The objective of this study was to assess the association between whole body sagittal balance and risk of falls in elderly patients who have sought treatment for back pain. Balanced spinal sagittal alignment is known to be important for the prevention of falls. However, spinal sagittal imbalance can be markedly compensated by the lower extremities, and whole body sagittal balance including the lower extremities should be assessed to evaluate actual imbalances related to falls. Patients over 70 years old who visited an outpatient clinic for back pain treatment and underwent a standing whole-body radiograph were enrolled. Falls were prospectively assessed for 12 months using a monthly fall diary, and patients were divided into fallers and non-fallers according to the history of falls. Radiological parameters from whole-body radiographs and clinical data were compared between the two groups.Objectives
Methods
Traditionally, informed consent for clinical
research involves the patient reading an approved Participant Information
Sheet, considering the information presented and having as much time
as they need to discuss the study information with their friends
and relatives, their clinical care and the research teams. This
system works well in the ‘planned’ or ‘elective’ setting. But what
happens if the patient requires urgent treatment for an injury or emergency? This article reviews the legal framework which governs informed
consent in the emergency setting, discusses how the approach taken
may vary according to the details of the emergency and the treatment
required, and reports on the patients’ view of providing consent
following a serious injury. We then provide some practical tips
for managing the process of informed consent in the context of injuries
and emergencies. Cite this article:
Our aim was to analyse the long-term functional outcome of two
forms of surgical treatment for active patients aged >
70 years
with a displaced intracapsular fracture of the femoral neck. Patients
were randomised to be treated with either a hemiarthroplasty or
a total hip arthroplasty (THA). The outcome five years post-operatively
for this cohort has previously been reported. We present the outcome
at 12 years post-operatively. Initially 252 patients with a mean age of 81.1 years (70.2 to
95.6) were included, of whom 205 (81%) were women. A total of 137
were treated with a cemented hemiarthroplasty and 115 with a cemented
THA. At long-term follow-up we analysed the modified Harris Hip
Score (HHS), post-operative complications and intra-operative data
of the patients who were still alive.Aims
Patients and Methods
Several studies have reported the rate of post-operative
mortality after the surgical treatment of a fracture of the hip,
but few data are available regarding the delayed morbidity. In this
prospective study, we identified 568 patients who underwent surgery
for a fracture of the hip and who were followed for one year. Multivariate
analysis was carried out to identify possible predictors of mortality
and morbidity. The 30-day, four-month and one-year rates of mortality
were 4.3%, 11.4%, and 18.8%, respectively. General complications
and pre-operative comorbidities represented the basic predictors
of mortality at any time interval (p <
0.01). In-hospital, four-month
and one-year general complications occurred in 29.4%, 18.6% and
6.7% of patients, respectively. After adjusting for confounding variables,
comorbidities and poor cognitive status determined the likelihood
of early and delayed general complications, respectively (p <
0.001). Operative delay was the main predictor of the length of
hospital stay (p <
0.001) and was directly related to in-hospital
(p = 0.017) and four-month complications (p = 0.008). Cite this article:
To analyse the influence of upper extremity trauma on the long-term
outcome of polytraumatised patients. A total of 629 multiply injured patients were included in a follow-up
study at least ten years after injury (mean age 26.5 years, standard
deviation 12.4). The extent of the patients’ injury was classified
using the Injury Severity Score. Outcome was measured using the
Hannover Score for Polytrauma Outcome (HASPOC), Short Form (SF)-12, rehabilitation
duration, and employment status. Outcomes for patients with and
without a fracture of the upper extremity were compared and analysed
with regard to specific fracture regions and any additional brachial
plexus lesion.Aims
Patients and Methods
The fundamental concept of open reduction and internal fixation
(ORIF) of ankle fractures has not changed appreciably since the
1960s and, whilst widely used, is associated with complications
including wound dehiscence and infection, prominent hardware and
failure. Closed reduction and intramedullary fixation (CRIF) using
a fibular nail, wires or screws is biomechanically stronger, requires
minimal incisions, and has low-profile hardware. We hypothesised
that fibular nailing in the elderly would have similar functional
outcomes to standard fixation, with a reduced rate of wound and
hardware problems. A total of 100 patients (25 men, 75 women) over the age of 65
years with unstable ankle fractures were randomised to undergo standard
ORIF or fibular nailing (11 men and 39 women in the ORIF group,
14 men and 36 women in the fibular nail group). The mean age was
74 years (65 to 93) and all patients had at least one medical comorbidity. Complications,
patient related outcome measures and cost-effectiveness were assessed
over 12 months.Aims
Patients and Methods
We present a minimum 20-year follow-up study of 382 cemented
Exeter Universal total hip arthroplasties (350 patients) operated
on at a mean age of 66.3 years (17 to 94). All patients received the same design of femoral component, regardless
of the original diagnosis. Previous surgery had been undertaken
for 33 hips (8.6%). During the study period 218 patients with 236
hips (62%) died, 42 hips (11%) were revised and 110 hips (29%) in
96 patients were available for review. The acetabular components
were varied and some designs are now obsolete, however they were
all cemented.Aims
Patients and Methods
A fracture of the hip is the most common serious orthopaedic
injury, and surgical site infection (SSI) is one of the most significant
complications, resulting in increased mortality, prolonged hospital
stay and often the need for further surgery. Our aim was to determine
whether high dose dual antibiotic impregnated bone cement decreases the
rate of infection. A quasi-randomised study of 848 patients with an intracapsular
fracture of the hip was conducted in one large teaching hospital
on two sites. All were treated with a hemiarthroplasty. A total
of 448 patients received low dose single-antibiotic impregnated
cement (control group) and 400 patients received high dose dual-antibiotic impregnated
cement (intervention group). The primary outcome measure was deep
SSI at one year after surgery.Aims
Patients and Methods
Fractures of the hip are common, often occurring
in frail elderly patients, but also in younger fit healthy patients following
trauma. They have a significant associated mortality and major social
and financial implications to patients and health care providers.
Many guidelines are available for the management of these patients,
mostly recommending early surgery for the best outcomes. As a result,
healthcare authorities now put pressure on surgical teams to ‘fast
track’ patients with a fracture of the hip, often misquoting the
available literature, which in itself can be confusing and even
conflicting. This paper has been written following an extensive review of
the available literature. An attempt is made to clarify what is
meant by early surgery (expeditious Cite this article:
We examined risk of developing acute renal failure and the associated
mortality among patients aged >
65 years undergoing surgery for
a fracture of the hip. We used medical databases to identify patients who underwent
surgical treatment for a fracture of the hip in Northern Denmark
between 2005 and 2011. Acute renal failure was classified as stage
1, 2 and 3 according to the Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcome
criteria. We computed the risk of developing acute renal failure
within five days after surgery with death as a competing risk, and
the short-term (six to 30 days post-operatively) and long-term mortality
(31 days to 365 days post-operatively). We calculated adjusted hazard
ratios (HRs) for death with 95% confidence intervals (CIs).Aims
Patients and Methods
In order to prevent dislocation of the hip after total hip arthroplasty
(THA), patients have to adhere to precautions in the early post-operative
period. The hypothesis of this study was that a protocol with minimal
precautions after primary THA using the posterolateral approach
would not increase the short-term (less than three months) risk
of dislocation. We prospectively monitored a group of unselected patients undergoing
primary THA managed with standard precautions (n = 109, median age
68.9 years; interquartile range (IQR) 61.2 to 77.3) and a group
who were managed with fewer precautions (n = 108, median age 67.2
years; IQR 59.8 to 73.2). There were no significant differences between
the groups in relation to predisposing risk factors. The diameter
of the femoral head ranged from 28 mm to 36 mm; meticulous soft-tissue
repair was undertaken in all patients. The medical records were
reviewed and all patients were contacted three months post-operatively
to confirm whether they had experienced a dislocation. Aims
Patients and Methods
The aim of this study was to define return to
theatre (RTT) rates for elective hip and knee replacement (HR and
KR), to describe the predictors and to show the variations in risk-adjusted
rates by surgical team and hospital using national English hospital
administrative data. We examined information on 260 206 HRs and 315 249 KRs undertaken
between April 2007 and March 2012. The 90-day RTT rates were 2.1%
for HR and 1.8% for KR. Male gender, obesity, diabetes and several
other comorbidities were associated with higher odds for both index
procedures. For HR, hip resurfacing had half the odds of cement fixation
(OR = 0.58, 95% confidence intervals (CI) 0.47 to 0.71). For KR,
unicondylar KR had half the odds of total replacement (OR = 0.49,
95% CI 0.42 to 0.56), and younger ages had higher odds (OR = 2.23,
95% CI 1.65 to 3.01) for ages <
40 years compared with ages 60
to 69 years). There were more funnel plot outliers at three standard deviations
than would be expected if variation occurred on a random basis. Hierarchical modelling showed that three-quarters of the variation
between surgeons for HR and over half the variation between surgeons
for KR are not explained by the hospital they operated at or by
available patient factors. We conclude that 90-day RTT rate may
be a useful quality indicator for orthopaedics. Cite this article:
We evaluated the duration of hospitalisation,
occurrence of infections, hip dislocations, revisions, and mortality following
primary hip and knee replacement in 857 patients with Parkinson’s
disease and compared them with 2571 matched control patients. The
data were collected from comprehensive nationwide Finnish health
registers. The mean follow-up was six years (1 to 13). The patients
with Parkinson’s disease had a longer mean length of stay (21 days
[1 to 365] Cite this article:
Oxidised zirconium was introduced as a material for femoral components
in total knee arthroplasty (TKA) as an attempt to reduce polyethylene
wear. However, the long-term survival of this component is not known. We performed a retrospective review of a prospectively collected
database to assess the ten year survival and clinical and radiological
outcomes of an oxidised zirconium total knee arthroplasty with the
Genesis II prosthesis. The Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis
Index (WOMAC), Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS)
and a patient satisfaction scale were used to assess outcome.Aims
Methods
The October 2015 Trauma Roundup360 looks at: PCA not the best in resuscitation; Impact of trauma centre care; Quality of life after a hip fracture; Recovery and severity of injury: open tibial fractures in the spotlight; Assessment of the triplane fractures; Signs of an unstable paediatric pelvis; Safe insertion of SI screws: are two views required?; Post-operative delirium under the spotlight; Psychological effects of fractures; K-wires cost effective in DRAFFT
To study the measurement properties of a joint specific patient
reported outcome measure, a measure of capability and a general
health-related quality of life (HRQOL) tool in a large cohort of
patients with a hip fracture. Responsiveness and associations between the Oxford Hip Score
(a hip specific measure: OHS), ICEpop CAPability (a measure of capability
in older people: ICECAP-O) and EuroQol EQ-5D (general health-related
quality of life measure: EQ-5D) were assessed using data available
from two large prospective studies. The three outcome measures were assessed
concurrently at a number of fixed follow-up time-points in a consecutive
sequence of patients, allowing direct assessment of change from
baseline, inter-measure associations and validity using a range
of statistical methods.Objectives
Methods
We compared case-mix and outcome variables in 1310 patients who sustained an acute fracture at the age of 80 years or over. A group of 318 very elderly patients (≥ 90 years) was compared with a group of 992 elderly patients (80 to 89 years), all of whom presented to a single trauma unit between July 2007 and June 2008. The very elderly group represented only 0.6% of the overall population, but accounted for 4.1% of all fractures and 9.3% of all orthopaedic trauma admissions. Patients in this group were more likely to require hospital admission (odds ratio 1.4), less likely to return to independent living (odds ratio 3.1), and to have a significantly longer hospital stay (ten days, p = 0.01). The 30- and 120-day unadjusted mortality was greater in the very elderly group. The 120-day mortality associated with non-hip fractures of the lower limb was equal to that of proximal femoral fractures, and was significantly increased with a delay to surgery >
48 hours for both age groups (p = 0.04). This suggests that the principle of early surgery and mobilisation of elderly patients with hip fractures should be extended to include all those in this vulnerable age group.
We report the five-year outcome of a randomised
controlled trial which used radiostereometric analysis (RSA) to assess
the influence of surface oxidised zirconium (OxZr, Oxinium) on polyethylene
wear A total of 120 patients, 85 women and 35 men with a mean age
of 70 years (59 to 80) who were scheduled for primary cemented total
hip arthroplasty were randomly allocated to four study groups. Patients
were blinded to their group assignment and received either a conventional
polyethylene (CPE) or a highly cross-linked (HXL) acetabular component
of identical design. On the femoral side patients received a 28
mm head made of either cobalt-chromium (CoCr) or OxZr. The proximal head penetration (wear) was measured with repeated
RSA examinations over five years. Clinical outcome was measured
using the Harris hip score. There was no difference in polyethylene wear between the two
head materials when used with either of the two types of acetabular
component (p = 0.3 to 0.6). When comparing the two types of polyethylene
there was a significant difference in favour of HXLPE, regardless
of the head material used (p <
0.001). In conclusion, we found no advantage of OxZr over CoCr in terms
of polyethylene wear after five years of follow-up. Our findings
do not support laboratory results which have shown a reduced rate
of wear with OxZr. They do however add to the evidence on the better
resistance to wear of HXLPE over CPE. Cite this article:
Polyethylene wear debris can cause osteolysis
and the failure of total hip arthroplasty. We present the five-year
wear rates of a highly cross-linked polyethylene (X3) bearing surface
when used in conjunction with a 36 mm ceramic femoral head. This was a prospective study of a cohort of 100 THAs in 93 patients.
Pain and activity scores were measured pre- and post-operatively.
Femoral head penetration was measured at two months, one year, two
years and at five years using validated edge-detecting software
(PolyWare Auto). At a mean of 5.08 years (3.93 to 6.01), 85 hips in 78 patients
were available for study. The mean age of these patients was 59.08
years (42 to 73, the mean age of males (n = 34) was 59.15 years,
and females (n = 44) was 59.02 years). All patients had significant
improvement in their functional scores (p <
0.001). The steady
state two-dimensional linear wear rate was 0.109 mm/year. The steady
state volumetric wear rate was 29.61 mm3/year. No significant
correlation was found between rate of wear and age (p = 0.34), acetabular
component size (p = 0.12) or clinical score (p = 0.74). Our study shows low steady state wear rates at five years in
X3 highly cross-linked polyethylene in conjunction with a 36 mm
ceramic femoral head. The linear wear rate was almost identical
to the osteolysis threshold of 0.1 mm/year recommended in the literature. Cite this article:
