The global economy has been facing a financial crisis. Healthcare costs are spiraling, and there is a projected £30 billion health funding gap by 2020 in the UK. What is happening in the UK is a reflection of a global problem. Rationing of healthcare is a topic of much discussion; as unless spending is capped, providing healthcare will become unsustainable. Who decides how money is spent, and which services should be rationed? In this article we aim to discuss the impact that rationing may have on orthopaedic surgery, and we will discuss our own experiences of attempts to ration local services.
Management of bisphosphonate-associated subtrochanteric
fractures remains opinion- or consensus-based. There are limited
data regarding the outcomes of this fracture. We retrospectively reviewed 33 consecutive female patients with
a mean age of 67.5 years (47 to 91) who were treated surgically
between May 2004 and October 2009. The mean follow-up was 21.7 months
(0 to 53). Medical records and radiographs were reviewed to determine
the post-operative ambulatory status, time to clinical and radiological
union and post-fixation complications such as implant failure and
need for second surgery. The predominant fixation method was with an extramedullary device
in 23 patients. 25 (75%) patients were placed on wheelchair mobilisation
or no weight-bearing initially. The mean time to full weight-bearing
was 7.1 months (2.2 to 29.7). The mean time for fracture site pain
to cease was 6.2 months (1.2 to 17.1). The mean time to radiological
union was 10.0 months (2.2 to 27.5). Implant failure was seen in
seven patients (23%, 95 confidence interval (CI) 11.8 to 40.9).
Revision surgery was required in ten patients (33%, 95 CI 19.2 to
51.2). A large proportion of the patients required revision surgery
and suffered implant failure. This fracture is associated with slow
healing and prolonged post-operative immobility. Cite this article:
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:
This study aimed to determine the long-term functional,
clinical and radiological outcomes in patients with Schatzker IV
to VI fractures of the tibial plateau treated with an Ilizarov frame.
Clinical, functional and radiological assessment was carried out
at a minimum of one year post-operatively. A cohort of 105 patients
(62 men, 43 women) with a mean age of 49 years (15 to 87) and a
mean follow-up of 7.8 years (1 to 19) were reviewed. There were
18 type IV, 10 type V and 77 type VI fractures. All fractures united
with a mean time to union of 20.1 weeks (10.6 to 42.3). No patient
developed a deep infection. The median range of movement (ROM) of
the knee was 110o and the median Iowa score was 85. Our study demonstrates good long-term functional outcome with
no deep infection; spanning the knee had no detrimental effect on
the ROM or functional outcome. High-energy fractures of the tibial plateau may be treated effectively
with a fine wire Ilizarov fixator. Cite this article:
Clinical and radiological data were reviewed for all patients
with mucopolysaccharidoses (MPS) with thoracolumbar kyphosis managed
non-operatively or operatively in our institution. In all 16 patients were included (eight female: eight male; 50%
male), of whom nine had Hurler, five Morquio and two Hunter syndrome.
Six patients were treated non-operatively (mean age at presentation
of 6.3 years; 0.4 to 12.9); mean kyphotic progression +1.5o/year;
mean follow-up of 3.1 years (1 to 5.1) and ten patients operatively (mean
age at presentation of 4.7 years; 0.9 to 14.4); mean kyphotic progression
10.8o/year; mean follow-up of 8.2 years; 4.8 to 11.8)
by circumferential arthrodesis with posterior instrumentation in
patients with flexible deformities (n = 6).Aims
Methods
While many forefoot procedures may be performed
as a day case, there are no specific guidelines as to which procedures
are suitable. This study assessed the early post-operative pain
after forefoot surgery performed a day case, compared with conventional
inpatient management. A total of 317 consecutive operations performed by a single surgeon
were included in the study. Those eligible according to the criteria
of the French Society of Anaesthesia (SFAR) were managed as day
cases (127; 40%), while the remainder were managed as inpatients. The groups were comparable in terms of gender, body mass index
and smoking status, although the mean age of the inpatients was
higher (p <
0.001) and they had higher mean American Society
of Anaesthesiologists scores (p = 0.002). The most severe daily
pain was on the first post-operative day, but the levels of pain
were similar in the two groups; (4.2/10, Apart from the most complicated cases, forefoot surgery can safely
be performed as a day case without an increased risk of pain, or
complications compared with management as an inpatient. Cite this article:
The April 2015 Hip &
Pelvis Roundup360 looks at: Goal-directed fluid therapy in hip fracture; Liberal blood transfusion no benefit in the longer term; Repeated measures: increased accuracy or compounded errors?; Peri-acetabular osteotomy safer than perhaps thought?; Obesity and peri-acetabular osteotomy: poor bedfellows; Stress fracture in peri-acetabular osteotomy; Infection and tantalum implants; Highly crosslinked polyethylene really does work
Whether to use total or unicompartmental knee
replacement (TKA/UKA) for end-stage knee osteoarthritis remains controversial.
