Osteoporosis can determine surgical strategy for total hip arthroplasty (THA), and perioperative fracture risk. The aims of this study were to use hip CT to measure femoral bone mineral density (BMD) using CT X-ray absorptiometry (CTXA), determine if systematic evaluation of preoperative femoral BMD with CTXA would improve identification of osteopenia and osteoporosis compared with available preoperative dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) analysis, and determine if improved recognition of low BMD would affect the use of cemented stem fixation. Retrospective chart review of a single-surgeon database identified 78 patients with CTXA performed prior to robotic-assisted THA (raTHA) (Group 1). Group 1 was age- and sex-matched to 78 raTHAs that had a preoperative hip CT but did not have CTXA analysis (Group 2). Clinical demographics, femoral fixation method, CTXA, and DXA data were recorded. Demographic data were similar for both groups.Aims
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The aim of this study was to investigate the agreement in interpretation of the quality of the paediatric hip ultrasound examination, the reliability of geometric and morphological assessment, and the relationship between these measurements. Four investigators evaluated 60 hip ultrasounds and assessed their quality based the standard plane of Graf et al. They measured geometric parameters, described the morphology of the hip, and assigned the Graf grade of dysplasia. They analyzed one self-selected image and one randomly selected image from the ultrasound series, and repeated the process four weeks later. The intra- and interobserver agreement, and correlations between various parameters were analyzed.Aims
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The aim of this study was to describe the incidence of refractures among children, following fractures of all long bones, and to identify when the risk of refracture decreases. All patients aged under 16 years with a fracture that had occurred in a bone with ongoing growth (open physis) from 1 May 2015 to 31 December 2020 were retrieved from the Swedish Fracture Register. A new fracture in the same segment within one year of the primary fracture was regarded as a refracture. Fracture localization, sex, lateral distribution, and time from primary fracture to refracture were analyzed for all long bones.Aims
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Fixation techniques used in the treatment of slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE) that allow continued growth of the femoral neck, rather than inducing epiphyseal fusion in situ, have the advantage of allowing remodelling of the deformity. The aims of this study were threefold: to assess whether the Free-Gliding (FG) SCFE screw prevents further slip; to establish whether, in practice, it enables lengthening and gliding; and to determine whether the age of the patient influences the extent of glide. All patients with SCFE who underwent fixation using FG SCFE screws after its introduction at our institution, with minimum three years’ follow-up, were reviewed retrospectively as part of ongoing governance. All pre- and postoperative radiographs were evaluated. The demographics of the patients, the grade of slip, the extent of lengthening of the barrel of the screw and the restoration of Klein’s line were recorded. Subanalysis was performed according to sex and age.Aims
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Despite numerous studies focusing on periprosthetic joint infections (PJIs), there are no robust data on the risk factors and timing of metachronous infections. Metachronous PJIs are PJIs that can arise in the same or other artificial joints after a period of time, in patients who have previously had PJI. Between January 2010 and December 2018, 661 patients with multiple joint prostheses in situ were treated for PJI at our institution. Of these, 73 patients (11%) developed a metachronous PJI (periprosthetic infection in patients who have previously had PJI in another joint, after a lag period) after a mean time interval of 49.5 months (SD 30.24; 7 to 82.9). To identify patient-related risk factors for a metachronous PJI, the following parameters were analyzed: sex; age; BMI; and pre-existing comorbidity. Metachronous infections were divided into three groups: Group 1, metachronous infections in ipsilateral joints; Group 2, metachronous infections of the contralateral lower limb; and Group 3, metachronous infections of the lower and upper limb.Aims
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Loosening of components after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) can be associated with the development of radiolucent lines (RLLs). The aim of this study was to assess the rate of formation of RLLs in the cemented original design of the ATTUNE TKA and their relationship to loosening. A systematic search was undertaken using the Cochrane methodology in three online databases: MEDLINE, Embase, and CINAHL. Studies were screened against predetermined criteria, and data were extracted. Available National Joint Registries in the Network of Orthopaedic Registries of Europe were also screened. A random effects model meta-analysis was undertaken.Aims
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The purpose of this study is to determine an individual’s age-specific prevalence of total knee arthroplasty (TKA) after cruciate ligament surgery, and to identify clinical and genetic risk factors associated with undergoing TKA. This study was a retrospective case-control study using the UK Biobank to identify individuals reporting a history of cruciate ligament surgery. Data from verbal history and procedural codes recorded through the NHS were used to identify instances of TKA. Patient clinical and genetic data were used to identify risk factors for progression from cruciate ligament surgery to TKA. Individuals without a history of cruciate ligament reconstruction were used for comparison.Aims
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The aim of this study was to describe the demographic details of patients who sustain a femoral periprosthetic fracture (PPF), the epidemiology of PPFs, PPF characteristics, and the predictors of PPF types in the UK population. This is a multicentre retrospective cohort study including adult patients presenting to hospital with a new PPF between 1 January 2018 and 31 December 2018. Data collected included: patient characteristics, comorbidities, anticoagulant use, social circumstances, level of mobility, fracture characteristics, Unified Classification System (UCS) type, and details of the original implant. Descriptive analysis by fracture location was performed, and predictors of PPF type were assessed using mixed-effects logistic regression models.Aims
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The aim of this study was to identify variables associated with time to revision, demographic details associated with revision indication, and type of prosthesis employed, and to describe the survival of hinge knee arthroplasty (HKA) when used for first-time knee revision surgery and factors that were associated with re-revision. Patient demographic details, BMI, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) grade, indication for revision, surgical approach, surgeon grade, implant type (fixed and rotating), time of revision from primary implantation, and re-revision if undertaken were obtained from the National Joint Registry data for England, Wales, Northern Ireland, and the Isle of Man over an 18-year period (2003 to 2021).Aims
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Excessive posterior pelvic tilt (PT) may increase the risk of anterior instability after total hip arthroplasty (THA). The aim of this study was to investigate the changes in PT occurring from the preoperative supine to postoperative standing position following THA, and identify factors associated with significant changes in PT. Supine PT was measured on preoperative CT scans and standing PT was measured on preoperative and one-year postoperative standing lateral radiographs in 933 patients who underwent primary THA. Negative values indicate posterior PT. Patients with > 13° of posterior PT from preoperative supine to postoperative standing (ΔPT ≤ -13°) radiographs, which corresponds to approximately a 10° increase in functional anteversion of the acetabular component, were compared with patients with less change (ΔPT > -13°). Logistic regression analysis was used to assess preoperative demographic and spinopelvic parameters predictive of PT changes of ≤ -13°. The area under receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) determined the diagnostic accuracy of the predictive factors.Aims
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The aim of this study was to investigate the incidence and characteristics of instrumentation failure (IF) after total en bloc spondylectomy (TES), and to analyze risk factors for IF. The medical records from 136 patients (65 male, 71 female) with a mean age of 52.7 years (14 to 80) who underwent TES were retrospectively reviewed. The mean follow-up period was 101 months (36 to 232). Analyzed factors included incidence of IF, age, sex, BMI, history of chemotherapy or radiotherapy, tumour histology (primary or metastasis; benign or malignant), surgical approach (posterior or combined), tumour location (thoracic or lumbar; junctional or non-junctional), number of resected vertebrae (single or multilevel), anterior resection line (disc-to-disc or intravertebra), type of bone graft (autograft or frozen autograft), cage subsidence (CS), and local alignment (LA). A survival analysis of the instrumentation was performed, and relationships between IF and other factors were investigated using the Cox regression model.Aims
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Acetabular fractures are associated with long-term morbidity. Our prospective cohort study sought to understand the recovery trajectory of this injury over five years. Eligible patients at a level I trauma centre were recruited into a longitudinal registry of surgical acetabular fractures between June 2004 and August 2019. Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs), including the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) physical component summary (PCS), were recorded at baseline pre-injury recall and six months, one year, two years, and five years postoperatively. Comparative analyses were performed for elementary and associated fracture patterns. The proportion of patients achieving minimal clinically important difference (MCID) was determined. The rate of, and time to, conversion to total hip arthroplasty (THA) was also established.Aims
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The Manchester-Oxford Foot Questionnaire (MOxFQ) is an anatomically specific patient-reported outcome measure (PROM) currently used to assess a wide variety of foot and ankle pathology. It consists of 16 items across three subscales measuring distinct but related traits: walking/standing ability, pain, and social interaction. It is the most used foot and ankle PROM in the UK. Initial MOxFQ validation involved analysis of 100 individuals undergoing hallux valgus surgery. This project aimed to establish whether an individual’s response to the MOxFQ varies with anatomical region of disease (measurement invariance), and to explore structural validity of the factor structure (subscale items) of the MOxFQ. This was a single-centre, prospective cohort study involving 6,637 patients (mean age 52 years (SD 17.79)) presenting with a wide range of foot and ankle pathologies between January 2013 and December 2021. To assess whether the MOxFQ responses vary by anatomical region of foot and ankle disease, we performed multigroup confirmatory factor analysis. To assess the structural validity of the subscale items, exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were performed.Aims
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The Unified Classification System (UCS), or Vancouver system, is a validated and widely used classification system to guide the management of periprosthetic femoral fractures. It suggests that well-fixed stems (type B1) can be treated with fixation but that loose stems (types B2 and B3) should be revised. Determining whether a stem is loose can be difficult and some authors have questioned how to apply this classification system to polished taper slip stems which are, by definition, loose within their cement mantle. Recent evidence has challenged the common perception that revision surgery is preferable to fixation surgery for UCS-B periprosthetic fractures around cemented polished taper slip stems. Indications for fixation include an anatomically reducible fracture and cement mantle, a well-fixed femoral bone-cement interface, and a well-functioning acetabular component. However, not all type B fractures can or should be managed with fixation due to the risk of early failure. This annotation details specific fracture patterns that should not be managed with fixation alone. Cite this article:
Accurate diagnosis of chronic periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) presents a significant challenge for hip surgeons. Preoperative diagnosis is not always easy to establish, making the intraoperative decision-making process crucial in deciding between one- and two-stage revision total hip arthroplasty (THA). Calprotectin is a promising point-of-care novel biomarker that has displayed high accuracy in detecting PJI. We aimed to evaluate the utility of intraoperative calprotectin lateral flow immunoassay (LFI) in THA patients with suspected chronic PJI. The study included 48 THAs in 48 patients with a clinical suspicion of PJI, but who did not meet European Bone and Joint Infection Society (EBJIS) PJI criteria preoperatively, out of 105 patients undergoing revision THA at our institution for possible PJI between November 2020 and December 2022. Intraoperatively, synovial fluid calprotectin was measured with LFI. Cases with calprotectin levels ≥ 50 mg/l were considered infected and treated with two-stage revision THA; in negative cases, one-stage revision was performed. At least five tissue cultures were obtained; the implants removed were sent for sonication.Aims
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Internal hemipelvectomy without reconstruction of the pelvis is a viable treatment for pelvic sarcoma; however, the time it takes to return to excellent function is quite variable. Some patients require greater time and rehabilitation than others. To determine if psoas muscle recovery is associated with changes in ambulatory function, we retrospectively evaluated psoas muscle size and limb-length discrepancy (LLD) before and after treatment and their correlation with objective functional outcomes. T1-weighted MR images were evaluated at three intervals for 12 pelvic sarcoma patients following interval hemipelvectomy without reconstruction. Correlations between the measured changes and improvements in Timed Up and Go test (TUG) and gait speed outcomes were assessed both independently and using a stepwise multivariate regression model.Aims
