Clinical studies evaluating the effects of vitamin D alone or in combination with calcium on physical function, falls and fractures have been inconsistent. Vitamin D has, however, been the focus of much orthopaedic, trauma and endocrine research. Playing a central role in muscle and bone metabolism, some studies on Vitamin D therapies offer the tantalising suggestion of a reduction in falls and fractures simply with vitamin D supplementation. We review the background and evidence behind vitamin D.
Degenerative problems of the hip in patients
with childhood and adult onset neuromuscular disorders can be challenging
to treat. Many orthopaedic surgeons are reluctant to recommend total
hip replacement (THR) for patients with underlying neuromuscular
disorders due to the perceived increased risks of dislocation, implant loosening,
and lack of information about the functional outcomes and potential
benefits of these procedures in these patients. Modular femoral
components and alternative bearings which facilitate the use of
large femoral heads, constrained acetabular components and perhaps
more importantly, a better understanding about the complications
and outcomes of THR in the patient with neuromuscular disorders,
make this option viable. This paper will review the current literature
and our experience with THR in the more frequently encountered neuromuscular
disorders. Cite this article:
We performed a case–control study to compare
the rates of further surgery, revision and complications, operating time
and survival in patients who were treated with either an uncemented
hydroxyapatite-coated Corail bipolar femoral stem or a cemented
Exeter stem for a displaced intracapsular fracture of the hip. The
mean age of the patients in the uncemented group was 82.5 years
(53 to 97) and in the cemented group was 82.7 years (51 to 99) We used
propensity score matching, adjusting for age, gender and the presence
or absence of dementia and comorbidities, to produce a matched cohort
receiving an Exeter stem (n = 69) with which to compare the outcome of
patients receiving a Corail stem (n = 69). The Corail had a significantly
lower all-cause rate of further surgery (p = 0.016; odds ratio (OR)
0.18, 95% CI 0.04 to 0.84) and number of hips undergoing major further
surgery (p = 0.029; OR 0.13, 95% CI 0.01 to 1.09). The mean operating
time was significantly less for the Corail group than for the cemented Exeter
group (59 min [12 to 136] Cite this article:
The April 2015 Spine Roundup360 looks at: Hyperostotic spine in injury; App based back pain control; Interspinous process devices should be avoided in claudication; Robot assisted pedicle screws: fad or advance?; Vancomycin antibiotic power in spinal surgery; What to do with that burst fracture?; Increasing complexity of spinal fractures in major trauma pathways; Vitamin D and spinal fractures
Fractures of the tibial shaft are common injuries,
but there are no long-term outcome data in the era of increased surgical
management. The aim of this prospective study was to assess the
clinical and functional outcome of this injury at 12 to 22 years.
Secondary aims were to determine the short- and long-term mortality,
and if there were any predictors of clinical or functional outcome
or mortality. From a prospective trauma database of 1502 tibial
shaft fractures in 1474 consecutive adult patients, we identified
a cohort of 1431 tibial diaphyseal fractures in 1403 patients, who
fitted our inclusion criteria. There were 1024 men, and mean age
at injury was 40.6 years. Fractures were classified according to
the AO system, and open fractures graded after Gustilo and Anderson.
Requirement of fasciotomy, time to fracture union, complications,
incidence of knee and ankle pain at long-term follow-up, changes in
employment and the patients’ social deprivation status were recorded.
Function was assessed at 12 to 22 years post-injury using the Short
Musculoskeletal Function Assessment and short form-12 questionnaires.
Long-term functional outcome data was available for 568 of the surviving
patients, 389 were deceased and 346 were lost to follow-up. Most
fractures (90.7%, n = 1363) united without further intervention.
Fasciotomies were performed in 11.5% of patients; this did not correlate
with poorer functional outcome in the long term. Social deprivation
was associated with a higher incidence of injury but had no impact
on long-term function. The one-year mortality in those over 75 years
of age was 29 (42%). At long-term follow-up, pain and function scores
were good. However, 147 (26%) reported ongoing knee pain, 62 (10%)
reported ankle pain and 97 (17%) reported both. Such joint pain correlated
with poorer functional outcome. Cite this article:
To determine the morbidity and mortality outcomes of patients
presenting with a fractured neck of femur in an Australian context.
