This study evaluates the association between consultant and hospital volume and the risk of re-revision and 90-day mortality following first-time revision of primary hip replacement for aseptic loosening. We conducted a cohort study of first-time, single-stage revision hip replacements (RHR) performed for aseptic loosening and recorded in the National Joint Registry (NJR) data for England, Wales, Northern Ireland, and the Isle of Man between 2003 and 2019. Patient identifiers were used to link records to national mortality data, and to NJR data to identify subsequent re-revision procedures. Multivariable Cox proportional hazard models with restricted cubic splines were used to define associations between volume and outcome. Among 12,676 RHR there were 513 re-revisions within two years, and 95 deaths within 90 days of surgery. The risk of re-revision was highest for a consultant's first RHR (Hazard Ratio (HR) 1·58 (95%CI 1·16 to 2·15)) and remained significantly elevated for their first 26 cases (HR 1·26 (95%CI 1·00 to 1·58)). Annual consultant volumes of five/year were associated with an almost 30% greater risk of re-revision (HR 1·28 (95%CI 1·00 to 1·64)) and 80% greater risk of 90-day mortality (HR 1·81 (95%CI 1·02 to 3·21)) compared to volumes of 20/year. RHR performed at hospitals which had cumulatively undertaken fewer than 168 RHR were at up to 70% greater risk of re-revision (HR 1·70 (95% CI 1·12 to 2·60)), and those having undertaken fewer than 309 RHR were at up to three times greater risk of 90-day mortality (HR 3·06 (95% CI 1·19 to 7·86)). This study found a significantly higher risk of re-revision and early postoperative mortality following first-time single-stage RHR for aseptic loosening when performed by lower-volume consultants and at lower-volume institutions, supporting the move towards the centralisation of such cases towards higher-volume units and surgeons

The 22 year survivorship of metal on metal hip resurfacing arthroplasty (RSA) is reported to be 94.3% with expert surgeons, in males with head sizes greater than 48mm. The 2023 National Joint Registry (NJR) report estimates survivorship of all RSA at 19 years to be 85%. This estimate includes all designs, head sizes and females. Our aim was to estimate the survivorship of RSA currently available for implantation (males only, head size >48mm, MatOrtho Adept or Smith and Nephew Birmingham Hip Resurfacing (BHR)) in those under 55 years, performed by all surgeons, compared to conventional THR. We performed a retrospective analysis of the NJR. We included all males under 55 years who had undergone BHR or Adept RSA with head size greater than 48mm. Propensity score matching was used to produce two comparable groups of patients for RSA or conventional THR. We matched in a 3:1 ratio (THR:RSA) using sex, ASA, BMI group, age at primary procedure, surgeon volume, diagnosis and surgeon grade as covariates. The primary analysis was survivorship at 18 years. Time-to-revision was assessed using Kaplan-Meier curves. Cox's proportional hazard models were used to investigate between group differences. 4839 RSA were available for analysis. After matching the RSA and THR groups were well balanced in terms of covariates. Survivorship at 18 years was 93.7% (95% CI 89.9,96.2) in the RSA group and 93.9% (90.5,96.0) in the THR group. Despite these similar estimates the adjusted hazard ratio was 1.40 (95% CI 1.18, 1.67 p<0.001) in favour of THR. Survivorship of the currently available RSA in males under 55 was 93.7% at 18 years, however THR survivorship was superior to RSA. These results, generalisable to UK practice, should be set against perceived benefits in functional status offered in RSA when counselling patients

Introduction. The National Joint Registry of England, Wales, Northern Ireland, and the Isle of Man (NJR) monitors the performance of primary total hip arthroplasty (THA) implants and summarizes usage and outcomes for specific hip systems. The objectives of this study were to 1) determine if survivorship for the PROCOTYL® L acetabular cup, a hemispherical press-fit cup coated with hydroxyapatite and a metal on XLPE articulation, is significantly different from all other cementless cups in the NJR and 2) to analyze patient reported outcomes measures (PROMs) at a minimum five year follow-up for the subject cup. Methods. The database of the NJR was searched for demographic information and survivorship data for all THAs performed with the PROCOTYL® L cup (metal on XLPE) and all other cementless cups. Survivorship data for both groups was adjusted to exclude metal on metal bearings and compared for all revisions and acetabular revisions only. The Cox Proportional Hazards model for the revision risk ratio of the subject cup to all cementless cups was also calculated. Patients with the subject cup implanted for at least five years were mailed a PROMs program questionnaire consisting of the Oxford Hip, EQ-5D, and EQ VAS scores. No pre-operative PROMs scores were collected. Results. Patient demographic information for the subject system and all cementless cups is provided in Figure 1. As seen in Figure 2, the six-year survivorship for the 1,172 THAs using the subject system (97.8%) was slightly higher than the survivorship for all cementless cups (97.5%), but the difference was not statistically significant (Figure 3). The 1, 2, and 5 year survivorship for the subject cup also exceeded the survivorship of all cementless cups, but without statistically significant differences. When just the cup was revised, the subject system survivorship was similar to survivorship for all cementless cups for years 1 through 6 (Figure 2). Patients with the subject system implanted for an average of 5.73 – 5.75 years reported average Oxford Hip, EQ-5D, and EQ VAS Scores of 39.13 ± 9.93, 0.775 ± 0.273, and 75.87 ± 17.71, respectively. Conclusions. The subject acetabular cup was associated with survivorship similar to that of other cementless acetabular cups. Patients implanted with the subject system for at least five years reported what are considered satisfactory Oxford Hip, EQ5D, and EQVAS score outcomes. These results represent the first report of midterm outcomes with the subject system. For figures/tables, please contact authors directly.

Computer navigation has the potential to revolutionise orthopaedic surgery, although according to the latest 7. th. Annual NJR Report, only 2% of the 5 800 unicompartmental knee replacements (UKRs) performed in 2009 were carried out using ‘image guidance.’ The report also states an average 3-year revision rate for UKRs of 6.5%. Previous NJR data has shown that this figure rises up to 12% for certain types of prosthesis. We suspect that a significant proportion of these revisions are due to failure secondary to component malpositioning. We therefore propose that the use of computer navigation enables a more accurate prosthesis placement, leading to a reduction in the revision rate for early failure secondary to component malpositioning. Our early results of one hundred consecutive computer navigated UKRs are presented and discussed. Ninety-two patients having had one hundred consecutive computer navigated UKRs were reviewed both clinically and radiographically. The Smith & Nephew Accuris fixed-bearing modular prosthesis was used in all cases, with the ‘Brainlab’ navigation system. Pre-operative aim was neutral tibial cut with three degrees posterior slope. Post-operative component alignment was measured with PACs web measuring tools. Patients were scored clinically using the Oxford Knee Score. Our patient cohort includes 54 male knees and 46 female knees. Average age is 66.6yrs. Average length of stay was 3.7 days, (range 2–7.) With respect to the tibial component, average alignment was 0.7° varus, and 2.32° posterior slope. All components were within the acceptable 3 degrees deviation. Functional scores are very satisfactory, with an overall patient satisfaction rate of 97%. To date, only one UKR has required revision. This was due to ongoing medial pain due to medial overhang, not related to computer navigation. There was one superficial infection, with full resolution following a superficial surgical washout, debridement and antibiotics. Unlike complications reported in the NJR, we report no peri-prosthetic fractures or patella tendon injuries. Our results demonstrate accurate prosthesis placement with the use of computer navigation. Furthermore, clinical scores are highly satisfactory. Our current revision rate is 1% at a mean of 27 months post-op. Although longer-term follow-up of our group is required, our results compare very favourably to statistics published in the NJR, (average 3-year revision rate 6.5%.) The only major differences appear to be the type of prosthesis used and the use of computer navigation. It is our proposal that computer navigation reduces the number of revisions required due to component malpositioning and subsequent failure. Furthermore, we believe that this challenging surgery is made easier with the use of computer navigation. We expect our longer-term results to show significant benefits of computer navigation over conventional techniques

This study utilized data from the NJR dataset on all Corail/Pinnacle total hip replacements (THR) to determine (a) the level of unit variation of the Corail/Pinnacle 36mm Metal On Metal THR within England and Wales; (b) patient, implant and surgeon factors that may be associated with higher revision rates; (c) Account for the influence of the MHRA announcement in 2010. The national Revision Rate (RR) for the Corail / Pinnacle MOM THR was 10.77% (OR:1.46; CI:1.17–1.81). This was significantly greater than other articulation combinations (MOP 1.72%, COP 1.36%, COC 2.19%). The 2010 MHRA announcement did not increase rate of revision (X. 2. =1649.63, df=13, p<.001). Patient factors associated with significantly increased revision rates included, female gender (OR 1.38 (CI 1.17–1.63, p<.001) and younger age OR 0.99 (CI 0.98–0.99), p<.001). Implant factor analysis demonstrated an inverse relationship between cup size and revision. As head length increased RR increased – highest risk of revision +12.5 (OR 1.69 (CI 1.12–2.55), p=0.13). Coxa vara, high offset stems had a higher risk of revision compared to standard offset stems (OR:1.41 (CI 1.15–1.74; p<.001). As stem size increased risk of revision decreased (OR 0.89 (CI 0.85–0.93); p<.001). Surgeon grade did not influence RR. There was significant variation in RR between hospitals with 7 units (7/61 excluding low volume centres, <50 implants) identified as having significant higher rates of revision. However, for each of these units there was a greater proportion of higher risk patients (female, cup size 50–54, stem type). This study has provided insight into unit variation, risk factors and the long term outcome of the Corail/Pinnacle 36mm MOMTHR. Future aims are to use these results to develop a risk stratified algorithm for the long term follow of these patients to minimize patient inconvenience and excess use of limited NHS resources

Modular femoral stems offer surgeons great flexibility in biomechanical configuration during total hip replacement (THR) however introduce a taper-trunnion articulation known to be a source of additional wear debris through crevice, fretting and galvanic corrosion with mixed material combinations. This study aimed to investigate the influence of the trunnion bearing surface combination on the revision rate following primary total hip replacement (THR).

All patients who underwent THR using an Exeter V40 cemented stainless steel stem and monobloc cemented polyethylene acetabular component (uncemented cups excluded to standardise the acetabular bearing surface and fixation) between January 2003 and December 2019 were extracted from the National Joint Registry for England, Wales, Northern Ireland, and the Isle of Man. The primary exposure was the head substrate used corresponding to the trunnion bearing.

Time-to-event was determined by duration of implantation from primary surgery to revision with cases censored at death or end of available follow-up. Multivariable Cox proportional hazard models were used to identify predictors of all cause revision, adjusted for age, sex, American Association of Anaesthesiologists (ASA) grade, body mass index, surgical indication (osteoarthritis or other), and femoral head size.

229,870 THR were identified (66% female, mean age 73.4 years (SD 9.1) with the majority (91%) performed for osteoarthritis of which 4,598 were revised. Mean time from primary to revision or censoring was 6.8 years (SD 4.0).

Multivariable modelling showed CoCr/SS trunnions were associated with a significantly higher risk of revision (hazard ratio (HR) 1.31 (95%CI 1.15 to 1.48, p<0.0001) as compared to SS/SS (reference). Both Alumina/SS (HR 0.74 (0.65 to 0.84), p<0.0001) and Zirconia/SS (HR 0.61 (0.49 to 0.74), p<0.0001) were associated with a significantly lower risk of revision

Ceramic heads on an Exeter stem were associated with significantly improved survivorship compared to metal heads in primary THR. CoCr/SS trunnion articulations had the poorest survivorship which may be contributed to by trunnionosis.

With the increasing demand for hip and knee replacement, and the increasing pressure to move towards routine seven-day services within the National Health Service, the trend towards weekend operating is set to increase. We aimed to determine whether planned, elective total hip and total knee replacement performed at the weekend is associated with a different 30-day mortality versus those performed between Monday and Friday.

We used National Joint Registry of England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Isle of Man (NJR) linked to Office for National Statistics (ONS) data. The study dataset comprised 118,096 joint replacement episodes performed at the weekend and 1,233,882 episodes done on a weekday. The main outcome measure was 30-day all-causes mortality. We applied a survivorship analysis using a Kaplan-Meier framework to examine the 30-day cumulative mortality rate for all elective hip and knee replacements performed in England and Wales between 1st April 2003 and 31st December 2014, with Cox proportional-hazards regression models to assess for time-dependent variation and adjust for identified risk factors for mortality.

For hip replacement the cumulative 30-day mortality was 0.15% (95%CI: 0.12–0.19) for patients operated on at the weekend versus 0.20% (0.19–0.21) for patients undergoing surgery during the normal working week. For knee replacement the cumulative 30-day mortality was 0.14% (0.11–0.17) for patients operated on at the weekend versus 0.18% (0.17–0.19) for patients undergoing surgery during the normal working week. The lower mortality associated with weekend operating was most apparent in the later years of the audit (2009 to 2014) and remained after adjustment for any differences in patient age, gender, American Society of Anaesthesiologist grade, surgeon seniority, surgical and anaesthetic practices, and thrombo-prophylaxis choice in weekend versus weekday operated patients.

Hip and knee replacements are routinely performed on Saturdays, and to a lesser extent on Sundays, in England and Wales and are not associated with an increased risk of post-operative mortality.

There is a North Atlantic divide, with cementless femoral stems being used more frequently in the USA and cemented stems being used more frequently in many countries in Europe. This is primarily because different cemented stems have been used on different sides of the Atlantic and the results of the cemented stems in the US have often been poor, whereas the results of the stems used in Europe have been good. In the National registers in Europe, cemented stems have tended to achieve better results than cementless.

Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2013;95-B, Supple A:51–2.

Aims. The aim of this audit was to assess and improve the completeness and accuracy of the National Joint Registry (NJR) dataset for arthroplasty of the elbow. Methods. It was performed in two phases. In Phase 1, the completeness was assessed by comparing the NJR elbow dataset with the NHS England Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) data between April 2012 and April 2020. In order to assess the accuracy of the data, the components of each arthroplasty recorded in the NJR were compared to the type of arthroplasty which was recorded. In Phase 2, a national collaborative audit was undertaken to evaluate the reasons for unmatched data, add missing arthroplasties, and evaluate the reasons for the recording of inaccurate arthroplasties and correct them. Results. Phase 1 identified 5,539 arthroplasties in HES which did not match an arthroplasty on the NJR, and 448 inaccurate arthroplasties from 254 hospitals. Most mismatched procedures (3,960 procedures; 71%) were radial head arthroplasties (RHAs). In Phase 2, 142 NHS hospitals with 3,640 (66%) mismatched and 314 (69%) inaccurate arthroplasties volunteered to assess their records. A large proportion of the unmatched data (3,000 arthroplasties; 82%) were confirmed as being missing from the NJR. The overall rate of completeness of the NJR elbow dataset improved from 63% to 83% following phase 2, and the completeness of total elbow arthroplasty data improved to 93%. Missing RHAs had the biggest impact on the overall completeness, but through the audit the number of RHAs in the NJR nearly doubled and completeness increased from 35% to 70%. The accuracy of data was 94% and improved to 98% after correcting 212 of the 448 inaccurately recorded arthroplasties. Conclusion. The rate of completeness of the NJR total elbow arthroplasty dataset is currently 93% and the accuracy is 98%. This audit identified challenges of data capture with regard to RHAs. Collaboration with a trauma and orthopaedic trainees through the British Orthopaedic Trainee Association improved the completeness and accuracy of the NJR elbow dataset, which will improve the validity of the reports and of the associated research. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2024;106-B(12):1461–1468

