Periprosthetic joint infection represents a devastating complication after total elbow arthroplasty. Several measures can be implemented before, during, and after surgery to decrease infection rates, which exceed 5%. Debridement with antibiotics and implant retention has been reported to be successful in less than one-third of acute infections, but still plays a role. For elbows with well-fixed implants, staged retention seems to be equally successful as the more commonly performed two-stage reimplantation, both with a success rate of 70% to 80%. Permanent resection or even amputation are occasionally considered. Not uncommonly, a second-stage reimplantation requires complex reconstruction of the skeleton with allografts, and the extensor mechanism may also be deficient. Further developments are needed to improve our management of infection after elbow arthroplasty.

Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2024;106-B(11):1321–1326.

Aims

Periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) is a challenging complication of any arthroplasty procedure. We reviewed our use of static antibiotic-loaded cement spacers (ABLCSs) for staged management of PJI where segmental bone loss, ligamentous instability, or soft-tissue defects necessitate a static construct. We reviewed factors contributing to their failure and techniques to avoid these complications when using ABLCSs in this context.

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Pneumatic tourniquets are often used during the surgical treatment of unstable traumatic ankle fractures. The aim of this study was to assess the risk of reoperation after open reduction and internal fixation of ankle fractures with and without the use of pneumatic tourniquets.

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Venous tumour thrombus (VTT) is a rare finding in osteosarcoma. Despite the high rate of VTT in osteosarcoma of the pelvis, there are very few descriptions of VTT associated with extrapelvic primary osteosarcoma. We therefore sought to describe the prevalence and presenting features of VTT in osteosarcoma of both the pelvis and the limbs.

Aims

Fracture-related infections (FRIs) are a devastating complication of fracture management. However, the impact of FRIs on mental health remains understudied. The aim of this study was a longitudinal evaluation of patients’ psychological state, and expectations for recovery comparing patients with recurrent FRI to those with primary FRI.

Aims

This study aimed to investigate the clinical characteristics and outcomes associated with culture-negative limb osteomyelitis patients.

Introduction

Severe, multiplanar, fixed, pantalar deformities present a challenge to orthopaedic surgeons. Surgical options include limb salvage or amputation. This study compares outcomes of patients with such deformities undergoing limb preservation with either pantalar fusion (PTF) or talectomy and tibiocalcaneal fusion (TCF), versus below knee amputation (BKA).

Background. Charcot neuroarthropathy is a destructive disease characterized by progressive bony fragmentation as a result of the isolated or accumulative trauma in patients with decreased sensation that manifests as dislocation, periarticular fractures and instability. Although amputation can be a reasonable cost economic solution, many patients are willing to avoid that if possible. We explored here one of the salvage procedures. Methods. 23 patients with infected ulcerated unstable Charcot neuroarthropathy of the ankle were treated between 2012 and 2017. The mean age was 63.5 ±7.9 years; 16 males and 7 females. Aggressive open debridement of ulcers and joint surfaces, with talectomy in some cases, were performed followed by external fixation with an Ilizarov frame. The primary outcome was a stable plantigrade infection free foot and ankle that allows weight bearing in accommodative foot wear. Results. Limb salvage was achieved in 91.3% of cases at the end of a mean follow up time of 25 months (range: 19–32). Fifteen (71.4%) solid bony unions were evident clinically and radiographically, while 6 (28.5%) patients developed stable painless pseudoarthrosis. Two patients had below knee amputations due to uncontrolled infection. Conclusion. Aggressive debridement and arthrodesis with ring external fixation can be used successfully to salvage severely infected Charcot arthropathy of the ankle. Pin tract infection, delayed wound healing and stress fracture may complicate the procedure but can be easily managed. Amputation may be the last resort in uncontrolled infection

Aims

Osteosarcoma is the most common primary bone malignancy among children and adolescents. We investigated whether benzamil, an amiloride analogue and sodium-calcium exchange blocker, may exhibit therapeutic potential for osteosarcoma in vitro.

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Prior cost-effectiveness analyses on osseointegrated prosthesis for transfemoral unilateral amputees have analyzed outcomes in non-USA countries using generic quality of life instruments, which may not be appropriate when evaluating disease-specific quality of life. These prior analyses have also focused only on patients who had failed a socket-based prosthesis. The aim of the current study is to use a disease-specific quality of life instrument, which can more accurately reflect a patient’s quality of life with this condition in order to evaluate cost-effectiveness, examining both treatment-naïve and socket refractory patients.

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The aim of this study is to determine the predictors of overall survival (OS) and predictive factors of poor prognosis of conventional high-grade osteosarcoma of the limbs in a single-centre in South Africa.

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The Vantage Total Ankle System is a fourth-generation low-profile fixed-bearing implant that has been available since 2016. We aimed to describe our early experience with this implant.

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Most patients with advanced malignancy suffer bone metastases, which pose a significant challenge to orthopaedic services and burden to the health economy. This study aimed to assess adherence to the British Orthopaedic Oncology Society (BOOS)/British Orthopaedic Association (BOA) guidelines on patients with metastatic bone disease (MBD) in the UK.

Aims

Total femoral arthroplasty (TFA) is a rare procedure used in cases of significant femoral bone loss, commonly from cancer, infection, and trauma. Low patient numbers have resulted in limited published work on long-term outcomes, and even less regarding TFA undertaken for non-oncological indications. The aim of this study was to evaluate the long-term clinical outcomes of all TFAs in our unit.

Aims

Safety concerns surrounding osseointegration are a significant barrier to replacing socket prosthesis as the standard of care following limb amputation. While implanted osseointegrated prostheses traditionally occur in two stages, a one-stage approach has emerged. Currently, there is no existing comparison of the outcomes of these different approaches. To address safety concerns, this study sought to determine whether a one-stage osseointegration procedure is associated with fewer adverse events than the two-staged approach.

Introduction. Transfemoral osseointegration (TFOI) for amputees has substantial literature proving superior quality of life and mobility versus a socketed prosthesis. Some amputees have hip arthritis that would be relieved by a total hip replacement (THR). No other group has reported performing a THR in association with TFOI (THR+TFOI). We report the outcomes of eight patients who had THR+TFOI, followed for an average 5.2 years. Materials & Methods. Our osseointegration registry was retrospectively reviewed to identify all patients who had TFOI and also had THR, performed at least two years prior. Six patients had TFOI then THR, one simultaneous, one THR then TFOI. All constructs were in continuity from hip to prosthetic limb. Outcomes were: complications prompting surgical intervention, and changes in subjective hip pain, K-level, daily prosthesis wear hours, Questionnaire for Persons with a Transfemoral Amputation (QTFA), and Short Form 36 (SF36). All patients had clinical follow-up, but one patient did not have complete mobility and quality of life survey data at both time periods. Results. Four (50%) were male, average age 52.7±14.8 years. Three patients (38%) had amputation for trauma, three for osteosarcoma, one each (13%) infected total knee and persistent infection after deformity surgery. One patient died one year after THR+TOFA from subsequently diagnosed pancreatic cancer. One patient had superficial debridement for infection with implant retention after five years. No implants were removed, no fractures occurred. All patients reported severe hip pain preoperatively versus full relief of hip pain afterwards. K-level improved from 0/8=0% K>2 (six were wheelchair-bound) to 5/8=63% (p=.026). At least 8 hours of prosthesis wear was reported by 2/7=29% before TOFA vs 5/7=71% after (p=.286). The QTFA improved in all categories, but not significantly: Global (40.0±21.6 vs 60.0±10.9, p=.136), Problem (50.2±33.2 vs 15.4±8.4, p=.079), and Mobility (35.9±26.8 vs 58.3±30.7, p=.150). The SF36 also improved minimally and not significantly: Mental (53.6±12.0 vs 54.7±4.6, p=.849) and Physical (32.5±10.9 vs 36.3±11.2, p=.634). Conclusions. THR+TFOI is a successful reconstruction option for amputees who desire relief from severe pain related to hip joint degeneration, and also the opportunity for improved mobility and quality of life that TFOI typically confers. In our cohort, the procedure proved safe: no associated deaths, no removals, one soft tissue debridement. Mobility improved markedly. Quality of life improved, but not to significant thresholds as measured by the surveys. THR+TFOI appears safe and reasonable to offer to transfemoral amputees with painful hip joint degeneration

Introduction. This study reports on minimum 2 year follow up outcomes on functional and quality of life of patients after undergoing bilateral osseointegration in comparison to traditional socket prosthesis. Materials & Methods. This is a prospective pilot study of 35 patients, consisting of 30 males and 5 females, aged 22–66 (mean 36) years at surgery, with minimum two-year follow-up. Selection criteria were age over 18 years, bilateral amputees who had socket-related problems or were wheelchair-bound with short stumps and non-reconstructable limb pathology. Principle outcome measures included the Questionnaire for persons with a Trans-Femoral Amputation (Q-TFA), Short Form Health Survey 36 (SF-36), Six Minute Walk Test (6MWT), Timed Up and Go (TUG), and K-levels. Adverse events were recorded including infection, revision surgery, fractures, and implant failures. Results. Comparisons were made using differences between the mean pre-operative and mean post-operative values for each outcome measure. Significant improvements in all validated outcome measures were observed. All patient who were wheelchair bound prior to the surgery were able to mobilise post operatively. The occurrence levels of adverse events, including the infection rate and revision rate within this patient cohort, were similar to other established trans-femoral osseointegration studies. Conclusions. These preliminary results indicate that osseointegration surgery is a safe and effective alternative treatment for bilateral amputees experiencing socket-related discomfort. Compared to the suboptimal outcomes of socket prostheses, osseointegration currently provides one of the best chances for any bilateral amputee to walk again and regain the ability to perform daily activities

