Aims. Manual impaction, with a mallet and introducer, remains the standard method of installing cementless acetabular cups during total hip arthroplasty (THA). This study aims to quantify the accuracy and precision of manual impaction strikes during the seating of an acetabular component. This understanding aims to help improve impaction surgical techniques and inform the development of future technologies. Methods. Posterior approach THAs were carried out on three cadavers by an expert orthopaedic surgeon. An instrumented mallet and introducer were used to insert cementless acetabular cups. The motion of the mallet, relative to the introducer, was analyzed for a total of 110 strikes split into low-, medium-, and high-effort strikes. Three parameters were extracted from these data: strike vector, strike offset, and mallet face alignment. Results. The force vector of the mallet strike, relative to the introducer axis, was misaligned by an average of 18.1°, resulting in an average wasted strike energy of 6.1%. Furthermore, the mean strike offset was 19.8 mm from the centre of the introducer axis and the mallet face, relative to the introducer strike face, was misaligned by a mean angle of 15.2° from the introducer strike face. Conclusion. The direction of the impact vector in manual impaction lacks both accuracy and precision. There is an opportunity to improve this through more advanced impaction instruments or surgical training. Cite this article: Bone Joint Res 2024;13(4):193–200

Aim. Bone and joint infections (BJI) need frequently prolonged antibiotic treatment at high dosage for a total of 6 or 12 weeks depending the type of infection. Impact of such prolonged antibiotic exposure on the gut microbiota has never been assessed. Method. We performed a national multicentric prospective study of patients with BJI to monitor the gut microbiota dynamic all along antimicrobial treatment. Clinical data and stool collection were performed at the baseline visit (B) within 24h before starting antibiotics, at the end of the treatment (EOT) and 2 weeks after antibiotic withdrawal during a follow-up visit (FU). Microbiota composition was determined by shotgun metagenomic sequencing. Biological markers of gut permeability and inflammation were monitored at each time point. Results. Sixty-two patients were enrolled: 27 native BJI, 14 osteosynthesis-related BJI and 21 prosthetic joint infections (PJI). At EOT there was a significant loss of alpha-diversity that recovered at FU in patients with native BJI and PJI but not in patients with osteosynthesis-related BJI (p<0.05, Wilcoxon test). At EOT, we observed an increase of Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes that partially recovered at FU. Principal Component Analysis (PCoA) of the Bray Curtis distance, showed a significant change of the gut microbiota at the end of treatment compared to baseline (p<0.01, PERMANOVA) that only partially recover at FU. The taxonomic analysis showed that microbiota composition at FU does not differ significantly at the genus level when comparing patients treated for 6 weeks to patients treated for 12 weeks. No particular antibiotic (especially fluoroquinolones) was associated with a lower Shannon index or distinct dynamic of recovery at the end of treatment. PCoA analysis of the Bray Curtis distance shows that patients with elevated plasma level of CRP (≥5mg/L) at EOT had a distinct gut microbial composition compared to others. Conclusions. In patients with BJI, antibiotics altered the gut microbiota diversity and composition with only partial recovery 2 weeks after antibiotic withdrawal, independently on the duration of the therapy and on the type of the antibiotic used. Elevated CRP at EOT might reflect persistent alteration of the gut microbiota. Assessment of long-term impact after the end of treatment is on-going

Aims. The impact of a diaphyseal femoral deformity on knee alignment varies according to its severity and localization. The aims of this study were to determine a method of assessing the impact of diaphyseal femoral deformities on knee alignment for the varus knee, and to evaluate the reliability and the reproducibility of this method in a large cohort of osteoarthritic patients. Methods. All patients who underwent a knee arthroplasty from 2019 to 2021 were included. Exclusion criteria were genu valgus, flexion contracture (> 5°), previous femoral osteotomy or fracture, total hip arthroplasty, and femoral rotational disorder. A total of 205 patients met the inclusion criteria. The mean age was 62.2 years (SD 8.4). The mean BMI was 33.1 kg/m. 2. (SD 5.5). The radiological measurements were performed twice by two independent reviewers, and included hip knee ankle (HKA) angle, mechanical medial distal femoral angle (mMDFA), anatomical medial distal femoral angle (aMDFA), femoral neck shaft angle (NSA), femoral bowing angle (FBow), the distance between the knee centre and the top of the FBow (DK), and the angle representing the FBow impact on the knee (C’KS angle). Results. The FBow impact on the mMDFA can be measured by the C’KS angle. The C’KS angle took the localization (length DK) and the importance (FBow angle) of the FBow into consideration. The mean FBow angle was 4.4° (SD 2.4; 0 to 12.5). The mean C’KS angle was 1.8° (SD 1.1; 0 to 5.8). Overall, 84 knees (41%) had a severe FBow (> 5°). The radiological measurements showed very good to excellent intraobserver and interobserver agreements. The C’KS increased significantly when the length DK decreased and the FBow angle increased (p < 0.001). Conclusion. The impact of the diaphyseal femoral deformity on the mechanical femoral axis is measured by the C’KS angle, a reliable and reproducible measurement. Cite this article: Bone Jt Open 2023;4(4):262–272

