This was a randomised controlled trial studying the safety of a new short metaphyseal fixation (SMF) stem. We hypothesised that it would have similar early clinical results and micromovement to those of a standard-length tapered Synergy metaphyseal fixation stem. Using radiostereometric analysis (RSA) we compared the two stems in 43 patients. A short metaphyseal fixation stem was used in 22 patients and a Synergy stem in 21 patients. No difference was found in the clinical outcomes pre- or post-operatively between groups. RSA showed no significant differences two years post-operatively in mean micromovement between the two stems (except for varus/valgus tilt at p = 0.05) (subsidence 0.94 mm (sd 1.71) vs 0.32 mm (sd 0.45), p = 0.66; rotation 0.96° (sd 1.49) vs 1.41° (sd 2.95), p = 0.88; and total migration 1.09 mm (sd 1.74) vs 0.73 mm (sd 0.72), p = 0.51). A few stems (four SMF and three Synergy) had initial migration > 1.0 mm but stabilised by three to six months, with the exception of one SMF stem which required revision three years post-operatively. For most stems, total micromovement was very low at two years (subsidence < 0.5 mm, rotation < 1.0°, total migration < 0.5 mm), which was consistent with osseous ingrowth. The small sample makes it difficult to confirm the universal applicability of or elucidate the potential contraindications to the use of this particular new design of stem.

Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2015; 97-B:595–602.

Aims

The purpose of the present study was to examine the long-term fixation of a cemented fixed-bearing polished titanium tibial baseplate (Genesis ll).

Objectives

The PROximal Fracture of the Humerus: Evaluation by Randomisation (PROFHER) trial has recently demonstrated that surgery is non-superior to non-operative treatment in the management of displaced proximal humeral fractures. The objective of this study was to assess current surgical practice in the context of the PROFHER trial in terms of patient demographics, injury characteristics and the nature of the surgical treatment.

Ceramic-on-metal (CoM) is a relatively new bearing combination for total hip arthroplasty (THA) with few reported outcomes. A total of 287 CoM THAs were carried out in 271 patients (mean age 55.6 years (20 to 77), 150 THAs in female patients, 137 in male) under the care of a single surgeon between October 2007 and October 2009. With the issues surrounding metal-on-metal bearings the decision was taken to review these patients between March and November 2011, at a mean follow-up of 34 months (23 to 45) and to record pain, outcome scores, radiological analysis and blood ion levels. The mean Oxford Hip Score was 19.2 (12 to 53), 254 patients with 268 hips (95%) had mild/very mild/no pain, the mean angle of inclination of the acetabular component was 44.8^o (28^o to 63^o), 82 stems (29%) had evidence of radiolucent lines of > 1 mm in at least one Gruen zone and the median levels of cobalt and chromium ions in the blood were 0.83 μg/L (0.24 μg/L to 27.56 μg/L) and 0.78 μg/L (0.21 μg/L to 8.84 μg/L), respectively. The five-year survival rate is 96.9% (95% confidence interval 94.7% to 99%).

Due to the presence of radiolucent lines and the higher than expected levels of metal ions in the blood, we would not recommend the use of CoM THA without further long-term follow-up. We plan to monitor all these patients regularly.

Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2015;97-B:300–5.

Aims

The aim of this study was to compare the pain caused by the application of a tourniquet after exsanguination of the upper limb with that occurring after simple elevation.

We report the results of Vulpius transverse gastrocsoleus recession for equinus gait in 26 children with cerebral palsy (CP), using the Gait Profile Score (GPS), Gait Variable Scores (GVS) and movement analysis profile. All children had an equinus deformity on physical examination and equinus gait on three-dimensional gait analysis prior to surgery. The pre-operative and post-operative GPS and GVS were statistically analysed. There were 20 boys and 6 girls in the study cohort with a mean age at surgery of 9.2 years (5.1 to 17.7) and 11.5 years (7.3 to 20.8) at follow-up. Of the 26 children, 14 had spastic diplegia and 12 spastic hemiplegia. Gait function improved for the cohort, confirmed by a decrease in mean GPS from 13.4° pre-operatively to 9.0° final review (p < 0.001). The change was 2.8 times the minimal clinically important difference (MCID). Thus the improvements in gait were both clinically and statistically significant. The transverse gastrocsoleus recession described by Vulpius is an effective procedure for equinus gait in selected children with CP, when there is a fixed contracture of the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles.

Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2015;97-B:564–71.

