In this study we aimed to identify infection rates in arhroplasty patients which were operated bilaterally with single anesthesia and to discuss the reasons of infections in these patients.

We evaluated 163 knees of 82 patients (Follow up: 12 to 60 months). Mean age was 66.8. Right knees were operated first followed by left knees. 16 of the patients had diabetes mellitus, 4 of them had rheumatoid arthritis, and 1 of them had systemic lupus erithmatosus. All patients were evaluated according to operation time, wound healing, laboratory findings, clinical presentation and X rays. We had 7 infections (6 deep, 1 superficial infection). When we evaluate operation times, no statistically significant difference was obtained between the infected knees and non infected knees (p=0,275). Two of the infected knees had urinary track infection and dental abscess after the opertaion. Five of seven infected knees were left sided. Six of the infected knees were treated with debridement irrigation and antibiotics successfully. But one had two staged revision.

Bilaterally operated knee arthroplasty increases operation time significantly. This increase of operation time decreases the sterility of surgical field, and may increase infection rates. The increased infection rates in left sided knees may explain this. Postoperative dental and urinary tract infections may also increase infection rates. There is no correlation between infection and other systemic diseases like diabetes mellitus, systemic lupus erithematosus or rheumatoid arthritis

Degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis is one of the most frequent surgical indications of spinal surgery in the elderly patient group. Because of the progression of the disease and neurologic deficiencies, patients’ quality of life is affected. We aimed to evaluate the postoperative quality of life of the surgically treated spinal stenotic patients.

Between 1998 and 2009, 38 patients, who were surgically decompressed and enstrumentated in our clinic were included to the study. The patients were preoperatively and postoperatively evaluated with Visual Analogue (Scale (VAS) and Japanese Orthopaedics Association (JOA) criterias. The same patient group were re-evaluated on the postoperative 6th month with Hamilton anxiety and depression scale, on the 12th month with short form-36 and Oswestry pain scoring scales to measure the quality of life.

Mean age of 38 patients (31 female, 7 male) was 59.6 (range 44 to 82). Mean preoperative VAS was 7.97 and postoperative VAS was 2.28. The pain decreased 56.9%. According to JOA criterias, in 3 patients (7.89%) no recovery, in 13 patients (34.2%) less than 50% recovery and in 22 patients (57.8%) more than 50% recovery was obtained. On the 6th month, according to Hamilton anxiety and depression scale, in 12 patients anxiety and in 3 of these patients depression which needs treatment was observed. The pain of all the patients with anxiety recovered meaningfully (42.3%) but according to JOA, less than 50% recovery could be obtained.

Surgically treated spinal stenosis patients improved clinically and radiologically and this affected the patients’ quality of life positively

To present our experience and evaluate functional results on endoprostethic reconstruction of extremities with bone tumors after tumor resection.

47 patients (15 females, 32 males; mean age 55 years; range 13–85 years) who underwent tumor resection and cemented endoprosthetic replacement using the TMTS (Turkish Musculoskeletal Tumor Society) prosthesis for bone tumors of the extremities were analysed. Thirty patients (63.8%; mean age 63 years) had metastatic, 17 patients (36.1%; mean age 53 years) had primary tumors. The femur (70%) was the most frequent tumor location site. Functional assesments of the patients were made using the Musculoskeletal Tumor Society (MSTS) scoring system on the follow-up period. The mean follow-up period was 18 months, being 36.3 months for primary, and 7.3 months for metastatic tumors.

Postoperative complications were seen in 9 patients (19.1%). 22 patients died due to tumoral causes during follow-up period, distant metastases exists in 4 patients, and 21 patients are tumor-free. Survival rates found significantly better in patients with primary tumors. All the patients were able to walk without crutches in the postoperative period. The mean MSTS score was 58.7% in survivors, which was 71% for primary tumors, and 53.1% for metastatic tumors.

Reconstruction with cemented modular endoprostheses is an appropriate surgical alternative in the treatment of extremity tumors, with satisfactory functional results particularly in primary tumors.