Periprosthetic infection is the most challenging complication following total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Poor oral hygiene has been assumed as an important risk factor for TKA infection. We aimed to investigate whether the improvement of oral hygiene through dental scaling could reduce the risk of TKA infection. A nested case control study was conducted and enrollees in the National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD) aged above 40 years who had received total knee arthroplasty (TKA) between 1999–2002 were included as the TKA cohort. The cases were patients who underwent resection arthroplasty for infected TKA, and each case was matched by 4 controls from the TKA cohort by gender, using incidence density sampling method. The frequency of dental scaling before the index date was analyzed and compared between the case and the control groups. Multiple conditional logistic regression was used to assess the frequency of dental scaling and the risk of TKA infection.BACKGROUND
METHODS
Although tourniquets are widely used in total knee arthroplasty (TKA), their influence on the postoperative course is still unclear. In addition, tourniquet-related soft tissue damage is a major concern in daily practice. We performed a prospective, randomized controlled trial to clarify the role of tourniquets in TKA. Seventy-two patients undergoing TKA were randomly allocated to a tourniquet or non-tourniquet group. Changes in C-reactive protein, creatine phosphokinase, and other indicators of soft tissue damage were monitored preoperatively and postoperatively on days 1, 2, and 4. Rehabilitation progress was also recorded for comparison.Background
Methods
Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is associated with significant blood loss, for which blood transfusion might be necessary. The role of the tourniquet is controversial, though it is widely used by orthopedic surgeons. Its use was believed to be effective in decreasing intraoperative blood loss and creating a bloodless surgical field, which theoretically would facilitate the cementing technique and other surgical procedures. However, reactive blood flow reached its peak within five minutes after the tourniquet had been released. The tourniquet controls intraoperative blood loss, but cannot stop postoperative blood loss. Patients who were managed with a tourniquet during the operation often complained of thigh pain. This was possibly caused by the direct pressure of an inflated tourniquet on the nerves and local soft tissues. Limb swelling and increased soft tissue tension caused by reactive hyperperfusion after tourniquet deflation may also contribute to the wound pain. The aim of our study is to investigate the effect of tourniquet on blood loss and soft tissue damage in TKA. In this prospective, randomized study, 72 patients with primary cemented knee arthroplasty were randomly allocated to two groups (with and without tourniquet). The operation time, blood loss, post-operative hemoglobin, hematocrit, markers of soft tissue damage (myoglobin, Cretine Posphokinase(CK), LDH, GOT, Creatinine), status of rehabilitation, knee pain and thigh pain were monitored until discharge.Introduction
Materials & Methods
