Aims. To investigate the experience and emotional impact of prosthetic joint infection (PJI) on orthopaedic surgeons and identify holistic strategies to improve the management of PJI and protect surgeons’ wellbeing. Methods. In total, 18 prosthetic joint surgeons in Sweden were recruited using a purposive sampling strategy. Content analysis was performed on transcripts of individual in-person
The primary aim of this study was to assess whether patients waiting six months or more for a total hip (THA) or knee (KA) arthroplasty had a deterioration in their health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Secondary aims were to assess changes in frailty and the number of patients living in a state considered to be worse than death (WTD), and factors associated with changes in HRQoL and frailty. This cross-sectional study included 326 patients, 150 males (46.0%) and 176 females (54.0%), with a mean age of 68.6 years (SD 9.8) who were randomly selected from waiting lists at four centres and had been waiting for six months or more (median 13 months, interquartile range 10 to 21) for a primary THA (n = 161) or KA (n = 165). The EuroQol five-dimension questionnaire (EQ-5D) and visual analogue scores (EQ-VAS), Rockwood Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS), and 36-Item Short Form Survey subjective change in HRQoL were assessed at the time and recalled for six months earlier. A state that was WTD was defined as an EQ-5D of less than zero.Aims
Methods
The aim of this study was to assess the quality of life of patients on the waiting list for a total hip (THA) or knee arthroplasty (KA) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Secondary aims were to assess whether length of time on the waiting list influenced quality of life and rate of deferral of surgery. During the study period (August and September 2020) 843 patients (THA n = 394, KA n = 449) from ten centres in the UK reported their EuroQol five dimension (EQ-5D) scores and completed a waiting list questionnaire (2020 group). Patient demographic details, procedure, and date when listed were recorded. Patients scoring less than zero for their EQ-5D score were defined to be in a health state “worse than death” (WTD). Data from a retrospective cohort (January 2014 to September 2017) were used as the control group.Aims
Methods
This study aimed to develop a virtual clinic for the purpose of reducing face-to-face orthopaedic consultations. Anonymized experts (hip and knee arthroplasty patients, surgeons, physiotherapists, radiologists, and arthroplasty practitioners) gave feedback via a Delphi Consensus Technique. This consisted of an iterative sequence of online surveys, during which virtual documents, made up of a patient-reported questionnaire, standardized radiology report, and decision-guiding algorithm, were modified until consensus was achieved. We tested the patient-reported questionnaire on seven patients in orthopaedic clinics using a ‘think-aloud’ process to capture difficulties with its completion.Aims
Patients and Methods
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the
effect of various non-operative modalities of treatment (transcutaneous
electrical nerve stimulation (TENS); neuromuscular electrical stimulation
(NMES); insoles and bracing) on the pain of osteoarthritis (OA)
of the knee. We conducted a systematic review according to the Preferred Reporting
Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines to identify
the therapeutic options which are commonly adopted for the management
of osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee. The outcome measurement tools used in the different studies were
the visual analogue scale and The Western Ontario and McMaster Universities
Arthritis Index pain index: all pain scores were converted to a
100-point scale. A total of 30 studies met our inclusion criteria: 13 on insoles,
seven on TENS, six on NMES, and four on bracing. The standardised
mean difference (SMD) in pain after treatment with TENS was 1.796,
which represented a significant reduction in pain. The significant
overall effect estimate for NMES on pain was similar to that of
TENS, with a SMD of 1.924. The overall effect estimate of insoles
on pain was a SMD of 0.992. The overall effect of bracing showed
a significant reduction in pain of 1.34. Overall, all four non-operative modalities of treatment were
found to have a significant effect on the reduction of pain in OA
of the knee. This study shows that non-operative physical modalities of treatment
are of benefit when treating OA of the knee. However, much of the
literature reviewed evaluates studies with follow-up of less than
six months: future work should aim to evaluate patients with longer
follow-up. Cite this article:
Between 1988 and 1998 we implanted 318 total hip replacements (THRs) in 287 patients using the Plasmacup (B. Braun Ltd, Sheffield, United Kingdom) and a conventional metal-on-polyethylene articulation. The main indications for THR were primary or secondary osteoarthritis. At follow-up after a mean 11.6 years (7.6 to 18.4) 17 patients had died and 20 could not be traced leaving a final series of 280 THRs in 250 patients. There were 62 revisions (22.1%) in 59 patients. A total of 43 acetabular shells (15.4%) had been revised and 13 (4.6%) had undergone exchange of the liner. The most frequent indications for revision were osteolysis and aseptic loosening, followed by polyethylene wear. The mean Kaplan-Meier survival of the Plasmacup was 91% at ten years and 58% at 14 years. Osteolysis was found around 36 (17.1%) of the 211 surviving shells. The median annual rate of linear wear in the surviving shells was 0.12 mm/year and 0.25 mm/year in those which had been revised (p <
0.001). Polyethylene wear was a strong independent risk factor for osteolysis and aseptic loosening. The percentage of patients with osteolysis increased proportionately with each quintile of wear-rate. There is a high late rate of failure of the Plasmacup. Patients with the combination of this prosthesis and bearing should be closely monitored after ten years.
We randomised 120 patients who were undergoing either primary total hip or knee arthroplasty to receive either ferrous sulphate or a placebo for three weeks after surgery. The level of haemoglobin and absolute reticulocyte count were measured at one and five days, and three and six weeks after operation. Ninety-nine patients (ferrous sulphate 50, placebo 49) completed the study. The two groups differed only in the treatment administered. Recovery of level of haemoglobin was similar at five days and three weeks and returned to 85% of the pre-operative level, irrespective of the treatment group. A small, albeit greater recovery in the level of haemoglobin was identified at six weeks in the ferrous sulphate group in both men (ferrous sulphate 5%, placebo 1.5%) and women (ferrous sulphate 6%, placebo 3%). The clinical significance of this is questionable and may be outweighed by the high incidence of reported side effects of oral iron and the cost of the medication. Administration of iron supplements after elective total hip or total knee arthroplasty does not appear to be worthwhile.
We conducted a multicentre cohort study of 228 patients with osteoarthritis followed up after total hip or knee replacement. Quality of life and patient satisfaction were assessed by self-administered questionnaires. Patient satisfaction was the dependent variable in a multivariate linear regression model. Independent variables included sociodemographic factors, pre- and post-operative clinical characteristics and the pre-operative and post-discharge health-related quality of life. The mean age of the patients was 69 years ( The pre-operative health-related quality of life and patient characteristics have little effect on inpatient satisfaction with care. This suggests that the impact of the care process on satisfaction may be independent of observed and perceived initial patient-related characteristics.
