Aims. To assess the feasibility of a randomized controlled trial (RCT) that compares three treatments for acetabular fractures in older patients: surgical fixation, surgical fixation and hip arthroplasty (fix-and-replace), and non-surgical treatment. Methods. Patients were recruited from seven UK NHS centres and randomized to a three-arm pilot trial if aged older than 60 years and had a displaced acetabular fracture. Feasibility outcomes included patients’ willingness to participate, clinicians’ capability to recruit, and dropout rates. The primary clinical outcome measure was the EuroQol five-dimension questionnaire (EQ-5D) at six months. Secondary outcomes were Oxford Hip Score, Disability Rating Index, blood loss, and radiological and mobility assessments. Results. Between December 2017 and December 2019, 60 patients were recruited (median age 77.4 years, range 63.3 to 88.5) (39/21 M/F ratio). At final nine-month follow-up, 4/60 (7%) had withdrawn, 4/60 (7%) had died, and one had been lost to follow-up; a 98% response rate (50/51) was achieved for the EQ-5D questionnaire. Four deaths were recorded during the three-year trial period: three in the non-surgical treatment group and one in the fix-and-replace group. Conclusion. This study has shown a full-scale RCT to be feasible, but will need international recruitment. The Acetabular Fractures in older patients Intervention Trial (AceFIT) has informed the design of a multinational RCT sample size of 1,474 or 1,974 patients for a minimal clinically important difference of 0.06 on EQ-5D, with a power of 0.8 or 0.9, and loss to follow-up of 20%. This observed patient cohort comprises a medically complex group requiring multidisciplinary care; surgeon, anaesthetist, and ortho-geriatrician input is needed to optimize recovery and rehabilitation. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2024;106-B(4):401–411

Revision hip arthroplasty presents a challenge in the setting of femoral bone loss. Tapered stems are susceptible to subsidence which leads to leg length inequality, hip instability and may necessitate repeat femoral revision surgery. The purpose of this study was to compare radiographic outcomes in two modular tapered revision systems with different distal stem geometries. We sought to establish the minimum postoperative stem bi-cortical contact length that predicts subsidence for tapered stems. This study examined revision total hip arthroplasties between 2009 and 2016 in a European university affiliated major trauma center. Modular stem A has a taper of 3 degrees whereas modular stem B has a taper of 2 degrees. Radiologic assessment compared x-rays at two time points: immediately post-surgery and most recent x-ray available at a minimum follow up of two years. Leg length discrepancy, subsidence and postoperative bi cortical contact was assessed. Descriptive summary statistics calculated clinical factors (i.e. age, gender, Paprosky classification). 122 arthroplasties were completed. Complete data was available for 112. Revisions were carried out for Paprovski grade 3a/ 3b femoral deficits. Post-operative bi-cortical contact of the proximal stem < 20mm was associated with higher subsidence rates (P = 0.047). Subsidence rates for implant A and B system were 4.27mm (0.12–25.62mm) and 3.43 mm (0.3–11.1 mm) respectively. Significant subsidence was noted in 9.8% (n=8) in implant A and 5.2%(n=2) in implant B. We conclude that immediate postoperative bi-cortical stem contact of <20mm was associated with significantly higher subsidence rates in this study

Introduction. Acetabular bone deficiency presents one of the most challenging problems during revision hip arthroplasty. A variety of surgical options and techniques are available including impaction bone grafting. We present our medium to long-term experience of 68 consecutive hips in 64 patients who had acetabular revision using impacted cancellous bone grafting with bone cement with a mean follow up of 10.5 ±3.75) years (range 5.1 to 17.7 years). Methods. Patients' undergoing acetabular bone grafting during revision hip arthroplasty prior to insertion of a cemented cup between 1993 and 2000 were evaluated. Pre-operative, immediate post-operative, 1 year post-op and final follow-up radiographs were evaluated. The pre-operative bone loss was graded according to the AAOS and Paprosky classifications. The presence of radiolucencies, alignment and incorporation of bone graft were evaluated. The Harris Hip Score (HHS) was used to assess clinical outcome. 13 patients who were unable to attend the department were contacted for a telephone interview. Analysis of the Data was carried out using SPSS17 [SPSS Inc. Chicago, Illinois]. Results. 64 consecutive patients (68 hips) were evaluated with an average age of 69.9 (± 10.24) years. At the mean follow up of 10.5 years [5.1–17.7 years] Kaplan-Meier survivorship analysis predicted a rate of survival of the acetabular component of 95.5% (95% confidence interval (CI) 92 to 99) at 10 years, with revision for any reason as the endpoint. The median Harris hip score at final follow up was 79.5 [IQR 67.9–80.45]. Neither the extent of initial defect or acetabular inclination were related to clinical outcome or predicted further revision. Progression of the radiololucent zones between the cement bone interface was a predictor of loosening and further revision. Discussion. Our findings have shown that acetabular revision using impacted cancellous bone graft and a cemented acetabular component remains a reliable and successful technique for patients with poor femoral bone stock

Background. In Sweden approximately 6000 patients yearly sustain displaced femoral neck fractures. During the last decade there has been a shift towards more arthroplasties at the expense of internal fixation. In 2008 approximately 75% of the dislocated femoral neck fractures in Sweden were treated with arthroplasties. Those patients are typically elderly and frail and the vast majority of them receive hemiarthroplasties. In 2005 a national hemiarthroplasty registration was established as part of the Swedish Hip Arthroplasty Register (SHAR). Material & Method. The SHAR aims to register all hemiarthroplasties performed in Sweden, including primary and salvage procedures. Surgical and patient details are recorded and re-operations are registered. Results. 21.346 hemiarthroplasties were recorded from 2005 through 2009. The most common diagnosis, acute fracture of the femoral neck, increased from 91.3 to 94.3 percent during this period. The most commonly used stems (i.e. the Lubinus SP II and the Exeter stems) accounted for 68.3 percent of the implants. In total 743 patients (3,6%) underwent additional surgery and the most common reason for this was dislocation. The strongest risk factors for re-operation and revision (Cox regression analysis) were hemiarthroplasty due to failed internal fixation (rr 2.1, 95%CI 1.7–2.7) and uncemented stem (2.0, CI 1.5–2.6). Even when only modern uncemented implants are analyzed (i.e. exclusion of Austin-Moore) we can still see an increased risk of any re-operation(1.8, CI 1.3–2.5) and re-operation due to periprosthetic fracture (3.8, CI 2.0–7.1). Bipolar hemiarthroplasty heads also increased the risk of re-operation, especially due to dislocation (1.4, CI 1.1–1.8). The most used bipolar head (Variocup) has no increased risk of re-operation compared to all other bipolar heads generally, but an increased risk of re-operation due to dislocation (1.7, CI 1.2–2.4). Anterolateral surgical approach (Gammer and Hardinge) decreased the risk of re-operation due to dislocation (0.63, CI 0,53-0.83). Other risk factors are male gender and age above 75 years. During the period the use of monoblock type implants decreased from 17.8 to 0.9 percent. Use of uncemented implants decreased from 10.4 percent in 2005 to 3.0 percent in 2009 and the number of procedures performed with anterolateral approach increased from 46.7 to 55.9 percent. Conclusion. The SHAR have identified risk factors for re-operation and subsequently some important changes have been seen in choice of implant and fixation. We conclude that the results from the hemiarthroplasty registration have a large impact on the methods and implants chosen by the Swedish orthopaedic surgeons and therefore is an important tool in the continuing effort for improving the patient care

Successful return to work (RTW) is a crucial outcome after primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA) in patients under 65 years old. We aimed to determine whether TKA facilitated RTW in patients <65 years, whose intention was to return preoperatively.

We prospectively assessed 106 TKA patients under 65 years over a 1 year period both preoperatively and at 1 year following surgery. Patient demographics were collected including Oxford knee score, Oxford-APQ, VAS pain/health scores and EQ-5D. A novel questionnaire was distributed to delineate pre-operative employment status and post-operative intentions. This included questions on nature of pre and post-operative occupation, whether joint disease affected their ability to work and details of retirement plans and how this was affected by their knee.

69 patients intended to return to work following their TKA. Following arthroplasty, 57/69 patients (82.6%) returned to work at a mean of 16.4 weeks (SD 16.6). Univariate analysis showed significant factors facilitating RTW included, pre-operative oxford knee score, pre-operative Oxford-APQ score and pre-operative EQ-5D score. These were not predictive on multivariate analysis.

This study finds that TKA facilitates return to work in 83% of those who intend to return to work following their surgery. This could have significant positive and health and financial cost implications for the individual, health system and society.

United Kingdom National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence guidelines recommend the use of total hip replacement (THR) for displaced intracapsular fractures of the femoral neck in cognitively intact patients, who were independently mobile prior to the injury. This study aimed to analyse the risk factors associated with revision of the implant and mortality following THR, and to quantify risk. National Joint Registry data recording a THR performed for acute fracture of the femoral neck between 2003 and 2010 were analysed. Cox proportional hazards models were used to investigate the extent to which risk of revision was related to specific covariates. Multivariable logistic regression was used to analyse factors affecting peri-operative mortality (< 90 days). A total of 4323 procedures were studied. There were 80 patients who had undergone revision surgery at the time of censoring (five-year revision rate 3.25%, 95% confidence interval 2.44 to 4.07) and 137 patients (3.2%) patients died within 90 days. After adjusting for patient and surgeon characteristics, an increased risk of revision was associated with the use of cementless prostheses compared with cemented (hazard ratio (HR) 1.33, p = 0.021). Revision was independent of bearing surface and head size. The risk of mortality within 90 days was significantly increased with higher American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) grade (grade 3: odds ratio (OR) 4.04, p < 0.001; grade 4/5: OR 20.26, p < 0.001; both compared with grades 1/2) and older age (≥ 75 years: OR 1.65, p = 0.025), but reduced over the study period (9% relative risk reduction per year).

THR is a good option in patients aged < 75 years and with ASA 1/2. Cementation of the femoral component does not adversely affect peri-operative mortality but improves survival of the implant in the mid-term when compared with cementless femoral components. There are no benefits of using head sizes > 28 mm or bearings other than metal-on-polyethylene. More research is required to determine the benefits of THR over hemiarthroplasty in older patients and those with ASA grades > 2.

Background. Previous data from our institution show that more than half of all prosthetic joint infections are due to S. aureus. A significant proportion of these bacteria may have an endogenous source. Detecting and treating asymptomatic S. aureus nasal carriers preoperatively has been shown to reduce the risk of infection. Material and Methods. This is an ongoing prospective study that started in March/2009 and involves primary total knee or hip arthroplasties candidates. So far preoperative nasal swab cultures were performed in 211(61%) out of 347 patients operated until April/2010. Carriers are identified and randomly chosen for preoperative treatment consisting of nasal mupirocin twice a day and daily cloro-hexidine baths in the 5 days that precede surgery. Antibiotic prophylaxis is cefazolin 24hours adding a single vancomycin dose in MRSA carriers. Results. Around 30% (64/211) of patients presented Saureus nasal carriage and 6 of them (9.4%) were methicilin-resistant. Infection rate was lower in the non-carriers: 1.36% (2/147). The group of 33 untreated carriers so far has the higher prevalence of infection (6.06%; Odds ratio=4.677; p=0.098). In the 31 treated carriers there was only one infection to date (3.23%; Odds ratio=2.371; p=0.463). The 136 patients control group in which no preoperative nasal culture was made registered 4 infections (2.94%; Odds ratio=2.197; p=0.356). Five out of the nine infections involved S. aureus. We further isolated 3 S. epidermidis, 1 enterococcus and 2 gram-negatives. Discussion. It seems that two S. aureus infections were due to endogenous contamination as the infecting bacteria possesses the exact same phenotype as the colonizing preoperative one (one untreated and one treated carrier). In other two S. aureus cases the seeding appears exogenous (a preoperative negative culture and a infecting bacteria different than the preoperative screening). One infection was registered in a non-studied patient. Accordingly, exogenous contamination seems responsible for at least 6 out of 9 infections. Conclusion. These preliminary results suggest that S. aureus colonization may be an endogenous risk factor for prosthetic joint infection that can be influenced. However exogenous contamination is still a major risk factor in our institution

Introduction

Metal on metal articulations produce chromium (Cr) and cobalt (Co) debris, particularly when the articulations are worn in. High levels in the peripheral blood are indicative of excess wear and may cause adverse effects. The present RCT investigates metal ion levels and the relationship of Co, Cr ions and lymphocyte counts during the running-in period.

Aims. Periprosthetic fractures (PPFs) following hip arthroplasty are complex injuries. This study evaluates patient demographic characteristics, management, outcomes, and risk factors associated with PPF subtypes over a decade. Methods. Using a multicentre collaborative study design, independent of registry data, we identified adults from 29 centres with PPFs around the hip between January 2010 and December 2019. Radiographs were assessed for the Unified Classification System (UCS) grade. Patient and injury characteristics, management, and outcomes were compared between UCS grades. A multinomial logistic regression was performed to estimate relative risk ratios (RRR) of variables on UCS grade

Aims. The aim of this study was to investigate the potentially increased risk of dislocation in patients with neurological disease who sustain a femoral neck fracture, as it is unclear whether they should undergo total hip arthroplasty (THA) or hemiarthroplasty (HA). A secondary aim was to investgate whether dual-mobility components confer a reduced risk of dislocation in these patients. Methods. We undertook a longitudinal cohort study linking the Swedish Hip Arthroplasty Register with the National Patient Register, including patients with a neurological disease presenting with a femoral neck fracture and treated with HA, a conventional THA (cTHA) with femoral head size of ≤ 32 mm, or a dual-mobility component THA (DMC-THA) between 2005 and 2014. The dislocation rate at one- and three-year revision, reoperation, and mortality rates were recorded. Cox multivariate regression models were fitted to calculate adjusted hazard ratios (HRs). Results. A total of 9,638 patients with a neurological disease who also underwent unilateral arthroplasty for a femoral neck fracture were included in the study. The one-year dislocation rate was 3.7% after HA, 8.8% after cTHA < 32 mm), 5.9% after cTHA (= 32 mm), and 2.7% after DMC-THA. A higher risk of dislocation was associated with cTHA (< 32 mm) compared with HA (HR 1.90 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.26 to 2.86); p = 0.002). There was no difference in the risk of dislocation with DMC-THA (HR 0.68 (95% CI 0.26 to 1.84); p = 0.451) or cTHA (= 32 mm) (HR 1.54 (95% CI 0.94 to 2.51); p = 0.083). There were no differences in the rate of reoperation and revision-free survival between the different types of prosthesis and sizes of femoral head. Conclusion. Patients with a neurological disease who sustain a femoral neck fracture have similar rates of dislocation after undergoing HA or DMC-THA. Most patients with a neurological disease are not eligible for THA and should thus undergo HA, whereas those eligible for THA could benefit from a DMC-THA. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2022;104-B(1):134–141

Aims

The aim of this study was to describe services available to patients with periprosthetic femoral fracture (PPFF) in England and Wales, with focus on variation between centres and areas for care improvement.

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

The aim of this study was to describe the demographic details of patients who sustain a femoral periprosthetic fracture (PPF), the epidemiology of PPFs, PPF characteristics, and the predictors of PPF types in the UK population.

