Symptomatic venous thromboembolism (SVTE) is a potentially significant complication which may occur following injury or surgery. Recent NICE guidelines, and clinical targets have all focused on decreasing in hospital death from acquired SVTE. Despite these guidelines there are no large studies investigating the risk factors for or incidence of SVTE in acute trauma admission.

Data from a prospective series of 9167 consecutive patients with a diagnosis of fractured neck of femur (NOF) at a single institution was used to construct a risk score for SVTE. Twenty three factors were screened with pairwise analysis. The cohort had an event rate of 1.4%. A multiple logistic regression model was used to construct a risk score and correct for confounding variables from nine significant factors identified by the pairwise analysis. Four factors; length of stay; chest infection; cardiac failure and transfusion were used to produce the final risk score. The score was statistically significant (p< 0.0001) and highly predictive (ROC analysis, AUC=0.76) of SVTE.

The score was separately validated in two cohorts from different Level 1 trauma centres. In one prospective consecutive cohort of 1000 NOF patients all components of the Nottingham SVTE score were found to be individually statistically significant (p< 0.0045). The score was further validated in a separate cohort of 3200 patients undergoing elective hip surgery. The score was found to be statistically significantly predictive of SVTE as a whole, and three of the four components were individually predictive in this patient cohort.

Balancing risks and benefits for thromboprophylaxis is key to reducing the risk of thromboembolic events, minimising bleeding and other complications associated with the therapy. Our study of 13,367 prospective patients is the largest of its type and we have successfully constructed and validated a scoring system that can be used to inform patient treatment decisions.

Aims

Bone is a common site of metastatic disease. Skeletal complications include disabling pain and pathological fractures. Palliative surgery for incurable metastatic bone lesions aims to preserve quality of life and function by providing pain relief and stable mobility with fixation or replacement.

Current literature has few treatment studies. We present a 5 year longitudinal cohort study of surgery for metastatic bone disease at our large teaching hospital reviewing our complication and mortality rates.

Purpose

The evolution of locked anatomical clavicular plating in combination with evidence to suggest that fixation of clavicle fractures yields better outcome to conservative treatments has led to an increasing trend towards operative management. There is no evidence however to compare early fixation with delayed reconstruction for symptomatic non- or mal-union. We hypothesize that early intervention yields better functional results to delayed fixation.

The purpose of this study was to profile the mRNA expression for the 23 known matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), 4 tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) and 19 ADAMTSs (a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospontin motif) in Dupuytren's Disease and normal palmar fascia.

Dupuytren's Disease (DD) is a fibroproliferative disorder affecting the palmar fascia, leading to contractures. The MMPs and ADAMTSs are related enzymes collectively responsible for turnover of the extracellular matrix. The balance between the proteolytic action of the MMPs and ADAMTSs and their inhibition by the TIMPs underpins many pathological processes. Deviation in favour of proteolysis is seen in e.g. invasive carcinomata, whereas an imbalance towards inhibition causes e.g. fibrosis. A group of patients with end-stage gastric carcinoma was treated with a broad spectrum MMP inhibitor in an attempt to reduce the rate of carcinoma advancement; a proportion developed a ‘musculoskeletal syndrome’ resembling DD.

Tissue samples were obtained from patients undergoing surgery to correct contractures caused by DD and from healthy controls undergoing carpal tunnel decompression. The DD tissue was separated macroscopically into cord and nodule. Total RNA was extracted and mRNA expression analysed by quantitative real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), normalised to 18S rRNA. Comparing across all genes, the DD nodule, DD cord and normal palmar fascia samples each had a distinct mRNA expression profile. Statistically significant (p<0.05) differences in mRNA expression included: higher MMP-2, -7 and ADAMTS-3 levels in both cord and nodule; higher MMP-1, -14, TIMP-1 and ADAMTS-4 and -5 in nodule alone, lower MMP-3 in nodule and cord and lower TIMP-2, -3 and -4 and ADAMTS-1 and -8 levels in nodule alone.

The distinct mRNA profile of each group suggests differences in extracellular proteolytic activity which may underlie the process of fascial remodelling in DD.

Long-term follow up after replacement arthroplasty has become established as a “Gold Standard”, providing information that can aid optimisation in future prosthetic design and use. In less mainstream joint replacements however, the evidence for use of prostheses, and in particular long-term outcome, is scarce.

A cohort of 71 patients (93 implants) was reviewed in 1997 having had a De la Caffinière prosthesis implanted between 1980 and 1989. The conclusions of the study included the findings that the replacement was generally well regarded by recipients, pain was improved and survivorship was comparable with data from the best hip replacements.

Ethical permission was obtained to review the same cohort ten years on (16 – 26 years post-op). Similar outcome measures were employed as in the original study but in addition formal grip strength measurements were taken, along with newer outcome scores including the DASH (Disability of arm, shoulder and hand) and EQ-5D (a European quality of life measure). Radiographs allowed assessment of radiological failure using the criteria from the original study.

We found a significant mortality rate in the interim period since the original review (27 patients, 36 implants). A further 8 implants in 8 patients had been removed and were not clinically reviewed as per patients’ wishes. However, 39 implants in 26 patients were available for follow up at a mean 19 years (SD 6.3) leaving a “lost to follow up” rate of 10 patients (10 implants). Survivorship at 26 years was 73.9% (95% CI 61.2, 86.6) with the end-point as revision. Our data also demonstrated continued patient satisfaction without pain, satisfactory power and thumb mobility.

Such information may be used to counsel future patients requiring surgery that there is a functional alternative to excision arthroplasty (trapeziectomy).

Introduction: We present our results from a series of patients with symptomatic distal radial malunions. Between January 2005 and October 2008, 15 patients (11 female: 4 male) underwent corrective osteotomy using fixed-angle plates and either structural iliac crest or inlay hydroxyapa-tite (HA) graft. 2 patients had correction for palmar, and the remainder for dorsal, angulation. The mean age was 48 years. The mean time from injury to corrective osteotomy was 12 months (range 3–40 months).

Methods: Radiological parameters included ulna variance, radial inclination, palmar angulation and time to union following osteotomy. Clinical outcomes included wrist RoM, grip strength, VAS for pain and DASH score (Disability of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand) preoperatively and 3 months post-operatively.

Results: The mean change in radiographic parameters were 2mm increase in ulnar variance, 9° increase in radial inclination (14° – 23°) and 23° increase in palmar angulation (−26° – 3°). The only statistically significant change in RoM was an increase in supination from 55° preoperatively to 73° postoperatively. DASH scores improved from a mean 51 pre-op to 15 post-op, statistically and clinically significant. The mean improvement in grip strength was 8kg, and the VAS for pain improved from 5 preoperatively to 1 postoperatively.

We found a positive correlation between age and time to union/graft incorporation (R2 = 0.47). The mean time to graft incorporation was 16 weeks. All of the patients treated with iliac crest structural graft progressed to union. Only 2 of the 4 patients treated with HA graft achieved incorporation, while the other 2 have required revision surgery.

Conclusion: Our results therefore show a significant improvement in both radiological and clinical outcome measures following corrective surgery. We had inferior results with the HA graft, and have subsequently abandoned its use. These results support the use of corrective osteotomy following distal radial malunion.

Introduction: Serial reamers of incremental diameter are used in the preparation of the acetabulum in Total Hip Arthroplasty. If the reamer is blunt then the size of the reamed acetabulum may not accurately represent the size of the last reamer used. This inaccuracy may then adversely affect implant selection or implantation.

Methods: Traditional debris-retaining cheese grater ace-tabular reamers were used to create a cavity in a foam block, following a standardised technique. A casting was then made of the cavity, the diameter of the cast measured and compared to that of the reamer. Accuracy was defined as the difference between the observed and expected diameters. Measurements were collected for five different hip systems (78 reamers in total)

Results: Sixty-four out of the seventy-eight reamer tested were inaccurate. There was a significant difference between groups. Only reamers from one of the five systems tested consistently created cavities which accurately matched their stated size. Two systems consistently produced a cavity that was at least 1mm smaller than intended. In the majority of cases the mid-range reamers, sizes (46–52mm) were the most inaccurate.

Discussion: The majority of acetabular reamers in our study were inaccurate. If this is unintentional, it suggests reamers may become increasingly blunt with use and should be calibrated, sharpened or replaced.

The matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and ADAMTSs (a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombos-pontin motif) are related enzymes collectively responsible for turnover of the extracellular matrix. The balance between the proteolytic action of the MMPs and ADAMTSs, and their inhibition by the tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs), underpins many pathological processes. Deviation in favour of proteolysis is seen in e.g. invasive carcinoma, whereas an imbalance towards inhibition causes e.g. fibrosis.

Dupuytren’s Disease (DD) is a fibroproliferative disorder affecting the palmar fascia, leading to contractures. A group of patients with end-stage gastric carcinoma were treated with a broad spectrum MMP inhibitor in an attempt to reduce the rate of tumour advancement: a proportion developed a ‘musculoskeletal syndrome’ resembling DD. Several groups have looked at subsets of the metalloproteinase family in relation to DD, but to date, a study of the gene expression of all of the members has not been published. We therefore set out to profile the mRNA expression for the 23 known MMPs, 4 TIMPs & 19 ADAMTSs in DD and normal palmar fascia.

Tissue samples were obtained from patients undergoing surgery to correct contractures caused by DD and from healthy controls undergoing carpal tunnel decompression. The DD tissue was separated macroscopically into cord and nodule. Total RNA was extracted and mRNA expression analysed by quantitative real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), normalised to 18S rRNA. Comparing across all genes, the DD nodule, DD cord and normal palmar fascia samples each had a distinct mRNA expression profile. Statistically significant (p< 0.05) differences in mRNA expression included: higher MMP-2, -7 and ADAMTS-3 levels in both cord and nodule; higher MMP-1, -14, TIMP-1 and ADAMTS-4 and -5 in nodule alone, lower MMP-3 in nodule and cord and lower TIMP-2, -3 and -4 and ADAMTS-1 and -8 levels in nodule alone.

The distinct mRNA profile of each group suggests differences in extracellular proteolytic activity which may underlie the process of fascial remodelling in DD. Further in vitro experiments are planned based on these observed differences in gene expression.

The objective of our study was to assess the efficacy of infection control measures (pre-admission screening and patient segregation) on reducing inpatient exposure to methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).

A prospective case-control study was undertaken, analysing all admissions to three wards over an 83-month period from September 1995 to July 2002 inclusive (a total of approximately 34 000 patients). An orthopaedic ward with active infection control measures was compared with two controls, an orthopaedic ward with no measures and a general surgical ward with no measures. A statistical analysis was performed of the difference between the 3 wards in numbers of new cases of MRSA infection or colonisation. There was a statistically significant difference in numbers of new cases between the ward with the active infection control measures and the two control wards.

The infection control methods described are shown to reduce the exposure of patients to MRSA, which is of importance in orthopaedics, and has further benefits that may be applied in other surgical specialties, notably the choice of antibiotic used with the associated risk of side-effects of the specific anti-MRSA agents, the cost for surgical prophylaxis and patients’ confidence in the admitting surgical unit. As a useful by-product, such segregated inpatient beds are effectively ring-fenced, ensuring availability even during a hospital bed-shortage.

Daycase lumbar microdiscectomy surgery is not widely practised in the UK. We studied the outcome of microdiscectomy as daycase or inpatient surgery.

Data collection was by retrospective case-note review of consecutive patients in each group. Inpatients not suitable for daycase surgery were excluded.

There was no significant difference between patient groups in the rate of recurrent prolapse, wound infection, permanent sensory loss, or persistent postoperative pain. Symptoms resolved and patients returned to normal activities equally in both groups.