Aims

Tenosynovial giant cell tumour (TGCT) is a rare benign tumour of the musculoskeletal system. Surgical management is fraught with challenges due to high recurrence rates. The aim of this study was to describe surgical treatment and evaluate surgical outcomes of TGCT at an Australian tertiary referral centre for musculoskeletal tumours and to identify factors affecting recurrence rates.

Aims. National hip fracture registries audit similar aspects of care but there is variation in the actual data collected; these differences restrict international comparison, benchmarking, and research. The Fragility Fracture Network (FFN) published a revised minimum common dataset (MCD) in 2022 to improve consistency and interoperability. Our aim was to assess compatibility of existing registries with the MCD. Methods. We compared 17 hip fracture registries covering 20 countries (Argentina; Australia and New Zealand; China; Denmark; England, Wales, and Northern Ireland; Germany; Holland; Ireland; Japan; Mexico; Norway; Pakistan; the Philippines; Scotland; South Korea; Spain; and Sweden), setting each of these against the 20 core and 12 optional fields of the MCD. Results. The highest MCD adherence was demonstrated by the most recently established registries. The first-generation registries in Scandinavia collect data for 60% of MCD fields, second-generation registries (UK, other European, and Australia and New Zealand) collect for 75%, and third-generation registries collect data for 85% of MCD fields. Five of the 20 core fields were collected by all 17 registries (age; sex; surgery date/time of operation; surgery type; and death during acute admission). Two fields were collected by most (16/17; 94%) registries (date/time of presentation and American Society of Anesthesiologists grade), and five more by the majority (15/17; 88%) registries (type, side, and pathological nature of fracture; anaesthetic modality; and discharge destination). Three core fields were each collected by only 11/17 (65%) registries: prefracture mobility/activities of daily living; cognition on admission; and bone protection medication prescription. Conclusion. There is moderate but improving compatibility between existing registries and the FFN MCD, and its introduction in 2022 was associated with an improved level of adherence among the most recently established programmes. Greater interoperability could be facilitated by improving consistency of data collection relating to prefracture function, cognition, bone protection, and follow-up duration, and this could improve international collaborative benchmarking, research, and quality improvement. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2023;105-B(9):1013–1019

Aims. National joint registries under-report revisions for periprosthetic joint infection (PJI). We aimed to validate PJI reporting to the Australian Orthopaedic Association National Joint Arthroplasty Registry (AOANJRR) and the factors associated with its accuracy. We then applied these data to refine estimates of the total national burden of PJI. Methods. A total of 561 Australian cases of confirmed PJI were captured by a large, prospective observational study, and matched to data available for the same patients through the AOANJRR. Results. In all, 501 (89.3%) cases of PJI recruited to the prospective observational study were successfully matched with the AOANJRR database. Of these, 376 (75.0%) were captured by the registry, while 125 (25.0%) did not have a revision or reoperation for PJI recorded. In a multivariate logistic regression analysis, early (within 30 days of implantation) PJIs were less likely to be reported (adjusted odds ratio (OR) 0.56; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.34 to 0.93; p = 0.020), while two-stage revision procedures were more likely to be reported as a PJI to the registry (OR 5.3 (95% CI 2.37 to 14.0); p ≤ 0.001) than debridement and implant retention or other surgical procedures. Based on this data, the true estimate of the incidence of PJI in Australia is up to 3,900 cases per year. Conclusion. In Australia, infection was not recorded as the indication for revision or reoperation in one-quarter of those with confirmed PJI. This is better than in other registries, but suggests that registry-captured estimates of the total national burden of PJI are underestimated by at least one-third. Inconsistent PJI reporting is multifactorial but could be improved by developing a nested PJI registry embedded within the national arthroplasty registry. Cite this article: Bone Jt Open 2022;3(5):367–373

