Level of evidence (LOE) determination is a reliable tool to assess the strength of research based on study design. Improvements in LOE are necessary for the advancement of evidence-based clinical care. The objectives of this study were to determine if the LOE presented at the Musculoskeletal Tumour Society (MSTS) annual meeting has improved over time and to determine how the LOE presented at MSTS annual meetings compares to that of the Orthopaedic Trauma Association (OTA) annual meetings. We reviewed abstracts from the MSTS and OTA annual meeting podium presentations from 2005 to 2014. Three independent reviewers evaluated a total of 1222 abstracts for study type and LOE. Changes in the distributions of study type and LOE over time were evaluated by Pearson Chi-Squared test. There were a total of 577 podium abstracts from the MSTS and 645 from the OTA. Of the MSTS therapeutic studies, 0.5% (2/376) were level I, while 75% (281/376) were level IV. There was a seven-fold higher proportion of level I studies (3.4% [14/409]) and less than half as many level IV studies (32% [130/409]) presented at OTA. There was no improvement in the MSTS LOE for all study types (p=0.13) and therapeutic study types (p=0.36) over the study decade. In contrast, the OTA LOE increased significantly over this time period for all study types (p<0.01). The proportion of controlled therapeutic studies (LOE I through III) versus uncontrolled studies (LOE IV) increased significantly over time at the OTA (p<0.021), but not at the MSTS (p=0.10). Uncontrolled case series continue to dominate the MSTS scientific program, whereas over the past decade, higher-level studies and more modern study methodology has been employed by members of the OTA

Over the last decade, there has been a growing body of level I evidence supporting non-operative management (focused on early range of motion and weight bearing) of acute Achilles tendon ruptures. Despite this emerging evidence, there have been very few studies evaluating its uptake. Our primary objective was to determine whether the findings from a landmark Canadian trial assessing the optimal management strategy for acute Achilles tendon ruptures influenced the practice patterns of orthopaedic surgeons in Ontario, Canada over a 12-year time period. As a second objective we examined whether patient and provider predictors of surgical repair utilisation differed before and after dissemination of the landmark trial results. Using provincial health administrative databases, we identified Ontario residents 18 years of age and older with an acute Achilles tendon rupture from April 2002 to March 2014. The proportion of surgically repaired ruptures was calculated for each calendar quarter and year. A time-series analysis using an interventional autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) model was used to determine whether changes in the proportion of surgically repaired ruptures were chronologically related to the dissemination of results from a landmark Canadian trial by Willits et al. (first quarter, 2009). Spline regression was then used to independently identify critical time-points of change in the surgical repair rate to confirm our findings. A multivariate logistic regression model was used to assess for differences in patient and provider predictors of surgical repair utilisation before and after the landmark trial. From the second quarter of 2002 to the first quarter of 2010 the surgical repair rate remained constant at ∼21%, however, by the first quarter of 2014 it fell to 6.5%. A statistically significant decrease in the rate of surgical repair (P<0.001) was observed after the results from a landmark Canadian trial were presented at a major North American conference (February 2009). Both teaching and non-teaching hospitals demonstrated a decline in the surgical repair rate over the study period, however, only the decrease seen at non-teaching hospitals was found to be significantly associated with the dissemination of landmark trial results (P<0.001). All other predictors of surgical repair utilisation remained unchanged in the before-and-after analysis with the exception of patients 30 years of age and younger having a higher odds of undergoing surgical repair after the trial when compared to those 51 years of age and older. The current study demonstrates that large, well-designed randomised trials, such as the one conducted by Willits et al. can significantly change the practice patterns of orthopaedic surgeons. Moreover, the decline in surgical repair rate observed at both teaching and non-teaching hospitals suggests both academic and non-academic surgeons readily incorporate high quality evidence in to their practice

Background. Level 1 studies for fracture management of upper extremity fractures remains rare. The influence of these studies on management trends has yet to be evaluated. The purpose of this study was to examine alterations in national trends managing mid-shaft clavicle and intra-articular distal humerus fractures (DHF) surrounding recent Level 1 publications. Methods. We retrospectively reviewed a comprehensive Medicare (2005–2012) and Humana (2007–2014) patient population database within the PearlDiver supercomputer (Warsaw, IN, USA) for DHF and mid-shaft clavicle fractures, respectively. Non-operative management and open reduction internal fixation (ORIF) were reviewed for mid-shaft clavicle fractures. ORIF and total elbow arthroplasty (TEA) were reviewed for DHF. Total use and annual utilization rates were investigated using age limits defined in the original Level 1 studies. Results. A total of 4,929 clavicle patients between 15 and 59 years, and 106,535 DHF patients greater than 65 years of age were coded. There was no significant change in annual volume of mid-shaft clavicle fractures and DHF coded (p=0.078 and p=0.614, respectively). Among clavicle patients there was a significant increase in ORIF utilization following the publication of the Level 1 study (p=0.002), and a strong, positive correlation was evident (p=0.007). No significant change in annual TEA (p=0.515) utilization for DHF was seen. Conclusion. A significant increase in the utilization of ORIF for clavicular fractures was observed following the publication of supporting Level 1 evidence. This was not observed following similar evidence in managing DHF, as no increase in utilization of TEA was observed

To date, the literature has not yet revealed superiority of Minimally Invasive (MI) approaches over conventional techniques. We performed a systematic review to determine whether minimally invasive approaches are superior to conventional approaches in total hip arthroplasty for (1) clinical and (2) functional outcomes. We performed a meta-analysis of level 1 evidence to determine whether (3) minimally invasive approaches are superior to conventional approaches for clinical outcomes. All studies comparing MI approaches to conventional approaches were eligible for analysis. The PRISMA guidelines were adhered to throughout this study. Registries were searched using the following MeSH terms: ‘minimally invasive’, ‘muscle-sparing’, ‘THA’, ‘THR’, ‘hip arthroplasty’ and ‘hip replacement’. Locations searched included PubMed, the Cochrane Library, ClinicalTrials.gov, the EU clinical trials register and the International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (World Health Organisation). Twenty studies were identified. There were 1,282 MI THAs and 1,351 conventional THAs performed. (1). There was no difference between MI and conventional approaches for all clinical outcomes of relevance including all-cause revision (p=0.959), aseptic revision (p=0.894), instability (p=0.894), infection (p=0.669) and periprosthetic fracture (p=0.940). (2). There was also no difference in functional outcome at early or intermediate follow-up between the two groups (p=0.38). (3). In level I studies exclusively, random-effects meta-analysis demonstrated no difference in the rate of aseptic revision (p=0.461) between both groups. Intermuscular MI approaches are equivalent to conventional THA approaches when considering all-cause revision, aseptic revision, infection, dislocation, fracture rates and functional outcomes. Meta-analysis of level 1 evidence supports this claim

Emerging evidence suggests preoperative opioid use may increase the risk of negative outcomes following orthopedic procedures. This systematic review evaluated the impact of preoperative opioid use in patients undergoing shoulder surgery with respect to preoperative clinical outcomes, postoperative complications, and postoperative dependence on opioids. EMBASE, MEDLINE, CENTRAL, and CINAHL were searched from inception to April, 2021 for studies reporting preoperative opioid use and its effect on postoperative outcomes or opioid use. The search, data extraction and methodologic assessment were performed in duplicate for all included studies. Twenty-one studies with a total of 257,301 patients were included in the final synthesis. Of which, 17 were level III evidence. Of those, 51.5% of the patients reported pre-operative opioid use. Fourteen studies (66.7%) reported a higher likelihood of opioid use at follow-up among those used opioids preoperatively compared to preoperative opioid-naïve patients. Eight studies (38.1%) showed lower functional measurements and range of motion in opioid group compared to the non-opioid group post-operatively. Preoperative opioid use in patients undergoing shoulder surgeries is associated with lower functional scores and post-operative range of motion. Most concerning is preoperative opioid use may predict increased post-operative opioid requirements and potential for misuse in patients

