Smoking is associated with post-operative complications but smokers
often under-report the amount they smoke. Our objective was to determine
whether a urine dipstick test could be used as a substitute for
quantitative cotinine assays to determine smoking status in patients. Between September 2013 and July 2014 we conducted a prospective
cohort study in which 127 consecutive patients undergoing a planned
foot and ankle arthrodesis or osteotomy were included. Patients
self-reported their smoking status and were classified as: ‘never
smoked’ (61 patients), ‘ex-smoker’ (46 patients), or ‘current smoker’ (20
patients). Urine samples were analysed with cotinine assays and
cotinine dipstick tests.Aims
Patients and Methods
The length of the tourniquet time during total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is related to the incidence of post-operative deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Our aim in this study was to investigate the effect of the early release of the tourniquet on the incidence of DVT in patients undergoing TKA. A total of 200 patients who underwent TKA between November 2015 and November 2016 were prospectively enrolled. The tourniquet was inflated before surgery and released immediately after the introduction of the components (early release group). This group was compared with a retrospective cohort of 200 primary TKAs, in which the tourniquet was released after the dressings had been applied (late release group). The presence of a DVT was detected using bilateral lower limb ultrasonography. Peri-operative clinical and follow-up data were collected for analysis.Objectives
Methods
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. Previous studies have illustrated higher rates of post-operative
wound complications, re-operation and re-admission with the use
of more aggressive anticoagulation regimens, such as warfarin and
factor Xa inhibitors. This highlights the importance of the safety,
as well as efficacy, of the chemoprophylactic regimen.Aims
Patients and Methods
The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centre
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently published guidelines
for the prevention of surgical site infection. The WHO guidelines,
if implemented worldwide, could have an immense impact on our practices
and those of the CDC have implications for healthcare policy in
the United States. Our aim was to review the strategies for prevention of periprosthetic
joint infection in light of these and other recent guidelines. Cite this article:
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. A prospective audit database was used to identify patients who
had died within 42 and 90 days of surgery respectively between April
2000 and December 2012. A case note review was performed to ascertain
the causes of death.Aims
Patients and Methods
The fundamental concept of open reduction and internal fixation
(ORIF) of ankle fractures has not changed appreciably since the
1960s and, whilst widely used, is associated with complications
including wound dehiscence and infection, prominent hardware and
failure. Closed reduction and intramedullary fixation (CRIF) using
a fibular nail, wires or screws is biomechanically stronger, requires
minimal incisions, and has low-profile hardware. We hypothesised
that fibular nailing in the elderly would have similar functional
outcomes to standard fixation, with a reduced rate of wound and
hardware problems. A total of 100 patients (25 men, 75 women) over the age of 65
years with unstable ankle fractures were randomised to undergo standard
ORIF or fibular nailing (11 men and 39 women in the ORIF group,
14 men and 36 women in the fibular nail group). The mean age was
74 years (65 to 93) and all patients had at least one medical comorbidity. Complications,
patient related outcome measures and cost-effectiveness were assessed
over 12 months.Aims
Patients and Methods
This paper aims to provide evidence-based guidance for the general orthopaedic surgeon faced with the presentation of a potential soft tissue sarcoma in an extremity.
There is conflicting evidence about the benefit
of using corticosteroid in periarticular injections for pain relief
after total knee arthroplasty (TKA). We carried out a double-blinded,
randomised controlled trial to assess the efficacy of using corticosteroid
in a periarticular injection to control pain after TKA. A total of 77 patients, 67 women and ten men, with a mean age
of 74 years (47 to 88) who were about to undergo unilateral TKA
were randomly assigned to have a periarticular injection with or
without corticosteroid. The primary outcome was post-operative pain
at rest during the first 24 hours after surgery, measured every
two hours using a visual analogue pain scale score. The cumulative
pain score was quantified using the area under the curve. The corticosteroid group had a significantly lower cumulative
pain score than the no-corticosteroid group during the first 24
hours after surgery (mean area under the curve 139, 0 to 560, and
264, 0 to 1460; p = 0.024). The rate of complications, including
surgical site infection, was not significantly different between
the two groups up to one year post-operatively. The addition of corticosteroid to the periarticular injection
significantly decreased early post-operative pain. Further studies
are needed to confirm the safety of corticosteroid in periarticular
injection.
Cite this article:
Lifestyle risk factors are thought to increase the risk of infection
after acute orthopaedic surgery but the evidence is scarce. We aimed
to investigate whether smoking, obesity and alcohol overuse are
risk factors for the development of infections after surgery for
a fracture of the ankle. We retrospectively reviewed all patients who underwent internal
fixation of a fracture of the ankle between 2008 and 2013. The primary
outcome was the rate of deep infection and the secondary outcome
was any surgical site infection (SSI). Associations with the risk
factors and possible confounding variables were analysed univariably
and multivariably with backwards elimination.Aims
Patients and Methods
The October 2015 Hip &
Pelvis Roundup360 looks at: Smoking and complications in arthroplasty; Smoking cessation beneficial in arthroplasty; Intermediate care and arthroplasty; Do we still need cell salvage?; Femoroacetabular impingement in the Japanese population; Trunnionosis or taperosis and geometry; Decontamination for staphylococcus aureus works!; Policeman or opportunity? Quality improvement with registries; Death rates higher in readmission to other hospitals
The August 2015 Oncology Roundup360 looks at: Glasgow prognostic score in soft-tissue sarcoma; Denosumab in giant cell tumour; Timing, complications and radiotherapy; Pigmented villonodular synovitis and arthroscopy; PATHFx: estimating survival in pathological cancer; Prosthetic lengthening of short stumps; Chondrosarcoma and pathological fracture
