Total Knee Arthroplasty (TKA) patients may present with effusion, pain, stiffness and functional impairment. A positive metal hypersensitivity (positive LTT) may be an indication for a revision surgery with a custom-made implant devoid of any hypersensitivity-related metal or an implant with the least possible ion content of the metal hypersensitivity, if no custom-made is available. The purpose of the current study is to assess the prevalence of metal hypersensitivity in subjects requiring a primary TKA and assess their early functional outcomes.

We are recruiting 660 subjects admitted for TKA. Subjects are randomly assigned to 2 groups: oxidized zirconium implant group or cobalt-chrome implant group. Functional outcomes and quality of life (QoL) are measured pre operatively, 3, 6 and 12 months post operatively with WHOQOL-BREF (domain1-Physical Health, domain 2- Psychological, domain 3- Social relationships, domain 4-Environment), KSS, KOOS and pain Visual Analog Scale (VAS). LTT and metal ions are evaluated pre operatively and 12 months post-surgery.

One hundred-sixty patients, 98 women, were enrolled in the study. Mean age was 65.6±8.9. Mean follow up (FU) was 7.1±3.8 months. Eighty-one (50.6%) were randomised in the cobalt-chrome group. Infection rate was 1.9%, one patient required debridement. Three patients (1.9%) presented with contracture at three months FU. At 12 months, WHOQOL-BREF domain 1, 2 and 4 improved significantly (p0,05).

Overall, all 160 patients improved their functional outcomes and QoL. At 12 months, VAS scores decreased from 7±2.06 at baseline to 1.95±2.79. Furthermore, the high prevalence of positive LTT (27/65) do not seem to affect early functional outcomes and QoL on patients that may have received a potential implant with hypersensitivity (18/27).

Blood loss is a major concern in total knee arthroplasty (TKA) along with postoperative knee function. The present study explores the impact of tourniquet and closed-suction drains on blood loss as well as knee function in TKA.

A prospective clinical trial was conducted on 111 patients admitted for TKA. Subjects were divided into three groups based on duration of tourniquet use (T+: whole-course tourniquet, T-: cementation only tourniquet) and usage of closed-suction drain (D+: drain use, D-: no drain). Thirty-six subjects were included in group T+D+, 42 in T-D+ and 33 in T-D-. Data from study population was analysed for pre and post-operative hemoglobin level (Hb), perioperative and total blood loss, blood transfusion rates, knee range of motion (ROM), and pain level assessment. Direct and indirect costs associated to nursing time and drains were calculated. Results are presented in mean ± SD.

No statistically significant differences were observed among the three groups (T+D+, T-D+ and T-D-) concerning total blood lost (calculated using Gross' formula), Hb levels over the first six postoperative weeks, blood transfusion rates and intra-articular hematomas. Intraoperative bleeding was significantly reduced in T+ subjects compared to T- subjects (100 ± 88 mL vs. 279 ± 235 mL respectively, p < 0.001), yet length of surgery was unaffected by the different tourniquet inflation strategies. Hidden blood loss was lower in D+ subjects compared to D- subjects (1161 ± 554 mL vs. 1667 ± 554 mL respectively, p < 0.001), but it was compensated by the blood loss in the drains. Early post operative ROM (flexion: 79.1 ± 14.8°, extension: −5.0 ± 6.7°) was superior in group T-D- compared to group T+D+ (flexion: 71.9 ± 17.1°, p = 0.071°; extension: −9.9 ± 6.4°, p = 0.004). Nevertheless, ROM six weeks postoperative was not statistically different between groups (flexion: 114.0 ± 13.3°, extension: 0.4 ± 5.2°). Patient-reported postoperative pain was also similar in all groups. Nursing time dedicated to drain management was 30 min/patient (330h total for 660 patients/year). Total costs related to drains were $31.92CAD/patient ($21,067CAD total for 660 patients/year).

Our results suggest that whole-course tourniquet and closed-suction drain use in TKA do not yield beneficial results in total blood loss, blood transfusion rates, complication rates and knee rehabilitation. Their clinical relevance in TKA is questionable. Moreover, nursing time and costs related to drains should have been allocated elsewhere in patient care.

Treat to target is the use of a physiologic marker as a monitor of effectiveness or compliance to an intervention. A recent example has been the progressive use of CTX-1 (Marker of osteoclastic activity) as a surrogate of bone resorptive activity in osteoporosis treatment. CTX-1 levels were demonstrated to be inversely related to drug efficacy in the suppression of bone resorption. As far as fragility fractures are concerned, no reference value of CTX-1 for any index fracture sites was found in the literature. In order to prevent subsequent fractures, efforts to better manage this chronic disease are to be explored. The main objective of this study was to compare and validate the use of serum CTX-1 to the perceived compliance to treatment.

Five hundred and forty three patients (men and women) 40 years of age or older who had been treated for a fragility fracture were enrolled. The purpose of this study was to correlate the measurement of CTX-1 with the perceived compliance to treatment of patients at the time of fracture and at six, 12 and 18 months after initiation of treatment. Our secondary objectives were to evaluate two different CTX-1 suppression target levels (CTX-1< 0.3 ng/mL and CTX-1<0.2 ng/mL), to determine CTX-1 values according to fracture sites, and to explore the profile of patients with subsequent fractures.