Background. Increasing evidence suggests a link between the bearing surface used in total hip arthroplasty (THA) and the occurrence of infection. It is postulated that polyethylene has immunomodulatory effects and may influence bacterial function and survival, thereby impacting the development of periprosthetic joint infection (PJI). This study aimed to investigate the association between polyethylene type and revision surgery for PJI in THA using data from the Australian Orthopaedic Association National Joint Replacement Registry (AOANJRR). We hypothesized that the use of XLPE would demonstrate a statistically significant reduction in revision rates due to PJI compared to N-XLPE. Methods. Data from the Australian Orthopaedic Association National Joint Replacement Registry (AOANJRR) spanning September 1, 1999, to December 31, 2021, were used to compare the infection revision rates between THA using N-XLPE and XLPE. We calculated the Cumulative Percentage Revision rate (CPR) and Hazard Ratio (HR) while controlling for factors like age, sex, body mass index (BMI), American Society of Anesthesiologists’ (ASA) grade, and head size. Results. From the total 361,083 primary THAs, 26,827 used N-XLPE and 334,256 used XLPE. Excluding data from the first 6 months post-surgery, 220 revisions occurred in the N-XLPE group and 1,055 in the XLPE group for PJI. The HR for infection revision was significantly higher in N-XLPE compared to XLPE, at 1.64 (95% CI, 1.41–1.90, p<0.001). Conclusions. This analysis provides evidence of an association between N-XLPE and revision for infection in THA. We suspect that polyethylene wear particles contribute to the susceptibility of THA to PJI, resulting in a significantly higher risk of revision for infection in N-XLPE hips compared to those with XLPE. Level of Evidence. Therapeutic Level III

Strategy regarding patella resurfacing in total knee replacement (TKR) remains controversial. TKR revision rates are reportedly influenced by surgeon procedure volume. The study aim was to compare revision outcomes of TKR with and without patella resurfacing in different surgeon volume groups using data from the AOANJRR. The study population included 571,149 primary TKRs for osteoarthritis. Surgeons were classified as low, medium, or high-volume based on the quartiles of mean primary TKR volume between 2011 and 2020. Cumulative percent revision (CPR) using Kaplan-Meier estimates of survivorship were calculated for the three surgeon volume groups with and without patella resurfacing. Cox proportional hazards models, adjusted for age and sex, were used to compare revision risks. High-volume surgeons who did not resurface the patella had the highest all-cause CPR (20-year CPR 10.9%, 95% CI [10.0%, 12.0%]). When the patella was resurfaced, high-volume surgeons had the lowest revision rate (7.3%, 95% CI [6.4%, 8.4%]). When the high-volume groups were compared there was a higher rate of revision for the non-resurfaced group after 6 months. When the medium-volume surgeon groups were compared, not resurfacing the patella also was associated with a higher rate of revision after 3 months. The low-volume comparisons showed an initial higher rate of revision with patella resurfacing, but there was no difference after 3 months. When only patella revisions were considered, there were higher rates of revision in all three volume groups where the patella was not resurfaced. TKR performed by high and medium-volume surgeons without patella resurfacing had higher revision rates compared to when the patella was resurfaced. Resurfacing the patella in the primary procedure protected against revision for patella reasons in all surgeon volume groups. Level of evidence: III (National registry analysis)

Total hip arthroplasty (THA) is an effective treatment for symptomatic hip osteoarthritis (OA). While computer-navigation technologies in total knee arthroplasty show survivorship advantages and are widely used, comparable applications within THA show far lower utilisation. Using national registry data, this study compared patient reported outcome measures (PROMs) in patients who underwent THA with and without computer navigation. Data from Australian Orthopaedic Association National Joint Replacement Registry (AOANJRR) PROMs program included all primary THA procedures performed for OA up to 31 December 2020. Procedures using the Intellijoint HIP® navigation system were identified and compared to procedures using other computer navigation systems or conventional instrumentation only. Changes in PROM scores between pre-operative and 6-month post-operative time points were analysed using multiple regression model, adjusting for pre-operative score, patient age, gender, ASA score, BMI, surgical approach, and hospital type. There were 65 primary THA procedures that used the Intellijoint HIP® system, 90 procedures used other types of computer navigation, and the remaining 5,284 primary THA procedures used conventional instrumentation. The estimated mean changes in the EuroQol visual analogue scale (EQ VAS) score and Oxford Hip score did not differ significantly when Intellijoint® was compared to conventional instruments (estimated differences of 2.4, 95% CI [-1.7, 6.5], p = 0.245, and −0.5, 95% CI [-2.5, 1.4], p = 0.592, respectively). The proportion of patients who were satisfied with their procedure was also similar when Intellijoint® was compared to conventional instruments (rate ratio 1.06, 95% CI [0.97, 1.16], p = 0.227). The preliminary data demonstrate no significant difference in PROMs when comparing the Intellijoint HIP® THA navigation system with both other navigation systems and conventional instrumentation for primary THAs performed for OA. Level of evidence: III (National registry analysis)

Despite the routine use of systemic antibiotic prophylaxis, postoperative infection following fracture surgery remains a persistent issue with substantial morbidity. The use of additional local antibiotic prophylaxis may have a protective effect and some orthopaedic surgeons have adopted their use in recent years, despite limited evidence of its beneficial effect. The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to evaluate the current literature regarding the effect of prophylactic local antibiotics on the rate of infection in fracture surgery in both open and closed fractures. A comprehensive search of Medline, EMBASE, and PubMed was performed. Cohort studies were eligible if they investigated the effect on infection rate of additional local antibiotic prophylaxis compared with systemic prophylaxis alone following fracture surgery. The data were pooled in a meta-analysis. In total, four randomized controlled trials and 11 retrospective cohort studies with a total of 6161 fractures from various anatomical locations were eligible for inclusion. The majority of the included studies were Level 3 evidence and had a moderate risk of bias. When all fractures were pooled, the risk of infection was significantly reduced when local antibiotics were applied compared with the control group receiving systemic prophylaxis only (OR = 0.39; 95%CI: 0.26 to 0.53, P < 0.001). In particular, there was a significant reduction in deep infections (OR = 0.59; 95%CI: 0.38 to 0.91, P = 0.017). The beneficial effect of local antibiotics for preventing total infection was seen in both open fractures (OR = 0.35; 95%CI: 0.23 to 0.53, P < 0.001) and closed fractures (OR = 0.58; 95%CI: 0.35 to 0.95, P = 0.029) when analyzed separately. This meta-analysis suggests a significant risk reduction for postoperative infection following fracture surgery when local antibiotics were added to standard systemic prophylaxis, with a protective effect present in both open and closed fractures

Aim. The aim of this systematic review was to assess the existing published data on tuberculous arthritis involving native joints in adults aged 18 years and older. The specific research questions focused on the diagnosis and management of the disease. Method. This study was performed in accordance with the guidelines provided in the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analysis extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR). A systematic literature search was undertaken of Pubmed, Web of Science, Scopus and the Cochrane library. Only studies published in English since 1970 were considered. Case series involving less than 10 patients, systematic and narrative reviews, and laboratory or animal studies were excluded. We also excluded reports of TB infections not involving a “native joint” and tuberculosis of the spine. The level of evidence and strength of recommendations was performed in accordance with the GRADE system. Results. The systematic review of the literature yielded 2023 potential sources. Following deduplication, screening and full-text review, 20 data sources involving 573 patients from nine countries, were included. There was considerable variation amongst the studies in terms of the approach to diagnosis and management. The most common method used to confirm the diagnosis was microbiological culture of tissue obtained by biopsy, with positive findings in 93% of cases. Medical management involved a median 12 months of antitubercular treatment (IQR 8–16; range 4–18 months). Duration of pre-operative treatment ranged from two to 12 weeks in duration. Surgery was performed in approximately 87% of patients and varied from arthroscopic debridement to complete synovectomy combined with total joint arthroplasty. When arthroplasty and arthrodesis cases are excluded, 80% of patients received an open or arthroscopic debridement. The mean follow-up time of all studies was 26 months, with most studies demonstrating a minimum follow-up of at least six-months (range 3–112 months). Recurrence rates were reported in most studies, with an overall average recurrence rate of 7,4% (35 of 475). Conclusions. The current literature on TB arthritis highlights the need for the establishment of standardised diagnostic criteria. Further research is needed to define the optimal approach to medical and surgical treatment. The role of early debridement in active tuberculous arthritis needs to be explored further. Specifically, comparative studies are required to address the questions around use of medical treatment alone versus in combination with surgical intervention

Aims. There is little published on the outcomes after restarting elective orthopaedic procedures following cessation of surgery due to the COVID-19 pandemic. During the pandemic, the reported perioperative mortality in patients who acquired SARS-CoV-2 infection while undergoing elective orthopaedic surgery was 18% to 20%. The aim of this study is to report the surgical outcomes, complications, and risk of developing COVID-19 in 2,316 consecutive patients who underwent elective orthopaedic surgery in the latter part of 2020 and comparing it to the same, pre-pandemic, period in 2019. Methods. A retrospective service evaluation of patients who underwent elective surgical procedures between 16 June 2020 and 12 December 2020 was undertaken. The number and type of cases, demographic details, American society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) grade, BMI, 30-day readmission rates, mortality, and complications at one- and six-week intervals were obtained and compared with patients who underwent surgery during the same six-month period in 2019. Results. A total of 2,316 patients underwent surgery in 2020 compared to 2,552 in the same period in 2019. There were no statistical differences in sex distribution, BMI, or ASA grade. The 30-day readmission rate and six-week validated complication rates were significantly lower for the 2020 patients compared to those in 2019 (p < 0.05). No deaths were reported at 30 days in the 2020 group as opposed to three in the 2019 group (p < 0.05). In 2020 one patient developed COVID-19 symptoms five days following foot and ankle surgery. This was possibly due to a family contact immediately following discharge from hospital, and the patient subsequently made a full recovery. Conclusion. Elective surgery was safely resumed following the cessation of operating during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Strict adherence to protocols resulted in 2,316 elective surgical procedures being performed with lower complications, readmissions, and mortality compared to 2019. Furthermore, only one patient developed COVID-19 with no evidence that this was a direct result of undergoing surgery. Level of evidence: III. Cite this article: Bone Jt Open 2022;3(1):42–53

Periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) in geriatric and/or multimorbid patients is an enormous challenge for orthopaedic surgeons. Revision procedures have also been demonstrated to expose patients to higher infection risks. Prior patient stratification according to presumed infection risks, followed by a more potent local antibiotic prophylaxis protocol with selective use of DALBC, is an interesting strategy to decrease the burden of PJI in high risk patients. The PubMed & EMBASE databases were screened for publications pertaining to the utilization of DALBC in cement for infection prophylaxis & prosthesis fixation. 6 preclinical & 7 clinical studies were identified which met the inclusion criteria and were stratified by level of clinical evidence. Only those studies were considered which compared the PJI outcome in the DALBC vs the SALBC group. (1). DALBC have been shown to exert a much stronger and longer lasting inhibition of biofilm formation on many PJI relevant bacteria (gram-positive and gram-negative pathogens) than single gentamicin-only containing cements. (2). DALBC use (COPAL G+C) in the intervention arm of 7 clinical studies has led to a significant reduction of PJI cases in a) cemented hemiarthroplasty procedures (3 studies, evidence level I and III), in b) cemented septic revision surgeries (2 studies, evidence level III), in c) cemented aseptic knee revisions (1 study, evidence level III) and in d) cemented primary arthroplasties in multi-morbid patients (1 study, evidence level III-IV). These benefits were not associated with more systemic side effects or a higher prevalence of broad antimicrobial resistancies. Use of DALBC is likely to be more effective in preventing PJI in high risk patients. The preliminar findings so far may encourage clinicians to consolidate this hypothesis on a wider clinical range

Aims. Physician burnout and its consequences have been recognized as increasingly prevalent and important issues for both organizations and individuals involved in healthcare delivery. The purpose of this study was to describe and compare the patterns of self-reported wellness in orthopaedic surgeons and trainees from multiple nations with varying health systems. Methods. A cross-sectional survey of 774 orthopaedic surgeons and trainees in five countries (Australia, Canada, New Zealand, UK, and USA) was conducted in 2019. Respondents were asked to complete the Mayo Clinic Well-Being Index and the Stanford Professional Fulfillment Index in addition to 31 personal/demographic questions and 27 employment-related questions via an anonymous online survey. Results. A total of 684 participants from five countries (Australia (n = 74), Canada (n = 90), New Zealand (n = 69), UK (n = 105), and USA (n = 346)) completed both of the risk assessment questionnaires (Mayo and Stanford). Of these, 42.8% (n = 293) were trainees and 57.2% (n = 391) were attending surgeons. On the Mayo Clinic Well-Being Index, 58.6% of the overall sample reported feeling burned out (n = 401). Significant differences were found between nations with regards to the proportion categorized as being at risk for poor outcomes (27.5% for New Zealand (19/69) vs 54.4% for Canada (49/90) ; p = 0.001). On the Stanford Professional Fulfillment Index, 38.9% of the respondents were classified as being burned out (266/684). Prevalence of burnout ranged from 27% for Australia (20/74 up to 47.8% for Canadian respondents (43/90; p = 0.010). Younger age groups (20 to 29: RR 2.52 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.39 to 4.58; p = 0.002); 30 to 39: RR 2.40 (95% CI 1.36 to 4.24; p = 0.003); 40 to 49: RR 2.30 (95% CI 1.35 to 3.9; p = 0.002)) and trainee status (RR 1.53 (95% CI 1.15 to 2.03 p = 0.004)) were independently associated with increased relative risk of having a ‘at-risk’ or ‘burnout’ score. Conclusions. The rate of self-reported burnout and risk for poor outcomes among orthopaedic surgeons and trainees varies between countries but remains unacceptably high throughout. Both individual and health system characteristics contribute to physician wellness and should be considered in the development of strategies to improve surgeon wellbeing. Level of Evidence: III. Cite this article: Bone Jt Open 2021;2(11):932–939

