Aim

Bone loss is a severe problem in septic revision total knee arthroplasty (RTKA). The use of porous coated metaphyseal sleeves is a promising treatment option for extended bone defects. The currently published mid-term results remain limited and no study has been focused exclusively on septic cases. Our aim was to determine the implant survivorship (with special focus on osseointegration) and the clinical and radiological mid-term outcome of metaphyseal sleeve fixation in septic RTKA surgery (minimum follow-up of 2 years).

Aim

One of the most challenging problems in total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is periprosthetic infection. A major problem that arises in septic revision TKA (RTKA) are extended bone defects. In case of extended bone defects revision prostheses with metaphyseal sleeves are used. Only a few studies have been published on the use of metaphyseal sleeves in RTKA - none were septic exclusive. The aim of our study was to determine the implant survival, achieved osseointegration as well as the radiological mid-term outcomes of metaphyseal sleeve fixation in septic two-stage knee revision surgery.

Despite great progress in implant design, materials and new implantation techniques aseptic loosening is still the most frequent cause of implant failure in THA, which was found to be increased especially in patients with osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ON-FH). While a direct link between aseptic loosening and periprosthetic bone loss still remains elusive, there is plentiful evidence for a close association with early migration of implant components. Although the beneficial effect of bisphonates on periprosthetic bone mass is well established, little is known to date about their effects on implant migration. This is an important issue, because successful prevention of early implant migration would provide strong evidence of a beneficial effect on the survival rate of THA. Previously, Krismer et al. found that a total migration of the cup of ≥ 1mm and a subsidence of ≥ 1.5mm 2 years after surgery was highly predictive for aseptic implant failure of THA within 8 to 10 years.

Fifty patients with end-stage ON-FH were consecutively enrolled to receive either 4mg of ZOL or saline solution (CTR) in a double-blind fashion. Radiographs standardized for EBRA-digital analysis were performed at each follow-up exam at 7 weeks, 6 months, 1 year, and yearly thereafter. The minimum follow-up period was 2 years (median follow-up: 2.8 years). Migration of the acetabular and femoral components was analyzed with the EBRA-digital software (University of Inns-bruck, Austria) independently by 3 investigators fully blinded to randomization.

Within the placebo group, distal migration of the stem (subsidence) steadily increased up to −1.2mm ± 0.6 SD at 2 years after THA without reaching a plateau phase (P< 0.001, Friedman ANOVA). Less but a nearly curvilinear migration pattern was found for the acetabular components, with a transverse migration of 0.6mm ± 1.0 SD and a vertical migration of 0.6mm ± 0.8 SD at 2 years (P< 0.001, Friedman ANOVA). Treatment with ZOL effectively minimized the migration of cups in both the transverse and vertical direction (0.15 mm ± 0.6 SD and 0.06 mm ± 0.6 SD, respectively, P< 0.05, ANOVA), and a trend to a decreased subsidence was also found for stem migration (−0.91 mm ± 0.51 SD; P=0.11, ANOVA). In addition, total cup migration exceeding 1mm at 2 years was significantly reduced by ZOL in 8 patients (12 vs 4 in CTR vs ZOL, respectively) as was also found in 6 patients for subsidence (≥ 1.5mm in 9 vs 3 patients in CTR vs ZOL, respectively) (P< 0.05, Fisher’s exact).

This is the first clinical trial reporting that a single infusion of ZOL suffices to improve initial implant fixation in THA. Based on best evidence available to date, this new concept shows great promise of improving the long-term outcome in THA and should be given attention in long-term trial.

Chevron osteotomy for correction of symptomatic hallux valgus deformity is a widely accepted method. Full weight bearing in regular shoes is not recommended before six weeks after surgery. Low intensity pulsed ultrasound is known to stimulate bone formation leading to more stable callus and faster bony fusion. We performed a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blinded study on 44 patients (52 feet) who underwent chevron osteotomy to evaluate the influence of daily transcutaneous low intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) treatment at the site of osteotomy. Follow up at six weeks and one year was done with plain dorsoplantar radiographs, halluxrmetatarsophalangeal-interphalangeal scale and a questionnaire on patient satisfaction. There was no statistical difference concerning all pre- and postoperative clinical features, patient satisfaction and all radiographic measurements (hallux valgus angle, intermetatarsal angle, sesamoid index, metatarsal index) except for the first distal metatarsal articular angle (DMAA). The DMAA showed statistical significant (p=0,046) relapse in the placebo group comparing intraoperative radiographs after correction and fixation (5,2 degrees) and at six weeks follow up (10,6 degrees). Despite potential impact of LIPUS on bone formation we found no clinical evidence for its influence on outcome six weeks and one year after chevron osteotomy for correction of hallux valgus deformity.

Introduction: Despite advances in radiotherapy and chemotherapy, metastatic disease of the spine remains a challenging situation for spinal surgeons. An individual therapy should be chosen to provide the maximum palliative effect (reduction of pain, restoration of stability and function) with a minimum of operative morbidity and mortality. Predicting prognosis is the key factor in selecting the proper treatment. Therefore, various assessment systems have been designed in order to provide a basis for deciding the course of treatment. Such systems have been proposed by Tokuhashi, Sioutos, Tomita, Van der Linden, and Bauer. The scores differ greatly in the kind of parameters assessed. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prognostic value of each score.

Patients and Methods: Eight parameters were assessed for 69 patients (37 male, 32 female): location, general condition, number of extraspinal bone metastases, number of spinal metastases, visceral metastases, primary tumour, severity of spinal cord palsy, and pathological fracture. Scores according to Tokuhashi (original and revised), Sioutos, Tomita, Van der Linden, and Bauer were assessed as well as a modified Bauer score without scoring for pathologic fracture.

Results: Nineteen patients were still alive as of September 2006 with a minimum follow-up of 12 months. All other patients died after a mean period of 17 months after operation. The mean overall survival period was only 3 months for lung cancer, followed by prostate (7 months), kidney (23 months), breast (35 months), and multiple myeloma (51 months). At univariate survival analysis, primary tumour and visceral metastases were significant parameters, while Karnofsky score was only significant in the group including myeloma patients. In multivariate analysis of all seven parameters assessed, primary tumour and visceral metastases were the only significant parameters. Of all seven scoring systems, the original Bauer score and a Bauer score without scoring for pathologic fracture had the best association with survival (P < 0.001).

Conclusion: The data of the present study emphasize that the original Bauer score and a modified Bauer score without scoring for pathologic fracture seem to be practicable and highly predictive preoperative scoring systems for patients with spinal metastases. However, decision for or against surgery should never be based alone on a prognostic score but should take symptoms like pain or neurological compromise into account.

Chordomas are rare neoplasms originating from notochordal remnants. They usually affect the midline and the standard treatment consists of surgery and radiotherapy. The present study investigates the expression of survivin, DR4 and DR5 to evaluate potential molecular targets for future therapy-strategies.

The study-group included 33 chordomas obtained from 21 male and 9 female patients. At time of diagnosis the patients’ age ranged from 24 to 80 years (51.9 ys.). Tumours were located on the scull-base, in the sacral/coccygeal area and the column in 13, 10, and 7 cases, respectively. Tumour-volume, known in 16 cases, ranged from 3.6 to 668.2 cm3 (mean size 130.7cm3). Immunohistochemistry was performed with antibodies against survivin, DR4, DR5. The staining pattern (cytoplasmic and/or nuclear), percentage of positive tumour-cells and staining-intensity were evaluated.

Histologically the tumours were classified as classic, chondroid and dedifferentiated chordomas in 27, 2 and 1 case, respectively. Survivin expression was obtained in 87.5% of the cases. The staining pattern was cytoplasmic in all cases and an additional nuclear staining was detected in two. Staining-intensity was predominantly weak. In 87.9% of cases DR4 staining was investigated in more than 10% of the tumour-cells. The immunoreaction was cytoplasmic (87.9%) and a nuclear staining was additionally detected in two cases. The staining-intensity was predominantly weak. In 81.8% of the chordomas DR5 staining was obtained in more than 10% of the tumour-cells. The staining pattern was cytoplasmic (84.4%) and in one case cytoplasmic and nuclear. The staining-intensity was predominantly moderate.

We hypothesise, based on the availability of new chemo- or immunotherapeutic agents like Mapatumumab (agonistic human monoclonal antibody to DR4, tested in solid tumours) and YM155 (new small-molecular inhibitor of survivin, tested in solid tumours and lymphoma), that survivin, DR4 and DR5 may act as potential molecular targets in future therapy of chordomas.

Aseptic loosening is the most frequent cause of implant failure in total hip arthroplasty (THA). Additionally, failure rate was still found by some authors to be increased in patients with osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ON-FH). It is well evidenced that low initial fixation and early migration precedes and predicts long-term failure rate of both, the acetabular and femoral component in THA.

This independent, double-blind, randomized, controlled study was primarily designed to evaluate whether a single infusion of 4 mg of zoledronic acid is sufficient to prevent implant migration determined by the EBRA-digital method. Fifty patients were consecutively enrolled between July 2002 and March 2005 to receive either 4 mg zoledronic acid (ZOL) or saline solution (CTR) one day after THA (Zweymüller system, cementless). Plain radiographs were performed postoperatively and all parameters were evaluated at each follow-up meeting interval at 7 weeks, 6 months, 1 year, and yearly thereafter during a median follow-up period of 2.8 years (2 years minimum).

In CTR, subsidence increased up to −1.2 mm ± 0.6 SD at 2 years in CTR (P< 0.001). Less, but a near curve-linear shaped migration pattern was found for the ace-tabular component, with an averaged medialization of 0.6 mm ± 1.0 SD and a cranialization of 0.6 mm ± 0.8 SD at 2 years (P< 0.05, Friedman ANOVA) at 2 years. In ZOL, a significant reduction in bone turnover markers was accompanied by a complete prevention of cup migration in both, the transverse and vertical direction (P< 0.05, ANOVA), while there was only a trend to a decreased subsidence in stems.

The study provides useful data which are promising and support the suggestions that bisphosphonates may offer significant opportunities to reduce and prevent implant migration of THA, thus increasing long-term durability of THA especially in selected high-risk patients.

Introduction: Despite significant progress at the molecular level the etiology of aseptic loosening is still unclear. Fibrosis of the new capsule is an invariable finding at revision hip arthroplasty. Tissue fibrosis has been demonstrated in varies pathologic conditions due to elevated oxidative stress. The present retrospective study was designed to proof the hypothesis that peri-prosthetic fibrosis in aseptic loosening may be caused by elevated oxidative stress and represent an initial step in the pathomechanism of aseptic loosening.

Material and methods: Levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), oxidized (GSSG) and reduced (GSH) gluthatione were assayed as markers of oxidative stress in retrieved capsules of 28 loose hips (Group I) and 12 hips revised for high rate of wear (Group II). Collagen in the periprosthetic tissues was measured as hydroxiproline content and semiquantitatively by electrophoresis. In four representative cases electron microscopy was performed.

Results: MDA level as well as GSH/GSSG and GSH/ GSSG² ratios showed elevated oxidative stress in group I compared to group II and controls. SDS-PAGE electrophoresis showed higher molecular bands in 20 patients compared to controls. Hydroxiproline level in group II is significantly higher than in group I (p< 0.05). MDA, GSH and GSSG correlate significantly with hydroxiproline. A negative correlation between collagen content and osteolysis was established.

Discussion and conclusion: Higher oxidative stress plays role in aseptic loosening of hip arthroplasty. The present data support the hypothesis that the process is initiated by excessive fibrosis which consequently might lead to increase of intraarticular pressure and to extension of the joint space.

Aims: The study aimed at analyzing the outcome of femoral components in patients with total hip replacement following osteonecrosis of the femoral head with regard to the associated factor of the osteonecrosis.

Methods: We reviewed 41 patients with 55 cementless total hip replacements operated for advanced osteonecrosis. According to etiology of the osteonecrosis patients were divided into two groups. The first group included 17 cases with osteonecrosis without a systemic disease and the second group 38 cases with osteonecrosis associated with a systemic disease (alcohol abuse, corticosteroid medication, sickle-cell-disease).

Results: The follow-up was on average 6.4 years (range, 2 to 12.8). Eight stem revisions had to be performed, all of them were in the patients with a systemic disease. Ten-year survival rates with femoral revision as the endpoint were in the first group 100%, and in the systemic disease group 68% (p=0.03).

Conclusion: The data of this retrospective study supports the notion that the aetiology of osteonecrosis might has an influence on the survival of the femoral component.

We conducted a prospective clinical study to determine the influence of personality traits on the subjective outcome of operative hallux valgus correction. The surgical technique used in all patients was the chevron osteotomy. Preoperatively, personality traits were evaluated by means of the Freiburg Personality Inventory (FPI-R). 42 patients (38 female, 4 male) could be enrolled in the analysis. The mean age of the patients at the time of operation was 48.3 years (20 to 70). Three months postoperatively 37 patients were satisfied, and 5 patients were not satisfied with the operative procedure. The comparison of the two groups (satisfied and dissatisfied patients) revealed statistically significant differences in the personality traits aggressiveness (p=0.003), extraversion (p=0.001) and health worries (p=0.04). The postoperative hallux valgus angles were 12.2° ± 7.8 and 13.4° ± 8.3 (p=0.74), and the first-second intermetatarsal angles were 7.4° ± 2.5 and 7.6° ± 4 (p=0.89) in the two groups. The results of the current study suggest that the patient’s subjective result after the operative hallux valgus correction is influenced by some individual personality profiles.

Aim: The purpose of this retrospective study was to evaluate the migration and survival of the femoral component following cementless total hip replacement in patients with osteonecrosis of the femoral head in comparison to patients with osteoarthritis of the hip. Methods: The study included 31 patients who underwent 35 cementless total hip replacements for advanced osteo-necrosis of the femoral head and 49 patients with 58 total hip arthroplasties for osteoarthritis. The migration analysis of the femoral component was performed with the Einzel-Roentgen-Bild-Analyse (EBRA). Results: The follow-up for the patients with osteonecrosis and osteoarthritis of the hip was 6.1 and 5.9 years. Five stems (15.2%) from the osteonecrosis and two stems (3.6%) from the osteoarthritis group were revised for aseptic loosening. The median stem subsidence in the patients with osteonecrosis and osteoarthritis was 1.7mm (95% CI, 1 to 3.5) and 0.65mm (95% CI, 0.5 to 0.8), respectively (p< 0.01). Survivorship analysis with stem revision as endpoint for failure showed in the osteonecrosis and osteoarthritis group of 74.5% (95% CI, 56.1% to 92.8%) and 96.4% (95% CI, 91.5% to 100%), respectively (p< 0.05). Conclusions: The signiþcant difference in the subsidence and survival of the femoral component in the patients with osteonecrosis and osteoarthritis of the hip indicates that the bone around the prostheses is obviously inßuenced by the osteonecrosis. Young patients diagnosed with osteonecrosis of the femoral head should be treated with the most conservative treatment to preserve the hip joint.

Aim: The operative correction of the hallux valgus deformity is a frequently performed procedure. However, the exact rate of postoperative deep vein thrombosis is unknown. We performed a prospective, phlebographically controlled study to quantify the rate of postoperative venous thrombosis following operative hallux valgus correction and to evaluate the need of a medical thrombosis prophylaxis. Methods: Consecutive patients undergoing subcapital osteotomy of the þrst metatarsal bone for correction of hallux valgus deformity were included in the study. Patients with clinical or hematological risk factors for venous thrombosis were excluded from the study. One hundred patients with a mean (±SD) age of 48.9±13.9 years were operated on and they did not get a medical thrombosis prophylaxis. At a mean (±SD) of 27.8± 4.1 days postoperatively, all patients were assessed by using phlebography. Results: The rate of postoperative venous thrombosis was four percent (four patients). The mean (±SD) age of the patients in the thrombosis group was 61.7± 6,1 years and in the no thrombosis group the mean age was 48.4± 13,9 years (p=0.034). Conclusions: Patients following hallux valgus surgery are at a low risk of venous thrombosis but the need of a medical thrombosis prophylaxis should be calculated individually for each patient according to the known levels of risks. A routine thrombosis prophylaxis might be justiþed for patients with risk factors and particularly for patients over sixty years of age.