Aims

The surgical management of ankle arthritis with tibiotalar arthrodesis is known to alter gait, as compared with normal ankles. The purpose of this study was to assess post-operative gait function with gait before arthrodesis.

We treated 137 patients with symptomatic lumbar disc prolapse by automated percutaneous lumbar discectomy (APLD). Seventeen (12%) required further operation. At a mean follow-up of 55 months, the success rate was 45%. Of those who had APLD alone, 52% were graded as either excellent or good. In this group, 76% were employed, and the mean Oswestry score was 28.2%. One-third of those patients initially rated as successful had deterioration in symptoms and increased disability from back pain. The Short Form 36 health survey questionnaire revealed that these patients had a chronic ill-health profile.

Aims. Favourable short-term outcomes have been reported following latissimus dorsi tendon transfer for patients with an irreparable subscapularis (SSC) tendon tear. The aim of this study was to investigate the long-term outcomes of this transfer in these patients. Methods. This was a retrospective study involving 30 patients with an irreparable SSC tear and those with a SSC tear combined with a reparable supraspinatus tear, who underwent a latissimus dorsi tendon transfer. Clinical scores and active range of motion (aROM), SSC-specific physical examination and the rate of return to work were assessed. Radiological assessment included recording the acromiohumeral distance (AHD), the Hamada grade of cuff tear arthropathy and the integrity of the transferred tendon. Statistical analysis compared preoperative, short-term (two years), and final follow-up at a mean of 8.7 years (7 to 10). Results. There were significant improvements in clinical scores, in the range and strength of internal rotation and aROM compared with the preoperative values in the 26 patients (87%) who were available for long-term follow-up. These improvements were maintained between short- and long-term follow-ups. Although there was a decreased mean AHD of 7.3 mm (SD 1.5) and an increased mean Hamada grade of 1.7 (SD 0.5) at final follow-up, the rate of progression of cuff tear arthropathy remained low-grade. Comparison between the isolated SSC and combined SSC and reparable supraspinatus tear groups showed no significant differences. At final follow-up, one patient (3.8%) had undergone revision surgery to a reverse shoulder arthroplasty (RSA). No neurological complications were associated with the procedure. Conclusion. Latissimus dorsi transfer for an irreparable SSC tendon tear resulted in a significant clinical improvement, particularly in pain, range and strength of internal rotation and aROM, which were maintained over a mean of 8.7 years following surgery. Given that this was a long-term outcome study, there was a low-grade progression in the rate of cuff tear arthropathy. Thus, the long-term clinical efficacy of latissimus dorsi tendon transfer in patients with irreparable SSC was confirmed as a joint-preserving procedure for these patients, suggesting it as an effective alternative to RSA in young, active patients without degenerative changes of the glenohumeral joint. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2024;106-B(9):957–963

The advent of modular porous metal augments has ushered in a new form of treatment for acetabular bone loss. The function of an augment can be seen as reducing the size of a defect or reconstituting the anterosuperior/posteroinferior columns and/or allowing supplementary fixation. Depending on the function of the augment, the surgeon can decide on the sequence of introduction of the hemispherical shell, before or after the augment. Augments should always, however, be used with cement to form a unit with the acetabular component. Given their versatility, augments also allow the use of a hemispherical shell in a position that restores the centre of rotation and biomechanics of the hip. Progressive shedding or the appearance of metal debris is a particular finding with augments and, with other radiological signs of failure, should be recognized on serial radiographs. Mid- to long-term outcomes in studies reporting the use of augments with hemispherical shells in revision total hip arthroplasty have shown rates of survival of > 90%. However, a higher risk of failure has been reported when augments have been used for patients with chronic pelvic discontinuity. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2024;106-B(4):312–318

Total hip and knee arthroplasty (THA, TKA) are largely successful procedures; however, both have variable outcomes, resulting in some patients being dissatisfied with the outcome. Surgeons are turning to technologies such as robotic-assisted surgery in an attempt to improve outcomes. Robust studies are needed to find out if these innovations are really benefitting patients. The Robotic Arthroplasty Clinical and Cost Effectiveness Randomised Controlled Trials (RACER) trials are multicentre, patient-blinded randomized controlled trials. The patients have primary osteoarthritis of the hip or knee. The operation is Mako-assisted THA or TKA and the control groups have operations using conventional instruments. The primary clinical outcome is the Forgotten Joint Score at 12 months, and there is a built-in analysis of cost-effectiveness. Secondary outcomes include early pain, the alignment of the components, and medium- to long-term outcomes. This annotation outlines the need to assess these technologies and discusses the design and challenges when conducting such trials, including surgical workflows, isolating the effect of the operation, blinding, and assessing the learning curve. Finally, the future of robotic surgery is discussed, including the need to contemporaneously introduce and evaluate such technologies. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2024;106-B(2):114–120

Aims. The early diagnosis of cauda equina syndrome (CES) is crucial for a favourable outcome. Several studies have reported the use of an ultrasound scan of the bladder as an adjunct to assess the minimum post-void residual volume of urine (mPVR). However, variable mPVR values have been proposed as a threshold without consensus on a value for predicting CES among patients with relevant symptoms and signs. The aim of this study was to perform a meta-analysis and systematic review of the published evidence to identify a threshold mPVR value which would provide the highest diagnostic accuracy in patients in whom the diagnosis of CES is suspected. Methods. The search strategy used electronic databases (PubMed, Medline, EMBASE, and AMED) for publications between January 1996 and November 2021. All studies that reported mPVR in patients in whom the diagnosis of CES was suspected, followed by MRI, were included. Results. A total of 2,115 studies were retrieved from the search. Seven fulfilled the inclusion criteria. These included 1,083 patients, with data available from 734 being available for meta-analysis. In 125 patients, CES was confirmed by MRI. The threshold value of mPVR reported in each study varied and could be categorized into 100 ml, 200 ml, 300 ml, and 500 ml. From the meta-analysis, 200 ml had the highest diagnostic accuracy, with 82% sensitivity (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.72 to 0.90) and 65% specificity (95% CI 0.70 to 0.90). When compared using summative receiver operating characteristic curves, mPVR of 200 ml was superior to other values in predicting the radiological confirmation of CES. Conclusion. mPVR is a useful tool when assessing patients in whom the diagnosis of CES is suspected. Compared with other values a mPVR of 200 ml had superior sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values. In a patient with a suggestive history and clinical findings, a mPVR of > 200 ml should further raise the suspicion of CES. Caution is recommended when considering the mPVR in isolation and using it as an ‘exclusion tool’, and it should only be used as an adjunct to a full clinical assessment. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2023;105-B(5):487–495

Aims. We aimed to compare reoperations following distal radial fractures (DRFs) managed with early fixation versus delayed fixation following initial closed reduction (CR). Methods. We used administrative databases in Ontario, Canada, to identify DRF patients aged 18 years or older from 2003 to 2016. We used procedural and fee codes within 30 days to determine which patients underwent early fixation (≤ seven days) or delayed fixation following CR. We grouped patients in the delayed group by their time to definitive fixation (eight to 14 days, 15 to 21 days, and 22 to 30 days). We used intervention and diagnostic codes to identify reoperations within two years. We used multivariable regression to compare the association between early versus delayed fixation and reoperation for all patients and stratified by age (18 to 60 years and > 60 years). Results. We identified 14,960 DRF patients, 8,339 (55.7%) of whom underwent early surgical fixation (mean 2.9 days (SD 1.8)). In contrast, 4,042 patients (27.0%) underwent delayed fixation between eight and 14 days (mean 10.2 days (SD 2.2)), 1,892 (12.7%) between 14 and 21 days (mean 17.5 days (SD 1.9)) and 687 (4.6%) > 21 days (mean 24.8 days (SD 2.4)) post-fracture. Patients who underwent delayed fixation > 21 days post-fracture had a higher odds of reoperation (odds ratio (OR) 1.33 (95% CI 1.11 to 1.79) vs early fixation). This worsened for patients aged > 60 years (OR 1.69 (95% CI 1.11 to 2.79)). We found no difference in the odds of reoperation for patients who underwent delayed fixation within eight to 14 or 15 to 21 days post-fracture (vs early fixation). Conclusion. These data suggest that DRF patients with fractures with unacceptable reduction following CR should be managed within three weeks to avoid detrimental outcomes. Prospective studies are required to confirm these findings. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2024;106-B(11):1257–1262

Despite being one of the most common injuries around the elbow, the optimal treatment of olecranon fractures is far from established and stimulates debate among both general orthopaedic trauma surgeons and upper limb specialists. It is almost universally accepted that stable non-displaced fractures can be safely treated nonoperatively with minimal specialist input. Internal fixation is recommended for the vast majority of displaced fractures, with a range of techniques and implants to choose from. However, there is concern regarding the complication rates, largely related to symptomatic metalwork resulting in high rates of implant removal. As the number of elderly patients sustaining these injuries increases, we are becoming more aware of the issues associated with fixation in osteoporotic bone and the often fragile soft-tissue envelope in this group. Given this, there is evidence to support an increasing role for nonoperative management in this high-risk demographic group, even in those presenting with displaced and/or multifragmentary fracture patterns. This review summarizes the available literature to date, focusing predominantly on the management techniques and available implants for stable fractures of the olecranon. It also offers some insights into the potential avenues for future research, in the hope of addressing some of the pertinent questions that remain unanswered.

Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2023;105-B(2):112–123.

Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2023;105-B(11):1133–1134.

Aims

Perthes' disease (PD) is a relatively rare syndrome of idiopathic osteonecrosis of the proximal femoral epiphysis. Treatment for Perthes' disease is controversial due to the many options available, with no clear superiority of one treatment over another. Despite having few evidence-based approaches, many patients with Perthes' disease are managed surgically. Positive outcome reporting, defined as reporting a study variable producing statistically significant positive (beneficial) results, is a phenomenon that can be considered a proxy for the strength of science. This study aims to conduct a systematic literature review with the hypothesis that positive outcome reporting is frequent in studies on the treatment of Perthes' disease.

Bone defects are frequently observed in anterior shoulder instability. Over the last decade, knowledge of the association of bone loss with increased failure rates of soft-tissue repair has shifted the surgical management of chronic shoulder instability. On the glenoid side, there is no controversy about the critical glenoid bone loss being 20%. However, poor outcomes have been described even with a subcritical glenoid bone defect as low as 13.5%. On the humeral side, the Hill-Sachs lesion should be evaluated concomitantly with the glenoid defect as the two sides of the same bipolar lesion which interact in the instability process, as described by the glenoid track concept. We advocate adding remplissage to every Bankart repair in patients with a Hill-Sachs lesion, regardless of the glenoid bone loss. When critical or subcritical glenoid bone loss occurs in active patients (> 15%) or bipolar off-track lesions, we should consider anterior glenoid bone reconstructions. The techniques have evolved significantly over the last two decades, moving from open procedures to arthroscopic, and from screw fixation to metal-free fixation. The new arthroscopic techniques of glenoid bone reconstruction procedures allow precise positioning of the graft, identification, and treatment of concomitant injuries with low morbidity and faster recovery. Given the problems associated with bone resorption and metal hardware protrusion, the new metal-free techniques for Latarjet or free bone block procedures seem a good solution to avoid these complications, although no long-term data are yet available.

Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2024;106-B(10):1100–1110.

Aims

The aim of this study was to determine the clinical outcomes and factors contributing to failure of transposition osteotomy of the acetabulum (TOA), a type of spherical periacetabular osteotomy, for advanced osteoarthritis secondary to hip dysplasia.

Aims

Hip arthroscopy has gained prominence as a primary surgical intervention for symptomatic femoroacetabular impingement (FAI). This study aimed to identify radiological features, and their combinations, that predict the outcome of hip arthroscopy for FAI.

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This scoping review aims to identify patient-related factors associated with a poorer outcome following total ankle arthroplasty (TAA).

Aims

The primary aim of this study was to compare the migration of the femoral and tibial components of the cementless rotating platform Attune and Low Contact Stress (LCS) total knee arthroplasty (TKA) designs, two years postoperatively, using radiostereometric analysis (RSA) in order to assess the risk of the development of aseptic loosening. A secondary aim was to compare clinical and patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) between the designs.

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There is a lack of high-quality research investigating outcomes of Ponseti-treated idiopathic clubfeet and correlation with relapse. This study assessed clinical and quality of life (QoL) outcomes using a standardized core outcome set (COS), comparing children with and without relapse.

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Tobacco, in addition to being one of the greatest public health threats facing our world, is believed to have deleterious effects on bone metabolism and especially on bone healing. It has been described in the literature that patients who smoke are approximately twice as likely to develop a nonunion following a non-specific bone fracture. For clavicle fractures, this risk is unclear, as is the impact that such a complication might have on the initial management of these fractures.

Aims

This study aimed to investigate patients’ attitudes towards day-case hip and knee arthroplasty and to describe patient characteristics associated with different attitudes, with the purpose of providing an insight into the information requirements for patients that surgeons should address when informing patients about day-case surgery.

Aims

Several short- and mid-term studies have shown minimal liner wear of highly cross-linked polyethylene (HXLPE) in total hip arthroplasty (THA), but the safety of using thinner HXLPE liners to maximize femoral head size remains uncertain. The objective of this study was to analyze clinical survival and radiological wear rates of patients with HXLPE liners, a 36 mm femoral head, and a small acetabular component with a minimum of ten years’ follow-up.