Orthopaedic surgery uses many varied instruments with high-speed, high-impact, thermal energy and sometimes heavy instruments, all of which potentially result in aerosolization of contaminated blood, tissue, and bone, raising concerns for clinicians’ health. This study quantifies the aerosol exposure by measuring the number and size distribution of the particles reaching the lead surgeon during key orthopaedic operations. The aerosol yield from 17 orthopaedic open surgeries (on the knee, hip, and shoulder) was recorded at the position of the lead surgeon using an Aerodynamic Particle Sizer (APS; 0.5 to 20 μm diameter particles) sampling at 1 s time resolution. Through timestamping, detected aerosol was attributed to specific procedures.Aims
Methods
The aim of this study was to assess the quality of life of patients on the waiting list for a total hip (THA) or knee arthroplasty (KA) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Secondary aims were to assess whether length of time on the waiting list influenced quality of life and rate of deferral of surgery. During the study period (August and September 2020) 843 patients (THA n = 394, KA n = 449) from ten centres in the UK reported their EuroQol five dimension (EQ-5D) scores and completed a waiting list questionnaire (2020 group). Patient demographic details, procedure, and date when listed were recorded. Patients scoring less than zero for their EQ-5D score were defined to be in a health state “worse than death” (WTD). Data from a retrospective cohort (January 2014 to September 2017) were used as the control group.Aims
Methods
There is little data on the long-term outcome of rotating hinge total knee arthroplasty. We provide a clinical and radiographic assessment of survivorship of the Kinematic rotating hinge total knee arthroplasty (How-medica, Rutherford, NJ), in a series of 72 implants, performed by a single surgeon in one unit, between 1983 and 1997. Survival analysis using known all cause revision revealed a 92% five-year implant survival, but worst-case scenario was 31% at five years. In a subset of 27 patients we used the Nottingham Health Profile (NHP) to assess prospectively the changes in health-related quality of life following rotating hinge arthroplasty. In this salvage arthroplasty setting we demonstrate a significant improvement in two modalities of the NHP (pain and physical mobility).
