Minimum required data for decision at a revision MDT in an arthroplasty network: a structured protocol for a systematic review of the literature and consensus statement using a two round Delphi process

Total hip arthroplasty is one of the most successful operations of all time however the British NJR demonstrates a revision burden of 1.8% at 13.5 years. This creates a burden of 1500 revisions per annum across the UK. Various service improvement projects have demonstrated a need to consolidate specialist surgeries in specialist centres mandating the formation of revision networks. Exactly what information is required from a referring centre to make an on the day decision at a regional MDT has not been assessed.

We aim to build a consensus on a minimum required data set for referral into a regional arthroplasty network in order to allow said MDT to categorise the revision indication, complexity and prescribe a bespoke surgical plan for the revision.

A literature search will be performed across medical search engines to identify abstracts related to surgical decision making in revision arthroplasty. All abstracts will be assessed by two assessors and included or rejected for full paper retrieval. Every input for decision making within the included papers will be recorded.

Once the input set is completed a group of experts in hip surgery will be invited to participate in a two round Delphi process to stratify the importance of each input. Once this process is completed a consensus setting meeting of all stakeholders will be held to formalise a consensus.

It is anticipated that the consensus statement from this process will be used as a framework for regional if not nation-wide revision network referral forms.