The April 2013 Spine Roundup³⁶⁰ looks at: smuggling spinal implants; local bone graft and PLIF; predicting disability with slipped discs; mortality and spinal surgery; spondyloarthropathy; brachytherapy; and fibrin mesh and BMP.

Aims

To investigate the longevity of uncemented fixation of a femoral component in total hip arthroplasty (THA) in patients with Dorr type C proximal femoral morphology.

Aims

We compared the accuracy, operating time and radiation exposure of the introduction of iliosacral screws using O-arm/Stealth Navigation and standard fluoroscopy.

Total hip replacement causes a short-term increase in the risk of mortality. It is important to quantify this and to identify modifiable risk factors so that the risk of post-operative mortality can be minimised. We performed a systematic review and critical evaluation of the current literature on the topic. We identified 32 studies published over the last 10 years which provide either 30-day or 90-day mortality data. We estimate the pooled incidence of mortality during the first 30 and 90 days following hip replacement to be 0.30% (95% CI 0.22 to 0.38) and 0.65% (95% CI 0.50 to 0.81), respectively. We found strong evidence of a temporal trend towards reducing mortality rates despite increasingly co-morbid patients. The risk factors for early mortality most commonly identified are increasing age, male gender and co-morbid conditions, particularly cardiovascular disease. Cardiovascular complications appear to have overtaken fatal pulmonary emboli as the leading cause of death after hip replacement.

Cite this article: Bone Joint Res 2014;3:175–82

Slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE) is uncommon in India and we routinely look for associated metabolic or endocrine abnormalities. In this study we investigated a possible association between vitamin D deficiency and SCFE. All children presenting with SCFE during the study period had their 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels measured as part of an overall metabolic, renal and endocrine status evaluation, which included measurement of body mass index (BMI). Vitamin D status was compared with age-, gender- and habitat-matched controls with acute trauma or sepsis presenting to our emergency department.

A total of 15 children (12 boys and three girls) with a mean age of 13 years (sd 1.81; 10 to 16) presented for treatment for SCFE during a two-year period beginning in January 2010. Renal and thyroid function was within the normal range in all cases. The mean BMI was 24.9 kg/m² (17.0 to 33.8), which was significantly higher than that of the controls (p = 0.006). There was a statistically significant difference between the mean values of 25-hydroxyvitamin D in the children with SCFE and the controls (11.78 ng/ml (sd 5.4) versus 27.06 ng/ml (sd 5.53), respectively; p < 0.001). We concluded that, along with high BMI, there is a significant association of vitamin D deficiency and SCFE in India.

Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2013;95-B:851–4.

We report the kinematic and early clinical results of a patient- and observer-blinded randomised controlled trial in which CT scans were used to compare potential impingement-free range of movement (ROM) and acetabular component cover between patients treated with either the navigated ‘femur-first’ total hip arthroplasty (THA) method (n = 66; male/female 29/37, mean age 62.5 years; 50 to 74) or conventional THA (n = 69; male/female 35/34, mean age 62.9 years; 50 to 75). The Hip Osteoarthritis Outcome Score, the Harris hip score, the Euro-Qol-5D and the Mancuso THA patient expectations score were assessed at six weeks, six months and one year after surgery. A total of 48 of the patients (84%) in the navigated ‘femur-first’ group and 43 (65%) in the conventional group reached all the desirable potential ROM boundaries without prosthetic impingement for activities of daily living (ADL) in flexion, extension, abduction, adduction and rotation (p = 0.016). Acetabular component cover and surface contact with the host bone were > 87% in both groups. There was a significant difference between the navigated and the conventional groups’ Harris hip scores six weeks after surgery (p = 0.010). There were no significant differences with respect to any clinical outcome at six months and one year of follow-up. The navigated ‘femur-first’ technique improves the potential ROM for ADL without prosthetic impingement, although there was no observed clinical difference between the two treatment groups.

Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2015; 97-B:890–8.

In our department we use an enhanced recovery protocol for joint replacement of the lower limb. This incorporates the use of intravenous tranexamic acid (IVTA; 15 mg/kg) at the induction of anaesthesia. Recently there was a national shortage of IVTA for 18 weeks; during this period all patients received an oral preparation of tranexamic acid (OTA; 25 mg/kg). This retrospective study compares the safety (surgical and medical complications) and efficacy (reduction of transfusion requirements) of OTA and IVTA. During the study period a total of 2698 patients received IVTA and 302 received OTA. After adjusting for a range of patient and surgical factors, the odds ratio (OR) of receiving a blood transfusion was significantly higher with IVTA than with OTA (OR 0.48 (95% confidence interval 0.26 to 0.89), p = 0.019), whereas the safety profile was similar, based on length of stay, rate of readmission, return to theatre, deep infection, stroke, gastrointestinal bleeding, myocardial infarction, pneumonia, deep-vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism. The financial benefit of OTA is £2.04 for a 70 kg patient; this is amplified when the cost saving associated with significantly fewer blood transfusions is considered.

Although the number of patients in the study is modest, this work supports the use of OTA, and we recommend that a randomised trial be undertaken to compare the different methods of administering tranexamic acid.

Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2013;95-B:1556–61.

Objectives

Normal sagittal spine-pelvis-lower extremity alignment is crucial in humans for maintaining an ergonomic upright standing posture, and pathogenesis in any segment leads to poor balance. The present study aimed to investigate how this sagittal alignment can be affected by severe knee osteoarthritis (KOA), and whether associated changes corresponded with symptoms of lower back pain (LBP) in this patient population.

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.

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.

An extensive review of the spinal and arthroplasty literature was undertaken to evaluate the effectiveness of local antibiotic irrigation during surgery. The efficacy of antibiotic irrigation for the prevention of acute post-operative infection after total joint arthroplasty was evaluated retrospectively in 2293 arthroplasties (1990 patients) between January 2004 and December 2013. The mean follow-up was 73 months (20 to 139). One surgeon performed all the procedures with minimal post-operative infection.

The intra-operative protocol included an irrigation solution of normal saline with vancomycin 1000 mg/l and polymyxin 250 000 units/l at the rate of 2 l per hour. No patient required re-admission for primary infection or further antibiotic treatment. Two morbidly obese patients (two total hip arthroplasties) developed subcutaneous fat necrosis requiring debridement and one was revised because the deep capsular sutures were contaminated by the draining subcutaneous haematoma. One patient who had undergone total knee arthroplasty had unrecognised damage to the lateral superior geniculate artery and developed a haematoma that became infected secondarily four months after the surgery and underwent revision.

The use of antibiotic irrigation during arthroplasty surgery has been highly effective for the prevention of infection in the author’s practice. However, it should be understood that any routine prophylactic use of antibiotics may result in resistant organisms, and the wise stewardship of the use of antibiotics is an important part of surgical practice.

Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2016;98-B(1 Suppl A):23–6.

Objectives

To review the current best surgical practice and detail a multi-disciplinary approach that could further reduce joint replacement infection.

The purpose of this article is to provide the reader with a seven-step checklist that could help in minimising the risk of PJI. The check list includes strategies that can be implemented pre-operatively such as medical optimisation, and reduction of the bioburden by effective skin preparation or actions taking during surgery such as administration of timely and appropriate antibiotics or blood conservation, and finally implementation of post-operative protocols such as efforts to minimise wound drainage and haematoma formation.

Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2016;98-B(1 Suppl A):18–22.

The December 2015 Spine Roundup360 looks at: Ketamine in scoliosis surgery; Teriparatide in osteoporotic spinal fractures; Trabecular metal in the spine?; Revision surgery a SPORTing chance?; The course of degenerative lumbar spondylolisthesis; Hip or lumbar spine: a common conundrum

The December 2015 Research Roundup360 looks at: Biomarkers in periprosthetic joint infection; HbA1c and complications in arthroplasty; Getting to the bottom of biofilms; Effective antibiosis for biofilms; Stem cells and avascular necrosis; Predicting LOS in total joint arthroplasty; Long-term antibiotics reduce recurrence in periprosthetic infection

Objectives

Sagittal alignment of the lumbosacral spine, and specifically pelvic incidence (PI), has been implicated in the development of spine pathology, but generally ignored with regards to diseases of the hip. We aimed to determine if increased PI is correlated with higher rates of hip osteoarthritis (HOA). The effect of PI on the development of knee osteoarthritis (KOA) was used as a negative control.

A retrospective review was performed of patients undergoing primary cementless total knee replacement (TKR) using porous tantalum performed by a group of surgical trainees. Clinical and radiological follow-up involved 79 females and 26 males encompassing 115 knees. The mean age was 66.9 years (36 to 85). Mean follow-up was 7 years (2 to 11). Tibial and patellar components were porous tantalum monoblock implants, and femoral components were posterior stabilised (PS) in design with cobalt–chromium fibre mesh. Radiological assessments were made for implant positioning, alignment, radiolucencies, lysis, and loosening. There was 95.7% survival of implants. There was no radiological evidence of loosening and no osteolysis found. No revisions were performed for aseptic loosening. Average tibial component alignment was 1.4° of varus (4°of valgus to 9° varus), and 6.2° (3° anterior to 15° posterior) of posterior slope. Mean femoral component alignment was 6.6° (1° to 11°) of valgus. Mean tibiofemoral alignment was 5.6° of valgus (7° varus to 16° valgus). Patellar tilt was a mean of 2.4° lateral (5° medial to 28° lateral). Patient satisfaction with improvement in pain was 91%. Cementless TKR incorporating porous tantalum yielded good clinical and radiological outcomes at a mean of follow-up of seven-years.

Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2014;96-B(11 Suppl A):87–92.

We describe our technique and rationale using hybrid fixation for primary total hip arthroplasty (THA) at the Hospital for Special Surgery. Modern uncemented acetabular components have few screw holes, or no holes, polished inner surfaces, improved locking mechanisms, and maximised thickness and shell-liner conformity. Uncemented sockets can be combined with highly cross-linked polyethylene liners, which have demonstrated very low wear and osteolysis rates after ten to 15 years of implantation. The results of cement fixation with a smooth or polished surface finished stem have been excellent, virtually eliminating complications seen with cementless fixation like peri-operative femoral fractures and thigh pain. Although mid-term results of modern cementless stems are encouraging, the long-term data do not show reduced revision rates for cementless stems compared with cemented smooth stems. In this paper we review the conduct of a hybrid THA, with emphasis on pre-operative planning, surgical technique, hypotensive epidural anaesthesia, and intra-operative physiology.

Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2016;98-B(1 Suppl A):54–9.

Methods

Between 2005 and 2012, 50 patients (23 female, 27 male) with nonunion of the humeral shaft were included in this retrospective study. The mean age was 51.3 years (14 to 88). The patients had a mean of 1.5 prior operations (sd 1.2;1 to 8).

All patients were assessed according to a specific risk score in order to devise an optimal and individual therapy plan consistent with the Diamond Concept. In 32 cases (64%), a change in the osteosynthesis to an angular stable locking compression plate was performed. According to the individual risk an additional bone graft and/or bone morphogenetic protein-7 (BMP-7) were applied.