Aim. Surgical site infection (SSI) is associated with substantial morbidity, mortality and economic burden. Management of spinal SSI is becoming more challenging especially in instrumented cases, but is not well recognized as high risk procedure. The objective of this study was to determine the impact of procedure type comparing SSI risk with arthroplasties among all orthopaedic procedures. Method. Using prospectively collected data of consecutive samples in multi-center orthopedic SSI surveillance, we explored the differences in SSI rates within 30 days after surgery by procedure types. Patients who underwent surgery of single site between November 2013 and May 2016 were enrolled. SSI was our primary outcome. Urinary tract infection (UTI), and respiratory tract infection (RTI) were also evaluated. The definition of SSI was based on the CDC definition with slight modifications. All patients were followed for 30 days postoperatively. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were done, and variables were carefully selected for adjustments. Results. In total 8,907 single site surgeries were analyzed. There were four major procedure types, fracture repair 31%, arthroplasty 30%, spinal surgery without instrumentation 14.7% and spinal instrumentation surgery 13%. Patient backgrounds were male 41.4%, diabetes 13.5%, rheumatoid arthritis 3.8 %, present smoker 13.4%, mean BMI 23+4, and operative time 144+92 minutes. Cefazolin was administered in more than 98% of all cases, and were administered appropriately before surgery. SSI occurred in 102 cases (1.2%), and the SSI rates were 2.5% in spinal instrumentation surgery and 0.6% in arthroplasty. After adjustment with several clinically relevant variables such as age, sex, diabetes and ASA, spinal instrumentation surgery was the only procedure which remained significant with adjusted odds ratio (aOR) of 3.3 (1.8–6.2, P<0.01) compared with arthroplasties. The risk remained stable after adding further clinically relevant variables (aOR of 2.2 to 3.3). The risk was not significant for spinal surgery without instrumentation (aOR, 1.8; 0.9–3.5, P=0.10). Moreover, the risk of spinal instrumentation surgery was highest for UTI (aOR, 4.7; 2.9–7.6), P<0.01) and RTI (aOR, 3.7; 1.6–8.9), P<0.01) among all procedures. Conclusions. From our study, spinal instrumentation surgery was the only procedure to be significant after multivariate analysis, and the risk for SSI remained 2.2 to 3.3 fold higher compared with arthroplasties. The risk was also highest for several other major healthcare-associated infections. Considering the disastrous consequences, more interests and improvements in total perioperative care are needed for this procedure

Aims

During the COVID-19 pandemic, drilling has been classified as an aerosol-generating procedure. However, there is limited evidence on the effects of bone drilling on splatter generation. Our aim was to quantify the effect of drilling on splatter generation within the orthopaedic operative setting.

Aims. This study aimed to investigate the risk of postoperative complications in COVID-19-positive patients undergoing common orthopaedic procedures. Methods. Using the National Surgical Quality Improvement Programme (NSQIP) database, patients who underwent common orthopaedic surgery procedures from 1 January to 31 December 2021 were extracted. Patient preoperative COVID-19 status, demographics, comorbidities, type of surgery, and postoperative complications were analyzed. Propensity score matching was conducted between COVID-19-positive and -negative patients. Multivariable regression was then performed to identify both patient and provider risk factors independently associated with the occurrence of 30-day postoperative adverse events. Results. Of 194,121 included patients, 740 (0.38%) were identified to be COVID-19-positive. Comparison of comorbidities demonstrated that COVID-19-positive patients had higher rates of diabetes, heart failure, and pulmonary disease. After propensity matching and controlling for all preoperative variables, multivariable analysis found that COVID-19-positive patients were at increased risk of several postoperative complications, including: any adverse event, major adverse event, minor adverse event, death, venous thromboembolism, and pneumonia. COVID-19-positive patients undergoing hip/knee arthroplasty and trauma surgery were at increased risk of 30-day adverse events. Conclusion. COVID-19-positive patients undergoing orthopaedic surgery had increased odds of many 30-day postoperative complications, with hip/knee arthroplasty and trauma surgery being the most high-risk procedures. These data reinforce prior literature demonstrating increased risk of venous thromboembolic events in the acute postoperative period. Clinicians caring for patients undergoing orthopaedic procedures should be mindful of these increased risks, and attempt to improve patient care during the ongoing global pandemic. Cite this article: Bone Jt Open 2023;4(9):704–712

Aims. The use of fluoroscopy in orthopaedic surgery creates risk of radiation exposure to surgeons. Appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) can help mitigate this. The primary aim of this study was to assess if current radiation protection in orthopaedic trauma is safe. The secondary aims were to describe normative data of radiation exposure during common orthopaedic procedures, evaluate ways to improve any deficits in protection, and validate the use of electronic personal dosimeters (EPDs) in assessing radiation dose in orthopaedic surgery. Methods. Radiation exposure to surgeons during common orthopaedic trauma operations was prospectively assessed using EPDs and thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLDs). Normative data for each operation type were calculated and compared to recommended guidelines. Results. Current PPE appears to mitigate more than 90% of ionizing radiation in orthopaedic fluoroscopic procedures. There is a higher exposure to the inner thigh during seated procedures. EPDs provided results for individual procedures. Conclusion. PPE currently used by surgeons in orthopaedic trauma theatre adequately reduces radiation exposure to below recommended levels. Normative data per trauma case show specific anatomical areas of higher exposure, which may benefit from enhanced radiation protection. EPDs can be used to assess real-time radiation exposure in orthopaedic surgery. There may be a role in future medical wearables for orthopaedic surgeons. Cite this article: Bone Jt Open 2022;3(11):907–912

Aims. Orthopaedic infection is a potentially serious complication of elective and emergency trauma and orthopaedic procedures, with a high associated burden of morbidity and cost. Optimization of vitamin D levels has been postulated to be beneficial in the prevention of orthopaedic infection. This study explores the role of vitamin D in orthopaedic infection through a systematic review of available evidence. Methods. A comprehensive search was conducted on databases including Medline and Embase, as well as grey literature such as Google Scholar and The World Health Organization Database. Pooled analysis with weighted means was undertaken. Results. Pooled analysis of four studies including 651 patients found the mean 25(OH)D level to be 50.7 nmol/l with a mean incidence of infection of 70%. There was a paucity of literature exploring prophylactic 25(OH)D supplementation on reducing orthopaedic infection, however, there was evidence of association between low 25(OH)D levels and increased incidence of orthopaedic infection. Conclusion. The results indicate a significant proportion of orthopaedic patients have low 25(OH]D levels, as well as an association between low 25(OH)D levels and orthopaedic infection, but more randomized controlled trials need to be conducted to establish the benefit of prophylactic supplementation and the optimum regimen by dose and time. Cite this article: Bone Jt Open 2021;2(9):721–727

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

Aims

The aim of this study was to surveil whether the standard operating procedure created for the NHS Golden Jubilee sufficiently managed COVID-19 risk to allow safe resumption of elective orthopaedic surgery.

Periprosthetic joint infections (PJIs) and osteosynthesis-associated infections (OSIs) present significant challenges in trauma and orthopaedic surgery, substantially impacting patient morbidity, mortality, and economic burden. This concern is heightened in patients with pre-existing comorbidities, such as diabetes mellitus, which are not always modifiable at presentation. A novel intraoperative strategy to prevent these infections is the use of Defensive Antibacterial Coating (DAC), a bio-absorbable antibiotic-containing hydrogel applied to implant surfaces at implantation, acting as a physical barrier to prevent infection. The purpose of this study is to assess the use of a commercially available hydrogel (DAC), highlighting its characteristics that make it suitable for managing PJIs and OSIs in orthopaedics and traumatology. Twenty-five patients who underwent complex orthopaedic procedures with intraoperative application of DAC between March 2022 and April 2023 at a single hospital site were included. Post-operative assessment encompassed clinical, laboratory, and radiographic examinations. In this study, 25 patients were included, with a mean age of 70 ± 14.77 years and an average ASA grade of 2.46 ± 0.78. The cohort presented an average Charleston Comorbidity score of 5.45 ± 2.24. The procedures included 8 periprosthetic fractures, 8 foot and ankle surgeries, 5 upper limb surgeries, and 4 elective hip and knee surgeries. Follow-up assessments at 6 weeks and 6 months revealed no evidence of PJI or OSI in any patients, nor were any treatments for PJI or OSI required during the interim period. DAC demonstrated efficacy in preventing infections in high-risk patients undergoing complex orthopaedic procedures. Our findings warrant further investigation into the use of DAC in complex hosts with randomized control trials

The use of cannabis is increasingly medically relevant as it is legalized and gains acceptance more broadly. However, the effects of marijuana use on postoperative outcomes following orthopedic surgery have not been well-characterized. This study seeks to illuminate the relationship between marijuana use and the incidence postoperative complications including: DVT, PE, nonunion, and infection following common orthopedic procedures. This study was conducted using a national orthopaedic claims insurance database. We identified all patients undergoing knee arthroscopy, shoulder arthroscopy, operatively managed long bone fractures (humerus, femur, tibia and/or fibula, and radius and/or ulna), and single-level lumbar fusion. The proportion of patients within each surgery cohort who had a diagnostic code for marijuana dependence was assessed. The rates of DVT, PE, and infection within 90 days were assessed for all patients. The rate of nonunion was assessed for the long bone fracture and lumbar fusion cohorts. Univariate analyses of marijuana dependence on all outcomes were performed, followed by a multivariate logistic regression analysis controlling for known patient comorbidities. We identified 1,113,944 knee arthroscopy, 747,938 shoulder arthroscopy, 88,891 lumbar fusion, and 37,163 long bone fracture patients. Out of the 1,987,936 patients, 24,404 patients had a diagnostic code for marijuana dependence. Within all four surgical subgroups, the marijuana dependence cohort experienced increased rates of infection, PE, and DVT, as well as increased rates of nonunion in the lumbar fusion and long bone fracture populations. In the multivariate analyses controlling for a variety of patient risk factors including tobacco use, marijuana dependence was identified as an independent risk factor for infection within all four surgical subgroups (Knee: OR 1.85, p < 0.001; Shoulder: OR 1.65, p < 0.001; Spine: OR 1.45, p < 0.001; Long bone: OR 1.28, p < 0.001), and for nonunion in the lumbar fusion (OR 1.38, p < 0.001) and long bone fracture (OR 1.31, p < 0.001) subgroups. Our data suggests that marijuana dependence may be associated with increased rates of infection and nonunion following a variety of orthopaedic procedures. During preoperative evaluation, surgeons may consider marijuana use as a potential risk factor for postoperative complications, especially within the context of marijuana legalization. Future research into this relationship is necessary

Introduction. The role of diathermy in orthopaedic surgical practice has increased since its introduction. It is widely used for underlying tissue dissection, cutting, and haemostasis. Previous studies have compared electrosurgical and scalpel incisions in terms of wound infection, wound-related pain, and blood loss. There are well documented hazards associated with diathermy use including burns injury, electrocution, hypoxic stress, inhalation of diathermy plume, and gene mutation. No single study to date has focused on the potential for diathermy tips to cause wound contamination and infection. We sought to identify whether diathermy tips could be possible sources of infection in orthopaedic procedures. Objectives. To determine the prevalence of bacterial contamination of diathermy tips during orthopaedic surgery and to assess any correlation with surgical site infections. Methods. From July 2013 to September 2013, the diathermy tips from 86 consecutive orthopaedic procedures using diathermy were cultured using direct and enriched media. None of the diathermy tips were used for the skin incision. All patients underwent an orthopaedic procedure for a non-infected condition. For each procedure an unused control diathermy tip was placed on the instrument table at the beginning of the procedure and processed similarly. All patients were followed for any postoperative complications. Results. 108 diathermy tips from 86 orthopaedic procedures were cultured. None of the tips cultured directly on blood agar demonstrated bacterial growth. Following enrichment culture, 6 (5.6%) of the procedure diathermy tips and 1 (0.92%) of the control tips demonstrated bacterial growth. Coagulase-negative staphylococci (83.3%) and proprionibacterium (16.7%) were cultured from the tips. 1 of the patients who had bacterial growth from the diathermy tip developed a superficial surgical site infection. Conclusions. Surgical site infections contribute substantially to orthopaedic surgical morbidity and mortality each year. The prevention of these infections encompasses careful operative technique, preoperative antibiotics, and a number of important measures to minimize the risk of bacterial contamination posed by operative staff, the operating theatre environment, and the patient's endogenous skin flora. Identifying potential bacterial sources is an important component of surgery. The two bacteria cultured in our study (coagulase-negative staphylococci and proprionibacterium) are both well known major culprits in orthopaedic infections, responsible for up to 70% of early and late peri-prosthetic infections. Our study suggests diathermy tips and the tissue coagulated by its use may not be as sterile as previously thought. There may be benefit in changing the diathermy tips during orthopaedic procedures as they may represent a possible source of bacterial contamination

The role of diathermy in orthopaedic surgical practice has increased since its introduction. It is widely used for underlying tissue dissection, cutting, and haemostasis. Previous studies have compared electrosurgical and scalpel incisions in terms of wound infection, wound-related pain, and blood loss. There are well documented hazards associated with diathermy use including burns injury, electrocution, hypoxic stress, inhalation of diathermy plume, and gene mutation. No single study to date has focused on the potential for diathermy tips to cause wound contamination and infection. We sought to identify whether diathermy tips could be possible sources of infection in orthopaedic procedures. To determine the prevalence of bacterial contamination of diathermy tips during orthopaedic surgery and to assess any correlation with surgical site infections. From July 2013 to September 2013, the diathermy tips from 86 consecutive orthopaedic procedures using diathermy were cultured using direct and enriched media. None of the diathermy tips were used for the skin incision. All patients underwent an orthopaedic procedure for a non-infected condition. For each procedure an unused control diathermy tip was placed on the instrument table at the beginning of the procedure and processed similarly. All patients were followed for any postoperative complications. 108 diathermy tips from 86 orthopaedic procedures were cultured. None of the tips cultured directly on blood agar demonstrated bacterial growth. Following enrichment culture, 6 (5.6%) of the procedure diathermy tips and 1 (0.92%) of the control tips demonstrated bacterial growth. Coagulase-negative staphylococci (83.3%) and proprionibacterium (16.7%) were cultured from the tips. 1 of the patients who had bacterial growth from the diathermy tip developed a superficial surgical site infection. Surgical site infections contribute substantially to orthopaedic surgical morbidity and mortality each year. The prevention of these infections encompasses careful operative technique, preoperative antibiotics, and a number of important measures to minimize the risk of bacterial contamination posed by operative staff, the operating theatre environment, and the patient's endogenous skin flora. Identifying potential bacterial sources is an important component of surgery. The two bacteria cultured in our study (coagulase-negative staphylococci and proprionibacterium) are both well known major culprits in orthopaedic infections, responsible for up to 70% of early and late peri-prosthetic infections. Our study suggests diathermy tips and the tissue coagulated by its use may not be as sterile as previously thought. There may be benefit in changing the diathermy tips during orthopaedic procedures as they may represent a possible source of bacterial contamination

Aims. The aim of this study was to characterize the relationship between pre- and postoperative opioid use among patients undergoing common elective orthopaedic procedures. Patients and Methods. Pre- and postoperative opioid use were studied among patients from a national insurance database undergoing seven common orthopaedic procedures using univariate log-rank tests and multivariate Cox proportional hazards analyses. Results. A total of 98 769 patients were included; 35 701 patients were opioid-naïve, 11 621 used opioids continuously for six months before surgery, and 4558 used opioids continuously for at least six months but did not obtain any prescriptions in the three months before surgery. Among opioid-naïve patients, between 0.76% and 4.53% used opioids chronically postoperatively. Among chronic preoperative users, between 42% and 62% ceased chronic opioids postoperatively. A three-month opioid-free period preoperatively led to a rate of cessation of chronic opioid use between 82% and 93%, as compared with between 31% and 50% with continuous preoperative use (p < 0.001 for significant changes in opioid use before and after surgery in each procedure). Between 5.6 and 20.0 preoperative chronic users ceased chronic use for every new chronic opioid user. Risk factors for chronic postoperative use included chronic preoperative opioid use (odds ratio (OR) 4.84 to 39.75; p < 0.0001) and depression (OR 1.14 to 1.55; p < 0.05 except total hip arthroplasty). With a three-month opioid-free period before surgery, chronic preoperative opioids elevated the risk of chronic opioid use only mildly, if at all (OR 0.47 to 1.75; p < 0.05 for total shoulder arthroplasty, rotator cuff repair, and carpal tunnel release). Conclusion. Chronic preoperative opioid use increases the risk of chronic postoperative use, but an opioid-free period before surgery decreases this risk compared with continuous preoperative use. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2019;101-B:1570–1577

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

Hip and knee arthroplasty (HKA) are two of the most successful orthopaedic procedures. However, one major complication necessitating revision surgery is osteolysis causing aseptic loosening of the prosthesis. JAK-STAT has been demonstrated to influence bone metabolism and can be regulated by microRNA (miRNA). Adult patients with osteolysis or aseptic loosening undergoing revision HKA were recruited. Age and gender matched patients undergoing primary hip or knee arthroplasty were our controls. Samples of bone, tissue and blood were collected and RNA isolation was performed. The best quality samples were used for RNA-sequencing. Data analysis was performed using RStudio and Galaxy to identify differentially expressed genes. Western blotting of IL6 was used to confirm protein expression. Five circulating miRNA were identified which had 10 differentially expressed genes in bone and 11 differentially expressed genes in tissue related to the JAK-STAT pathway. IL6 in bone and EpoR in bone were highly significant and IL6 in tissue, MPL in bone, SOCS3 in tissue, JAK3 in bone and SPRED1 in bone were borderline significant. Western blot results demonstrated up-expression of IL6 in bone tissue of revision patients. Periprosthetic osteolysis and aseptic loosening can be attributed to miRNA regulation of the JAK-STAT pathway in osteoblasts and osteoclasts, leading to increased bone resorption. These findings can be used for further experiments to determine utility in the clinical setting for identifying diagnostic markers or therapeutic targets

Introduction. The health sector contributes the equivalent of 4.4% of global net emissions to the climate carbon footprint. It has been suggested that between 20% and 70% of health care waste originates from a hospital's operating room, the second greatest component of this are the textiles used, and up to 90% of waste is sent for costly and unneeded hazardous waste processing. Waste from common orthopaedic operations was quantified, the carbon footprint calculated, and cost of disposal assessed. A discussion of the circular economy of textiles, from the author of the textile guidance to the Green Surgery Report follows. Methods. The amount of waste generated from a variety of trauma and elective orthopaedic operations was calculated across a range of hospital sites. The waste was separated primarily into clean and contaminated, paper or plastic. The carbon footprint and the cost of disposal across the hospital sites was subsequently calculated. Results. Elective procedures can generate up to 16.5kg of plastic waste per procedure. Practices such as double draping the patient contribute to increasing the quantity of waste. The cost to process waste vary widely between hospital sites, waste disposal contractors and the method of waste disposal. Conclusion. This study sheds new light on the environmental impact of waste produced in trauma and elective orthopaedic procedures. Mitigating the environmental impact of the operating room requires a collective drive for a culture change to sustainability and social responsibility. Each clinician can impact upon the carbon footprint of their operating theatre. Consideration should be given to the type of textiles used within the operating theatre

Surgeons must explain the risk of complications to prospective patients and get informed consent. If a complication that occurred was omitted in the process or given the wrong risk level, culpability of the surgeon is judged in court against what a “reasonable patient” would like to know to give or refuse consent. ObjectivesThe concept “reasonable patient” is widely used, no attempt has been made to define it objectively. We assessed insight of patients, presumed “reasonable”, about risks of certain complications after they underwent one of five orthopaedic procedures. Questionnaire was administered with procedures: femur IMN, tibia IMN, ankle ORIF, distal radius ORIF and hip arthroplasty. Four common/serious complications were chosen per procedure, and matched against life events with documented risk levels. There were 230 participants 163 males and 67 females. We found 19.1% of patients above age 40 and 33.3% with tertiary education wouldn't accept nerve injury as reported in literature. With infection risk, 18.1% above 40 and 52.9% with pre-tertiary education would not accept. All patients below 40 and 7.4% pre-tertiary education wouldn't accept the risk of death as reported. However, 37.1% above 40 and 76.9% with pre-tertiary education would accept that risk at a higher level. It is hard to predict what risk of complication a patient may accept. This study highlights that some patients will not accept risks as reported in literature, even though they need the procedure. Therefore, surgeons need to explain complications fully, so that patients knowingly accepts or refuses consent. The subset of patients who are not willing to accept any level of risk, should be the subject of another study

Total Joint Arthroplasty (TJA) is a successful orthopaedic procedure allowing dramatic clinical and functional improvements. Globally, there's been an increase in demand and performed cases associated with an increase in complications. Subsequently, focus on the prevention of complications has become important worldwide. The incidence of venous-thrombolic events (VTE) despite great attention has not diminished despite much investigation. A balance between efficacy and safety from the available agents is essential. Low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) has been commonly used, but oral anti-coagulants have become more popular. The aim of this study was to assess the adherence LMWH and the effectiveness and safety of preventing VTE in post-operative arthroplasty patients in a South African setting. We conducted a prospective cohort study that included hip and knee, primary and revision, arthroplasty patients who received thromboprophylaxis with one daily injection of LMWH for 14 days post discharge. Patients who omitted 1 or more doses during the follow up period were classified as “non adherent”. A questionnaire was used at follow up visits at least 6 weeks post-operatively. 100 consecutive patients were followed up. The mean age of patients was 63.45 years. There were 68 % female patients. There was a 92% compliance rate. 60 % of patients had the injection administered by a family member, 38 % administered it themselves and 2 % had the injection administered by health professionals. Venous thromboembolic events were confirmed in 5 % at 7.86 days after surgery. Three patients had persistent wound drainage after surgery, however, none required reoperation or readmission. Compliance with LMWH is high and is comparable with oral agents. It is effective in preventing VTE and safe with regards to bleeding and wound complications in a South African setting. Patient education regarding medications may improve compliance of the medication

Shoulder replacement surgery is a well-established orthopaedic procedure designed to significantly enhance patients’ quality of life. However, the prevailing preoperative admission practices within our tertiary shoulder surgery unit involve a two-stage group and save testing process, necessitating an admission on the evening before surgery. This protocol may unnecessarily prolong hospital stays without yielding substantial clinical benefits. The principal aim of our study is to assess the necessity of conducting two preoperative group and save blood tests and to evaluate the requirement for blood transfusions in shoulder arthroplasty surgeries. A secondary objective is to reduce hospital stay durations and the associated admission costs for patients undergoing shoulder arthroplasty. We conducted a retrospective observational study covering the period from 1st January 2023 to 31st August 2023, collecting data from shoulder arthroplasty procedures across three hospitals within the Aneurin Bevan University Health Board. Our analysis included 21 total shoulder replacement cases and 13 reverse shoulder replacement cases. Notably, none of the patients required postoperative blood transfusions. The mean haemoglobin drop observed was 14 g/L for total shoulder replacements and 15 g/L for reverse shoulder replacements. The mean elective admission duration was 2.4 nights for total shoulder replacements and 2 nights for reverse shoulder replacements. Our data indicated that hospital stays were extended by one night primarily due to the preoperative group and save blood tests. In light of these findings, we propose a more streamlined admission process for elective shoulder replacement surgery, eliminating the need for the evening-before-surgery group and save testing. Hospital admissions in these units incur a cost of approximately £500 per night, while the group and save blood tests cost around £30 each. This revised admission procedure is expected to optimise the use of healthcare resources and improve patient satisfaction without compromising clinical care

Augmented reality simulators offer opportunities for practice of orthopaedic procedures outside of theatre environments. We developed an augmented reality simulator that allows trainees to practice pinning of paediatric supracondylar humeral fractures (SCHF) in a radiation-free environment at no extra risk to patients. The simulator is composed of a tangible child's elbow model, and simulated fluoroscopy on a tablet device. The treatment of these fractures is likely one of the first procedures involving X-ray guided wire insertion that trainee orthopaedic surgeons will encounter. This study aims to examine the extent of improvement simulator training provides to real-world operating theatre performance. This multi-centre study will involve four cohorts of New Zealand orthopaedic trainees in their SET1 year. Trainees with no simulator exposure in 2019 - 2021 will form the comparator cohort. Trainees in 2022 will receive additional, regular simulator training as the intervention cohort. The comparator cohort's performance in paediatric SCHF surgery will be retrospectively audited using routinely collected operative outcomes and parameters over a six-month period. The performance of the intervention cohorts will be collected in the same way over a comparable period. The data collected for both groups will be used to examine whether additional training with an augmented reality simulator shows improved real-world surgical outcomes compared to traditional surgical training. This protocol has been approved by the University of Otago Health Ethics committee, and the study is due for completion in 2024. This study is the first nation-wide transfer validity study of a surgical simulator in New Zealand. As of September 2022, all trainees in the intervention cohort have been recruited along with eight retrospective trainees via email. We present this protocol to maintain transparency of the prespecified research plans and ensure robust scientific methods. This protocol may also assist other researchers conducting similar studies within small populations

Trauma and elective orthopaedic demands in New Zealand are increasing. In this study, prospective and retrospective data has been collected at Nelson Hospital and across New Zealand to identify the percentage of elective theatre time lost due to cancellation for acute patient care. Data has been collected from theatre management systems, hospital data systems and logged against secretarial case bookings, to calculate a percentage of elective theatre time lost to acute operating or insufficient bed capacity. Data was collected over a five-month period at Nelson Hospital, with a total of 215 elective and 226 acute orthopaedic procedures completed. A total of 95 primary hip or knee arthroplasties were completed during this trial while 53 were cancelled. The total number of elective operative sessions (one session is the equivalent of a half day operating theatre time) lost to acute workload was 47.9. Thirty-three percent of allocated elective theatre time was cancelled - an equivalent of approximately one-full day elective operating per week. Over a five-week period data was collected across all provincial hospitals in New Zealand, with an average of 18% of elective operating time per week lost due to acute workload. Elective cancellations were due to acute operating 40% of the time and bed shortages 60% of the time. The worst effected centre was Palmerston North which had an average of 33% of elective operating cancelled per week to accommodate acute surgery or due to bed shortages. New Zealand's provincial orthopaedic surgeons are under immense pressure from acute operating that impedes provision of elective surgery. The New Zealand government definition of an ‘acute case’ does not reflect the nature of today's orthopaedic burden. Increasing and aging populations along with staff and infrastructure shortages have financial and societal impacts beyond medicine and require better definitions, further research, and funding from governance