Reasons for long-term tunneled dialysis catheter use and associated morbidity.

Objective: Tunneled dialysis catheters (TDCs) are generally used as a temporary means to provide hemodialysis until permanent arteriovenous (AV) access is established. However, some patients may have long-term catheter-based hemodialysis because of the lack of alternatives for other dialysis access. Our objective was to evaluate characteristics of patients with, reasons for, and mortality associated with long-term TDC use.

Octogenarians and Nonoctogenarians Have Similar Outcomes after Upper Extremity Hemodialysis Access Creation.

Background: Routine arteriovenous (AV) access creation in octogenarians is controversial. Our goal was to assess perioperative and long-term outcomes in octogenarians after undergoing upper extremity AV access to determine whether advanced age should influence AV access decision-making.

Methods: All AV access creations performed at a single institution from 2014-2018 were retrospectively reviewed.

A Cost Analysis of Pathology Evaluation of Carotid Plaque after Endarterectomy.

Background: Overtreatment and overuse of resources are leading causes of rising health care costs. Identification and elimination process of low value services is important in reducing such costs. At many institutions it is routine to send excised plaque after carotid endarterectomy (CEA) for pathology evaluation.

Aseptic Loosening at the Tibia in Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Function of Cement Mantle Quality?

Background: Aseptic loosening remains one of the leading causes for failure of total knee arthroplasty (TKA). We sought to identify early radiographic measures that may associate with aseptic tibial component loosening, emphasizing systematic evaluation of the cement mantle.

Methods: All TKA revisions from 2007 to 2015 with the primary indication of tibial aseptic loosening were identified using in an institutional implant retrieval database.

Outcomes and complications following non-oncologic total femoral replacement.

Background: Non-oncologic total femoral replacement (TFR) is utilised as a limb-salvage option in the setting of massive bone loss during revision total hip arthroplasty (THA) and total knee arthroplasty (TKA). However, complication rates, including infection and reoperation, remain a concern.

Methods: In this study, 16 consecutive TFRs from a single institution with an average clinical follow-up of 4 years were retrospectively reviewed.