Aims

During the COVID-19 pandemic, drilling has been classified as an aerosol-generating procedure. However, there is limited evidence on the effects of bone drilling on splatter generation. Our aim was to quantify the effect of drilling on splatter generation within the orthopaedic operative setting.

The National Hip Fracture Database (NHFD) is a clinically led web based audit used to inform national policy guidelines. The aim of this audit was to establish the accuracy of completion of NHFD v13.0 theatre collection sheets, identify common pitfalls and areas of good practice, whilst raising awareness of the importance of accuracy of this data and the manner in which it reflects performance of CAH Trauma & Orthopaedic unit in relation to national guidelines. Our aim was to improve completion up to >80% by the operating surgeon and improve overall accuracy. The methodology within both cycles of the audit were identical. It involved reviewing the NHFD V13.0 completed by the operating surgeon and cross-checking their accuracy against clinical notes, operation notes, imaging, anaesthetic charts and A&E admission assessment. Following completion of cycle 1 these results were presented, and education surrounding V13.0 was provided, at the monthly trust audit meeting. At this point we introduced a sticker onto the pre-operative checklist for Hip fractures. This included time of admission and reason for delay. We then completed a re-audit. Cycle-1 included 25 operations, 56% (n=14) had a completed V13.0 form. Of these 21% (n=3) were deemed to be 100% accurate. Cycle-2 included 31 operations (between April – June 21) 81% (n=25) had a completed intra-operative from and showed an increase in accuracy to 56% (n=14). Through raising awareness, education and our interventions we have seen a significant improvement in the completion and accuracy of v13.0. Although 100% accuracy was not achieved its clear that education and intervention will improve compliance over time. Through the interventions that we have implemented we have shown that it is possible to improve completion and accuracy of the NHFD V13.0 theatre collection sheet locally and feel this could be implemented nationally

Introduction. Developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) can be managed through a variety of different surgical approaches from closed reduction to simple tenotomies of the adductors and through to osteotomies of the femur and pelvis. The rate of redislocation following open reduction for the treatment of DDH may be affected by the number of intraoperative surgeons. Materials and methods. We performed a retrospective cohort analysis of 109 patients who underwent open reduction with or without bony osteotomies as a primary intervention between 2013 and 2023. We measured the number of redislocations and number of operating surgeons (either 1 or 2 operating surgeons) to assess for any correlation. 109 patients were identified and corresponded to 121 primary hip operations, the mean age at operation was 82.2 months (range 6 to 739 months). During the 10-year period 7 hip redislocations were identified. Results. Of the 7 redislocated hips, the rate of redislocation was found to be higher in patients who had undergone surgery via a single surgeon (5 redislocations) compared to the dual surgeon cohort (2 redislocations), though this did not reach statistical significance. Redislocation was more common in female patients and right laterality 7.2% and 8.7% respectively, though this again did not reach statistical significance. Conclusions. We conclude that a single surgeon approach, female gender and right laterality are potential risk factors for redislocation following open reduction. Further investigation utilising a larger sample size would be required to appropriately explore these potential risk factors further

Climbers and mountaineers will present to arthroplasty surgeons in need of hip replacement surgeries. There is a lack of guidance for both parties with a paucity in the literature. Climbing is often considered a high-risk activity to perform with a total hip replacement, due to the positions the hip is weighted in, and the potential austere environment in which an injury may occur. The aim was to assess levels of climbing and mountaineering possible following hip arthroplasty, and any factors affecting these levels. Ethical approval was obtained from the University of Central Lancashire. An anonymous online questionnaire was disseminated via email, social media and word-of-mouth to include all climbers, hill-walkers or mountaineers across the UK. This was used to collect climbing and mountaineering ability at various timepoints, along with scores such as the Oxford Hip Score and UCLA Score. The Kappa statistic was used to assess for correlations. Of the responders, 28 had undergone right hip arthroplasty surgery, with 11 having left hips and 22 receiving bilateral hips. A total of 67 of the replaced hips were total hip replacements, with 16 having undergone hip resurfacing. There is a fair agreement in level of climbing ability 3 months pre- and 3 months post-operatively (kappa=0.287, p<0.001), and a substantial agreement between 1 year post-operatively and currently for both climbing (kappa=0.730, p<0.001) and mountaineering (kappa=0.684, p<0.001). Impressively, 17 participants are climbing at more than E1 trad or 6c sport at one or more time points post operatively, which is regarded as an advanced level within the climbing community. Out of those 17 participants, 8 were climbing at this level within 3 months post-operatively. The level of climbing possible following hip arthroplasty surgery is above what is expected and perhaps desired by the operating surgeon. It is essential to take the individual patient into account when planning an operative intervention such as arthroplasty. The one year post-operative time point is highly predictive of longer term outcomes for both climbing and mountaineering

Abstract. Aim. To identify the difference in infection rates in ankle fracture surgery in Laminar and Non Laminar flow theatres. Background. The infection rates in ankle fracture surgery range between 1–8%. The risk factors include diabetes, alcoholism, smoking, open fractures, osteoporotic fractures in the elderly, and high BMI. Laminar flow has been shown to reduce infections in Arthroplasty surgeries. Therefore, it has become mandatory to use in those procedures. However, it's not the same with ankle fracture surgery. Materials and Methods. It was a retrospective study. The data was collected over a 5 year period between 2015 and 2020. It was collected from Blue spier, Panda, and theatre register. There were 536 cases in each group i.e. Laminar flow (LF) and Non-Laminar flow (NLF). The variables looked at were: 1. Superficial and deep infection rates in LF and NLF theatres, 2. The number of open fractures, 3. Type of ankle fractures (Bimalleolar, Trimalleolar), 4. The number of infected cases who had external fixation prior to ORIF, 5. The number of cases that had Plastics reconstructive procedures, and 6. The grade of the operating surgeon. Conclusions. Superficial infection rate between NLF and LF was not significantly different 11.5% vs 10.3%. The deep infection rate was statistically significant against NLF theatres at 6.34% vs 4.29%. The open fracture was a major contributing factor for deep SSI (14.7% vs 26%). The application of an external fixator in LF and NLF theatres did not alter the infection. rates. Bimalleolar fractures were associated with a higher infection rate

Alcohol hand rubs, endorsed by WHO and NICE guidelines, are integral to modern surgical practices. Our objective was to assess how different scrubbing methods impact overall water usage by the surgical team, shedding light on variations among team members and their environmental implications. Over three consecutive arthroplasty lists spanning a week, water usage during scrubbing was observed for the operating team. Blinding all team members, including the anesthetist, consultant surgeon, orthopaedic registrar, orthopaedic SHO, and scrub nurse, during water usage calculations was implemented. Automated taps, using motion sensors, posed a challenge due to variable water quantity, necessitating water flow calculations per sensor movement. The senior surgeon, with over 20 years of experience, follows a traditional approach, starting with a morning prescrub and using an alcohol tub for each case, except when hands are soiled. We observed a total of 14 cases of lower limb primary arthroplasty. The cumulative water usage for scrubbing by the entire team was 193 liters, yielding a mean of 13.8 liters (±1.85) per case. The anaesthetist demonstrated the most conservative water usage, utilizing a total of 11.85 liters with a mean of 0.84 liters per case. Notably, alcohol rub was employed for half of the observed time, contributing to this efficient use. The senior operating surgeon used a total of 15.6 liters, averaging 1.1 liters per case. In contrast, the SHO and the registrar exhibited the highest water consumption, totaling 121.6 liters and yielding a mean of 5.7 liters per case. The nurses’ collective water usage for scrubbing amounted to 44.8 liters. Adopting alcohol rub, as endorsed by WHO, results in a remarkable 10-fold reduction in water usage, aligning with global health guidelines. This highlights significant potential for resource conservation in surgical procedures, presenting a practical and environmentally conscious approach to surgical scrubbing practices