Peri-operative variables related to unfavourable outcomes were identified
to allow planning of intervention strategies for improving peri-operative
care. We performed a retrospective observational study of 185 consecutive
adult patients admitted to an Australian metropolitan teaching hospital
with fractured neck of femur between 2009 and 2010. The main outcome
measures were 30-day and one-year mortality rates, major complications
and factors influencing mortality. Objectives
Methods
The February 2015 Hip &
Pelvis Roundup360 looks at: Hip arthroplasty in Down syndrome; Bulk femoral autograft successful in acetabular reconstruction; Arthroplasty follow-up: is the internet the solution?; Total hip arthroplasty following acetabular fracture; Salvage arthroplasty following failed hip internal fixation; Bone banking sensible financially and clinically; Allogenic blood transfusion in arthroplasty.
We have investigated iatrogenic popliteal artery
injuries (PAI) during non arthroplasty knee surgery regarding mechanism
of injury, treatment and outcomes, and to identify successful strategies
when injury occurs. In all, 21 iatrogenic popliteal artery injuries in 21 patients
during knee surgery other than knee arthroplasty were identified
from the Swedish Vascular Registry (Swedvasc) between 1987 and 2011.
Prospective registry data were supplemented with case-records, including
long-term follow-up. In total, 13 patients suffered PAI during elective surgery
and eight during urgent surgery such as fracture fixation or tumour
resection. Nine injuries were detected intra-operatively, five within
12 to 48 hours and seven >
48 hours post-operatively (two days to
23 years). There were 19 open vascular and two endovascular surgical repairs.
Two patients died within six months of surgery. One patient required
amputation. Only six patients had a complete recovery of whom had
the vascular injury detected at time of injury and repaired by a
vascular surgeon. Patients sustaining vascular injury during elective
procedures are more likely to litigate (p = 0.029). We conclude that outcomes are poorer when there is a delay of
diagnosis and treatment, and that orthopaedic surgeons should develop
strategies to detect PAI early and ensure rapid access to vascular
surgical support. Cite this article:
The spiral blade modification of the Dynamic
Hip Screw (DHS) was designed for superior biomechanical fixation
in the osteoporotic femoral head. Our objective was to compare clinical
outcomes and in particular the incidence of loss of fixation. In a series of 197 consecutive patients over the age of 50 years
treated with DHS-blades (blades) and 242 patients treated with conventional
DHS (screw) for AO/OTA 31.A1 or A2 intertrochanteric fractures were
identified from a prospectively compiled database in a level 1 trauma
centre. Using propensity score matching, two groups comprising 177
matched patients were compiled and radiological and clinical outcomes
compared. In each group there were 66 males and 111 females. Mean
age was 83.6 (54 to 100) for the conventional DHS group and 83.8
(52 to 101) for the blade group. Loss of fixation occurred in two blades and 13 DHSs. None of
the blades had observable migration while nine DHSs had gross migration
within the femoral head before the fracture healed. There were two
versus four implant cut-outs respectively and one side plate pull-out
in the DHS group. There was no significant difference in mortality
and eventual walking ability between the groups. Multiple logistic
regression suggested that poor reduction (odds ratio (OR) 11.49,
95% confidence intervals (CI) 1.45 to 90.9, p = 0.021) and fixation
by DHS (OR 15.85, 95%CI 2.50 to 100.3, p = 0.003) were independent
predictors of loss of fixation. The spiral blade design may decrease the risk of implant migration
in the femoral head but does not reduce the incidence of cut-out
and reoperation. Reduction of the fracture is of paramount importance
since poor reduction was an independent predictor for loss of fixation
regardless of the implant being used. Cite this article:
The April 2014 Hip & Pelvis Roundup360 looks at: Recent arthroplasty and flight; whether that squeak could be a fracture; diagnosing early infected hip replacement; impaction grafting at a decade; whether squeaking is more common than previously thought; femoral offset associated with post THR outcomes; and periprosthetic fracture stabilisation.
National Institute of Clinical Excellence guidelines
state that cemented stems with an Orthopaedic Data Evaluation Panel
(ODEP) rating of >
3B should be used for hemiarthroplasty when treating
an intracapsular fracture of the femoral neck. These recommendations
are based on studies in which most, if not all stems, did not hold
such a rating. This case-control study compared the outcome of hemiarthroplasty
using a cemented (Exeter) or uncemented (Corail) femoral stem. These
are the two prostheses most commonly used in hip arthroplasty in
the UK. Data were obtained from two centres; most patients had undergone
hemiarthroplasty using a cemented Exeter stem (n = 292/412). Patients
were matched for all factors that have been shown to influence mortality
after an intracapsular fracture of the neck of the femur. Outcome
measures included: complications, re-operations and mortality rates
at two, seven, 30 and 365 days post-operatively. Comparable outcomes
for the two stems were seen. There were more intra-operative complications in the uncemented
group (13% This study therefore supports the use of both cemented and uncemented
stems of proven design, with an ODEP rating of 10A, in patients
with an intracapsular fracture of the neck of the femur. Cite this article:
There has been extensive discussion about the
effect of delay to surgery on mortality in patients sustaining a fracture
of the hip. Despite the low level of evidence provided by many studies,
a consensus has been accepted that delay of >
48 hours is detrimental
to survival. The aim of this prospective observational study was
to determine if early surgery confers a survival benefit at 30 days. Between 1989 and 2013, data were prospectively collected on patients
sustaining a fracture of the hip at Peterborough City Hospital.
They were divided into groups according to the time interval between
admission and surgery. These thresholds ranged from <
6 hours
to between 49 and 72 hours. The outcome which was assessed was the
30-day mortality. Adjustment for confounders was performed using
multivariate binary logistic regression analysis. In all, 6638 patients
aged >
60 years were included. Worsening American Society of Anaesthesiologists grade (p <
0.001), increased age (p <
0.001) and extracapsular fracture
(p <
0.019) increased the risk of 30-day mortality. Increasing mobility score (p = 0.014), mini mental test score
(p <
0.001) and female gender (p = 0.014) improved survival.
After adjusting for these confounders, surgery before 12 hours improved
survival compared with surgery after 12 hours (p = 0.013). Beyond
this the increasing delay to surgery did not significantly affect
the 30-day mortality. Cite this article:
The April 2014 Spine Roundup360 looks at: medical treatment for ankylosing spondylitis; unilateral TLIF effective; peg fractures akin to neck of femur fractures; sleep apnoea and spinal surgery; scoliosis in osteogenesis imperfect; paediatric atlanto-occipital dislocation; back pain and obesity: chicken or egg?; BMP associated with lumbar plexus deficit; and just how common is back pain?
A consecutive series of 320 patients with an
intracapsular fracture of the hip treated with a dynamic locking
plate (Targon Femoral Neck (TFN)) were reviewed. All surviving patients
were followed for a minimum of two years. During the follow-up period
109 patients died. There were 112 undisplaced fractures, of which three (2.7%) developed
nonunion or re-displacement and five (4.5%) developed avascular
necrosis of the femoral head. Revision to an arthroplasty was required
for five patients (4.5%). A further six patients (5.4%) had elective
removal of the plate and screws. There were 208 displaced fractures, of which 32 (15.4%) developed
nonunion or re-displacement and 23 (11.1%) developed avascular necrosis.
A further four patients (1.9%) developed a secondary fracture around
the TFN. Revision to a hip replacement was required for 43 patients
(20.7%) patients and a further seven (3.3%) had elective removal
of the plate and screws. It is suggested that the stronger distal fixation combined with
rotational stability may lead to a reduced incidence of complications
related to the healing of the fracture when compared with other
contemporary fixation devices but this needs to be confirmed in
further studies. Cite this article: