Segmental resection of malignant bone disease in the femoral diaphysis with subsequent limb reconstruction is a major undertaking. This is a retrospective review of 23 patients who had undergone limb salvage by endoprosthetic replacement of the femoral diaphysis for a primary bone tumour between 1989 and 2005.

There were 16 males and seven females, with a mean age of 41.3 years (10 to 68). The mean overall follow-up was for 97 months (3 to 240), and 120 months (42 to 240) for the living patients. The cumulative patient survival was 77% (95% confidence interval 63% to 95%) at ten years. Survival of the implant, with failure of the endoprosthesis as an endpoint, was 85% at five years and 68% (95% confidence interval 42% to 92%) at ten years. The revision rate was 22% and the overall rate of re-operation was 26%. Complications included deep infection (4%), breakage of the prosthesis (8%), periprosthetic fracture (4%), aseptic loosening (4%), local recurrence (4%) and metastases (17%). The 16 patients who retained their diaphyseal endoprosthesis had a mean Musculoskeletal Tumour Society score of 87% (67% to 93%). They were all able to comfortably perform most activities of daily living.

Femoral diaphyseal endoprosthetic replacement is a viable option for reconstruction following segmental resection of malignant bone disease. It allows immediate weight-bearing, is associated with a good long-term functional outcome, has an acceptable complication and revision rate and, most importantly, does not appear to compromise patient survival.

In a study on ten fresh human cadavers we examined the change in the height of the intervertebral disc space, the angle of lordosis and the geometry of the facet joints after insertion of intervertebral total disc replacements. SB III Charité prostheses were inserted at L3-4, L4-5, and L5-S1. The changes studied were measured using computer navigation sofware applied to CT scans before and after instrumentation.

After disc replacement the mean lumbar disc height was doubled (p < 0.001). The mean angle of lordosis and the facet joint space increased by a statistically significant extent (p < 0.005 and p = 0.006, respectively). By contrast, the mean facet joint overlap was significantly reduced (p < 0.001). Our study indicates that the increase in the intervertebral disc height after disc replacement changes the geometry at the facet joints. This may have clinical relevance.

We present the outcomes in 38 consecutive patients who had total ankle replacement using the Ankle Evolution System with a minimum follow-up of four years. Pain and function were assessed using the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) score and regular standardised anteroposterior and lateral weight-bearing radiographs were obtained. Patient satisfaction and complications were recorded and the survival of the implants was demonstrated by the Kaplan-Meier method.

The mean follow-up was for 57.8 months (48 to 80). The cumulative survival rate at six years was 94.7% (95% confidence interval 80.3 to 98.7). The mean total AOFAS score was 88.1 (53 to 100). The mean score for pain was 35.8 (20 to 40). Ten patients presented with edge-loading of whom nine had corrective surgery. Two ankles were revised, one to an arthrodesis and the other to replace the tibial component. Nine patients showed radiological evidence of osteolysis. They had minimal non-progressive symptoms and further surgery was not undertaken. Nevertheless, the concerns about osteolysis led to the implant being withdrawn by the manufacturer.

The medium-term results of the ankle evolution system ankle replacement are satisfactory with high patient satisfaction, but the rate of osteolysis is of some concern. The long-term benefit of this procedure has yet to be determined.

There is little information available at present regarding the mechanisms of failure of modern metallic radial head implants. Between 1998 and 2008, 44 consecutive patients (47 elbows) underwent removal of a failed metallic radial head replacement. In 13 patients (13 elbows) the initial operation had been undertaken within one week of a fracture of the radial head, at one to six weeks in seven patients (seven elbows) and more than six weeks (mean of 2.5 years (2 to 65 months)) in 22 patients (25 elbows). In the remaining two elbows the replacement was inserted for non-traumatic reasons. The most common indication for further surgery was painful loosening (31 elbows). Revision was undertaken for stiffness in 18 elbows, instability in nine, and deep infection in two. There were signs of over-lengthening of the radius in 11 elbows. Degenerative changes were found in all but one. Only three loose implants had been fixed with cement. Instability was not identified in any of the bipolar implants.

We have undertaken a prospective, randomised study to compare conservation of acetabular bone after total hip replacement and resurfacing arthroplasty of the hip. We randomly assigned 210 hips to one of the two treatment groups. Uncemented, press-fit acetabular components were used for both.

No significant difference was found in the mean diameter of acetabular implant inserted in the groups (54.74 mm for total hip replacement and 54.90 mm for resurfacing arthroplasty). In seven resurfacing procedures (6.8%), the surgeon used a larger size of component in order to match the corresponding diameter of the femoral component.

With resurfacing arthroplasty, conservation of bone is clearly advantageous on the femoral side. Our study has shown that, with a specific design of acetabular implant and by following a careful surgical technique, removal of bone on the acetabular side is comparable with that of total hip replacement.

Between May 1998 and May 2007 we carried out 50 Avon patellofemoral joint replacements in 32 patients with isolated patellofemoral osteoarthritis.

There were no revisions in the first five years, giving a cumulative survival of 100% for those with a minimum follow-up of five years. The mean follow-up was 5.3 years (2.1 to 10.2). The median Oxford knee score was 30.5 (interquartile range 22.25 to 42.25). In patients with bilateral replacements the median Euroqol General health score was 50 which was significantly lower than that of 75 in those with a unilateral replacement (p = 0.047). The main complication was progression of disease, which was identified radiologically in 11 knees (22%). This highlights the need for accurate selection of patients. Our findings suggest that the Avon prosthesis survives well and gives a satisfactory functional outcome in the medium term.

We present the medium-term results of hybrid total hip arthroplasties using pre-coated stems with a second-generation cementing technique. The 128 hips in 111 patients (18 men and 93 women) were followed up at a mean of 11 years after surgery. The mean age at the time of surgery was 61 years. Both components of one hip were removed at ten months after surgery for infection. None of the other 127 femoral components showed possible, probable, or definite loosening at the most recent follow-up. Five acetabular components were revised for aseptic loosening, recurrent dislocation, or displacement of the polyethylene liner from the metal shell. The mean Harris hip score at follow-up was 84 points. A pre-coated femoral component with a second-generation cementing technique provides good clinical function and survival in the medium term.

The hip joint is commonly involved in multiple epiphyseal dysplasia and patients may require total hip replacement before the age of 30 years.

We retrospectively reviewed nine patients (16 hips) from four families. The diagnosis of multiple epiphyseal dysplasia was based on a family history, genetic counselling, clinical features and radiological findings. The mean age at surgery was 32 years (17 to 63), with a mean follow-up of 15.9 years (5.5 to 24).

Of the 16 hips, ten required revision at a mean of 12.5 years (5 to 15) consisting of complete revision of the acetabular component in three hips and isolated exchange of the liner in seven. No femoral component has loosened or required revision during the period of follow-up.

With revision for any reason, the 15-year survival was only 11.4% (95% confidence interval 1.4 to 21.4). However, when considering revision of the acetabular shell in isolation the survival at ten years was 93.7% (95% confidence interval 87.7 to 99.7), reducing to 76.7% (95% confidence interval 87.7 to 98.7) at 15 and 20 years, respectively.

We report the outcome of total hip replacement in 29 failed metal-on-metal resurfacing hip replacements in which the primary surgery was performed between August 1995 and February 2005. The mean length of follow-up was five years (1.7 to 11.7). Of the 29 hip resurfacings, 19 acetabular components and all the femoral components were revised (28 uncemented stems and one cemented stem). There were no deaths and none of the patients was lost to follow-up. None of the hips underwent any further revision. The results of the revision resurfacing group were compared with those of a control group of age-matched patients. In the latter group there were 236 primary total hip replacements and 523 resurfacings performed during the same period by the same surgeons.

The outcome of the revision resurfacing group was comparable with that of the stemmed primary hip replacement group but was less good than that of the primary hip resurfacing group. Long-term follow-up is advocated to monitor the outcome of these cases.

Repeated trauma to the radial head may be one of the causative factors in the genesis of osteochondritis dissecans of the capitellum. We measured the force, contact area and pressure across the radiocapitellar articulation of the elbow before and after radial shortening osteotomy in five fresh-frozen cadaver upper limbs with loads of 45, 90 and 135 N, respectively. Measurements were made on pressure-sensitive film placed in the radiocapitellar articulation with the forearm in the supinated, neutral and pronated positions before and after radial shortening. Radial shortening significantly reduced the mean force and contact area across the radiocapitellar articulation in all positions of the forearm.

We treated 50 patients with bony malignancy by en-bloc resection, extracorporeal irradiation with 50 Gy and re-implantation of the bone segment.

The mean survivor follow-up was 38 months (12 to 92) when 42 patients were alive and without disease. There were four recurrences. The functional results were good according to the Mankin score (17 excellent, 13 good, nine fair, three failures), the Musculoskeletal Tumour Society score (mean 77) and the Toronto Extremity Salvage score (mean 81). There was solid union, but bone resorption was seen in some cases. The dose of radiation was lethal to all cells and produced a dead autograft of perfect fit.

Extracorporeal irradiation is a useful technique for limb salvage when there is reasonable residual bone stock. It allows effective re-attachment of tendons and produces a lasting biological reconstruction. There should be no risk of local recurrence or of radiotherapy-induced malignancy in the replanted bone.

We describe the management of nonunion combined with limb-length discrepancy following vascularised fibular grafting for the reconstruction of long-bone defects in the lower limb after resection of a tumour in skeletally immature patients. We operated on nine patients with a mean age of 13.1 years (10.5 to 14.5) who presented with a mean limb-length discrepancy of 7 cm (4 to 9) and nonunion at one end of a vascularised fibular graft, which had been performed previously, to reconstruct a bone defect after resection of an osteosarcoma.

