Aims

The number of revision arthroplasties being performed in the elderly is expected to rise, including revision for infection. The primary aim of this study was to measure the treatment success rate for octogenarians undergoing revision total hip arthroplasty (THA) for periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) compared to a younger cohort. Secondary outcomes were complications and mortality.

Aims

Ankle fracture is one of the most common musculoskeletal injuries sustained in the UK. Many patients experience pain and physical impairment, with the consequences of the fracture and its management lasting for several months or even years. The broad aim of ankle fracture treatment is to maintain the alignment of the joint while the fracture heals, and to reduce the risks of problems, such as stiffness. More severe injuries to the ankle are routinely treated surgically. However, even with advances in surgery, there remains a risk of complications; for patients experiencing these, the associated loss of function and quality of life (Qol) is considerable. Non-surgical treatment is an alternative to surgery and involves applying a cast carefully shaped to the patient’s ankle to correct and maintain alignment of the joint with the key benefit being a reduction in the frequency of common complications of surgery. The main potential risk of non-surgical treatment is a loss of alignment with a consequent reduction in ankle function. This study aims to determine whether ankle function, four months after treatment, in patients with unstable ankle fractures treated with close contact casting is not worse than in those treated with surgical intervention, which is the current standard of care.

The December 2023 Trauma Roundup³⁶⁰ looks at: Distal femoral arthroplasty: medical risks under the spotlight; Quads repair: tunnels or anchors?; Complex trade-offs in treating severe tibial fractures: limb salvage versus primary amputation; Middle-sized posterior malleolus fractures – to fix?; Bone transport through induced membrane: a randomized controlled trial; Displaced geriatric femoral neck fractures; Risk factors for reoperation to promote union in 1,111 distal femur fractures; New versus old – reliability of the OTA/AO classification for trochanteric hip fractures; Risk factors for fracture-related infection after ankle fracture surgery.

Aims

We assessed the value of the Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS) in the prediction of adverse outcome after hip fracture.

Aims

Access to total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is sometimes restricted for patients with severe obesity (BMI ≥ 40 kg/m²). This study compares the cost per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) associated with TKA in patients with a BMI above and below 40 kg/m² to examine whether this is supported.

Aims

The aim of this study is to assess the impact of a pilot enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) programme on length of stay (LOS) and post-discharge resource usage via service evaluation and cost analysis.

Aims

The direct anterior approach (DAA) for total hip arthroplasty (THA) has potential advantages over other approaches and is most commonly performed with the patient in the supine position. We describe a technique for DAA THA with the patient in the lateral decubitus position and report the early clinical and radiological outcomes, the characteristics of the learning curve, and perioperative complications.

Aims. The optimal management of an infrapopliteal deep venous thrombosis (IDVT) following total knee arthroplasty (TKA) remains unknown. The risk of DVT propagation and symptom progression must be balanced against potential haemorrhagic complications associated with administration of anticoagulation therapy. The current study reports on a cohort of patients diagnosed with IDVT following TKA who were treated with aspirin, followed closely for development of symptoms, and scanned with ultrasound to determine resolution of IDVT. Methods. Among a cohort of 5,078 patients undergoing TKA, 532 patients (695 TKAs, 12.6%) developed an IDVT between 1 January 2014 to 31 December 2019 at a single institution, as diagnosed using Doppler ultrasound at the first postoperative visit. Of the entire cohort of 532 patients with IDVT, 91.4% (486/532) were treated with aspirin (325 mg twice daily) and followed closely. Repeat lower limb ultrasound was performed four weeks later to evaluate the status of IDVT. Results. Follow-up Doppler ultrasound was performed on 459/486 (94.4%) patients and demonstrated resolution of IDVT in 445/459 cases (96.9%). Doppler diagnosed propagation of IDVT to the popliteal vein had occurred in 10/459 (2.2%) cases. One patient with an IDVT developed a pulmonary embolus six weeks postoperatively. Conclusion. The results of this study demonstrate a low rate of IDVT propagation in patients managed with aspirin. Additionally, no significant bleeding episodes, wound-related complications, or other adverse events were noted from aspirin therapy. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2021;103-B(6 Supple A):18–22

Aims

“Get It Right First Time” (GIRFT) and NHS England’s Best Practice Tariff (BPT) have published directives advising that patients over the ages of 65 (GIRFT) and 69 years (BPT) receiving total hip arthroplasty (THA) should receive cemented implants and have brought in financial penalties if this policy is not observed. Despite this, worldwide, uncemented component use has increased, a situation described as a ‘paradox’. GIRFT and BPT do, however, acknowledge more data are required to support this edict with current policies based on the National Joint Registry survivorship and implant costs.

Aims

The aim of this study was to investigate the hypothesis that a single dose of tranexamic acid (TXA) would reduce blood loss and transfusion rates in elderly patients undergoing surgery for a subcapital or intertrochanteric (IT) fracture of the hip.

Aims

Malignancy and surgery are risk factors for venous thromboembolism (VTE). We undertook a systematic review of the literature concerning the prophylactic management of VTE in orthopaedic oncology patients.

Aims

We present the results, in terms of survival, clinical outcome, and radiological appearance at 20 years, in a cohort of 225 cemented Exeter Universal femoral components (Stryker, Newbury, UK) implanted in 207 patients, at a district general hospital.

Aims

Our rural orthopaedic service has undergone service restructure during the COVID-19 pandemic in order to sustain hip fracture care. All adult trauma care has been centralised to the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital for assessment and medical input, before transferring those requiring operative intervention to the Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital. We aim to review the impact of COVID-19 on hip fracture workload and service changes upon management of hip fractures.

Aims

Describe a statistical and economic analysis plan for the Distal Radius Acute Fracture Fixation Trial 2 (DRAFFT2) randomized controlled trial.

Aims

Iliac wing (Type I) and iliosacral (Type I/IV) pelvic resections for a primary bone tumour create a large segmental defect in the pelvic ring. The management of this defect is controversial as the surgeon may choose to reconstruct it or not. When no reconstruction is undertaken, the residual ilium collapses back onto the remaining sacrum forming an iliosacral pseudarthrosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the long-term oncological outcome, complications, and functional outcome after pelvic resection without reconstruction.

Aims

The timing of surgical fixation in spinal fractures is a contentious topic. Existing literature suggests that early stabilization leads to reduced morbidity, improved neurological outcomes, and shorter hospital stay. However, the quality of evidence is low and equivocal with regard to the safety of early fixation in the severely injured patient. This paper compares complication profiles between spinal fractures treated with early fixation and those treated with late fixation.

Aims

The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility of conducting a full-scale, appropriately powered, randomized controlled trial (RCT) comparing internal fracture fixation and distal femoral replacement (DFR) for distal femoral fractures in older patients.

Aims

Displaced, comminuted acetabular fractures in the elderly are increasingly common, but there is no consensus on whether they should be treated non-surgically, surgically with open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF), or with acute total hip arthroplasty (THA). A combination of ORIF and acute THA, an approach called ’combined hip procedure’ (CHP), has been advocated and our aim was to compare the outcome after CHP or ORIF alone.

Aims

The number of patients undergoing arthroscopic surgery of the hip has increased significantly during the past decade. It has now become an established technique for the treatment of many intra- and extra-articular conditions affecting the hip. However, it has a steep learning curve and is not without the risk of complications. The purpose of this systematic review was to determine the prevalence of complications during and following this procedure.

Aims

We report the incidence of radiolucent lines (RLLs) using two flanged acetabular components at total hip arthroplasty (THA) and the effect of the Rim Cutter.

Aims

Our aim was to examine the clinical and radiographic outcomes in 257 consecutive Oxford unicompartmental knee arthroplasties (OUKAs) (238 patients), five years post-operatively.

Aims

The purpose of this article was to review the current literature pertaining to the use of mobile compression devices (MCDs) for venous thromboembolism (VTE) following total joint arthroplasty (TJA), and to discuss the results of data from our institution.

Objectives

A possible solution for the management of proximal femoral bone loss is a modular femoral endoprosthesis (EPR). Although the outcome of EPRs in tumour surgery has been well described, the outcome of their use in revision hip surgery has received less attention. The aim of this study was to describe the outcome of using EPR for non-neoplastic indications.

Aims

The place of thromboprophylaxis in arthroplasty surgery remains controversial, with a challenging requirement to balance prevention of potentially fatal venous thrombo-embolism with minimising wound-related complications leading to deep infection. We compared the incidence of fatal pulmonary embolism in patients undergoing elective primary total hip arthroplasty (THA) between those receiving aspirin, warfarin and low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) for the chemical component of a multi-modal thromboprophylaxis regime.

Aims

We report on the outcome of the Exeter Contemporary flanged cemented all-polyethylene acetabular component with a mean follow-up of 12 years (10 to 13.9). This study reviewed 203 hips in 194 patients. 129 hips in 122 patients are still in situ; 66 hips in 64 patients were in patients who died before ten years, and eight hips (eight patients) were revised. Clinical outcome scores were available for 108 hips (104 patients) and radiographs for 103 hips (100 patients).

Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is a major orthopaedic intervention. The length of a patient's stay has been progressively reduced with the introduction of enhanced recovery protocols: day-case surgery has become the ultimate challenge.

This narrative review shows the potential limitations of day-case TKA. These constraints may be social, linked to patient’s comorbidities, or due to surgery-related adverse events (e.g. pain, post-operative nausea and vomiting, etc.).

Using patient stratification, tailored surgical techniques and multimodal opioid-sparing analgesia, day-case TKA might be achievable in a limited group of patients. The younger, male patient without comorbidities and with an excellent social network around him might be a candidate.

Demographic changes, effective recovery programmes and less invasive surgical techniques such as unicondylar knee arthroplasty, may increase the size of the group of potential day-case patients.

The cost reduction achieved by day-case TKA needs to be balanced against any increase in morbidity and mortality and the cost of advanced follow-up at a distance with new technology. These factors need to be evaluated before adopting this ultimate ‘fast-track’ approach.

Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2015;97-B(10 Suppl A):40–4.

Flexor digitorum longus transfer and medial displacement calcaneal osteotomy is a well-recognised form of treatment for stage II posterior tibial tendon dysfunction. Although excellent short- and medium-term results have been reported, the long-term outcome is unknown. We reviewed the clinical outcome of 31 patients with a symptomatic flexible flat-foot deformity who underwent this procedure between 1994 and 1996. There were 21 women and ten men with a mean age of 54.3 years (42 to 70). The mean follow-up was 15.2 years (11.4 to 16.5). All scores improved significantly (p < 0.001). The mean American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) score improved from 48.4 pre-operatively to 90.3 (54 to 100) at the final follow-up. The mean pain component improved from 12.3 to 35.2 (20 to 40). The mean function score improved from 35.2 to 45.6 (30 to 50). The mean visual analogue score for pain improved from 7.3 to 1.3 (0 to 6). The mean Short Form-36 physical component score was 40.6 (sd 8.9), and this showed a significant correlation with the mean AOFAS score (r = 0.68, p = 0.005). A total of 27 patients (87%) were pain free and functioning well at the final follow-up. We believe that flexor digitorum longus transfer and calcaneal osteotomy provides long-term pain relief and satisfactory function in the treatment of stage II posterior tibial tendon dysfunction.

Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2015;97-B:346–52.

Although patients with a history of venous thromboembolism (VTE) who undergo lower limb joint replacement are thought to be at high risk of further VTE, the actual rate of recurrence has not been reported.

The purpose of this study was to identify the recurrence rate of VTE in patients who had undergone lower limb joint replacement, and to compare it with that of patients who had undergone a joint replacement without a history of VTE.

From a pool of 6646 arthroplasty procedures (3344 TKR, 2907 THR, 243 revision THR, 152 revision TKR) in 5967 patients (68% female, mean age 67.7; 21 to 96) carried out between 2009 and 2011, we retrospectively identified 118 consecutive treatment episodes in 106 patients (65% female, mean age 70; 51 to 88,) who had suffered a previous VTE. Despite mechanical prophylaxis and anticoagulation with warfarin, we had four recurrences by three months (3.4% of 118) and six by one year (5.1% of 118). In comparison, in all our other joint replacements the rate of VTE was 0.54% (35/6528).

The relative risk of a VTE by 90 days in patients who had undergone a joint replacement with a history of VTE compared with those with a joint replacement and no history of VTE was 6.3 (95% confidence interval, 2.3 to 17.5). There were five complications in the previous VTE group related to bleeding or over-anticoagulation.

Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2014;96-B:1515–19.

The aim of this study was to examine the functional outcome at ten years following lateral closing wedge high tibial osteotomy for medial compartment osteoarthritis of the knee and to define pre-operative predictors of survival and determinants of functional outcome.

164 consecutive patients underwent high tibial osteotomy between 2000 and 2002. A total of 100 patients (100 knees) met the inclusion criteria and 95 were available for review at ten years. Data were collected prospectively and included patient demographics, surgical details, long leg alignment radiographs, Western Ontario and McMaster Universities osteoarthritis index (WOMAC) and Knee Society scores (KSS) pre-operatively and at five and ten years follow-up.

At ten years, 21 patients had been revised at a mean of five years. Overall Kaplan–Meier survival was 87% (95% confidence interval (CI) 81 to 94) and 79% (95% CI 71 to 87) at five and ten years, respectively. When compared with unrevised patients, those who had been revised had significantly lower mean pre-operative WOMAC Scores (47 (21 to 85) vs 65 (32 to 99), p < 0.001), higher mean age (54 yrs (42 to 61) vs 49 yrs (26 to 66), p = 0.006) and a higher mean BMI (30.2; 25 to 39 vs 27.9; 21 to 36, p = 0.005). Each were found to be risk factors for revision, with hazard ratios of 10.7 (95% CI 4 to 28.6; pre-operative WOMAC < 45), 6.5 (95% CI 2.4 to 17.7; age > 55) and 3.0 (95%CI 1.2 to 7.6; BMI > 30). Survival of patients with pre-operative WOMAC > 45, age < 55 and BMI < 30 was 97% at five and ten years. WOMAC and KSS in surviving patients improved significantly between pre-operative (mean 61; 32 to 99) and five (mean 88; 35 to 100, p = 0.001) and ten years (mean 84; 38 to 100, p = 0.001). Older patients had better functional outcomes overall, despite their higher revision rate.

This study has shown that improved survival is associated with age < 55 years, pre-operative WOMAC scores > 45 and, a BMI < 30. In patients over 55 years of age with adequate pre-operative functional scores, survival can be good and functional outcomes can be significantly better than their younger counterparts. We recommend the routine use of pre-operative functional outcome scores to guide decision-making when considering suitability for high tibial osteotomy.

Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2014;96-B:1491–7.

Over the past 30 years there have been many improvements in implant fixation, correction of deformity, improved polyethylene wear, and survival after knee replacement. The work over the last decade has focused on less invasive surgical techniques, multimodal pain management protocols, more rapid functional recovery and reduced length of stay, aiming to minimise the side effects of treatment while maintaining function and implant durability. When combined and standardised these pre-, intra- and post-operative factors have now facilitated outpatient knee replacement procedures for unicompartmental replacement, patella femoral arthroplasty and total knee replacement (TKR).

We have found liposomal bupivacaine, with potential for longer therapeutic action, to be a helpful adjunct and describe our current pain management program. The next step in our multimodal program is to improve the duration of patient satisfaction and reduce cost and length of stay after TKR.

Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2014;96-B(11 Suppl A):7–9.

Dysplasia of the hip, hypotonia, osteopenia, ligamentous laxity, and mental retardation increase the complexity of performing and managing patients with Down syndrome who require total hip replacement (THR). We identified 14 patients (six males, eight females, 21 hips) with Down syndrome and degenerative disease of the hip who underwent THR, with a minimum follow-up of two years from 1969 to 2009. In seven patients, bilateral THRs were performed while the rest had unilateral THRs. The mean clinical follow-up was 5.8 years (standard deviation (sd) 4.7; 2 to 17). The mean Harris hip score was 37.9 points (sd 7.8) pre-operatively and increased to 89.2 (sd 12.3) at final follow-up (p = 1x10^-9). No patient suffered a post-operative dislocation. In three patients, four hips had revision THR for aseptic loosening at a mean follow-up of 7.7 years (sd 6.3; 3 to 17). This rate of revision THR was higher than expected. Our patients with Down syndrome benefitted clinically from THR at mid-term follow-up.

Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2014;96-B:1455–8.

The October 2014 Knee Roundup³⁶⁰ looks at: microfracture equivalent to OATS; examination better than MRI in predicting hamstrings re-injury; a second view on return to play with hamstrings injuries; dislocation risks in the Oxford Unicompartmental Knee; what about the tibia?; getting on top of lateral facet pain post TKR; readmission in TKR; patient-specific instrumentation; treating infrapatellar saphenous neuralgia; and arthroscopy in the middle-aged.

There is a high rate of mortality in elderly patients who sustain a fracture of the hip. We aimed to determine the rate of preventable mortality and errors during the management of these patients. A 12 month prospective study was performed on patients aged > 65 years who had sustained a fracture of the hip. This was conducted at a Level 1 Trauma Centre with no orthogeriatric service. A multidisciplinary review of the medical records by four specialists was performed to analyse errors of management and elements of preventable mortality. During 2011, there were 437 patients aged > 65 years admitted with a fracture of the hip (85 years (66 to 99)) and 20 died while in hospital (86.3 years (67 to 96)). A total of 152 errors were identified in the 80 individual reviews of the 20 deaths. A total of 99 errors (65%) were thought to have at least a moderate effect on death; 45 reviews considering death (57%) were thought to have potentially been preventable. Agreement between the panel of reviewers on the preventability of death was fair. A larger-scale assessment of preventable mortality in elderly patients who sustain a fracture of the hip is required. Multidisciplinary review panels could be considered as part of the quality assurance process in the management of these patients.

Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2014;96-B:1178–84.

We describe the impact of a targeted performance improvement programme and the associated performance improvement interventions, on mortality rates, error rates and process of care for haemodynamically unstable patients with pelvic fractures. Clinical care and performance improvement data for 185 adult patients with exsanguinating pelvic trauma presenting to a United Kingdom Major Trauma Centre between January 2007 and January 2011 were analysed with univariate and multivariate regression and compared with National data. In total 62 patients (34%) died from their injuries and opportunities for improved care were identified in one third of deaths.

Three major interventions were introduced during the study period in response to the findings. These were a massive haemorrhage protocol, a decision-making algorithm and employment of specialist pelvic orthopaedic surgeons. Interventions which improved performance were associated with an annual reduction in mortality (odds ratio 0.64 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.44 to 0.93), p = 0.02), a reduction in error rates (p = 0.024) and significant improvements in the targeted processes of care. Exsanguinating patients with pelvic trauma are complex to manage and are associated with high mortality rates; implementation of a targeted performance improvement programme achieved sustained improvements in mortality, error rates and trauma care in this group of severely injured patients.

Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2014;96-B:1090–7.

We hypothesised there was no clinical value in using an autologous blood transfusion (ABT) drain in either primary total hip (THR) or total knee replacement (TKR) in terms of limiting allogeneic blood transfusions when a modern restrictive blood management regime was followed. A total of 575 patients (65.2% men), with a mean age of 68.9 years (36 to 94) were randomised in this three-arm study to no drainage (group A), or to wound drainage with an ABT drain for either six hours (group B) or 24 hours (group C). The primary outcome was the number of patients receiving allogeneic blood transfusion. Secondary outcomes were post-operative haemoglobin (Hb) levels, length of hospital stay and adverse events.

This study identified only 41 transfused patients, with no significant difference in distribution between the three groups (p = 0.857). The mean pre-operative haemoglobin (Hb) value in the transfused group was 12.8 g/dL (9.8 to 15.5) versus 14.3 g/dL (10.6 to 18.0) in the non-transfused group (p < 0.001, 95% confidence interval: 1.08 to 1.86). Post-operatively, the median of re-transfused shed blood in patients with a THR was 280 mL (Interquartile range (IQR) 150 to 400) and in TKR patients 500 mL (IQR 350 to 650) (p <  0.001). ABT drains had no effect on the proportion of transfused patients in primary THR and TKR. The secondary outcomes were also comparable between groups.

Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2014;96-B:765–71.

Total hip replacement causes a short-term increase in the risk of mortality. It is important to quantify this and to identify modifiable risk factors so that the risk of post-operative mortality can be minimised. We performed a systematic review and critical evaluation of the current literature on the topic. We identified 32 studies published over the last 10 years which provide either 30-day or 90-day mortality data. We estimate the pooled incidence of mortality during the first 30 and 90 days following hip replacement to be 0.30% (95% CI 0.22 to 0.38) and 0.65% (95% CI 0.50 to 0.81), respectively. We found strong evidence of a temporal trend towards reducing mortality rates despite increasingly co-morbid patients. The risk factors for early mortality most commonly identified are increasing age, male gender and co-morbid conditions, particularly cardiovascular disease. Cardiovascular complications appear to have overtaken fatal pulmonary emboli as the leading cause of death after hip replacement.

Cite this article: Bone Joint Res 2014;3:175–82

We report on 397 consecutive revision total hip replacements in 371 patients with a mean clinical and radiological follow-up of 12.9 years (10 to 17.7). The mean age at surgery was 69 years (37 to 93). A total of 28 patients (8%) underwent further revision, including 16 (4%) femoral components. In all 223 patients (56%, 233 hips) died without further revision and 20 patients (5%, 20 hips) were lost to follow-up. Of the remaining patients, 209 (221 hips) were available for clinical assessment and 194 (205 hips) for radiological review at mean follow-up of 12.9 years (10 to 17.7).

The mean Harris Hip Score improved from 58.7 (11 to 92) points to 80.7 (21 to 100) (p <  0.001) and the mean Merle d’Aubigné and Postel hip scores at final follow-up were 4.9 (2 to 6), 4.5 (2 to 6) and 4.3 (2 to 6), respectively for pain, mobility and function. Radiographs showed no lucencies around 186 (90.7%) femoral stems with stable bony ingrowth seen in 199 stems (97%). The survival of the S-ROM femoral stem at 15 years with revision for any reason as the endpoint was 90.5% (95% confidence interval (CI) 85.7 to 93.8) and with revision for aseptic loosening as the endpoint 99.3% (95% CI 97.2 to 99.8).

We have shown excellent long-term survivorship and good clinical outcome of a cementless hydroxyapatite proximally-coated modular femoral stem in revision hip surgery.

Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2014;96-B:730–6.

We compared a new fixation system, the Targon Femoral Neck (TFN) hip screw, with the current standard treatment of cannulated screw fixation. This was a single-centre, participant-blinded, randomised controlled trial. Patients aged 65 years and over with either a displaced or undisplaced intracapsular fracture of the hip were eligible. The primary outcome was the risk of revision surgery within one year of fixation.

A total of 174 participants were included in the trial. The absolute reduction in risk of revision was of 4.7% (95% CI 14.2 to 22.5) in favour of the TFN hip screw (chi-squared test, p = 0.741), which was less than the pre-specified level of minimum clinically important difference. There were no significant differences in any of the secondary outcome measures.

We found no evidence of a clinical difference in the risk of revision surgery between the TFN hip screw and cannulated screw fixation for patients with an intracapsular fracture of the hip.

Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2014;96-B:652–7.

Recent recommendations by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) suggest that all patients undergoing elective orthopaedic surgery should be assessed for the risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE). Little is known about the incidence of symptomatic VTE after elective external fixation. We studied a consecutive series of adult patients who had undergone elective Ilizarov surgery without routine pharmacological prophylaxis to establish the incidence of symptomatic VTE. . A review of a prospectively maintained database of consecutive patients who were treated between October 1998 and February 2011 identified 457 frames in 442 adults whose mean age was 42.6 years (16.0 to 84.6). There were 425 lower limb and 32 upper limb frames. The mean duration of treatment was 25.7 weeks (1.6 to 85.3). According to NICE guidelines all the patients had at least one risk factor for VTE, 246 had two, 172 had three and 31 had four or more. . One patient (0.23%) developed a pulmonary embolus after surgery and was later found to have an inherited thrombophilia. There were 27 deaths, all unrelated to VTE. The cost of providing VTE prophylaxis according to NICE guidelines in this group of patients would be £89 493.40 (£195.80 per patient) even if the cheapest recommended medication was used. . The rate of symptomatic VTE after Ilizarov surgery was low despite using no pharmacological prophylaxis. This study leads us to question whether NICE guidelines are applicable to these patients. . Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2014;96-B:426–30

We performed a case–control study to compare the rates of further surgery, revision and complications, operating time and survival in patients who were treated with either an uncemented hydroxyapatite-coated Corail bipolar femoral stem or a cemented Exeter stem for a displaced intracapsular fracture of the hip. The mean age of the patients in the uncemented group was 82.5 years (53 to 97) and in the cemented group was 82.7 years (51 to 99) We used propensity score matching, adjusting for age, gender and the presence or absence of dementia and comorbidities, to produce a matched cohort receiving an Exeter stem (n = 69) with which to compare the outcome of patients receiving a Corail stem (n = 69). The Corail had a significantly lower all-cause rate of further surgery (p = 0.016; odds ratio (OR) 0.18, 95% CI 0.04 to 0.84) and number of hips undergoing major further surgery (p = 0.029; OR 0.13, 95% CI 0.01 to 1.09). The mean operating time was significantly less for the Corail group than for the cemented Exeter group (59 min [12 to 136] vs 70 min [40 to 175], p = 0.001). The Corail group also had a lower risk of a peri-prosthetic fracture (p = 0.042; OR 0.19, 95% CI 0.01 to 1.42) . There was no difference in the mortality rate between the groups. There were significantly fewer complications in the uncemented group, suggesting that the use of this stem would result in a decreased rate of morbidity in these frail patients. Whether this relates to an improved functional outcome remains unknown.

Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2014;96-B:299–305.

Mobile-bearing unicompartmental knee replacements (UKRs) with a flat tibial plateau have not performed well in the lateral compartment, owing to a high dislocation rate. This led to the development of the Domed Lateral Oxford UKR (Domed OUKR) with a biconcave bearing. The aim of this study was to assess the survival and clinical outcomes of the Domed OUKR in a large patient cohort in the medium term.

We prospectively evaluated 265 consecutive knees with isolated disease of the lateral compartment and a mean age at surgery of 64 years (32 to 90). At a mean follow-up of four years (sd 2.2, (0.5 to 8.3)) the mean Oxford knee score was 40 out of 48 (sd 7.4). A total of 12 knees (4.5%) had re-operations, of which four (1.5%) were for dislocation. All dislocations occurred in the first two years. Two (0.8%) were secondary to significant trauma that resulted in ruptured ligaments, and two (0.8%) were spontaneous. In four patients (1.5%) the UKR was converted to a primary TKR. Survival at eight years, with failure defined as any revision, was 92.1% (95% confidence interval 81.3 to 100).

The Domed Lateral OUKR gives good clinical outcomes, low re-operation and revision rates and a low dislocation rate in patients with isolated lateral compartmental disease, in the hands of the designer surgeons.

Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2014;96-B:59–64.

We report the clinical and radiological outcomes of a series of contemporary cementless ceramic-on-ceramic total hip replacements (THRs) at ten years in patients aged ≤ 55 years of age. Pre- and post-operative activity levels are described. A total of 120 consecutive ceramic cementless THRs were performed at a single centre in 110 patients from 1997 to 1999. The mean age of the patients at operation was 45 years (20 to 55). At ten years, four patients had died and six were lost to follow-up, comprising ten hips. The mean post-operative Harris hip score was 94.7 (55 to 100). Radiological analysis was undertaken in 90 available THRs of the surviving 106 hips at final review: all had evidence of stable bony ingrowth, with no cases of osteolysis. Wear was undetectable. There were four revisions. The survival for both components with revision for any cause as an endpoint was 96.5% (95% confidence interval 94.5 to 98.7). The mean modified University of California, Los Angeles activity level rose from a mean of 6.4 (4 to 10) pre-operatively to 9.0 (6 to 10) at the ten-year post-operative period.

Alumina ceramic-on-ceramic bearings in cementless primary THR in this series have resulted in good clinical and radiological outcomes with undetectable rates of wear and excellent function in the demanding younger patient group at ten years.

Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2013;95-B:1603–9.

The purpose of this study was to examine the complications and outcomes of total hip replacement (THR) in super-obese patients (body mass index (BMI) > 50 kg/m²) compared with class I obese (BMI 30 to 34.9 kg/m²) and normal-weight patients (BMI 18.5 to 24.9 kg/m²), as defined by the World Health Organization.

A total of 39 THRs were performed in 30 super-obese patients with a mean age of 53 years (31 to 72), who were followed for a mean of 4.2 years (2.0 to 11.7). This group was matched with two cohorts of normal-weight and class I obese patients, each comprising 39 THRs in 39 patients. Statistical analysis was performed to determine differences among these groups with respect to complications and satisfaction based on the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities (WOMAC) osteoarthritis index, the Harris hip score (HHS) and the Short-Form (SF)-12 questionnaire.

Super-obese patients experienced significantly longer hospital stays and higher rates of major complications and readmissions than normal-weight and class I obese patients. Although super-obese patients demonstrated reduced pre-operative and post-operative satisfaction scores, there was no significant difference in improvement, or change in the score, with respect to HHS or the WOMAC osteoarthritis index.

Super-obese patients obtain similar satisfaction outcomes as class I obese and normal-weight patients with respect to improvement in their scores. However, they experience a significant increase in length of hospital stay and major complication and readmission rates.

Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2013;95-B:758–63.

We investigated the incidence of and risk factors for venous thromboembolism (VTE) following surgery of the shoulder and elbow and assessed the role of thromboprophylaxis in upper limb surgery. All papers describing VTE after shoulder and elbow surgery published in the English language literature before 31 March 2012 were reviewed. A total of 14 papers were available for analysis, most of which were retrospective studies and case series. The incidence of VTE was 0.038% from 92 440 shoulder arthroscopic procedures, 0.52% from 42 261 shoulder replacements, and 0.64% from 4833 procedures for fractures of the proximal humerus (open reduction and internal fixation or hemiarthroplasty). The incidence following replacement of the elbow was 0.26% from 2701 procedures. Diabetes mellitus, rheumatoid arthritis and ischaemic heart disease were identified as the major risk factors.

The evidence that exists on thromboprophylaxis is based on level III and IV studies, and we therefore cannot make any recommendations on prophylaxis based on the current evidence. It seems reasonable to adopt a multimodal approach that involves all patients receiving mechanical prophylaxis, with chemical prophylaxis reserved for those who are at high risk for VTE.

Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2013;95-B:70–4.

We compared thromboembolic events, major haemorrhage and death after knee replacement in patients receiving either aspirin or low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH). Data from the National Joint Registry for England and Wales were linked to an administrative database of hospital admissions in the English National Health Service. A total of 156 798 patients between April 2003 and September 2008 were included and followed for 90 days. Multivariable risk modelling was used to estimate odds ratios adjusted for baseline risk factors (AOR). An AOR < 1 indicates that risk rates are lower with LMWH than with aspirin. In all, 36 159 patients (23.1%) were prescribed aspirin and 120 639 patients (76.9%) were prescribed LMWH. We found no statistically significant differences between the aspirin and LMWH groups in the rate of pulmonary embolism (0.49% vs 0.45%, AOR 0.88 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.74 to 1.05); p = 0.16), 90-day mortality (0.39% vs 0.45%, AOR 1.13 (95% CI 0.94 to 1.37); p = 0.19) or major haemorrhage (0.37% vs 0.39%, AOR 1.01 (95% CI 0.83 to 1.22); p = 0.94). There was a significantly greater likelihood of needing to return to theatre in the aspirin group (0.26% vs 0.19%, AOR 0.73 (95% CI 0.58 to 0.94); p = 0.01). Between patients receiving LMWH or aspirin there was only a small difference in the risk of pulmonary embolism, 90-day mortality and major haemorrhage.

These results should be considered when the existing guidelines for thromboprophylaxis after knee replacement are reviewed.

The aim of this prospective single-centre study was to assess the difference in clinical outcome between total knee replacement (TKR) using computerised navigation and that of conventional TKR. We hypothesised that navigation would give a better result at every stage within the first five years. A total of 195 patients (195 knees) with a mean age of 70.0 years (39 to 89) were allocated alternately into two treatment groups, which used either conventional instrumentation (group A, 97 knees) or a navigation system (group B, 98 knees). After five years, complete clinical scores were available for 121 patients (62%). A total of 18 patients were lost to follow-up. Compared with conventional surgery, navigated TKR resulted in a better mean Knee Society score (p = 0.008). The difference in mean Knee Society scores over time between the two groups was not constant (p = 0.006), which suggests that these groups differed in their response to surgery with time. No significant difference in the frequency of malalignment was seen between the two groups.

In summary, computerised navigation resulted in a better functional outcome at five years than conventional techniques. Given the similarity in mechanical alignment between the two groups, rotational alignment may prove to be a better method of identifying differences in clinical outcome after navigated surgery.

We undertook a randomised controlled trial to compare the piriformis-sparing approach with the standard posterior approach used for total hip replacement (THR). We recruited 100 patients awaiting THR and randomly allocated them to either the piriformis-sparing approach or the standard posterior approach. Pre- and post-operative care programmes and rehabilitation regimes were identical for both groups. Observers were blinded to the allocation throughout; patients were blinded until the two-week assessment. Follow-up was at six weeks, three months, one year and two years. In all 11 patients died or were lost to follow-up.

There was no significant difference between groups for any of the functional outcomes. However, for patients in the piriformis-sparing group there was a trend towards a better six-minute walk test at two weeks and greater patient satisfaction at six weeks. The acetabular components were less anteverted (p = 0.005) and had a lower mean inclination angle (p = 0.02) in the piriformis-sparing group. However, in both groups the mean component positions were within Lewinnek’s safe zone. Surgeons perceived the piriformis-sparing approach to be significantly more difficult than the standard approach (p = 0.03), particularly in obese patients.

In conclusion, performing THR through a shorter incision involving sparing piriformis is more difficult and only provides short-term benefits compared with the standard posterior approach.

In order to clarify how intra-articular lesions influence the survival of a periacetabular osteotomy in patients with dysplasia of the hip, we performed an observational study of 121 patients (121 hips) who underwent a transposition osteotomy of the acetabulum combined with an arthroscopy. Their mean age was 40.2 years (13 to 64) and the mean follow-up was 9.9 years (2 to 18). Labral and cartilage degeneration tended to originate from the anterosuperior part of the acetabulum, followed by the femoral side. In all, eight hips (6.6%) had post-operative progression to Kellgren–Lawrence grade 4 changes, and these hips were associated with the following factors: moderate osteoarthritis, decreased width of the joint space, joint incongruity, and advanced intra-articular lesions (subchondral bone exposure in the cartilage and a full-thickness labral tear). Multivariate analysis indicated subchondral bone exposure on the femoral head as an independent risk factor for progression of osteoarthritis (p = 0.003). In hips with early stage osteoarthritis, femoral subchondral bone exposure was a risk factor for progression of the grade of osteoarthritis.

Although the outcome of transposition osteotomy of the acetabulum was satisfactory, post-operative progression of osteoarthritis occurred at a high rate in hips with advanced intra-articular lesions, particularly in those where the degenerative process had reached the point of femoral subchondral bone exposure.

Free vascularised fibular grafting has been reported to be successful for adult patients with osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH). However, its benefit in teenage patients with post-traumatic ONFH has not been determined. We evaluated the effectiveness of free vascularised fibular grafting in the treatment of this condition in children and adolescents. We retrospectively analysed 28 hips in 28 patients in whom an osteonecrotic femoral head had been treated with free vascularised fibular grafting between 2002 and 2008. Their mean age was 16.3 years (13 to 19). The stage of the disease at time of surgery, and results of treatment including pre- and post-operative Harris hip scores, were studied. We defined clinical failure as conversion to total hip replacement. All patients were followed up for a mean of four years (2 to 7). The mean Harris hip score improved from 60.4 (37 to 84) pre-operatively to 94.2 (87 to 100) at final follow-up. At the latest follow-up we found improved or unchanged radiographs in all four initially stage II hips and in 23 of 24 stage III or IV hips. Only one hip (stage V) deteriorated. No patient underwent total hip replacement.

Free vascularised fibular grafting is indicated for the treatment of post-traumatic ONFH in teenage patients.

The aim of this study was to identify the incidence of post-operative symptomatic deep-vein thrombosis (DVT), as well as the risk factors for and location of DVT, in 665 patients (701 ankles) who underwent primary total ankle replacement. All patients received low-molecular-weight heparin prophylaxis. A total of 26 patients (3.9%, 26 ankles) had a symptomatic DVT, diagnosed by experienced radiologists using colour Doppler ultrasound. Most thrombi (22 patients, 84.6%) were localised distally in the operated limb. Using a logistic multiple regression model we identified obesity, a previous venous thromboembolic event and the absence of full post-operative weight-bearing as independent risk factors for developing a symptomatic DVT.

The incidence of symptomatic DVT after total ankle replacement and use of low-molecular-weight heparin is comparable with that in patients undergoing total knee or hip replacement.

Diagnostic and operative codes are routinely collected for every patient admitted to hospital in the English NHS. Data on post-operative complications following foot and ankle surgery have not previously been available in large numbers. Data on symptomatic venous thromboembolism events and mortality within 90 days were extracted for patients undergoing fixation of an ankle fracture, first metatarsal osteotomy, hindfoot fusions and total ankle replacement over a period of 42 months. For ankle fracture surgery (45 949 patients), the rates of deep-vein thrombosis (DVT), pulmonary embolism and mortality were 0.12%, 0.17% and 0.37%, respectively. For first metatarsal osteotomy (33 626 patients), DVT, pulmonary embolism and mortality rates were 0.01%, 0.02% and 0.04%, and for hindfoot fusions (7033 patients) the rates were 0.03%, 0.11% and 0.11%, respectively. The rate of pulmonary embolism in 1633 total ankle replacement patients was 0.06%, and there were no recorded DVTs and no deaths. Statistical analysis could only identify risk factors for venous thromboembolic events of increasing age and multiple comorbidities following fracture surgery.

Venous thromboembolism following foot and ankle surgery is extremely rare, but this subset of fracture patients is at a higher risk. However, there is no evidence that thromboprophylaxis reduces this risk, and these national data suggest that prophylaxis is not required in most of these patients.

We report the outcome of 161 of 257 surgically fixed acetabular fractures. The operations were undertaken between 1989 and 1998 and the patients were followed for a minimum of ten years. Anthropometric data, fracture pattern, time to surgery, associated injuries, surgical approach, complications and outcome were recorded. Modified Merle D’Aubigné score and Matta radiological scoring systems were used as outcome measures. We observed simple fractures in 108 patients (42%) and associated fractures in 149 (58%).

The result was excellent in 75 patients (47%), good in 41 (25%), fair in 12 (7%) and poor in 33 (20%). Poor prognostic factors included increasing age, delay to surgery, quality of reduction and some fracture patterns. Complications were common in the medium- to long-term and functional outcome was variable. The gold-standard treatment for displaced acetabular fractures remains open reduction and internal fixation performed in dedicated units by specialist surgeons as soon as possible.

Prophylaxis against venous thromboembolism after elective total hip replacement is routinely recommended. Our preference has been to use mechanical prophylaxis without anticoagulant drugs. A randomised controlled trial was performed to evaluate whether the incidence of post-operative venous thromboembolism was reduced by using pharmacological anticoagulation with either fondaparinux or enoxaparin in addition to our prophylactic mechanical regimen. A total of 255 Japanese patients who underwent primary unilateral cementless total hip replacement were randomly assigned to one of three postoperative regimens, namely injection of placebo (saline), fondaparinux or enoxaparin. There were 85 patients in each group. All also received the same mechanical prophylaxis during and after the operation, regardless of their assigned group. The primary measurement of efficacy was the presence of a venous thromboembolic event by day 11, defined as deep-vein thrombosis detected by ultrasonography, documented symptomatic deep-vein thrombosis or documented symptomatic pulmonary embolism. The duration of follow-up was 12 weeks.

The rate of venous thromboembolism was 7.2% with the placebo, 7.1% with fondaparinux and 6.0% with enoxaparin (p = 0.95 for the comparison of all three groups). Our study confirmed the effectiveness and safety of mechanical thromboprophylaxis without the use of anticoagulant drugs after total hip replacement in Japanese patients.

This prospective study describes the outcome of the first 1000 phase 3 Oxford medial unicompartmental knee replacements (UKRs) implanted using a minimally invasive surgical approach for the recommended indications by two surgeons and followed up independently. The mean follow-up was 5.6 years (1 to 11) with 547 knees having a minimum follow-up of five years. At five years their mean Oxford knee score was 41.3 (sd 7.2), the mean American Knee Society Objective Score 86.4 (sd 13.4), mean American Knee Society Functional Score 86.1 (sd 16.6), mean Tegner activity score 2.8 (sd 1.1). For the entire cohort, the mean maximum flexion was 130° at the time of final review.

The incidence of implant-related re-operations was 2.9%; of these 29 re-operations two were revisions requiring revision knee replacement components with stems and wedges, 17 were conversions to a primary total knee replacement, six were open reductions for dislocation of the bearing, three were secondary lateral UKRs and one was revision of a tibial component. The most common reason for further surgical intervention was progression of arthritis in the lateral compartment (0.9%), followed by dislocation of the bearing (0.6%) and revision for unexplained pain (0.6%). If all implant-related re-operations are considered failures, the ten-year survival rate was 96% (95% confidence interval, 92.5 to 99.5). If only revisions requiring revision components are considered failures the ten-year survival rate is 99.8% (confidence interval 99 to 100).

This is the largest published series of UKRs implanted through a minimally invasive surgical approach and with ten-year survival data. The survival rates are similar to those obtained with a standard open approach whereas the function is better. This demonstrates the effectiveness and safety of a minimally invasive surgical approach for implanting the Oxford UKR.

We prospectively evaluated the long-term outcome of 158 consecutive patients who underwent revision total hip replacement using uncemented computer-assisted design-computer-assisted manufacture femoral components. There were 97 men and 61 women. Their mean age was 63.1 years (34.6 to 85.9). The mean follow-up was 10.8 years (10 to 12).

The mean Oxford, Harris and Western Ontario and McMaster hip scores improved from 41.1, 44.2 and 52.4 pre-operatively to 18.2, 89.3 and 12.3, respectively (p < 0.0001, for each). Six patients required further surgery. The overall survival of the femoral component was 97% (95% confidence interval 94.5 to 99.7). These results are comparable to those of previously published reports for revision total hip replacement using either cemented or uncemented components.

We compared 55 consecutive total hip replacements performed on 53 morbidly obese patients with osteoarthritis with a matched group of 55 total hip replacements in 53 non-obese patients. The groups were matched for age, gender, prosthesis type, laterality and preoperative Harris Hip Score. They were followed prospectively for five years and the outcomes were assessed using the Harris Hip Score, the Short-form 36 score and radiological findings.

Survival at five years using revision surgery as an endpoint, was 90.9% (95% confidence interval 82.9 to 98.9) for the morbidly obese and 100% for the non-obese patients. The Harris Hip and the Short-form 36 scores were significantly better in the non-obese group (p < 0.001). The morbidly obese patients had a higher rate of complications (22% vs 5%, p = 0.012), which included dislocation and both superficial and deep infection.

In light of these inferior results, morbidly obese patients should be advised to lose weight before undergoing a total hip replacement, and counselled regarding the complications. Despite these poorer results, however, the patients have improved function and quality of life.

Haemophilia is an x-linked inherited bleeding disorder which can cause severe arthropathy. We have reviewed the results of 70 primary total knee replacements (TKR) performed in 57 haemophilic patients between 1983 and 2007. The functional results were assessed using the Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) knee scoring system and Kaplan-Meier survivorship analysis. Six patients died. HSS scores were available for 60 TKRs at a mean follow-up of 9.2 years (2 to 23); 57 (95%) had good or excellent results. Deep infection was recorded in one patient. Kaplan-Meier analysis using infection and aseptic loosening as endpoints showed the survival rate at 20 years to be 94.0%.

A reduction in infection, spontaneous haemarthrosis and improvement in the quality of life were noted to justify surgery in our series of patients with a mean age of 43 (25 to 70). We have found that using the latest techniques of continuous infusion of clotting Factor have significantly helped to reduce the complication rates and have achieved results which match those of the non-haemophilic population undergoing TKR.

We report an audit of 208 patients with a mean age of 39 years (16 to 65) attending the Orthopaedic Assessment Unit at the Wellington Hospital between January 2006 and December 2007 with an injury of the tendo Achillis requiring immobilisation in a cast. Information on assessment of venous thromboembolism (VTE) risk, prophylactic measures and VTE events for all patients was obtained from the medical records. A VTE risk factor was documented in the records of three (1%) patients. One of the 208 patients received aspirin prophylaxis; none received low molecular weight heparin. In all, 13 patients (6.3%, 95% confidence interval 3.4 to 10.5) developed symptomatic VTE during immobilisation in a cast, including six with a distal deep-vein thrombosis (DVT), four with a proximal DVT, and three with a confirmed pulmonary embolus. This incidence of symptomatic VTE is similar to that reported following elective hip replacement. We propose that consideration is given to VTE prophylaxis during prolonged immobilisation of the lower limbs in a cast, to ensure that the same level of protection is provided as for patients undergoing elective hip replacement

We carried out a prospective, continuous study on 529 patients who underwent primary total knee replacement between January 2006 and December 2007 at a major teaching hospital. The aim was to investigate weight change and the functional and clinical outcome in non-obese and obese groups at 12 months post-operatively. The patients were grouped according to their pre-operative body mass index (BMI) as follows: non-obese (BMI < 30 kg/m²), obese (BMI ³ 30 to 39 kg/m²) and morbidly obese (BMI > 40 kg/m²). The clinical outcome data were available for all patients and functional outcome data for 521 (98.5%). Overall, 318 (60.1%) of the patients were obese or morbidly obese.

At 12 months, a clinically significant weight loss of ≥ 5% had occurred in 40 (12.6%) of the obese patients, but 107 (21%) gained weight. The change in the International Knee Society score was less in obese and morbidly obese compared with non-obese patients (p = 0.016). Adverse events occurred in 30 (14.2%) of the non-obese, 59 (22.6%) of the obese and 20 (35.1%) of the morbidly obese patients (p = 0.001).

The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) produces recommendations on appropriate treatment within the National Health Service (NHS) in England and Wales. The NICE guidelines on prophylaxis for venous thromboembolism in orthopaedic surgery recommend that all patients be offered a low molecular weight heparin (LMWH). The linked hospital episode statistics of 219 602 patients were examined to determine the rates of complications following lower limb arthroplasty for the 12-month periods prior to and following the publication of these guidelines. These were compared with data from the National Joint Registry (England and Wales) regarding the use of LMWH during the same periods. There was a significant increase in the reported use of LMWH (59.5% to 67.6%, p < 0.001) following the publication of the guidelines. However, the 90-day venous thromboembolism events actually increased slightly following total hip replacement (THR, 1.69% to 1.84%, p = 0.06) and remained unchanged following total knee replacement (TKR, 1.99% to 2.04%). Return to theatre in the first 30 days for infection did not show significant changes. There was an increase in the number of patients diagnosed with thrombocytopenia, which was significant following THR (0.11% to 0.16%, p = 0.04). The recommendations from NICE are based on predicted reductions in venous thromboembolism events, reducing morbidity, mortality and costs to the NHS.

The early results in orthopaedic patients do not support these predictions, but do show an increase in complications.

Total hip replacement in patients with Gaucher’s disease with symptomatic osteonecrosis of the femoral head is controversial because of the high early failure rates. We describe four patients who had an uncemented total hip replacement following enzyme replacement therapy for a median of two years and one month (1 to 9.8 years) prior to surgery, and who remained on treatment. At operation, the bone had a normal appearance and consistency. Histopathological examination showed that, compared with previous biopsies of untreated Gaucher’s disease, the Gaucher cell infiltrate had decreased progressively with therapy, being replaced by normal adipose tissue. The surfaces of viable bone beyond the osteonecrotic areas showed osteoblasts, indicating remodelling. In one case acetabular revision was carried out after 11 years and eight months. The three remaining patients had a mean follow-up of six years and four months (3.3 to 12 years). We recommend initiating enzyme replacement therapy at least one to two years prior to total hip replacement to facilitate bone remodelling and to allow implantation of uncemented components in these young patients.

We retrospectively studied the major complications occurring after one- and two-stage bilateral unicompartmental knee replacements (UKR). Between 1999 and 2008, 911 patients underwent 1150 UKRs through a minimally invasive approach in our unit. Of these, 159 patients (318 UKRs) had one-stage and 80 patients (160 UKRs) had two-stage bilateral UKRs. The bilateral UKR groups were comparable in age and American Society of Anaesthesiology grade, but more women were in the two-stage group (p = 0.019). Mechanical thromboprophylaxis was used in all cases. Major complications were recorded as death, pulmonary embolus, proximal deep-vein thrombosis and adverse cardiac events within 30 days of surgery. No statistical differences between the groups were found regarding the operating surgeon, the tourniquet time or minor complications except for distal deep-vein thrombosis. The anaesthetic times were longer for the two-stage group (p = 0.0001). Major complications were seen in 13 patients (8.2%) with one-stage operations but none were encountered in the two-stage group (p = 0.005). Distal deep-vein thrombosis was more frequent in the two-stage group (p = 0.036). Because of the significantly higher risk of major complications associated with one-stage bilateral UKR we advocate caution before undertaking such a procedure

Between December 2004 and June 2006, 136 patients (156 total hip replacements), were sent from the waiting list of the Cardiff Vale NHS Trust to the NHS Treatment Centre, Weston-super-Mare, in an attempt to reduce the waiting time for total hip replacement. Because of concerns about their outcome, each patient was contacted and invited to attend a review appointment with a consultant specialising in hip and revision hip replacement. A total of 98 patients (113 hips) were reviewed after a mean of 23 months (11 to 30). There were 104 cemented hips, seven hybrid and two cementless. An acetabular inclination of > 55° was seen in 18 (16%). Radiolucent lines around the acetabular component were seen in 76 (67%). The femoral component was in more than 4° of varus in 47 (42%). The medial floor had been breached in 13 (12%) and there was a leg-length discrepancy of more than 1 cm in ten (9%). There were three dislocations, one femoral fracture, one pulmonary embolus, one deep infection and two superficial wound infections. To date, 13% (15 hips) have been revised and a further 4% (five hips) await revision, mostly for a painful loose acetabular component. The revision rate far exceeds the 0.5% five-year failure rate reported in the Swedish Registry for the components used. This initiative and the consequent need for correction of the problems created, has significantly increased the workload of our unit

The incidence of deep-vein thrombosis and the need for thromboprophylaxis following isolated trauma below the knee is uncertain. We have investigated this with a prospective randomised double-blind controlled trial using low molecular weight heparin with saline injection as placebo in patients aged between 18 and 75 years who had sustained an isolated fracture below the knee which required operative fixation. All patients had surgery within 48 hours of injury and were randomised to receive either the placebo or low molecular weight heparin for 14 days, after which they underwent bilateral lower limb venography, interpreted by three independent radiologists. Further follow-up was undertaken at two, six, eight and 12 weeks.

