The Bone & Joint Journal provides the latest evidence to guide the clinical practice of orthopaedic surgeons. The benefits of one intervention compared with another are presented using outcome measures; some may be specific to a limb or joint and some are more general health-related quality of life measures. Readers will be familiar with many of these outcome measures and will be able to judge the relative benefits of different interventions when measured using the same outcome tool; for example, different treatments for pain in the knee measured using a particular knee score. But, how should readers compare outcomes between different clinical areas using different outcome measures? This article explores the use of standardised effect sizes. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2014;96-B:853–4

We investigated 29 cases, diagnosed clinically as having Morton’s neuroma, who had undergone MRI and ultrasound before a neurectomy. The accuracy with which pre-operative clinical assessment, ultrasound and MRI had correctly diagnosed the presence of a neuroma were compared with one another based on the histology and the clinical outcome.

Clinical assessment was the most sensitive and specific modality. The accuracy of the ultrasound and MRI was similar and dependent on size. Ultrasound was especially inaccurate for small lesions.

There was no correlation between the size of the lesion and either the pre-operative pain score or the change in pain score following surgery.

Reliance on single modality imaging would have led to inaccurate diagnosis in 18 cases and would have only benefited one patient. Even imaging with both modalities failed to meet the predictive values attained by clinical assessment.

There is no requirement for ultrasound or MRI in patients who are thought to have a Morton’s neuroma. Small lesions, < 6 mm in size, are equally able to cause symptoms as larger lesions. Neurectomy provides an excellent clinical outcome in most cases.

Aims. The aim of this study was to determine whether total hip arthroplasty (THA) for chronic hip pain due to unilateral primary osteoarthritis (OA) has a beneficial effect on cognitive performance. Methods. A prospective cohort study was conducted with 101 patients with end-stage hip OA scheduled for THA (mean age 67.4 years (SD 9.5), 51.5% female (n = 52)). Patients were assessed at baseline as well as after three and months. Primary outcome was cognitive performance measured by d2 Test of Attention at six months, Trail Making Test (TMT), FAS-test, Rivermead Behavioural Memory Test (RBMT; story recall subtest), and Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure Test (ROCF). The improvement of cognitive performance was analyzed using repeated measures analysis of variance. Results. At six months, there was significant improvement in attention, working speed and concentration (d2-test; p < 0.001), visual construction and visual memory (ROCF; p < 0.001), semantic memory (FAS-test; p = 0.009), verbal episodic memory (RBMT; immediate recall p = 0.023, delayed recall p = 0.026), as well as pain (p < 0.001) with small to large effect sizes. Attention, concentration, and visual as well as verbal episodic memory improved significantly with medium effect sizes over η. 2. partial. = 0.06. In these cognitive domains the within-group difference exceeded the minimum clinically important difference. Conclusion. THA is associated with clinically relevant postoperative improvement in the cognitive functions of attention, concentration, and memory. These data support the concept of a broad interaction of arthroplasty with central nervous system function. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2022;104-B(3):331–340

Aims. Prior to the availability of vaccines, mortality for hip fracture patients with concomitant COVID-19 infection was three times higher than pre-pandemic rates. The primary aim of this study was to determine the 30-day mortality rate of hip fracture patients in the post-vaccine era. Methods. A multicentre observational study was carried out at 19 NHS Trusts in England. The study period for the data collection was 1 February 2021 until 28 February 2022, with mortality tracing until 28 March 2022. Data collection included demographic details, data points to calculate the Nottingham Hip Fracture Score, COVID-19 status, 30-day mortality, and vaccination status. Results. A total of 337 patients tested positive for COVID-19. The overall 30-day mortality in these patients was 7.7%: 5.5% in vaccinated patients and 21.7% in unvaccinated patients. There was no significant difference between post-vaccine mortality compared with pre-pandemic 2019 controls (7.7% vs 5.0%; p = 0.068). Independent risk factors for mortality included unvaccinated status, Abbreviated Mental Test Score ≤ 6, male sex, age > 80 years, and time to theatre > 36 hours, in decreasing order of effect size. Conclusion. The vaccination programme has reduced 30-day mortality rates in hip fracture patients with concomitant COVID-19 infection to a level similar to pre-pandemic. Mortality for unvaccinated patients remained high. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2022;104-B(12):1362–1368

Aims. It is not known whether preservation of the capsule of the hip positively affects patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) in total hip arthroplasty using the direct anterior approach (DAA-THA). A recent randomized controlled trial found no clinically significant difference at one year postoperatively. This study aimed to determine whether preservation of the anterolateral capsule and anatomical closure improve the outcome and revision rate, when compared with resection of the anterolateral capsule, at two years postoperatively. Methods. Two consecutive groups of patients whose operations were performed by the senior author were compared. The anterolateral capsule was resected in the first group of 430 patients between January 2012 and December 2014, and preserved and anatomically closed in the second group of 450 patients between July 2015 and December 2017. There were no other technical changes between the two groups. Patient characteristics, the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI), and surgical data were collected from our database. PROM questionnaires, consisting of the Oxford Hip Score (OHS) and Core Outcome Measures Index (COMI-Hip), were collected two years postoperatively. Data were analyzed with generalized multiple regression analysis. Results. The characteristics, CCI, operating time, and length of stay were similar in both groups. There was significantly less blood loss in the capsular preservation group (p = 0.037). The revision rate (n = 3, (0.6%) in the resected group, and 1 (0.2%) in the preserved group) did not differ significantly (p = 0.295). Once adjusted for demographic and surgical factors, the preserved group had significantly worse PROMs: + 0.24 COMI-Hip (p < 0.001) and -1.6 OHS points (p = 0.017). However, the effect sizes were much smaller than the minimal clinically important differences (MCIDs) of 0.95 and 5, respectively). The date of surgery (influencing, for instance, the surgeon’s age) was not a significant factor. Conclusion. Based on the MCID, the lower PROMs in the capsular preservation group do not seem to have clinical relevance. They do not, however, confirm the expected benefit of capsular preservation reported for the posterolateral approach. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2022;104-B(7):826–832

Aims. Responsiveness and ceiling effects are key properties of an outcome score. No such data have been reported for the original English version of the International Hip Outcome Tool 12 (iHOT-12) at a follow-up of more than four months. The aim of this study was to identify the responsiveness and ceiling effects of the English version iHOT-12 in a series of patients undergoing hip arthroscopy for intra-articular hip pathology at a minimum of one year postoperatively. Methods. A total of 171 consecutive patients undergoing hip arthroscopy with a diagnosis of femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) under the care of a single surgeon between January 2013 and March 2017 were included. iHOT-12 and EuroQol 5D-5L (EQ-5D-5L) scores were available pre- and postoperatively. Effect size and ceiling effects for the iHOT-12 were calculated with subgroup analysis. Results. A total of 122 patients (71.3%) completed postoperative PROMs scores with median follow-up of 24.3 months (interquartile range (IQR) 17.2 to 33.5). The median total cohort iHOT-12 score improved significantly from 31.0 (IQR 20 to 58) preoperatively to 72.5 (IQR 47 to 90) postoperatively (p < 0.001). The effect size (Cohen’s d) was 1.59. In all, 33 patients (27%) scored within ten points (10%) of the maximum score and 38 patients (31.1%) scored within the previously reported minimal clinically important difference (MCID) of the maximum score. Furthermore, nine (47%) male patients aged < 30 years scored within 10% of the maximum score and ten (53%) scored within the previously reported MCID of the maximum score. Conclusion. There is a previously unreported ceiling effect of the iHOT-12 at a minimum one-year follow-up which is particularly marked in young, male patients following hip arthroscopy for FAI. This tool may not have the maximum measurement required to capture the true outcome following this procedure. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2020;102-B(8):1010–1015

Aims. The aim of this study was to investigate whether on-demand removal (ODR) is noninferior to routine removal (RR) of syndesmotic screws regarding functional outcome. Methods. Adult patients (aged above 17 years) with traumatic syndesmotic injury, surgically treated within 14 days of trauma using one or two syndesmotic screws, were eligible (n = 490) for inclusion in this randomized controlled noninferiority trial. A total of 197 patients were randomized for either ODR (retaining the syndesmotic screw unless there were complaints warranting removal) or RR (screw removed at eight to 12 weeks after syndesmotic fixation), of whom 152 completed the study. The primary outcome was functional outcome at 12 months after screw placement, measured by the Olerud-Molander Ankle Score (OMAS). Results. There were 152 patients included in final analysis (RR = 73; ODR = 79). Of these, 59.2% were male (n = 90), and the mean age was 46.9 years (SD 14.6). Median OMAS at 12 months after syndesmotic fixation was 85 (interquartile range (IQR) 60 to 95) for RR and 80 (IQR 65 to 100) for ODR. The noninferiority test indicated that the observed effect size was significantly within the equivalent bounds of -10 and 10 scale points (p < 0.001) for both the intention-to-treat and per-protocol, meaning that ODR was not inferior to RR. There were significantly more complications in the RR group (12/73) than in the ODR group (1/79) (p = 0.007). Conclusion. ODR of the syndesmotic screw is not inferior to routine removal when it comes to functional outcome. Combined with the high complication rate of screw removal, this offers a strong argument to adopt on demand removal as standard practice of care after syndesmotic screw fixation. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2021;103-B(11):1709–1716

Aims. We report the long-term outcomes of the UK Heel Fracture Trial (HeFT), a pragmatic, multicentre, two-arm, assessor-blinded, randomized controlled trial. Methods. HeFT recruited 151 patients aged over 16 years with closed displaced, intra-articular fractures of the calcaneus. Patients with significant deformity causing fibular impingement, peripheral vascular disease, or other significant limb injuries were excluded. Participants were randomly allocated to open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) or nonoperative treatment. We report Kerr-Atkins scores, self-reported difficulty walking and fitting shoes, and additional surgical procedures at 36, 48, and 60 months. Results. Overall, 60-month outcome data were available for 118 patients (78%; 52 ORIF, 66 nonoperative). After 60 months, mean Kerr-Atkins scores were 79.2 (SD 21.5) for ORIF and 76.4 (SD 22.5) for nonoperative. Mixed effects regression analysis gave an estimated effect size of -0.14 points (95% confidence interval -8.87 to 8.59; p = 0.975) in favour of ORIF. There were no between group differences in difficulty walking (p = 0.175), or on the type of shoes worn (p = 0.432) at 60 months. Additional surgical procedures were conducted on ten participants allocated ORIF, compared to four in the nonoperative group (p = 0.043). Conclusion. ORIF of displaced intra-articular calcaneal fractures, not causing fibular impingement, showed no difference in outcomes at 60 months compared to nonoperative treatment, but with an increased risk of additional surgery. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2021;103-B(6):1040–1046

Aims. To estimate the measurement properties for the Oxford Knee Score (OKS) in patients undergoing revision knee arthroplasty (responsiveness, minimal detectable change (MDC-90), minimal important change (MIC), minimal important difference (MID), internal consistency, construct validity, and interpretability). Methods. Secondary data analysis was performed for 10,727 patients undergoing revision knee arthroplasty between 2013 to 2019 using a UK national patient-reported outcome measure (PROM) dataset. Outcome data were collected before revision and at six months postoperatively, using the OKS and EuroQol five-dimension score (EQ-5D). Measurement properties were assessed according to COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health status Measurement Instruments (COSMIN) guidelines. Results. A total of 9,219 patients had complete outcome data. Mean preoperative OKS was 16.7 points (SD 8.1), mean postoperative OKS 29.1 (SD 11.4), and mean change in OKS + 12.5 (SD 10.7). Median preoperative EQ-5D index was 0.260 (interquartile range (IQR) 0.055 to 0.691), median postoperative EQ-5D index 0.691 (IQR 0.516 to 0.796), and median change in EQ-5D index + 0.240 (IQR 0.000 to 0.567). Internal consistency was good with Cronbach’s α 0.88 (baseline) and 0.94 (post-revision). Construct validity found a high correlation of OKS total score with EQ-5D index (r = 0.76 (baseline), r = 0.83 (post-revision), p < 0.001). The OKS was responsive with standardized effect size (SES) 1.54 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.51 to 1.57), compared to SES 0.83 (0.81 to 0.86) for the EQ-5D index. The MIC for the OKS was 7.5 points (95% CI 5.5 to 8.5) based on the optimal cut-off with specificity 0.72, sensitivity 0.60, and area under the curve 0.66. The MID for the OKS was 5.2 points. The MDC-90 was 3.9 points. The OKS did not demonstrate significant floor or ceiling effects. Conclusion. This study found that the OKS was a useful and valid instrument for assessment of outcome following revision knee arthroplasty. The OKS was responsive to change and demonstrated good measurement properties. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2021;103-B(4):627–634