Aims. Our primary aim was to establish the proportion of female orthopaedic consultants who perform arthroplasty via cases submitted to the National Joint Registry (NJR), which covers England, Wales, Northern Ireland, the Isle of Man, and Guernsey. Secondary aims included comparing time since specialist registration, private practice participation, and number of hospitals worked in between male and female surgeons. Methods. Publicly available data from the NJR was extracted on the types of arthroplasty performed by each surgeon, and the number of procedures of each type undertaken. Each surgeon was cross-referenced with the General Medical Council (GMC) website, using GMC number to extract surgeon demographic data. These included sex, region of practice, and dates of full and specialist registration. Results. Of 2,895 surgeons contributing to the NJR in 2023, 102 (4%) were female. The highest proportions of female surgeons were among those who performed elbow (n = 25; 5%), shoulder (n = 24; 4%), and ankle (n = 8; 4%) arthroplasty. Hip (n = 66; 3%) and knee arthroplasty (n = 39; 2%) had the lowest female representation. Female surgeons had been practising for a median of 10.4 years since specialist registration compared to 13.7 years for males (p < 0.001). Northern Ireland was the region with the highest proportion of female arthroplasty surgeons (8%). A greater proportion of male surgeons worked in private practice (63% vs 24%; p < 0.001) and in multiple hospitals (74% vs 40%; p < 0.001). Conclusion. Only 4% of surgeons currently contributing cases to the NJR are female, with the highest proportion performing elbow arthroplasty (5%). Female orthopaedic surgeons in the NJR are earlier in their careers than male surgeons, and are less involved in private practice. There is a wide geographical variation in the proportion of female arthroplasty surgeons. Cite this article: Bone Jt Open 2024;5(8):637–643

Aims. Despite the increasing numbers of ankle arthroplasties, there are limited studies on their survival and comparisons between different implants. The primary aim of this study was to determine the failure rates of primary ankle arthroplasties commonly used in the UK. Methods. A data linkage study combined National Joint Registry (NJR) data and NHS Digital data. The primary outcome of failure was defined as the removal or exchange of any components of the implanted device. Life tables and Kaplan-Meier survival charts were used to illustrate survivorship. Cox proportional hazards regression models were fitted to compare failure rates between 1 April 2010 and 31 December 2018. Results. Overall, 5,562 primary ankle arthroplasties were recorded in the NJR. Linked data show a one-year survivorship of 98.8% (95% confidence interval (CI) 98.4% to 99.0%), five-year survival in 2,725 patients of 90.2% (95% CI 89.2% to 91.1%), and ten-year survival in 199 patients of 86.2% (95% CI 84.6% to 87.6%). The five-year survival for fixed-bearing implants was 94.3% (95% CI 91.3% to 96.3%) compared to 89.4% (95% CI 88.3% to 90.4%) for mobile-bearing implants. A Cox regression model for all implants with over 100 implantations using the implant with the best survivorship (Infinity) as the reference, only the STAR (hazard ratio (HR) 1.60 (95% CI 0.87 to 2.96)) and INBONE (HR 0.38 (95% CI 0.05 to 2.84)) did not demonstrate worse survival at three and five years. Conclusion. Ankle arthroplasties in the UK have a five-year survival rate of 90.2%, which is lower than recorded on the NJR, because we have shown that approximately one-third of ankle arthroplasty failures are not reported to the NJR. There are statistically significant differences in survival between different implants. Fixed-bearing implants appear to demonstrate higher survivorship than mobile-bearing implants. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2023;105-B(3):301–306

Electronic Health Records (EHRs) have benefits for hospitals and uptake in the UK is increasing. The National Joint Registry (NJR) monitors implant and surgeon performance and relies on accuracy of data. NJR data are used for identification of potential outliers for both mortality and revision; analyses are adjusted for age, sex, and American Society of Anaesthesiologists score (ASA) and cases with some indications are excluded from analyses. In October 2020, the Royal Devon University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust “went live” on an EHR, almost eradicating paper from the Trust. This included stopping use of paper NJR forms by creating a bespoke electronic template. We sought to identify discrepancies between operation notes and data input to the NJR in variables that may influence potential outlier analyses. Data input to the NJR from 15/10/2020 to 18/10/2022 for hip procedures were provided by NEC Software Solutions. NJR data were compared to those recorded on operation notes. There were 1067 hip procedures recorded in the NJR (946 primary THRs). Of the primary THRs, discrepancies in indication between NJR and operation note were identified in 139 (15%) cases. Common discrepancies included cases being recorded as osteoarthritis where the true indication was acute trauma (n=63), avascular necrosis (n=14), metastatic cancer/malignancy (n=6) and 21 cases with no recorded indication. We identified 88 cases where the ASA recorded in the NJR differed from the anaesthetic chart. Other inaccuracies were identified including 23 cases missing type of procedure (e.g., primary or revision) and one where revision surgery had been recorded as primary. We identified at least 83 cases that should have been excluded from NJR mortality analyses but were not. Given the low incidence of mortality following primary THR, these cases (with increased risk of death) have the potential to incorrectly identify the hospital as a potential outlier. Discrepancies in ASA may also impact on both revision and mortality outlier calculations. We urge caution to hospitals in the implementation of EHRs and advise regular audit of data sent to the NJR

Data of high quality are critical for the meaningful interpretation of registry information. The National Joint Registry (NJR) was established in 2002 as the result of an unexpectedly high failure rate of a cemented total hip arthroplasty. The NJR began data collection in 2003. In this study we report on the outcomes following the establishment of a formal data quality (DQ) audit process within the NJR, within which each patient episode entry is validated against the hospital unit’s Patient Administration System and vice-versa. This process enables bidirectional validation of every NJR entry and retrospective correction of any errors in the dataset. In 2014/15 baseline average compliance was 92.6% and this increased year-on-year with repeated audit cycles to 96.0% in 2018/19, with 76.4% of units achieving > 95% compliance. Following the closure of the audit cycle, an overall compliance rate of 97.9% was achieved for the 2018/19 period. An automated system was initiated in 2018 to reduce administrative burden and to integrate the DQ process into standard workflows. Our processes and quality improvement results demonstrate that DQ may be implemented successfully at national level, while minimizing the burden on hospitals. Cite this article: Bone Jt Open 2022;3(9):716–725

Aims. The Exeter V40 femoral stem is the most implanted stem in the National Joint Registry (NJR) for primary total hip arthroplasty (THA). In 2004, the 44/00/125 stem was released for use in ‘cement-in-cement’ revision cases. It has, however, been used ‘off-label’ as a primary stem when patient anatomy requires a smaller stem with a 44 mm offset. We aimed to investigate survival of this implant in comparison to others in the range when used in primary THAs recorded in the NJR. Methods. We analyzed 328,737 primary THAs using the Exeter V40 stem, comprising 34.3% of the 958,869 from the start of the NJR to December 2018. Our exposure was the stem, and the outcome was all-cause construct revision. We stratified analyses into four groups: constructs using the 44/00/125 stem, those using the 44/0/150 stem, those including a 35.5/125 stem, and constructs using any other Exeter V40 stem. Results. In all 328,737 THAs using an Exeter V40 stem, the revision estimate was 2.8% (95% confidence interval (CI) 2.7 to 2.8). The 44/00/125 stem was implanted in 2,158 primary THAs, and the ten-year revision estimate was 4.9% (95% CI 3.6 to 6.8). Controlling for age, sex, year of operation, indication, and American Society of Anesthesiologists grade demonstrated an increased overall hazard of revision for constructs using the 44/00/125 stem compared to constructs using other Exeter V40 femoral stems (hazard ratio 1.8 (95% CI 1.4 to 2.3)). Conclusion. Although the revision estimate is within the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence ten-year benchmark, survivorship of constructs using the 44/00/125 stem appears to be lower than the rest of the range. Adjusted analyses will not take into account ‘confounding by indication’, e.g. patients with complex anatomy who may have a higher risk of revision. Surgeons and patients should be reassured but be aware of the observed increased revision estimate, and only use this stem when other implants are not suitable. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2023;105-B(5):504–510

Aims. The mean age of patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty (TKA) has reduced with time. Younger patients have increased expectations following TKA. Aseptic loosening of the tibial component is the most common cause of failure of TKA in the UK. Interest in cementless TKA has re-emerged due to its encouraging results in the younger patient population. We review a large series of tantalum trabecular metal cementless implants in patients who are at the highest risk of revision surgery. Methods. A total of 454 consecutive patients who underwent cementless TKA between August 2004 and December 2021 were reviewed. The mean follow-up was ten years. Plain radiographs were analyzed for radiolucent lines. Patients who underwent revision TKA were recorded, and the cause for revision was determined. Data from the National Joint Registry for England, Wales, Northern Island, the Isle of Man and the States of Guernsey (NJR) were compared with our series. Results. No patients in our series had evidence of radiolucent lines on their latest radiological assessment. Only eight patients out of 454 required revision arthroplasty, and none of these revisions were indicated for aseptic loosening of the tibial baseplate. When compared to data from the NJR annual report, Kaplan-Meier estimates from our series (2.94 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.24 to 5.87)) show a significant reduction in cumulative estimates of revision compared to all cemented (4.82 (95% CI 4.69 to 4.96)) or cementless TKA (5.65 (95% CI 5.23 to 6.10)). Our data (2.94 (95% CI 1.24 to 5.87)) also show lower cumulative revision rates compared to the most popular implant (PFC Sigma Cemented Knee implant fixation, 4.03 (95% CI 3.75 to 4.33)). The prosthesis time revision rate (PTIR) estimates for our series (2.07 (95% CI 0.95 to 3.83)) were lower than those of cemented cases (4.53 (95% CI 4.49 to 4.57)) from NJR. Conclusion. The NexGen trabecular (tantalum) cementless implant has lower revision rates in our series compared to all cemented implants and other types of cementless implants, and its use in younger patients should be encouraged. Cite this article: Bone Jt Open 2024;5(4):277–285

Ceramic bearing fractures are rare events, but mandate revision and implantation of new bearings. Revisions using metal heads have been reported to lead to gross volumetric head wear (due to abrasive retained ceramic micro-debris), cobalt toxicity, multi-organ failure and death. Such complications are widely published (50+ reports), yet we know that patients continue to be put at risk. Using data from the NJR and AOANJRR, this study seeks to compare the risk of re-revision and death by revision bearing combination following a ceramic bearing fracture. Data were extracted from the NJR and AOANJRR, identifying revisions for ceramic bearing fracture. Subsequent outcomes of survival, re-revision and death were compared between revision bearing combinations (ceramic-on-ceramic, ceramic-on-polyethylene, and metal-on-polyethylene). 366 cases were available for analysis from the NJR dataset (MoP=34, CoP=112, CoC=221) and 174 from the AOANJRR dataset (MoP=17, CoP=44, CoC=113). The overall incidence rate of adverse outcome (revision or death) was 0.65 for metal heads and 0.23 for ceramic head articulations (p=0.0012) across the whole time period (NJR). Kaplan-Meir survival estimates demonstrate an increased risk of both re-revision and death where a metal head has been used vs a ceramic head following revision for ceramic fracture. There are few decisions in arthroplasty surgery that can lead to serious harm or death for our patients, but revision using a metal head following ceramic bearing fracture is one of them. This study enhances the signal of what is already known but previously only reported as inherently low-level evidence (case reports and small series) due to event rarity. Use of a metal head in revision for ceramic fracture represents an avoidable patient safety issue, which revision guidelines should seek to address

Dual mobility (DM) is most often used by surgeons to reduce instability in high risk patients. NJR data on DM has not demonstrated a reduction in all cause revision and has reported an increase in revision for peri-prosthetic fracture (PPF). The aim of our study was:. Report outcome of DM used in high-risk patients including non-revision re-operations (dislocation & PPF). Comparison with conventional bearing THA (cTHA) with local, national and NJR benchmarking data. Retrospective cohort assessment of falls risk for patients receiving DM. Prospective F/U of a DM implant since 2016 and enrolled into Beyond Compliance (BC). Primary outcome measure all-cause revision with secondary outcome including any re-operation and Oxford Hip Score (OHS). All patients were risk stratified and considered high risk for instability. Complications were identified via hospital records, clinical coding linkage, NJR and BC. Benchmarking data for comparison was obtained from same data sources we also considered all B type PPF that occurred with cemented polished taper stem (PTS). 159 implants in 154 patients with a mean age 74.0 years and a maximum F/U of 6.7 years. Survivorship for all-cause revision 99.4% (95% CI 96.2–99.8). One femoral only revision. Mean gain in OHS 27.4. Dislocation rate 0.6% with a single event. Patients with a PTS rate of Type B PPF 2.1% requiring revision/fixation. Compared to cTHA this cohort was significantly older (74.0 vs 68.3 years), more co-morbidity (ASA 3 46.5% vs 14.4%) and more non-OA indications (32.4% vs 8.5%). Relative risks for dislocation 0.57 (95%CI 0.08–4.1) and PPF 1.75 (95%CI 0.54–5.72). Every patient had at least one risk factor for falling and >50% of cohort had 4 or more risk factors using NICE tool. The selective use of DM in high-risk patients can reduce the burden of instability. These individuals are very different to the “average” THA patient. A “perfect storm” is created using a high-risk implant combination (DM & PTS) in high-risk falls risk population. This re-enforces the need to consider all patient and implant factors when deciding bearing selection

