The aim of this study was to evaluate the functional outcome in patients undergoing implant removal (IR) after fracture fixation below the level of the knee. All adult patients (18 to 75 years) undergoing IR after fracture fixation below the level of the knee between November 2014 and September 2016 were included as part of the WIFI (Wound Infections Following Implant Removal Below the Knee) trial, performed in 17 teaching hospitals and two university hospitals in The Netherlands. In this multicentre prospective cohort, the primary outcome was the difference in functional status before and after IR, measured by the Lower Extremity Functional Scale (LEFS), with a minimal clinically important difference of nine points.Aims
Patients and Methods
The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical and radiological outcomes of locking plate fixation, with and without an associated fibular strut allograft, for the treatment of displaced proximal humeral fractures in elderly osteoporotic patients. We undertook a retrospective comparison of two methods of fixation, using a locking plate without an associated fibular strut allograft (LP group) and with a fibular allograft (FA group) for the treatment of these fractures. The outcome was assessed for 52 patients in the LP group and 45 in the FA group, with a mean age of 74.3 years (52 to 89), at a mean follow-up of 14.2 months (12 to 19). The clinical results were evaluated using a visual analogue scale (VAS) score for pain, the Constant score, the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) score, and the range of movement. Radiological results were evaluated using the neck-shaft angle (NSA) and humeral head height (HHH).Aims
Patients and Methods
As the population ages, there is projected to be an increase in the level of demand for total knee arthroplasty (TKA) in octogenarians. We aimed to explore whether those aged ≥ 80 years achieved similar improvements in physical function to younger patients while also comparing the rates of length of stay (LOS), discharge to rehabilitation, postoperative complications, and mortality following TKA in older and younger patients. Patients from one institution who underwent primary elective TKA between 1 January 2006 and 31 December 2014 were dichotomized into those ≥ 80 years old (n = 359) and those < 80 years old (n = 2479) for comparison. Multivariable regression was used to compare the physical status component of the 12-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-12), LOS, discharge to rehabilitation, complications, and mortality between the two groups.Aims
Patients and Methods
The aim of this study was to determine the trajectory of recovery following fixation of tibial plateau fractures up to five-year follow-up, including simple (Schatzker I-IV) Patients undergoing open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) for tibial plateau fractures were enrolled into a prospective database. Functional outcome, using the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey Physical Component Summary (SF-36 PCS), was collected at baseline, six months, one year, and five years. The trajectory of recovery for complex fractures (Schatzker V and VI) was compared with simple fractures (Schatzker I to IV). Minimal clinically important difference (MCID) was calculated between timepoints. In all, 182 patients were enrolled: 136 (74.7%) in simple and 46 (25.3%) in complex. There were 103 female patients and 79 male patients with a mean age of 45.8 years (15 to 86).Aims
Patients and Methods
The aim of this study was to explore risk factors for complications associated with dural tear (DT), including the types of DT, and the intra- and postoperative management of DT. Between 2012 and 2017, 12 171 patients with degenerative lumbar diseases underwent primary lumbar spine surgery. We investigated five categories of potential predictors: patient factors (sex, age, body mass index, and primary disease), surgical factors (surgical procedures, operative time, and estimated blood loss), types of DT (inaccessible for suturing/clipping and the presence of cauda equina/nerve root herniation), repair techniques (suturing, clipping, fibrin glue, polyethylene glycol (PEG) hydrogel, and polyglycolic acid sheet), and postoperative management (drainage duration). Postoperative complications were evaluated in terms of dural leak, prolonged bed rest, headache, nausea/vomiting, delayed wound healing, postoperative neurological deficit, surgical site infection (SSI), and reoperation for DT. We performed multivariable regression analyses to evaluate the predictors of postoperative complications associated with DT.Aims
Patients and Methods
Type IIIB open tibial fractures are devastating high-energy injuries. At initial debridement, the surgeon will often be faced with large bone fragments with tenuous, if any, soft-tissue attachments. Conventionally these are discarded to avoid infection. We aimed to determine if orthoplastic reconstruction using mechanically relevant devitalized bone (ORDB) was associated with an increased infection rate in type IIIB open tibial shaft fractures. This was a consecutive cohort study of 113 patients, who had sustained type IIIB fractures of the tibia following blunt trauma, over a four-year period in a level 1 trauma centre. The median age was 44.3 years (interquartile range (IQR) 28.1 to 65.9) with a median follow-up of 1.7 years (IQR 1.2 to 2.1). There were 73 male patients and 40 female patients. The primary outcome measures were deep infection rate and number of operations. The secondary outcomes were nonunion and flap failure.Aims
Patient and Methods
The Precice intramedullary limb-lengthening system has demonstrated significant benefits over external fixation lengthening methods, leading to a paradigm shift in limb lengthening. This study compares outcomes following antegrade and retrograde femoral lengthening in both adolescent and adult patients. A retrospective review of prospectively collected data was undertaken of a consecutive series of 107 femoral lengthening operations in 92 patients. In total, 73 antegrade nails and 34 retrograde nails were inserted. Outcome was assessed by the regenerate healing index (HI), hip and knee range of movement (ROM), and the presence of any complications.Aims
Patients and Methods
The aim of this study was to observe the implications of withholding total joint arthroplasty (TJA) in morbidly obese patients A total of 289 morbidly obese patients with end-stage osteoarthritis were prospectively followed. There were 218 women and 71 men, with a mean age of 56.3 years (26.7 to 79.1). At initial visit, patients were given information about the risks of TJA in the morbidly obese and were given referral information to a bariatric clinic. Patients were contacted at six, 12, 18, and 24 months from initial visit.Aims
Patients and Methods
Recent studies of nonoperatively treated displaced midshaft clavicular fractures have shown a high incidence of nonunion and unsatisfactory functional outcome. Some studies have shown superior functional results and higher rates of healing following operative treatment. The aim of this study was to compare the outcome in these patients after nonoperative management with those treated with fixation. In a multicentre, parallel randomized controlled trial, 146 adult patients with an acute displaced fracture of the midthird of the clavicle were randomized to either nonoperative treatment with a sling (71, 55 men and 16 women with a mean age of 39 years, 18 to 60) or fixation with a pre-contoured plate and locking screws (75, 64 men and 11 women with a mean age of 40 years, 18 to 60). Outcome was assessed using the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) Score, the Constant Score, and radiographical evidence of union. Patients were followed for one year.Aims
Patients and Methods
The increasing infection burden after total hip arthroplasty (THA) has seen a rise in the use of two-stage exchange arthroplasty and the use of increasingly powerful antibiotics at the time of this procedure. As a result, there has been an increase in the number of failed two-stage revisions during the past decade. The aim of this study was to clarify the outcome of repeat two-stage revision THA following a failed two-stage exchange due to recurrent prosthetic joint infection (PJI). We identified 42 patients who underwent a two-stage revision THA having already undergone at least one previous two stage procedure for infection, between 2000 and 2015. There were 23 women and 19 men. Their mean age was 69.3 years (48 to 81). The outcome was analyzed at a minimum follow-up of two years.Aims
Patients and Methods
The aim of this study was to investigate the incidence, risk factors, and outcome of venous thromboembolism (VTE) following anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction in a nationwide cohort. All ACL reconstructions, primary and revision, that were recorded in the Swedish Knee Ligament Register (SKLR) between 2006 and 2013 were linked with data from the Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare. The incidence of VTE was determined by entries between the day of surgery until 90 days postoperatively based on diagnosis codes and the prescription of anticoagulants. Risk factors, outcome, and the use of thromboprophylaxis were analyzed. Descriptive statistics with multivariate analysis were used to describe the findings.Aims
Patients and Methods
The primary aim of this study was to quantify the improvement in patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) following total hip arthroplasty (THA), as well as the extent of any deterioration through the seven-year follow-up. The secondary aim was to identify predictors of PROM improvement and deterioration. A total of 976 patients were enrolled into a prospective, international, multicentre study. Patients completed a battery of PROMs prior to THA, at three months post-THA, and at one, three, five, and seven-years post-THA. The Harris Hip Score (HHS), the 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) Physical Component Summary (PCS), the SF-36 Mental Component Summary (MCS), and the EuroQol five-dimension three-level (EQ-5D) index were the primary outcomes. Longitudinal changes in each PROM were investigated by piece-wise linear mixed effects models. Clinically significant deterioration was defined for each patient as a decrease of one half of a standard deviation (group baseline).Aims
Patients and Methods
Increasingly, patients with bilateral hip arthritis wish to undergo staged total hip arthroplasty (THA). With the rise in demand for arthroplasty, perioperative risk assessment and counselling is crucial for shared decision making. However, it is unknown if complications that occur after a unilateral hip arthroplasty predict complications following surgery of the contralateral hip. We used nationwide linked discharge data from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project between 2005 and 2014 to analyze the incidence and recurrence of complications following the first- and second-stage operations in staged bilateral total hip arthroplasty (BTHAs). Complications included perioperative medical adverse events within 30 to 60 days, and infection and mechanical complications within one year. Conditional probabilities and odds ratios (ORs) were calculated to determine whether experiencing a complication after the first stage of surgery increased the risk of developing the same complication after the second stage.Aims
Patients and Methods
The aim of this study was to evaluate the outcome of spinal instrumentation in haemodialyzed patients with native pyogenic spondylodiscitis. Spinal instrumentation in these patients can be dangerous due to rates of complications and mortality, and biofilm formation on the instrumentation. A total of 134 haemodialyzed patients aged more than 50 years who underwent surgical treatment for pyogenic spondylodiscitis were included in the study. Their mean age was 66.4 years (50 to 83); 66 were male (49.3%) and 68 were female (50.7%). They were divided into two groups according to whether spinal instrumentation was used or not. Propensity score matching was used to attenuate the potential selection bias. The outcome of treatment was compared between these two groups.Aims
Patients and Methods