Although UKA results in a faster recovery, lower rates of morbidity
and mortality and fewer complications, the long-term revision rate
is substantially higher than that for TKA. The effect of each intervention on
patient-reported outcome remains unclear. The aim of this study
was to determine whether six-month patient-reported outcome measures
(PROMs) are better in patients after TKA or UKA, using data from
a large national joint registry (NJR). We carried out a propensity score-matched cohort study which
compared six-month PROMs after TKA and UKA in patients enrolled
in the NJR for England and Wales, and the English national PROM
collection programme. A total of 3519 UKA patients were matched
to 10 557 TKAs. The mean six-month PROMs favoured UKA: the Oxford Knee Score
was 37.7 (95% confidence interval (CI) 37.4 to 38.0) for UKA and
36.1 (95% CI 35.9 to 36.3) for TKA; the mean EuroQol EQ-5D index
was 0.772 (95% CI 0.764 to 0.780) for UKA and 0.751 (95% CI 0.747
to 0.756) for TKA. UKA patients were more likely to achieve excellent
results (odds ratio (OR) 1.59, 95% CI 1.47 to 1.72, p <
0.001)
and to be highly satisfied (OR 1.27, 95% CI 1.17 to 1.39, p <
0.001), and
were less likely to report complications than those who had undergone
TKA. UKA gives better early patient-reported outcomes than TKA; these
differences are most marked for the very best outcomes. Complications
and readmission are more likely after TKA. Although the data presented
reflect the short-term outcome, they suggest that the high revision
rate for UKA may not be because of poorer clinical outcomes. These
factors should inform decision-making in patients eligible for either
procedure. Cite this article:
We investigated the incidence of soft-tissue
lesions after small head metal-on-metal total hip replacement (MoM THR).
Between December 1993 and May 1999, 149 patients (195 hips) underwent
primary cementless MoM THR. During the follow-up period, three patients (five THRs) died
and eight patients (14 THRs) were lost to follow-up. We requested
that all patients undergo CT evaluation. After exclusion of five
patients (six THRs) who had undergone a revision procedure, and
22 (28 THRs) who were unwilling to take part in this study, 111
patients (142 THRs) were evaluated. There were 63 men (88 THRs)
and 48 women (54 THRs) with a mean age of 45.7 years (37 to 56)
at the time of surgery. The mean follow-up was 15.4 years (13 to
19). A soft-tissue lesion was defined as an abnormal peri-prosthetic
collection of fluid, solid lesion or asymmetrical soft-tissue mass. At final follow-up, soft-tissue lesions were found in relation
to 28 THRs (19.7%), including 25 solid and three cystic lesions.
They were found in 20 men and eight women; 26 lesions were asymptomatic
and two were symptomatic. The mean maximal diameter of the soft-tissue
lesion was 42.3 mm (17 to 135). The relatively high rate of soft-tissue lesions
observed with small head MoM THR remains a concern. Cite this article:
The October 2015 Foot &
Ankle Roundup360 looks at: TightRope in Weber C fractures; A second look at the TightRope; Incisional VAC comes of age?; Platelet-derived growth factor and ankle fusions; Achilles tendon rehab in the longer term following surgery; Telemedicine for diabetic foot ulcer
The October 2015 Oncology Roundup360 looks at: Radiotherapy for the radioresistant; Multiple hereditary exostosis; The total femur as a limb salvage option; Survival prediction in osteosarcoma; What happens when chondrosarcoma recurs?; Thumbs up for vascularised fibular graft; Radiotherapy and survival; Musculoskeletal tumours in pregnancy
The October 2015 Spine Roundup360 looks at: Traumatic spinal cord injury under the spotlight; The odontoid peg nonunion; Driving and spinal surgery; Drains and antibiotics post-spinal surgery; Vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty equally effective; Who will benefit from steroid injections?; Back pain following lumbar discectomy
The patient with a painful arthritic knee awaiting
total knee arthroplasty (TKA) requires a multidisciplinary approach.
Optimal control of acute post-operative pain and the prevention
of chronic persistent pain remains a challenge. The aim of this
paper is to evaluate whether stratification of patients can help
identify those who are at particular risk for severe acute or chronic
pain. Intense acute post-operative pain, which is itself a risk factor
for chronic pain, is more common in younger, obese female patients
and those suffering from central pain sensitisation. Pre-operative
pain, in the knee or elsewhere in the body, predisposes to central
sensitisation. Pain due to osteoarthritis of the knee may also trigger
neuropathic pain and may be associated with chronic medication like
opioids, leading to a state of nociceptive sensitisation called
‘opioid-induced hyperalgesia’. Finally, genetic and personality
related risk factors may also put patients at a higher risk for
the development of chronic pain. Those identified as at risk for chronic pain would benefit from
specific peri-operative management including reduction in opioid
intake pre-operatively, the peri-operative use of antihyperalgesic
drugs such as ketamine and gabapentinoids, and a close post-operative
follow-up in a dedicated chronic pain clinic. Cite this article:
Unlinked, linked and convertible total elbow
arthroplasties (TEAs) are currently available. This study is the
first to report the clinical results of the convertible Latitude
TEA. This was a retrospective study of a consecutive cohort of 63
patients (69 primary TEAs) with a mean age of 60 years (23 to 87).