Swelling following an ankle fracture is commonly believed to preclude surgical fixation, delaying operative treatment to allow the swelling to subside. This is in an attempt to achieve better soft tissue outcomes. We aim to identify whether pre-operative ankle swelling influences postoperative wound complications following ankle fracture surgery. This is a prospective cohort study of 80 patients presenting to a tertiary referral centre with operatively managed malleolar ankle fractures. Ankle swelling was measured visually and then quantitatively using the validated ‘Figure-of-eight’ technique. Follow-up was standardised at 2, 6, and 12 weeks post-operatively. Wound complications, patient co-morbidities, operative time, surgeon experience, and hospital stay duration were recorded. The complication rate was 8.75% (n=7), with 1 deep infection requiring operative intervention and all others resolving with oral antibiotics and wound cares. There was no significant difference in wound complication rates associated with quantitative ankle swelling (p=0.755), visual assessment of ankle swelling (p=0.647), or time to operative intervention (p=0.270). Increasing age (p=0.006) and female gender (p=0.049) had a significantly greater probability of wound complications. However, BMI, smoking status, level of the operating surgeon, and tourniquet time were not significantly different. Visual assessment of ankle swelling had a poor to moderate correlation to ‘Figure-of-eight’ ankle swelling measurements ICC=0.507 (0.325- 0.653). Neither ankle swelling nor time to surgery correlates with an increased risk of postoperative wound complication in surgically treated malleolar ankle fractures. Increasing patient age and female gender had a significantly greater probability of wound infection, irrespective of swelling. Visual assessment of ankle swelling is unreliable for quantifying true ankle swelling. Operative intervention at any time after an ankle fracture, irrespective of swelling, is safe and showed no better or worse soft tissue outcomes than those delayed for swelling

Primary total hip replacement (THR) is a successful and common operation which orthopaedic trainees must demonstrate competence in prior to completion of training. This study aimed to determine the impact of operating surgeon grade and level of supervision on the incidence of 1-year patient mortality and all-cause revision following elective primary THR in a large UK training centre. National Joint Registry (NJR) data for all elective primary THR performed in a single University Teaching Hospital from 2005–2020 were used, with analysis performed on the 15-year dataset divided into 5-year temporal periods (B1 2005–2010, B2 2010–2015, B3 2015–2020). Outcome measures were mortality and revision surgery at one year, in relation to lead surgeon grade, and level of supervision for trainee-led operations. 9999 eligible primary THR were undertaken, of which 5526 (55.3%) were consultant led (CL), and 4473 (44.7%) trainees led (TL). Of TL, 2404 (53.7%) were non-consultant supervised (TU), and 2069 (46.3%) consultant supervised (TS). The incidence of 1-year patient mortality was 2.05% (n=205), and all-cause revision was 1.11% (n=111). There was no difference in 1-year mortality between TL (n=82, 1.8%) and CL (n=123, 2.2%) operations (p=0.20, OR 0.78, CI 0.55–1.10). The incidence of 1-year revision was not different for TL (n=56, 1.3%) and CL (n=55, 1.0%) operations (p=0.15, OR 1.37, CI 0.89–2.09). Overall, there was no temporal change for either outcome measure between TL or CL operations. A significant increase in revision within 1-year was observed in B3 between TU (n=17, 2.7%) compared to CL (n=17, 1.0%) operations (p=0.005, OR 2.81, CI 1.35–5.87). We found no difference in 1-year mortality or 1-year all-cause revision rate between trainee-led primary THR and consultant-led operations over the entire fifteen-year period. However, unsupervised trainee led THR in the most recent 5-year block (2015–2020) has a significantly increased risk of early revision, mainly due to instability and prosthetic joint infection. This suggests that modern surgical training is having a detrimental effect on THR patient outcomes. More research is needed to understand the reasons if this trend is to be reversed

