Regional or Neuraxial Anesthesia May Help Mitigate the Effects of Bone Cement Implantation Syndrome in Patients Undergoing Cemented Hip and Knee Arthroplasty for Oncologic Indications

Introduction: Bone cement implantation syndrome (BCIS) occurs during and after cementation of implants and is associated with hypotension, hypoxia, and cardiovascular collapse. In this study, we aimed to identify risk factors and potential mitigating factors of BCIS in the oncologic adult cohort undergoing cemented arthroplasty.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed oncologic patients aged 18 years or older who underwent cemented arthroplasty of either the hip or knee from 2015 to 2020. All implants were stemmed. We classified BCIS into three separate categories: (1) grade 1: intraoperative moderate hypoxia (<94%) or drop in systolic blood pressure >20%; (2) grade 2: intraoperative severe hypoxia or drop in systolic blood pressure >40%; and (3) grade 3: cardiovascular collapse requiring cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Demographics, primary malignancy diagnosis, intraoperative factors including cement timing, development of BCIS, 30-day postoperative outcomes, and mortality up to 2 years postoperatively were evaluated. Bivariate analyses and multivariate logistic regression were performed.

Results: Sixty-seven patients met inclusion criteria. Of these, 31 patients (46%) developed BCIS. No difference was found in age (65.5 versus 60.9 years; P = 0.15) or body mass index (28.8 kg/m2 versus 29.3 kg/m2; P = 0.76), comorbidities, intraoperative factors, or postoperative surgical outcomes between those who developed BCIS and those who did not (all; P > 0.05). An association with the type of anesthesia administered and development of BCIS in patients receiving general anesthesia alone (17/24 patients, 71%), neuraxial and general (4/15 patients, 27%), and regional and general anesthesia (10/28 patients 36%, P = 0.01) was found. Compared With neuraxial and regional anesthesia, general anesthesia alone had 5.8 (P = 0.007) and 4.5 times (P = 0.006) greater odds of developing BCIS, respectively. No differences were noted in rates of BCIS between regional and neuraxial anesthesia (P = 0.81).

Discussion: Addition of regional or neuraxial anesthesia may be protective in reducing development of BCIS in the orthopaedic oncologic cohort undergoing hip and knee arthroplasty.

Level of evidence: III.