Elective surgery has been severely curtailed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. There is little evidence to guide surgeons in assessing what processes should be put in place to restart elective surgery safely in a time of endemic COVID-19 in the community. We used data from a stand-alone hospital admitting and operating on 91 trauma patients. All patients were screened on admission and 100% of patients have been followed-up after discharge to assess outcome.Aims
Methods
We aimed to determine whether cemented hemiarthroplasty
is associated with a higher post-operative mortality and rate of
re-operation when compared with uncemented hemiarthroplasty. Data
on 19 669 patients, who were treated with a hemiarthroplasty following
a fracture of the hip in a nine-year period from 2002 to 2011, were extracted
from NHS Scotland’s acute admission database (Scottish Morbidity
Record, SMR01). We investigated the rate of mortality at day 0,
1, 7, 30, 120 and one-year post-operatively using 12 case-mix variables
to determine the independent effect of the method of fixation. At
day 0, those with a cemented hemiarthroplasty had a higher rate
of mortality (p <
0.001) compared with those with an uncemented
hemiarthroplasty, equivalent to one extra death per 424 procedures.
By day one this had become one extra death per 338 procedures. Increasing
age and the five-year co-morbidity score were noted as independent
risk factors. By day seven, the cumulative rate of mortality was
less for cemented hemiarthroplasty though this did not reach significance
until day 120. The rate of re-operation was significantly higher
for uncemented hemiarthroplasty. Despite adjusting for 12 confounding
variables, these only accounted for 15% of the observed variability. The debate about the choice of the method of fixation for a hemiarthroplasty
with respect to the rate of mortality or the risk of re-operation
may be largely superfluous. Our results suggest that uncemented
hemiarthroplasties may have a role to play in elderly patients with
significant co-morbid disease. Cite this article:
The surgical treatment options for patients who have sustained an intra-capsular hip fracture can vary depending on a number of patient and fracture related factors. Currently most national guidelines support the use of cemented prostheses for patient undergoing hemi-arthroplasty surgery. Uncemented prostheses are commonly used for a variety of indications including those patients who have significant medical co-morbidities. To determine whether cemented hemi-arthroplasty is associated with a higher post operative mortality when compared to uncemented procedures. Data was extracted from the Scottish SMR01 database from 01/04/1997 from all patients who were admitted to hospital after sustaining a hip fracture. We investigated mortality at day 1, 2, 4, 7, 30, 120 and 1 year from surgery vs. that on day 0. In order to control for the effects of confounding variables between patients cohorts, 12 case-mix variable were used to construct a multivariable logistic regression analysis model to determine the independent effect of prosthesis fixation method. There were 64,979 patients were included in the study. Mortality for osteosynthesis of extra-capsular fractures was consistently lower when compared to that for surgical procedures for intra-capsular fractures. At day 0, uncemented hemi-arthroplasty operations had a lower associated mortality (p<0.001) when compared to cemented implant designs. Unadjusted figures showed an increased mortality equal to 1 extra death per 424 procedures. By day 1 this had become 1 extra death per 338 procedures. By day 7 cumulative mortality was less for cemented than for uncemented procedures though this did not reach significance until day 120. When compared to uncemented fixation techniques, cemented hemiarthroplasty is associated with a higher mortality in the immediate postoperative period. However, by day 120 and beyond the trend is reversed.
The surgical treatment options for patients who have sustained an intra-capsular hip fracture can vary depending on a number of patient and fracture related factors. Currently most national guidelines support the use of cemented prostheses for patient undergoing hemiarthroplasty surgery. Uncemented prostheses are commonly used for a variety of indications including those patients who have significant medical co-morbidities. To determine whether cemented hemiarthroplasty is associated with a higher post operative mortality when compared to uncemented procedures. Data were extracted from the Scottish SMR01 database from 01/04/1997 from all patients who were admitted to hospital after sustaining a hip fracture. We investigated mortality at day 1,2,4,7,30, 120 and 1 year from surgery vs. that on day 0. In order to control for the effects of confounding variables between patients cohorts, 12 case-mix variable were used to construct a multivariable logistic regression analysis model to determine the independent effect of prosthesis design. There were 52283 patients included in the study. Mortality for osteosynthesis of extra-capsular fractures was consistently lower when compared to that for surgical procedures for intra-capsular fractures. At day 0, uncemented hemiarthroplasty had a lower associated mortality (p<0.001) when compared to cemented implant designs. However, this increased mortality was equal to 1 extra death per 2000 procedures. From day 1 onward mortality for cemented procedures was equal to or lower than that of uncemented. By day 4, cumulative mortality was less for cemented than for uncemented procedures. Complication and re-operation rate was significantly higher in the uncemented cohort. The use of uncemented hemiarthroplasty for the treatment of intra-capsular hip fractures cannot be justified in terms of early/late post-operative mortality.
Osteoporosis is common and the health and financial
cost of fragility fractures is considerable. The burden of cardiovascular
disease has been reduced dramatically by identifying and targeting
those most at risk. A similar approach is potentially possible in
the context of fragility fractures. The World Health Organization
created and endorsed the use of FRAX, a fracture risk assessment
tool, which uses selected risk factors to calculate a quantitative,
patient-specific, ten-year risk of sustaining a fragility fracture.
Treatment can thus be based on this as well as on measured bone
mineral density. It may also be used to determine at-risk individuals,
who should undergo bone densitometry. FRAX has been incorporated
into the national osteoporosis guidelines of countries in the Americas,
Europe, the Far East and Australasia. The United Kingdom National
Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence also advocates its
use in their guidance on the assessment of the risk of fragility
fracture, and it may become an important tool to combat the health
challenges posed by fragility fractures.
Total hip arthroplasty is well established as a successful treatment modality for end stage arthritis, with a variety of components currently available. However, utilising traditional stemmed implants in patients with distorted proximal femoral geometry can be technically challenging with increased risk of complications. We present seven patients with distorted proximal femoral anatomy or failed hip arthroplasty in whom a technically challenging primary or revision operation was simplified by use of a Proxima stem. This is a short, stemless, metaphyseal loading implant with a pronounced lateral flare. At twelve months follow up there have been no complications with average improvement in Oxford and Harris scores of forty and forty-nine respectively. Radiological analysis shows all stems to be stable and well fixed. Designed primarily as a bone conserving implant for primary hip arthroplasty we propose that the Proxima prosthesis also be considered in cases where a conventional stemmed implant may not be suitable due to challenging proximal femoral anatomy. The use of the stemless Proxima implant provided a simple solution in seven difficult and potentially lengthy complex primary and revision hip arthroplasties with gratifying clinical and radiological outcomes.
We present our experience with a double-mobility
acetabular component in 155 consecutive revision total hip replacements
in 149 patients undertaken between 2005 and 2009, with particular
emphasis on the incidence of further dislocation. The mean age of
the patients was 77 years (42 to 89) with 59 males and 90 females.
In all, five patients died and seven were lost to follow-up. Indications
for revision were aseptic loosening in 113 hips, recurrent instability
in 29, peri-prosthetic fracture in 11 and sepsis in two. The mean
follow-up was 42 months (18 to 68). Three hips (2%) in three patients
dislocated within six weeks of surgery; one of these dislocated
again after one year. All three were managed successfully with closed
reduction. Two of the three dislocations occurred in patients who
had undergone revision for recurrent dislocation. All three were
found at revision to have abductor deficiency. There were no dislocations
in those revised for either aseptic loosening or sepsis. These results demonstrate a good mid-term outcome for this component.
In the 29 patients revised for instability, only two had a further
dislocation, both of which were managed by closed reduction.
Radiological imaging is necessary in a wide variety
of trauma and elective orthopaedic operations. The evolving orthopaedic
workforce includes an increasing number of pregnant workers. Current
legislation in the United Kingdom, Europe and United States allows
them to choose their degree of participation, if any, with fluoroscopic procedures.
For those who wish to engage in radiation-prone procedures, specific
regulations apply to limit the radiation dose to the pregnant worker
and unborn child. This paper considers those aspects of radiation protection, the
potential effects of exposure to radiation in pregnancy and the
dose of radiation from common orthopaedic procedures, which are
important for safe clinical practice.
We have compared prospectively the incidence of loosening of 20 femoral stems with a matt surface with that of 20 polished stems of an otherwise identical tapered, non-modular design of Exeter hip replacement. The stems were inserted using the same technique at operation and radiographs showed no difference in the adequacy of the cement mantle or of fixation. All the patients were reviewed regularly and none was lost to follow-up. After a minimum follow-up of nine years, four matt but no polished stems had been revised for aseptic loosening. Polished stems subsided slightly within the cement mantle early, but did not loosen.