Aims

Factors associated with high mortality rates in geriatric hip fracture patients are frequently unmodifiable. Time to surgery, however, might be a modifiable factor of interest to optimize clinical outcomes after hip fracture surgery. This study aims to determine the influence of postponement of surgery due to non-medical reasons on clinical outcomes in acute hip fracture surgery.

Laminar airflow systems are universal in current orthopaedic operating theatres and are assumed to be associated with a lower risk of contamination of the surgical wound and subsequent early infection. Evidence to support their use is limited and sometimes conflicting. We investigated whether there were any differences in infection rates (deep and superficial) between knee and hip arthroplasty cases performed in non-laminar and laminar flow theatres at 10 year follow-up. Between 2002 and 2006, 318 patients underwent knee and hip arthroplasty in a non-laminar flow theatre. Prospectively collected local arthroplasty audit data was collected including superficial and deep infection, revision for infection and functional outcomes. A cohort of patients from the same time period, who underwent knee and hip arthroplasty in a laminar flow theatre, were matched for age, sex, body mass index (BMI), operative approach, implant and experience of surgeon. Superficial infection rates were lower overall in the non-laminar flow theatre (2.2percnt; versus 4.7percnt;), with a significantly lower superficial infection rate for knee arthroplasty performed in the non-laminar flow theatre (2percnt; versus 6.9percnt;). The deep infection rates were similar (1.3percnt; vs 1.9percnt;) for both laminar and non-laminar flow theatre respectively. Revision rates for infection were similar between both groups (0.9percnt; in non-laminar flow theatre vs 0.3percnt; in laminar flow). Whilst the causes of post-operative surgical site infection are multifactorial, our results demonstrate that at long –term follow-up, there was no increased risk of infection without laminar flow use in our theatre

Aims

The aim of this study was to describe the management and associated outcomes of patients sustaining a femoral hip periprosthetic fracture (PPF) in the UK population.

Introduction. The advantages of metal on metal (MOM) hip replacement are decreased wear rate, preservation of bone stock, anatomical restoration and enhanced stability. Large amounts of metal wear particles and metal ions are released which may induce adverse reactions including local soft tissue toxicity, hypersensitivity reactions, bone loss and risk of carcinogenesis. Aseptic loosening can be the result of a peri prosthetic osteolysis generated as a result of a biological response to particulate wear debris. Our aim in this study was to determine whether a steeply inclined acetabular component would give rise to a higher concentration of metal ions. Patients and methods. Between April 2003 and June 2006, 22 patients had MOM hip replacement for osteoarthritis by a single Surgeon. There were 12 male and 10 female patients. The average age at the time of surgery was 56 years (Range: 44–69 years). We divided the 22 patients into 2 groups, one group (A) of 11 patients with the acetabular inclination angle more than 50 degrees and the other group (B) of 11 patients with the angle less than 50 degrees. The inclination of the acetabular cup was measured using a standard AP radiograph of the pelvis. The patients had metal ion levels (blood chromium and serum cobalt) measured at an average follow up of 3.2 years (Range 2.4 to 5 years). Results. Mean blood chromium level in the group A (146 nM/L) was significantly higher (p=0.005) than in Group B (92 nM/L). Mean serum cobalt level in the group A (245 nM/L) was significantly higher (p=0.002) than in Group B (110 nM/L). Discussion. The early to mid term published results of MOM hip replacements have been encouraging. There are, however, a number of concerns about the MOM bearing. Although its wear rate is low, it still releases metal ions into the body particularly cobalt and chromium since most metal on metal bearings are made of a cobalt chromium alloy. The long-term consequences of increased levels of these ions in the body are not known. High concentrations of Co and Cr are toxic and are known to interfere with a number of biological functions. There also have been recent reports of soft tissue reactions with MOM hip replacement. In the light of these concerns, it is important to examine factors which may influence the release of metal ions after MOM hip replacement. It has been reported in the recent literature that the position of the acetabular component will influence the bearing wear inturn leading to the release of metal ions after MOM hip replacement. Our findings indicate that steeply inclined acetabular components with an inclination angle greater than 50 degrees gives rise to higher concentration of metal ions

