distressed Communities Index (DCI), on pre- and postoperative opioid use and its influence on clinical outcomes such as readmission and revision surgery.

Methods: A retrospective review of patients who underwent primary shoulder arthroplasty (Current Procedural Terminology code 23472) from 2014 to 2022 at a single academic institution was performed.

The impact of preoperative benzodiazepine use on postoperative opioid use in total shoulder arthroplasty.

Background: As the rate of total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA) and preoperative benzodiazepine use rise, there is an increased need to understand the impact of preoperative benzodiazepine use on postoperative opioid consumption following TSA, especially amid the current opioid epidemic. The relationship between preoperative benzodiazepine use and chronic opioid use postoperatively has been well described following other orthopedic procedures; however, the impact on patients undergoing TSA remains unclear. This study aims to identify the impact of preoperative benzodiazepine use on opioid use following TSA.

Distressed communities demonstrate increased readmission and health care utilization following shoulder arthroplasty.

Background: Socioeconomic status (SES) has been shown to affect outcomes following total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA), but little is known regarding how SES and the communities in which patients reside can affect postoperative health care utilization. With the growing use of bundled payment models, understanding what factors put patients at risk for readmission and the ways in which patients utilize the health care system postoperatively is crucial for preventing excess costs for providers. This study helps surgeons predict which patients are high-risk and may require additional surveillance following shoulder arthroplasty.

Irreparable Massive Rotator Cuff Tears: Subacromial Balloon Surgical Technique.

Massive irreparable rotator cuff tears pose a significant challenge for both the treating orthopedic surgeon and patient. Surgical treatment options for massive rotator cuff tears include arthroscopic debridement, biceps tenotomy or tenodesis, arthroscopic rotator cuff repair, partial rotator cuff repair, cuff augmentation, tendon transfers, superior capsular reconstruction, subacromial balloon spacer, and ultimately reverse shoulder arthroplasty. The present study will provide a brief overview of these treatment options along with a description of the surgical technique for subacromial balloon spacer placement.

Effects of Patient Comorbidities and Demographics on Episode-of-Care Costs Following Total Shoulder Arthroplasty.

Background: As demand for shoulder arthroplasty grows, adequate cost containment is of importance. Given the historical use of bundle payments for lower extremity arthroplasty, it is reasonable to anticipate that such programs will be universally implemented in shoulder arthroplasty. This project evaluates how patient demographics, medical comorbidities, and surgical variables affect episode-of-care costs in an effort to ensure accurate reimbursement scales and equitable access to care.

Predicting Hospital Readmissions After Total Shoulder Arthroplasty Within a Bundled Payment Cohort.

Introduction: Given the rising demand for shoulder arthroplasty, understanding risk factors associated with unplanned hospital readmission is imperative. No study to date has examined the influence of patient and hospital-specific factors as a predictive model for 90-day readmissions within a bundled payment cohort after primary shoulder arthroplasty. The purpose of this study was to determine predictive factors for 90-day readmissions after primary shoulder arthroplasty within a bundled payment cohort.

Acetabular Retroversion: Dysplasia in Disguise that Leads to Early Arthritis of the Hip.

We aimed to assess the prevalence of acetabular retroversion (AR) in patients undergoing total hip replacement (THA) based on age. We retrospectively compared preoperative anteroposterior pelvic radiographs of patients younger than 40 years of age who underwent THA with the age- and body mass index-matched control of 40 years and older patients. Retroversion was determined based on the presence of cross-over sign, ischial spine sign, posterior wall sign, and elephant's ear sign with data stratified based on presence of dysplasia.