There is continued debate as to whether cemented or cementless implants should be utilized in particular cases based upon chronological age. This debate has been rekindled in the UK and other countries by directives mandating certain forms of acetabular and femoral component fixation based exclusively on the chronological age of the patient. This editorial focuses on the literature-based arguments to support the use of cementless total hip arthroplasty (THA), while addressing potential concerns surrounding safety and
Objectives. To assess the clinical and
The Oxford Shoulder Score (OSS) is a 12-item measure commonly used for the assessment of shoulder surgeries. This study explores whether computerized adaptive testing (CAT) provides a shortened, individually tailored questionnaire while maintaining test accuracy. A total of 16,238 preoperative OSS were available in the National Joint Registry (NJR) for England, Wales, Northern Ireland, the Isle of Man, and the States of Guernsey dataset (April 2012 to April 2022). Prior to CAT, the foundational item response theory (IRT) assumptions of unidimensionality, monotonicity, and local independence were established. CAT compared sequential item selection with stopping criteria set at standard error (SE) < 0.32 and SE < 0.45 (equivalent to reliability coefficients of 0.90 and 0.80) to full-length patient-reported outcome measure (PROM) precision.Aims
Methods
Objectives. Wound complications are reported in up to 10% hip and knee arthroplasties and there is a proven association between wound complications and deep prosthetic infections. In this randomised controlled trial (RCT) we explore the potential benefits of a portable, single use, incisional negative pressure wound therapy dressing (iNPWTd) on wound exudate, length of stay (LOS), wound complications, dressing changes and
Although low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) combined with disinfectants has been shown to effectively eliminate portions of biofilm in vitro, its efficacy in vivo remains uncertain. Our objective was to assess the antibiofilm potential and safety of LIPUS combined with 0.35% povidone-iodine (PI) in a rat debridement, antibiotics, and implant retention (DAIR) model of periprosthetic joint infection (PJI). A total of 56 male Sprague-Dawley rats were established in acute PJI models by intra-articular injection of bacteria. The rats were divided into four groups: a Control group, a 0.35% PI group, a LIPUS and saline group, and a LIPUS and 0.35% PI group. All rats underwent DAIR, except for Control, which underwent a sham procedure. General status, serum biochemical markers, weightbearing analysis, radiographs, micro-CT analysis, scanning electron microscopy of the prostheses, microbiological analysis, macroscope, and histopathology evaluation were performed 14 days after DAIR.Aims
Methods
This aim of this study was to analyze the detection rate of rare pathogens in bone and joint infections (BJIs) using metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS), and the impact of mNGS on clinical diagnosis and treatment. A retrospective analysis was conducted on 235 patients with BJIs who were treated at our hospital between January 2015 and December 2021. Patients were divided into the no-mNGS group (microbial culture only) and the mNGS group (mNGS testing and microbial culture) based on whether mNGS testing was used or not.Aims
Methods
The aim of this study was to report the meaningful values of the EuroQol five-dimension three-level questionnaire (EQ-5D-3L) and EuroQol visual analogue scale (EQ-VAS) in patients undergoing primary knee arthroplasty (KA). This is a retrospective study of patients undergoing primary KA for osteoarthritis in a university teaching hospital (Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh) (1 January 2013 to 31 December 2019). Pre- and postoperative (one-year) data were prospectively collected for 3,181 patients (median age 69.9 years (interquartile range (IQR) 64.2 to 76.1); females, n = 1,745 (54.9%); median BMI 30.1 kg/m2 (IQR 26.6 to 34.2)). The reliability of the EQ-5D-3L was measured using Cronbach’s alpha. Responsiveness was determined by calculating the anchor-based minimal clinically important difference (MCID), the minimal important change (MIC) (cohort and individual), the patient-acceptable symptom state (PASS) predictive of satisfaction, and the minimal detectable change at 90% confidence intervals (MDC-90).Aims
Methods
To identify the responsiveness, minimal clinically important difference (MCID), minimal clinical important change (MIC), and patient-acceptable symptom state (PASS) thresholds in the 36-item Short Form Health Survey questionnaire (SF-36) (v2) for each of the eight dimensions and the total score following total knee arthroplasty (TKA). There were 3,321 patients undergoing primary TKA with preoperative and one-year postoperative SF-36 scores. At one-year patients were asked how satisfied they were and “How much did the knee arthroplasty surgery improve the quality of your life?”, which was graded as: great, moderate, little (n = 277), none (n = 98), or worse.Aims
Methods
We hypothesized that the wide-awake local anaesthesia with no tourniquet (WALANT) technique is cost-effective, easy to use, safe, and reproducible, with a low learning curve towards mastery, having a high patient satisfaction rate. Furthermore, WALANT would be a suitable alternative for the austere and developing nation environments where lack of funds and resources are a common issue. This was a randomized control trial of 169 patients who required surgery for closed isolated distal radius fractures. The study was performed between March 2016 and April 2019 at a public sector level 1 trauma centre. General anaesthesia was used in 56 patients, Bier’s block in 58 patients, and WALANT in 55 patients. Data were collected on pre-, peri-, and postoperative parameters, clinical outcome, hospital costs, and patient satisfaction. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used with a p-value of 0.05 being significant.Aims
Methods
The aim of this study was to systematically compare the safety and accuracy of robot-assisted (RA) technique with conventional freehand with/without fluoroscopy-assisted (CT) pedicle screw insertion for spine disease. A systematic search was performed on PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), and WANFANG for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that investigated the safety and accuracy of RA compared with conventional freehand with/without fluoroscopy-assisted pedicle screw insertion for spine disease from 2012 to 2019. This meta-analysis used Mantel-Haenszel or inverse variance method with mixed-effects model for heterogeneity, calculating the odds ratio (OR), mean difference (MD), standardized mean difference (SMD), and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). The results of heterogeneity, subgroup analysis, and risk of bias were analyzed.Aims
Methods
This study aimed to explore whether serum combined with synovial interleukin-6 (IL-6) measurement can improve the accuracy of prosthetic joint infection (PJI) diagnosis, and to establish the cut-off values of IL-6 in serum and synovial fluid in detecting chronic PJI. Patients scheduled to have a revision surgery for indications of chronic infection of knee and hip arthroplasties or aseptic loosening of an implant were prospectively screened before being enrolled into this study. The Musculoskeletal Infection Society (MSIS) definition of PJI was used for the classification of cases as aseptic or infected. Serum CRP, ESR, IL-6, and percentage of polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN%) and IL-6 in synovial fluid were analyzed. Statistical tests were performed to compare these biomarkers in the two groups, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and area under the curve (AUC) were analyzed for each biomarker.Aims
Methods
Unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA) is an alternative to total knee arthroplasty with isolated medial or lateral compartment osteoarthritis. However, polyethylene wear can significantly reduce the lifespan of UKA. Different bearing designs and materials for UKA have been developed to change the rate of polyethylene wear. Therefore, the objective of this study is to investigate the effect of insert conformity and material on the predicted wear in mobile-bearing UKA using a previously developed computational wear method. Two different designs were tested with the same femoral component under identical kinematic input: anatomy mimetic design (AMD) and conforming design inserts with different conformity levels. The insert materials were standard or crosslinked ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE). We evaluated the contact pressure, contact area, wear rate, wear depth, and volumetric wear under gait cycle loading conditions.Objectives
Methods
Implant-related infection is one of the leading reasons for failure in orthopaedics and trauma, and results in high social and economic costs. Various antibacterial coating technologies have proven to be safe and effective both in preclinical and clinical studies, with post-surgical implant-related infections reduced by 90% in some cases, depending on the type of coating and experimental setup used. Economic assessment may enable the cost-to-benefit profile of any given antibacterial coating to be defined, based on the expected infection rate with and without the coating, the cost of the infection management, and the cost of the coating. After reviewing the latest evidence on the available antibacterial coatings, we quantified the impact caused by delaying their large-scale application. Considering only joint arthroplasties, our calculations indicated that for an antibacterial coating, with a final user’s cost price of €600 and able to reduce post-surgical infection by 80%, each year of delay to its large-scale application would cause an estimated 35 200 new cases of post-surgical infection in Europe, equating to additional hospital costs of approximately €440 million per year. An adequate reimbursement policy for antibacterial coatings may benefit patients, healthcare systems, and related research, as could faster and more affordable regulatory pathways for the technologies still in the pipeline. This could significantly reduce the social and economic burden of implant-related infections in orthopaedics and trauma.
Meniscal injuries are often associated with an active lifestyle. The damage of meniscal tissue puts young patients at higher risk of undergoing meniscal surgery and, therefore, at higher risk of osteoarthritis. In this study, we undertook proof-of-concept research to develop a cellularized human meniscus by using 3D bioprinting technology. A 3D model of bioengineered medial meniscus tissue was created, based on MRI scans of a human volunteer. The Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) data from these MRI scans were processed using dedicated software, in order to obtain an STL model of the structure. The chosen 3D Discovery printing tool was a microvalve-based inkjet printhead. Primary mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) were isolated from bone marrow and embedded in a collagen-based bio-ink before printing. LIVE/DEAD assay was performed on realized cell-laden constructs carrying MSCs in order to evaluate cell distribution and viability.Objectives
Methods
To explore whether orthopaedic surgeons have adopted the Proximal Fracture of the Humerus: Evaluation by Randomisation (PROFHER) trial results routinely into clinical practice. A questionnaire was piloted with six orthopaedic surgeons using a ‘think aloud’ process. The final questionnaire contained 29 items and was distributed online to surgeon members of the British Orthopaedic Association and British Elbow and Shoulder Society. Descriptive statistics summarised the sample characteristics and fracture treatment of respondents overall, and grouped them by whether they changed practice based on PROFHER trial findings. Free-text responses were analysed qualitatively for emerging themes using Framework Analysis principles.Objectives
Methods
Nasal carriers of Paired nasal swabs for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay and culture of Objectives
Methods
This study reports on a secondary exploratory analysis of the early clinical outcomes of a randomised clinical trial comparing robotic arm-assisted unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA) for medial compartment osteoarthritis of the knee with manual UKA performed using traditional surgical jigs. This follows reporting of the primary outcomes of implant accuracy and gait analysis that showed significant advantages in the robotic arm-assisted group. A total of 139 patients were recruited from a single centre. Patients were randomised to receive either a manual UKA implanted with the aid of traditional surgical jigs, or a UKA implanted with the aid of a tactile guided robotic arm-assisted system. Outcome measures included the American Knee Society Score (AKSS), Oxford Knee Score (OKS), Forgotten Joint Score, Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale, University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) activity scale, Short Form-12, Pain Catastrophising Scale, somatic disease (Primary Care Evaluation of Mental Disorders Score), Pain visual analogue scale, analgesic use, patient satisfaction, complications relating to surgery, 90-day pain diaries and the requirement for revision surgery.Objectives
Methods
This protocol describes a pragmatic multicentre
randomised controlled trial (RCT) to assess the clinical and cost
effectiveness of arthroscopic and open surgery in the management
of rotator cuff tears. This trial began in 2007 and was modified
in 2010, with the removal of a non-operative arm due to high rates
of early crossover to surgery. Cite this article:
Subtotal or total meniscectomy in the medial or lateral compartment
of the knee results in a high risk of future osteoarthritis. Meniscal
allograft transplantation has been performed for over thirty years
with the scientifically plausible hypothesis that it functions in
a similar way to a native meniscus. It is thought that a meniscal
allograft transplant has a chondroprotective effect, reducing symptoms
and the long-term risk of osteoarthritis. However, this hypothesis has
never been tested in a high-quality study on human participants.