Introduction. A careful evaluation of new technologies such as robotic-arm assisted total knee arthroplasty (RATKA) is important to understand the reduction in variability among users. While there is data reviewing the use of RATKA, the data is typically presented for experienced TKA surgeons. Therefore, the purpose of this cadaveric study was to compare the variability for several surgical factors between RATKA and manual TKA (MTKA) for surgeons undergoing orthopaedic fellowship training. Methods. Two operating surgeons undergoing orthopaedic fellowship training, each prepared six cadaveric legs for cruciate retaining TKA, with MTKA on one side (3 knees) and RATKA on the other (3 knees). These surgeons were instructed to execute a full RATKA or MTKA procedure through trialing and achieve a balanced knee. The number of recuts and final poly thickness was intra-operatively recorded. After completion of bone cuts, the operating surgeons were asked if they would perform a cementless knee based on their perception of final bone cut quality as well as rank the amount of mental effort exerted for required surgical tasks. Two additional fellowship trained orthopaedic assessment surgeons, blinded to the method of preparation, each post-operatively graded the resultant bone cuts of the tibia and femur according to the perceived percentage of cut planarity (grade 1, <25%; grade 2, 25–50%; grade 3, 51–75%; and grade 4, >76%). The grade for medial and lateral tibial bone cuts was averaged and a Wilcoxon signed rank test was used for statistical comparisons. Assessment surgeons also determined whether the knee was balanced in flexion and extension. A balanced knee was defined as relatively equal medial and lateral gaps under relatively equal applied load. Results. Operating surgeons used 9mm polys in all 6 RATKA specimens, and 3/6 MTKA specimens. Operating surgeons said they would do cementless in 4/6 RATKA specimens, and 1/6 MTKA specimen. In MTKA specimens, 5/6 cases had a recut on the tibia or femur to obtain knee balance. With RATKA, 1/6 cases had a recut on the tibia. With RATKA, operating surgeons performed a pre-resection balancing workflow, and made plan adjustments prior to resection. The operating surgeons reported reduced mental effort when performing bone measurements, tibial bone cutting, knee balancing, trialing, and post-resection adjustments with RATKA compared to MTKA. Mental effort was equivalent during femoral bone cutting between the two procedures and increased for RATKA during initial exposure and retractor setup. Assessment surgeons considered all 6 RATKA and 2/6 MTKA specimens to be balanced. Assessment surgeons assigned RATKA specimens a higher grade for perceived planarity (3.86 vs. 3.48, p=0.03) than MTKA specimens. DISCUSSION. In this cadaveric study, RATKA resulted in a higher usage of minimum poly thickness, greater tendency to want to use cementless components, higher number of balanced knees, higher perceived planarity, lower number of recuts, and reduced mental effort than MTKA cases. RATKA may give users more confidence in performing cementless TKA, especially for novice surgeons. Robotic-arm assisted TKA may allow for reduced surgical variability, which may improve patient outcomes, and should be investigated in a clinical setting

Aims. The aim of this study was to conduct evidence synthesis on the available published literature of the impact of the training status of the operating surgeon (trainee vs. consultant) on the survival and revision rate of primary hip and knee replacements. Patients and Methods. We conducted a systematic review according to Cochrane guidelines. Separate searches were performed for hip and knee replacements, with meta-analysis and presentation of results in parallel. We searched MEDLINE and Embase databases from inception to 17 September 2019 and included controlled trials and cohort studies reporting implant survival estimates, or revision rates of hip and knee replacements according to the grade of the operating surgeon. This study was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42019150494). Results. 8 studies (5 hip papers and 3 knee papers) met the inclusion criteria. There was no significant difference in the survival estimates for total hip replacements (THRs) performed by trainees compared to consultants at 5-years follow-up (97.9% vs 98.1%, p = 0.74). Furthermore, there was no significant difference in the revision rate of THRs performed by trainees and consultants at both 5 and 10-year intervals of follow-up (relative risk [RR]: 5yrs = 0.88 (95% CI: 0.46, 1.70; P = 0.71); 10yrs = 0.68 (95% CI: 0.37, 1.26; P = 0.22)). There was no significant difference in the survival estimates at 10-years for total knee replacements (TKRs) performed by trainees compared to consultants (96.2% vs 95.1%, p=0.49). Conclusion. There is no evidence in the existing literature that trainee surgeons have worse outcomes than their consultant colleagues, in terms of the survival, or rate of revision of hip and knee replacements at 5–10 years follow-up. This may mean that there is genuinely no difference or that, in the context of contemporary training programmes, appropriate case-mix selection and supervision of trainees is currently employed

Abstract. Introduction. Minimising postoperative complications and mortality in COVID-19 patients who were undergoing trauma and orthopaedic surgeries is an international priority. Aim was to develop a predictive nomogram for 30-day morbidity/mortality of COVID-19 infection in patients who underwent orthopaedic and trauma surgery during the coronavirus pandemic in the UK in 2020 compared to a similar period in 2019. Secondary objective was to compare between patients with positive PCR test and those with negative test. Methods. Retrospective multi-center study including 50 hospitals. Patients with suspicion of SARS-CoV-2 infection who had underwent orthopaedic or trauma surgery for any indication during the 2020 pandemic were enrolled in the study (2525 patients). We analysed cases performed on orthopaedic and trauma operative lists in 2019 for comparison (4417). Multivariable Logistic Regression analysis was performed to assess the possible predictors of a fatal outcome. A nomogram was developed with the possible predictors and total point were calculated. Results. Of the 2525 patients admitted for suspicion of COVID-19, 658 patients had negative preoperative test, 151 with positive test and 1716 with unknown preoperative COVID-19 status. Preoperative COVID-19 status, sex, ASA grade, urgency and indication of surgery, use of torniquet, grade of operating surgeon and some comorbidities were independent risk factors associated with 30-day complications/mortality. The 2020 nomogram model exhibited moderate prediction ability. In contrast, the prediction ability of total points of 2019 nomogram model was excellent. Conclusions. Nomograms can be used by orthopaedic and trauma surgeons as a practical and effective tool in postoperative complications and mortality risk estimation

Objectives. The PROximal Fracture of the Humerus: Evaluation by Randomisation (PROFHER) trial has recently demonstrated that surgery is non-superior to non-operative treatment in the management of displaced proximal humeral fractures. The objective of this study was to assess current surgical practice in the context of the PROFHER trial in terms of patient demographics, injury characteristics and the nature of the surgical treatment. Methods. A total of ten consecutive patients undergoing surgery for the treatment of a proximal humeral fracture from each of 11 United Kingdom hospitals were retrospectively identified over a 15 month period between January 2014 and March 2015. Data gathered for the 110 patients included patient demographics, injury characteristics, mode of surgical fixation, the grade of operating surgeon and the cost of the surgical implants. Results. A majority of the patients were female (66%, 73 of 110). The mean patient age was 62 years (range 18 to 89). A majority of patients met the inclusion criteria for the PROFHER trial (75%, 83 of 110). Plate fixation was the most common mode of surgery (68%, 75 patients), followed by intramedullary fixation (12%, 13 patients), reverse shoulder arthroplasty (10%, 11 patients) and hemiarthroplasty (7%, eight patients). The consultant was either the primary operating surgeon or supervising the operating surgeon in a large majority of cases (91%, 100 patients). Implant costs for plate fixation were significantly less than both hemiarthroplasty (p < 0.05) and reverse shoulder arthroplasty (p < 0.0001). Implant costs for intramedullary fixation were significantly less than plate fixation (p < 0.01), hemiarthroplasty (p < 0.0001) and reverse shoulder arthroplasty (p < 0.0001). Conclusions. Our study has shown that the majority of a representative sample of patients currently undergoing surgical treatment for a proximal humeral fracture in these United Kingdom centres met the inclusion criteria for the PROFHER trial and that a proportion of these patients may, therefore, have been effectively managed non-operatively. Cite this article: Mr B. J. F. Dean. A review of current surgical practice in the operative treatment of proximal humeral fractures: Does the PROFHER trial demonstrate a need for change? Bone Joint Res 2016;5:178–184. DOI: 10.1302/2046-3758.55.2000596

Cemented acetabular components commonly have a long posterior wall (LPW). Alternative components have a hooded or offset reorientating geometry, theoretically to reduce the risk of THR instability. We aimed to determine if cemented acetabular component geometry influences the risk of revision surgery for instability or loosening. The National Joint Registry for England, Wales and Northern Ireland (NJR) dataset was analysed for primary THAs performed between 2003 – 2017. A cohort of 224,874 cemented acetabular components were identified. The effect of acetabular component geometry on the risk of revision for instability or for loosening was investigated using binomial regression adjusting for age, gender, ASA grade, diagnosis, side, institution type, operating surgeon grade, surgical approach, polyethylene crosslinking and head size. A competing risk survival analysis was performed with the competing risks being revision for other indications or death. Among the cohort of subjects included, the distribution of acetabular component geometries was: LPW – 81.2%, hooded – 18.7% and offset reorientating – 0.1%. There were 3,313 (1.47%) revision THAs performed, of which 815 (0.36%) were for instability and 838 (0.37%) were for loosening. Compared to the LPW group, the adjusted subhazard ratio of revision for instability in the hooded group was 2.29 (p<0.001) and 4.12 (p=0.047) in the offset reorientating group. Likewise, the subhazard ratio of revision for loosening was 2.43 (p<0.001) in the hooded group and 11.47 (p<0.001) in the offset reorientating group. A time-varying subhazard ratio of revision for instability (hooded vs LPW) was found, being greatest within the first 6 months. This Registry based study confirms a significantly higher risk of revision THA for instability and for loosening when a cemented hooded or offset reorientating acetabular component is used, compared to an LPW component. Further research is required to clarify if certain patients benefit from the use of hooded or offset reorientating components, but we recommend caution when using such components in routine clinical practice

