Total knee arthroplasty had been reported to present similar amount of blood loss in external and hidden form. We studied whether lateral patellar release made any differences on both forms of blood loss.

Material and methods: We studied 91 patients (83 women an 8 men) undergoing primary unilateral total knee arthroplasty cemented posterior stabilised with patellar substitution, in 40 lateral patellar release were performed. Surgery is performed under tourniquet. The blood drain was recorded. We assumed that blood volume on the fourth postoperative day was the same as before surgery. Blood volume was estimated taking sex, body mass and height into account. Haemoglobin was recorded on preoperative and four days postoperative.

Results: We found more external blood loss in patients without lateral patellar release (p< 0,05) but no statistical differences in total and hidden blood loss. The amount of hidden blood in both groups were more than twice (975 mL) the external blood loss (443 mL). No relationship was found between body mass and any type of blood loss.

Conclusions: Lateral patellar release made no difference in the amount of total blood loss. In total knee arthroplasty hidden blood loss doubled external blood loss.

Introduction and purpose: The purpose of the study is to look at the progress of fixed implants with osteolysis and bone defects treated and to set ground rules for treatment guidelines.

Materials and methods: We reviewed 204 hips between March 1996 and March 2003, in 40 of which femoral osteolysis was treated with fixed prostheses.

The reasons for the revisions were 20 aseptic cup loosenings and 20 cases of worn polyethylene, with presence of femoral osteolysis. Thirty of the stems were biological, nine mini-madreporic and one cemented.

The mean follow-up was 5 years and 2 months.

We used morsellised impacted bone graft held in place with cement, metal laminas or bone stock.

Results: Clinically the outcome was excellent or good in 92.5% of the cases, with no migration or revision of the stem.

All the grafts took. There was very limited partial resorption in 20% of the cases and radiolucent lines in 20.6%.

Among the complications were two new cases of wear with osteolysis and a fractured femur caused by a fall, with no infection or dislocation.

Conclusions: Femoral osteolysis must be watched and treated surgically if it progresses, even though the implant is fixed.

Impacted morsellised bone grafts in the femoral canal with a fixed stem, even with extensive, unchecked osteolysis, held in place with metal cages are a reliable means of recovering bone stock and holding the femoral component firmly in place for the long term, with good clinical and radiological outcome, minimal risk and shorter surgery.