Aims. The present study aimed to investigate whether patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) undergoing joint arthroplasty have a higher incidence of adverse outcomes than those without IBD. Methods. A comprehensive literature search was conducted to identify eligible studies reporting postoperative outcomes in IBD patients undergoing joint arthroplasty. The primary outcomes included postoperative complications, while the secondary outcomes included unplanned readmission, length of stay (LOS), joint reoperation/implant revision, and cost of care. Pooled odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using a random-effects model when heterogeneity was substantial. Results. Eight retrospective studies involving 29,738 patients with IBD were included. Compared with non-IBD controls, patients with IBD were significantly more likely to have overall complications (OR 2.11 (95% CI 1.67 to 2.66), p < 0.001), medical complications (OR 2.15 (95% CI 1.73 to 2.68), p < 0.001), surgical complications (OR 1.43 (95% CI 1.21 to 1.70), p < 0.001), and 90-day readmissions (OR 1.42 (95% CI 1.23 to 1.65), p < 0.001). The presence of IBD was positively associated with the development of venous thromboembolism (OR 1.60 (95% CI 1.30 to 1.97), p < 0.001) and postoperative infection (OR 1.95 (95% CI 1.51 to 2.51), p < 0.001). In addition, patients with IBD tended to experience longer LOS and higher costs of care. Conclusion. The findings suggest that IBD is associated with an increased risk of postoperative complications and readmission after joint arthroplasty, resulting in longer hospital stay and greater financial burden. Surgeons should inform their patients of the possibility of adverse outcomes prior to surgery and make appropriate risk adjustments to minimize potential complications. Cite this article:
Aims. A substantial fraction of patients undergoing knee arthroplasty (KA) or hip arthroplasty (HA) do not achieve an improvement as high as the minimal clinically important difference (MCID), i.e. do not achieve a meaningful improvement. Using three patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs), our aim was: 1) to assess machine learning (ML), the simple pre-surgery PROM score, and logistic-regression (LR)-derived performance in their prediction of whether patients undergoing HA or KA achieve an improvement as high or higher than a calculated MCID; and 2) to test whether ML is able to outperform LR or pre-surgery PROM scores in predictive performance. Methods. MCIDs were derived using the change difference method in a sample of 1,843 HA and 1,546 KA patients. An artificial neural network, a gradient boosting machine, least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression, ridge regression, elastic net, random forest, LR, and pre-surgery PROM scores were applied to predict MCID for the following PROMs: EuroQol five-dimension, five-level questionnaire (EQ-5D-5L), EQ visual analogue scale (EQ-VAS), Hip disability and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score-Physical Function Short-form (HOOS-PS), and Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score-Physical Function Short-form (KOOS-PS). Results. Predictive performance of the best models per outcome ranged from 0.71 for HOOS-PS to 0.84 for EQ-VAS (HA sample). ML statistically significantly outperformed LR and pre-surgery PROM scores in two out of six cases. Conclusion. MCIDs can be predicted with reasonable performance. ML was able to outperform traditional methods, although only in a minority of cases. Cite this article:
Aims. To develop and validate patient-centred algorithms that estimate individual risk of death over the first year after elective joint arthroplasty surgery for osteoarthritis. Methods. A total of 763,213 hip and knee joint arthroplasty episodes recorded in the National Joint Registry for England and Wales (NJR) and 105,407 episodes from the Norwegian Arthroplasty Register were used to model individual mortality risk over the first year after surgery using flexible parametric survival regression. Results. The one-year mortality rates in the NJR were 10.8 and 8.9 per 1,000 patient-years after hip and knee arthroplasty, respectively. The Norwegian mortality rates were 9.1 and 6.0 per 1,000 patient-years, respectively. The strongest predictors of death in the final models were age, sex, body mass index, and American Society of Anesthesiologists grade. Exposure variables related to the intervention, with the exception of knee arthroplasty type, did not add discrimination over patient factors alone. Discrimination was good in both cohorts, with c-indices above 0.76 for the hip and above 0.70 for the knee. Time-dependent Brier scores indicated appropriate estimation of the mortality rate (≤ 0.01, all models). Conclusion. Simple demographic and clinical information may be used to calculate an individualized estimation for one-year mortality risk after hip or knee arthroplasty (. https://jointcalc.shef.ac.uk. ). These models may be used to provide patients with an estimate of the risk of mortality after joint arthroplasty. Cite this article:
Aims. Arthrofibrosis is a relatively common complication after joint injuries and surgery, particularly in the knee. The present study used a previously described and validated rabbit model to assess the biomechanical, histopathological, and molecular effects of the mast cell stabilizer ketotifen on surgically induced knee joint contractures in female rabbits. Methods. A group of 12 skeletally mature rabbits were randomly divided into two groups. One group received subcutaneous (SQ) saline, and a second group received SQ ketotifen injections. Biomechanical data were collected at eight, ten, 16, and 24 weeks. At the time of necropsy, posterior capsule tissue was collected for histopathological and gene expression analyses (messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein). Results. At the 24-week timepoint, there was a statistically significant increase in passive extension among rabbits treated with ketotifen compared to those treated with saline (p = 0.03). However, no difference in capsular stiffness was detected. Histopathological data failed to demonstrate a decrease in the density of fibrous tissue or a decrease in α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) staining with ketotifen treatment. In contrast, tryptase and α-SMA protein expression in the ketotifen group were decreased when compared to saline controls (p = 0.007 and p = 0.01, respectively). Furthermore, there was a significant decrease in α-SMA (ACTA2) gene expression in the ketotifen group compared to the control group (p < 0.001). Conclusion. Collectively, these data suggest that ketotifen mitigates the severity of contracture formation in a rabbit model of arthrofibrosis. Cite this article:
Objectives. Initial stability of tibial trays is crucial for long-term success of total knee arthroplasty (TKA) in both primary and revision settings. Rotating platform (RP) designs reduce torque transfer at the tibiofemoral interface. We asked if this reduced torque transfer in RP designs resulted in subsequently reduced micromotion at the cemented fixation interface between the prosthesis component and the adjacent
Objectives. Computed tomography (CT) plays an important role in evaluating wear and periacetabular osteolysis (PAO) in total hip replacements. One concern with CT is the high radiation exposure since standard pelvic CT provides approximately 3.5 millisieverts (mSv) of radiation exposure, whereas a planar radiographic examination with three projections totals approximately 0.5 mSv. The objective of this study was to evaluate the lowest acceptable radiation dose for dual-energy CT (DECT) images when measuring wear and periacetabular osteolysis in uncemented metal components. Materials and Methods. A porcine pelvis with bilateral uncemented hip prostheses and with known linear wear and acetabular
Objectives. Hips with metal-on-metal total hip arthroplasty (MoM THA) have a high rate of adverse local tissue reactions (ALTR), often associated with hypersensitivity reactions. Dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) measures tissue perfusion with the parameter Ktrans (volume transfer constant of contrast agent). Our purpose was 1) to evaluate the feasibility of DCE-MRI in patients with THA and 2) to compare DCE-MRI in patients with MoM bearings with metal-on-polyethylene (MoP) bearings, hypothesising that the perfusion index Ktrans in hips with MoM THA is higher than in hips with MoP THA. Methods. In this pilot study, 16 patients with primary THA were recruited (eight MoM, eight MoP). DCE-MRI of the hip was performed at 1.5 Tesla (T). For each patient, Ktrans was computed voxel-by-voxel in all tissue lateral to the bladder. The mean Ktrans for all voxels was then calculated. These values were compared with respect to implant type and gender, and further correlated with clinical parameters. Results. There was no significant difference between the two bearing types with both genders combined. However, dividing patients by THA bearing and gender, women with MoM bearings had the highest Ktrans values, exceeding those of women with MoP bearings (0.067 min. −1. versus 0.053 min. −1. ; p-value < 0.05) and men with MoM bearings (0.067 min. −1. versus 0.034 min. −1. ; p-value < 0.001). Considering only the men, patients with MoM bearings had lower Ktrans than those with MoP bearings (0.034 min. −1. versus 0.046 min. −1. ; p < 0.05). Conclusion. DCE-MRI is feasible to perform in tissues surrounding THA. Females with MoM THA show high Ktrans values in DCE-MRI, suggesting altered tissue perfusion kinematics which may reflect relatively greater inflammation. Cite this article: Dr P. E. Beaule. Perfusion MRI in hips with metal-on-metal and metal-on-polyethylene total hip arthroplasty: A pilot stud.