Noise induced hearing loss (NIHL) is a common cause of preventable deafness in adults and exposure to loud noise at work is a significant risk factor for its development. In order to protect the hearing of workers in the U.K., the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions, established the Control of Noise at Work Regulations (2005). The objectives of this study were to define the levels of noise exposure for the surgeon, assistant, scrub nurse and anaesthetist during total hip and knee arthroplasty surgery. In addition, we sought to determine whether the noise exposure during these procedures reaches or exceeds the action values set out by the U.K. Noise at Work Regulations (2005). To our knowledge no real-time assessment of personal noise exposure has been performed simultaneously on multiple members of the theatre team during arthroplasty surgery. Individual noise exposure during arthroplasty hip and knee surgery was recorded using a personal noise dosemeter system model 22 (DM22) (Pulsar instruments, Filey, U.K.). Recordings were taken real-time during five separate theatre sessions. Each theatre session included two arthroplasty procedures and lasted approximately 4hrs. Personal noise exposure was expressed in terms of peak sound pressure and an average noise exposure over an 8-hour time-period to reflect the noise experienced by the ear over a working day. In all three sessions involving total hip replacement surgery the peak sound pressure, for the operating surgeon, exceeded the exposure action values set out by the U.K. Noise at Work Regulations. Theatre sessions involving total knee replacement surgery did not exceed any exposure action values. The peak sound pressures experienced during total hip replacement surgery are too high and mandate that the surgeon should be provided with appropriate hearing protection. In addition, if the upper exposure action value is routinely exceeded then the theatre should be designated a hearing protection zone

Tranexamic acid (TXA) is an inexpensive antifibrinolytic. Currently there are no national guidelines in the UK that promote the use of TXA in femoral fragility fracture (FFF) management. The aim of the study was to determine whether intra-operative intravenous TXA affects the requirement for post-operative blood transfusion following FFF surgery. A prospective non-randomized case-control study of consecutive FFF admitted to the study centre was performed. 361 patients were included in the study (mean age 81.4yrs; mean BMI 23.5; 73.7% female). TXA was given at the discretion of the operating surgeon, with 178 (49%) patients receiving TXA. Patient demographics, surgical management, peri-operative haemoglobin (Hb) and haematocrit, intravenous TXA use, and requirement for blood transfusion were recorded prospectively. Percentage fall in Hb from preoperative level was calculated at postoperative day one. Calculated-blood-loss (CBL) was determined using the Nadler and Gross formulae. The groups were well matched in terms of patient demographics, injury types and surgical management. The requirement for postoperative blood transfusion was significantly reduced in the TXA group: 15/178 (8.4%) compared to 58/183 (31.7%) (p<0.001; Chi square). TXA significantly reduced both the percentage fall in Hb (mean difference 4.3%, p<0.001) and the CBL (mean difference -222ml, p<0.001). There was no difference in venous thrombosis embolism events between the groups. Intra-operative intravenous TXA during the surgical management of FFF significantly reduced rate of transfusion, CBL and the percentage drop in HB

Introduction. A clinical case of catastrophic ring failure in a 13 year old autistic overweight patient during treatment for tibial lengthening and deformity using a Taylor Spatial Frame is reported. Ring failure was noted during the later stages of bone healing and the frame was removed. The clinical outcome was not affected by the catastrophic ring failure. The photograph of the deformed ring is presented below:. Materials and Methods. The patient's notes and X-rays were reviewed and a macroscopic examination of the deformed ring was performed. Mechanical tests of different Taylor Spatial frame constructs were performed in an attempt to simulate the deformity that was clinically observed. Different constructs of TSF of different ring sizes were fixed to polyurethane cylinders simulating bone, were mechanically tested to failure and load/deflection curves were produced. Results. Macroscopically the ring looked otherwise normal. Gradual mechanical compression tests of Taylor Spatial frame constructs showed that ring deformation increased by increasing the ring diameter and by using jointed rather than full joints without a ring. The ring deformation observed clinically was reproduced at the lab by applying high loads on frame constructs composed of large diameter jointed rings not rigidly fixed to bone. Conclusions. Taylor Spatial frame ring failure during treatment is a serious complication that has not been described in the literature. Possible causes are discussed. Clinicians are advised to use the smaller possible diameter rings. Where large diameter rings are required, these rings should preferably be not jointed. Half rings when used should be carefully and securely joined together by the operating surgeon in order to make a complete ring. For any figures or tables, please contact the authors directly

INTRODUCTION. Determining proper joint tension in reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (rTSA) can be a challenging task for shoulder surgeons. Often, this is a subjective metric learned by feel during fellowship training with no real quantitative measures of what proper tension encompasses. Tension too high can potentially lead to scapular stress fractures and limitation of range of motion (ROM), whereas tension too low may lead to instability. New technologies that detect joint load intraoperatively create the opportunity to observe rTSA joint reaction forces in a clinical setting for the first time. The purpose of this study was to observe the differences in rTSA loads in cases that utilized two different humeral liner sizes. METHODS. Ten different surgeons performed a total of 37 rTSA cases with the same implant system. During the procedure, each surgeon reconstructed the rTSA implants to his or her own preferred tension. A wireless load sensing humeral liner trial (VERASENSE for Equinoxe, OrthoSensor, Dania Beach, FL) was used in lieu of a traditional plastic humeral liner trial to provide real-time load data to the operating surgeon during the procedure. Two humeral liner trial sizes were offered in 38mm and 42mm curvatures and were selected each case based on surgeon preference. To ensure consistent measurements between surgeons, a standardized ROM assessment consisting of four dynamic maneuvers (maximum internal to external rotation at 0°, 45°, and 90° of abduction, and a maximum flexion/extension maneuver) and three static maneuvers (arm overhead, across the body, and behind the back) was completed in each case. Deidentified load data in lbf was collected and sorted based on which size liner was selected. Differences in means for minimum and maximum load values for the four dynamic maneuvers and differences in means for the three static maneuvers were calculated using 2-tailed unpaired t-tests. RESULTS. No significant differences were observed for the flexion/extension maneuver between the 38mm and 42mm liner sizes, but a significant difference was observed for every internal/external rotation assessment at 0°, 45°, and 90° of abduction. No significant differences were observed for the across the body and overhead maneuvers, but a significant difference was observed for the behind the back maneuver (p = 0.015). Standard deviations were pronounced across all maneuvers. CONCLUSION. This study observed significant differences in intraoperative load values in rTSA when comparing different humeral liner sizes. Limitations of this study include the small sample sizes and large standard deviations observed, as well as comparing across multiple patients and multiple surgeons. Area for future work includes comparing load values with postoperative functional results and complication risks for short, midterm, and long-term outcomes in efforts to find the optimal load range for a given patient

Introduction. Dislocated hip hemiarthroplasties (HA) are associated with a 45% revision rate and 40% mortality rate. Implant selection for HA operations vary with no universally accepted implant choice. The WHiTE3 trial suggested older designs such as the Thompson has equitable outcomes to more modern and expensive implants such as the Exeter V40+Unitrax. Our multi-centre consecutive series of NOFs patients treated with HA assesses the impact of surgical and patient factors on dislocation risk. Methods. Medical and radiographic records for patients treated between 1. st. January 2009 and 30. th. September 2017 with a HA at three acute hospitals were reviewed. Implant and dislocation data were recorded. Patient demographics, comorbidities and operation details were extracted from the medical records and NHFD. Patients were excluded if there were no postoperative radiographs or when HA had been performed as a revision procedure. Results. We identified 4305 consecutive patients with 189 excluded. There was no difference in patient characteristics between the hospitals or implant types (p>0.05). Four HA implants were used during the study period; Thompson, Austin-Moore, Furlong and Exeter V40+Unitrax. 63 dislocations were identified (1.5%), median time to dislocation was 24 days. Dislocation rates for Thompson HAs were significantly higher (p=0.004) at 3.7%. No association was demonstrated with cemented versus uncemented, bipolar versus monopolar, fixed versus variable offsets, operating surgeon grade and dislocation rates (p>0.05). Patient factors (preoperative AMTS, postoperative AMTS, preoperative mobility and ASA grade) had no effect on dislocation (p>0.05). Discussion. Our study which is reflective current implant choices, demonstrates that Thompson implants for HA after NOFs have a significantly higher dislocation rates than other common prostheses, and their continued use should be reconsidered. This effect has not been demonstrated in previous studies. Patient, implant construct and surgeon factors had little bearing on the subsequent dislocation rate

Advances in orthopaedic surgery have led to minimally invasive techniques to decrease patient morbidity by minimizing surgical exposure, but also limits direct visualization. This has led to the increased use of intraoperative fluoroscopy for fracture management. Unfortunately, these procedures require the operating surgeon to stay in close proximity to the patient, thus being exposed to radiation scatter. The current National Council on Radiation Protection recommends no more than 50 mSv of radiation exposure to avoid ill-effects. Risks associated with radiation exposure include cataracts, skin, breast and thyroid cancer, and leukemia. Despite radiation protection measures, there is overwhelming evidence of radiation-related diseases in orthopaedic surgeons. The risk of developing cancer (e.g. thyroid carcinoma and breast cancer) is approximately eight times higher than in unexposed workers. Despite this knowledge, there is a paucity of evidence on radiation exposure in orthopaedic surgery residents, therefore the goal of this study is to quantify radiation exposure in orthopaedic surgery residents. We hypothesize that orthopaedic surgery residents are exposed to a significant amount of radiation throughout their training. We specifically aim to: 1) quantify the amount of radiation exposure throughout a Canadian orthopaedic residency training program and 2) determine the variability in resident radiation exposure by rotation assignment and year of training. This ongoing prospective cohort study includes all local orthopaedic surgery residents who meet eligibility criteria. Inclusion criteria: 1) adult residents in an orthopaedic surgery residency program. Exclusion criteria: 1) female residents who are pregnant, and 2) residents in a non-surgical year (i.e. leave of absence, research, Masters/PhD). After completion of informed consent, each eligible resident will wear a dosimeter to measure radiation exposure in a standardized fashion. Dosimeters will be worn on standardized lanyards underneath lead protection in their left chest pocket during all surgeries that require radiation protection. Control dosimeters will be worn on the outside of each resident's scrub cap for comparison. Dosimeter readings will then be reported on a monthly and rotational basis. All data will be collected on a pre-developed case report form. All data will be de-identified and stored on a secure electronic database (REDCap). In addition to monthly and rotational dosimeter readings, residents will also report sex, height, level of training, parental status, and age for secondary subgroup analyses. Residents will also report if they have personalized lead or other protective equipment, including lead glasses. Resident compliance with dosimeter use will be measured by self report of >80% use on operative days. Interim analysis will be performed at the 6-month time point and data collection will conclude at the 1 year time point. Data collection began in July 2018 and interim 6-month results will be available for presentation at the CORA annual meeting in June 2019. This is the first prospective study quantifying radiation exposure in Canadian orthopaedic residents and the results will provide valuable information for all Canadian orthopaedic training programs

To compare the current practice of ACL reconstruction in a District General Hospital against the recently produced BOA best practice guidelines, we have reviewed all ACL reconstructions performed at our institute from 1997 – 2001. We have assessed the interval from injury to reconstruction and the role of pre-operative assessment and education. We have assessed the standard of documentation regarding the in-patient stay and the surgery itself, including the grade of operating surgeon. Post-operatively, we have assessed the position of the grafts radiologically, and whether original levels of sporting activity were regained. The average time from injury to first consultation in an orthopaedic clinic was 23.6 months. In respect of the admission notes, 77% had the history of injury and symptoms documented, and although all had a general pre-operative cardio-respiratory examination documented, none had evidence of examination of the relevant knee joint. Furthermore, none of the patients had the risks and benefits of the procedure documented at admission, and only one patient had been consented by the operating surgeon. Peri-operatively, all patients received both antibiotics and thromboprophylaxis, although only 21% had daily entries in the notes. The average post-operative follow-up was 9.1 months. From this audit of our current practice, we have highlighted the following points :-. There is still an unacceptable delay in the diagnosis of ACL rupture. Documentation must be improved, with regard to admission examination, daily note entries and recording the findings at EUA. The specific risks and benefits of surgery must be documented either at out-patient assessment or at the time of consent. Consent is not obtained by the operating surgeon