The use of tourniquets in lower limb trauma surgery to control bleeding and improve the surgical field is a long established practice. In this article, we review the evidence relating to harms and benefits of tourniquet use in lower limb fracture fixation surgery and report the results of a survey on current tourniquet practice among trauma surgeons in the UK.

Aims

Up to one in five patients undergoing primary total hip (THA) and knee arthroplasty (TKA) require contralateral surgery. This is frequently performed as a staged procedure. This study aimed to determine if outcomes, as determined by the Oxford Hip Score (OHS) and Knee Score (OKS) differed following second-side surgery.

Aims

Single-shot adductor canal block (ACB) after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) for postoperative analgesia is a common modality. Patients can experience breakthrough pain when the effect of ACB wears off. Local anaesthetic infusion through an intra-articular catheter (IAC) can help manage breakthrough pain after TKA. We hypothesized that combined ACB with ropivacaine infusion through IAC is associated with better pain relief compared to ACB used alone.

Aims

Many patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty (TKA) have severe osteoarthritis (OA) in both knees and may consider either simultaneous or staged bilateral TKA. The implications of simultaneous versus staged bilateral TKA for return to work are not well understood. We hypothesized that employed patients who underwent simultaneous bilateral TKA would have significantly fewer days missed from work compared with the sum of days missed from each operation for patients who underwent staged bilateral TKA.

Increasing numbers of posterior lumbar fusions are being performed. The purpose of this study was to identify trends in demographics, mortality and major complications in patients undergoing primary posterior lumbar fusion. We accessed data collected for the Nationwide Inpatient Sample for each year between 1998 and 2008 and analysed trends in the number of lumbar fusions, mean patient age, comorbidity burden, length of hospital stay, discharge status, major peri-operative complications and mortality. An estimated 1 288 496 primary posterior lumbar fusion operations were performed between 1998 and 2008 in the United States. The total number of procedures, mean patient age and comorbidity burden increased over time. Hospital length of stay decreased, although the in-hospital mortality (adjusted and unadjusted for changes in length of hospital stay) remained stable. However, a significant increase was observed in peri-operative septic, pulmonary and cardiac complications. Although in-hospital mortality rates did not change over time in the setting of increases in mean patient age and comorbidity burden, some major peri-operative complications increased. These trends highlight the need for appropriate peri-operative services to optimise outcomes in an increasingly morbid and older population of patients undergoing lumbar fusion.

Aims

Deep surgical site infection (SSI) is common after lower limb fracture. We compared the diagnosis of deep SSI using alternative methods of data collection and examined the agreement of clinical photography and in-person clinical assessment by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) criteria after lower limb fracture surgery.

Aims

Endoprosthetic reconstruction with a distal femoral arthroplasty (DFA) can be used to treat distal femoral bone loss from oncological and non-oncological causes. This study reports the short-term implant survivorship, complications, and risk factors for patients who underwent DFA for non-neoplastic indications.

Aims

It has previously been shown that higher-volume hospitals have better outcomes following revision total knee arthroplasty (rTKA). We were unable to identify any studies which investigated the effect of surgeon volume on the outcome of rTKA. We sought to investigate whether patients of high-volume (HV) rTKA surgeons have better outcomes following this procedure compared with those of low-volume (LV) surgeons.

Aims

As our population ages, the number of octogenarians who will require a total hip arthroplasty (THA) rises. In a value-based system where operative outcomes are linked to hospital payments, it is necessary to assess the outcomes in this population. The purpose of this study was to compare outcomes of elective, primary THA in patients ≥ 80 years old to those aged < 80.

We have studied prospectively the outcome of wound discharge in patients after arthroplasty of the hip and knee. Over a period of 3.5 years 530 primary arthroplasties were carried out in one hospital. Postoperative wound infections developed in 82. At a mean follow-up of two years a comparison was made between these patients and 82 with healthy wounds, in terms of symptoms and signs of deep infection. There was an incidence of 1.1% of early deep infection, within six weeks in all cases. The rate of ‘superficial’ infection was 17.3% in the hips, 10.5% in the knees and 14.3% in total. At a mean follow-up of 26 months, there were no significant differences between the patients with infected wounds and a matched group of patients with healthy wounds in terms of the ESR, level of C-reactive protein, white cell count and radiological scores, but clinical scores were significantly worse in the patients with infected knees (p < 0.05). The length of stay was also significantly longer in this group (mean 14.6 days in the healthy wound group, 19 days in the problem group; p < 0.005). There was, however, no convincing evidence that these wound infections led to deep infection and early revision in the early to medium follow-up period. A larger and longer prospective trial would be necessary to shed more light on this potential problem

Aims

Current guidelines recommend surgery within 48 hours among patients presenting with hip fractures; however, optimal surgical timing for patients on oral anticoagulants (OACs) remains unclear. Individual studies are limited by small sample sizes and heterogeneous outcomes. The aim of this study was to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to summarize the effect of pre-injury OACs on time-to-surgery (TTS) and all-cause mortality among older adults with hip fracture treated surgically.

The purpose of this study was to examine the complications and outcomes of total hip replacement (THR) in super-obese patients (body mass index (BMI) > 50 kg/m. 2. ) compared with class I obese (BMI 30 to 34.9 kg/m. 2. ) and normal-weight patients (BMI 18.5 to 24.9 kg/m. 2. ), as defined by the World Health Organization. A total of 39 THRs were performed in 30 super-obese patients with a mean age of 53 years (31 to 72), who were followed for a mean of 4.2 years (2.0 to 11.7). This group was matched with two cohorts of normal-weight and class I obese patients, each comprising 39 THRs in 39 patients. Statistical analysis was performed to determine differences among these groups with respect to complications and satisfaction based on the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities (WOMAC) osteoarthritis index, the Harris hip score (HHS) and the Short-Form (SF)-12 questionnaire. Super-obese patients experienced significantly longer hospital stays and higher rates of major complications and readmissions than normal-weight and class I obese patients. Although super-obese patients demonstrated reduced pre-operative and post-operative satisfaction scores, there was no significant difference in improvement, or change in the score, with respect to HHS or the WOMAC osteoarthritis index. Super-obese patients obtain similar satisfaction outcomes as class I obese and normal-weight patients with respect to improvement in their scores. However, they experience a significant increase in length of hospital stay and major complication and readmission rates. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2013;95-B:758–63

Aims

Debate continues regarding the optimum management of periprosthetic distal femoral fractures (PDFFs). This study aims to determine which operative treatment is associated with the lowest perioperative morbidity and mortality when treating low (Su type II and III) PDFFs comparing lateral locking plate fixation (LLP-ORIF) or distal femoral arthroplasty (DFA).

Aims

A pragmatic multicentre randomized controlled trial, UK FROzen Shoulder Trial (UK FROST), was conducted in the UK NHS comparing the cost-effectiveness of commonly used treatments for adults with primary frozen shoulder in secondary care.

Aims

One-stage revision hip arthroplasty for periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) has several advantages; however, resection of the proximal femur might be necessary to achieve higher success rates. We investigated the risk factors for resection and re-revisions, and assessed complications and subsequent re-revisions.

Aims

The proportion of arthroplasties performed in the ambulatory setting has increased considerably. However, there are concerns whether same-day discharge may increase the risk of complications. The aim of this study was to compare 90-day outcomes between inpatient arthroplasties and outpatient arthroplasties performed at an ambulatory surgery centre (ASC), and determine whether there is a learning curve associated with performing athroplasties in an ASC.