Background. Involving research users in setting priorities for research is essential to ensure research outcomes are patient-centred and to maximise research value and impact. The Musculoskeletal (MSK) Disorders Research Advisory Group Versus Arthritis led a research priority setting exercise across MSK disorders. Methods. The Child Health and Nutrition Research Initiative (CHRNI) method of setting research priorities with a range of stakeholders were utilised. The MSKD RAG identified, through consensus, four research Domains: Mechanisms of Disease; Diagnosis and Impact; Living Well with MSK disorders and Successful Translation. Following ethical approval, the research priority exercise involved four stages and two surveys, to: 1) gather research uncertainties; 2) consolidate these; 3) score uncertainties using agreed criteria of importance and impact on a score of 1–10; and 4) analyse scoring, for prioritisation. Results. The first survey had 209 respondents, who described 1290 research uncertainties, which were refined into 68 research questions. 285 people responded to the second survey. The largest group of respondents represented patients and carers, followed by researchers and healthcare professionals. A ranked list was produced, with scores ranging between 12 and 18. Key priorities included developing and testing new treatments, better targeting of treatments, early diagnosis, prevention and better understanding and management of pain, with an emphasis on understanding underpinning mechanisms. Conclusions. For the first time, we have summarised priorities for research across MSKD, from discovery science to applied clinical and health research, including translation. We present a call to action to researchers and funders to target these priorities. Conflict of Interest: None. Sources of funding: We thank the funder, Versus Arthritis for their support of the research advisory groups and this activity

Aims. Socioeconomic and racial disparities have been recognized as impacting the care of patients with cancer, however there are a lack of data examining the impact of these disparities on patients with bone sarcoma. The purpose of this study was to examine socioeconomic and racial disparities that impact the oncological outcomes of patients with bone sarcoma. Methods. We reviewed 4,739 patients diagnosed with primary bone sarcomas from the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) registry between 2007 and 2015. We examined the impact of race and insurance status associated with the presence of metastatic disease at diagnosis, treatment outcome, and overall survival (OS). Results. Patients with Medicaid (odds ratio (OR) 1.41; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.15 to 1.72) and uninsured patients (OR 1.90; 95% CI 1.26 to 2.86) had higher risks of metastatic disease at diagnosis compared to patients with health insurance. Compared to White patients, Black (OR 0.63, 95% CI 0.47 to 0.85) and Asian/Pacific Islander (OR 0.65, 95% CI 0.46 to 0.91) were less likely to undergo surgery. In addition, Black patients were less likely to receive chemotherapy (OR 0.67, 95% CI 0.49 to 0.91) compared to White patients. In patients with chondrosarcoma, those with Medicaid had worse OS compared to patients with insurance (hazard ratio (HR) 1.65, 95% CI 1.06 to 2.56). Conclusion. In patients with a bone sarcoma, the cancer stage at diagnosis varied based on insurance status, and racial disparities were identified in treatment. Further studies are needed to identify modifiable factors which can mitigate socioeconomic and racial disparities found in patients with bone sarcomas. Cite this article: Bone Joint Res 2022;11(5):278–291

In Canada, hip and knee replacements are each among the top three surgeries performed annually. In 2020, surgeries across the country were cancelled in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. We examined the impact on these joint replacement surgeries throughout the year. Using the Discharge Abstract Database and National Ambulatory Care Reporting System, we developed a dataset of all 208,041 hip and knee replacements performed in Canada (except from Quebec) between January 1, 2019 to December 31, 2020. We compared patient and surgical characteristics (including sex, age, main diagnosis, and type of surgery (planned/urgent, primary/revision, inpatient/day surgery) in 2020 to 2019. In 2020, hip and knee replacements volumes decreased by 18.8% compared to 2019. In April and May 2020, hip and knee replacements fell by 69.4% and 93.8%, respectively, compared to the same period in 2019. During those months, 66.5% of hip replacements were performed to treat hip fracture versus 20.2% in April and May 2019, and 64.5% of knee replacements were primaries versus 93.0% in April and May 2019. Patterns by patient age group and sex were similar compared to 2019. These patterns were similar across all provinces. By the summer, planned surgeries resumed across the country and volumes mostly returned to pre-pandemic monthly levels by the end of the year. We also found that there was an increase in the proportion of hip and knee replacements done as day surgery, with 4% in 2020 versus 1% in 2019, and patients undergoing day surgery replacement for osteoarthritis were older, with a median age of 64 for hip patients and 65 for knee patients, versus 63 for both joints the previous year. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a notable drop in 2020 of hip and knee replacements performed in Canada. With the demand for joint replacements continuing to grow, the resulting backlog will have an immediate, significant impact on wait lists and patient quality of life. The shift to a greater proportion of joint replacements performed as day surgeries may have an effect on patient outcomes as well shifts in access to care. It will be important to continue monitor patient outcomes following day surgery and the impact on patients for which day surgery was not an option

Impact relief ability of Metal-on-Metal artificial hip joint with multi-garter spring using drop impact tester for practical use. Toshiaki Kaneeda, Xinming Zhao and Hiroshi Matsuura. Metal-on-metal (MoM) joints can provide better wear properties than hard-on-polymer joints, leading to reducing osteolysis. However during gait, MoM hip joints have no material to relieve impact. These impacts can cause severe pain in postoperative patients. Kaneeda proposed double-shell MoM artificial hip joints in which multi garter springs were inserted between the inner and outer acetabular shell as an impact relief device. The proposed double-shell metal-on-metal artificial hip joint is composed of two layers, as shown in Fig. 11). A garter spring is usually used when by loading and a compression stress from the outside to the center axis. In the model testing for garter spring, it is demonstrated that garter spring had impact relief ability, then using dual garter springs could lead to better impact relief ability than single one2). In this work, the impact relief ability of model hip joint were investigated by using the Instron CEAST 9340 machine as shown in Fig. 2. The machine is a floor standing impact system designed to deliver 0.30–405J of energy and equipped with precise locating system for height. A holding device of double-shell cup was made to fix the right position. A shape of drop impact weight was modified for this experiment. The model hip joint was applied vertical load over 6000N, which is estimated to be equal to maximum vertical load during jumping. The ability in the case of single garter spring and dual garter springs was evaluated in the model hip joint, comparing with UHMWPE liner in the same size of femur head. Each testing was conducted 10 times. Fig. 3 shows load-time curve detected. From the results, it can be seen that in both case Load L gradually rise with Time T, then reach maximum values, finally L gently drop: maximum impact load as well as maximum impact load arriving time also presented nearly the same values. Much differences in shape of the curve between model hip joint with dual garter springs and UHMWPE liner could not be recognized. The model hip joint with dual garter springs may has enough impact relief ability

Implant-related infection is one of the leading reasons for failure in orthopaedics and trauma, and results in high social and economic costs. Various antibacterial coating technologies have proven to be safe and effective both in preclinical and clinical studies, with post-surgical implant-related infections reduced by 90% in some cases, depending on the type of coating and experimental setup used. Economic assessment may enable the cost-to-benefit profile of any given antibacterial coating to be defined, based on the expected infection rate with and without the coating, the cost of the infection management, and the cost of the coating. After reviewing the latest evidence on the available antibacterial coatings, we quantified the impact caused by delaying their large-scale application. Considering only joint arthroplasties, our calculations indicated that for an antibacterial coating, with a final user’s cost price of €600 and able to reduce post-surgical infection by 80%, each year of delay to its large-scale application would cause an estimated 35 200 new cases of post-surgical infection in Europe, equating to additional hospital costs of approximately €440 million per year. An adequate reimbursement policy for antibacterial coatings may benefit patients, healthcare systems, and related research, as could faster and more affordable regulatory pathways for the technologies still in the pipeline. This could significantly reduce the social and economic burden of implant-related infections in orthopaedics and trauma. Cite this article: C. L. Romanò, H. Tsuchiya, I. Morelli, A. G. Battaglia, L. Drago. Antibacterial coating of implants: are we missing something? Bone Joint Res 2019;8:199–206. DOI: 10.1302/2046-3758.85.BJR-2018-0316

In 2017, the British Society for Children’s Orthopaedic Surgery engaged the profession and all relevant stakeholders in two formal research prioritization processes. In this editorial, we describe the impact of this prioritization on funding, and how research in children’s orthopaedics, which was until very recently a largely unfunded and under-investigated area, is now flourishing. Establishing research priorities was a crucial step in this process. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2024;106-B(5):422–424

Neoangiogenesis drives the replacement of mineralised cartilage by trabecular bone during bone growth regulated by molecules like e.g. VEGF, OPG and RANKL. The Heparan sulfate proteoglycan Syndecan-1 (Sdc1) plays a role in the interaction of osteoclasts and osteoblasts and the development of blood vessels. We expected Sdc1 to have an influence on bone structure and vessel development. Therefore, bone structure and angiogenesis at the growth plate in mice was compared and the influence of Syndecan-1 deficiency was characterised. Animals: Femura of male and female C57BL/6 WT (5♀, 6♂) and Sdc1-/- (9♀, 5♂) mice were used for native bone analysis at 4 month age. Histology: Bone structure was analysed using microCT scans with a resolution of 9µm. Vascularisation was visualised using an anti-Endomucin antibody in 80µm thick cryosections. In vitro angiogenesis: Bone marrow isolates were used to generate endothelial progenitor cells by sequential cultivation on fibronectin. Microvessel development was analysed 4h after plating on matrigel. Bone structure in male Sdc1 deficient mice was significantly reduced compare to male WT, whereas female mice of both genotypes did not differ. Sdc1 deficient mice at the age of 4 month showed a high decrease in the number of vessel bulbs at the chondro-osseous border (growth plate) compared to WT mice. However, no sex related differences were shown. Quantification of microvessel outgrowth of endothelial cells revealed a decreased amount of sprouting, but increased length of microvessels of Sdc1-/- cells compared to WT. Syndecan-1 has a significant impact on neoangiogenesis at the chondro-osseous border of the native bone, but the impact of Syndecan-1 deficiency on the loss of bone structure was significantly higher in male mice. This emphasises the importance to further characterise the function of Syndecan-1 regulated processes during enchondral ossification in a sex dependent manner

Aims. Deprivation underpins many societal and health inequalities. COVID-19 has exacerbated these disparities, with access to planned care falling greatest in the most deprived areas of the UK during 2020. This study aimed to identify the impact of deprivation on patients on growing waiting lists for planned care. Methods. Questionnaires were sent to orthopaedic waiting list patients at the start of the UK’s first COVID-19 lockdown to capture key quantitative and qualitative aspects of patients’ health. A total of 888 respondents were divided into quintiles, with sampling stratified based on the Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD); level 1 represented the ‘most deprived’ cohort and level 5 the ‘least deprived’. Results. The least deprived cohort were older (mean 65.95 years (SD 13.33)) than the most deprived (mean 59.48 years (SD 13.85)). Mean symptom duration was lower in the least deprived areas (68.59 months (SD 112.26)) compared to the most deprived (85.85 months (SD 122.50)). Mean pain visual analogue scores (VAS) were poorer in the most compared to the least deprived cohort (7.11 (SD 2.01) vs 5.99 (SD 2.57)), with mean mood scores also poorer (6.06 (SD 2.65) vs 4.71 (SD 2.78)). The most deprived areas exhibited lower mean quality of life (QoL) scores than the least (0.37 (SD 0.30) vs 0.53 (SD 0.31)). QoL findings correlated with health VAS and Generalized Anxiety Disorder 2-item (GAD2) scores, with the most deprived areas experiencing poorer health (health VAS 50.82 (SD 26.42) vs 57.29 (SD 24.19); GAD2: 2.94 (SD 2.35) vs 1.88 (SD 2.07)). Least-deprived patients had the highest self-reported activity levels and lowest sedentary cohort, with the converse true for patients from the most deprived areas. Conclusion. The most deprived patients experience poorer physical and mental health, with this most adversely impacted by lengthy waiting list delays. Interventions to address inequalities should focus on prioritizing the most deprived. Cite this article: Bone Jt Open 2022;3(10):777–785

Abstract. MAGnetic Expansion Control (MAGEC) rods are used in the surgical treatment of children with early onset scoliosis. The magnetically controlled lengthening mechanism enables rod distractions without the need for repeated invasive surgery. The CE certification of these devices was suspended in March 2021 due, primarily, to performance evidence gaps in the documents provided by the manufacturer to regulators and notified bodies. MAGEC rods are therefore not permitted for use in countries requiring CE marking. This was a survey of 18 MAGEC rod surgeons in the UK about their perception of the impact of the CE suspension on the clinical management of their patients. Unsurprisingly, virtually all perceived a negative impact, reflecting the complexity of this patient group. Reassuringly, these surgeons are highly experienced in alternative treatment methods. Cite this article: Bone Jt Open 2022;3(2):155–157

The objectives of this study are to evaluate the impact of the CoVID-19 pandemic on the development of relevant emerging digital healthcare trends and to explore which digital healthcare trend does the health industry need most to support HCPs. A web survey using 39 questions facilitating Five-Point Likert scales was performed from 1.8.2020 – 31.10.2020. Of 260 participants invited, 90 participants answered the questionnaire. The participants were located in the Hospital/HCP sector in 11.9%, in other healthcare sectors in 22.2%, in the pharmaceutical sector in 11.1%, in the medical device and equipment industry in 43.3%. The Five-Point Likert scales were in all cases fashioned as from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). As the top 3 most impacted digital health care trends strongly impacted by CoVID-19, respondents named:. - remote management of patients by telemedicine, mean answer 4.44. - shared data governance under patient control, mean answer 3.80. - new virtual interaction between HCP´s and medical industry, mean answer 3.76. Respondents were asked which level of readiness of the healthcare system currently possess to cope with the current trend impacted by CoVID-19. - Digital and efficient healthcare logistics, mean answer 1.54. - Integrated health care, mean answer 1.73. - Use of big data and artificial intelligence, mean answer 2.03. Asked if collaborative research in the form of digital data platforms for research data sharing and increasing collaboration with multi-centric consortia would have a positive impact on the healthcare sector, the agreement was high with a value of mean 4.10 on the scale. We can conclude that the impact of COVID-19 appears to be a high agreement of necessary advances in digitalization in the health care sector and in the collaboration of HCPs with the health care industry. Health care professional are unsure, in how far the national health care sector is capable of transformation in healthcare logistics and integrated health care

Research into COVID-19 has been rapid in response to the dynamic global situation, which has resulted in heterogeneity of methodology and the communication of information. Adherence to reporting standards would improve the quality of evidence presented in future studies, and may ensure that findings could be interpreted in the context of the wider literature. The COVID-19 pandemic remains a dynamic situation, requiring continued assessment of the disease incidence and monitoring for the emergence of viral variants and their transmissibility, virulence, and susceptibility to vaccine-induced immunity. More work is needed to assess the long-term impact of COVID-19 infection on patients who sustain a hip fracture. The International Multicentre Project Auditing COVID-19 in Trauma & Orthopaedics (IMPACT) formed the largest multicentre collaborative audit conducted in orthopaedics in order to provide an emergency response to a global pandemic, but this was in the context of many vital established audit services being disrupted at an early stage, and it is crucial that these resources are protected during future health crises. Rapid data-sharing between regions should be developed, with wider adoption of the revised 2022 Fragility Fracture Network Minimum Common Data Set for Hip Fracture Audit, and a pragmatic approach to information governance processes in order to facilitate cooperation and meta-audit. This editorial aims to: 1) identify issues related to COVID-19 that require further research; 2) suggest reporting standards for studies of COVID-19 and other communicable diseases; 3) consider the requirement of new risk scores for hip fracture patients; and 4) present the lessons learned from IMPACT in order to inform future collaborative studies. Cite this article: Bone Joint Res 2022;11(6):342–345

Background and purpose. The two most common complications of femoral impaction bone grafting are femoral fracture and massive implant subsidence. We investigated fracture forces and implant subsidence rates in embalmed human femurs undergoing impaction grafting. The study consisted of two arms, the first examining the force at which femoral fracture occurs in the embalmed human femur, and the second examining whether significant graft implant/subsidence occurs following impaction at a set force at two different impaction frequencies. Methods. Using a standardized impaction grafting technique with modifications, an initial group of 17 femurs underwent complete destructive impaction testing, allowing sequentially increased, controlled impaction forces to be applied until femoral fracture occurred. A second group of 8 femurs underwent impaction bone grafting at constant force, at an impaction frequency of 1 Hz or 10 Hz. An Exeter stem was cemented into the neomedullary canals. These constructs underwent subsidence testing simulating the first 2 months of postoperative weight bearing. Results. No femur fractured below an impaction force of 0.5 kN. 15/17 of the femurs fractured at or above 1.6 kN of applied force. In the second group of 8 femurs, all of which underwent femoral impaction grafting at 1.6 kN, there was no correlation between implant subsidence and frequency of impaction. Average subsidence was 3.2 (1–9) mm. Interpretation. It is possible to calculate a force below which no fracture occurs in the embalmed human femur undergoing impaction grafting. Higher impaction frequency at constant force did not reduce rates of implant subsidence in this experiment

It is not unusual for patients prior to their total hip arthroplasty (THA) to indicate that their symptoms worsen with certain meteorological conditions. However, the prevalence and evolution of weather-related pain (WRP) following THA remain poorly understood. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of WRP both before and after primary THA, to assess the impact of THA on pre-existing WRP, and to identify potential risk factors associated with WRP. An in-person survey was conducted on 442 primary THAs, in 327 consecutive patients at the time of their postoperative follow-up. Each patient was assessed using a questionnaire specifically designed to address weather-related joint pain before and after their THA. The clinical evaluation included patient-reported outcome scores (PROMS). Preoperatively, 17% of THA hips experienced WRP, with 71% achieving complete resolution postoperatively (p < 0.001). In patients with WRP in multiple joints and their hip, the THA failed to alleviate the WRP in 31% of the cases. In addition, 8% of the THA patients developed de-novo WRP after surgery. Although the overall prevalence of WRP in hips post-THA was 12%, the prevalence was 29% in hips with WRP preoperatively and 31% in the hips of patients with WRP in multiple joints as well as their hip. WRP in other joints, the initial diagnosis, body mass index (BMI), and age were correlated with WRP following THA. WRP is not uncommon prior to and after THA. Although THA can effectively alleviate WRP in specific patient populations, it does not universally eliminate preoperative WRP or prevent the emergence of new WRP after surgery

The covid-19 pandemic had a great impact in the daily clinical and surgical practice. Concerning patients with a femoral neck fracture, there is the need of a negative Sars-CoV-2 test or an established isolation period for the positive cases, pre-operatively. The goal of this study was to evaluate the impact of the pandemic in the management of patients with femoral neck fractures, who were submitted to surgical treatment with hemiarthroplasty, in our hospital. A retrospective, observational study was performed, analysing the patients with femoral neck fractures submitted to hip hemiarthroplasty, during the years 2019 (before the pandemic) and 2020 (first year of the pandemic). We analysed the first 5 patients operated in each month of the mentioned years. We analysed 56 and 60 patients submitted to surgery in the years 2019 and 2020, respectively. The inpatient days were, in average, 14.1 and 13.1. Patients were operated, in average, 3.0 and 3.8 days after admission (corrected to 2.5 and 3.6 days if the time of discontinuation of anticoagulants or antiplatelets needed before surgery is deducted). There were peri-operative complications in 53.6% and 46.7% of the patients, in 2019 and 2020 respectively. The most common complication in both groups was a low postoperative haemoglobin level needing red blood cell transfusion. One-year postoperative mortality rate was 17.9% and 13.3%, respectively. Despite the changes triggered by the new pandemic, there was an overall maintenance of the quality of the management of these patients, with only a slight increase in the interval between admission and surgery. Some of the remaining variables even showed an improvement when comparing the two groups of patients. Nevertheless, it is important to mention that there were patients infected with Covid-19 who died before being submitted to surgery, therefore not being present in these statistics

There has been a significant increase in waiting times for elective surgical procedures in orthopaedic surgery as a result of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. As per the hospital policy, patients awaiting elective surgery for more than 52 weeks were offered a consultant-led harm review. The aim of this study was to objectively assess the impact of this service on the field of foot and ankle surgery. The data from harm review clinics at a District General Hospital related to patients waiting to undergo elective foot and ankle procedures in the year 2021 (wait time of more than 52 weeks) were assessed. Clinical data points like change in diagnosis, need for further investigations, and patients being taken off the waiting list were reviewed. The effect of the waiting time on patients’ mental health and their perception of the service was assessed as well. A total of 72 patients awaiting foot and ankle procedures for more than 52 weeks were assessed as a part of the harm review service. It was noted that 25% of patients found that their symptoms had worsened while 66.1% perceived them to be unchanged. Twelve patients (16.9%) were sent for updated investigations. Twenty-one patients (29.5%) were taken off the waiting lists for various reasons with the most common one being other pressing health concerns; 9% of patients affirmed that the wait for surgery had a significant negative impact on their mental health. This study concludes that the harm review service is a useful programme as it helps guide changes in the diagnosis and clinical picture. The service is found to be valuable by most patients, and its impact on the service specialities and multiple centres could be further assessed to draw broad conclusions

Aim. Two-stage replacement is a frequent procedure in patients with chronic PJI. However, results in the literature after this procedure differ, ranging from 54% to 100% of infection eradication. Positive cultures at reimplantation, when performing the second stage, are perceived as a risk factor for reinfection. This study aims to determine the impact of positive cultures during the second stage on the outcome of patients undergoing a 2-stage septic replacement and the impact of antibiotic holidays between the first and the second stage. Method. We systematically searched four databases from inception to May 31, 2022. We combined terms related to PJI, joint replacement and culture results. We analysed the risk of failure when positive cultures at second stage and performed a subgroup analysis by antibiotic holiday period. Results. We included 24 studies with 2387 patients of which 432 had positive cultures during second stage (18.09%). Global failure rate was 18.01% (430 patients). When dividing failure by culture results during second stage, we found that failure in positive group was 37.01% (161/432 patients) and failure in negative group was 13.7% (269/1953 patients). In the meta-analysis (MA) the odds ratio (OR) was 4.047 (95% CI: 2.954–5.544). When performing the subgroup analysis by antibiotic holidays we found that the rate of positive cultures without and with holidays was 21.3% and 16.05%, respectively. Failure rate without holidays was 15% (90/600 patients) and with holidays was 17.3% (202/1165 patients) (p=0.21). Failure in each group was higher when cultures were positive (without holidays, 25% vs 12.2%, p=0.0003, and with holidays 41.1% vs 12.7%, p<0.0001). In the MA we found that those studies in which antibiotic holiday was reported had higher risk of failure when cultures were positive during second stage (OR 4.798 95%IC 3.142–7.325). When studies reported no antibiotic holidays also had a higher risk of failure when cultures where positive (OR 2.225 95%CI 1.103–4.489), though it was lower. Conclusions. There exists a higher risk of failure after a two-stage septic replacement when cultures are positive during reimplantation. Patients who followed no antibiotic holidays or antibiotic holidays before reimplantation have similar failure rate when cultures are negative. In both groups they have a higher risk of failure when cultures are positive, having higher risk those positive patients in the antibiotic holidays group. Therefore, importance in detecting these patients before reimplantation is crucial to ensure higher survival rates

The ability of the body to constantly maintain metabolism homeostasis while fulling the heightened energy and macromolecule demand is crucial to ensure successful tissue healing outcomes. Studies investigating the local metabolic environment during healing are scarce to date. Here, using Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) as a study model, we investigate the impact of metabolism dysregulation on scaffold-guided large-volume bone regeneration. Our study treated wild-type or T2D rats with 5 mm critical-sized femoral defects with 3D-printed polycaprolactone (PCL) scaffolds with 70% porosity. Metabolomics was leveraged for a holistic view of metabolism alteration as healing progress and correlated to regenerated bone tissue volume and quality assessed using micro-computed tomography (µ-CT), histology, and immunohistology. Semi-targeted metabolomics analysis indicated dysregulation in the glycolysis and TCA cycle – the main energy production pathways, in T2D compared to healthy animals. The abundance of metabolites substrates, i.e., amino acids – for protein/ extracellular matrix synthesis was also affected in T2D. Tissue-level metabolites observations aligned with morphological observation with less newly formed bone observed in T2D than wild-type rats. This study enlightens the metabolism landscape during scaffold-guided large-volume bone regeneration in wild-type vs. T2D to further guide the personalization of the scaffold to drive successful regeneration