We explored the trends over time and the geographical
variation in the use of subacromial decompression and rotator cuff
repair in 152 local health areas (Primary Care Trusts) across England.
The diagnostic and procedure codes of patients undergoing certain
elective shoulder operations between 2000/2001 and 2009/2010 were extracted
from the Hospital Episode Statistics database. They were grouped
as 1) subacromial decompression only, 2) subacromial decompression
with rotator cuff repair, and 3) rotator cuff repair only. The number of patients undergoing subacromial decompression alone
rose by 746.4% from 2523 in 2000/2001 (5.2/100 000 (95% confidence
interval (CI) 5.0 to 5.4) to 21 355 in 2009/2010 (40.2/100 000 (95%
CI 39.7 to 40.8)). Operations for rotator cuff repair alone peaked
in 2008/2009 (4.7/100 000 (95% CI 4.5 to 4.8)) and declined considerably
in 2009/2010 (2.6/100 000 (95% CI 2.5 to 2.7)). Given the lack of evidence for the effectiveness of these operations
and the significant increase in the number of procedures being performed
in England and elsewhere, there is an urgent need for well-designed
clinical trials to determine evidence of clinical effectiveness. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2014;96-B:70–4.
Persistent groin pain after seemingly successful
total hip replacement (THR) appears to have become more common.
Recent studies have indicated a high incidence after metal-on-polyethylene
and metal-on-metal conventional THR and it has been documented in
up to 18% of patients after metal-on-metal resurfacing. There are many
causes, including acetabular loosening, stress fracture, and iliopsoas
tendonitis and impingement. The evaluation of this problem requires
a careful history and examination, plain radiographs and an algorithmic approach
to special diagnostic imaging and tests. Non-operative treatment
is not usually successful. Specific operative treatment depending
on the cause of the pain usually involves revision of the acetabular
component, iliopsoas tenotomy or other procedures, and is usually
successful. Here, an appropriate algorithm is described.
Little information is available about several
important aspects of the treatment of melioidosis osteomyelitis
and septic arthritis. We undertook a retrospective review of 50 patients with these
conditions in an attempt to determine the effect of location of
the disease, type of surgical intervention and duration of antibiotic
treatment on outcome, particularly complications and relapse. We found that there was a 27.5% risk of osteomyelitis of the
adjacent bone in patients with septic arthritis in the lower limb.
Patients with septic arthritis and osteomyelitis of an adjacent
bone were in hospital significantly longer (p = 0.001), needed more
operations (p = 0.031) and had a significantly higher rate of complications
and re-presentation (p = 0.048). More than half the patients (61%), most particularly those with
multifocal bone and joint involvement, and those with septic arthritis
and osteomyelitis of an adjacent bone who were treated operatively,
needed more visits to theatre. Cite this article:
We compared early post-operative rates of wound
infection in HIV-positive and -negative patients presenting with open
tibial fractures managed with surgical fixation. The wounds of 84 patients (85 fractures), 28 of whom were HIV
positive and 56 were HIV negative, were assessed for signs of infection
using the ASEPIS wound score. There were 19 women and 65 men with
a mean age of 34.8 years. A total of 57 fractures (17 HIV-positive The study does not support the hypothesis that HIV significantly
increases the rate of early wound or pin-site infection in open
tibial fractures. We would therefore suggest that a patient’s HIV
status should not alter the management of open tibial fractures
in patients who have a CD4 count >
350 cells/μl. Cite this article:
Conventional cemented acetabular components are
reported to have a high rate of failure when implanted into previously
irradiated bone. We recommend the use of a cemented reconstruction
with the addition of an acetabular reinforcement cross to improve
fixation. We reviewed a cohort of 45 patients (49 hips) who had undergone
irradiation of the pelvis and a cemented total hip arthroplasty
(THA) with an acetabular reinforcement cross. All hips had received
a minimum dose of 30 Gray (Gy) to treat a primary nearby tumour
or metastasis. The median dose of radiation was 50 Gy (Q1 to Q3:
45 to 60; mean: 49.57, 32 to 72). The mean follow-up after THA was 51 months (17 to 137). The cumulative
probability of revision of the acetabular component for a mechanical
reason was 0% (0 to 0%) at 24 months, 2.9% (0.2 to 13.3%) at 60
months and 2.9% (0.2% to 13.3%) at 120 months, respectively. One
hip was revised for mechanical failure and three for infection. Cemented acetabular components with a reinforcement cross provide
good medium-term fixation after pelvic irradiation. These patients
are at a higher risk of developing infection of their THA. Cite this article:
In 11 paediatric patients (seven girls and four
boys, from 12 to 15 years old) with unilateral obligatory patellar dislocation
and ligamentous laxity vastus medialis advancement, lateral release,
partial patellar ligament transposition and Galeazzi semitendinosus
tenodesis was undertaken to stabilise the patella. The diagnostic criterion
for ligamentous laxity was based on the Beighton scale. Outcomes
were evaluated radiologically and functionally by measurement of
the range of knee movement and isokinetic testing. The evaluation
also included the Lysholm knee scale. Follow-up studies took place
at a mean of 8.1 years (5 to 15) post-operatively. Normal patellar tracking without any recurrence of dislocation
was obtained in ten out of 11 patients. Pain related to vigorous
activity was reported by nine patients. Compared with the opposite
normal side, the isokinetic tests revealed a statistically significant
decrease in the maximal torque values for the affected quadriceps
muscle (p = 0.003 and p = 0.004), but no difference between the
knee flexors (for angular velocities of 60°/s and 180°/s) (p = 0.858
and p = 0.79). The applied surgical technique generally prevents the recurrence
of the disorder in children with habitual patellar dislocation and
ligamentous laxity. Quadriceps muscle weakness can be expected to
occur post-operatively, Cite this article:
Metal-on-metal resurfacing of the hip (MoMHR)
has enjoyed a resurgence in the last decade, but is now again in question
as a routine option for osteoarthritis of the hip. Proponents of
hip resurfacing suggest that its survival is superior to that of
conventional hip replacement (THR), and that hip resurfacing is
less invasive, is easier to revise than THR, and provides superior
functional outcomes. Our argument serves to illustrate that none
of these proposed advantages have been realised and new and unanticipated
serious complications, such as pseudotumors, have been associated
with the procedure. As such, we feel that the routine use of MoMHR
is not justified. Cite this article:
We report the outcomes of 20 patients (12 men,
8 women, 21 feet) with Charcot neuro-arthropathy who underwent correction
of deformities of the ankle and hindfoot using retrograde intramedullary
nail arthrodesis. The mean age of the patients was 62.6 years (46
to 83); their mean BMI was 32.7 (15 to 47) and their median American
Society of Anaesthetists score was 3 (2 to 4). All presented with
severe deformities and 15 had chronic ulceration. All were treated
with reconstructive surgery and seven underwent simultaneous midfoot
fusion using a bolt, locking plate or a combination of both. At
a mean follow-up of 26 months (8 to 54), limb salvage was achieved
in all patients and 12 patients (80%) with ulceration achieved healing
and all but one patient regained independent mobilisation. There was
failure of fixation with a broken nail requiring revision surgery
in one patient. Migration of distal locking screws occurred only
when standard screws had been used but not with hydroxyapatite-coated
screws. The mean American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Foot and
Ankle (AAOS-FAO) score improved from 50.7 (17 to 88) to 65.2 (22
to 88), (p = 0.015). The mean Short Form (SF)-36 Health Survey Physical
Component Score improved from 25.2 (16.4 to 42.8) to 29.8 (17.7
to 44.2), (p = 0.003) and the mean Euroqol EQ‑5D‑5L score improved
from 0.63 (0.51 to 0.78) to 0.67 (0.57 to 0.84), (p = 0.012). Single-stage correction of deformity using an intramedullary
hindfoot arthrodesis nail is a good form of treatment for patients
with severe Charcot hindfoot deformity, ulceration and instability
provided a multidisciplinary care plan is delivered. Cite this article:
The December 2014 Trauma Roundup360 looks at: infection and temporising external fixation; Vitamin C in distal radial fractures; DRAFFT: Cheap and cheerful Kirschner wires win out; femoral neck fractures not as stable as they might be; displaced sacral fractures give high morbidity and mortality; sanders and calcaneal fractures: a 20-year experience; bleeding and pelvic fractures; optimising timing for acetabular fractures; and tibial plateau fractures.
We have reviewed the current literature to compare
the results of surgery aimed to repair or debride a damaged acetabular
labrum. We identified 28 studies to be included in the review containing
a total of 1631 hips in 1609 patients. Of these studies 12 reported
a mean rate of good results of 82% (from 67% to 100%) for labral debridement.
Of the 16 studies that reported a combination of debridement and
re-attachment, five reported a comparative outcome for the two methods,
four reported better results with re-attachment and one study did
not find any significant difference in outcomes. Due to the heterogeneity
of the studies it was not possible to perform a meta-analysis or
draw accurate conclusions. Confounding factors in the studies include
selection bias, use of historical controls and high rates of loss
of follow-up. It seems logical to repair an unstable tear in a good quality
labrum with good potential to heal in order potentially to preserve
its physiological function. A degenerative labrum on the other hand
may be the source of discomfort and its preservation may result
in persistent pain and the added risk of failure of re-attachment.
The results of the present study do not support routine refixation
for all labral tears. Cite this article:
The most common reasons for revision of unicompartmental
knee arthroplasty (UKA) are loosening and pain. Cementless components
may reduce the revision rate. The aim of this study was to compare
the fixation and clinical outcome of cementless and cemented Oxford
UKAs. A total of 43 patients were randomised to receive either a cemented
or a cementless Oxford UKA and were followed for two years with
radiostereometric analysis (RSA), radiographs aligned with the bone–implant
interfaces and clinical scores. The femoral components migrated significantly during the first
year (mean 0.2 mm) but not during the second. There was no significant
difference in the extent of migration between cemented and cementless
femoral components in either the first or the second year. In the
first year the cementless tibial components subsided significantly
more than the cemented components (mean 0.28 mm ( As second-year migration is predictive of subsequent loosening,
and as radiolucency is suggestive of reduced implant–bone contact,
these data suggest that fixation of the cementless components is
at least as good as, if not better than, that of cemented devices. Cite this article:
Obesity is an epidemic across both the developed
and developing nations that is possibly the most important current
public health factor affecting the morbidity and mortality of the global
population. Obese patients have the potential to pose several challenges
for arthroplasty surgeons from the standpoint of the influence obesity
has on osteoarthritic symptoms, their peri-operative medical management,
the increased intra-operative technical demands on the surgeon,
the intra- and post-operative complications, the long term outcomes
of total hip and knee arthroplasty. Also, there is no consensus
on the role the arthroplasty surgeon should have in facilitating
weight loss for these patients, nor whether obesity should affect
the access to arthroplasty procedures.
Femoroacetabular Junction Impingement (FAI) describes abnormalities
in the shape of the femoral head–neck junction, or abnormalities
in the orientation of the acetabulum. In the short term, FAI can
give rise to pain and disability, and in the long-term it significantly increases
the risk of developing osteoarthritis. The Femoroacetabular Impingement
Trial (FAIT) aims to determine whether operative or non-operative
intervention is more effective at improving symptoms and preventing
the development and progression of osteoarthritis. FAIT is a multicentre superiority parallel two-arm randomised
controlled trial comparing physiotherapy and activity modification
with arthroscopic surgery for the treatment of symptomatic FAI.
Patients aged 18 to 60 with clinical and radiological evidence of
FAI are eligible. Principal exclusion criteria include previous
surgery to the index hip, established osteoarthritis (Kellgren–Lawrence
≥ 2), hip dysplasia (centre-edge angle <
20°), and completion
of a physiotherapy programme targeting FAI within the previous 12
months. Recruitment will take place over 24 months and 120 patients
will be randomised in a 1:1 ratio and followed up for three years.
The two primary outcome measures are change in hip outcome score
eight months post-randomisation (approximately six-months post-intervention
initiation) and change in radiographic minimum joint space width
38 months post-randomisation. ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01893034. Cite this article: Aims
Methods
The August 2013 Spine Roundup360 looks at: SPECT CT and facet joints; a difficult conversation: scoliosis and complications; time for a paradigm shift? complications under the microscope; minor trauma and cervical injury: a predictable phenomenon?; more costly all round: incentivising more complex operations?; minimally invasive surgery = minimal scarring; and symptomatic lumbar spine stenosis.
We hypothesised that cells obtained via a Reamer–Irrigator–Aspirator
(RIA) system retain substantial osteogenic potential and are at
least equivalent to graft harvested from the iliac crest. Graft
was harvested using the RIA in 25 patients (mean age 37.6 years
(18 to 68)) and from the iliac crest in 21 patients (mean age 44.6
years (24 to 78)), after which ≥ 1 g of bony particulate graft material
was processed from each. Initial cell viability was assessed using Trypan
blue exclusion, and initial fluorescence-activated cell sorting
(FACS) analysis for cell lineage was performed. After culturing
the cells, repeat FACS analysis for cell lineage was performed and
enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for osteocalcin, and Alizarin
red staining to determine osteogenic potential. Cells obtained via
RIA or from the iliac crest were viable and matured into mesenchymal
stem cells, as shown by staining for the specific mesenchymal antigens
CD90 and CD105. For samples from both RIA and the iliac crest there
was a statistically significant increase in bone production (both
p <
0.001), as demonstrated by osteocalcin production after induction. Medullary autograft cells harvested using RIA are viable and
osteogenic. Cell viability and osteogenic potential were similar
between bone grafts obtained from both the RIA system and the iliac
crest. Cite this article:
Dislocation of the shoulder may occur during
seizures in epileptics and other patients who have convulsions. Following
the initial injury, recurrent instability is common owing to a tendency
to develop large bony abnormalities of the humeral head and glenoid
and a susceptibility to further seizures. Assessment is difficult
and diagnosis may be missed, resulting in chronic locked dislocations
with protracted morbidity. Many patients have medical comorbidities,
and successful treatment requires a multidisciplinary approach addressing
the underlying seizure disorder in addition to the shoulder pathology.
The use of bony augmentation procedures may have improved the outcomes
after surgical intervention, but currently there is no evidence-based
consensus to guide treatment. This review outlines the epidemiology
and pathoanatomy of seizure-related instability, summarising the
currently-favoured options for treatment, and their results.
There have been several studies examining the
association between the morphological characteristics seen in acetabular
dysplasia and the incidence of the osteoarthritis (OA). However, most studies focus mainly on acetabular morphological
analysis, and few studies have scrutinised the effect of femoral
morphology. In this study we enrolled 36 patients with bilateral
acetabular dysplasia and early or mid-stage OA in one hip and no
OA in the contralateral hip. CT scans were performed from the iliac
crest to 2 cm inferior to the tibial tuberosity, and the morphological
characteristics of both acetabulum and femur were studied. In addition, 200 hips in 100 healthy volunteer Chinese adults
formed a control group. The results showed that the dysplastic group
with OA had a significantly larger femoral neck anteversion and
a significantly shorter abductor lever arm than both the dysplastic
group without OA and the controls. Femoral neck anteversion had
a significant negative correlation with the length of the abductor
lever arm and we conclude that it may contribute to the development
of OA in dysplastic hips. Cite this article:
Obesity is a global epidemic of 2.1 billion people and a well known cause of osteoarthritis. Joint replacement in the obese attracts more complications, poorer outcomes and higher revision rates. It is a reversible condition and the fundamental principles of dealing with reversible medical conditions prior to elective total joint replacement should apply to obesity. The dilemma for orthopaedic surgeons is when to offer surgery in the face of a reversible condition, which if treated may obviate joint replacement and reduce the risk and severity of obesity related disease in both the medical arena and the field of orthopaedics.
We reviewed 31 consecutive patients with Friedreich’s
ataxia and scoliosis. There were 24 males and seven females with
a mean age at presentation of 15.5 years (8.6 to 30.8) and a mean
curve of 51° (13° to 140°). A total of 12 patients had thoracic
curvatures, 11 had thoracolumbar and eight had double thoracic/lumbar.
Two patients had long thoracolumbar collapsing scoliosis with pelvic
obliquity and four had hyperkyphosis. Left-sided thoracic curves in
nine patients (45%) and increased thoracic kyphosis differentiated
these deformities from adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. There were
17 patients who underwent a posterior instrumented spinal fusion
at mean age of 13.35 years, which achieved and maintained good correction
of the deformity. Post-operative complications included one death due
to cardiorespiratory failure, one revision to address nonunion and
four patients with proximal junctional kyphosis who did not need
extension of the fusion. There were no neurological complications
and no wound infections. The rate of progression of the scoliosis
in children kept under simple observation and those treated with bracing
was less for lumbar curves during bracing and similar for thoracic
curves. The scoliosis progressed in seven of nine children initially
treated with a brace who later required surgery. Two patients presented
after skeletal maturity with balanced curves not requiring correction.
Three patients with severe deformities who would benefit from corrective
surgery had significant cardiac co-morbidities.