JOA Publishes Research Article By Kevin D. Plancher, MD, MPH, FAOA, FAOS & Orthopaedic Foundation

New York and Greenwich, CT
December 21, 2024

The Journal of Arthroplasty recently published the article High Altitude is an Independent Risk Factor for Postoperative Venous Thromboembolism Following Primary Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Large Database Study written by the research team at the Orthopaedic Foundation, founded by. Kevin D. Plancher, MD, MPH. FAOA, FAOS. This article is currently available for online.

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a relatively uncommon but potentially fatal complication following total knee arthroplasty (TKA). High altitude may induce physiological changes that can predispose patients to VTE. The purpose of this study was to determine if high altitude is an independent risk factor for postoperative VTE following TKA.

A large claims database was queried for patients who underwent TKA at high elevation (≥ 4,000 feet) and low elevation (≤ 100 feet) using Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes, International Classification of Disease (ICD) codes, and zip codes. The incidence of VTE was significantly higher for the high-altitude group than the lowaltitude group at 30 days (OR [odds ratio] 1.15 [95% CI (confidence interval) 1.02 to 1.30], P = 0.022) and 90 days follow-up (OR 1.20 [95% CI 1.08 to 1.34], P = 0.0007). Read the complete findings online.

Kevin D. Plancher, MD, MPH, FAOA, FAOS is a board-certified orthopaedic surgeon and founder of Plancher Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine. Dr. Plancher is a Clinical Professor, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, at Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine and an Adjunct Clinical Assistant Professor of
Orthopaedic Surgery, at the Weill Cornell Medical College, Cornell University in New York. Since 2001, he has been listed annually in the Castle Connolly directory as a “top doctor” in his field.

Plancher Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine is a comprehensive orthopaedics and sports medicine practice, specializing in arthroplasty with offices in New York City and Greenwich, CT. Leaders in orthopaedics, sports medicine, and acute emergency treatment of sports injuries and rehabilitation utilizing the latest techniques in orthopaedic care. plancherortho.com