Author: Reisinger Lisa, et al.
Anesthesia & Analgesia ():10.1213/ANE.0000000000007631, July 23, 2025. doi:10.1213/ANE.0000000000007631
Summary
Reisinger and colleagues analyzed national trends in total knee and hip arthroplasty among octogenarians and nonagenarians using the Premier Healthcare database from 2006–2022. Neuraxial anesthesia was more frequently used in older patients undergoing TKA. While length of stay declined over time across age groups, complication rates remained higher in patients aged 80 and above, even when comorbidity burden was similar to younger patients. Interestingly, octogenarian and nonagenarian TKA patients had fewer comorbidities compared to 65- to 70-year-olds, but THA recipients in the same age group had more. Despite improvements over time, advanced age remained an independent predictor of higher morbidity.
Practical implications
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Even with decreasing hospital stays, octogenarians and nonagenarians face elevated complication risks after TKA and THA.
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Neuraxial anesthesia use trends suggest adaptation to minimize perioperative risk in the elderly.
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Careful preoperative evaluation remains essential, as age itself significantly increases morbidity regardless of comorbidity status.
References
Author: Reisinger Lisa, et al.
Anesthesia & Analgesia ():10.1213/ANE.0000000000007631, July 23, 2025. doi:10.1213/ANE.0000000000007631
Thank you to Anesthesia & Analgesia for allowing us to reference this article.