Aims. The aim of this study was to perform the first population-based description of the epidemiological and health economic burden of fracture-related infection (FRI). Methods. This is a retrospective cohort study of operatively managed orthopaedic trauma patients from 1 January 2007 to 31 December 2016, performed in Queensland, Australia. Record linkage was used to develop a person-centric, population-based dataset incorporating routinely collected administrative, clinical, and health economic information. The FRI group consisted of patients with International Classification of Disease 10th Revision diagnosis codes for deep infection associated with an implanted device within two years following surgery, while all others were deemed not infected. Demographic and clinical variables, as well as healthcare utilization costs, were compared. Results. There were 111,402 patients operatively managed for orthopaedic trauma, with 2,775 of these (2.5%) complicated by FRI. The development of FRI had a statistically significant association with older age, male sex, residing in rural/remote areas, Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander background, lower socioeconomic status, road traffic accident, work-related injuries, open fractures, anatomical region (lower limb, spine, pelvis), high injury severity, requiring soft-tissue coverage, and medical comorbidities (univariate analysis). Patients with FRI had an eight-times longer median inpatient length of stay (24 days vs 3 days), and a 2.8-times higher mean estimated inpatient hospitalization cost (AU$56,565 vs AU$19,773) compared with uninfected patients. The total estimated inpatient cost of the FRI cohort to the healthcare system was AU$156.9 million over the ten-year period. Conclusion. The results of this study advocate for improvements in trauma care and infection management, address social determinants of health, and highlight the upside potential to improve prevention and treatment strategies. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2024;106-B(1):77–85

Aims. It is unclear whether mortality outcomes differ for patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty (THA) or total knee arthroplasty (TKA) surgery who are readmitted to the index hospital where their surgery was performed, or to another hospital. Methods. We analyzed linked hospital and death records for residents of New South Wales, Australia, aged ≥ 18 years who had an emergency readmission within 90 days following THA or TKA surgery between 2003 and 2022. Multivariable modelling was used to identify factors associated with non-index readmission and to evaluate associations of readmission destination (non-index vs index) with 90-day and one-year mortality. Results. Of 394,248 joint arthroplasty patients (THA = 149,456; TKA = 244,792), 9.5% (n = 37,431) were readmitted within 90 days, and 53.7% of these were admitted to a non-index hospital. Non-index readmission was more prevalent among patients who underwent surgery in private hospitals (60%). Patients who were readmitted for non-orthopaedic conditions (62.8%), were more likely to return to a non-index hospital compared to those readmitted for orthopaedic complications (39.5%). Factors associated with non-index readmission included older age, higher socioeconomic status, private health insurance, and residence in a rural or remote area. Non-index readmission was significantly associated with 90 day (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 1.69; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.39 to 2.05) and one-year mortality (aOR 1.31; 95% CI 1.16 to 1.47). Associations between non-index readmission and mortality were similar for patients readmitted with orthopaedic and non-orthopaedic complications (90-day mortality aOR 1.61; 95% CI 0.98 to 2.64, and aOR 1.67; 95% CI 1.35 to 2.06, respectively). Conclusion. Non-index readmission was associated with increased mortality, irrespective of whether the readmission was for orthopaedic complications or other conditions. Cite this article: Bone Jt Open 2024;5(1):60–68

Aims. The aim of this study was to estimate the 90-day periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) rates following total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and total hip arthroplasty (THA) for osteoarthritis (OA). Methods. This was a data linkage study using the New South Wales (NSW) Admitted Patient Data Collection (APDC) and the Australian Orthopaedic Association National Joint Replacement Registry (AOANJRR), which collect data from all public and private hospitals in NSW, Australia. Patients who underwent a TKA or THA for OA between 1 January 2002 and 31 December 2017 were included. The main outcome measures were 90-day incidence rates of hospital readmission for: revision arthroplasty for PJI as recorded in the AOANJRR; conservative definition of PJI, defined by T84.5, the PJI diagnosis code in the APDC; and extended definition of PJI, defined by the presence of either T84.5, or combinations of diagnosis and procedure code groups derived from recursive binary partitioning in the APDC. Results. The mean 90-day revision rate for infection was 0.1% (0.1% to 0.2%) for TKA and 0.3% (0.1% to 0.5%) for THA. The mean 90-day PJI rates defined by T84.5 were 1.3% (1.1% to 1.7%) for TKA and 1.1% (0.8% to 1.3%) for THA. The mean 90-day PJI rates using the extended definition were 1.9% (1.5% to 2.2%) and 1.5% (1.3% to 1.7%) following TKA and THA, respectively. Conclusion. When reporting the revision arthroplasty for infection, the AOANJRR substantially underestimates the rate of PJI at 90 days. Using combinations of infection codes and PJI-related surgical procedure codes in linked hospital administrative databases could be an alternative way to monitor PJI rates. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2022;104-B(9):1060–1066

Aims. Social media is a popular resource for patients seeking medical information and sharing experiences. periacetabular osteotomy (PAO) is the gold-standard treatment for symptomatic acetabular dysplasia with good long-term outcomes. However, little is known regarding the perceived outcomes of PAO on social media. The aims of this study were to describe the perceived outcomes following PAO using three social media platforms: Facebook, Instagram, and X (formerly known as Twitter). Methods. Facebook, Instagram, and X posts were retrospectively collected from 1 February 2023. Facebook posts were collected from the two most populated interest groups: “periacetabular osteotomy” and “PAO Australia.” Instagram and X posts were queried using the most popular hashtags: #PAOwarrior, #periacetabularosteotomy, #periacetabularosteotomyrecovery, #PAOsurgery, and #PAOrecovery. Posts were assessed for demographic data (sex, race, location), perspective (patient, physician, professional organization, industry), timing (preoperative vs postoperative), and perceived outcome (positive, negative, neutral). Results. A total of 1,054 Facebook posts, 1,003 Instagram posts, and 502 X posts were consecutively assessed from 887 unique authors. The majority (63.3%) of these posts were from patients in the postoperative period, with a median of 84 days postoperatively (interquartile range 20 to 275). The longest follow-up timeframe postoperatively was 20 years. Regarding perceived outcomes, 52.8% expressed satisfaction, 39.7% held neutral opinions, and 7.5% were dissatisfied. Most dissatisfied patients (50.9%) reported pain (chronic or uncontrolled acute) as an attributing factor. Conclusion. Most PAO-perceived surgical outcomes on social media had a positive tone. Findings also indicate that a small percentage of patients reported negative perceived outcomes. However, dissatisfaction with PAO primarily stemmed from postoperative pain. Social media posts from other sources (physicians, hospitals, professional organizations, etc.) trend towards neutrality. Healthcare providers must consider the social media narratives of patients following PAO, as they may reveal additional outcome expectations and help improve patient-centred care, create informed decision-making, and optimize treatment outcomes. Cite this article: Bone Jt Open 2024;5(1):53–59

Aims. Custom triflange acetabular components (CTACs) play an important role in reconstructive orthopaedic surgery, particularly in revision total hip arthroplasty (rTHA) and pelvic tumour resection procedures. Accurate CTAC positioning is essential to successful surgical outcomes. While prior studies have explored CTAC positioning in rTHA, research focusing on tumour cases and implant flange positioning precision remains limited. Additionally, the impact of intraoperative navigation on positioning accuracy warrants further investigation. This study assesses CTAC positioning accuracy in tumour resection and rTHA cases, focusing on the differences between preoperative planning and postoperative implant positions. Methods. A multicentre observational cohort study in Australia between February 2017 and March 2021 included consecutive patients undergoing acetabular reconstruction with CTACs in rTHA (Paprosky 3A/3B defects) or tumour resection (including Enneking P2 peri-acetabular area). Of 103 eligible patients (104 hips), 34 patients (35 hips) were analyzed. Results. CTAC positioning was generally accurate, with minor deviations in cup inclination (mean 2.7°; SD 2.84°), anteversion (mean 3.6°; SD 5.04°), and rotation (mean 2.1°; SD 2.47°). Deviation of the hip centre of rotation (COR) showed a mean vector length of 5.9 mm (SD 7.24). Flange positions showed small deviations, with the ischial flange exhibiting the largest deviation (mean vector length of 7.0 mm; SD 8.65). Overall, 83% of the implants were accurately positioned, with 17% exceeding malpositioning thresholds. CTACs used in tumour resections exhibited higher positioning accuracy than rTHA cases, with significant differences in inclination (1.5° for tumour vs 3.4° for rTHA) and rotation (1.3° for tumour vs 2.4° for rTHA). The use of intraoperative navigation appeared to enhance positioning accuracy, but this did not reach statistical significance. Conclusion. This study demonstrates favourable CTAC positioning accuracy, with potential for improved accuracy through intraoperative navigation. Further research is needed to understand the implications of positioning accuracy on implant performance and long-term survival. Cite this article: Bone Jt Open 2024;5(4):260–268

Aims. The aim of this study was to explore current use of the Global Fragility Fracture Network (FFN) Minimum Common Dataset (MCD) within established national hip fracture registries, and to propose a revised MCD to enable international benchmarking for hip fracture care. Methods. We compared all ten established national hip fracture registries: England, Wales, and Northern Ireland; Scotland; Australia and New Zealand; Republic of Ireland; Germany; the Netherlands; Sweden; Norway; Denmark; and Spain. We tabulated all questions included in each registry, and cross-referenced them against the 32 questions of the MCD dataset. Having identified those questions consistently used in the majority of national audits, and which additional fields were used less commonly, we then used consensus methods to establish a revised MCD. Results. A total of 215 unique questions were used across the ten registries. Only 72 (34%) were used in more than one national audit, and only 32 (15%) by more than half of audits. Only one registry used all 32 questions from the 2014 MCD, and five questions were only collected by a single registry. Only 21 of the 32 questions in the MCD were used in the majority of national audits. Only three fields (anaesthetic grade, operation, and date/time of surgery) were used by all ten established audits. We presented these findings at the Asia-Pacific FFN meeting, and used an online questionnaire to capture feedback from expert clinicians from different countries. A draft revision of the MCD was then presented to all 95 nations represented at the Global FFN conference in September 2021, with online feedback again used to finalize the revised MCD. Conclusion. The revised MCD will help aspirant nations establish new registry programmes, facilitate the integration of novel analytic techniques and greater multinational collaboration, and serve as an internationally-accepted standard for monitoring and improving hip fracture services. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2022;104-B(6):721–728

Aims. Perthes’ disease is an uncommon hip disorder with limited data on the long-term outcomes in adulthood. We partnered with community-based foundations and utilized web-based survey methodology to develop the Adult Perthes Survey, which includes demographics, childhood and adult Perthes’ disease history, the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) Activity Scale item, Short Form-36, the Hip disability and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score, and a body pain diagram. Here we investigate the following questions: 1) what is the feasibility of obtaining > 1,000 survey responses from adults who had Perthes’ disease using a web-based platform?; and 2) what are the baseline characteristics and demographic composition of our sample?. Methods. The survey link was available publicly for 15 months and advertised among support groups. Of 1,505 participants who attempted the Adult Perthes survey, 1,182 completed it with a median timeframe of 11 minutes (IQR 8.633 to 14.72). Participants who dropped out were similar to those who completed the survey on several fixed variables. Participants represented 45 countries including the USA (n = 570; 48%), UK (n = 295; 25%), Australia (n = 133; 11%), and Canada (n = 46; 4%). Of the 1,182 respondents, 58% were female and the mean age was 39 years (SD 12.6). Results. Ages at onset of Perthes’ disease were < six years (n = 512; 43%), six to seven years (n = 321; 27%), eight to 11 years (n = 261; 22%), and > 11 years (n = 76; 6%), similar to the known age distribution of Perthes’ disease. During childhood, 40% (n = 476) of respondents had at least one surgery. Bracing, weightbearing restriction, and absence of any treatment varied significantly between USA and non-USA respondents (p < 0.001, p = 0.002, and p < 0.001, respectively). As adults, 22% (n = 261) had at least one total hip arthroplasty, and 30% (n = 347) had any type of surgery; both more commonly reported among women (p = 0.002). Conclusion. While there are limitations due to self-sampling, our study shows the feasibility of obtaining a large set of patient-reported data from adults who had childhood Perthes’ from multiple countries. Cite this article: Bone Jt Open 2022;3(5):404–414