Aim. Our goals were to minimize the invasiveness of the revision hip arthroplasty approach in order to accelerate the patient's rehabilitation, shorten the length of hospitalization and reduce the postoperative complications, especially the rate of joint dislocation. Our study aimed to prove whether and under which conditions the less invasive approach is preferable in revision arthroplasty. Material and Methods. The modified revision technique differs from the conventional approach in the following main aspects:. Oncologic: applying larger hip balls and inserts, after expanding the variety of the available articulating joint components in 4 mm steps (28–40 mm),. sparing and reconstructing the joint capsule, whereby the integrity of its acetabular origin is crucial. That procedure was combined with tissue dissection strictly parallel to the direction of the muscle fibers. The transgluteal approach after Bauer was applied. The small skin incision was closed by running subcuticular technique. The inpatient postoperative phase after revision total hip arthroplasty was evaluated in the last 6.5 years. All patients completed a questionnaire. Results. Less invasive revision hip arthroplasty was performed in 55 cases in a period of 6.5 years. No intraoperative method-specific complication was observed. Only one dislocation and one early infection, which needed surgical intervention, were recorded. The mean postoperative length of stay was 9.5 days after less invasive revision hip arthroplasty compared to an average of 20.5 days for all revisions. The duration of inpatient treatment was thus halved. This technique was mostly applied in the isolated stem exchange, followed by exchange of bearing components and complete joint exchange. The isolated socket exchange with stable stem is, however, difficult to be realized in the less invasive technique. Conclusion. The less invasive revision hip arthroplasty is associated with a low complication rate. It can be applied in about 30–50% of revision cases. Reconstructing the integrity of the capsule represents the most important modification of the operation's technique. The postoperative joint stability is on the midterm increased and the reconstruction of leg length is indirectly facilitated compared to resecting the joint capsule. Applying larger ball-insert pairs depending on the outer diameter of the socket allows a long-term increase in the joint stability and thus a reduction in the dislocation risk. Owing to its low complication rate and significant reduction of the length of stay, the less invasive revision hip arthroplasty approach is medically and economically recommended

Rivaroxiban is a factor Xa inhibitor and is a newer oral alternative for thromboprophylaxis after joint replacements. Its major advantage is its oral administration and hence better patient compliance. However there are some doubts about its efficacy compared to dalteparin/heparin. We have recently changed over from using dalteparin injections to rivaroxiban tablets for thromboprophylaxis after hip replacements. We assessed our results to find efficacy and specificity of its action in patients undergoing THR. 504 patients underwent hip replacement in last 2 years. 316 were treated with dalteparin injections (fragmin) for thromboprophylaxis while 189 patients were treated with oral rivaroxiban for 35 days after their hip replacement. Average haemoglobin drop at 24 hours postop was 2.79 in Rivaroxiban group compared to 3. 10 in dalteparin group. 19 patients (of 189 i.e. 10.05%) required postop blood transfusion in rivaroxiban group as against 60 (of 315 i.e. 19.04%) in Dalteparin group. This difference was statistically significant. Incidence of DVT was no different in either groups, but the number of patients was too small to compare this. Rivaroxiban appears to be more specific in its action and our results suggest a significant reduction in postop blood transfusion following hip replacements without any increase in rate of Deep Vein Thrombosis. We would like to present our findings and discuss role of oral thromboprophylaxis after joint replacements

Aims

Deep surgical site infection (SSI) remains an unsolved problem after hip fracture. Debridement, antibiotic, and implant retention (DAIR) has become a mainstream treatment in elective periprosthetic joint infection; however, evidence for DAIR after infected hip hemiarthroplaty is limited.