Introduction. Reconstruction of large defect of tibia following infection is considered as one of the most difficult problem facing the orthopaedic surgeon. Amputation with modern prosthetic fitting is a salvage procedure to treat big defects, which gives a functional result with unpredictable psychological impact. Materials & Methods. Between January 2000 and January 2021, 56 patients (30 males and 26 females) with big defects following infection and post traumatic injury of the tibia were treated. The mean age of the patients at the time of surgery was 20.5 years (4–24 years). The fibula was mobilized medially to fill the defect and was fixed with Ilizarov fixator. The average size of the defects reconstructed was 18.5 cm (17–20 cm). Results. The average time for complete union was 8.6 months (range, 5–9 months). At final follow-up all patients had fully united. We found leg length discrepancy in 52 patients and that was corrected by re-lengthening of the solid new regenerate bone. Conclusions. The Ilizarov method has been shown to be an effective method of treating Tibialization of fibula for reconstruction of big tibial defects

Introduction. Transtibial osseointegration (TFOI) for amputees has limited but clear literature identifying superior quality of life and mobility versus a socketed prosthesis. Some amputees have knee arthritis that would be relieved by a total knee replacement (TKR). No other group has reported performing a TKR in association with TTOI (TKR+TTOI). We report the outcomes of nine patients who had TKR+TTOI, followed for an average 6.5 years. Materials & Methods. Our osseointegration registry was retrospectively reviewed to identify all patients who had TTOI and who also had TKR, performed at least two years prior. Four patients had TKR first the TTOI, four patients had simultaneous TKR+TTOI, and one patient had 1 OI first then TKR. All constructs were in continuity from hinged TKR to the prosthetic limb. Outcomes were: complications prompting surgical intervention, and changes in daily prosthesis wear hours, Questionnaire for Persons with a Transfemoral Amputation (QTFA), and Short Form 36 (SF36). All patients had clinical follow-up, but two patients did not have complete survey and mobility tests at both time periods. Results. Six (67%) were male, average age 51.2±14.7 years. All primary amputations were performed to manage traumatic injury or its sequelae. No patients died. Five patients (56%) developed infection leading to eventual transfemoral amputation 36.0±15.3 months later, and 1 patient had a single debridement six years after TTOI with no additional surgery in the subsequent two years. All patients who had transfemoral amputation elected for and received transfemoral osseointegration, and no infections occurred, although one patient sustained a periprosthetic fracture which was managed with internal fixation and implant retention and walks independently. The proportion of patients who wore their prosthesis at least 8 hours daily was 5/9=56%, versus 7/9=78% (p=.620). Even after proximal level amputation, the QTFA scores improved versus prior to TKR+TTOI, although not significantly: Global (45.2±20.3 vs 66.7±27.6, p=.179), Problem (39.8±19.8 vs 21.5±16.8, p=.205), Mobility (54.8±28.1 vs 67.7±25.0, p=.356). SF36 changes were also non-significant: Mental (58.6±7.0 vs 46.1±11.0, p=.068), Physical (34.3±6.1 vs 35.2±13.7, p=.904). Conclusions. TKR+TTOI presents a high risk for eventual infection prompting subsequent transfemoral amputation. Although none of these patients died, in general, TKR infection can lead to patient mortality. Given the exceptional benefit to preserving the knee joint to preserve amputee mobility and quality of life, it would be devastating to flatly force transtibial amputees with severe degenerative knee joint pain and unable to use a socket prosthesis to choose between TTOI but a painful knee, or preemptive transfemoral amputation for transfemoral osseointegration. Therefore, TTOI for patients who also request TKR must be considered cautiously. Given that this frequency of infection does not occur in patients who have total hip replacement in association with transfemoral osseointegration, the underlying issue may not be that linked joint replacement with osseointegrated limb replacement is incompatible, but may require further consideration of biological barriers to ascending infection and/or significant changes to implant design, surgical technique, or other yet-uncertain factors