Aims. Scapular notching is thought to have an adverse effect on the outcome of reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (RTSA). However, the matter is still controversial. The aim of this study was to determine the clinical impact of scapular notching on outcomes after RTSA. Methods. Three electronic databases (PubMed, Cochrane Database, and EMBASE) were searched for studies which evaluated the influence of scapular notching on clinical outcome after RTSA. The quality of each study was assessed. Functional outcome scores (the Constant-Murley scores (CMS), and the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) scores), and postoperative range of movement (forward flexion (FF), abduction, and external rotation (ER)) were extracted and subjected to meta-analysis. Effect sizes were expressed as weighted mean differences (WMD). Results. In all, 11 studies (two level III and nine level IV) were included in the meta-analysis. All analyzed variables indicated that scapular notching has a negative effect on the outcome of RTSA . Statistical significance was found for the CMS (WMD –3.11; 95% confidence interval (CI) –4.98 to –1.23), the ASES score (WMD –6.50; 95% CI –10.80 to –2.19), FF (WMD –6.3°; 95% CI –9.9° to –2.6°), and abduction (WMD –9.4°; 95% CI –17.8° to –1.0°), but not for ER (WMD –0.6°; 95% CI –3.7° to 2.5°). Conclusion. The current literature suggests that patients with scapular notching after RTSA have significantly worse results when evaluated by the CMS, ASES score, and range of movement in flexion and abduction. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2020;102-B(11):1438–1445

Aims. There are comparatively few randomized studies evaluating knee arthroplasty prostheses, and fewer still that report longer-term functional outcomes. The aim of this study was to evaluate mid-term outcomes of an existing implant trial cohort to document changing patient function over time following total knee arthroplasty using longitudinal analytical techniques and to determine whether implant design chosen at time of surgery influenced these outcomes. Methods. A mid-term follow-up of the remaining 125 patients from a randomized cohort of total knee arthroplasty patients (initially comprising 212 recruited patients), comparing modern (Triathlon) and traditional (Kinemax) prostheses was undertaken. Functional outcomes were assessed with the Oxford Knee Score (OKS), knee range of movement, pain numerical rating scales, lower limb power output, timed functional assessment battery, and satisfaction survey. Data were linked to earlier assessment timepoints, and analyzed by repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) mixed models, incorporating longitudinal change over all assessment timepoints. Results. The mean follow-up of the 125 patients was 8.12 years (7.3 to 9.4). There was a reduction in all assessment parameters relative to earlier assessments. Longitudinal models highlight changes over time in all parameters and demonstrate large effect sizes. Significant between-group differences were seen in measures of knee flexion (medium-effect size), lower limb power output (large-effect size), and report of worst daily pain experienced (large-effect size) favouring the Triathlon group. No longitudinal between-group differences were observed in mean OKS, average daily pain report, or timed performance test. Satisfaction with outcome in surviving patients at eight years was 90.5% (57/63) in the Triathlon group and 82.8% (48/58) in the Kinemax group, with no statistical difference between groups (p = 0.321). Conclusion. At a mean 8.12 years, this mid-term follow-up of a randomized controlled trial cohort highlights a general reduction in measures of patient function with patient age and follow-up duration, and a comparative preservation of function based on implant received at time of surgery. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2020;102-B(4):434–441

Aims. Responsiveness to clinically important change is a key feature of any outcome measure. Throughout Europe, health-related quality of life following total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is routinely measured with EuroQol five-dimension (EQ-5D) questionnaires. The Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System 10-Question Short-Form (PROMIS-10 Global Health) score is a new general heath outcome tool which is thought to offer greater responsiveness. Our aim was to compare these two tools. Patients and Methods. We accessed data from a prospective multicentre cohort study in the United Kingdom, which evaluated outcomes following TKA. The median age of the 721 patients was 69.0 years (interquartile range, 63.3 to 74.6). There was an even division of sex, and approximately half were educated to secondary school level. The preoperative EQ-5D, PROMIS-10, and Oxford Knee Scores (OKS) were available and at three, six, and 12 months postoperatively. Internal responsiveness was assessed by standardized response mean (SRM) and effect size (Cohen’s d). External responsiveness was assessed by correlating change scores of the EQ-5D and PROMIS-10, with the minimal clinically important difference (MCID) of the OKS. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to assess the ability of change scores to discriminate between improved and non-improved patients. Results. All measures showed significant changes between the preoperative score and the various postoperative times (p < 0.001). Most improvement occurred during the first three months, with small but significant changes between three and six months, and no further change between six and 12 months postoperatively. SRM scores for EQ-5D, PROMIS-10, and OKS were large (> 0.8). ROC curves showed that both EQ-5D and PROMIS-10 were able to discriminate between patients who achieved the OKS MCID and those who did not (area under the curve (AUC) of 0.7 to 0.82). Conclusion. The PROMIS-10 physical health tool showed greater responsiveness to change than the EQ-5D, most probably due to the additional questions on physical health parameters that are more susceptible to modification following TKA. The EQ-5D was, however, shown to be sensitive to clinically meaningful change following TKA, and provides the additional ability to calculate health economic utility scores. It is likely, therefore, that EQ-5D will continue to be the global health metric of choice in the United Kingdom. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2019;101-B:832–837

We reviewed all 717 manuscripts published in the 1997 issues of the British and American volumes of the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery and in Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research, from which 33 randomised, controlled trials were identified. The results and sample sizes were used to calculate the statistical power of the study to distinguish small (0.2 of standard deviation), medium (0.5 of standard deviation), and large (0.8 of standard deviation) effect sizes. Of the 33 manuscripts analysed, only three studies (9%) described calculations of sample size. To perform post-hoc power assessments and estimations of deficiencies of sample size, the standard effect sizes of Cohen (small, medium and large) were calculated. Of the 25 studies which reported negative results, none had adequate power (β < 0.2) to detect a small effect size and 12 (48%) lacked the power necessary to detect a large effect size. Of the 25 studies which did not have an adequate size of sample to detect small differences, the average used was only 10% of the required number. Our findings suggest that randomised, controlled trials in clinical orthopaedic research utilise sample sizes which are too small to ensure statistical significance for what may be clinically important results

The responsiveness of the Manchester–Oxford Foot Questionnaire (MOXFQ) was compared with foot/ankle-specific and generic outcome measures used to assess all surgery of the foot and ankle. We recruited 671 consecutive adult patients awaiting foot or ankle surgery, of whom 427 (63.6%) were female, with a mean age of 52.8 years (18 to 89). They independently completed the MOXFQ, Short-Form 36 (SF-36) and EuroQol (EQ-5D) questionnaires pre-operatively and at a mean of nine months (3.8 to 14.4) post-operatively. Foot/ankle surgeons assessed American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) scores corresponding to four foot/ankle regions. A transition item measured perceived changes in foot/ankle problems post-surgery. Of 628 eligible patients proceeding to surgery, 491 (78%) completed questionnaires and 262 (42%) received clinical assessments both pre- and post-operatively. The regions receiving surgery were: multiple/whole foot in eight (1.3%), ankle/hindfoot in 292 (46.5%), mid-foot in 21 (3.3%), hallux in 196 (31.2%), and lesser toes in 111 (17.7%). Foot/ankle-specific MOXFQ, AOFAS and EQ-5D domains produced larger effect sizes (> 0.8) than any SF-36 domains, suggesting superior responsiveness. In analyses that anchored change in scores and effect sizes to patients’ responses to a transition item about their foot/ankle problems, the MOXFQ performed well. The SF-36 and EQ-5D performed poorly. Similar analyses, conducted within foot-region based sub-groups of patients, found that the responsiveness of the MOXFQ was good compared with the AOFAS. This evidence supports the MOXFQ’s suitability for assessing all foot and ankle surgery

