Background: It is unknown whether perioperative bisphosphonate (BP) use reduces revision rates in total ankle replacement arthroplasty (TAR) although its effect has been demonstrated to be effective in reducing revision rates in total knee or hip replacement arthroplasty.
Methods: We reviewed National Health Insurance Service data based on national health insurance service claims data and health care utilization, health screening, sociodemographic variables, medication history, operation codes, and mortality data for 50 million Koreans. From 2002 to 2014, 6391 of 7300 patients who underwent TAR were BP nonusers, whereas 909 patients were BP users. The revision rate according to BP medication and comorbidities was investigated. The Kaplan-Meier estimate and extended Cox proportional hazard model were also used.
Results: The revision rate of TAR was 7.9% for BP users and 9.5% for BP nonusers, which showed no significant difference (P = .251). Implant survival over time decreased constantly. Adjusted hazard ratio for hypertension was 1.242 (P = .017), whereas other comorbidities such as diabetes had no effect on the revision rate of TAR.
Conclusion: We found that the perioperative BP use did not reduce the revision rate of TAR. Comorbidities (except hypertension) did not affect the revision rate of TAR. More research regarding various factors affecting the revision of TAR could be warranted.
Level of evidence: Level III, retrospective cohort study.
Keywords: bisphosphonate; national registry; revision; total ankle arthroplasty.