Aims. Adenosine, lidocaine, and Mg. 2+. (ALM) therapy exerts differential immuno-inflammatory responses in males and females early after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction (ACLR). Our aim was to investigate sex-specific effects of ALM therapy on joint tissue repair and recovery 28 days after surgery. Methods. Male (n = 21) and female (n = 21) adult Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into ALM or Saline control treatment groups. Three days after ACL rupture, animals underwent ACLR. An ALM or saline intravenous infusion was commenced prior to skin incision, and continued for one hour. An intra-articular bolus of ALM or saline was also administered prior to skin closure. Animals were monitored to 28 days, and joint function, pain, inflammatory markers, histopathology, and tissue repair markers were assessed. Results. Despite comparable knee function, ALM-treated males had reduced systemic inflammation, synovial fluid angiogenic and pro-inflammatory mediators, synovitis, and fat pad fibrotic changes, compared to controls. Within the ACL graft, ALM-treated males had increased expression of tissue repair markers, decreased inflammation, increased collagen organization, and improved graft-bone healing. In contrast to males, females had no evidence of persistent systemic inflammation. Compared to controls, ALM-treated females had improved knee extension, gait biomechanics, and elevated synovial macrophage inflammatory protein-1 alpha (MIP-1α). Within the ACL graft, ALM-treated females had decreased inflammation, increased collagen organization, and improved graft-bone healing. In articular cartilage of ALM-treated animals, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-13 expression was blunted in males, while in females repair markers were increased. Conclusion. At 28 days, ALM therapy reduces inflammation,
We report the five- to-ten year results of Anderson Orthopaedic Research Institute type-2 bone defects treated with modular metal
Aims. While residual fixed flexion deformity (FFD) in unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA) has been associated with worse functional outcomes, limited evidence exists regarding FFD changes. The objective of this study was to quantify FFD changes in patients with medial unicompartmental knee arthritis undergoing UKA, and investigate any correlation with clinical outcomes. Methods. This study included 136 patients undergoing robotic arm-assisted medial UKA between January 2018 and December 2022. The study included 75 males (55.1%) and 61 (44.9%) females, with a mean age of 67.1 years (45 to 90). Patients were divided into three study groups based on the degree of preoperative FFD: ≤ 5°, 5° to ≤ 10°, and > 10°. Intraoperative optical motion capture technology was used to assess pre- and postoperative FFD. Clinical FFD was measured pre- and postoperatively at six weeks and one year following surgery. Preoperative and one-year postoperative Oxford Knee Scores (OKS) were collected. Results. Overall, the median preoperative navigated (NAV) FFD measured 6.0° (IQR 3.1 to 8), while the median postoperative NAV FFD was 3.0° (IQR 1° to 4.4°), representing a mean correction of 49.2%. The median preoperative clinical FFD was 5° (IQR 0° to 9.75°) for the entire cohort, which decreased to 3.0° (IQR 0° to 5°) and 2° (IQR 0° to 3°) at six weeks and one year postoperatively, respectively. A statistically significant improvement in PROMs compared with baseline was evident in all groups (p < 0.001). Regression analyses showed that participants who experienced a larger FFD correction, showed greater improvement in PROMs (β = 0.609, p = 0.049; 95% CI 0.002 to 1.216). Conclusion. This study found that UKA was associated with an approximately 50% improvement in preoperative FFD across all three examined groups. Participants with greater correction of FFD also demonstrated larger OKS gains. These findings could prove a useful
Aims. Joint registries classify all further arthroplasty procedures to a knee with an existing partial arthroplasty as revision surgery, regardless of the actual procedure performed. Relatively minor procedures, including bearing exchanges, are classified in the same way as major operations requiring
Aims. The aim of this study was to evaluate the ability of a machine-learning algorithm to diagnose prosthetic loosening from preoperative radiographs and to investigate the inputs that might improve its performance. Methods. A group of 697 patients underwent a first-time revision of a total hip (THA) or total knee arthroplasty (TKA) at our institution between 2012 and 2018. Preoperative anteroposterior (AP) and lateral radiographs, and historical and comorbidity information were collected from their electronic records. Each patient was defined as having loose or fixed components based on the operation notes. We trained a series of convolutional neural network (CNN) models to predict a diagnosis of loosening at the time of surgery from the preoperative radiographs. We then added historical data about the patients to the best performing model to create a final model and tested it on an independent dataset. Results. The convolutional neural network we built performed well when detecting loosening from radiographs alone. The first model built de novo with only the radiological image as input had an accuracy of 70%. The final model, which was built by fine-tuning a publicly available model named DenseNet, combining the AP and lateral radiographs, and incorporating information from the patient’s history, had an accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of 88.3%, 70.2%, and 95.6% on the independent test dataset. It performed better for cases of revision THA with an accuracy of 90.1%, than for cases of revision TKA with an accuracy of 85.8%. Conclusion. This study showed that machine learning can detect prosthetic loosening from radiographs. Its accuracy is enhanced when using highly trained public algorithms, and when adding clinical data to the algorithm. While this algorithm may not be sufficient in its present state of development as a standalone metric of loosening, it is currently a useful
Aims. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of transferring patients to a specialized arthroplasty centre between the first and second stages (interstage) of prosthetic joint infection (PJI) of the knee. Patients and Methods. A search of our institutional database was performed to identify patients having undergone two-stage revision total knee arthroplasty (TKA) for PJI. Two cohorts were created: continuous care (CC) and transferred care (TC). Baseline characteristics and outcomes were collected and compared between cohorts. Results. A total of 137 patients were identified: 105 in the CC cohort (56 men, 49 women; mean age 67.9) and 32 in the TC cohort (17 men, 15 women; mean age 67.8 years). PJI organism virulence was greater in the CC cohort (36.2% vs 15.6%; p = 0.030). TC patients had a higher rate of persisting or recurrent infection (53.6% vs 13.4%; p < 0.001), soft-tissue complications (31.3 vs 14.3%; p = 0.030), and reduced requirement for porous metal
Obtaining solid implant fixation is crucial in revision total knee arthroplasty (rTKA) to avoid aseptic loosening, a major reason for re-revision. This study aims to validate a novel grading system that quantifies implant fixation across three anatomical zones (epiphysis, metaphysis, diaphysis). Based on pre-, intra-, and postoperative assessments, the novel grading system allocates a quantitative score (0, 0.5, or 1 point) for the quality of fixation achieved in each anatomical zone. The criteria used by the algorithm to assign the score include the bone quality, the size of the bone defect, and the type of fixation used. A consecutive cohort of 245 patients undergoing rTKA from 2012 to 2018 were evaluated using the current novel scoring system and followed prospectively. In addition, 100 first-time revision cases were assessed radiologically from the original cohort and graded by three observers to evaluate the intra- and inter-rater reliability of the novel radiological grading system.Aims
Methods
Robotic arm-assisted surgery offers accurate and reproducible guidance in component positioning and assessment of soft-tissue tensioning during knee arthroplasty, but the feasibility and early outcomes when using this technology for revision surgery remain unknown. The objective of this study was to compare the outcomes of robotic arm-assisted revision of unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA) to total knee arthroplasty (TKA) versus primary robotic arm-assisted TKA at short-term follow-up. This prospective study included 16 patients undergoing robotic arm-assisted revision of UKA to TKA versus 35 matched patients receiving robotic arm-assisted primary TKA. In all study patients, the following data were recorded: operating time, polyethylene liner size, change in haemoglobin concentration (g/dl), length of inpatient stay, postoperative complications, and hip-knee-ankle (HKA) alignment. All procedures were performed using the principles of functional alignment. At most recent follow-up, range of motion (ROM), Forgotten Joint Score (FJS), and Oxford Knee Score (OKS) were collected. Mean follow-up time was 21 months (6 to 36).Aims
Methods
Implantation of ultra-purified alginate (UPAL) gel is safe and effective in animal osteochondral defect models. This study aimed to examine the applicability of UPAL gel implantation to acellular therapy in humans with cartilage injury. A total of 12 patients (12 knees) with symptomatic, post-traumatic, full-thickness cartilage lesions (1.0 to 4.0 cm2) were included in this study. UPAL gel was implanted into chondral defects after performing bone marrow stimulation technique, and assessed for up to three years postoperatively. The primary outcomes were the feasibility and safety of the procedure. The secondary outcomes were self-assessed clinical scores, arthroscopic scores, tissue biopsies, and MRI-based estimations.Aims
Methods
We identified 148 patients who had undergone a revision total knee replacement using a single implant system between 1990 and 2000. Of these 18 patients had died, six had developed a peri-prosthetic fracture and ten had incomplete records or radiographs. This left 114 with prospectively-collected radiographs and Bristol knee scores available for study. The height of the joint line before and after revision total knee replacement was measured and classified as either restored to within 5 mm of the pre-operative height or elevated if it was positioned more than 5 mm above the pre-operative height. The joint line was elevated in 41 knees (36%) and restored in 73 (64%). Revision surgery significantly improved the mean Bristol knee score from 41.1 (. sd. 15.9) pre-operatively to 80.5 (. sd. 15) post-operatively (p <
0.001). At one year post-operatively both the total Bristol knee score and its functional component were significantly better in the restored group than in the elevated group (p <
0.01). Overall, revision from a unicondylar knee replacement required less use of bone graft, fewer component
This study aims to determine the rate of and risk factors for total knee arthroplasty (TKA) after operative management of tibial plateau fractures (TPFs) in older adults. This is a retrospective cohort study of 182 displaced TPFs in 180 patients aged ≥ 60 years, over a 12-year period with a minimum follow-up of one year. The mean age was 70.7 years (SD 7.7; 60 to 89), and 139/180 patients (77.2%) were female. Radiological assessment consisted of fracture classification; pre-existing knee osteoarthritis (OA); reduction quality; loss of reduction; and post-traumatic OA. Fracture depression was measured on CT, and the volume of defect estimated as half an oblate spheroid. Operative management, complications, reoperations, and mortality were recorded.Aims
Methods
The aim of this study was to evaluate medium- to long-term outcomes and complications of the Stanmore Modular Individualised Lower Extremity System (SMILES) rotating hinge implant in revision total knee arthroplasty (rTKA) at a tertiary unit. It is hypothesized that this fully cemented construct leads to satisfactory clinical outcomes. A retrospective consecutive study of all patients who underwent a rTKA using the fully cemented SMILES rotating hinge prosthesis between 2005 to 2018. Outcome measures included aseptic loosening, reoperations, revision for any cause, complications, and survivorship. Patients and implant survivorship data were identified through both prospectively collected local hospital electronic databases and linked data from the National Joint Registry/NHS Personal Demographic Service. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was used at ten years.Aims
Methods
The aim of this study was to establish consensus statements on medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL) reconstruction, anteromedialization tibial tubercle osteotomy, trochleoplasty, and rehabilitation and return to sporting activity in patients with patellar instability, using the modified Delphi process. This was the second part of a study dealing with these aspects of management in these patients. As in part I, a total of 60 surgeons from 11 countries contributed to the development of consensus statements based on their expertise in this area. They were assigned to one of seven working groups defined by subtopics of interest. Consensus was defined as achieving between 80% and 89% agreement, strong consensus was defined as between 90% and 99% agreement, and 100% agreement was considered unanimous.Aims
Methods
The tibial component of total knee arthroplasty can either be an all-polyethylene (AP) implant or a metal-backed (MB) implant. This study aims to compare the five-year functional outcomes of AP tibial components to MB components in patients aged over 70 years. Secondary aims are to compare quality of life, implant survivorship, and cost-effectiveness. A group of 130 patients who had received an AP tibial component were matched for demographic factors of age, BMI, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) grade, sex, and preoperative Knee Society Score (KSS) to create a comparison group of 130 patients who received a MB tibial component. Functional outcome was assessed prospectively by KSS, quality of life by 12-Item Short-Form Health Survey questionnaire (SF-12), and range of motion (ROM), and implant survivorships were compared. The SF six-dimension (6D) was used to calculate the incremental cost effectiveness ratio (ICER) for AP compared to MB tibial components using quality-adjusted life year methodology.Aims
Methods
The purpose of this study was to assess mid-term survivorship following primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA) with Optetrak Logic components and identify the most common revision indications at a single institution. We identified a retrospective cohort of 7,941 Optetrak primary TKAs performed from January 2010 to December 2018. We reviewed the intraoperative findings of 369 TKAs that required revision TKA from January 2010 to December 2021 and the details of the revision implants used. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to determine survivorship. Cox regression analysis was used to examine the impact of patient variables and year of implantation on survival time.Aims
Methods
Distal femoral resection in conventional total knee arthroplasty (TKA) utilizes an intramedullary guide to determine coronal alignment, commonly planned for 5° of valgus. However, a standard 5° resection angle may contribute to malalignment in patients with variability in the femoral anatomical and mechanical axis angle. The purpose of the study was to leverage deep learning (DL) to measure the femoral mechanical-anatomical axis angle (FMAA) in a heterogeneous cohort. Patients with full-limb radiographs from the Osteoarthritis Initiative were included. A DL workflow was created to measure the FMAA and validated against human measurements. To reflect potential intramedullary guide placement during manual TKA, two different FMAAs were calculated either using a line approximating the entire diaphyseal shaft, and a line connecting the apex of the femoral intercondylar sulcus to the centre of the diaphysis. The proportion of FMAAs outside a range of 5.0° (SD 2.0°) was calculated for both definitions, and FMAA was compared using univariate analyses across sex, BMI, knee alignment, and femur length.Aims
Methods
Revision total knee arthroplasty (rTKA) is a technically challenging and costly procedure. It is well-documented that primary TKA (pTKA) have better survivorship than rTKA; however, we were unable to identify any studies explicitly investigating previous rTKA as a risk factor for failure following rTKA. The purpose of this study is to compare the outcomes following rTKA between patients undergoing index rTKA and those who had been previously revised. This retrospective, observational study reviewed patients who underwent unilateral, aseptic rTKA at an academic orthopaedic speciality hospital between June 2011 and April 2020 with > one-year of follow-up. Patients were dichotomized based on whether this was their first revision procedure or not. Patient demographics, surgical factors, postoperative outcomes, and re-revision rates were compared between the groups.Aims
Methods
This prospective study reports longitudinal, within-patient, patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) over a 15-year period following cemented single radius total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Secondary aims included reporting PROMs trajectory, 15-year implant survival, and patient attrition from follow-up. From 2006 to 2007, 462 consecutive cemented cruciate-retaining Triathlon TKAs were implanted in 426 patients (mean age 69 years (21 to 89); 290 (62.7%) female). PROMs (12-item Short Form Survey (SF-12), Oxford Knee Score (OKS), and satisfaction) were assessed preoperatively and at one, five, ten, and 15 years. Kaplan-Meier survival and univariate analysis were performed.Aims
Methods
We have previously reported the mid-term outcomes of revision total knee arthroplasty (TKA) for flexion instability. At a mean of four years, there were no re-revisions for instability. The aim of this study was to report the implant survivorship and clinical and radiological outcomes of the same cohort of of patients at a mean follow-up of ten years. The original publication included 60 revision TKAs in 60 patients which were undertaken between 2000 and 2010. The mean age of the patients at the time of revision TKA was 65 years, and 33 (55%) were female. Since that time, 21 patients died, leaving 39 patients (65%) available for analysis. The cumulative incidence of any re-revision with death as a competing risk was calculated. Knee Society Scores (KSSs) were also recorded, and updated radiographs were reviewed.Aims
Methods
Injury to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL)
is one of the most devastating and frequent injuries of the knee. Surgical
reconstruction is the current standard of care for treatment of
ACL injuries in active patients. The widespread adoption of ACL
reconstruction over primary repair was based on early perception
of the limited healing capacity of the ACL. Although the majority
of ACL reconstruction surgeries successfully restore gross joint stability,
post-traumatic osteoarthritis is commonplace following these injuries,
even with ACL reconstruction. The development of new techniques
to limit the long-term clinical sequelae associated with ACL reconstruction
has been the main focus of research over the past decades. The improved
knowledge of healing, along with recent advances in tissue engineering
and regenerative medicine, has resulted in the discovery of novel
biologically