Aims. Physician burnout and its consequences have been recognized as increasingly prevalent and important issues for both organizations and individuals involved in healthcare delivery. The purpose of this study was to describe and compare the patterns of self-reported wellness in orthopaedic surgeons and trainees from multiple nations with varying health systems. Methods. A cross-sectional survey of 774 orthopaedic surgeons and trainees in five countries (Australia, Canada, New Zealand, UK, and USA) was conducted in 2019. Respondents were asked to complete the Mayo Clinic Well-Being Index and the Stanford Professional Fulfillment Index in addition to 31 personal/demographic questions and 27 employment-related questions via an anonymous online survey. Results. A total of 684 participants from five countries (Australia (n = 74), Canada (n = 90), New Zealand (n = 69), UK (n = 105), and USA (n = 346)) completed both of the risk assessment questionnaires (Mayo and Stanford). Of these, 42.8% (n = 293) were trainees and 57.2% (n = 391) were attending surgeons. On the Mayo Clinic Well-Being Index, 58.6% of the overall sample reported feeling burned out (n = 401). Significant differences were found between nations with regards to the proportion categorized as being at risk for poor outcomes (27.5% for New Zealand (19/69) vs 54.4% for Canada (49/90) ; p = 0.001). On the Stanford Professional Fulfillment Index, 38.9% of the respondents were classified as being burned out (266/684). Prevalence of burnout ranged from 27% for Australia (20/74 up to 47.8% for Canadian respondents (43/90; p = 0.010). Younger age groups (20 to 29: RR 2.52 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.39 to 4.58; p = 0.002); 30 to 39: RR 2.40 (95% CI 1.36 to 4.24; p = 0.003); 40 to 49: RR 2.30 (95% CI 1.35 to 3.9; p = 0.002)) and trainee status (RR 1.53 (95% CI 1.15 to 2.03 p = 0.004)) were independently associated with increased relative risk of having a ‘at-risk’ or ‘burnout’ score. Conclusions. The rate of self-reported burnout and risk for poor outcomes among orthopaedic surgeons and trainees varies between countries but remains unacceptably high throughout. Both individual and health system characteristics contribute to physician wellness and should be considered in the development of strategies to improve surgeon wellbeing. Level of Evidence: III. Cite this article: Bone Jt Open 2021;2(11):932–939

Aims. This study aims to describe the pre- and postoperative self-reported health and quality of life from a national cohort of patients undergoing elective total conventional hip arthroplasty (THA) and total knee arthroplasty (TKA) in Australia. For context, these data will be compared with patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) data from other international nation-wide registries. Methods. Between 2018 to 2020, and nested within a nationwide arthroplasty registry, preoperative and six-month postoperative PROMs were electronically collected from patients before and after elective THA and TKA. There were 5,228 THA and 8,299 TKA preoperative procedures as well as 3,215 THA and 4,982 TKA postoperative procedures available for analysis. Validated PROMs included the EuroQol five-dimension five-level questionnaire (EQ-5D-5L; range 0 to 100; scored worst-best health), Oxford Hip/Knee Scores (OHS/OKS; range 0 to 48; scored worst-best hip/knee function) and the 12-item Hip/Knee disability and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (HOOS-12/KOOS-12; range 0 to 100; scored best-worst hip/knee health). Additional items included preoperative expectations, patient-perceived improvement, and postoperative satisfaction. Descriptive analyses were undertaken. Results. For THA and TKA patients respectively, the patient profile was 2,850 (54.5%) and 4,684 (56.4%) female, mean age 66.8 years (SD 10.6) and 67.5 (SD 8.8), and mean BMI 29.9 kg/m. 2. (SD 7.7) and 32.5 kg/m. 2. (SD 7.0). The proportion of THA and TKA patients who reported their joint as ‘much better’ was 2,946 (92.6%) and 4,020 (81.6%) respectively, and the majority of patients were ‘satisfied’ or ‘very satisfied’ with their procedure (2,754 (86.5%) and 3,981 (80.8%)). There were 311 (9.7%) of THA patients and 516 (10.5%) of TKA patients who reported ‘dissatisfied’ or ‘very dissatisfied’ with their surgery. Conclusion. Large improvements in pain, function, and overall health were evident following primary THA and TKA. Approximately 10% of patients reported dissatisfaction with their surgery. Future analyses will focus on factors contributing to dissatisfaction after arthroplasty. Cite this article: Bone Jt Open 2021;2(6):422–432

Aims. Slipped upper femoral epiphysis (SUFE) has well documented biochemical and mechanical risk factors. Femoral and acetabular morphologies seem to be equally important. Acetabular retroversion has a low prevalence in asymptomatic adults. Hips with dysplasia, osteoarthritis, and Perthes’ disease, however, have higher rates, ranging from 18% to 48%. The aim of our study was to assess the prevalence of acetabular retroversion in patients presenting with SUFE using both validated radiological signs and tomographical measurements. Methods. A retrospective review of all SUFE surgical cases presenting to the Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne, Australia, from 2012 to 2019 were evaluated. Preoperative plain radiographs were assessed for slip angle, validated radiological signs of retroversion, and standardized postoperative CT scans were used to assess cranial and mid-acetabular version. Results. In all, 116 SUFEs presented in 107 patients who underwent surgical intervention; 47 (52%) were male, with a mean age of 12.7 years (7.5 to 16.6). Complete radiological data was available for 91 patients (99 hips) with adequate axial CT imaging of both hips. Overall, 82 patients (82%) underwent pinning in situ (PIS), with subcapital realignment surgery (SRS) performed in 17 patients (18%) (slip angles > 75°). Contralateral prophylactic PIS was performed in 72 patients (87%). On the slip side, 62 patients (68%) had one or more radiological sign of retroversion. Tomographical acetabular retroversion was more pronounced cranially than caudally of the acetabulum on both the affected side and the contralateral side (p < 0.001) as expected in the normal population. Increasing severity of the slip was found to be directly proportional to the degree of reduction in cranial and central acetabular version (p < 0.05) in the SUFE hips. Conclusion. Acetabular retroversion is more prevalent in patients with SUFE than previously reported, and have been shown be correlated to the severity of the slip presentation. The presence of radiological signs of acetabular retroversion could be used to justify prophylactic contralateral pinning. Cite this article: Bone Jt Open 2022;3(2):158–164

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The aim of this study was to describe and compare joint-specific and generic health-related quality of life outcomes of the first versus second knee in patients undergoing staged bilateral total knee arthroplasty (BTKA) for osteoarthritis.

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Safety concerns surrounding osseointegration are a significant barrier to replacing socket prosthesis as the standard of care following limb amputation. While implanted osseointegrated prostheses traditionally occur in two stages, a one-stage approach has emerged. Currently, there is no existing comparison of the outcomes of these different approaches. To address safety concerns, this study sought to determine whether a one-stage osseointegration procedure is associated with fewer adverse events than the two-staged approach.

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Cementing in arthroplasty for hip fracture is associated with improved postoperative function, but may have an increased risk of early mortality compared to uncemented fixation. Quantifying this mortality risk is important in providing safe patient care. This study investigated the association between cement use in arthroplasty and mortality at 30 days and one year in patients aged 50 years and over with hip fracture.

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The management of fractures of the medial epicondyle is one of the greatest controversies in paediatric fracture care, with uncertainty concerning the need for surgery. The British Society of Children’s Orthopaedic Surgery prioritized this as their most important research question in paediatric trauma. This is the protocol for a randomized controlled, multicentre, prospective superiority trial of operative fixation versus nonoperative treatment for displaced medial epicondyle fractures: the Surgery or Cast of the EpicoNdyle in Children’s Elbows (SCIENCE) trial.

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We estimated the prevalence of people living with at least one hip, knee, or shoulder arthroplasty in the Netherlands.

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Surgeon and patient reluctance to participate are potential significant barriers to conducting placebo-controlled trials of orthopaedic surgery. Understanding the preferences of orthopaedic surgeons and patients regarding the design of randomized placebo-controlled trials (RCT-Ps) of knee procedures can help to identify what RCT-P features will lead to the greatest participation. This information could inform future trial designs and feasibility assessments.

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Trauma & Orthopaedic (T&O) surgery has come under scrutiny for lagging behind other medical specialties in promoting gender and cultural equity and diversity within their workforce. The proportions of female, ethnic minority, and sexual and gender minority individuals within orthopaedic membership bodies are disproportionate to the populations they serve. The aim of this study is to report the findings of a national workforce survey of demographics and working patterns within T&O in Scotland.