Case:We present the case of an 81-year-old woman who developed profound hypercalcemia requiring admission to the intensive care unit after calcium sulfate bead use during revision hip arthroplasty. The patient's serum calcium level peaked at 21.0 mg/dL and was associated with acute encephalopathy. After treatment with calcitonin and bisphosphonates, her serum calcium level normalized and her mentation improved.Conclusion:The risk of clinically significant hypercalcemia should be considered when using calcium sulfate during orthopaedic surgery.

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Introduction: Data regarding racial/ethnic and socioeconomic differences in revision total hip arthroplasty (rTHA) and revision total knee arthroplasty (rTKA) have been inconsistent. This study examined racial/ethnic and socioeconomic disparities in comorbidity-adjusted risk and reason for rTHA and rTKA. Methods: Patients who underwent rTHA or rTKA between 2006 and 2014 in the National Inpatient Sample were identified. Multivariable logistic regression models adjusted for payer status, hospital geographic setting, and patient characteristics (age, sex, and Elixhauser Comorbidity Index) were used to examine the effect of race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status on trends in annual risk of rTHA/rTKA and causes of rTHA/rTKA. Results: Black patients were less likely to undergo rTHA and more likely to undergo rTKA while Hispanic patients were more likely to undergo rTHA and less likely to undergo rTKA (P < 0.001 for all) compared with White patients. Patients residing in areas of lower income quartiles were more likely to undergo rTHA and rTKA compared with those in the highest quartile (P < 0.001), and these disparities persisted and widened over time. Black, Hispanic, and Asian patients were less likely to undergo rTHA/rTKA because of dislocation compared with White patients (P < 0.001 for all). Patients from areas of lower income quartiles were more likely to undergo rTHA because of septic complications and less likely to require both rTHA and rTKA because of mechanical complications (P < 0.001 for all). Discussion: Racial/ethnic and socioeconomic disparities exist in risk and cause of rTHA and rTKA. Increasing awareness and a focus on minimizing variability in hospital quality may help mitigate these disparities.