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 cost-effectiveness following total hip and knee arthroplasties. Methods. A total of 220 patients undergoing elective primary total hip and knee arthroplasties were recruited into in a non-blinded RCT. For the final analysis there were 102 patients in the study group and 107 in the control group. Results. An improvement was seen in the study (iNPWTd) group compared to control in all areas. Peak post-surgical wound exudate was significantly reduced (p = 0.007). Overall LOS reduction (0.9 days, 95% confidence interval (CI) -0.2 to 2.5) was not significant (p = 0.07) but there was a significant reduction in patients with extreme values of LOS in the iNPWTd group (Moses test, p = 0.003). There was a significantly reduced number of dressing changes (mean difference 1.7, 95% CI 0.8 to 2.5, p = 0.002), and a trend to a significant four-fold reduction in reported post-operative surgical wound complications (8.4% control; 2.0% iNPWTd, p = 0.06). Conclusions. Based on the results of this RCT incisional negative pressure wound therapy dressings have a beneficial role in patients undergoing primary hip and knee arthroplasty to achieve predictable length of stay, especially to eliminate excessive hospital stay, and minimise wound complications. Cite this article: S. L. Karlakki, A. K. Hamad, C. Whittall, N. M. Graham, R. D. Banerjee, J. H. Kuiper. Incisional negative pressure wound therapy dressings (iNPWTd) in routine primary hip and knee arthroplasties: A randomised controlled trial.
Objectives. Nylon sutures and skin staples are used commonly in total knee arthroplasty (TKA) surgical wound closure. However, there is no study that compares the wound healing efficacy and patient satisfaction scores of both techniques in the same knee. Methods. We randomised 70 patients who underwent primary TKA into two groups. In one group of 34 patients, the skin at the upper half of the wound was closed with skin staples and the lower half of the wound was closed with simple interrupted nylon sutures. In the other group of 36 patients, the skin at the upper half of the wound was closed with nylon stitches and the lower half of the wound was closed with skin staples. We recorded the wound closure time, pain score at the time of stitch removal, wound complication rate, patient satisfaction score, and the Hollander wound evaluation score at the post-operative periods of five days, 14 days, six weeks, three months, and six months. Each half wound was analysed separately. Results. The mean patient body mass index was 26.8 kg/m. 2. (standard deviation 6.3). A total of 70 nylon stitched wounds and 70 skin stapled wounds were analysed. There were no significant differences in wound complication rates, patient satisfaction score, and the Hollander wound evaluation score between both types of wounds (p > 0.05). The wound closure time for skin stapled wounds was significantly lower than the nylon stitched wounds (p < 0.001). However, the skin stapled wounds had a significantly higher pain score at the time of stitch removal (p < 0.001). Conclusion. Skin staples and nylon stitches had comparable results with respect to wound healing and patient satisfaction in TKA wound closure in non-obese patients. The benefit of skin staples over nylon stitches was a decrease in operative time, but was more painful upon removal. Cite this article: V. Yuenyongviwat. A randomised controlled trial comparing skin closure in total knee arthroplasty in the same knee: nylon sutures versus skin staples.
Objectives. The Oxford Hip and Knee Scores (OHS, OKS) have been demonstrated
to vary according to age and gender, making it difficult to compare
results in cohorts with different demographics. The aim of this
paper was to calculate reference values for different patient groups
and highlight the concept of normative reference data to contextualise an
individual’s outcome. Methods. We accessed prospectively collected OHS and OKS data for patients
undergoing lower limb joint arthroplasty at a single orthopaedic
teaching hospital during a five-year period.
T-scores were calculated based on the OHS and OKS distributions. . Results. Data were obtained from 3203 total hip arthroplasty (THA) patients
and 2742 total knee arthroplasty (TKA) patients. The mean age of
the patient was 68.0 years (. sd. 11.3, 58.4% women) in the
THA group and in 70.2 (. sd. 9.4; 57.5% women) in the TKA
group. T-scores were calculated for age and gender subgroups by
operation. Different T-score thresholds are seen at different time
points pre and post surgery. Values are further stratified by operation (THA/TKA)
age and gender. Conclusions. Normative data interpretation requires a fundamental shift in
the thinking as to the use of the Oxford Scores. Instead of reporting
actual score points, the patient is rated by their relative position
within the group of all patients undergoing the same procedure.
It is proposed that this form of transformation is beneficial (a)
for more appropriately comparing different patient cohorts and (b)
informing an individual patient how they are progressing compared
with others of their age and gender. Cite this article:
Objectives. To assess the responsiveness and ceiling/floor effects of the Forgotten Joint Score -12 and to compare these with that of the more widely used Oxford Hip Score (OHS) in patients six and 12 months after primary total hip arthroplasty. Methods. We prospectively collected data at six and 12 months following total hip arthroplasty from 193 patients undergoing surgery at a single centre. Ceiling effects are outlined with frequencies for patients obtaining the lowest or highest possible score. Change over time from six months to 12 months post-surgery is reported as effect size (Cohen’s d). Results. The mean OHS improved from 40.3 (. sd. 7.9) at six months to 41.9 (. sd. 7.2) at 12 months. The mean FJS-12 improved from 56.8 (. sd. 30.1) at six months to 62.1 (. sd. 29.0) at 12 months. At six months, 15.5% of patients reached the best possible score (48 points) on the OHS and 8.3% obtained the best score (100 points) on the FJS-12. At 12 months, this percentage increased to 20.8% for the OHS and to 10.4% for the FJS-12. In terms of the effect size (Cohen’s d), the change was d = 0.10 for the OHS and d = 0.17 for the FJS-12. Conclusions. The FJS-12 is more responsive to change between six and 12 months following total hip arthroplasty than is the OHS, with the measured ceiling effect for the OHS twice that of the FJS-12. The difference in effect size of change results in substantial differences in required sample size if aiming to detect change between these two time points. This has important implications for powering clinical trials with patient-reported measures as the primary outcome. Cite this article: Dr D. F. Hamilton. Responsiveness and ceiling effects of the Forgotten Joint Score-12 following total hip arthroplasty.
Objectives. We wanted to investigate regional variations in the organisms
reported to be causing peri-prosthetic infections and to report
on prophylaxis regimens currently in use across England. Methods. Analysis of data routinely collected by Public Health England’s
(PHE) national surgical site infection database on elective primary
hip and knee arthroplasty procedures between April 2010 and March
2013 to investigate regional variations in causative organisms.
A separate national survey of 145 hospital Trusts (groups of hospitals
under local management) in England routinely performing primary
hip and/or knee arthroplasty was carried out by standard email questionnaire. Results. Analysis of 189 858 elective primary hip and knee arthroplasty
procedures and 1116 surgical site infections found statistically
significant variations for some causative organism between regions.
There was a 100% response rate to the prophylaxis questionnaire
that showed substantial variation between individual trust guidelines.
A number of regimens currently in use are inconsistent with the
best available evidence. Conclusions. The approach towards antibiotic prophylaxis in elective arthroplasty
nationwide reveals substantial variation without clear justification.
Only seven causative organisms are responsible for 89% of infections
affecting primary hip and knee arthroplasty, which cannot justify
such widespread variation between prophylactic antibiotic policies. Cite this article:
Objectives. Patient function after arthroplasty should ideally quickly improve.
It is not known which peri-operative function assessments predict
length of stay (LOS) and short-term functional recovery. The objective
of this study was to identify peri-operative functions assessments
predictive of hospital LOS and short-term function after hospital discharge
in hip or knee arthroplasty patients. Methods. In total, 108 patients were assessed peri-operatively with the
timed-up-and-go (TUG), Iowa level of assistance scale, post-operative
quality of recovery scale, readiness for hospital discharge scale,
and the Western Ontario and McMaster Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC).
The older Americans resources and services activities of daily living
(ADL) questionnaire (OARS) was used to assess function two weeks
after discharge. . Results. Following multiple regressions, the pre- and post-operative day
two TUG was significantly associated with LOS and OARS score, while
the pre-operative WOMAC function subscale was associated with the
OARS score. Pre-operatively, a cut-off TUG time of 11.7 seconds
for LOS and 10.3 seconds for short-term recovery yielded the highest
sensitivity and specificity, while a cut-off WOMAC function score
of 48.5/100 yielded the highest sensitivity and specificity. Post-operatively,
a cut-off day two TUG time of 31.5 seconds for LOS and 30.9 seconds
for short-term function yielded the highest sensitivity and specificity. . Conclusions. The pre- and post-operative day two TUG can indicate hospital
LOS and short-term functional capacities, while the pre-operative
WOMAC function subscale can indicate short-term functional capacities. Cite this article:
Objectives. Because posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) resection makes flexion
gaps wider in total knee replacement (TKR), preserving or sacrificing
a PCL affects the gap equivalence; however, there are no criteria
for the PCL resection that consider gap situations of each knee.
This study aims to investigate gap characteristics of knees and
to consider the criteria for PCL resection. Methods. The extension and flexion gaps were measured, first with the
PCL preserved and subsequently with the PCL removed (in cases in
which posterior substitute components were selected). The PCL preservation
or sacrifice was solely determined by the gap measurement results,
without considering other functions of the PCL such as ‘roll back.’. Results. Wide variations were observed in the extension and flexion gaps.
The flexion gaps were significantly larger than the extension gaps.
Cases with 18 mm or more flexion gap and with larger flexion than
extension gap were implanted with cruciate retaining component.
A posterior substitute component was implanted with the other cases. Conclusions. In order to make adequate gaps, it is important to decide whether
to preserve the PCL based on the intra-operative gap measurements
made with the PCL intact. Cite this article:
Objectives. Effective analgesia after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) improves
patient satisfaction, mobility and expedites discharge. This study
assessed whether continuous femoral nerve infusion (CFNI) was superior
to a single-shot femoral nerve block in primary TKA surgery completed
under subarachnoid blockade including morphine. Methods. We performed an adequately powered, prospective, randomised,
placebo-controlled trial comparing CFNI of 0.125% bupivacaine versus normal
saline following a single-shot femoral nerve block and subarachnoid
anaesthesia with intrathecal morphine for primary TKA. Patients
were randomised to either treatment (CFNI 0 ml to 10 ml/h 0.125%
bupivacaine) or placebo (CFNI 0 ml to 10 ml/h normal saline). Both
groups received a single-shot femoral nerve block (0.25% 20 ml bupivacaine)
prior to placement of femoral nerve catheter and subarachnoid anaesthesia with
intrathecal morphine. All patients had a standardised analgesic
protocol. The primary end point was post-operative visual analogue
scale (VAS) pain score over 72 hours post-surgery. Secondary outcomes
were morphine equivalent dose, range of movement, side effects,
and length of stay. Results. A total of 86 patients were recruited. Treatment and placebo
groups were comparable. No significant difference was found in VAS
pain scores, total morphine equivalent requirements, side effects,
range of movement, motor block, or length of hospital stay. Conclusion. No significant advantage was found for CFNI over a single-shot
femoral block and subarachnoid anaesthesia after TKA. Cite this article:
Objectives. Wear debris released from bearing surfaces has been shown to
provoke negative immune responses in the recipient. Excessive wear
has been linked to early failure of prostheses. Analysis using coordinate
measuring machines (CMMs) can provide estimates of total volumetric
material loss of explanted prostheses and can help to understand
device failure. The accuracy of volumetric testing has been debated,
with some investigators stating that only protocols involving hundreds
of thousands of measurement points are sufficient. We looked to
examine this assumption and to apply the findings to the clinical
arena. . Methods. We examined the effects on the calculated material loss from
a ceramic femoral head when different CMM scanning parameters were
used. Calculated wear volumes were compared with gold standard gravimetric
tests in a blinded study. . Results. Various scanning parameters including point pitch, maximum point
to point distance, the number of scanning contours or the total
number of points had no clinically relevant effect on volumetric
wear calculations. Gravimetric testing showed that material loss
can be calculated to provide clinically relevant degrees of accuracy. . Conclusions. Prosthetic surfaces can be analysed accurately and rapidly with
currently available technologies. Given these results, we believe
that routine analysis of explanted hip components would be a feasible
and logical extension to National Joint Registries. Cite this article:
