The aim of this retrospective
The benefit of using acetabular screws in primary total hip arthroplasty (THA) has been questioned in recent years. The disadvantages of using screws include increased operative time, risk of injury to surrounding neurovascular structures and metal ware breakage. Recent large registry studies have reported that screws do not confer a protective effect against acetabular loosening or the presence of osteolysis. Other studies have even described an increased risk of aseptic acetabular loosening with the selective use of screws. We report findings from a multicentre
Demand for total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is increasing as it remains the gold-standard treatment for end-stage osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee. While magnetic-resonance imaging (MRI) scans of the knee are not indicated for diagnosing knee OA, they are commonly ordered prior to the referral to an orthopaedic surgeon. The purpose of this study was to determine the proportion of patients who underwent an MRI in the two years prior to their primary TKA for OA. Secondary outcomes included determining patient and physician associations with increased MRI usage. This is a population-based
Routine post-operative bloods following all elective arthroplasty may be unnecessary. This retrospective
Radiation induced sarcoma of bone is a rare but challenging disease process associated with a poor prognosis. To date, series are limited by small patient numbers; data to inform prognosis and the optimal management for these patients is needed. We hypothesized that patients with radiation-induced pelvic bone sarcomas would have worse surgical, oncologic, and functional outcomes than patients diagnosed with primary pelvic bone sarcomas. This was a multi-institution, comparative
Treatment of posterior malleolar (PM) ankle fractures remain controversial. Despite increasing recommendation for small PM fragment fixation, high quality evidence demonstrating improved clinical outcomes over the unfixated PM is limited. We describe the medium-to-long term clinical and radiographical outcomes in younger adult patients with PM ankle fractures managed without PM fragment fixation. A retrospective
Aim. Early fracture-related infections (FRIs) are a common entity in hospitals treating trauma patients. It is important to be aware of the consequences of FRI in order to be able to counsel patients about the expected course of their disease. Therefore, the aims of this study were to evaluate the recurrence rate, to establish the number of secondary surgical procedures needed to gain control of the initial infection, and to identify predictors for recurrence in patients with early FRI. Method. A retrospective multicentre
Arthroscopic hip surgery is increasingly common in Australia. Hip arthroscopy is indicated for a range of diagnostic and therapeutic purposes, including labral tears, capsular laxity and femoral-acetabular impingement (FAI). Despite this, previous
The purpose of this study is to evaluate risk factors for distal construct failure (DCF) in posterior spinal instrumented fusion (PSIF) in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS). We observed an increased rate of DCF when the pedicle screw in the lowest instrumented vertebra (LIV) was not parallel to the superior endplate of the LIV, however this has not been well studied in the literature. We hypothesise a more inferiorly angled LIV screw predisposes to failure and aim to find the critical angle that predisposes to failure. A retrospective
Despite the current trend favoring surgical treatment of displaced intra-articular calcaneal fractures (DIACFs), studies have not been able to demonstrate superior functional outcomes when compared to non-operative treatment. These fractures are notoriously difficult to reduce. Studies investigating surgical fixation often lack information about the quality of reduction even though it may play an important role in the success of this procedure. We wanted to establish if, amongst surgically treated DIACF, an anatomic reduction led to improved functional outcomes at 12 months. From July 2011 to December 2020, at a level I trauma center, 84 patients with an isolated DIACF scheduled for surgical fixation with plate and screws using a lateral extensile approach were enrolled in this prospective
Despite the current trend favoring surgical treatment of displaced intra-articular calcaneal fractures (DIACFs), studies have not been able to demonstrate superior functional outcomes when compared to non-operative treatment. These fractures are notoriously difficult to reduce. Studies investigating surgical fixation often lack information about the quality of reduction even though it may play an important role in the success of this procedure. We wanted to establish if, amongst surgically treated DIACF, an anatomic reduction led to improved functional outcomes at 12 months. From July 2011 to December 2020, at a level I trauma center, 84 patients with an isolated DIACF scheduled for surgical fixation with plate and screws using a lateral extensile approach were enrolled in this prospective
Abstract. Background. The gold standard treatment for Anterior Cruciate Ligament injury is reconstruction (ACL-R). Graft failure is the concern and ensuring a durable initial graft with rapid integration is crucial. Graft augmentation with implantable devices (internal brace reinforcement) is a technique purported to reduce the risk of rupture and hasten recovery. We aim to compare the short-term outcome of ACL-R using augmented hamstring tendon autografts (internally braced with neoligament) and non-augmented hamstring autografts. Methods. This was a retrospective
Aims. The aims of this study were to describe the demographic, socioeconomic, and educational factors associated with core surgical trainees (CSTs) who apply to and receive offers for higher surgical training (ST3) posts in Trauma & Orthopaedics (T&O). Methods. Data collected by the UK Medical Education Database (UKMED) between 1 January 2014 and 31 December 2019 were used in this retrospective longitudinal
