With the rising rates, and associated costs, of total knee arthroplasty (TKA), enhanced clarity regarding patient appropriateness for TKA is warranted. Towards addressing this gap, we elucidated in qualitative research that surgeons and osteoarthritis (OA) patients considered TKA need, readiness/willingness, health status, and expectations of TKA most important in determining patient appropriateness for TKA. The current study evaluated the predictive validity of pre-TKA measures of these appropriateness domains for attainment of a good TKA outcome. This prospective cohort study recruited knee OA patients aged 30+ years referred for TKA at two hip/knee surgery centers in Alberta, Canada. Those receiving primary, unilateral TKA completed questionnaires pre-TKA assessing TKA need (WOMAC-pain, ICOAP-pain, NRS-pain, KOOS-physical function, Perceived Arthritis Coping Efficacy, prior OA treatment), TKA readiness/willingness (Patient Acceptable Symptom State (PASS), willingness to undergo TKA), health status (PHQ-8, BMI, MSK and non-MSK comorbidities), TKA expectations (HSS KR Expectations survey items) and contextual factors (e.g., age, gender, employment status). One-year post-TKA, we assessed for a ‘good outcome’ (yes/no), defined as improved knee symptoms (OARSI-OMERACT responder criteria) AND overall satisfaction with TKA results. Multiple logistic regression, stepwise variable selection, and best possible subsets regression was used to identify the model with the smallest number of independent variables and greatest discriminant validity for our outcome. Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curves were generated to compare the discriminative ability of each appropriateness domain based on the ‘area under the ROC curve’ (AUC). Multivariable robust Poisson regression was used to assess the relationship of the variables to achievement of a good outcome. f 1,275 TKA recipients, 1,053 (82.6%) had complete data for analyses (mean age 66.9 years [SD 8.8]; 58.6% female). Mean WOMAC pain and KOOS-PS scores were 11.5/20 (SD 3.5) and 52.8/100 (SD 17.1), respectively. 78.1% (95% CI 75.4–80.5%) achieved a good outcome. Stepwise variable selection identified optimal
Approximately 20% of patients feel unsatisfied 12 months after primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Current predictive tools for TKA focus on the clinician as the intended user rather than the patient. The aim of this study is to develop a tool that can be used by patients without clinician assistance, to predict health-related quality of life (HRQoL) outcomes 12 months after total knee arthroplasty (TKA). All patients with primary TKAs for osteoarthritis between 2012 and 2019 at a tertiary institutional registry were analysed. The predictive outcome was improvement in Veterans-RAND 12 utility score at 12 months after surgery. Potential predictors included patient demographics, co-morbidities, and patient reported outcome scores at baseline. Logistic regression and three machine learning algorithms were used. Models were evaluated using both
This qualitative study aims to explore and highlight the experiences of trainees in the Orthopaedic Surgical Education Training (SET) program in New Zealand, with a focus on identifying gender-specific biases which may impact professional development. Orthopaedic SET trainees in New Zealand were invited to complete a qualitative, semi-structured questionnaire exploring their experiences in the Orthopaedic SET program. A broad range of topics were covered, addressing culture, belonging, learning styles and role modelling. Recurrent themes were identified using inductive methods. Analysis of questionnaire responses identified several key themes for women in the Orthopaedic SET program, compared to their male counterparts, including (1) role incredulity, (2) confidence vs. competence, (3) adaptation, (4) interdisciplinary relationships and (5) role modelling. Female participants described experiencing gender bias or
Aim. This study aimed to externally validate promising preoperative PJI prediction models in a recent, multinational European cohort. Method. Three preoperative PJI prediction models (by Tan et al., Del Toro et al., and Bülow et al.) which previously demonstrated high levels of accuracy were selected for validation. A multicenter retrospective observational analysis was performed of patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty (THA) and total knee arthroplasty (TKA) between January 2020 and December 2021 and treated at centers in the Netherlands, Portugal, and Spain. Patient characteristics were compared between our cohort and those used to develop the prediction models. Model performance was assessed through
Several different algorithms attempt to estimate life expectancy for patients with metastatic spine disease. The Skeletal Oncology Research Group (SORG) has recently developed a nomogram to estimate survival of patients with metastatic spine disease. Whilst the use of the SORG nomogram has been validated in the international context, there has been no study to date that validates the use of the SORG nomogram in New Zealand. This study aimed to validate the use of the SORG nomogram in Aotearoa New Zealand. We collected data on 100 patients who presented to Waikato Hospital with a diagnosis of spinal metastatic disease. The SORG nomogram gave survival probabilities for each patient at each time point. Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) Area Under Curve (AUC) analysis was performed to assess the predictive accuracy of the SORG score. A calibration curve was also performed, and Brier scores calculated. A multivariate Cox regression analysis was performed. The SORG score was correlated with 30 day (AUC = 0.72) and 90-day mortality (AUC = 0.71). The correlation between the SORG score and 90-day mortality was weaker (AUC = 0.69). Using this method, the nomogram was correct for 79 (79%) patients at 30-days, 59 patients (59%) at 90-days, and 42 patients (42%) at 365-days. Calibration curves demonstrated poor forecasting of the SORG nomogram at 30 (Brier score = 0.65) and 365 days (Brier score = 0.33). The calibration curve demonstrated borderline forecasting of the SORG nomogram at 90 days (Brier score = 0.28). Several components of the SORG nomogram were not found to be correlated with mortality. In this New Zealand cohort the SORG nomogram demonstrated only acceptable
Aim. Recurrence of bone and joint infection, despite appropriate therapy, is well recognised and stimulates ongoing interest in identifying host factors that predict infection recurrence. Clinical prediction models exist for those treated with DAIR, but to date no models with a low risk of bias predict orthopaedic infection recurrence for people with surgically excised infection and removed metalwork. The aims of this study were to construct and internally validate a risk prediction model for infection recurrence at 12 months, and to identify factors that predict recurrence. Predictive factors must be easy to check in pre-operative assessment and relevant across patient groups. Methods. Four prospectively collected datasets including 1173 participants treated in European centres between 2003 and 2021, followed up to 12 months after surgery for orthopaedic infections, were included in logistic regression modelling [1–3]. The definition of infection recurrence was identical and ascertained separately from baseline factors in three contributing cohorts. Eight predictive factors were investigated following a priori sample size calculation: age, gender, BMI, ASA score, the number of prior operations, immunosuppressive medication, glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c), and smoking. Missing data, including systematically missing predictors, were imputed using Multiple Imputation by Chained Equations. Weekly alcohol intake was not included in modelling due to low inter-observer reliability (mean reported intake 12 units per week, 95% CI for mean inter-rater error −16.0 to +15.4 units per week). Results. Participants were 64% male, with a median age of 60 years (range 18–95). 86% of participants had lower limb orthopaedic infections. 732 participants were treated for osteomyelitis, including FRI, and 432 for PJI. 16% of participants experienced treatment failure by 12 months. The full prediction model had moderate apparent
Background. Septic arthritis diagnostic is an emergency which implies a treatment with antibiotics and hospitalization. The diagnosis is based on the cytobacteriological examination of the synovial fluid (SF), but direct bacteriological examination is insensitive, and the result of the culture is obtained only after several days. Therefore, there is still a need for a rapid, simple and reliable method for the positive diagnosis of septic arthritis. Such method must allow avoiding both unrecognized septic arthritis leading to major functional consequences, and overdiagnosis that will induce unnecessary expensive hospitalization and unjustified treatment. Mid-infrared (MIR) spectroscopy, that gives a metabolic profiling of biological fluids, has been proposed for early and fast diagnosis. Objectives. To confirm the MIR spectroscopy to discriminate SF samples from patients with septic arthritis from other causes of joint effusion. Methods. Synovial fluids from 402 patients referred for suspected arthropathies were prospectively collected in six hospitals and stored at °80°C. The infrared absorption spectrum was acquired for each of the frozen samples using a chalcogenide fiber biosensor. The most informative spectral variables were selected and then used to develop an algorithm. Then, the algorithm has been validated on independent synovial fluids collected straight after arthrocentesis from 86 patients. Results. The calibration (n=402) and validation (n=86) cohorts consists of synovial fluid samples from patients exhibiting various etiologies. These samples (n=488), by using SF bacteriological analysis and culture and 16S PCR analysis were classified as septic arthritis (n=43) or non-septic arthritis (n=443). On the calibration cohort, the performances of the algorithm show a sensitivity of 90%, a specificity of 90%, a NPV of 99% and a PPV of 41%, the area under the ROC curve (AUROC) was 0.95. On the validation cohort, the performances of the algorithm show a sensitivity of 92%, a specificity of 81%, a NPV of 98% and a PPV of 46%, the area under the ROC curve (AUROC) was 0.90. Conclusions. This study confirms the diagnostic performances of MIR spectroscopy for the
Anterior knee pain is one of the most frequently reported musculoskeletal complaints in all age groups. However, patient's complaints are often nonspecific, leading to difficulty in properly diagnosing the condition. One of the causes of pain is the degeneration of the articular cartilage. As the cartilage deteriorates, its ability to distribute the joint reaction forces decreases and the stresses may exceed the pain threshold. Unfortunately, the assessment of the cartilage condition is often limited to a detailed interview with the patient, careful physical examination and x-ray imaging. The X-ray screening may reveal bone degeneration, but does not carry sufficient information of the soft tissues' conditions. More advanced imaging tools such as MRI or CT are available, but these are expensive, time consuming and are only suitable for detection of advanced arthritis. Arthroscopic surgery is often the only reliable option, however due to its semi-invasive nature, it cannot be considered as a practical diagnostic tool. However, as the articular cartilage degenerates, the surfaces become rougher, they produce higher vibrations than smooth surfaces due to higher friction during the interaction. Therefore, it was proposed to detect vibrations non-invasively using accelerometers, and evaluate the signals for their potential diagnostic applications. Vibration data was collected for 75 subjects; 23 healthy and 52 subjects suffering from knee arthritis. The study was approved by the IRB and an Informed Consent was obtained prior to data collection. Five accelerometers were attached to skin around the knee joint (at the patella, medial and lateral femoral condyles, tibial tuberosity and medial tibial plateau). Each subject performed 5 activities; (1) flexion-extension, (2) deep knee bend, (3) chair rising, (4) stair climbing and (5) stair descent. The vibration and motion components of the signals were separated by a high pass filter. Next, 33 parameters of the signals were calculated and evaluated for their
Our primary aim was to establish the proportion of female orthopaedic consultants who perform arthroplasty via cases submitted to the National Joint Registry (NJR), which covers England, Wales, Northern Ireland, the Isle of Man, and Guernsey. Secondary aims included comparing time since specialist registration, private practice participation, and number of hospitals worked in between male and female surgeons. Publicly available data from the NJR was extracted on the types of arthroplasty performed by each surgeon, and the number of procedures of each type undertaken. Each surgeon was cross-referenced with the General Medical Council (GMC) website, using GMC number to extract surgeon demographic data. These included sex, region of practice, and dates of full and specialist registration.Aims
Methods
Disorders of bone integrity carry a high global disease burden, frequently requiring intervention, but there is a paucity of methods capable of noninvasive real-time assessment. Here we show that miniaturized handheld near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) scans, operated via a smartphone, can assess structural human bone properties in under three seconds. A hand-held NIR spectrometer was used to scan bone samples from 20 patients and predict: bone volume fraction (BV/TV); and trabecular (Tb) and cortical (Ct) thickness (Th), porosity (Po), and spacing (Sp).Aims
Methods
Global literature suggests that female surgical trainees have lower rates of independent operating (operative autonomy) than their male counterparts. The objective of this study was to identify any association between gender and lead/independent operating in speciality orthopaedic trainees within the UK national training programme. This was a retrospective case-control study using electronic surgical logbook data from 2009 to 2021 for 274 UK orthopaedic trainees. Total operative numbers and level of supervision were compared between male and female trainees, with correction for less than full-time training (LTFT), prior experience, and time out during training (OOP). The primary outcome was the percentage of cases undertaken as lead surgeon (supervised and unsupervised) by UK orthopaedic trainees by gender.Aims
Methods
Introduction. When following patients with metal-on-metal (MoM) hip replacements, current evidence suggests that orthopaedic surgeons should avoid reliance on any single investigative tool. In 2014, guidelines for stratifying patients with MoM hip replacement into groups of low, medium, and high risk of failure based on multiple criteria were published. However, such risk stratification guidelines can be difficult to interpret due to the numerous risk factors related to MoM hip replacements. This is especially true for patients with various (high and low) risk levels for different criteria within the guidelines. The first purpose of this study was to assess if a scoring system can be applied to the current MoM guidelines. The second purpose was to test, using this scoring system, how the contemporary guidelines would classify a cohort of patients with a recalled MoM hip replacement system. Methods. The study population consisted of 1301 patients (1434 hips) enrolled from September 2012 to June 2015 in a multicenter follow-up study of a recalled MoM hip replacement system at a mean of 6.2 (range 2.4 – 11.2) years from index surgery. Eleven required scoring criteria were determined based on existing follow-up algorithm recommendations and consisted of patient factors, symptoms, clinical status, implant type, metal ion levels, and radiographic imaging results. Criteria considered ‘low’ risk were given 1 point, 2 points for ‘moderate’ risk, and 3 points for the ‘high’ risk group. Forward stepwise logistic regression was conducted to determine the minimum set of predictive variables for risk of revision and assign variable weights. The MoM risk score for each hip was then created by averaging the weighted values of each predictive variable. Results. Only two of the proposed eleven criteria were found to be significant predictors of revision in our logistic regression model; clinical status (as measured by the Harris Hip Score) and blood metal ion levels. By September 2015, 85 patients had been revised. The median MoM risk score for unrevised hips (2.15) was lower compared to revised hips (4.49) (p < 0.001). Receiver operating characteristic analysis yielded good
Orthopaedics has been left behind in the worldwide drive towards diversity and inclusion. In the UK, only 7% of orthopaedic consultants are female. There is growing evidence that diversity increases innovation as well as patient outcomes. This paper has reviewed the literature to identify some of the common issues affecting female surgeons in orthopaedics, and ways in which we can address them: there is a wealth of evidence documenting the differences in the journey of men and women towards a consultant role. We also look at lessons learned from research in the business sector and the military. The ‘Hidden Curriculum’ is out of date and needs to enter the 21st century: microaggressions in the workplace must be challenged; we need to consider more flexible training options and support trainees who wish to become pregnant; mentors, both male and female, are imperative to provide support for trainees. The world has changed, and we need to consider how we can improve diversity to stay relevant and effective. Cite this article:
Most people experience low back pain (LBP) at least once in their lifetime. A minority goes on to develop persistent LBP causing significant socioeconomic costs. Aim of this study was to identify factors that influence the progression of acute to persistent LBP at an early stage (Hilfiker et al. 2007). Prospective inception cohort study of patients attending a health practitioner for their first episode of acute LBP or recurrent LBP after a pain free period of at least six months. Patients were assessed at baseline addressing occupational and psychological factors as well as pain, disability, quality of life and physical activity, and followed up over six months. Baseline and follow-up questionnaires were based on the recommendations of the Multinational Musculoskeletal Inception Cohort Study (MMICS) Statement (Pincus et al. 2008). Variables were combined to the three indices ‘working condition’, ‘depression and maladaptive cognitions’ and ‘pain and quality of life’. The index ‘depression and maladaptive cognitions’ comprising of depression, somatisation, a resigned attitude towards the job, fear-avoidance, catastrophizing and negative expectations on return to work was found to be a significant baseline predictor for persistent LBP up to six months (OR 5.1; 95%CI 1.04–25.1). The diagnostic accuracy of the predictor model had a sensitivity of 0.54 and a specificity of 0.90. Positive likelihood ratio was moderate with 5.3, negative likelihood ratio 0.5. Overall predictive accuracy of the model was 81%. The area under the curve in receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis of the index was 0.78 (CI95% 0.65–0.92), demonstrating a satisfactory quality of
The Osteoprotegerin/RANK/RANKL system has been implicated in the biological cascade of events initiated by particulate wear debris and bacterial infection resulting in periprosthetic bone loss around loosened total hip arthroplasties (THA). Individual responses to such stimuli may be dictated by genetic variation and we have studied the effect of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within these genes. We performed a case control study of the Osteoprotegerin, RANK and RANKL genes for possible association with deep sepsis or aseptic loosening. All patients included in the study were Caucasian and had had a cemented Charnley THA and polyethylene acetabular cup. Cases consisted of 91 patients with early aseptic loosening and 71 patients with microbiological evidence at surgery of deep infection. Controls consisted of 150 THAs that were clinically asymptomatic for over 10 years and demonstrated no radiographic features of aseptic loosening. DNA samples from all individuals were genotyped using Taqman allelic
A total of 38 patients with leprosy and localised nerve damage (11 median at the wrist and 37 posterior tibial at the ankle) were treated by 48 freeze-thawed skeletal muscle autografts ranging between 2.5 cm and 14 cm in length. Sensory recovery was noted in 34 patients (89%) and was maintained during a mean period of follow-up of 12.6 years (4 to 14). After grafting the median nerve all patients remained free of ulcers and blisters, ten demonstrated perception of texture and eight recognised weighted pins. In the posterior tibial nerve group, 24 of 30 repairs (80%) resulted in improved healing of the ulcers and 26 (87%) demonstrated
As reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (RTSA) systems expand with longer durations in vivo, so does the concern and potential complications of wear, debris and osteolysis. Despite some other profound attempts, no wear testing method has stood out to compare implants across systems and labs. The main reasons may have been the diverse sources of forces and motions used in testing, widely different wear amounts which resulted and the general lack of dedicated shoulder simulators. To add a dedicated shoulder simulator to hip and knee simulators would burden the resources of any testing lab. In this study we propose a shoulder wear test method which addresses the above. Harnessing the wealth of force-motion data from telemetrized shoulder implants from the Bergman's group in Berlin, we synthesized their results to devise a wholistic multi-axes simulation regime for reverse shoulders. The alignment and motions of the humeral cup and the glenosphere were kept anatomically correct (relative to each other) and yielded a physiologically realistic wear-inducing articulation. However, we opted for a very unusual installation/orientation of the whole implant system to allow a twelve station AMTI (hip) simulator to be adapted for this study. The shoulder constructs were aligned with novel fixtures such that the machine's vertical compressive force mimicked the average forces of the shoulder found from the in vivo telemetry data in magnitude and nominal direction. Aligned thus, a patient with a shoulder installed would neither stand, nor lie down, but be oriented in a composite angle relative the simulator original axes. Each anatomic shoulder motion would be achieved by unique computed combinations of the three simulator motion actuators, none of which would be aligned anatomically for the shoulder on its own. The maximum ranges of cyclic shoulder motion achieved with the constraints of the simulator were 38°–79° of forward elevation repeated in two separate (15°and 45°) elevation planes. The change of elevation plane inherently involved abduction-adduction motion, and simultaneously also involved variation of internal-external rotation within a 57° range. Each elevation rise (twice per cycle) was also accompanied by a sinusoidally rising and falling compressive load in the range 50N–1700N. The test method was tested (!) by simulating for 2.5 million of the above (double-elevation) cycles and gravimetrically measuring wear of twelve 36 mm size RTSA systems. We compared six systems having vitamin E-infused highly cross-linked polyethylene bearings (100 kGy radiation) to six controls with a medium cross-linked polyethylene of half the radiation dose. Significant wear resulted for the control bearing material (average 17.9 ± 0.851 mg/MC) which was no less than many hips and knees. Multiply (and statistically significantly, p < 0.001) less average wear (3.42 ± 0.22 mg/MC) resulted for the highly cross linked bearings. The above demonstrated the effectiveness of the test method. Significant wear resulted under physiologically realistic cyclic motion and forces with strong
Healthcare systems have been rapidly restructured to meet COVID-19 demand. Clinicians are working to novel clinical guidelines, treating new patient cohorts and working in unfamiliar environments. Trauma and orthopaedics (T&O) has experienced cancellation of routine clinics and operating, with redistribution of the workload and human resources. To date, no studies have evaluated the mental health impact of these changes on the T&O workforce. We report the results of a novel survey on the impact of the pandemic on the mental health of our orthopaedic workforce and the contributory factors. A 20-question survey-based cross-sectional study of orthopaedic team members was conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic. The primary objective was to identify the impact of the pandemic on mental health in the form of major depressive disorder (MDD) and general anxiety disorder (GAD). The survey incorporated the patient health questionnaire (PHQ-2), which is validated for screening of MDD, and the generalized anxiety disorder questionnaire (GAD-2), which is validated for screening of GAD.Aims
Methods
Plots are an elegant and effective way to represent
data. At their best they encourage the reader and promote comprehension.
A graphical representation can give a far more intuitive feel to
the pattern of results in the study than a list of numerical data,
or the result of a statistical calculation. The temptation to exaggerate differences or relationships between
variables by using broken axes, overlaid axes, or inconsistent scaling
between plots should be avoided. A plot should be self-explanatory and not complicated. It should
make good use of the available space. The axes should be scaled
appropriately and labelled with an appropriate dimension. Plots are recognised statistical methods of presenting data and
usually require specialised statistical software to create them.
The statistical analysis and methods to generate the plots are as
important as the methodology of the study itself. The software,
including dates and version numbers, as well as statistical tests
should be appropriately referenced. Following some of the guidance provided in this article will
enhance a manuscript. Cite this article:
We examined the usefulness of neutrophil CD64 expression in detecting local musculoskeletal infection and the impact of antibiotics on its expression. Of 141 patients suspected of musculoskeletal infection, 46 were confirmed by microbiological culture to be infected and 95 had infection excluded. The median CD64 count of patients with localised infection was 2230 molecules per cell (interquartile range (IQR) 918 to 4592) and that of the patients without infection was 937 molecules per cell (IQR 648 to 1309) (p <
0.001). The level of CD64 correlated with the CRP level in patients with infection, but not in those without infection (r = 0.59, p <
0.01). Receiver operator characteristic curve analysis revealed that CD64 was a good predictor of local infection. When the patients were subdivided into two groups based on the administration of antibiotics at the time of CD64 sampling, the sensitivity for detecting infection was better in those who had not received antibiotics. These results suggest that measurement of CD64 expression is a useful marker for local musculoskeletal infection.