Our aim was to define the minimum set of patient-reported outcome measures which are required to assess health status after total hip replacement (THR). In 114 patients, we compared the pre-operative characteristics and sensitivity to change of the Oxford hip score (OHS), the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities osteoarthritis index (WOMAC), the SF-36, the SF-12 (derived from the SF-36), and the Euroqol questionnaire (EQ-5D). At one year after operation, very large effect sizes were found for the disease-specific measures, the physical domains of the SF-12, SF-36 and the EQ-5D. index. (1.3 to 3.0). Patients in Charnley class A showed more change in the OHS, WOMAC pain and function, the physical domains of the SF-36 and the EQ-5D. vas. (p < 0.05) compared with those in the Charnley B and C group. In this group, the effect size for the OHS more than doubled the effect sizes of WOMAC pain and physical function. We found high correlations and correlations of change between the OHS, the WOMAC, the physical domains of the SF-12 and the SF-36 and EQ-5D. index. The SF-36 and EQ-5D scores at one year after operation approached those of the general population. Furthermore, we found a binomial distribution of the pre-operative EQ-5D. index. score and a pre-operative discrepancy and post-operative agreement between the EQ-5D. vas. and EQ-5D. index. . We recommend the use of the OHS and SF-12 in the assessment of THR. The SF-36 may be used in circumstances when smaller changes in health status are investigated, for example in the follow-up of THR. The EQ-5D is useful in situations in which utility values are needed in order to calculate cost-effectiveness or quality-adjusted life years (QALYs), such as in the assessment of new techniques in THR

Aims. The aim of this meta-analysis was to assess the safety and efficacy of collagenase clostridium histolyticum compared with fasciectomy and percutaneous needle fasciotomy (PNF) for Dupuytren’s disease. Materials and Methods. We systematically searched PubMed, EMBASE, LILACS, Web of Science, Cochrane, Teseo and the ClinicalTrials.gov registry for clinical trials and cohort or case-control studies which compared the clinical outcomes and adverse effects of collagenase with those of fasciectomy or PNF. Of 1345 articles retrieved, ten were selected. They described the outcomes of 425 patients treated with collagenase and 418 treated by fasciectomy or PNF. Complications were assessed using inverse-variance weighted odds ratios (ORs). Clinical efficacy was assessed by differences between the means for movement of the joint before and after treatment. Dose adjustment was applied in all cases. Results. Random-effects modelling showed that patients treated with collagenase had 3.24 increased odds of adverse effects compared with those treated by fasciectomy (OR 4.39) or PNF (OR 1.72,). The effect was lost when only major complications were assessed. Joint movement analysis revealed a difference between means of less than 10%, indicating equivalent clinical efficacy in the short and medium term for collagenase and fasciectomy. We were unable to analyse this for PNF due to a shortage of data. Conclusion. There were no significant differences in effect size between collagenase and fasciectomy. The use of collagenase was associated with a higher overall risk of adverse effects than both fasciectomy and PNF. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2018;100-B:73–80

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Hip arthroscopy (HA) has become the treatment of choice for femoroacetabular impingement (FAI). However, less favourable outcomes following arthroscopic surgery are expected in patients with severe chondral lesions. The aim of this study was to assess the outcomes of HA in patients with FAI and associated chondral lesions, classified according to the Outerbridge system.

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Perthes' disease (PD) is a relatively rare syndrome of idiopathic osteonecrosis of the proximal femoral epiphysis. Treatment for Perthes' disease is controversial due to the many options available, with no clear superiority of one treatment over another. Despite having few evidence-based approaches, many patients with Perthes' disease are managed surgically. Positive outcome reporting, defined as reporting a study variable producing statistically significant positive (beneficial) results, is a phenomenon that can be considered a proxy for the strength of science. This study aims to conduct a systematic literature review with the hypothesis that positive outcome reporting is frequent in studies on the treatment of Perthes' disease.

Aims. To validate the English language Forgotten Joint Score-12 (FJS-12) as a tool to evaluate the outcome of hip and knee arthroplasty in a United Kingdom population. Patients and Methods. All patients undergoing surgery between January and August 2014 were eligible for inclusion. Prospective data were collected from 205 patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty (THA) and 231 patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Outcomes were assessed with the FJS-12 and the Oxford Hip and Knee Scores (OHS, OKS) pre-operatively, then at six and 12 months post-operatively. Internal consistency, convergent validity, effect size, relative validity and ceiling effects were determined. Results. Data for the TKA and THA patients showed high internal consistency for the FJS-12 (Cronbach α = 0.97 in TKAs, 0.98 in THAs). Convergent validity with the Oxford Scores was high (r = 0.85 in TKAs, r = 0.79 for THAs). From six to 12 months, the change was higher for the FJS-12 than for the OHS in THA patients (effect size d = 0.21 versus -0.03). Ceiling effects at one-year follow-up were low for the FJS-12 with just 3.9% (TKA) and 8.8% (THA) of patients achieving the best possible score. Conclusion. The FJS-12 has strong measurement properties in terms of validity, internal consistency and sensitivity to change in TKA and THA patients. Low ceiling effects and good relative validity allow the monitoring of longer term outcomes, particularly in well-performing groups after total joint arthroplasty. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2017;99-B:218–24

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Proximal humeral fractures are the third most common fracture among the elderly. Complications associated with fixation include screw perforation, varus collapse, and avascular necrosis of the humeral head. To address these challenges, various augmentation techniques to increase medial column support have been developed. There are currently no recent studies that definitively establish the superiority of augmented fixation over non-augmented implants in the surgical treatment of proximal humeral fractures. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to compare the outcomes of patients who underwent locking-plate fixation with cement augmentation or bone-graft augmentation versus those who underwent locking-plate fixation without augmentation for proximal humeral fractures.

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Cemented hemiarthroplasty is an effective form of treatment for most patients with an intracapsular fracture of the hip. However, it remains unclear whether there are subgroups of patients who may benefit from the alternative operation of a modern uncemented hemiarthroplasty – the aim of this study was to investigate this issue. Knowledge about the heterogeneity of treatment effects is important for surgeons in order to target operations towards specific subgroups who would benefit the most.

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Tobacco, in addition to being one of the greatest public health threats facing our world, is believed to have deleterious effects on bone metabolism and especially on bone healing. It has been described in the literature that patients who smoke are approximately twice as likely to develop a nonunion following a non-specific bone fracture. For clavicle fractures, this risk is unclear, as is the impact that such a complication might have on the initial management of these fractures.

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Hip fractures are a major cause of morbidity and mortality, and malnutrition is a crucial determinant of these outcomes. This meta-analysis aims to determine whether oral nutritional supplementation (ONS) improves postoperative outcomes in older patients with a hip fracture.

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To determine whether platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection improves outcomes two years after acute Achilles tendon rupture.

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The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of depressive and anxiety disorders prior to total hip (THA) and total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and to assess their impact on the rates of any infection, revision, or reoperation.

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This study reports mid-term outcomes after periacetabular osteotomy (PAO) exclusively in a borderline hip dysplasia (BHD) population to provide a contrast to published outcomes for arthroscopic surgery of the hip in BHD.

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Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is characterized by a chronic inflammatory process involving multiple cytokine pathways, leading to articular cartilage degeneration. Intra-articular therapies using pharmaceutical or autologous anti-inflammatory factors offer potential non-surgical treatment options. Autologous protein solution (APS) is one such product that uses the patient’s blood to produce a concentrate of cells and anti-inflammatory cytokines. This study evaluated the effect of a specific APS intra-articular injection (nSTRIDE) on patient-reported outcome measures compared to saline in moderate knee OA.

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Repeated lumbar spine surgery has been associated with inferior clinical outcomes. This study aimed to examine and quantify the impact of this association in a national clinical register cohort.

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The aim of this study was to capture 12-month outcomes from a representative multicentre cohort of patients undergoing total ankle arthroplasty (TAA), describe the pattern of patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) at 12 months, and identify predictors of these outcome measures.

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Achieving accurate implant positioning and restoring native hip biomechanics are key surgeon-controlled technical objectives in total hip arthroplasty (THA). The primary objective of this study was to compare the reproducibility of the planned preoperative centre of hip rotation (COR) in patients undergoing robotic arm-assisted THA versus conventional THA.

The Oxford hip score (OHS) is a patient-based instrument for assessment of outcome which is often used after total hip replacement, and the EuroQol 5D (EQ5D) is a patient-based generic questionnaire for health assessment. In an analysis of the outcome at one year of 609 revision hip replacements (RHRs), we compared the OHS and EQ5D scores, postoperative patient satisfaction and change in pain. About 25% of the operations were repeat RHRs. At one year, 57% of patients were very pleased with their operation. The correlation between preoperative and postoperative scores and change scores for the OHS and EQ5D was high. For both instruments the effect sizes were large, but the greater effect size of the OHS suggests that it is particularly sensitive to improvements after RHR. The effect scores of the OHS declined with the number of previous RHRs, while those for the EQ5D seemed less sensitive. Our results confirm the value of the OHS in assessing outcome after RHR

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The use of cementless total knee arthroplasty (TKA) components has increased during the past decade. The initial design of cementless metal-backed patellar components had shown high failure rates due to many factors. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical results of a second-generation cementless, metal-backed patellar component of a modern design.

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The purpose of this study is to determine an individual’s age-specific prevalence of total knee arthroplasty (TKA) after cruciate ligament surgery, and to identify clinical and genetic risk factors associated with undergoing TKA.

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Closed suction subfascial drainage is widely used after instrumented posterior spinal fusion in patients with a spinal deformity. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of this wound drainage on the outcomes in patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS). This was a further analysis of a randomized, multicentre clinical trial reporting on patients after posterior spinal fusion using segmental pedicle screw instrumentation. In this study the incidence of deep surgical site infection (SSI) and chronic postoperative pain at two years’ follow-up are reported.

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The aim of this study was to investigate whether anterior pelvic plane-pelvic tilt (APP-PT) is associated with distinct hip pathomorphologies. We asked: is there a difference in APP-PT between young symptomatic patients being evaluated for joint preservation surgery and an asymptomatic control group? Does APP-PT vary among distinct acetabular and femoral pathomorphologies? And does APP-PT differ in symptomatic hips based on demographic factors?

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The aim of this study was to evaluate the outcome of complex radial head fractures at mid-term follow-up, and determine whether open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) or radial head arthroplasty (RHA) should be recommended for surgical treatment.

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To systematically evaluate whether bracing can effectively achieve curve regression in patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS), and to identify any predictors of curve regression after bracing.

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The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between chondral injury and interval from anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear to surgical reconstruction (ACLr).

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The aim of this study was to compare the pattern of initial fixation and changes in periprosthetic bone mineral density (BMD) between patients who underwent total hip arthroplasty (THA) using a traditional fully hydroxyapatite (HA)-coated stem (T-HA group) and those with a newly introduced fully HA-coated stem (N-HA group).

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This study aimed to evaluate rasterstereography of the spine as a diagnostic test for adolescent idiopathic soliosis (AIS), and to compare its results with those obtained using a scoliometer.

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This study aimed to compare the outcomes of two different postoperative management approaches following surgical fixation of ankle fractures: traditional cast immobilization versus the Early Motion and Directed Exercise (EMADE) programme.

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This study evaluates the association between consultant and hospital volume and the risk of re-revision and 90-day mortality following first-time revision of primary hip arthroplasty for aseptic loosening.

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Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) may provoke ankle symptoms. The aim of this study was to validate the impact of the preoperative mechanical tibiofemoral angle (mTFA), the talar tilt (TT) on ankle symptoms after TKA, and assess changes in the range of motion (ROM) of the subtalar joint, foot posture, and ankle laxity.

Initial treatment of traumatic spinal cord injury remains as controversial in 2023 as it was in the early 19th century, when Sir Astley Cooper and Sir Charles Bell debated the merits or otherwise of surgery to relieve cord compression. There has been a lack of high-class evidence for early surgery, despite which expeditious intervention has become the surgical norm. This evidence deficit has been progressively addressed in the last decade and more modern statistical methods have been used to clarify some of the issues, which is demonstrated by the results of the SCI-POEM trial. However, there has never been a properly conducted trial of surgery versus active conservative care. As a result, it is still not known whether early surgery or active physiological management of the unstable injured spinal cord offers the better chance for recovery. Surgeons who care for patients with traumatic spinal cord injuries in the acute setting should be aware of the arguments on all sides of the debate, a summary of which this annotation presents.

Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2023;105-B(4):347–355.

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This study aimed to describe practice variation in the use of total hip arthroplasty (THA) for older patients with femoral neck fracture and to determine the association between patient, surgeon, and institution factors and treatment with THA.

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This study aims to assess the relationship between history of pseudotumour formation secondary to metal-on-metal (MoM) implants and periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) rate, as well as establish ESR and CRP thresholds that are suggestive of infection in these patients. We hypothesized that patients with a pseudotumour were at increased risk of infection.

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A fracture of the medial tibial plateau is a serious complication of Oxford mobile-bearing unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (OUKA). The risk of these fractures is reportedly lower when using components with a longer keel-cortex distance (KCDs). The aim of this study was to examine how slight varus placement of the tibial component might affect the KCDs, and the rate of tibial plateau fracture, in a clinical setting.

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Hip fracture commonly affects the frailest patients, of whom many are care-dependent, with a disproportionate risk of contracting COVID-19. We examined the impact of COVID-19 infection on hip fracture mortality in England.