Abstract. Background and study aim. The UK National Joint Registry(NJR) has not reported total knee replacement (TKR)survivorship based on design philosophy alone, unlike its international counterparts. We report outcomes of implant survivorship based on design philosophy using data from NJR's 2020 annual report. Materials and methods. All TKR implants with an identifiable design philosophy from NJR data were included. Cumulative revision data for cruciate-retaining(CR), posterior stabilised(PS), mobile-bearing(MB) design philosophies was derived from merged NJR data. Cumulative revision data for individual brands of implants with the medial pivot(MP) philosophy were used to calculate overall survivorship for this design philosophy. The all-cause revision was used as the endpoint and calculated to 15 years follow-up with Kaplan-Meier curves. Results. 1,144,384 TKRs were included. CR is the most popular design philosophy (67.4%), followed by PS (23.1%), MB (6.9%) and least commonly MP (2.6%). MP and CR implants showed the best survivorship (95.7% and 95.6% respectively) at 15 years which is statistically significant at, and beyond, 10 years. Observed survivorship was lower at all time points with the PS and MB implants (94.5% for both designs at 15 years). Conclusions. While all design philosophies considered in this study survive well, CR and MP designs offer statistically superior survivorship at and beyond 10 years. MP design performs better than CR beyond 13 years yet, remain the least popular design philosophy used. Publishing data based on knee arthroplasty design philosophy would help surgeons when making decisions on implant choice

The Exeter V40 femoral stem is the most implanted stem in the NJR for primary THA. In 2004, the 44/00/125 stem was released for use in “cement-in-cement” revision cases. It has however been used ‘off-label’ as a primary stem when, for example, patient anatomy requires a smaller stem with a 44mm offset. We aimed to investigate survival of this stem in comparison to others in the range when used in primary THAs recorded in the NJR. Analyses were performed using a dataset based on that used for the 2020 NJR annual report. Our exposure was the stem; the outcome was all-cause construct revision. Crude analyses were performed using Kaplan-Meier and adjusted using Cox models. The 44/00/125 stem was directly compared to other stems in the Exeter range. We analysed 330,732 primary THAs using the Exeter V40 stem comprising 34.5% of the 958,869 THAs with complete information from the start of the NJR to 31 December 2018. The 44/00/125 stem was implanted in 2,158 primary THAs with 67.5% in female patients and a mean age of 67.8. The 10-year revision estimate for the 44/00/125 stem was 4.9% (95%CI 3.6, 6.8) and in constructs using an Exeter V40 stem was 2.8% (95%CI 2.7, 2.8). Controlling for age, sex and ASA demonstrated an increased overall hazard of revision for constructs using the 44/00/125 stem compared to constructs using other Exeter V40 femoral stems (HR 1.8 (95%CI 1.4, 2.3)). Although the revision estimate is within the NICE 10-year benchmark, survivorship of constructs using the 44/00/125 stem appears to be lower than the rest of the Exeter V40 range. Attempts to control for age, sex and ASA will not take into account confounding by indication i.e. patients with more complex anatomy who may have a higher risk of revision. Surgeons and patients should be reassured by this but should be aware of the observed increased revision estimate and use the stem according to its indications