Aims. COVID-19-related patient care delays have resulted in an unprecedented patient care backlog in the field of orthopaedics. The objective of this study is to examine orthopaedic provider preferences regarding the patient care backlog and financial recovery initiatives in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods. An orthopaedic research consortium at a multi-hospital tertiary care academic medical system developed a three-part survey examining provider perspectives on strategies to expand orthopaedic patient care and financial recovery. Section 1 asked for preferences regarding extending clinic hours, section 2 assessed surgeon opinions on expanding surgical opportunities, and section 3 questioned preferred strategies for departmental financial recovery. The survey was sent to the institution’s surgical and nonoperative orthopaedic providers. Results. In all, 73 of 75 operative (n = 55) and nonoperative (n = 18) providers responded to the survey. A total of 92% of orthopaedic providers (n = 67) were willing to extend clinic hours. Most providers preferred extending clinic schedule until 6pm on weekdays. When asked about extending surgical block hours, 96% of the surgeons (n = 53) were willing to extend operating room (OR) block times. Most surgeons preferred block times to be extended until 7pm (63.6%, n = 35). A majority of surgeons (53%, n = 29) believe that over 50% of their surgical cases could be performed at an ambulatory surgery centre (ASC). Of the strategies to address departmental financial deficits, 85% of providers (n = 72) were willing to work extra hours without a pay cut. Conclusion. Most orthopaedic providers are willing to help with patient care backlogs and revenue recovery by working extended hours instead of having their pay reduced. These findings provide insights that can be incorporated into COVID-19 recovery strategies. Level of Evidence: III. Cite this article: Bone Jt Open 2021;2(7):562–568

Introduction and aims. The International Orthopaedic community is eagerly adopting Robotic Assisted Arthroplasty (RAA) technology. However, the evidence for the benefits of this technology are unproven and at best equivocal. This study is a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of all published research in the field of RAA. Methods. A systematic literature search was conducted to retrieve all peer-reviewed, English language, publications studying robot- assisted hip and knee arthroplasty between 1992 and 2017. Review articles were excluded. Articles were classified by type of study and level of evidence according to the Oxford Centre for Evidence-based Medicine (OCEBM) Levels of Evidence System. The number of citations, authorship, year of publication, journal of publication, and country and institution of origin were also recorded for each publication. Results. We identified 73 original studies published since 1992 in the field of RAA. The procedures reported were total hip and total knee replacement, and uni-compartmental knee replacement. Publications originated from 17 countries and 117 organisations. Fifty percent of studies identified were published in the last 5 years at an average of 7 publications per year, compared to an average of 2.7 publications per year from 1992 to 2012. Thirty-six percent of original studies were of level 5 evidence or below, with a preponderance of biomechanical and cadaveric studies. The most cited paper was Bargar, Bauer and Borner's original RCT proving efficacy and safety of the Robodoc system for total hip replacement. Most publications originated in the US (36.9%) and more than 15% were published in the Journal of Arthroplasty. Conclusions. Analysis of publication patterns in robotic orthopaedic surgery allow us a unique insight into the qualities, characteristics, clinical innovations and advances in the evolution of RAA research

Background. The focus on evidence-based medicine has led to calls for increased levels of evidence in surgical journals. The purpose of the present study was to review the levels of evidence in articles published in the foot and ankle literature and to assess changes in the level of evidence over a decade. Methods. All articles from the years 2000 and 2010 in Foot and Ankle International, Foot and Ankle Surgery, and all foot and ankle articles from JBJS A and JBJS B were analysed. Animal, cadaveric, basic science, editorials, surveys, letters to Editor and correspondence were excluded. Articles were ranked by a five-point level of evidence scale, according to guidelines from the Centre for Evidence Based Medicine. Results. A total of 379 articles were analysed from a total of 42 different countries. The kappa value for the inter-observer reliability showed very good agreement between the reviewers for types of evidence (κ = 0.785 (P< 0.01)) and excellent agreement for levels of evidence (κ = 0.846 (P< 0.01)). Between 2000 and 2010 the percentage of high level evidence (Levels I and II) increased (5.2% to 10.3%), and low level evidence (levels III, IV and V) decreased (94.8% to 89.7%) (p=0.09). The most frequent type of study was Therapeutic. The JBJS A produced the highest proportion of high-level evidence. The USA and UK were the highest producer of articles. The number of rest-of-world articles (non USA or UK) increased from 40.5% to 46.4% between 2000 and 2010. Conclusion. There has been a trend towards higher levels of evidence in foot and ankle surgery over a decade but the differences did not reach statistical significance

Purpose. In recent years, it has become increasingly common to publish the level of evidence of orthopaedic research in journal publications. Our primary research question is: is there an improvement in the levels of evidence of articles published in paediatric orthopaedic journals over time? In addition, what is the current status of levels of evidence in paediatric orthopaedic journals?. Methods. All articles in the Journal of Paediatric Orthopaedics-A and Journal of Paediatric Orthopaedics-B for 2001, 2002, 2007 and 2008, and in the Journal of Children's Orthopaedics for 2007 and 2008, were collected. Animal, cadaveric and basic science studies, expert opinion and review articles were then excluded. The 750 remaining articles were blinded and put in random order. The abstract, introduction and methods of each article were independently reviewed. According to the currently accepted grading system, study type (therapeutic, prognostic, diagnostic, economic) and level of evidence (I, II, III, IV) were assigned. Inter- and intra-observer reliability were investigated. Results. There were no statistically significant differences in the study type or levels of evidence in articles published before and after 2003. Of articles published during 2007/2008, 2.1% were graded as Level I, 3.6% as Level II, 17.4% as Level III, and 41.8% as Level IV. JPO-A published 5.7% Level I studies, while JPO-B and JCO published 4.9% and 4.6%, respectively. JPO-A published a lower percentage of Level III and IV studies as compared to JPO-B and JCO. The inter-observer reliability for study type and levels of evidence was high (kappa 0.921 and 0.860, respectively). The intra-observer reliability was moderate (kappa 0.842 and 0.613, respectively). Conclusion. Since the introduction of levels of evidence to journals in 2003, there has been minimal change in the quality of evidence in paediatric orthopaedic publications. Paediatric orthopaedic articles can be reliably graded by non-epidemiologically trained individuals

Aims. The aetiologies of common degenerative spine, hip, and knee pathologies are still not completely understood. Mechanical theories have suggested that those diseases are related to sagittal pelvic morphology and spinopelvic-femoral dynamics. The link between the most widely used parameter for sagittal pelvic morphology, pelvic incidence (PI), and the onset of degenerative lumbar, hip, and knee pathologies has not been studied in a large-scale setting. Methods. A total of 421 patients from the Cohort Hip and Cohort Knee (CHECK) database, a population-based observational cohort, with hip and knee complaints < 6 months, aged between 45 and 65 years old, and with lateral lumbar, hip, and knee radiographs available, were included. Sagittal spinopelvic parameters and pathologies (spondylolisthesis and degenerative disc disease (DDD)) were measured at eight-year follow-up and characteristics of hip and knee osteoarthritis (OA) at baseline and eight-year follow-up. Epidemiology of the degenerative disorders and clinical outcome scores (hip and knee pain and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index) were compared between low PI (< 50°), normal PI (50° to 60°), and high PI (> 60°) using generalized estimating equations. Results. Demographic details were not different between the different PI groups. L4 to L5 and L5 to S1 spondylolisthesis were more frequently present in subjects with high PI compared to low PI (L4 to L5, OR 3.717; p = 0.024 vs L5 to S1 OR 7.751; p = 0.001). L5 to S1 DDD occurred more in patients with low PI compared to high PI (OR 1.889; p = 0.010), whereas there were no differences in L4 to L5 DDD among individuals with a different PI. The incidence of hip OA was higher in participants with low PI compared to normal (OR 1.262; p = 0.414) or high PI (OR 1.337; p = 0.274), but not statistically different. The incidence of knee OA was higher in individuals with a high PI compared to low PI (OR 1.620; p = 0.034). Conclusion. High PI is a risk factor for development of spondylolisthesis and knee OA. Low pelvic incidence is related to DDD, and may be linked to OA of the hip. Level of Evidence: 1b. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2020;102-B(9):1261–1267

Background. The knowledge about the common mode of failure and each period in primary and revision TKAs offers useful information to prevent those kinds of failure in each surgery. However, there has been limited report that simultaneously compared the mode of failure between primary and revision TKAs using single prosthesis. We compared the survival rate, mode of failure, and periods of each mode of failure between primary and revision TKAs. Methods. A consecutive cohort of 1606 knees (1174 patients) of primary TKA and 258 knees (224 patients) of revision TKA using P.F.C® prosthesis was retrospectively reviewed. The mean follow-up periods of primary and revision TKAs were 10.2 and 10.8 years, respectively. We compared the above variables between primary and revision TKAs. Results. The average 5-, 10-, 15-year survivor rate of primary TKA were 99.1% (CI 95%, ±0.3%), 96.7% (CI 95%, ±0.7%), and 85.4% (CI 95%, ±2.0%). They were 97.8% (CI 95%, ±1.0%), 91.4% (CI 95%, ±2.5%), and 80.5% (CI 95%, ±4.5%) in revision TKA. The common mode of failure included polyethylene wear, loosening, and infection in both primary and revision TKAs. The most common mode of failure was polyethylene wear in primary TKAs and infection in revision TKAs. The mean periods of polyethylene wear and loosening were not significantly different between primary and revision TKAs, but the mean period of infection was significantly long in revision TKA (4.8 years vs. 1.2 years, p=0.003). Conclusions. The survival rate decreased with time, especially after 10 years in both primary and revision TKAs. The continuous efforts are required to prevent and detect various modes of failure during the long-term follow-up after primary and revision TKAs. More careful attention is necessary to detect the late infection as a mode of failure after revision TKA. Level of Evidence. Level III, Therapeutic study. See the Guidelines for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence

Background. The purpose of this study was to determine if thresholds regarding the percentage of maximal improvement in the Simple Shoulder Test (SST) and American Shoulder and Elbow Surgery (ASES) score exist that predict “excellent” patient s­atisfaction (PS) following reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (RSA). Methods. Patients undergoing RSA using a single implant system were evaluated pre-operatively and at a minimum 2-year follow-up. Receiver-operating-characteristic (ROC) curve analysis determined thresholds to predict “excellent” PS by evaluating the percentage of maximal improvement for SST and ASES. Pre-operative factors were analyzed as independent predictors for achieving SST and ASES thresholds. Results. 198 (SST) and 196 (ASES) patients met inclusion criteria. For SST and ASES, ROC analysis identified 61.3% (p<.001) and 68.2% (p<.001) maximal improvement as the threshold for maximal predictability of “excellent” satisfaction respectively. Significant positive correlation between the percentage of maximum score achieved and “excellent” PS for both groups were found (r=.440, p<.001 for SST score; r=0.417, p<.001 for ASES score). Surgery on the dominant hand, greater baseline VAS Pain, and cuff arthropathy were independent predictors for achieving the SST and ASES threshold. Conclusion. Achievement of 61.3% of maximal SST score improvement and 68.3% of maximal ASES score improvement represent thresholds for the achievement of “excellent” satisfaction following RSA. Independent predictors of achieving these thresholds were dominant sided surgery and higher baseline pain VAS scores for SST, and rotator cuff arthropathy for ASES. Keywords. Percentage of maximal improvement; Predictors; American Shoulder and Elbow Surgery Score; Simply Shoulder Test; Reverse shoulder Arthroplasty; Satisfaction. Level of Evidence. Level III