Periprosthetic joint infections (PJIs) pose significant challenges to patients and healthcare systems worldwide. The aim of this study was to estimate the health-economic burden of reimbursement payment in Europe for PJIs following primary hip and knee arthroplasty. The calculation was based on health-economic modelling using data on primary hip and knee arthroplasties for the year 2019 from the Statistical Office of the European Union (Eurostat) and published infection rates to estimate the total number of hip and knee PJIs in 30 European countries. Revision procedures were stratified into: 1) debridement, antibiotics, and implant retention (DAIR); 2) one-stage exchange; and 3) two-stage revision procedures. The cases were then multiplied by the respective healthcare system reimbursement payments. Payment data were acquired from a survey of 13 countries (Austria, Croatia, France, Germany, Italy, Lithuania, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Slovenia, Switzerland, Turkey, and the UK) and extrapolated for the remaining countries.Aims
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Performance indicators are increasingly used to evaluate the quality of healthcare provided to patients with a hip fracture. The aim of this review was to map the variety of performance indicators used around the world and how they are defined. We present a mixed methods systematic review of literature on the use of performance indicators in hip fracture care. Evidence was searched through 12 electronic databases and other sources. A Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool was used to assess methodological quality of studies meeting the inclusion criteria. A protocol for a suite of related systematic reviews was registered at PROSPERO (CRD42023417515).Aims
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The diagnosis of periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) remains a challenge, as no single diagnostic test shows high diagnostic accuracy. Recently, the measurement of synovial biomarkers has shown promising results. The aim of this study was to present a novel multiplex micro-enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method for the rapid and simultaneous measurement of alpha-defensin, interleukin (IL)-6, and calprotectin developed in a model buffer system and human spiked synovial fluid. A microfluidics- and chemiluminescence-based multiplex micro-ELISA point-of-care testing system was employed for the rapid and simultaneous measurement of alpha-defensin, calprotectin, and IL-6 developed in a model buffer system and spiked human synovial fluid. Cut-off values of 1.56 µg/ml for alpha-defensin, 50 µg/ml for calprotectin, and 0.031 µg/ml for IL-6 were extracted from the literature as optimal cut-off values for the diagnosis of PJI, and were used for comparison.Aims
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The last five years have seen notable advancements in foot and ankle surgery as a result of technical innovations and more consistent reporting of results. Much progress has been made in improving patient-reported outcome measures, in the development of basic research in this area, and in the development of personalized approaches which optimize outcomes for specific groups of patients. This review focuses on five main areas of development within foot and ankle surgery: ankle arthroplasty, osteomyelitis and the diabetic foot, sports injuries, minimally invasive surgery, and orthobiologics. The aim of this annotation is to discuss the progress made in these fields during recent years and propose avenues for further development. Cite this article:
Unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA) is one option in the treatment of isolated unicompartmental advanced osteoarthritis (OA). While long-term results exist for medial mobile-bearing (MB) UKA, evidence regarding lateral MB-UKA is still limited. The Oxford Domed Lateral (ODL) implant aims to reduce the bearing dislocation rate in lateral MB-UKA through enhanced bearing entrapment. However, the long-term performance of this implant remains unclear. This study evaluated the long-term survival and clinical outcomes of the ODL in a non-designer centre. This single-centre retrospective analysis included 115 lateral MB-UKAs using the ODL performed between January 2006 and December 2014. The primary endpoint of the study was implant survival, defined as the time until a revision procedure was required for any reason. Secondary outcomes included Oxford Knee Score (OKS), Forgotten Joint Score (FJS), pain, satisfaction, and Tegner Activity Scale (TAS). Survival was assessed using Kaplan-Meier analysis.Aims