Elderly patients undergoing surgery for a hip fracture are at risk of thromboembolic events (TEV). The risk of TEV is now rare due to thromboprophylaxis. However, hip fracture treatment has evolved over the last decade. The risk of TEV may have been modified. The objective of this study was to determine the risk of symptomatic TEV following surgery for a hip fracture, in an elderly population. Retrospective
Introduction. Ankle fractures in the elderly have been increasing with an ageing but active population and bring with them specific challenges. Medical co-morbidities, a poor soft tissue envelope and a requirement for early mobilisation to prevent morbidity and mortality, all create potential pitfalls to successful treatment. As a result, different techniques have been employed to try and improve outcomes. Total contact casting, both standard and enhanced open reduction internal fixation, external fixation and most recently tibiotalocalcaneal (TTC) nailing have all been proposed as suitable treatment modalities. Over the past five years popular literature has begun to herald TTC nailing as an appropriate and contemporary solution to the complex problem of high-risk ankle fragility fractures. We sought to assess whether, within our patient cohort, the outcomes seen supported the statement that TTC has equal outcomes to more traditional open reduction internal fixation (ORIF) when used to treat the high-risk ankle fragility fracture. Materials & Methods. Results of ORIF versus TTC nailing without joint preparation for treatment of fragility ankle fractures were evaluated via retrospective
Introduction. The Te Whatu Ora Southern catchment area covers the largest geographical region in New Zealand (over 62,000 km2) creating logistical challenges in providing timely access to emergency neck of femur (NOF) fracture surgery. Current Australian and New Zealand guidelines recommend that NoF surgery be performed within 48 hours of presentation. The purpose of this study was to compare the outcomes for patients with NoF fractures who present directly to a referral hospital (Southland Hospital) compared to those are transferred from rural peripheral centres. Methods. A retrospective
Radial head fractures are relatively common, representing approximately one-third of all elbow fractures. Outcomes are generally inversely proportional to the amount of force involved in the mechanism of injury, with simple fractures doing better than more comminuted ones. However, the prognosis for these fractures may also be influenced by associated injuries and patient-related factors (age, body index mass, gender, tobacco habit, etc.) The purpose of this study is to evaluate which factors will affect range of motion and function in partial radial head fractures. The hypothesis is that conservative treatment yields better outcomes. This retrospective comparative
To determine whether pre-operative cessation of anticoagulant or antiplatelet medication is necessary for patients undergoing total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA) or reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (RTSA). A prospectively maintained database was used to identify 213 consecutive patients treated with TSA or RTSA performed by a single surgeon across 3 centres. This cohort included 24 patients on an anticoagulant agent (warfarin, apixaban, rivaroxaban, dabigatran), 52 patients on an antiplatelet agent (aspirin, clopidogrel), and a control group of 137 patients not on anticoagulant or antiplatelet medication. Patients on anticoagulant or antiplatelet medications continued these agents peri-operatively. Outcomes included haemoglobin drop, intra-operative blood loss, operative time, transfusion requirements and post-operative complications. The mean age of the cohort was 74.3 years (range 47 – 93) and 75 (35.2%) of the patients were male. TSA was performed in 63 cases and RTSA in 150 cases. The mean haemoglobin drop in the control group was 17.3 g/L, compared to 19.3 g/L in the anticoagulant group (p = 0.20) and 15.6 g/L in the anti-platelet group (p = 0.14). The mean intra-operative blood loss in the control group was 107.8 mL, compared to 143.0 mL in the anticoagulant group (p = 0.03) and 134.3 mL in the anti-platelet group (0.02). The mean operative time in the control group was 49.3 minutes, compared to 47.1 minutes in the anticoagulant group (p = 0.56) and 50.3 minutes in the anti-platelet group (p = 0.78). Post-operatively no patients developed a wound infection or haematoma requiring intervention. Three patients not on anticoagulant or antiplatelet medication developed pulmonary embolism. Continuing anticoagulant or antiplatelet medication was associated with higher intra-operative blood loss, but produced no statistically significant differences in haemoglobin drop, operative time, transfusion requirements or post-operative complications. We now do not routinely stop any anticoagulant or antiplatelet medication for patients undergoing total shoulder arthroplasty.
Malnutrition is often associated with the advanced age and can be influenced by physical, mental, social and environmental changes. Hip fracture is a major issue and a prior poor nutritional status is associated with higher rates of perioperative complications and prolonged hospital length of stay. Prospective observational
Total hip arthroplasty (THA) is one of the most successful and effective treatments for advanced hip osteoarthritis (OA). Over the last 5 years, Canada has seen a 17.8% increase in the number of hip replacements performed annually, and that number is expected to grow along with the aging Canadian population. However, the rise in THA surgery is associated with an increased number of patients at risk for the development of an infection involving the joint prosthesis and adjacent deep tissue – periprosthetic joint infections (PJI). Despite improved hygiene protocols and novel surgical strategies, PJI remains a serious complication. No previous population-based studies has investigated PJI risk factors using a time-to-event approach and none have focused exclusively on patients undergoing THA for primary hip OA. The purpose of this study is to determine risk factors for PJI after primary THA for OA using a large population-based database collected over 15 years. Our secondary objective is to determine the incidence of PJI, the time to PJI following primary THA, and if PJI rates have changed in the past 15 years. We performed a population-based