Considering index fractures, compliant patients under treatment at baseline had lower CTX-1 levels than non-compliant patients (p=0.052). Patients who were compliant to treatment at six, 12 and 18 months also had lower CTX-1 levels than non-compliant patients (p=0.000). When index fractures were divided into fracture sites, regardless of CTX-1 suppression target level (i.e. CTX-1< 0.3 or 0.2 ng/mL), significant CTX-1 suppression was observed in non-hip and non-vertebral (NHNV) fractures at six, 12 and 18 months (p0.05). No clinically relevant difference was observed between the profile of patients with and without subsequent fractures.

The correlation between serum CTX-1 at the time of fracture and at six, 12, 18 months and the perceived compliance to treatment was validated for NHNV fractures supporting the concept of the available treatments and their effects on bone remodeling for this type of fracture. The correlation was not validated for hip neither for vertebral fracture. There was no correlation between CTX-1 levels and subsequent fracture risk.

Total joint arthroplasty has proven to be efficient to relieve pain and regain mobility. In fact, most patients undergoing a total knee arthroplasty (TKA) are satisfied with their surgery (80 to 90%), yet 4 to 7% still complain of unexplainable pain and stiffness. Several authors have proposed that reactivity to the implant could explain this phenomenon. Still, no strong evidence supports this theory as of today. We aimed to determine the prevalence of metal and cement hypersensitivity in a cohort of patients with unexplained pain and stiffness after TKA.

We retrieved data for a group of patients presenting unexplained pain and stiffness. We excluded all other potential known causes of pain. All patients were tested with a Lymphocyte Transformation Test from whole blood taps. We analysed data of hypersensitivity to metals (alloy particles of titanium and cobalt, aluminum, cobalt, nickel, zirconium, vanadium, molybdenum, cobalt, chromium and iron) and PMMA cement (bone cement monomer and particles).

Fifty-three patients underwent a LTT for unexplained pain and stiffness after total knee arthroplasty between May 2012 and May 2015. The cohort consisted of 26 men and 27 women with a mean age of 66.3(±8.0) years. Six patients had no hypersensitivity (11.3%), leaving 88.7% of the cohort with hypersensitivity to metal and/or cement. Almost half the cohort of patients tested for PMMA was hypersensitive to cement (44.0%). The most common metal hypersensitivity was nickel (69.8%). Twelve patients presented sensitivity to only one metal (22.6%), whereas 35 patients were hypersensitive to more than one metal (66.0%). Eleven patients had revision surgery with a hypoallergenic prosthesis. Patients reported a significant diminution of pain as well as better knee function compared to preoperative status as early as 6 weeks postop, although some reported residual stiffness.

The results of this study suggest that metal and/or cement hypersensitivity could play a role in cases of total knee arthroplasty with unexplained pain and stiffness. Randomised controlled clinical trials on the subject will be initiated by our team to further investigate this phenomenon.

Purpose

In 2010, the new clinical guideline of Osteoporosis Canada for the diagnosis of osteoporosis, clearly indicates that patients with high-risk of fracture are those that have already sustained a fracture (osteoporotic fracture). Until now, only 12% of the 3,400 fractures that we treat each year receive a treatment for osteoporosis. We are validating an evaluation protocol and a multidisciplinary systematic follow-up approach for osteoporosis. Patients are managed by a clinical nurse specialist. We are recruiting 543 patients with an osteoporotic fracture at Hal du Sacré-Coeur de Montréal. We aim to evaluate: 1) the incidence of a second osteoporotic fracture, 2) the initiation of a treatment and determine the compliance and adherence to treatment and 3) the evaluation of CTX-1 and Osteocalcin at Baseline, 6, 12,18 et 24 months (treatment efficacy) and 4) the functional outcome and quality of life post-fracture.

Purpose: Knee dislocation, although very rare, remains a devastating injury with many complications because of the complex nature of this trauma. The best treatment for knee dislocation is yet to be determined. The purposes of the study were to describe our surgical method, to report our results and to compare them with those of other surgical reconstruction techniques for knee dislocation.

Method: Fifty-six (56) patients with knee dislocation underwent acute combined reparation and reconstruction using Ligament Advancement Reinforcement System (LARS) artificial ligament. Patients were divided in three different groups according to the follow-up period. Group 1 (G1) included patients with a follow-up between two and six months post-op, group 2 (G2) involved patients with a follow-up between six months and twenty-four (24) months and group 3 (G3) was composed of patients who had a follow-up between twenty-four (24) and ninety-one (91) months.

Results: There was a significant difference between G1 and G3 for the Lysholm score and for the posterior stability at 90o of flexion measured with the Telos.

Conclusion: The subjective and objective findings from our series are satisfactory and comparable to the results of other series of knee dislocations. Our findings suggest that with a follow-up at seven years, acute combined reparation and reconstruction with LARS ligaments is a valid alternative for the treatment of knee dislocation.