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The aim of this study was to examine the indications for further surgery and the characteristics of the patients within one year of medial unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (mUKA), providing an assessment of everyday clinical practice and outcomes in a high-volume country. All mUKAs which were performed between 1 April 2020 and 31 March 2021 and underwent further surgery within one year, from the Danish Knee Arthroplasty Registry (DKAR), were included. For primary procedures and reoperations, we received data on the characteristics of the patients, the indications for surgery, the type of procedure, and the sizes of the components individually, from each Danish private and public arthroplasty centre. All subsequent reoperations were recorded regardless of the time since the initial procedure.Aims
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One of the most common patient-reported complaints following intramedullary nailing (IMN) of tibial shaft fractures is anterior knee pain reported by 10% to 80% of patients. The present study aimed to compare the 12-month Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) sport and recreation activities subscale (sport/rec) scores after IMN with external ring fixation (RF) to adult patients with tibial shaft fractures. This study was a pragmatic multicentre randomized, non-blinded trial, with two-group parallel design. Included were adult patients (aged ≥ 18 years) presenting with an acute tibial shaft fracture deemed operable with an intramedullary nail. The primary outcome was the KOOS sport/rec, ranging from 0 (worst score) to 100 (best score) at 12-month follow-up. Secondary outcomes included the Foot and Ankle Outcome Score (FAOS), health-related quality of life assessed by EuroQol five-dimension five-level health questionnaire, and pain scores.Aim
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A large number of surgical operations are available to treat osteochondral defects of the knee. However, the knee joint arthroplasty materials cannot completely mimic the articular cartilage and subchondral bone, which may bring some obvious side effects. Thus, this study proposed a biocompatible osteochondral repair material prepared from a double-layer scaffold of collagen and nanohydroxyapatite (CHA), consisting of collagen hydrogel as the upper layer of the scaffold, and the composite of CHA as the lower layer of the scaffold. The CHA scaffold was prepared, and properties including morphology, internal structure, and mechanical strength of the CHA scaffold were measured by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and a MTS electronic universal testing machine. Then, biocompatibility and repair capability of the CHA scaffold were further evaluated using a rabbit knee cartilage defect model.Aims
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Fracture-related infections (FRIs) are a major concern for patients and healthcare systems, yet their impact on mental health has been largely overlooked. This study aimed to assess the longitudinal impact of FRI on patients’ quality of life. A prospective study was conducted at a level 1 trauma centre between January 2020 and December 2022. In total, 56 patients participated, with quality of life assessed at five timepoints: one week preoperatively, and one, three, six, and 12 months postoperatively. Statistical analysis was performed using repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) with adjusted post-hoc analysis.Aims
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Revision hip arthroplasty for femoral stem loosening remains challenging due to significant bone loss and deformities requiring specialized revision stems. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical and radiological outcomes, and survival, of a consecutive series of femoral revisions performed using a primary cementless stem with tapered geometry and rectangular cross-section at medium-term follow-up. We retrospectively evaluated 113 patients (115 hips) with intraoperative Paprosky type I (n = 86) or II (n = 29) defects, who underwent femoral revision with Alloclassic Zweymüller SL stem for one-stage aseptic revision or two-stage septic revision from January 2011 to December 2020. The mean follow-up was 77.9 months (SD 33.8). Nine patients were lost to follow-up (deceased or not available), leaving 104 patients (106 hips) for the clinical and radiological analysis. Clinical assessment was performed with Harris Hip Score (HHS) and visual analogue scale (VAS) before surgery and at final follow-up.Aims
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The February 2025 Hip & Pelvis Roundup360 looks at: Postoperative periprosthetic femoral fractures after hip arthroplasty: quantifying the other half of the picture; Hip arthroscopy in patients with borderline dysplasia: how do we know when it will not work?; The morbidly obese patient remains a challenge for arthroplasty surgeons; Unexpected positive cultures in aseptic revision hip and knee arthroplasty: does it make a difference?; Failed spinal anaesthesia in hip and knee arthroplasty surgery; Clinical failure of femoral neck fracture is associated with varus necks; Navigating the angles: how variations in femoral and acetabular versions influence hip pain and treatment; High-tech or hands-on? Similar outcomes in direct anterior total hip arthroplasty.
HIV and musculoskeletal injuries both disproportionately affect individuals living in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), leading to a significant number of fractures in HIV-positive patients. Despite this, little is known about the long-term outcomes for these patients. This prospective cohort study investigated whether HIV infection is associated with fracture-related infections (FRIs). All adult patients between September 2017 and December 2018 who received intramedullary nail fixation of lower limb fractures in two tertiary referral hospitals in Cape Town, South Africa, were deemed eligible. In total, 358 participants were recruited for this study, 33 of whom were lost to follow-up. Of the 325 participants, 37 (11.4%) developed a total of 39 FRIs over the study period; 25 were early FRIs (64.1%) and 14 were late FRIs (35.9%). Participants were followed up for a minimum of 24 months. Throughout follow-up, participants were monitored for FRIs. These were categorized as early FRIs (< 90 days) and late FRIs (> 90 days).Aims
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To evaluate the concurrent use of vancomycin and ε-aminocaproic acid (EACA) in primary total hip arthroplasty (THA). In total, 120 patients undergoing unilateral primary THA were divided into three groups: Group VE received intra-articular vancomycin and EACA; Group V received only intra-articular vancomycin; and Group E received only intra-articular EACA. Blood and joint fluids were sampled postoperatively to measure the vancomycin levels using chromatography. Blood loss and kidney function were monitored.Aims
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Over time, the locking mechanism of Modular Universal Tumour and Revision System (MUTARS) knee arthroplasties changed from polyethylene (PE) to polyether-ether-ketone Optima (PEEK) and metal-on-metal (MoM) in an attempt to reduce the risk of mechanical failure. In this study, we aimed to assess the cumulative incidence of locking mechanism revision for symptomatic instability by type of material, and assess potential associated risk factors. The MUTARS Orthopaedic Registry Europe was used for a retrospective review of 316 patients (54% male (n = 170), median age 44 years (IQR 23 to 61)) who underwent a MUTARS knee arthroplasty for oncological indications between December 1995 and January 2023. The minimum follow-up was 12 months, and the median follow-up was 7.9 years (IQR 3.3 to 13.0). A competing risk model was used to estimate the cumulative incidence of first locking mechanism revision with death and revision for any other reason as competing events. Possible risk factors were assessed employing a univariate cause-specific hazards regression model.Aims
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The aim of this study was to assess the incidence of reinfection in patients after two-stage revision of an infected megaprosthesis (MPR) implanted after resection of a bone tumour. A retrospective study was carried out of 186 patients from 16 bone sarcoma centres treated between January 2010 and December 2020. The median age at the time of tumour diagnosis was 26 years (IQR 17 to 33); 69 (37.1%) patients were female, and 117 (62.9%) were male.Aims
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The February 2025 Children’s orthopaedics Roundup. 360. looks at: Are
The aim of this study was to assess the necessity of revising the acetabular component in revision total hip arthroplasty (THA) in patients with a Vancouver type B2 periprosthetic femoral fracture (PFF) who require revision of the femoral component. The hypothesis was that revision of both the acetabular and femoral components and using a dual-mobility acetabular component would provide a lower postoperative risk of dislocation, without increasing perioperative morbidity and mortality. Data were retrospectively analyzed from a continuously gathered database. We included 150 revisions, performed between January 2015 and December 2022, in 150 patients, with 81 revisions limited to only the femoral component and 69 involving revision of both components. This resulted, after surgery, in 60 patients having a simple-mobility acetabular component and 90 having a dual-mobility component. The mean age of the patients was 79.7 years (SD 10.1), and 98 were female (65.3%). The mean follow-up was 31 months (SD 2.3).Aims
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The aims of this study, using a porcine model of multiple trauma, were to investigate the expression of microRNAs at the fracture site, in the fracture haematoma (fxH) and in the fractured bone, compared with a remote unfractured long bone, to characterize the patterns of expression of circulating microRNAs in plasma, and identify and validate messenger RNA (mRNA) targets of the microRNAs. Two multiple trauma treatment strategies were compared: early total care (ETC) and damage control orthopaedics (DCO). For this study, fxH, fractured bone, unfractured control bone, plasma, lung, and liver samples were harvested. MicroRNAs were analyzed using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction arrays, and the identified mRNA targets were validated in vivo in the bone, fxH, lung, and liver tissue.Aims
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While cementless fixation offers potential advantages over cemented fixation, such as a shorter operating time, concerns linger over its higher cost and increased risk of periprosthetic fractures. If the risk of fracture can be forecasted, it would aid the shared decision-making process related to cementless stems. Our study aimed to develop and validate predictive models of periprosthetic femoral fracture (PPFF) necessitating revision and reoperation after elective total hip arthroplasty (THA). We included 154,519 primary elective THAs from the Swedish Arthroplasty Register (SAR), encompassing 21 patient-, surgical-, and implant-specific features, for model derivation and validation in predicting 30-day, 60-day, 90-day, and one-year revision and reoperation due to PPFF. Model performance was tested using the area under the curve (AUC), and feature importance was identified in the best-performing algorithm.Aims
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