A total of 238 patients fulfilled all the inclusion criteria, with 127 in the low molecular weight heparin group and 111 in the placebo group, all of whom underwent bilateral venography. There was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of deep-vein thrombosis between those patients treated with low molecular weight heparin or the placebo (p = 0.22). The number of deep-vein thromboses in the two groups was 11 (8.7%) and 14 (12.6%), respectively. Age and the type of fracture were significantly associated with the rate of deep-vein thrombosis (p = 0.001 and p = 0.009, respectively) but gender, comorbidities and the body mass index were not.

The overall incidence of deep-vein thrombosis in this series was 11%. There was no clinical or statistical significant reduction in the incidence of deep-vein thrombosis with the use of thromboprophylaxis. However, we accept that owing to a cessation of funding, recruitment to this trial had to be ended prior to establishing the necessary sample size. Our results cannot, therefore, categorically exclude the possibility that low molecular weight heparin treatment could be beneficial. We recommend a further multicentre trial be undertaken to resolve this matter.

We undertook a cemental unipolar proximal femoral endoprosthetic replacement in 131 patients with a mean age of 50 years (2 to 84). Primary malignant tumours were present in 54 patients and 67 had metastatic disease. In addition, eight patients had either lymphoma or myeloma and two had non-oncological disorders. The mean follow-up was 27 months (0 to 180). An acetabular revision was required later in 14 patients, 12 of whom had been under the age of 21 years at the time of insertion of their original prosthesis. The risk of acetabular revision in patients over 21 years of age was 8% at five years compared with 36% in those aged under 21 years. All the unipolar hips in this younger age group required revision within 11 years of the initial operation.

We conclude that unipolar replacement should not be used in younger patients and should be avoided in patients with a life expectancy of more than five years.

We describe the survivorship of the Exeter femoral component in a District General Hospital. Between 1994 and 1996, 230 Exeter Universal cemented femoral components were implanted in 215 patients who were reviewed at a mean of 11.2 years (10 to 13). We used one acetabular implant, the Elite Ogee component, in 218 of the 230 hips.

During the period of this study 76 patients (79 hips) died. Of the remaining 139 patients (151 hips), 121 were able to attend for radiological analysis at a minimum of ten years. One patient was lost to follow-up.

No femoral component was revised for aseptic loosening. Three hips were revised for deep infection and six acetabular components required revision, four for loosening and two for recurrent dislocation. Taking the ‘worst-case scenario’ including the one patient lost to follow-up, the overall survival rate was 94.4% at 13 years.

Our results confirm excellent medium-term results for the Exeter Universal femoral component, implanted in a general setting. The excellent survival of this femoral component, when used in combination with the Ogee acetabular component, suggests that this is a successful pairing.

When using a staged approach to eradicate chronic infection after total hip replacement, systemic delivery of antibiotics after the first stage is often employed for an extended period of typically six weeks together with the use of an in situ antibiotic-eluting polymethylmethacrylate interval spacer. We report our multi-surgeon experience of 43 consecutive patients (44 hips) who received systemic vancomycin for two weeks in combination with a vancomycin- and gentamicin-eluting spacer system in the course of a two-stage revision procedure for deep infection with a median follow-up of 49 months (25 to 83).

The antibiotic-eluting articulating spacers fractured in six hips (13.9%) and dislocated in five patients (11.6%). Successful elimination of the infecting organisms occurred in 38 (92.7%) of 41 hips with three patients developing superinfection with a new organism.

We conclude that prolonged systemic antibiotic therapy may not be essential in the two-stage treatment of a total hip replacement for Gram-positive infection, provided that a high concentration of antibiotics is delivered locally using an antibiotic-eluting system.

Endoprosthetic replacement of the proximal femur may be required to treat primary bone tumours or destructive metastases either with impending or established pathological fracture. Modular prostheses are available off the shelf and can be adapted to most reconstructive situations for this purpose. We have assessed the clinical and functional outcome of using the METS (Stanmore Implants Worldwide) modular tumour prosthesis to reconstruct the proximal femur in 100 consecutive patients between 2001 and 2006. We compared the results with the published series for patients managed with modular and custom-made endoprosthetic replacements for the same conditions.

There were 52 males and 48 females with a mean age of 56.3 years (16 to 84) and a mean follow-up of 24.6 months (0 to 60). In 65 patients the procedure was undertaken for metastases, in 25 for a primary bone tumour, and in ten for other malignant conditions. A total of 46 patients presented with a pathological fracture, and 19 presented with failed fixation of a previous pathological fracture. The overall patient survival was 63.6% at one year and 23.1% at five years, and was significantly better for patients with a primary bone tumour than for those with metastatic tumour (82.3% vs 53.3%, respectively at one year (p = 0.003)). There were six early dislocations of which five could be treated by closed reduction. No patient needed revision surgery for dislocation. Revision surgery was required by six (6%) patients, five for pain caused by acetabular wear and one for tumour progression. Amputation was needed in four patients for local recurrence or infection.

The estimated five-year implant survival with revision as the endpoint was 90.7%. The mean Toronto Extremity Salvage score was 61% (51% to 95%). The implant survival and complications resulting from the use of the modular system were comparable to the published series of both custom-made and other modular proximal femoral implants.

We conclude that at intermediate follow-up the modular tumour prosthesis for proximal femur replacement provides versatility, a low incidence of implant-related complications and acceptable function for patients with metastatic tumours, pathological fractures and failed fixation of the proximal femur. It also functions as well as a custom-made endoprosthetic replacement.

We wished to determine whether simultaneous bilateral sequential total knee replacement (TKR) carried increased rates of mortality and complications compared with unilateral TKR in low- and high-risk patients.

Our study included 2385 patients who had undergone bilateral sequential TKR under one anaesthetic and 719 who had unilateral TKR. There were no significant pre-operative differences between the groups in terms of age, gender, height, weight, body mass index, diagnosis, comorbidity and duration of follow-up, which was a mean of 10.2 years (5 to 14) in the bilateral and 10.4 years (5 to 14) in the unilateral group.

The peri-operative mortality rate (eight patients, 0.3%) of patients who had bilateral sequential TKR was similar to that (five patients, 0.7%) of those undergoing unilateral TKR. In bilateral cases the peri-operative mortality rate (three patients, 0.4%) of patients at high risk was similar to that (five patients, 0.3%) of patients at low risk as it was also in unilateral cases (two patients, 1.0% vs three patients, 0.6%). There was no significant difference (p = 0.735) in either the overall number of major complications between bilateral and unilateral cases or between low- (p = 0.57) and high-risk (p = 0.61) patients. Also, the overall number of minor complications was not significantly different between the bilateral and unilateral group (p = 0.143).

Simultaneous bilateral sequential TKR can be offered to patients at low and high risk and has an expected rate of complications similar to that of unilateral TKR.

We evaluated the long-term outcome of isolated endoscopically-assisted posterior cruciate ligament reconstruction in 26 patients using hamstring tendon autografts after failure of conservative management. At ten years after surgery the mean International Knee Documentation Committee subjective knee score was 87 (sd 14) of a possible 100 points. Regular participation in moderate to strenuous activities was possible for only seven patients pre-operatively; this increased to 23 patients post-operatively. The mean Lysholm score improved from 64 (sd 15) to 90 (sd 14) at ten years (p = 0.001).

At ten years endoscopic reconstruction of the posterior cruciate ligament with hamstring tendon autograft is effective in reducing knee symptoms. Of the series, 22 patients underwent radiological assessment for the development of osteoarthritis using the Kellgren-Lawrence grading scale. In four patients, grade 2 changes with loss of joint space was observed and another four patients showed osteophyte formation with moderate joint space narrowing (grade 3). These findings compared favourably with non-operatively managed injuries of the posterior cruciate ligament.

This procedure for symptomatic patients with posterior cruciate ligament laxity who have failed conservative management offers good results.

We compared the outcome of patients treated for an intertrochanteric fracture of the femoral neck with a locked, long intramedullary nail with those treated with a dynamic hip screw (DHS) in a prospective randomised study.

Each patient who presented with an extra-capsular hip fracture was randomised to operative stabilisation with either a long intramedullary Holland nail or a DHS. We treated 92 patients with a Holland nail and 98 with a DHS. Pre-operative variables included the Mini Mental test score, patient mobility, fracture pattern and American Society of Anesthesiologists grading. Peri-operative variables were anaesthetic time, operating time, radiation time and blood loss. Post-operative variables were time to mobilising with a frame, wound infection, time to discharge, time to fracture union, and mortality.

We found no significant difference in the pre-operative variables. The mean anaesthetic and operation times were shorter in the DHS group than in the Holland nail group (29.7 vs 40.4 minutes, p < 0.001; and 40.3 vs 54 minutes, p < 0.001, respectively). There was an increased mean blood loss within the DHS group versus the Holland nail group (160 ml vs 78 ml, respectively, p < 0.001). The mean time to mobilisation with a frame was shorter in the Holland nail group (DHS 4.3 days, Holland nail 3.6 days, p = 0.012). More patients needed a post-operative blood transfusion in the DHS group (23 vs seven, p = 0.003) and the mean radiation time was shorter in this group (DHS 0.9 minutes vs Holland nail 1.56 minutes, p < 0.001). The screw of the DHS cut out in two patients, one of whom underwent revision to a Holland nail. There were no revisions in the Holland nail group. All fractures in both groups were united when followed up after one year.

We conclude that the DHS can be implanted more quickly and with less exposure to radiation than the Holland nail. However, the resultant blood loss and need for transfusion is greater. The Holland nail allows patients to mobilise faster and to a greater extent. We have therefore adopted the Holland nail as our preferred method of treating intertrochanteric fractures of the hip.

