Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 9, 2026
Novel Mini-open Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion
Published on: June 6, 2025
Impact of Prior Joint Arthroplasty on Reoperation Rate Following Lumbar Spinal Fusion
Mohammad Daher1, Jad Zalaket, Yorgho Maalouf
1From the Department of Orthopedics, Hotel Dieu de France, Beirut, Lebanon (Daher, Zalaket, Maalouf, Youssef, Samaha, and Sebaaly), and the Department of Orthopedics, Brown University, Providence, RI (Daher, Liu, El-Othmani, Diebo, and Daniels).
Objective:
This study aims to fill this gap by comparing the surgical and medical complications after elective lumbar fusion outcomes between patients with prior total knee arthroplasty (TKA), total hip arthroplasty (THA), both, or none.
Background:
The prevalence of patients requiring lumbar spinal fusion (LSF) with prior total joint arthroplasty (TJA, TKA, THA) is increasing. However, the impact of both prior THA and TKA, or either TKA/THA on the outcomes of LSF is still incompletely understood.
Methods:
This is a retrospective review of the PearlDiver Mariner Database. Patients undergoing elective LSF for spinal stenosis between 2010 and 2020 were identified and grouped based on prior arthroplasty history into four cohorts: no-TJA, spine-TKA, spine-THA, and spine-TJA (both TKA and THA). The four groups were matched in a 1:1:1 ratio based on age, sex, obesity, and Charlson Comorbidity Index.
Results:
Patients in the no-TJA group had the lowest readmission (7.6%; P < 0.001) and emergency department (ED) visits rates (18.9%; P < 0.001) at 90 days postoperatively. Patients in the spine-TJA group had the highest ED visits rate (31.1%, P < 0.001). Furthermore, the group with no previous TKA/THA had the lowest rate of revisions at 1 year (5.6%, P < 0.001) and 2 years postoperatively (10.6%, P < 0.001), whereas the spine-THA group had the highest rate at both 1 (15.6%, P < 0.001) and 2 years (32.5%, P < 0.001).
Conclusion:
This study highlights the considerable challenges and complications faced by patients with prior hip and knee replacement undergoing LSF. Patients with prior TKA and THA had higher rates of ED visits at 90 days postoperatively and higher revision spinal fusion rates. Patients undergoing LSF with prior THA suffered a 30% revision spinal fusion rate within 2 years.
Study Design:
Retrospective analysis.