This study aims to address this shortfall by performing a pilot
randomised controlled trial within the context of a comprehensive
cohort study design. Patients will be randomised to receive either meniscal transplant
or a non-operative, personalised knee therapy program. MRIs will
be performed every four months for one year. The primary endpoint
is the mean change in cartilage volume in the weight-bearing area
of the knee at one year post intervention. Secondary outcome measures
include the mean change in cartilage thickness, T2 maps, patient-reported
outcome measures, health economics assessment and complications.Objectives
Methods
A rigorous approach to developing, delivering and documenting
rehabilitation within randomised controlled trials of surgical interventions
is required to underpin the generation of reliable and usable evidence.
This article describes the key processes used to ensure provision
of good quality and comparable rehabilitation to all participants
of a multi-centre randomised controlled trial comparing surgery
with conservative treatment of proximal humeral fractures in adults. These processes included the development of a patient information
leaflet on self-care during sling immobilisation, the development
of a basic treatment physiotherapy protocol that received input
and endorsement by specialist physiotherapists providing patient
care, and establishing an expectation for the provision of home
exercises. Specially designed forms were also developed to facilitate
reliable reporting of the physiotherapy care that patients received.Objectives
Methods
The National Institute for Health and Clinical
Excellence (NICE) has thus far relied on historical data and predominantly
industry-sponsored trials to provide evidence for venous thromboembolic
(VTE) prophylaxis in joint replacement patients. We argue that the
NICE guidelines may be reliant on assumptions that are in need of
revision. Following the publication of large scale, independent
observational studies showing little difference between low-molecular-weight
heparins and aspirin, and recent changes to the guidance provided
by other international bodies, should NICE reconsider their recommendations? Cite this article:
Approximately half of all hip fractures are displaced intracapsular fractures. The standard treatment for these fractures is either hemiarthroplasty or total hip arthroplasty. The recent National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance on hip fracture management recommends the use of ‘proven’ cemented stem arthroplasty with an Orthopaedic Device Evaluation Panel (ODEP) rating of at least 3B (97% survival at three years). The Thompsons prosthesis is currently lacking an ODEP rating despite over 50 years of clinical use, likely due to the paucity of implant survival data. Nationally, adherence to these guidelines is varied as there is debate as to which prosthesis optimises patient outcomes. This study design is a multi-centre, multi-surgeon, parallel, two arm, standard-of-care pragmatic randomised controlled trial. It will be embedded within the WHiTE Comprehensive Cohort Study (ISRCTN63982700). The main analysis is a two-way equivalence comparison between Hemi-Thompson and Hemi-Exeter polished taper with Unitrax head. Secondary outcomes will include radiological leg length discrepancy measured as per Bidwai and Willett, mortality, re-operation rate and indication for re-operation, length of index hospital stay and revision at four months. This study will be supplemented by the NHFD (National Hip Fracture Database) dataset.Background
Design
Fractures of the proximal femur are one of the
greatest challenges facing the medical community, constituting a
heavy socioeconomic burden worldwide. Controversy exists regarding
the optimal treatment for independent patients with displaced intracapsular fractures
of the proximal femur. The recognised alternatives are hemiarthroplasty
and total hip replacement. At present there is no established standard
of care, with both types of arthroplasty being used in many centres.
The principal advantages of total hip replacement are a functional
benefit over hemiarthroplasty and a reduced risk of revision surgery.
The principal criticism is the increased risk of dislocation. We
believe that an alternative acetabular component may reduce the
risk of dislocation but still provide the functional benefit of
total hip replacement in these patients. We therefore propose to
investigate the dislocation risk of a dual-mobility acetabular component
compared with standard polyethylene component in total hip replacement
for independent patients with displaced intracapsular fractures
of the proximal femur within the framework of the larger WHiTE (Warwick
Hip Trauma Evaluation) Comprehensive Cohort Study. Cite this article:
