Aims

While a centralized system for the care of patients with a sarcoma has been advocated for decades, regional variations in survival remain unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate regional variations in survival and the impact of national policies in patients with a soft-tissue sarcoma (STS) in the UK.

Aims

Aneurysmal bone cysts (ABCs) are locally aggressive lesions typically found in the long bones of children and adolescents. A variety of management strategies have been reported to be effective in the treatment of these lesions. The purpose of this review was to assess the effectiveness of current strategies for the management of primary ABCs of the long bones.

Ovine articular chondrocytes were isolated from cartilage biopsy and culture expanded in vitro. Approximately 30 million cells per ml of cultured chondrocytes were incorporated with autologous plasma-derived fibrin to form a three-dimensional construct. Full-thickness punch hole defects were created in the lateral and medial femoral condyles. The defects were implanted with either an autologous ‘chondrocyte-fibrin’ construct (ACFC), autologous chondrocytes (ACI) or fibrin blanks (AF) as controls. Animals were killed after 12 weeks. The gross appearance of the treated defects was inspected and photographed. The repaired tissues were studied histologically and by scanning electron microscopy analysis. All defects were assessed using the International Cartilage Repair Society (ICRS) classification. Those treated with ACFC, ACI and AF exhibited median scores which correspond to a nearly-normal appearance. On the basis of the modified O’Driscoll histological scoring scale, ACFC implantation significantly enhanced cartilage repair compared to ACI and AF. Using scanning electron microscopy, ACFC and ACI showed characteristic organisation of chondrocytes and matrices, which were relatively similar to the surrounding adjacent cartilage. Implantation of ACFC resulted in superior hyaline-like cartilage regeneration when compared with ACI. If this result is applicable to humans, a better outcome would be obtained than by using conventional ACI

We retrospectively studied the possibility that direct trauma to the biceps muscle might be the cause of poor elbow flexion and supination in 18 consecutive children with birth lesions of the brachial plexus who had delayed or impaired biceps recovery despite neurophysiological evidence of reinnervation. All had good shoulder and hand function at three months of age. Eight recovered a strong biceps after six months, but nine required a pectoralis minor to biceps transfer to augment elbow flexion and supination. One had a delayed but good recovery of the biceps after microsurgical reconstruction of the plexus. All had a clinical ‘pseudotumour’ in the biceps muscle, which was biopsied during pectoralis minor transfer in two patients and showed rupture and degeneration of muscle fibres with a fibro-fatty infiltrate, suggesting previous muscle trauma. Direct muscle trauma is an uncommon but important cause of delayed or impaired biceps recovery after brachial plexus birth injuries. Surgery to reinnervate the biceps muscle will not work if substantial muscle damage is present when a suitable muscle transfer should be considered

Aims

We report the medium-term outcomes of a consecutive series of 118 Zenith total ankle arthroplasties (TAAs) from a single, non-designer centre.

Aims

Local recurrence remains a challenging and common problem following curettage and joint-sparing surgery for giant cell tumour of bone (GCTB). We previously reported a 15% local recurrence rate at a median follow-up of 30 months in 20 patients with high-risk GCTB treated with neoadjuvant Denosumab. The aim of this study was to determine if this initial favourable outcome following the use of Denosumab was maintained with longer follow-up.

Aims

There is a paucity of long-term studies analyzing risk factors for failure after single-stage revision for periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) following total hip arthroplasty (THA). We report the mid- to long-term septic and non-septic failure rate of single-stage revision for PJI after THA.

Aims

Flucloxacillin is commonly administered intravenously for perioperative antimicrobial prophylaxis, while oral administration is typical for prophylaxis following smaller traumatic wounds. We assessed the time, for which the free flucloxacillin concentration was maintained above the minimum inhibitory concentration (fT > MIC) for methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus in soft and bone tissue, after intravenous and oral administration, using microdialysis in a porcine model.

Aims

The value of core decompression (CD) in the treatment of osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH) remains controversial. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate whether CD combined with other treatments could improve the clinical and radiological outcomes of ONFH patients compared with CD alone.

Aims

Unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA) is a bone-preserving treatment option for osteoarthritis localized to a single compartment in the knee. The success of the procedure is sensitive to patient selection and alignment errors. Robotic arm-assisted UKA provides technological assistance to intraoperative bony resection accuracy, which is thought to improve ligament balancing. This paper presents the five-year outcomes of a comparison between manual and robotically assisted UKAs.

Aims

The aticularis genu (AG) is the least substantial and deepest muscle of the anterior compartment of the thigh and of uncertain significance. The aim of the study was to describe the anatomy of AG in cadaveric specimens, to characterize the relevance of AG in pathological distal femur specimens, and to correlate the anatomy and pathology with preoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of AG.

1. Chondrosarcoma is a malignant tumour of bone with clinical and morphological features which distinguish it from osteosarcoma. 2. Cartilage tumours present an unbroken spectrum in their clinical behaviour and histological appearances from the entirely benign to the frankly malignant. 3. A few chondrosarcomata, particularly those in children and young adults, run a rapidly fatal course but in general they metastasise late and some kill by local extension of the tumour. 4. "Secondary" chondrosarcomata arising from a pre-existing osteocartilaginous exostosis or enchondroma are mostly low grade tumours. 5. The first appearance of an osteocartilaginous exostosis after skeletal maturity, renewed growth, or pain unassociated with a fracture, should arouse suspicion of malignancy in any cartilage tumour. 6. Cartilage tumours of the trunk and upper end of femur and humerus are especially liable to sarcomatous change. 7. Although most benign cartilage tumours occur in the hand and foot they rarely become malignant with the exception of those in the calcaneus. 8. If biopsy is necessary it should be of the incisional type, a generous amount of material being removed from the edge of the tumour. Calcified, degenerate areas must be avoided. 9. In low grade tumours microscopic fields judged to be malignant by Lichtenstein and Jaffe's well established criteria may be scanty and many paraffin sections should be examined. Absence of mitotic figures, heavy calcification and poor vascularity are no guarantee of benignity. 10. Information as to the site of the tumour and age of the patient must be available to the pathologist if a useful report is to be given. 11 . In "borderline" tumours or where any difficulty in diagnosis arises the clinical, radiographic and histological features must all be taken into account and treatment based on the most unfavourable features. 12. Chondrosarcoma is a radio-resistant tumour and treatment is by radical excision or amputation. 13. Malignant cartilage cells implanted in the tissues at operation will often continue to grow and in all instances the biopsy wound and surrounding tissues must be removed en bloc with the tumour. 14. Small, low grade, readily accessible, peripheral tumours may be successfully treated by excision with a wide margin of healthy tissue. 15. In the limbs or pelvis large tumours and those of high grade malignancy should be treated by amputation. Since marrow permeation is often greater than the radiograph suggests amputation should, as a rule, not be performed through the bone in which the chondrosarcoma is situated. 16. Recurrence carries the danger that an initially accessible tumour becomes inaccessible and inoperable and, less frequently, a low grade tumour recurs in a metastasising form. 17. Recurrence is frequent after inadequate surgery; it indicates that the tumour is at least locally malignant and a cure can usually only then be achieved by more radical surgery

Aims

Periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) is a devastating complication following total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Two-stage revision has traditionally been considered the gold standard of treatment for established infection, but increasing evidence is emerging in support of one-stage exchange for selected patients. The objective of this study was to determine the outcomes of single-stage revision TKA for PJI, with mid-term follow-up.

Aims

Tenosynovial giant cell tumour (TGCT) is one of the most common soft-tissue tumours of the foot and ankle and can behave in a locally aggressive manner. Tumour control can be difficult, despite the various methods of treatment available. Since treatment guidelines are lacking, the aim of this study was to review the multidisciplinary management by presenting the largest series of TGCT of the foot and ankle to date from two specialized sarcoma centres.

Aims

We aimed to describe the epidemiological, biological, and bacteriological characteristics of osteoarticular infections (OAIs) caused by Kingella kingae.

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.