Aims. The aim of this study was to describe the pattern of revision indications for unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA) and total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and any change to this pattern for UKA patients over the last 20 years, and to investigate potential associations to changes in surgical practice over time. Methods. All primary knee arthroplasty surgeries performed due to primary osteoarthritis and their revisions reported to the Danish Knee Arthroplasty Register from 1997 to 2017 were included. Complex surgeries were excluded. The data was linked to the National Patient Register and the Civil Registration System for comorbidity, mortality, and emigration status. TKAs were propensity score matched 4:1 to UKAs. Revision risks were compared using competing risk Cox proportional hazard regression with a shared γ frailty component. Results. Aseptic loosening (loosening) was the most common revision indication for both UKA (26.7%) and TKA (29.5%). Pain and disease progression accounted for 54.6% of the remaining UKA revisions.
This study aims to determine difference in annual rate of early-onset (≤ 90 days) deep surgical site infection (SSI) following primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA) for osteoarthritis, and to identify risk factors that may be associated with infection. This is a retrospective population-based cohort study using prospectively collected patient-level data between 1 January 2013 and 1 March 2020. The diagnosis of deep SSI was defined as per the Centers for Disease Control/National Healthcare Safety Network criteria. The Mann-Kendall Trend test was used to detect monotonic trends in annual rates of early-onset deep SSI over time. Multiple logistic regression was used to analyze the effect of different patient, surgical, and healthcare setting factors on the risk of developing a deep SSI within 90 days from surgery for patients with complete data. We also report 90-day mortality.Aims
Methods
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. This single-centre study compared 169 consecutive patients with severe obesity (BMI ≥ 40 kg/m2) (mean age 65.2 years (40 to 87); mean BMI 44.2 kg/m2 (40 to 66); 129/169 female) undergoing unilateral TKA to a propensity score matched (age, sex, preoperative Oxford Knee Score (OKS)) cohort with a BMI < 40 kg/m2 in a 1:1 ratio. Demographic data, comorbidities, and complications to one year were recorded. Preoperative and one-year patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) were completed: EuroQol five-dimension three-level questionnaire (EQ-5D-3L), OKS, pain, and satisfaction. Using national life expectancy data with obesity correction and the 2020 NHS National Tariff, QALYs (discounted at 3.5%), and direct medical costs accrued over a patient’s lifetime, were calculated. Probabilistic sensitivity analysis (PSA) was used to model variation in cost/QALY for each cohort across 1,000 simulations.Aims
Methods
Arthrodesis is rarely used as a salvage procedure for patients with a chronically infected total knee arthroplasty (TKA), and little information is available about the outcome. The aim of this study was to assess the reliability, durability, and safety of this procedure as the definitive treatment for complex, chronically infected TKA, in a current series of patients. We retrospectively identified 41 patients (41 TKAs) with a complex infected TKA, who were treated between 2002 and 2016 using a deliberate, two-stage knee arthrodesis. Their mean age was 64 years (34 to 88) and their mean body mass index (BMI) was 39 kg/m2 (25 to 79). The mean follow-up was four years (2 to 9). The extensor mechanism (EM) was deficient in 27 patients (66%) and flap cover was required in 14 (34%). Most patients were host grade B (56%) or C (29%), and limb grade 3 (71%), according to the classification of McPherson et al. A total of 12 patients (29%) had polymicrobial infections and 20 (49%) had multi-drug resistant organisms; fixation involved an intramedullary nail in 25 (61%), an external fixator in ten (24%), and dual plates in six (15%).Aims
Methods
The best marker for assessing glycaemic control prior to total knee arthroplasty (TKA) remains unknown. The purpose of this study was to assess the utility of fructosamine compared with glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) in predicting early complications following TKA, and to determine the threshold above which the risk of complications increased markedly. This prospective multi-institutional study evaluated primary TKA patients from four academic institutions. Patients (both diabetics and non-diabetics) were assessed using fructosamine and HbA1c levels within 30 days of surgery. Complications were assessed for 12 weeks from surgery and included prosthetic joint infection (PJI), wound complication, re-admission, re-operation, and death. The Youden’s index was used to determine the cut-off for fructosamine and HbA1c associated with complications. Two additional cut-offs for HbA1c were examined: 7% and 7.5% and compared with fructosamine as a predictor for complications.Aims
Patients and Methods
Aims. The results of irrigation and debridement with component retention (IDCR) in the treatment of acutely infected total knee arthroplasties (TKAs) have been variable. The aim of this study was to assess the outcome after IDCR when combined with chronic antibiotic suppression. We also evaluated survivorship free from subsequent infection, removal of the components, and death, as well as the risk factors for failure. Patients and Methods. This was a single-centre retrospective review of 134 infected primary TKAs that were treated with IDCR.
The aim of this study was to identify risk factors for prosthetic
joint infection (PJI) following total knee arthroplasty (TKA). The New Zealand Joint Registry database was analysed, using revision
surgery for PJI at six and 12 months after surgery as primary outcome
measures. Statistical associations between revision for infection,
with common and definable surgical and patient factors were tested.Aims
Patients and Methods
Knee arthrodesis is a potential salvage procedure
for limb preservation after failure of total knee arthroplasty (TKA) due
to infection. In this study, we evaluated the outcome of single-stage
knee arthrodesis using an intramedullary cemented coupled nail without
bone-on-bone fusion after failed and infected TKA with extensor
mechanism deficiency. Between 2002 and 2012, 27 patients (ten female,
17 male; mean age 68.8 years; 52 to 87) were treated with septic
single-stage exchange. Mean follow-up duration was 67.1months (24
to 143, n = 27) (minimum follow-up 24 months) and for patients with
a minimum follow-up of five years 104.9 (65 to 143,; n = 13). A
subjective patient evaluation (Short Form (SF)-36) was obtained,
in addition to the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). The mean VAS score was
1.44 (SD 1.48). At final follow-up, four patients had recurrent
infections after arthrodesis (14.8%). Of these, three patients were
treated with a one-stage arthrodesis nail exchange; one of the three
patients had an aseptic loosening with a third single-stage exchange,
and one patient underwent knee amputation for uncontrolled sepsis at
108 months. All patients, including the amputee, indicated that
they would choose arthrodesis again. Data indicate that a single-stage
knee arthrodesis offers an acceptable salvage procedure after failed
and infected TKA. Cite this article:
Patients with osteoarthritis undergoing knee replacement have been reported to have an overall reduced mortality compared with that of the general population. This has been attributed to the selection of healthier patients for surgery. However, previous studies have had a maximum follow-up time of ten years. We have used information from the Swedish Knee Arthroplasty Register to study the mortality of a large national series of patients with total knee replacement for up to 28 years after surgery and compared their mortality with that of the normal population. In addition, for a subgroup of patients operated on between 1980 and 2002 we analysed their registered causes of death to determine if they differed from those expected. We found a reduced overall mortality during the first 12 post-operative years after which it increased and became significantly higher than that of the general population. Age-specific analysis indicated an inverse correlation between age and mortality, where the younger the patients were, the higher their mortality. The shift at 12 years was caused by a relative over-representation of younger patients with a longer follow-up. Analysis of specific causes of death showed a higher mortality for cardiovascular, gastrointestinal and urogenital diseases. The observation that early onset of osteoarthritis of the knee which has been treated by total knee replacement is linked to an increased mortality should be a reason for increased general awareness of health problems in these patients.
