Introduction

The goal of treating artificial joint infection is to relieve the infection quickly and re-establish joint function, but many patients have underlying diseases, and treatment is often made problematic by the diversity of the causative bacteria. In this study we assessed the factor that enabled revision arthroplasty in patients with infection after artificial hip arthroplasty, including bipolar hip arthroplasty, in our hospital.

Background

Excellent results with use of tapered wedged cementless stem have been reported. The purpose of this study was to clarify the indication of tapered wedged cementless stems for patients with poor bone quality.

Introduction

Total knee arthroplasty (hereinafter TKA), it is thought that the setting position of each component and the angle have a big influence on surgical results. Preoperative planning with accurate and detailed 3D templates are has been done in many facilities in TKA. However, in the setting position, the 2D evaluation with X-rays is still common after operation, and there are few facilities going in 3D image. A three-dimensional evaluation method of the TKA includes a rating system using CT and the MRI, but influence (artifactual) with the metal occurs, and a detailed evaluation becomes difficult. In this study, we evaluated it after the matching method with the 3D plan using “Physio-Knee” where the materials of the femoral component were alumina ceramics in the preoperation of each component setting position by the CT before and after operation.

Aseptic loosening and osteolysis may cause significant periprosthetic femoral bone destruction, often necessitating bypass of the deficient proximal femur to obtain stable fixation in the distal diaphysis. The purpose of the present study was to report our results of femoral component revision using a distally locked revision femoral stem for the treatment of the severe proximal femoral bone loss.

We evaluated 21 hips in 20 patients who underwent revision hip arthroplasty associated with Paprosky grade-IIIB or IV femoral deficiencies. Three hips were associated with a Vancouver type-B3 periprosthetic femoral fracture. The mean age at the time of revision was 70.8 (51–82) years old with 5 men and 15 women. The mean duration of follow-up was 5.1 years. The femoral implant used for the revision was the Cannulok Revision Prosthesis in 16 hips and the Huckstep interlocking stem in five. Gaps between the stem and the host bone were filled and impacted with bone chips and morselized bone prior to stem insertion.

One femoral implants were resected because of deep infection Subsidence was absent and stable fixation was achieved in all patients. Non-progressive radiolucent lines in zones 1 and 7 according to Gruen’s classification were detected in five cases. Cortical hypertrophy around the interlocking screws were seen in ten cases. No disadvantages or complications of the interlocking screws were observed. All the fractures have united within three to five months. Intraoperative fractures in the diaphyseal area occurred in five hips in which trochanteric osteotomy was used.

A diaphyseal fixation of the femoral stem with distal interlocking screws appears to provide primary axial and rotational stability of the prosthesis and early mobilization. This implant may provide a satisfactory alternative for the management of revision hip surgery in the presence of a loose femoral component with massive bone loss. Longer-term follow-up data from this study will be needed to confirm these outcomes.

Aseptic loosening and osteolysis may cause significant periprosthetic femoral bone destruction, often necessitating bypass of the deficient proximal femur to obtain stable fixation in the distal diaphysis. The purpose of the present study was to report our results of femoral component revision using a distally locked revision femoral stem for the treatment of the severe proximal femoral bone loss.

We evaluated 21 hips in 20 patients who underwent revision hip arthroplasty associated with Paprosky grade-IIIB or IV femoral deficiencies. Three hips were associated with a Vancouver type-B3 periprosthetic femoral fracture. The mean age at the time of revision was 70.8 (51–82) years old with 5 men and 15 women. The mean duration of follow-up was 5.1 years. The femoral implant used for the revision was the Cannulok Revision Prosthesis in 16 hips and the Huckstep interlocking stem in five. Gaps between the stem and the host bone were filled and impacted with bone chips and morselized bone prior to stem insertion.

One femoral implants were resected because of deep infection Subsidence was absent and stable fixation was achieved in all patients. Non-progressive radiolucent lines in zones 1 and 7 according to Gruen’s classification were detected in five cases. Cortical hypertrophy around the interlocking screws were seen in ten cases. No disadvantages or complications of the interlocking screws were observed. All the fractures have united within three to five months. Intraoperative fractures in the diaphyseal area occurred in five hips in which trochanteric osteotomy was used.

A diaphyseal fixation of the femoral stem with distal interlocking screws appears to provide primary axial and rotational stability of the prosthesis and early mobilization. This implant may provide a satisfactory alternative for the management of revision hip surgery in the presence of a loose femoral component with massive bone loss. Longer-term follow-up data from this study will be needed to confirm these outcomes.

Total Knee Arthroplasty (TKA) has been widely performed and successful clinical outcomes have been achieved for the patients with knee osteoarthritis which is generally known to cause ADL problem. Clinical and radiographic evaluations are commonly used when evaluating postoperative outcomes, among which kinetic analysis and gait analysis are considered essential to investigate the more detailed effect of the treatment. There is a controversy whether performing TKA on both knees simultaneously is appropriate in treating patients with bilateral knee osteoarthritis, in terms of the speed and effectiveness of gait recovery. In this study, we reviewed the significance of performing simultaneous bilateral TKA, by the results of preoperative and postoperative gait analysis.

Materials and Methods: Total of eight patients, all female and diagnosed of bilateral knee osteoarthritis, were treated with TKA and reviewed. Mean age was 70 years old (60–74). For prosthesis, we used Scorpio NRG PS, and ADVANCE, with cementation for all. No patella was replaced. Some had unilateral TKA, and some were treated bilaterally as needed. We examined distance factors (step length and step width), gait velocity, and gait barycentric factors (single-support phase and Ratio of center of gravity maximum values). We performed the analysis preoperatively, postoperatively at 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months. We used the floor pressure gauge (NITTA CORPORATION) and the three-dimensional motion analysis device (DITECT Co. Ltd) for the analysis.

Results: During the six-month follow-ups, six cases were unilateral TKA and two were treated bilaterally. Increase in step length was seen in the unilateral cases, and it decreased in the bilateral cases. Step width decreased in five cases, two cases showed no change, and increased in one case. Gait velocity had increased in all cases. Single-support phase was close to 1 for all the cases. Ratio of center of gravity maximum values, which indicates the movement of centroid during ambulation, the ratio went up for unilateral cases while it showed no change in the bilateral cases.

Discussion: Quantitative studies of gait analysis have reported that gait condition had improved after TKA. However, some reported that the gait impairment had remained. Unilateral TKA group showed gait restoration, whereas gait abnormality in either leg was seen in the bilateral group. Gait analysis is effective in determining whether surgeons should perform unilateral TKA or bilateral TKA to the patients with bilateral knee osteoarthritis. Among the gait analysis factors, we consider that Ratio of center of gravity maximum values shows effectively the improvement of the treated knee, gait, and the condition of contralateral knee.

Percutaneous radiofrequency neurotomy of the lumbar medial branch is a widely accepted treatment for pain of the lumber intervertebral joints. However its success rate has varied among authors. One reason for this inconsistency is the lack of method for objective evaluation of whether the nerve has been sufficiently denervated or not. This study has made possible real time and accurate monitoring of whether electrocauterization is properly executed or not.

The subjects were 50 patients with law back pain persisting for 3 months or longer in whom facet block or medial branch block of posterior ramus was only temporarily effective. They ranged in age from 19 to 76 years (mean 54 years) and were followed up for 1 year to 7 years and 1 month (mean 2 years and 9 months). In our percutaneous radiofrequency neurotomy, the target point of denervation is defined as the groove between the mammillary process and accessory process (1) and complex muscle action potentials (CMAPs) of multifidus muscles are used as an index for objective evaluation of the effects of denervation.

Improvements were observed immediately after the treatment in 39 patients (78%). The effects of this treatment, once attained, remained over a long period, and the duration of effects was 18–20 months as estimated by the cumulative success rate calculated using the Kaplan-Meyer method.

Patients must be carefully selected for percutaneous radiofrequency neurotomy to be consistently effective, all the more because the procedure is simple. However, it is a reliable method for denervation of the lumbar medial branch and long-term relief from pain can be expected. This therapy, therefore, is an effective alternative for the treatment of chronic pain due to lumbar intervertebral arthropathy that resists conservative treatments and disturbs daily living.