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Patients with a high comorbidity burden (HCB) can achieve similar improvements in quality of life compared with low-risk patients, but greater morbidity may deter surgeons from operating on these patients. Whether surgeon volume influences total hip arthroplasty (THA) outcomes in HCB patients has not been investigated. This study aimed to compare complication rates and implant survivorship in HCB patients operated on by high-volume (HV) and non-HV THA surgeons. Patients with Charlson Comorbidity Index ≥ 5 and American Society of Anesthesiologists grade of III or IV, undergoing primary elective THA between January 2013 and December 2021, were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were separated into groups based on whether they were operated on by a HV surgeon (defined as the top 25% of surgeons at our institution by number of primary THAs per year) or a non-HV surgeon. Groups were propensity-matched 1:1 to control for demographic variables. A total of 1,134 patients were included in the matched analysis. Between groups, 90-day readmissions and revisions were compared, and Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to evaluate implant survivorship within the follow-up period.Aims
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The aim of this study was to assess the accuracy of pedicle screw placement, as well as intraoperative factors, radiation exposure, and complication rates in adult patients with degenerative disorders of the thoracic and lumbar spines who have undergone robotic-navigated spinal surgery using a contemporary system. The authors reviewed the prospectively collected data on 196 adult patients who had pedicle screws implanted with robot-navigated assistance (RNA) using the Mazor X Stealth system between June 2019 and March 2022. Pedicle screws were implanted by one experienced spinal surgeon after completion of a learning period. The accuracy of pedicle screw placement was determined using intraoperative 3D fluoroscopy.Aims
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The aim of the study was to investigate whether the primary stability of press-fit acetabular components can be improved by altering the impaction procedure. Three impaction procedures were used to implant acetabular components into human cadaveric acetabula using a powered impaction device. An impaction frequency of 1 Hz until complete component seating served as reference. Overimpaction was simulated by adding ten strokes after complete component seating. High-frequency implantation was performed at 6 Hz. The lever-out moment of the acetabular components was used as measure for primary stability. Permanent bone deformation was assessed by comparison of double micro-CT (µCT) measurements before and after impaction. Acetabular component deformation and impaction forces were recorded, and the extent of bone-implant contact was determined from 3D laser scans.Aims
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Telehealth has the potential to change the way we approach patient care. From virtual consenting to reducing carbon emissions, costs, and waiting times, it is a powerful tool in our clinical armamentarium. There is mounting evidence that remote diagnostic evaluation and decision-making have reached an acceptable level of accuracy and can safely be adopted in orthopaedic surgery. Furthermore, patients’ and surgeons’ satisfaction with virtual appointments are comparable to in-person consultations. Challenges to the widespread use of telehealth should, however, be acknowledged and include the cost of installation, training, maintenance, and accessibility. It is also vital that clinicians are conscious of the medicolegal and ethical considerations surrounding the medium and adhere strictly to the relevant data protection legislation and storage framework. It remains to be seen how organizations harness the full spectrum of the technology to facilitate effective patient care. Cite this article:
The aim of this study was to investigate the distribution of phenotypes in Asian patients with end-stage osteoarthritis (OA) and assess whether the phenotype affected the clinical outcome and survival of mechanically aligned total knee arthroplasty (TKA). We also compared the survival of the group in which the phenotype unintentionally remained unchanged with those in which it was corrected to neutral. The study involved 945 TKAs, which were performed in 641 patients with primary OA, between January 2000 and January 2009. These were classified into 12 phenotypes based on the combined assessment of four categories of the arithmetic hip-knee-ankle angle and three categories of actual joint line obliquity. The rates of survival were analyzed using Kaplan-Meier methods and the log-rank test. The Hospital for Special Surgery score and survival of each phenotype were compared with those of the reference phenotype with neutral alignment and a parallel joint line. We also compared long-term survival between the unchanged phenotype group and the corrected to neutral alignment-parallel joint line group in patients with Type IV-b (mild to moderate varus alignment-parallel joint line) phenotype.Aims
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To clarify the mid-term results of transposition osteotomy of the acetabulum (TOA), a type of spherical periacetabular osteotomy, combined with structural allograft bone grafting for severe hip dysplasia. We reviewed patients with severe hip dysplasia, defined as Severin IVb or V (lateral centre-edge angle (LCEA) < 0°), who underwent TOA with a structural bone allograft between 1998 and 2019. A medical chart review was conducted to extract demographic data, complications related to the osteotomy, and modified Harris Hip Score (mHHS). Radiological parameters of hip dysplasia were measured on pre- and postoperative radiographs. The cumulative probability of TOA failure (progression to Tönnis grade 3 or conversion to total hip arthroplasty) was estimated using the Kaplan–Meier product-limited method, and a multivariate Cox proportional hazard model was used to identify predictors for failure.Aims
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This study aimed to evaluate rasterstereography of the spine as a diagnostic test for adolescent idiopathic soliosis (AIS), and to compare its results with those obtained using a scoliometer. Adolescents suspected of AIS and scheduled for radiographs were included. Rasterstereographic scoliosis angle (SA), maximal vertebral surface rotation (ROT), and angle of trunk rotation (ATR) with a scoliometer were evaluated. The area under the curve (AUC) from receiver operating characteristic (ROC) plots were used to describe the discriminative ability of the SA, ROT, and ATR for scoliosis, defined as a Cobb angle > 10°. Test characteristics (sensitivity and specificity) were reported for the best threshold identified using the Youden method. AUC of SA, ATR, and ROT were compared using the bootstrap test for two correlated ROC curves method.Aims
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Perthes’ disease (PD) is a childhood hip disorder that can affect the quality of life in adulthood due to femoral head deformity and osteoarthritis. There is very little data on how PD patients function as adults, especially from the patients’ perspective. The purpose of this study was to collect treatment history, demographic details, the University of California, Los Angeles activity score (UCLA), the 36-Item Short Form survey (SF-36) score, and the Hip disability and Osteoarthritis Outcome score (HOOS) of adults who had PD using a web-based survey method and to compare their outcomes to the outcomes from an age- and sex-matched normative population. The English REDCap-based survey was made available on a PD study group website. The survey included childhood and adult PD history, UCLA, SF-36, and HOOS. Of the 1,182 participants who completed the survey, the 921 participants who did not have a total hip arthroplasty are the focus of this study. The mean age at survey was 38 years (SD 12) and the mean duration from age at PD onset to survey participation was 30.8 years (SD 12.6).Aims
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The use of cementless total knee arthroplasty (TKA) components has increased during the past decade. The initial design of cementless metal-backed patellar components had shown high failure rates due to many factors. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical results of a second-generation cementless, metal-backed patellar component of a modern design. This was a retrospective review of 707 primary TKAs in 590 patients from a single institution, using a cementless, metal-backed patellar component with a mean follow-up of 6.9 years (2 to 12). A total of 409 TKAs were performed in 338 females and 298 TKAs in 252 males. The mean age of the patients was 63 years (34 to 87) and their mean BMI was 34.3 kg/m2 (18.8 to 64.5). The patients were chosen to undergo a cementless procedure based on age and preoperative radiological and intraoperative bone quality. Outcome was assessed using the Knee Society knee and function scores and range of motion (ROM), complications, and revisions.Aims
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The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of the absolute synovial polymorphonuclear neutrophil cell (PMN) count for the diagnosis or exclusion of periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) after total hip (THA) or knee arthroplasty (TKA). In this retrospective cohort study, 147 consecutive patients with acute or chronic complaints following THA and TKA were included. Diagnosis of PJI was established based on the 2018 International Consensus Meeting criteria. A total of 39 patients diagnosed with PJI (32 chronic and seven acute) and 108 patients with aseptic complications were surgically revised.Aims
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Total hip and knee arthroplasty (THA, TKA) are largely successful procedures; however, both have variable outcomes, resulting in some patients being dissatisfied with the outcome. Surgeons are turning to technologies such as robotic-assisted surgery in an attempt to improve outcomes. Robust studies are needed to find out if these innovations are really benefitting patients. The Robotic Arthroplasty Clinical and Cost Effectiveness Randomised Controlled Trials (RACER) trials are multicentre, patient-blinded randomized controlled trials. The patients have primary osteoarthritis of the hip or knee. The operation is Mako-assisted THA or TKA and the control groups have operations using conventional instruments. The primary clinical outcome is the Forgotten Joint Score at 12 months, and there is a built-in analysis of cost-effectiveness. Secondary outcomes include early pain, the alignment of the components, and medium- to long-term outcomes. This annotation outlines the need to assess these technologies and discusses the design and challenges when conducting such trials, including surgical workflows, isolating the effect of the operation, blinding, and assessing the learning curve. Finally, the future of robotic surgery is discussed, including the need to contemporaneously introduce and evaluate such technologies. Cite this article:
Implant failure has become more common as the number of primary total ankle arthroplasties (TAAs) performed has increased. Although revision arthroplasty has gained attention for functional preservation, the long-term results remain unclear. This study aimed to assess the long-term outcomes of revision TAA using a mobile-bearing prosthesis in a considerably large cohort; the risk factors for failure were also determined. This single-centre retrospective cohort study included 116 patients (117 ankles) who underwent revision TAA for failed primary TAA between July 2000 and March 2010. Survival analysis and risk factor assessment were performed, and clinical performance and patient satisfaction were evaluated preoperatively and at last follow-up.Aims
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The objective of this study was to present the outcomes of rotational acetabular osteotomy (RAO) over a 30-year period for osteoarthritis (OA) secondary to dysplasia of the hip in pre- or early-stage OA. Between September 1987 and December 1994, we provided treatment to 47 patients (55 hips) with RAO for the management of pre- or early-stage OA due to developmental hip dysplasia. Of those, eight patients (11 hips) with pre-OA (follow-up rate 79%) and 27 patients (32 hips) with early-stage OA (follow-up rate 78%), totalling 35 patients (43 hips) (follow-up rate 78%), were available at a minimum of 28 years after surgery.Aims
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The aim of this study was to evaluate the survival of a collarless, straight, hydroxyapatite-coated femoral stem in total hip arthroplasty (THA) at a minimum follow-up of 20 years. We reviewed the results of 165 THAs using the Omnifit HA system in 138 patients, performed between August 1993 and December 1999. The mean age of the patients at the time of surgery was 46 years (20 to 77). Avascular necrosis was the most common indication for THA, followed by ankylosing spondylitis and primary osteoarthritis. The mean follow-up was 22 years (20 to 31). At 20 and 25 years, 113 THAs in 91 patients and 63 THAs in 55 patients were available for review, respectively, while others died or were lost to follow-up. Kaplan-Meier analysis was performed to evaluate the survival of the stem. Radiographs were reviewed regularly, and the stability of the stem was evaluated using the Engh classification.Aims
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National hip fracture registries audit similar aspects of care but there is variation in the actual data collected; these differences restrict international comparison, benchmarking, and research. The Fragility Fracture Network (FFN) published a revised minimum common dataset (MCD) in 2022 to improve consistency and interoperability. Our aim was to assess compatibility of existing registries with the MCD. We compared 17 hip fracture registries covering 20 countries (Argentina; Australia and New Zealand; China; Denmark; England, Wales, and Northern Ireland; Germany; Holland; Ireland; Japan; Mexico; Norway; Pakistan; the Philippines; Scotland; South Korea; Spain; and Sweden), setting each of these against the 20 core and 12 optional fields of the MCD.Aims
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The risk of mechanical failure of modular revision hip stems is frequently mentioned in the literature, but little is currently known about the actual clinical failure rates of this type of prosthesis. The current retrospective long-term analysis examines the distal and modular failure patterns of the Prevision hip stem from 18 years of clinical use. A design improvement of the modular taper was introduced in 2008, and the data could also be used to compare the original and the current design of the modular connection. We performed an analysis of the Prevision modular hip stem using the manufacturer’s vigilance database and investigated different mechanical failure patterns of the hip stem from January 2004 to December 2022.Aims
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Patients with cauda equina syndrome (CES) require emergency imaging and surgical decompression. The severity and type of symptoms may influence the timing of imaging and surgery, and help predict the patient’s prognosis. Categories of CES attempt to group patients for management and prognostication purposes. We aimed in this study to assess the inter-rater reliability of dividing patients with CES into categories to assess whether they can be reliably applied in clinical practice and in research. A literature review was undertaken to identify published descriptions of categories of CES. A total of 100 real anonymized clinical vignettes of patients diagnosed with CES from the Understanding Cauda Equina Syndrome (UCES) study were reviewed by consultant spinal surgeons, neurosurgical registrars, and medical students. All were provided with published category definitions and asked to decide whether each patient had ‘suspected CES’; ‘early CES’; ‘incomplete CES’; or ‘CES with urinary retention’. Inter-rater agreement was assessed for all categories, for all raters, and for each group of raters using Fleiss’s kappa.Aims
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Initial treatment of traumatic spinal cord injury remains as controversial in 2023 as it was in the early 19th century, when Sir Astley Cooper and Sir Charles Bell debated the merits or otherwise of surgery to relieve cord compression. There has been a lack of high-class evidence for early surgery, despite which expeditious intervention has become the surgical norm. This evidence deficit has been progressively addressed in the last decade and more modern statistical methods have been used to clarify some of the issues, which is demonstrated by the results of the SCI-POEM trial. However, there has never been a properly conducted trial of surgery versus active conservative care. As a result, it is still not known whether early surgery or active physiological management of the unstable injured spinal cord offers the better chance for recovery. Surgeons who care for patients with traumatic spinal cord injuries in the acute setting should be aware of the arguments on all sides of the debate, a summary of which this annotation presents. Cite this article:
Hip fractures are a major cause of morbidity and mortality, and malnutrition is a crucial determinant of these outcomes. This meta-analysis aims to determine whether oral nutritional supplementation (ONS) improves postoperative outcomes in older patients with a hip fracture. A systematic literature search was conducted in August 2022. ONS was defined as high protein-based diet strategies containing (or not containing) carbohydrates, fat, vitamins, and minerals. Randomized trials documenting ONS in older patients with hip fracture (aged ≥ 50 years) were included. Two reviewers evaluated study eligibility, conducted data extraction, and assessed study quality.Aims
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To assess the feasibility of a randomized controlled trial (RCT) that compares three treatments for acetabular fractures in older patients: surgical fixation, surgical fixation and hip arthroplasty (fix-and-replace), and non-surgical treatment. Patients were recruited from seven UK NHS centres and randomized to a three-arm pilot trial if aged older than 60 years and had a displaced acetabular fracture. Feasibility outcomes included patients’ willingness to participate, clinicians’ capability to recruit, and dropout rates. The primary clinical outcome measure was the EuroQol five-dimension questionnaire (EQ-5D) at six months. Secondary outcomes were Oxford Hip Score, Disability Rating Index, blood loss, and radiological and mobility assessments.Aims
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Due to its indolent clinical behaviour, the treatment paradigm of atypical cartilaginous tumours (ACTs) in the long bones is slowly shifting from intralesional resection (curettage) and local adjuvants, towards active surveillance through wait-and-scan follow-up. In this retrospective cohort study performed in a tertiary referral centre, we studied the natural behaviour of ACT lesions by active surveillance with MRI. Clinical symptoms were not considered in the surveillance programme. The aim of this study was to see whether active surveillance is safe regarding malignant degeneration and local progression. In total, 117 patients were evaluated with MRI assessing growth, cortical destruction, endosteal scalloping, periosteal reaction, relation to the cortex, and perilesional bone marrow oedema. Patients received up to six follow-up scans.Aims
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