Between 2006 and 2008 a total of 19 men and 50 women underwent surgery.
The mean follow-up was 43 months (8 to 84). The range of movement,
function and pain all improved six months post-operatively and either
continued to improve slightly or reached a plateau thereafter. The
complication rate is similar to that reported for other TEA systems.
No loosening was seen. Remarkable is the disengagement of the radial
head component in 13 TEAs (31%) with a radial head component implanted. Implantation of both the linked and the unlinked versions of
the Latitude TEA results in improvement of function and decreased
pain, and shows high patient satisfaction at mid-term follow-up. Cite this article:
The October 2015 Hip &
Pelvis Roundup360 looks at: Smoking and complications in arthroplasty; Smoking cessation beneficial in arthroplasty; Intermediate care and arthroplasty; Do we still need cell salvage?; Femoroacetabular impingement in the Japanese population; Trunnionosis or taperosis and geometry; Decontamination for staphylococcus aureus works!; Policeman or opportunity? Quality improvement with registries; Death rates higher in readmission to other hospitals
Little information is available about the incidence
and outcome of incidental dural tears associated with microendoscopic
lumbar decompressive surgery. We prospectively examined the incidence
of dural tears and their influence on the outcome six months post-operatively
in 555 consecutive patients (mean age 47.4 years (13 to 89)) who
underwent this form of surgery. The incidence of dural tears was
5.05% (28/555). The risk factors were the age of the patient and
the procedure of bilateral decompression via a unilateral approach.
The rate of recovery of the Japanese Orthopaedic Association score
in patients with dural tears was significantly lower than that in
those without a tear (77.7% Cite this article:
Revision total hip arthroplasty (THA) is challenging
when there is severe loss of bone in the proximal femur. The purpose
of this study was to evaluate the clinical and radiographic outcomes
of revision THA in patients with severe proximal femoral bone loss
treated with a fluted, tapered, modular femoral component. Between
January 1998 and December 2004, 92 revision THAs were performed
in 92 patients using a single fluted, tapered, modular femoral stem
design. Pre-operative diagnoses included aseptic loosening, infection
and peri-prosthetic fracture. Bone loss was categorised pre-operatively
as Paprosky types III-IV, or Vancouver B3 in patients with a peri-prosthetic
fracture. The mean clinical follow-up was 6.4 years (2 to 12). A
total of 47 patients had peri-operative complications, 27 of whom
required further surgery. However, most of these further operations
involved retention of a well-fixed femoral stem, and 88/92 femoral
components (97%) remained Revision THA in patients with extensive proximal femoral bone
loss using the Link MP fluted, tapered, modular stem led to a high
rate of osseointegration of the stem at mid-term follow-up. Cite this article:
This is the second of a series of reviews of registries. This review looks specifically at worldwide registry data that have been collected on knee arthroplasty, what we have learned from their reports, and what the limitations are as to what we currently know.
Older patients with multiple medical co-morbidities
are increasingly being offered and undergoing total joint arthroplasty
(TJA). These patients are more likely to require intensive care
support, following surgery. We prospectively evaluated the need
for intensive care admission and intervention in a consecutive series
of 738 patients undergoing elective hip and knee arthroplasty procedures.
The mean age was 60.6 years (18 to 91; 440 women, 298 men. Risk
factors, correlating with the need for critical care intervention,
according to published guidelines, were analysed to identify high-risk
patients who would benefit from post-operative critical care monitoring.
A total of 50 patients (6.7%) in our series required critical care
level interventions during their hospital stay. Six independent
multivariate clinical predictors were identified (p <
0.001)
including a history of congestive heart failure (odds ratio (OR)
24.26, 95% confidence interval (CI) 9.51 to 61.91), estimated blood
loss >
1000 mL (OR 17.36, 95% CI 5.36 to 56.19), chronic obstructive
pulmonary disease (13.90, 95% CI 4.78 to 40.36), intra-operative
use of vasopressors (OR 8.10, 95% CI 3.23 to 20.27), revision hip
arthroplasty (OR 2.71, 95% CI 1.04 to 7.04) and body mass index
>
35 kg/m2 (OR 2.70, 95% CI 123 to 5.94). The model was
then validated against an independent, previously published data
set of 1594 consecutive patients. The use of this risk stratification
model can be helpful in predicting which high-risk patients would
benefit from a higher level of monitoring and care after elective
TJA and aid hospitals in allocating precious critical care resources. Cite this article: