Evaluating Patients for Elective Outpatient Foot and Ankle Surgery: Insurance as a Predictor of Patient Outcomes

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (6) ◽  
pp. 522-529
Author(s):  
Wajeeh Bakhsh ◽  
Sean Childs ◽  
Irvin Oh ◽  
Sam Flemister ◽  
Judy Baumhauer ◽  
...  

Background. Elective surgical procedures necessitate careful patient selection. Insurance level has been associated with postoperative outcomes in trauma patients. This study evaluates the relationship insurance level has with outcomes from elective foot and ankle surgery. Methods. Retrospective chart review was performed on patients who underwent elective surgery at a single center with 1-year follow-up. Patients were classified by insurance: under-/uninsured (Medicaid, Option plans) versus fully insured. Outcomes included narcotic refills, patient-reported outcomes (PROMIS) of pain, function, and mood, and compliance with follow-up visits. Statistical analysis involved mean comparison and multivariate regression modeling, with significance P < .05. Results. Cohort groups included 220 insured and 47 under-/uninsured. Outcomes between the insured and under-/uninsured groups differed significantly in narcotic refills (0.72 vs 1.74 respectively, P < .01), missed appointments (0.13 vs 0.62, P < .01), and PROMIS results (pain 54.5 vs 60.2; function 44.3 vs 39.5; mood 44.6 vs 51.3; P < .01). The change in PROMIS scores from preoperative to 1-year postoperative were different in pain (−7.3 vs −2.5, P = .03) and function (+6.3 vs +1.3, P = .04). Regression results confirm insurance as a significant factor (coefficient 0.27, P < .01). Conclusion. These results establish that under-/uninsured patients have worse pain, patient-reported outcomes, and functional outcomes after elective foot and ankle surgery, which may inform patient selection. Levels of Evidence: Level III: Retrospective cohort study

2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 2473011418S0006 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandra Klein ◽  
Devon Nixon ◽  
Brian Cusworth ◽  
Jeremy McCormick ◽  
Jeffrey Johnson

Category: Other Introduction/Purpose: Prior work has demonstrated that greater preoperative emotional distress leads to worse outcomes in joint arthroplasty and spine surgery. However, there is limited data on the influence of impaired preoperative psychological function on foot and ankle outcomes. Modern tools like the Patient-Reported Outcomes Instrument Measurement System (PROMIS) can capture data such as emotional distress via the PROMIS anxiety domain. PROMIS anxiety queries symptoms of fearfulness, panic, and nervousness with scores strongly correlating to multiple legacy measures of anxiety. However, PROMIS anxiety as a surrogate for emotional distress has not been utilized in orthopedic research. We hypothesized that patients with greater preoperative emotional distress (i.e. higher PROMIS anxiety scores) would exhibit greater pain and less function than patients with lower anxiety following foot and ankle surgery. Methods: Elective foot and ankle surgeries from May 2016 – December 2016 were retrospectively identified. Patients with diabetes as well as those undergoing surgery for infection, trauma, or routine hardware removal were all excluded. PROMIS anxiety, pain interference (PI), physical function (PF), and depression scores were collected – data closest to surgery preoperatively and furthest from surgery postoperatively were used for analysis. Our study population was then grouped based on preoperative PROMIS anxiety, with scores greater than 60 indicating higher levels of emotional distress and scores below 60 indicating less impairment. A cutoff of PROMIS anxiety above 60 was selected as earlier studies have shown that threshold corresponds to clinically-significant amounts of anxiety based on traditional anxiety outcome measures. Additionally, PROMIS anxiety scores above 60 signify anxiety values one standard deviation or more away from the population average. Results: Patients with higher preoperative anxiety (average: 64.8, n=25) had greater preoperative pain and less function as compared to patients with less preoperative anxiety (average: 47.1, n=63) (PROMIS PI: 63.6 versus 59.1, P<0.01; PROMIS PF: 37.9 versus 41.7, P<0.05; respectively). Both groups of patients (i.e. high and low preoperative anxiety) demonstrated similar changes (P>0.1) in PROMIS PI and PF following surgery (? PROMIS PI: 5.1 versus 7.3;? PROMIS PF: 1.5 versus 3.0; respectively) at equivalent follow-up (5.7 versus 6.3 months, respectively). However, postoperatively, patients with higher preoperative anxiety had more residual pain and greater functional disability as compared to patients with less preoperative emotional distress (PROMIS PI: 58.5 versus 51.8, P<0.001; PROMIS PF: 39.4 versus 44.7, P<0.001; respectively). Conclusion: Evidence of preoperative emotional distress – as assessed by the PROMIS anxiety instrument – predicted worse pain and function at early surgical follow-up. Detecting patients at-risk for poorer surgical outcomes remains a topic of interest in orthopedics. Our data suggest that the PROMIS anxiety tool could be useful in identifying such patients. It would be helpful, then, to counsel individuals with higher preoperative emotional distress that – despite significant improvements – residual pain and functional disability may persist after surgery. Continued surveillance will be necessary to determine if these between-group differences remain at longer-term follow-up.


2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 2473011419S0020
Author(s):  
Jensen K. Henry ◽  
Andrew Roney ◽  
Amelia Hummel ◽  
Elizabeth Cody ◽  
Scott Ellis

Category: Ankle, Ankle Arthritis, Bunion, Hindfoot, Lesser Toes, Midfoot/Forefoot, Sports, General foot/ankle elective procedures, outcomes Introduction/Purpose: The setting and fulfillment of expectations represent a unique aspect of patient-reported outcomes that is closely associated with satisfaction. Within foot and ankle surgery, patients may expect improvement in pain, mobility, shoe wear, and function in daily life, whether in basic activities or exercise/sports. Within foot and ankle surgery, a 23-item expectation survey has been developed based on patient responses and validated in patients undergoing elective surgery. However, to date, postoperative fulfillment of expectations has not been reported. This study aimed to describe overall rates of expectation fulfillment as well as fulfillment among specific domains. We hypothesized that patients would have the most improvement in pain and ambulation items, with greater rates of unfilled expectations for generalized items like improving confidence and returning to normal. Methods: This is a single-center study of adult patients undergoing elective foot/ankle surgery with 2-year follow-up. Demographic and clinical data were collected along with pre/postoperative Foot and Ankle Outcomes (FAOS) scores. Preoperatively, patients completed the expectations survey, citing the amount of improvement anticipated for each item using Likert-style responses. At 2 years postoperatively, patients repeated the survey, responding with the amount of improvement actually achieved. The total scores for the preoperative and postoperative surveys were used to create a ratio representing the proportion of expectations fulfilled (<1: fulfilled somewhat; 1: fulfilled as expected; >1: expectations surpassed), which was analyzed with descriptive statistics. Responses for each item (pre/postoperatively) were also assessed. Responses of “moderate,” ”a lot,” or “complete” were considered fulfilled, while ”little” or “no” indicated not fulfilled. FAOS scores were compared from baseline to follow-up using paired t-tests. Results: There were 271 patients (mean age 55.4, BMI 27.5, 65% female). Most common diagnoses were hallux valgus (25%), flatfoot (11%), hallux rigidus (11%), ankle arthritis (10%), and chronic tendon injury (9%). Patients had significant improvement in all FAOS domains (P<0.001). Mean proportion of expectations fulfilled was 1.15 (median 1.07, range 0-10), indicating surpassed expectations. Patients averaged complete fulfillment of 9 expectation items. Expectations were surpassed in 56%, met in 4%, and partially or not fulfilled in 41%. Rates of fulfillment were highest for ambulation distance, improving confidence, going back to normal, and preventing foot/ankle problem from getting worse, but did not match the level of expected improvement. Conversely, expectations were surpassed for ability to commute/drive, decreased reliance on pain medication, and participation in social/ activities. Conclusion: Overall, most patients had preoperative expectations that were met or surpassed. Though the proportion of expectations fulfilled exceeded 1, the rates of fulfillment for the most commonly cited items, especially more generalized items, were lower than expected. Improvement in ambulation ability (distance, speed, agility on uneven ground) was also lower than expected. Patients had greater improvement than expected in other functional domains (commute, social and household activities) and pain. These results may help guide appropriate management of expectations both pre and postoperatively. Future studies should assess fulfillment in the setting of specific pathologies and surgeries to better educate patients preoperatively.


2018 ◽  
Vol 40 (1) ◽  
pp. 65-73 ◽  
Author(s):  
Man Hung ◽  
Judith F. Baumhauer ◽  
Frank W. Licari ◽  
Maren W. Voss ◽  
Jerry Bounsanga ◽  
...  

Background: Establishing score points that reflect meaningful change from the patient perspective is important for interpreting patient-reported outcomes. This study estimated the minimum clinically important difference (MCID) values of 2 Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) instruments and the Foot and Ankle Ability Measure (FAAM) Sports subscale within a foot and ankle orthopedic population. Methods: Patients seen for foot and ankle conditions at an orthopedic clinic were administered the PROMIS Physical Function (PF) v1.2, the PROMIS Pain Interference (PI) v1.1, and the FAAM Sports at baseline and all follow-up visits. MCID estimation was conducted using anchor-based and distribution-based methods. Results: A total of 3069 patients, mean age of 51 years (range = 18-94), were included. The MCIDs for the PROMIS PF ranged from approximately 3 to 30 points (median = 11.3) depending on the methods being used. The MCIDs ranged from 3 to 25 points (median = 8.9) for the PROMIS PI, and from 9 to 77 points (median = 32.5) for the FAAM Sports. Conclusions: This study established a range of MCIDs in the PROMIS PF, PROMIS PI, and FAAM Sports indicating meaningful change in patient condition. MCID values were consistent across follow-up periods, but were different across methods. Values below the 25th percentile of MCIDs may be useful for low-risk clinical decisions. Midrange values (eg, near the median) should be used for high stakes decisions in clinical practice (ie, surgery referrals). The MCID values within the interquartile range should be utilized for most decision making. Level of Evidence: Level I, diagnostic study, testing of previously developed diagnostic measure on consecutive patients with reference standard applied.


2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 2473011418S0006
Author(s):  
Meghan Kelly ◽  
David Bernstein ◽  
Ashlee MacDonald ◽  
John Ketz ◽  
Adolph Flemister ◽  
...  

Category: Other Introduction/Purpose: The ability to accurately quantify a patient’s pain pre-operatively is advantageous in the preparation of post-operative expectations and pain management. The Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS) is a popular method to identify patient pain level. Other patient reported outcomes are being collected, such as the Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) and has been suggested to be more accurate in measuring pain as well as physical function. The aim of this study was to 1) determine whether NPRS or PROMIS Pain Interference (PI) demonstrates a stronger association with physical function as determined by PROMIS Physical Function (PF) and 2) to determine which method better predicts post-surgical pain in a population of elective surgical foot and ankle patients. Methods: Prospective PROMIS PF, PI and NPRS (0-10) data was obtained for common foot and ankle elective surgical procedures (CPT codes 27698, 27870, 28285, 28289, 28300, 28705, 28730, 28750) from a multi-surgeon foot and ankle clinic between February 2015 until November 2017. Pearson correlation coefficients were used to determine the relationship between NPRS (0-10) and PROMIS domains (PI, PF) pre and post-operatively. Correlations were considered high (> 0.7), high moderate (0.6-0.69), moderate (0.4-0.6) or weak (<0.4). Results: A total of 502 patients found to have complete data sets and > 6 month follow up were evaluated (74% women, mean age 54+/- SD, mean follow-up 14.4 months, range 6-34 months). Pearson correlation evaluation of NPRS and PI revealed a moderate correlation in the pre- and postoperative setting. There was a high moderate negative correlation between PI and PF t-scores pre and postoperatively suggesting more pain and less function. However, the negative correlation between NPRS and PF pre- and postoperatively was weak indicating a poor relationship between NPRS pain assessment and function. There was a moderate correlation between pre- and postoperative scores in all domains of PROMIS while the correlation between pre- and postoperative NPRS scores was weak. Conclusion: In a population of elective surgical foot and ankle patients, the use of both NPRS and PROMIS can be utilized to assess pain level, however the PROMIS PI domain demonstrated a stronger relationship with PROMIS PF than NPRS. Furthermore, only the PROMIS domains demonstrated at least a moderate correlation between pre- and post-operative scores. PROMIS PI provides superior assessment of pre- and post-operative physical function and prediction of post-operative pain. PROMIS PI can be used to gauge a patient’s pre-operative level of pain and function and aid the surgeon in guiding post-operative patient expectations and pain management.


2017 ◽  
Vol 46 (2) ◽  
pp. 305-313 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benjamin G. Domb ◽  
Edwin O. Chaharbakhshi ◽  
Itay Perets ◽  
Leslie C. Yuen ◽  
John P. Walsh ◽  
...  

Background: The arthroscopic management of hip dysplasia has been controversial and has historically demonstrated mixed results. Studies on patients with borderline dysplasia, emphasizing the importance of the labrum and capsule as secondary stabilizers, have shown improvement in patient-reported outcomes (PROs). Purpose/Hypothesis: The purpose was to assess whether the results of hip arthroscopic surgery with labral preservation and concurrent capsular plication in patients with borderline hip dysplasia have lasting, positive outcomes at a minimum 5-year follow-up. It was hypothesized that with careful patient selection, outcomes would be favorable. Study Design: Case series; Level of evidence, 4. Methods: Data were prospectively collected and retrospectively reviewed for patients aged <40 years who underwent hip arthroscopic surgery for intra-articular abnormalities. Inclusion criteria included lateral center-edge angle (LCEA) between 18° and 25°, concurrent capsular plication and labral preservation, and minimum 5-year follow-up. Exclusion criteria were severe dysplasia (LCEA ≤18°), Tönnis grade ≥2, pre-existing childhood hip conditions, or prior hip surgery. PRO scores including the modified Harris Hip Score (mHHS), Non-Arthritic Hip Score (NAHS), and Hip Outcome Score Sport-Specific Subscale (HOS-SSS) and the visual analog scale (VAS) score for pain were collected preoperatively, at 3 months, and annually thereafter. Complications and revisions were recorded. Results: Twenty-five hips (24 patients) met the inclusion criteria. Twenty-one hips (19 patients, 84%) were available for follow-up. The mean age at surgery was 22.9 years. The mean preoperative LCEA and Tönnis angle were 21.7° (range, 18° to 24°) and 6.9° (range, –1° to 16°), respectively. The mean follow-up was 68.8 months. The mean mHHS increased from 70.3 to 85.9 ( P < .0001), the mean NAHS from 68.3 to 87.3 ( P < .0001), and the mean HOS-SSS from 52.1 to 70.8 ( P = .0002). The mean VAS score improved from 5.6 to 1.8 ( P < .0001). Four hips (19%) required secondary arthroscopic procedures, all of which resulted in improved PRO scores at latest follow-up. No patient required conversion to total hip arthroplasty. Conclusion: While periacetabular osteotomy remains the standard for treating true acetabular dysplasia, hip arthroscopy may provide a safe and durable means of managing intra-articular abnormalities in the setting of borderline acetabular dysplasia at midterm follow-up. These procedures should be performed by surgeons with expertise in advanced arthroscopic techniques, using strict patient selection criteria, with emphasis on labral preservation and capsular plication.


2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 2473011418S0004
Author(s):  
Ashraf Fansa ◽  
Mark Drakos ◽  
Taylor Cabe ◽  
Peter Fabricant

Category: Arthroscopy Introduction/Purpose: With reported incidence rates ranging from 40% to 70% post ankle sprains and fractures, osteochondral lesions of the talus (OLT) are not uncommon. However, management of such defects remains challenging. Microfracturing is considered the standard treatment for symptomatic OLTs.Larger lesions however typically require more invasive restorative procedures such as autologous osteochondral transplantation. Microfracture results are variable due to the fact that the resulting reparative fibrocartilage is weaker and biomechanically inferior to native hyaline cartilage. In this study, we examine the functional and radiological outcomes following use of a new arthroscopic technique utilizing a mixture of micronized allograft cartilage matrix (BioCartilage) (Arthrex, Naples, FL) soaked in Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentrate (BMAC) to fill OLTs. Methods: Eighty-six consecutive patients treated for OLT using arthroscopic debridement and BioCartilage matrix soaked in BMAC were identified. All patients were treated by a single fellowship-trained sports medicine and foot and ankle surgeon. Functional outcomes were assessed using the Foot and Ankle Outcome Score (FAOS) and Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS). This information was obtained from a prospective registry at the authors’ institution. Wilcoxon signed rank tests were used to determine statistical significance between pre and postoperative clinical scores. Additionally, an attending radiologist assessed the reparative cartilage morphology on postoperative MRI scans. This was evaluated and scored using a modified magnetic resonance observation of cartilage tissue (MOCART) scoring system. Results: Thirty-one patients (19 Females; 12 Males) with a mean age of 37.8 years (Range 15–54) had a minimum follow-up duration of 12 months and were thus included in this review. Mean follow-up duration was 15.8 months (Range 12 –25.7). The mean patient BMI was 27.4 (Range 19.6 – 39.4), while the average osteochondral lesion size was 85.9 mm2 (Range 35 – 220). The Physical Function domain of the PROMIS score, demonstrated statistically significant change, improving from 40.63 ±8.31 to 48.31 ±10.07 (p=0.02). The Pain Intensity domain also improved significantly from 49.06 ±9.32 to 42.14 ±9.38 (p=0.03). The Pain Interference domain and FAOS scores did improve but not reaching statistical significance. The mean MRI MOCART score was 69 ±13.34 with 13.3 months average follow-up duration. Conclusion: Achieving the longest duration possible of symptom-free functioning postoperatively is the main goal of any cartilage repair procedure. Augmentation of an articular lesion’s infill with BioCartilage and BMAC may help enhance the biomechanical properties of the reparative fibrocartilage construct and its longevity. Our initial findings demonstrate favorable patient-reported outcomes. Moreover, postoperative MRIs demonstrate the majority of the lesions showed either complete or hypertrophic infill, complete or hypertrophic integration, homogenous repair tissue, and isointense signals. Long-term studies prospectively assessing the effectiveness of this technique in maintaining pain-free-function of the ankle joint are warranted.


2018 ◽  
Vol 39 (8) ◽  
pp. 949-953 ◽  
Author(s):  
Devon C. Nixon ◽  
Brian M. Cusworth ◽  
Jeremy J. McCormick ◽  
Jeffrey E. Johnson ◽  
Sandra E. Klein

Background: Identifying preoperative risk factors that may portend poorer operative outcomes remains a topic of current interest. In hip and knee arthroplasty patients, the presence of patient-reported allergies (PRAs) has been associated with worse pain and function after joint replacement. However, these results have not been replicated across studies, including in shoulder arthroplasty cases. The impact of PRAs on foot and ankle outcomes has yet to be studied. The purpose of our study was to evaluate whether PRAs influence patient-reported outcome in foot and ankle surgery. Methods: To determine if PRAs are linked to poorer operative outcomes, we retrospectively identified 159 patients who underwent elective foot and ankle surgery. PRA data were obtained via chart review, and patient-reported outcomes were assessed preoperatively and postoperatively via multiple domains, including Patient Reported Outcome Measurement Information System (PROMIS) physical function, pain interference, and depression measures. Consistent with prior methodology, we compared outcome measures (preoperative, postoperative, and the change in outcome scores) between patients without self-reported allergies to patients with at least 1 PRA. Results: There were 159 patients studied; 79 patients had no allergies listed, and 80 patients had at least 1 PRA. Of the 80 patients with at least 1 PRA, there were a total of 170 possible allergies. There were no differences in preoperative, postoperative, or the change in outcome scores for all PROMIS measures (physical function, pain interference, and depression; P > .05) between patients with at least 1 PRA and those patients without any listed PRAs. Conclusions: We were unable to prove our hypothesis that PRAs were linked to poorer patient-reported outcomes following foot and ankle surgery. Closer review of the published reports linking PRAs to worse total joint arthroplasty outcomes revealed data that, while statistically significant, are likely not clinically relevant. Our negative findings, then, may in fact parallel prior studies on hip, knee, and shoulder arthroplasty patients. The presence of PRAs does not appear to be a risk factor for suboptimal outcomes in foot and ankle surgery. Level of Evidence: Level III, comparative series.


2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (9) ◽  
pp. 1007-1011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Devon C. Nixon ◽  
Kevin A. Schafer ◽  
Brian Cusworth ◽  
Jeremy J. McCormick ◽  
Jeffrey Johnson ◽  
...  

Background: Preoperative emotional distress has been shown to negatively influence joint arthroplasty and spine surgery, but limited data exist for foot and ankle outcomes. Emotional distress can be captured through modern tools like the Patient-Reported Outcomes Instrument Measurement System (PROMIS) anxiety domain. We hypothesized that patients with greater preoperative PROMIS anxiety scores would report greater pain and less function after foot and ankle surgery than patients with lower preoperative anxiety levels. Methods: Elective foot and ankle surgeries from May 2016 to December 2017 were retrospectively identified. PROMIS anxiety, pain interference (PI), and physical function (PF) scores were collected before and after surgery. Patients were grouped based on preoperative PROMIS scores greater or less than 59.4. A cutoff of PROMIS anxiety above 59.4 was selected as the threshold that corresponds to traditional measures of anxiety. Results: Compared to patients with less preoperative anxiety (average: 47.2, n=146), patients with higher preoperative anxiety (average: 63.9, n=59) had greater preoperative pain (PROMIS PI: 63.5 vs 59.1, P < .001) and lower physical function (PROMIS PF: 37.9 vs 42.0, P = .001). Postoperatively, patients with higher preoperative anxiety had more residual pain and greater functional disability as compared to patients with less preoperative emotional distress (PROMIS PI: 58.6 vs 52.9, P < .001; PROMIS PF: 39.8 vs 44.4, P < .001; respectively). Conclusion: Our evidence showed that preoperative emotional anxiety predicted worse pain and function at early operative follow-up. Measures of preoperative anxiety could be useful in identifying patients at risk for poorer operative outcomes, but continued study is necessary. Level of Evidence: Level III, retrospective comparative study.


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