Aims

The treatment of late presenting fractures of the lateral humeral condyle in children remains controversial.

In arthritis of the varus knee, a high tibial osteotomy (HTO) redistributes load from the diseased medial compartment to the unaffected lateral compartment.

We report the outcome of 36 patients (33 men and three women) with 42 varus, arthritic knees who underwent HTO and dynamic correction using a Garches external fixator until they felt that normal alignment had been restored. The mean age of the patients was 54.11 years (34 to 68). Normal alignment was achieved at a mean 5.5 weeks (3 to 10) post-operatively. Radiographs, gait analysis and visual analogue scores for pain were measured pre- and post-operatively, at one year and at medium-term follow-up (mean six years; 2 to 10). Failure was defined as conversion to knee arthroplasty.

Pre-operative gait analysis divided the 42 knees into two equal groups with high (17 patients) or low (19 patients) adductor moments. After correction, a statistically significant (p < 0.001, t-test,) change in adductor moment was achieved and maintained in both groups, with a rate of failure of three knees (7.1%), and 89% (95% confidence interval (CI) 84.9 to 94.7) survivorship at medium-term follow-up.

At final follow-up, after a mean of 15.9 years (12 to 20), there was a survivorship of 59% (95% CI 59.6 to 68.9) irrespective of adductor moment group, with a mean time to conversion to knee arthroplasty of 9.5 years (3 to 18; 95% confidence interval ± 2.5).

HTO remains a useful option in the medium-term for the treatment of medial compartment osteoarthritis of the knee but does not last in the long-term.

Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2016;98-B:601–7.

Several radiological methods of measuring anteversion of the acetabular component after total hip replacement (THR) have been described. These studies used different definitions and reference planes to compare methods, allowing for misinterpretation of the results. We compared the reliability and accuracy of five current methods using plain radiographs (those of Lewinnek, Widmer, Liaw, Pradhan, and Woo and Morrey) with CT measurements, using the same definition and reference plane. We retrospectively studied the plain radiographs and CT scans in 84 hips of 84 patients who underwent primary THR. Intra- and inter-observer reliability were high for the measurement of inclination and anteversion with all methods on plain radiographs and CT scans. The measurements of inclination on plain radiographs were similar to the measurements using CT (p = 0.043). The mean difference between CT measurements was 0.6° (-5.9° to 6.8°).

Measurements using Widmer’s method were the most similar to those using CT (p = 0.088), with a mean difference between CT measurements of -0.9° (-10.4° to 9.1°), whereas the other four methods differed significantly from those using CT (p < 0.001).

This study has shown that Widmer’s method is the best for evaluating the anteversion of the acetabular component on plain radiographs.

Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2014; 96-B:597–603.

Objectives

During open orthopaedic surgery, joints may be exposed to air, potentially leading to cartilage drying and chondrocyte death, however, the long-term effects of joint drying in vivo are poorly understood. We used an animal model to investigate the subsequent effects of joint drying on cartilage and chondrocytes.

Aims

The primary aim of this study was to analyse the position of the acetabular and femoral components in total hip arthroplasty undertaken using an anterior surgical approach.

Aims

This retrospective cohort study compared the results of vascularised and non-vascularised anterior sliding tibial grafts for the treatment of osteoarthritis (OA)of the ankle secondary to osteonecrosis of the talus.

Aims

The pre-operative level of haemoglobin is the strongest predictor of the peri-operative requirement for blood transfusion after total knee arthroplasty (TKA). There are, however, no studies reporting a value that could be considered to be appropriate pre-operatively.

This study aimed to identify threshold pre-operative levels of haemoglobin that would predict the requirement for blood transfusion in patients who undergo TKA.

Objectives

Throughout the 20th Century, it has been postulated that the knee moves on the basis of a four-bar link mechanism composed of the cruciate ligaments, the femur and the tibia. As a consequence, the femur has been thought to roll back with flexion, and total knee arthroplasty (TKA) prostheses have been designed on this basis. Recent work, however, has proposed that at a position of between 0° and 120° the medial femoral condyle does not move anteroposteriorly whereas the lateral femoral condyle tends, but is not obliged, to roll back – a combination of movements which equates to tibial internal/ femoral external rotation with flexion. The aim of this paper was to assess if the articular geometry of the GMK Sphere TKA could recreate the natural knee movements in situ/in vivo.

Aims

The primary aim of this study was to investigate the effect of an enhanced recovery program (ERP) on the short-term functional outcome after total hip arthroplasty (THA). Secondary outcomes included its effect on rates of dislocation and mortality.

Aims

Single-event multilevel surgery (SEMLS) has been used as an effective intervention in children with bilateral spastic cerebral palsy (BSCP) for 30 years. To date there is no evidence for SEMLS in adults with BSCP and the intervention remains focus of debate.

Aims

This study investigated whether the use of tranexamic acid (TXA) decreased blood loss and transfusion related cost following surface replacement arthroplasty (SRA).

The purpose of this study was to compare clinical outcomes of total knee arthroplasty (TKA) after manipulation under anaesthesia (MUA) for post-operative stiffness with a matched cohort of TKA patients who did not requre MUA.

In total 72 patients (mean age 59.8 years, 42 to 83) who underwent MUA following TKA were identified from our prospective database and compared with a matched cohort of patients who had undergone TKA without subsequent MUA. Patients were evaluated for range of movement (ROM) and clinical outcome scores (Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index, Short-Form Health Survey, and Knee Society Clinical Rating System) at a mean follow-up of 36.4 months (12 to 120). MUA took place at a mean of nine weeks (5 to 18) after TKA. In patients who required MUA, mean flexion deformity improved from 10° (0° to 25°) to 4.4° (0° to 15°) (p < 0.001), and mean range of flexion improved from 79.8° (65° to 95°) to 116° (80° to 130°) (p < 0.001). There were no statistically significant differences in ROM or functional outcome scores at three months, one year, or two years between those who required MUA and those who did not. There were no complications associated with manipulation.

At most recent follow-up, patients requiring MUA achieved equivalent ROM and clinical outcome scores when compared with a matched control group. While other studies have focused on ROM after manipulation, the current study adds to current literature by supplementing this with functional outcome scores.

Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2015;97-B:1640–4.

A retrospective study was performed in 18 patients with achondroplasia, who underwent bilateral humeral lengthening between 2001 and 2013, using monorail external fixators. The mean age was ten years (six to 15) and the mean follow-up was 40 months (12 to 104).

The mean disabilities of the arm, shoulder and hand (DASH) score fell from 32.3 (20 to 40) pre-operatively to 9.4 (6 to 14) post-operatively (p = 0.037). A mean lengthening of 60% (40% to 95%) was required to reach the goal of independent perineal hygiene. One patient developed early consolidation, and fractures occurred in the regenerate bone of four humeri in three patients. There were three transient radial nerve palsies.

Humeral lengthening increases the independence of people with achondroplasia and is not just a cosmetic procedure.

Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2015;97-B:1577–81.

We studied the bone mineral density (BMD) and the bone mineral content (BMC) of the proximal tibia in patients with a well-functioning uncemented Oxford medial compartment arthroplasty using the Lunar iDXA bone densitometer. Our hypothesis was that there would be decreased BMD and BMC adjacent to the tibial base plate and increased BMD and BMC at the tip of the keel.

There were 79 consecutive patients (33 men, 46 women) with a mean age of 65 years (44 to 84) with a minimum two-year follow-up (mean 2.6 years (2.0 to 5.0)) after unilateral arthroplasty, who were scanned using a validated standard protocol where seven regions of interest (ROI) were examined and compared with the contralateral normal knee. All had well-functioning knees with a mean Oxford knee score of 43 (14 to 48) and mean Knee Society function score of 90 (20 to 100), showing a correlation with the increasing scores and higher BMC and BMD values in ROI 2 in the non-implanted knee relative to the implanted knee (p = 0.013 and p = 0.015, respectively).

The absolute and percentage changes in BMD and BMC were decreased in all ROIs in the implanted knee compared with the non-implanted knee, but this did not reach statistical significance. Bone loss was markedly less than reported losses with total knee replacement.

There was no significant association with side, although there was a tendency for the BMC to decrease with age in men. The BMC was less in the implanted side relative to the non-implanted side in men compared with women in ROI 2 (p = 0.027), ROI 3 (p = 0.049) and ROI 4 (p = 0.029).

The uncemented Oxford medial compartment arthroplasty appears to allow relative preservation of the BMC and BMD of the proximal tibia, suggesting that the implant acts more physiologically than total knee replacement. Peri-prosthetic bone loss is an important factor in assessing long-term implant stability and survival, and the results of this study are encouraging for the long-term outcome of this arthroplasty.

Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2013;95-B:1480–3.