Acute multiligament knee injuries (MLKI) are rare, high energy traumatic injuries associated with an increased risk of lower limb complications. The objectives of this study were to investigate the adequacy of clinical assessment for neurovascular status, compartment syndrome, and deep vein thrombosis in the emergency department (ED) following acute MLKI. The authors conducted a retrospective case note review of 19 patients with MLKI presenting at the ED of a Major Trauma Centre during a 7.5-year period between June 2009 and December 2016. MLKIs were diagnosed by MRI or examination under anaesthesia and confirmed intraoperatively. Arterial assessment consisted of documented capillary refill time, dorsalis pedis and posterior tibial pulse assessment (through palpation or Doppler ultrasound), and ankle-brachial pressure index (ABPI) calculation. Neural assessment was adequate if there was documented assessment of both sensory and motor function of the superficial peroneal, deep peroneal and tibial nerves individually. Data was collected for 19 patients (17 male, 2 female). The mean age was 34 (range: 14–61). The most common injury mechanism was road traffic accident. Neurovascular assessment was suboptimal in all categories: only one patient received a satisfactory lower limb neurological assessment and no patients received complete vascular assessments. Neurovascular assessment of multiligament knee injuries was suboptimal. Reasons for this included poor documentation and lack of certain specific clinical assessments, such as ABPI calculation. We propose the introduction of an acute knee injury pro forma highlighting the components of a full lower limb neurovascular examination to rectify this problem.

Introduction: Modular prostheses were first developed for use in total hip arthroplasty (THA) in the 1980s as a potential solution to the problem of leg length inequality. There is much literature discussing the advantages and disadvantages of modularity in THA but there are few studies directly comparing modular and non-modular prostheses and their accuracy in restoring normal anatomy. Our aim was to assess whether modularity in THA improves the restoration of femoral offset and leg length.

Methods: An analysis of post-operative radiographs of 76 patients who underwent THA - 38 using modular and 38 using non-modular prostheses was undertaken. The femoral offset and leg length of the operated and un-operated hip were measured for each patient. Inter-and intra-observer errors were reduced to a minimum. A two-tailed T test was then applied to the data.

Results: Restoration of leg length (to within +/− 10mm of the un-operated hip) was achieved in 81.6% of patients in the non-modular group, compared to 78.9% in the modular group (p=0.60). On average, the modular system increases leg length of the operated hip by 0.64mm compared to the non-modular system, which reduces leg length by 3.76mm (p=0.016). The femoral offset is restored to within 5mm of the un-operated hip in 60.5% of modular THA and in 55.3% using a non-modular prosthesis (P=0.48). On average, modular prostheses increased offset by 0.85mm and non-modular prostheses by 0.15mm (P=0.64).

Discussion: The modular and non-modular hip prostheses are equally successful in achieving restoration of leg length and femoral offset to the pre-pathological state.

Primary hip replacement using separate incisions to install the femoral and acetabular components can minimize surgical trauma, and expedite patient recovery. We examined the acute complications in a consecutive series of 54 primary total hip replacements performed with this technique.

The series included all patients undergoing a primary total hip replacement for degenerative arthritis. Un cemented components were implanted in each case; with the first 23 hips done with a proximally coated femoral implant; the next 15 with a fully coated femoral implant and the remaining 16 receiving a proximally coated wedge-shaped implant that relied on mediolateral press fit in the metaphyseal femur. Identical rehabilitation protocols were used in all cases. No particular attempt was made to discharge any patient early from the hospital. Results were reviewed at 3 months after surgery.

Sonny Bal MD, Doug Haltom MD, Matthew Barrett MD

The two-incision hip replacement is a technically demanding procedure. Significant complications can occur with this approach. Attention to several technical details, experience, and choice of implant affected the incidence of complications in our series. These data will be of interest to anyone contemplating adoption of this technique.