Medical comorbidities are a critical factor in the decision-making process for operative management and risk-stratification. The Hierarchical Condition Categories (HCC) risk adjustment model is a powerful measure of illness severity for patients treated by surgeons. The HCC is utilized by Medicare to predict medical expenditure risk and to reimburse physicians accordingly. HCC weighs comorbidities differently to calculate risk. This study determines the prevalence of medical comorbidities and the average HCC score in Medicare patients being evaluated by neurosurgeons and orthopaedic surgeon, as well as a subset of academic spine surgeons within both specialities, in the USA. The Medicare Provider Utilization and Payment Database, which is based on data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ National Claims History Standard Analytic Files, was analyzed for this study. Every surgeon who submitted a valid Medicare Part B non-institutional claim during the 2013 calendar year was included in this study. This database was queried for medical comorbidities and HCC scores of each patient who had, at minimum, a single office visit with a surgeon. This data included 21,204 orthopaedic surgeons and 4,372 neurosurgeons across 54 states/territories in the USA.Aims
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High body mass index (BMI) is associated with increased rates of complications in primary total hip arthroplasty (THA), but less is known about its impact on cost. The effects of low BMI on outcomes and cost are less understood. This study evaluated the relationship between BMI, inpatient costs, complications, readmissions, and utilization of post-acute services. A retrospective database analysis of 40,913 primary THAs performed between January 2013 and December 2017 in 29 hospitals was conducted. Operating time, length of stay (LOS), complication rate, 30-day readmission rate, inpatient cost, and utilization of post-acute services were measured and compared in relation to patient BMI.Aims
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The aim is to assess the cost-effectiveness of patellofemoral arthroplasty (PFA) in comparison with total knee arthroplasty (TKA) for the treatment of isolated patellofemoral osteoarthritis (OA) based on prospectively collected data on health outcomes and resource use from a blinded, randomized, clinical trial. A total of 100 patients with isolated patellofemoral osteoarthritis were randomized to receive either PFA or TKA by experienced knee surgeons trained in using both implants. Patients completed patient-reported outcomes including EuroQol five-dimension questionnaire (EQ-5D) and 6-Item Short-Form Health Survey questionnaire (SF-6D) before the procedure. The scores were completed again after six weeks, three, six, and nine months, and again after one- and two-year post-surgery and yearly henceforth. Time-weighted outcome measures were constructed. Cost data were obtained from clinical registrations and patient-reported questionnaires. Incremental gain in health outcomes (quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs)) and incremental costs were compared for the two groups of patients. Net monetary benefit was calculated assuming a threshold value of €10,000, €35,000, and €50,000 per QALY and used to test the statistical uncertainty and central assumptions about outcomes and costs.Aims
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Elective surgery has been severely curtailed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. There is little evidence to guide surgeons in assessing what processes should be put in place to restart elective surgery safely in a time of endemic COVID-19 in the community. We used data from a stand-alone hospital admitting and operating on 91 trauma patients. All patients were screened on admission and 100% of patients have been followed-up after discharge to assess outcome.Aims
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Severe spinal deformity in growing patients often requires surgical management. We describe the incidence of spinal deformity surgery in a National Health Service. Descriptive study of prospectively collected data. Clinical data of all patients undergoing surgery for spinal deformity between 2005 and 2018 was collected, compared to the demographics of the national population, and analyzed by underlying aetiology.Aims
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The current pandemic caused by COVID-19 is the biggest challenge for national health systems for a century. While most medical resources are allocated to treat COVID-19 patients, several non-COVID-19 medical emergencies still need to be treated, including vertebral fractures and spinal cord compression. The aim of this paper is to report the early experience and an organizational protocol for emergency spinal surgery currently being used in a large metropolitan area by an integrated team of orthopaedic surgeons and neurosurgeons. An organizational model is presented based on case centralization in hub hospitals and early management of surgical cases to reduce hospital stay. Data from all the patients admitted for emergency spinal surgery from the beginning of the outbreak were prospectively collected and compared to data from patients admitted for the same reason in the same time span in the previous year, and treated by the same integrated team.Aims
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Deep gluteal syndrome is an increasingly recognized disease entity, caused by compression of the sciatic or pudendal nerve due to non-discogenic pelvic lesions. It includes the piriformis syndrome, the gemelli-obturator internus syndrome, the ischiofemoral impingement syndrome, and the proximal hamstring syndrome. The concept of the deep gluteal syndrome extends our understanding of posterior hip pain due to nerve entrapment beyond the traditional model of the piriformis syndrome. Nevertheless, there has been terminological confusion and the deep gluteal syndrome has often been undiagnosed or mistaken for other conditions. Careful history-taking, a physical examination including provocation tests, an electrodiagnostic study, and imaging are necessary for an accurate diagnosis. After excluding spinal lesions, MRI scans of the pelvis are helpful in diagnosing deep gluteal syndrome and identifying pathological conditions entrapping the nerves. It can be conservatively treated with multidisciplinary treatment including rest, the avoidance of provoking activities, medication, injections, and physiotherapy. Endoscopic or open surgical decompression is recommended in patients with persistent or recurrent symptoms after conservative treatment or in those who may have masses compressing the sciatic nerve. Many physicians remain unfamiliar with this syndrome and there is a lack of relevant literature. This comprehensive review aims to provide the latest information about the epidemiology, aetiology, pathology, clinical features, diagnosis, and treatment. Cite this article:
The aim of this study was to evaluate the ability of a machine-learning algorithm to diagnose prosthetic loosening from preoperative radiographs and to investigate the inputs that might improve its performance. A group of 697 patients underwent a first-time revision of a total hip (THA) or total knee arthroplasty (TKA) at our institution between 2012 and 2018. Preoperative anteroposterior (AP) and lateral radiographs, and historical and comorbidity information were collected from their electronic records. Each patient was defined as having loose or fixed components based on the operation notes. We trained a series of convolutional neural network (CNN) models to predict a diagnosis of loosening at the time of surgery from the preoperative radiographs. We then added historical data about the patients to the best performing model to create a final model and tested it on an independent dataset.Aims
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The aim of this study was to analyze the true costs associated with preoperative CT scans performed for robotic-assisted total knee arthroplasty (RATKA) planning and to determine the value of a formal radiologist’s report of these studies. We reviewed 194 CT reports of 176 sequential patients who underwent primary RATKA by a single surgeon at a suburban teaching hospital. CT radiology reports were reviewed for the presence of incidental findings that might change the management of the patient. Payments for the scans, including the technical and professional components, for 330 patients at two hospitals were also recorded and compared.Aims
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Two-stage exchange arthroplasty is the most common definitive treatment for prosthetic joint infection (PJI) in the USA. Complications that occur during treatment are often not considered. The purpose of this study was to analyze complications in patients undergoing two-stage exchange for infected total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and determine when they occur. We analyzed all patients that underwent two-stage exchange arthroplasty for treatment of PJI of the knee from January 2010 to December 2018 at a single institution. We categorized complications as medical versus surgical. The intervals for complications were divided into: interstage; early post-reimplantation (three months); and late post-reimplantation (three months to minimum one year). Minimum follow-up was one year. In total, 134 patients underwent a first stage of a two-stage exchange. There were 69 males and 65 females with an mean age at first stage surgery of 67 years (37 to 89). Success was based on the new Musculoskeletal Infection Society (MSIS) definition of success reporting.Aims
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To evaluate graft healing of decellularized porcine superflexor tendon (pSFT) xenograft in an ovine anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction model using two femoral fixation devices. Also, to determine if pSFT allows functional recovery of gait as compared with the preoperative measurements. A total of 12 sheep underwent unilateral single-bundle ACL reconstruction using pSFT. Two femoral fixation devices were investigated: Group 1 (n = 6) used cortical suspensory fixation (Endobutton CL) and Group 2 (n = 6) used cross-pin fixation (Stratis ST). A soft screw was used for tibial fixation. Functional recovery was quantified using force plate analysis at weeks 5, 8, and 11. The sheep were euthanized after 12 weeks and comprehensive histological analysis characterized graft healing at the graft-bone interface and the intra-articular graft (ligamentization).Aims
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Metaphyseal fixation during revision total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is important, but potentially difficult when using historical designs of cone. Material and manufacturing innovations have improved the size and shape of the cones which are available, and simplified the required bone preparation. In a large series, we assessed the implant survivorship, radiological results, and clinical outcomes of new porous 3D-printed titanium metaphyseal cones featuring a reamer-based system. We reviewed 142 revision TKAs in 139 patients using 202 cones (134 tibial, 68 femoral) which were undertaken between 2015 and 2016. A total of 60 involved tibial and femoral cones. Most cones (149 of 202; 74%) were used for Type 2B or 3 bone loss. The mean age of the patients was 66 years (44 to 88), and 76 (55 %) were female. The mean body mass index (BMI) was 34 kg/m2 (18 to 60). The patients had a mean of 2.4 (1 to 8) previous operations on the knee, and 68 (48%) had a history of prosthetic infection. The mean follow-up was 2.4 years (2 to 3.6).Aims
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We aimed to evaluate the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in children with supracondylar humeral fractures (SCHFs), who were treated following the recommendations of the Paediatric Comprehensive AO Classification, and to assess if HRQoL was associated with AO fracture classification, or fixation with a lateral external fixator compared with closed reduction and percutaneous pinning (CRPP). We were able to follow-up on 775 patients (395 girls, 380 boys) who sustained a SCHF from 2004 to 2017. Patients completed questionnaires including the Quick Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand questionnaire (QuickDASH; primary outcome), and the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL).Aims
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Iliac wing (Type I) and iliosacral (Type I/IV) pelvic resections for a primary bone tumour create a large segmental defect in the pelvic ring. The management of this defect is controversial as the surgeon may choose to reconstruct it or not. When no reconstruction is undertaken, the residual ilium collapses back onto the remaining sacrum forming an iliosacral pseudarthrosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the long-term oncological outcome, complications, and functional outcome after pelvic resection without reconstruction. Between 1989 and 2015, 32 patients underwent a Type I or Type I/IV pelvic resection without reconstruction for a primary bone tumour. There were 21 men and 11 women with a mean age of 35 years (15 to 85). The most common diagnosis was chondrosarcoma (50%, n = 16). Local recurrence-free, metastasis-free, and overall survival were assessed using the Kaplan-Meier method. Patient function was evaluated using the Musculoskeletal Tumour Society (MSTS) and Toronto Extremity Salvage Score (TESS).Aims
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Autologous chondrocyte implantation is an established method of treatment for symptomatic articular defects of cartilage. CARTIPATCH is a monolayer-expanded cartilage cell product which is combined with a novel hydrogel to improve cell phenotypic stability and ease of surgical handling. Our aim in this prospective, multicentre study on 17 patients was to investigate the clinical, radiological, arthroscopic and histological outcome at a minimum follow-up of two years after the implantation of autologous chondrocytes embedded in a three-dimensional alginate-agarose hydrogel for the treatment of chondral and osteochondral defects. Clinically, all the patients improved significantly. Patients with lesions larger than 3 cm. 2. improved significantly more than those with smaller lesions. There was no correlation between the clinical outcome and the body mass index, age, duration of symptoms and location of the defects. The mean arthroscopic International Cartilage Repair Society score was 10 (5 to 12) of a maximum of 12. Predominantly hyaline cartilage was seen in eight of the 13 patients (62%) who had follow-up biopsies. Our findings suggest that autologous chondrocyte implantation in combination with a novel hydrogel results in a significant clinical improvement at follow-up at two years, more so for larger and deeper lesions. The
We report our early experience with the use of a non-invasive distal femoral expandable endoprosthesis in seven skeletally immature patients with osteosarcoma of the distal femur. The patients had a mean age of 12.1 years (9 to 15) at the time of surgery. The prosthesis was lengthened at appropriate intervals in outpatient clinics, without anaesthesia, using the principle of electromagnetic induction. The patients were functionally evaluated using the Musculoskeletal Tumour Society scoring system. The mean follow-up was 20.2 months (14 to 30). The prostheses were lengthened by a mean of 25 mm (4.25 to 55) and maintained a mean knee flexion of 110° (100° to 120°). The mean Musculoskeletal Tumour Society score was 68% (11 to 29). Complications developed in two patients; one developed a flexion deformity of 25° at the knee joint, which was subsequently overcome and one died of disseminated disease. The early results from patients treated with this device have been encouraging. The implant avoids multiple
The aim of this study was to examine whether tourniquet use can improve perioperative blood loss, early function recovery, and pain after primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA) in the setting of multiple-dose intravenous tranexamic acid. This was a prospective, randomized clinical trial including 180 patients undergoing TKA with multiple doses of intravenous tranexamic acid. One group was treated with a tourniquet during the entire procedure, the second group received a tourniquet during cementing, and the third group did not receive a tourniquet. All patients received the same protocol of intravenous tranexamic acid (20 mg/kg) before skin incision, and three and six hours later (10 mg/kg). The primary outcome measure was perioperative blood loss. Secondary outcome measures were creatine kinase (CK), CRP, interleukin-6 (IL-6), visual analogue scale (VAS) pain score, limb swelling ratio, quadriceps strength, straight leg raising, range of motion (ROM), American Knee Society Score (KSS), and adverse events.Aims
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