Femoral impaction bone allografting has been developed as a means of restoring bone stock in revision total hip replacement. We report the results of 75 consecutive patients (75 hips) with a mean age of 68 years (35 to 87) who underwent impaction grafting using the Exeter collarless, polished, tapered femoral stem between 1992 and 1998.

The mean follow-up period was 10.5 years (6.3 to 14.1). The median pre-operative bone defect score was 3 (interquartile range (IQR) 2 to 3) using the Endo-Klinik classification.

The median subsidence at one year post-operatively was 2 mm (IQR 1 to 3). At the final review the median Harris hip score was 80.6 (IQR 67.6 to 88.9) and the median subsidence 2 mm (IQR 1 to 4). Incorporation of the allograft into trabecular bone and secondary remodelling were noted radiologically at the final follow-up in 87% (393 of 452 zones) and 40% (181 of 452 zones), respectively.

Subsidence of the Exeter stem correlated with the pre-operative Endo-Klinik bone loss score (p = 0.037). The degree of subsidence at one year had a strong association with long-term subsidence (p < 0.001). There was a significant correlation between previous revision surgery and a poor Harris Hip score (p = 0.028), and those who had undergone previous revision surgery for infection had a higher risk of complications (p = 0.048). Survivorship at 10.5 years with any further femoral operation as the end-point was 92% (95% confidence interval 82 to 97).

We report the clinical and radiological results of a two- to three-year prospective randomised study which was designed to compare a minimally-invasive technique with a standard technique in total knee replacement and was undertaken between January 2004 and May 2007. The mini-midvastus approach was used on 50 patients (group A) and a standard approach on 50 patients (group B). The mean follow-up in both groups was 23 months (24 to 35).

The functional outcome was better in group A up to nine months after operation, as shown by statistically significant differences in the mean function score, mean total score and the mean Oxford knee score (all, p = 0.05). Patients in group A had statistically significant greater early flexion (p = 0.04) and reached their greatest mean knee flexion of 126.5° (95° to 135°) 21 days after operation. However, at final follow-up there was no significant difference in the mean maximum flexion between the groups (p = 0.08). Technical errors were identified in six patients from group A (12%) on radiological evaluation.

Based on these results, the authors currently use minimally-invasive techniques in total knee replacement in selected cases only.

A prospective, multi-centre study was carried out on 1421 total hip replacements between January 1999 and July 2007 to examine if obesity has an effect on clinical outcomes.

The patients were categorised into three groups: non-obese (body mass index (BMI) < 30 kg/m²), obese (BMI 30 to 40 kg/m²) and morbidly obese (BMI > 40 kg/m²). The primary outcome measure was the change in Oxford hip score at five years. Secondary outcome measures included dislocation and revision rates, increased haemorrhage, deep infection, deep-vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism, mean operating time and length of hospital stay. Radiological analysis assessing heterotopic ossification, femoral osteolysis and femoral stem positioning was performed. Data were incomplete for 362 hips (25.5%)

There was no difference in the change in the Oxford hip score, complication rates or radiological changes at five years between the groups. The morbidly obese group was significantly younger and required a significantly longer operating time. Obese and morbidly obese patients have as much to gain from total hip replacement as non-obese patients.

This prospective study presents the ten-year (5 to 16) clinical and radiological results of 55 primary total hip replacements (THR) using a cementless modular femoral component (S-ROM). All patients had a significant anatomical abnormality which rendered the primary THR difficult.

The mean Harris hip score was 36 (12 to 72) pre-operatively, 83 (44 to 100) at five years, and 85 (45 to 99) at ten years. The Western Ontario and McMaster Universities osteoarthritis index (WOMAC) and short-form (SF)-12 scores were recorded from the year 2000. The mean SF-12 score at five years after surgery was 45.24 (22.74 to 56.58) for the physical component and 54.14 (29.20 to 66.61) for the mental component. By ten years the SF-12 scores were 42.86 (21.59 to 58.95) and 51.03 (33.78 to 61.40), respectively. The mean WOMAC score at five years post-operatively was 25 (0 to 59), and at ten years was 27 (2 to 70).

No femoral components were radiologically loose, although five had osteolysis in Gruen zone 1, three had osteolysis in zone 7, and two showed osteolysis in both zones 1 and 7. No osteolysis was observed around or distal to the prosthetic sleeve. No femoral components were revised, although three hips underwent an acetabular revision and two required a liner exchange. At a mean of ten years’ follow-up the S-ROM femoral component implanted for an anatomically difficult primary THR has excellent clinical and radiological results.

Thromboprophylaxis after elective orthopaedic surgery remains controversial. Recent guidelines from the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) have suggested that low molecular weight heparin should be given to all patients undergoing total hip replacement. The British Orthopaedic Association is currently debating this guideline with NICE, as it is not clear whether published evidence supports this view. We present the early mortality in our unit after total hip replacement using aspirin as chemical thromboprophylaxis. The 30-day and 90-day mortality after primary total hip arthroplasty was zero. We compare this with that reported previously from our unit without using chemical thromboprophylaxis. With the introduction of routine aspirin thromboprophylaxis, deaths from cardiovascular causes have dropped from 0.75% to zero.

These results demonstrate that there is a strong argument for the routine administration of aspirin after elective total hip replacement.

We studied the influence of soft-tissue releases and soft-tissue balance on the outcome of 526 total knee replacements one year after operation. The surgery had been performed by seven surgeons in five centres in the United Kingdom between October 1999 and December 2002. Balancing was carried out by five surgeons using spacers and trials and by two surgeons using a ‘balancer’ instrument. All the surgeons assessed the adequacy of their releases by taking measurements with the balancer after soft-tissue release before implanting the components. Independent observers collected the Oxford knee scores and applied the American Knee Society functional and knee scores as well as recording the range of movement of the replaced knee. These were compared with the pre-operative scores and the extent of the releases.

We found differences in outcomes between minimal and extensive releases and between balanced and imbalanced knees.

Knees requiring extensive soft-tissue releases showed greater change in the short-term clinical outcome without increased complications and achieved similar results at one year compared with those with less deformity pre-operatively which had required less soft-tissue release. Balancing an imbalanced knee improved the short-term knee outcome.

We aimed to identify variables associated with clinical and radiological outcome following fractures of the acetabulum associated with posterior dislocation of the hip. Using a prospective database of 1076 such fractures, we identified 109 patients with this combined injury managed operatively within three weeks and followed up for two or more years. The patients had a mean age of 42 years (15 to 79), 78 (72%) were male, and 84 (77%) had been involved in motor vehicle accidents. Using multivariate analysis the quality of reduction of the fracture was identified as the only significant predictor of radiological grade, clinical function and the development of post-traumatic arthritis (p < 0.001). All patients lacking anatomical reduction developed arthritis whereas only 25.5% (24 patients) with an anatomical reduction did so (p = 0.05).

The quality of the reduction of the fracture is the most important variable in forecasting the outcome for patients with this injury. The interval to reduction of the dislocation of the hip may be less important than previously described.

Our aim was to determine the total blood loss associated with surgery for fracture of the hip and to identify risk factors for increased blood loss. We prospectively studied 546 patients with hip fracture. The total blood loss was calculated on the basis of the haemoglobin difference, the number of transfusions and the estimated blood volume. The hidden blood loss, in excess of that observed during surgery, varied from 547 ml (screws/ pins) to 1473 ml (intramedullary hip nail and screw) and was significantly associated with medical complications and increased hospital stay. The type of surgery, treatment with aspirin, intra-operative hypotension and gastro-intestinal bleeding or ulceration were all independent predictors of blood loss.

We conclude that total blood loss after surgery for hip fracture is much greater than that observed intra-operatively. Frequent post-operative measurements of haemoglobin are necessary to avoid anaemia.

A series of 100 consecutive osteoarthritic patients was randomised to undergo total knee replacement using a Miller-Galante II prosthesis, with or without a cemented polyethylene patellar component. Knee function was evaluated using the American Knee Society score, Western Ontario and McMaster University Osteoarthritis index, specific patellofemoral-related questions and radiographic evaluation until the fourth post-operative year, then via questionnaire until ten years post-operatively. A ten-point difference in the American Knee Society score between the two groups was considered a significant change in knee performance, with α and β levels of 0.05.

The mean age of the patients in the resurfaced group was 71 years (53 to 88) and in the non-resurfaced group was 73 years (54 to 86).

After ten years 22 patients had died, seven were suffering from dementia, three declined further participation and ten were lost to follow-up. Two patients in the non-resurfaced group subsequently had their patellae resurfaced. In the resurfaced group one patient had an arthroscopic lateral release. There was no significant difference between the two treatment groups: both had a similar deterioration of scores with time, and no further patellofemoral complications were observed in either group.

We are unable to recommend routine patellar resurfacing in osteoarthritic patients undergoing total knee replacement on the basis of our findings.

We report a case of fatal pulmonary embolism following a simple ankle fracture in a 17-year-old girl. The diagnosis was confirmed at post-mortem. The risk factors for deep venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolism and their significance in orthopaedic fracture management are discussed.

This prospective study describes the complications and survival of the first 688 Phase 3 Oxford medial unicompartmental knee replacements implanted using a minimally-invasive technique by two surgeons and followed up independently. None was lost to follow-up. We had carried out 132 of the procedures more than five years ago. The clinical assessment of 101 of these which were available for review at five years is also presented.

Nine of the 688 knees were revised: four for infection, three for dislocation of the bearing and two for unexplained pain. A further seven knees (1%) required other procedures: four had a manipulation under anaesthesia, two an arthroscopy and one a debridement for superficial infection. The survival rate at seven years was 97.3% (95% confidence interval 5.3). At five years, 96% of the patients had a good or excellent American Knee Society score, the mean Oxford knee score was 39 and the mean flexion was 133°. This study demonstrates that the minimally-invasive Oxford unicompartmental knee replacement is a reliable and effective procedure.

This population-based study investigated the incidence and trends in venous thromboembolic disease after total hip and knee arthroplasty over a ten-year period. Death or readmission for venous thromboembolic disease up to two years after surgery for all patients in Scotland was the primary outcome. The incidence of venous thromboembolic disease, including fatal pulmonary embolism, three months after surgery was 2.27% for primary hip arthroplasty and 1.79% for total knee arthroplasty. The incidence of fatal pulmonary embolism within three months was 0.22% for total hip arthroplasty and 0.15% for total knee arthroplasty. The majority of events occurred after hospital discharge, with no apparent trend over the period. The data support current advice that prophylaxis should be continued for at least six weeks following surgery. Despite the increased use of policies for prophylaxis and earlier mobilisation, there has been no change in the incidence of venous thromboembolic disease.

The Cambridge Cup has been designed to replace the horseshoe-shaped articular cartilage of the acetabulum and the underlying subchondral bone. It is intended to provide physiological loading with minimal resection of healthy bone.

The cup has been used in 50 women with displaced, subcapital fractures of the neck of the femur. In 24 cases, the cup was coated with hydroxyapatite. In 26, the coating was removed before implantation in order to simulate the effect of long-term resorption.

The mean Barthel index and the Charnley-modified Merle d’Aubigné scores recovered to their levels before fracture. We reviewed 30 women at two years, 21 were asymptomatic and nine reported minimal pain. The mean scores deteriorated slightly after five years reflecting the comorbidity of advancing age. Patients with the hydroxyapatite-coated components remained asymptomatic, with no wear or loosening. The uncoated components migrated after four years and three required revision. This trial shows good early results using a novel, hydroxyapatite-coated, physiological acetabular component.

We report the clinical and radiological outcome of 86 revisions of cemented hip arthroplasties using JRI-Furlong hydroxyapatite-ceramic-coated acetabular and femoral components. The acetabular component was revised in 62 hips and the femoral component in all hips. The mean follow-up was 12.6 years and no patient was lost to follow-up.

The mean age of the patients was 71.2 years. The mean Harris hip and Oxford scores were 82 (59 to 96) and 23.4 (14 to 40), respectively. The mean Charnley modification of the Merle d’Aubigné and Postel score was 5 (3 to 6) for pain, 4.9 (3 to 6) for movement and 4.4 (3 to 6) for mobility. Migration of the acetabular component was seen in two hips and the mean acetabular inclination was 42.6°. The mean linear polyethylene wear was 0.05 mm/year. The mean subsidence of the femoral component was 1.9 mm and stress shielding was seen in 23 (28%) with bony ingrowth in 76 (94%). Heterotopic ossification was seen in 12 hips (15%). There were three re-revisions, two for deep sepsis and one for recurrent dislocation and there were no re-revisions for aseptic loosening. The mean EuroQol EQ-5D description scores and health thermometer scores were 0.69 (0.51 to 0.89) and 79 (54 to 95), respectively. With an end-point of definite or probable loosening, the probability of survival at 12 years was 93.9% and 95.6% for the acetabular and femoral components, respectively. Overall survival at 12 years, with removal or further revision of either component for any reason as the end-point, was 92.3%.

Our study supports the continued use of this arthroplasty and documents the durability of hydroxyapatite-ceramic-coated components.

We describe the survival of 134 consecutive JRI Furlong hydroxyapatite-coated uncemented total hip replacements. The mean follow-up was for 14.2 years (13 to 15).

Patients were assessed clinically, using the Merle d’Aubigné and Postel score. Radiographs were evaluated using Gruen zones for the stem and DeLee and Charnley zones for the cup. Signs of subsidence, radiolucent lines, endosteal bone formation (spot welds) and pedestal formation were used to assess fixation and stability of the stem according to Engh’s criteria. Cup angle, migration and radiolucency were used to assess loosening of the cup. The criteria for failure were revision, or impending revision because of pain or loosening. Survival analysis was performed using a life table and the Kaplan-Meier curve.

The mean total Merle d’Aubigné and Postel score was 7.4 pre-operatively and 15.9 at follow-up. During the study period 22 patients died and six were lost to follow-up. None of the cups was revised. One stem was revised for a periprosthetic fracture following a fall but none was revised for loosening, giving a 99% survival at 13 years. Our findings suggest that the long-term results of these hydroxyapatite-coated prostheses are more than satisfactory.

We report the incidence and location of deep-vein thrombosis in 312 patients who had sustained high-energy, skeletal trauma. They were investigated using magnetic resonance venography and Duplex ultrasound.

Despite thromboprophylaxis, 36 (11.5%) developed venous thromboembolic disease with an incidence of 10% in those with non-pelvic trauma and 12.2% in the group with pelvic trauma. Of patients who developed deep-vein thrombosis, 13 of 27 in the pelvic group (48%) and only one of nine in the non-pelvic group (11%) had a definite pelvic deep-vein thrombosis. When compared with magnetic resonance venography, ultrasound had a false-negative rate of 77% in diagnosing pelvic deep-vein thrombosis. Its value in the pelvis was limited, although it was more accurate than magnetic resonance venography in diagnosing clots in the lower limbs. Additional screening may be needed to detect pelvic deep-vein thrombosis in patients with pelvic or acetabular fractures.

The results of meta-analysis show a revision rate of 33% for internal fixation of displaced fractures of the femoral neck, mostly because of nonunion. Osteopenia and osteoporosis are highly prevalent in elderly patients. Bone density has been shown to correlate with the intrinsic stability of the fixation of the fracture in cadaver and retrospective studies. We aimed to confirm or refute this finding in a clinical setting.

We performed a prospective, multicentre study of 111 active patients over 60 years of age with a displaced fracture of the femoral neck which was eligible for internal fixation. The bone density of the femoral neck was measured pre-operatively by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). The patients were divided into two groups namely, those with osteopenia (66%, mean T-score −1.6) and those with osteoporosis (34%, mean T-score −3.0). Age (p = 0.47), gender (p = 0.67), delay to surgery (p = 0.07), the angle of the fracture (p = 0.33) and the type of implant (p = 0.48) were similar in both groups.

Revision to arthroplasty was performed in 41% of osteopenic and 42% of osteoporotic patients (p = 0.87). Morbidity (p = 0.60) and mortality were similar in both groups (p = 0.65). Our findings show that the clinical outcome of internal fixation for displaced fractures of the femoral neck does not depend on bone density and that pre-operative DEXA is not useful.

We describe the experience with the first consecutive 230 Birmingham hip resurfacings at our centre. At a mean follow-up of three years (25 to 52 months) survivorship was 99.14% with revision in one patient for a loose acetabular component and one death from unrelated causes. One patient developed a fracture of the femoral neck at six weeks which united unremarkably after a period of non-weight-bearing. The Harris hip score improved from a mean of 62.54 (8 to 92) to 97.74 (61 to 100). The mean flexion improved from 91.52° (25 to 140) to 110.41° (80 to 145).

Most patients (97%) considered the outcome to be good or excellent. Our preliminary experience with this implant is encouraging and the results are superior to the earlier generation of resurfacings for the same length of follow-up.

We prospectively studied the outcome of a protocol of prophylaxis for deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in 103 consecutive patients undergoing surgical stabilisation of pelvic and acetabular fractures. Low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) was administered within 24 hours of injury or on achieving haemodynamic stability. Patients were screened for proximal DVT by duplex ultrasonography performed ten to 14 days after surgery. The incidence of proximal DVT was 10% and of pulmonary embolus 5%. Proximal DVT developed in two of 64 patients (3%) who had received LMWH within 24 hours of injury, but in eight of 36 patients (22%) who received LMWH more than 24 hours after the injury (p < 0.01). We conclude that LMWH, when begun without delay, is a safe and effective method of thromboprophylaxis in high-risk patients with major pelvic or acetabular fractures

Chemical prophylaxis is known to reduce the venographic prevalence of deep-vein thrombosis (DVT) after total knee replacement (TKR), but it is uncertain whether this affects the incidence of symptoms. Further analysis depends on the basic epidemiology of thromboembolic symptoms. We therefore studied the pattern of such symptoms in a consecutive series of 1000 patients with primary TKR, with particular reference to risk factors and prophylaxis. We reviewed all the clinical records and contacted all the patients individually, noting risk factors, prophylaxis, symptomatic pulmonary embolus (PE) or DVT and its timing, death and its causes, and all complications. All the patients wore antiembolism stockings, 83% had regional anaesthesia and 33.9% had chemical prophylaxis. One patient died from PE on the day of surgery, having had no prophylaxis giving a rate of 0.1% (95% CI 0.003% to 0.56%). Symptomatic, radiologically confirmed thromboembolism (VTE) was common with a rate of 10.6% (95% CI 8.7% to 12.5%). There was a similar incidence of VTE in those with and without chemical prophylaxis (10.1% v 10.5%, RR 0.96, NS). VTE was more common in patients with risk factors (15.1% v 9.5%, RR 1.59, p = 0.02) and tended to occur earlier in this group (median day of onset 5 v 7, p = 0.01). Chemical prophylaxis did not reduce the frequency of symptomatic thromboembolism in either those with risk factors (RR 0.81, p = 0.5) or those without them (RR 0.94, p = 0.8). Haematoma or wound dehiscence was more common in those having chemical prophylaxis (11.9% v 6.9%; RR 1.73 95% CI 1.16 to 2.60). Readmission for symptomatic, radio-logically confirmed thromboembolism involved 1.1% of patients (95% CI 0.55% to 2.1%). Four patients were readmitted with proven non-fatal PE and six with proven DVT (the latest on day 40). Our results show that the main risk factor for thromboembolism was TKR itself; chemical prophylaxis did not reduce the incidence of symptomatic thromboembolism but gave an increased perception of side-effects. New prophylactic methods or combinations of methods are needed, with their efficacy compared by randomised controlled studies of both the clinical and the radiological effect

1. Ninety-one patients with Charnley stabilisation have been reviewed. 2. The patients' ages ranged from fifteen to seventy-eight, with an average of fifty-seven years. 3. Patients have been followed up for at least one year, the average period being almost three years. 4. Early complications included low grade pyrexia (33 per cent), femoral thrombosis (10 per cent) and pulmonary embolus (5 per cent). 5. Fifty-four per cent of patients had no backache, 36 per cent had slight and 10 per cent had troublesome backache. 6. Sound bony fusion occurred in 72 per cent, unsound union in 19 per cent and stress fracture in 9 per cent. 7. Stress fracture and unsound union occurred most frequently in those over sixty years of age. 8. In eighteen patients under fifty there was one unsound fusion and no stress fracture