We conducted a case-control study to examine
the merit of silver-coated tumour prostheses. We reviewed 85 patients
with Agluna-treated (silver-coated) tumour implants treated between
2006 and 2011 and matched them with 85 control patients treated
between 2001 and 2011 with identical, but uncoated, tumour prostheses. In all, 106 men and 64 women with a mean age of 42.2 years (18.4
to 90.4) were included in the study. There were 50 primary reconstructions
(29.4%); 79 one-stage revisions (46.5%) and 41 two-stage revisions
for infection (24.1%). The overall post-operative infection rate of the silver-coated
group was 11.8% compared with 22.4% for the control group (p = 0.033,
chi-square test). A total of seven of the ten infected prostheses
in the silver-coated group were treated successfully with debridement,
antibiotics, and implant retention compared with only six of the
19 patients (31.6%) in the control group (p = 0.048, chi-square
test). Three patients in the silver-coated group (3.5%) and 13 controls
(15.3%) had chronic periprosthetic infection (p = 0.009, chi-square
test). The overall success rates in controlling infection by two-stage
revision in the silver-coated group was 85% (17/20) compared with
57.1% (12/21) in the control group (p = 0.05, chi-square test).
The Agluna-treated endoprostheses were associated with a lower rate
of early periprosthetic infection. These silver-treated implants
were particularly useful in two-stage revisions for infection and
in those patients with incidental positive cultures at the time
of implantation of the prosthesis. Debridement with antibiotic treatment and retention of the implant
appeared to be more successful with silver-coated implants. Cite this article:
Throughout the 20th Century, it has been postulated that the knee moves on the basis of a four-bar link mechanism composed of the cruciate ligaments, the femur and the tibia. As a consequence, the femur has been thought to roll back with flexion, and total knee arthroplasty (TKA) prostheses have been designed on this basis. Recent work, however, has proposed that at a position of between 0° and 120° the medial femoral condyle does not move anteroposteriorly whereas the lateral femoral condyle tends, but is not obliged, to roll back – a combination of movements which equates to tibial internal/ femoral external rotation with flexion. The aim of this paper was to assess if the articular geometry of the GMK Sphere TKA could recreate the natural knee movements The pattern of knee movement was studied in 15 patients (six male: nine female; one male with bilateral TKAs) with 16 GMK Sphere implants, at a mean age of 66 years (53 to 76) with a mean BMI of 30 kg/m2 (20 to 35). The motions of all 16 knees were observed using pulsed fluoroscopy during a number of weight-bearing and non-weight-bearing static and dynamic activities.Objectives
Methods
The objective of this study was to explore dimensionality of
the Oxford Hip Score (OHS) and examine whether self-reported pain
and functioning can be distinguished in the form of subscales. This was a secondary data analysis of the UK NHS hospital episode
statistics/patient-reported outcome measures dataset containing
pre-operative OHS scores on 97 487 patients who were undergoing
hip replacement surgery. Objective
Methods
We aimed to assess the comparability of data in joint replacement
registries and identify ways of improving the comparisons between
registries and the overall monitoring of joint replacement surgery. We conducted a review of registries that are full members of
the International Society of Arthroplasty Registries with publicly
available annual reports in English. Of the six registries which
were included, we compared the reporting of: mean age, definitions
for revision and re-operation, reasons for revision, the approach
to analysing revisions, and patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs)
for primary and revision total hip arthroplasty (THA) and hip resurfacing
arthroplasty (HRA).Aims
Materials and Methods
Total hip replacement (THR) still is a rare intervention
in many African countries. In Burkina Faso it is not performed on
a regular basis. A visiting programme for THR was started in a district
hospital with no previous relevant experience. In this paper we
present an analysis of the surgical technical problems and peri-operative
complications of 152 THRs in 136 patients and three bipolar hemiarthroplasties
in three patients undertaken in this new programme with limited
orthopaedic equipment. There were 86 male and 53 female patients
with a mean age of 49 years (21 to 78). We identified 77 intra-operative
technical problems in 51 operations. There were 24 peri-operative complications
in 21 patients, 17 of which were bony in nature. So far, ten revision
THRs have been performed in nine patients. Regular analysis of the technical problems and complications
was used to improve quality, and we identified patient selection
adapted to the local circumstances as important to avoid complications.
Our reflections on the problems encountered in initiating such a
programme may be of help to other teams planning similar projects. Cite this article:
Previous classification systems of failure of
limb salvage focused primarily on endoprosthetic failures and lacked sufficient
depth for the effective study of the causes of failure. In order
to address these inadequacies, the International Society of Limb
Salvage (ISOLS) formed a committee to recommend revisions of the
previous systems. The purpose of this study was to report on their
recommendations. The modifications were prepared using an earlier,
evidence-based model with subclassification based on the existing
medical literature. Subclassification for all five primary types
of failure of limb salvage following endoprosthetic reconstruction
were formulated and a complementary system was derived for the failure
of biological reconstruction. An additional classification of failure
in paediatric patients was also described. Limb salvage surgery presents a complex array of potential mechanisms
of failure, and a complete and precise classification of types of
failure is required. Earlier classification systems lacked specificity,
and the evidence-based system outlined here is designed to correct
these weaknesses and to provide a means of reporting failures of
limb salvage in order to allow the interpretation of outcome following
reconstructive surgery. Cite this article:
The results of hip and knee replacement surgery
are generally regarded as positive for patients. Nonetheless, they are
both major operations and have recognised complications. We present
a review of relevant claims made to the National Health Service
Litigation Authority. Between 1995 and 2010 there were 1004 claims
to a value of £41.5 million following hip replacement surgery and
523 claims to a value of £21 million for knee replacement. The most common
complaint after hip surgery was related to residual neurological
deficit, whereas after knee replacement it was related to infection.
Vascular complications resulted in the highest costs per case in
each group. Although there has been a large increase in the number of operations
performed, there has not been a corresponding relative increase
in litigation. The reasons for litigation have remained largely
unchanged over time after hip replacement. In the case of knee replacement,
although there has been a reduction in claims for infection, there
has been an increase in claims for technical errors. There has also
been a rise in claims for non-specified dissatisfaction. This information
is of value to surgeons and can be used to minimise the potential
mismatch between patient expectation, informed consent and outcome. Cite this article:
Total knee replacement (TKR) is an effective
method of treating end-stage arthritis of the knee. It is not, however,
a procedure without risk due to a number of factors, one of which
is diabetes mellitus. The purpose of this study was to estimate
the general prevalence of diabetes in patients about to undergo
primary TKR and to determine whether diabetes mellitus adversely
affects the outcome. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis
according to the Meta-analysis Of Observational Studies in Epidemiology
(MOOSE) guidelines. The Odds Ratio (OR) and mean difference (MD)
were used to represent the estimate of risk of a specific outcome.
Our results showed the prevalence of diabetes mellitus among patients
undergoing TKR was 12.2%. Patients with diabetes mellitus had an increased
risk of deep infection (OR = 1.61, 95% confidence interval (CI),
1.38 to 1.88), deep vein thrombosis (in Asia, OR = 2.57, 95% CI,
1.58 to 4.20), periprosthetic fracture (OR = 1.89, 95% CI, 1.04
to 3.45), aseptic loosening (OR = 9.36, 95% CI, 4.63 to 18.90),
and a poorer Knee Society function subscore (MD = -5.86, 95% CI,
-10.27 to -1.46). Surgeons should advise patients specifically about
these increased risks when obtaining informed consent and be meticulous about
their peri-operative care. Cite this article:
The aim of this study was to define return to
theatre (RTT) rates for elective hip and knee replacement (HR and
KR), to describe the predictors and to show the variations in risk-adjusted
rates by surgical team and hospital using national English hospital
administrative data. We examined information on 260 206 HRs and 315 249 KRs undertaken
between April 2007 and March 2012. The 90-day RTT rates were 2.1%
for HR and 1.8% for KR. Male gender, obesity, diabetes and several
other comorbidities were associated with higher odds for both index
procedures. For HR, hip resurfacing had half the odds of cement fixation
(OR = 0.58, 95% confidence intervals (CI) 0.47 to 0.71). For KR,
unicondylar KR had half the odds of total replacement (OR = 0.49,
95% CI 0.42 to 0.56), and younger ages had higher odds (OR = 2.23,
95% CI 1.65 to 3.01) for ages <
40 years compared with ages 60
to 69 years). There were more funnel plot outliers at three standard deviations
than would be expected if variation occurred on a random basis. Hierarchical modelling showed that three-quarters of the variation
between surgeons for HR and over half the variation between surgeons
for KR are not explained by the hospital they operated at or by
available patient factors. We conclude that 90-day RTT rate may
be a useful quality indicator for orthopaedics. Cite this article:
Despite a lack of long-term follow-up, there
is an increasing trend towards using femoral heads of large diameter
in total hip replacement (THR), partly because of the perceived
advantage of lower rates of dislocation. However, increasing the
size of the femoral head is not the only way to reduce the rate
of dislocation; optimal alignment of the components and repair of
the posterior capsule could achieve a similar effect. In this prospective study of 512 cemented unilateral THRs (Male:Female
230:282) performed between 2004 and 2011, we aimed to determine
the rate of dislocation in patients who received a 22 mm head on
a 9/10 Morse taper through a posterior approach with capsular repair
and using the transverse acetabular ligament (TAL) as a guide for the
alignment of the acetabular component. The mean age of the patients
at operation was 67 years (35 to 89). The mean follow-up was 2.8
years (0.5 to 6.6). Pre- and post-operative assessment included
Oxford hip, Short Form-12 and modified University of California
Los Angeles and Merle D’Aubigne scores. The angles of inclination
and anteversion of the acetabular components were measured using
radiological software. There were four dislocations (0.78%), all
of which were anterior. In conclusion, THR with a 22 mm diameter head performed through
a posterior approach with capsular repair and using the TAL as a
guide for the alignment of the acetabular component was associated
with a low rate of dislocation. Cite this article:
T-cells are considered to play an important role in the inflammatory response causing arthroplasty failure. The study objectives were to investigate the composition and distribution of CD4+ T-cell phenotypes in the peripheral blood (PB) and synovial fluid (SF) of patients undergoing revision surgery for failed metal-on-metal (MoM) and metal-on-polyethylene (MoP) hip arthroplasties, and in patients awaiting total hip arthroplasty. In this prospective case-control study, PB and SF were obtained from 22 patients (23 hips) undergoing revision of MoM (n = 14) and MoP (n = 9) hip arthroplasties, with eight controls provided from primary hip osteoarthritis cases awaiting arthroplasty. Lymphocyte subtypes in samples were analysed using flow cytometry.Objectives
Methods
As adverse events related to metal on metal hip
arthroplasty have been better understood, there has been increased
interest in toxicity related to the high circulating levels of cobalt ions.
However, distinguishing true toxicity from benign elevations in
cobalt levels can be challenging. The purpose of this review is
to examine the use of cobalt alloys in total hip arthroplasty, to
review the methods of measuring circulating cobalt levels, to define
a level of cobalt which is considered pathological and to review
the pathophysiology, risk factors and treatment of cobalt toxicity.
To the best of our knowledge, there are 18 published cases where
cobalt metal ion toxicity has been attributed to the use of cobalt-chromium
alloys in hip arthroplasty. Of these cases, the great majority reported
systemic toxic reactions at serum cobalt levels more than 100 μg/L.
This review highlights some of the clinical features of cobalt toxicity,
with the goal that early awareness may decrease the risk factors
for the development of cobalt toxicity and/or reduce its severity. Take home message: Severe adverse events can arise from the release
of cobalt from metal-on-metal arthroplasties, and as such, orthopaedic
surgeons should not only be aware of the presenting problems, but
also have the knowledge to treat appropriately. Cite this article:
PCL retaining fixed-bearing TKA is a highly successful
operation with the need for more surgery occurring at the rate of
approximately 0.4% per year over the first 27 years. The most common
cause for revision surgery is related to polyethylene insert failure
and accounts for approximately 50% of re-operations. Late metastatic
infection is the next most frequent cause followed by patellar problems,
late instability and component loosening in decreasing frequency.
A myriad of rare miscellaneous problems can also occur.
Bariatric surgery has been advocated as a means
of reducing body mass index (BMI) and the risks associated with total
knee arthroplasty (TKA). However, this has not been proved clinically.
In order to determine the impact of bariatric surgery on the outcome
of TKA, we identified a cohort of 91 TKAs that were performed in
patients who had undergone bariatric surgery (bariatric cohort).
These were matched with two separate cohorts of patients who had not
undergone bariatric surgery. One was matched 1:1 with those with
a higher pre-bariatric BMI (high BMI group), and the other was matched
1:2 based on those with a lower pre-TKA BMI (low BMI group). In the bariatric group, the mean BMI before bariatric surgery
was 51.1 kg/m2 (37 to 72), which improved to 37.3 kg/m2 (24
to 59) at the time of TKA. Patients in the bariatric group had a
higher risk of, and worse survival free of, re-operation (hazard
ratio (HR) 2.6; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.2 to 6.2; p = 0.02)
compared with the high BMI group. Furthermore, the bariatric group
had a higher risk of, and worse survival free of re-operation (HR
2.4; 95% CI 1.2 to 3.3; p = 0.2) and revision (HR 2.2; 95% CI 1.1
to 6.5; p = 0.04) compared with the low BMI group. While bariatric surgery reduced the BMI in our patients, more
analysis is needed before recommending bariatric surgery before
TKA in obese patients. Cite this article:
We investigated whether the indentation of bone
cement spacers used in revision of infected joint arthroplasty with a
MacDonald dissector increased the elution of antibiotic The fluid sampled at 72 hours from the indented discs containing
0.17 g gentamicin (0.88% w/w) contained a mean of 113 mcg/ml (90.12
to 143.5) compared with 44.5 mcg/ml (44.02 to 44.90) in the fluid
sampled from the plain discs (p = 0.012). In discs containing 0.33
g gentamicin (1.75% w/w), the concentration eluted from the indented discs
at 72 hours was a mean of 316 mcg/ml (223 to 421) compared with
a mean of 118 mcg/ml (100 to 140) from the plain discs (p <
0.001). At two weeks, these significant differences persisted. At nine
weeks the indented discs eluted a greater concentration for all
gentamicin doses, but the difference was only significant for the
discs containing 0.17 g (0.88% w/w, p = 0.006). However if the area
under the curve is taken as a measure of the total antibiotic eluted,
the indented discs eluted more gentamicin than the plain discs for
the 0.17 g (0.88% w/w, p = 0.031), the 0.25 g (1.41% w/w, p <
0.001) and the 0.33 g (1.75% w/w, p <
0.001) discs. When preparing antibiotic spacers for use in staged revision
arthroplasty surgery we recommend indenting the spacer with a MacDonald
dissector to increase the elution of antibiotic. Cite this article:
The aims of this study were to compare the diagnostic test characteristics
of ultrasound alone, metal artefact reduction sequence MRI (MARS-MRI)
alone, and ultrasound combined with MARS-MRI for identifying intra-operative
pseudotumours in metal-on-metal hip resurfacing (MoMHR) patients
undergoing revision surgery. This retrospective diagnostic accuracy study involved 39 patients
(40 MoMHRs). The time between imaging modalities was a mean of 14.6
days (0 to 90), with imaging performed at a mean of 5.3 months (0.06
to 12) before revision. The prevalence of intra-operative pseudotumours
was 82.5% (n = 33).Aims
Methods
Approximately half of all hip fractures are displaced intracapsular fractures. The standard treatment for these fractures is either hemiarthroplasty or total hip arthroplasty. The recent National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance on hip fracture management recommends the use of ‘proven’ cemented stem arthroplasty with an Orthopaedic Device Evaluation Panel (ODEP) rating of at least 3B (97% survival at three years). The Thompsons prosthesis is currently lacking an ODEP rating despite over 50 years of clinical use, likely due to the paucity of implant survival data. Nationally, adherence to these guidelines is varied as there is debate as to which prosthesis optimises patient outcomes. This study design is a multi-centre, multi-surgeon, parallel, two arm, standard-of-care pragmatic randomised controlled trial. It will be embedded within the WHiTE Comprehensive Cohort Study (ISRCTN63982700). The main analysis is a two-way equivalence comparison between Hemi-Thompson and Hemi-Exeter polished taper with Unitrax head. Secondary outcomes will include radiological leg length discrepancy measured as per Bidwai and Willett, mortality, re-operation rate and indication for re-operation, length of index hospital stay and revision at four months. This study will be supplemented by the NHFD (National Hip Fracture Database) dataset.Background
Design