Reconstruction was carried out using a ring fixator secured with correction by half pins of any malalignment, compression of the site of nonunion and lengthening through a metaphyseal parafocal osteotomy without bone grafting. The expected limb-length discrepancy at maturity was calculated using the arithmetic method. Solid union and the intended leg length were achieved in all the patients. Excessive scarring and the distorted anatomy from previous surgery in these patients required other procedures to be performed with minimal exposures and dissection in order to avoid further compromise to the vascularity of the graft or damage to neurovascular structures. The methods which we chose were simple and effective in addressing these complex problems.

Idiopathic calcium pyrophosphate deposition disease (pseudogout) has a variable presentation. Many joints are usually affected; single joint disease is uncommon. We present a case report of primary monoarticular pseudogout affecting the hip. The diagnosis was made on the appearance and analysis of specimens obtained at arthroscopy. Monoarticular pseudogout is rare, but should be considered in the differential diagnosis of any presentation of joint pain.

We identified eight patients of 2900 with a primary malignant bone tumour who had coexisting neurofibromatosis type 1. This was a much higher incidence than would be expected by chance. The patients had a mean age of 22.4 years (9 to 54): five were male. Two patients subsequently developed a second bone sarcoma, one of which was radiation induced. Four of the primary tumours were osteosarcomas, four were spindle-cell sarcomas and one a Ewing’s sarcoma. All the patients were treated with chemotherapy and surgery: six of the eight appear to be cured.

This study suggests a possible relationship between neurofibromatosis type 1 and the development of a bone sarcoma, the increased risk being estimated at eight times that of the normal population. We recommend that further research into this possible link should be considered.

The management of radial nerve palsy associated with fractures of the shaft of the humerus has been disputed for several decades. This study has systematically reviewed the published evidence and developed an algorithm to guide management. We searched web-based databases for studies published in the past 40 years and identified further pages through manual searches of the bibliography in papers identified electronically. Of 391 papers identified initially, encompassing a total of 1045 patients with radial nerve palsy, 35 papers met all our criteria for eligibility. Meticulous extraction of the data was carried out according to a preset protocol.

The overall prevalence of radial nerve palsy after fracture of the shaft of the humerus in 21 papers was 11.8% (532 palsies in 4517 fractures). Fractures of the middle and middle-distal parts of the shaft had a significantly higher association with radial nerve palsy than those in other parts. Transverse and spiral fractures were more likely to be associated with radial nerve palsy than oblique and comminuted patterns of fracture (p < 0.001). The overall rate of recovery was 88.1% (921 of 1045), with spontaneous recovery reaching 70.7% (411 of 581) in patients treated conservatively. There was no significant difference in the final results when comparing groups which were initially managed expectantly with those explored early, suggesting that the initial expectant treatment did not affect the extent of nerve recovery adversely and would avoid many unnecessary operations. A treatment algorithm for the management of radial nerve palsy associated with fracture of the shaft of the humerus is recommended by the authors.

The aim of this study was to investigate genetic influences on the development and progression of tears of the rotator cuff. From a group of siblings of patients with a tear of the rotator cuff and of controls studied five years earlier, we determined the prevalence of tears of the rotator cuff with and without associated symptoms using ultrasound and the Oxford Shoulder Score.

In the five years since the previous assessment, three of 62 (4.8%) of the sibling group and one of the 68 (1.5%) controls had undergone shoulder surgery. These subjects were excluded from the follow-up.

Full-thickness tears were found in 39 of 62 (62.9%) siblings and in 15 of 68 (22.1%) controls (p = 0.0001). The relative risk of full-thickness tears in siblings as opposed to controls was 2.85 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.75 to 4.64), compared to 2.42 (95% CI 1.77 to 3.31) five years earlier. Full-thickness tears associated with pain were found in 30 of 39 (76.9%) tears in the siblings and in eight of 15 (53.3%) tears in the controls (p = 0.045). The relative risk of pain associated with a full-thickness tear in the siblings as opposed to the controls was 1.44 (95% CI 2.04 to 8.28) (p = 0.045).

In the siblings group ten of 62 (16.1%) had progressed in terms of tear size or development compared to one of 68 (1.5%) in the control group which had increased in size.

Full-thickness rotator cuff tears in siblings are significantly more likely to progress over a period of five years than in a control population. This implies that genetic factors have a role, not only in the development but also in the progression of full-thickness tears of the rotator cuff.

Arthrolysis and dynamic splinting have been used in the treatment of elbow contractures, but there is no standardised protocol for treatment of severe contractures with an arc of flexion < 30°. We present our results of radical arthrolysis with twin incisions with the use of a monolateral hinged fixator to treat very severe extra-articular contracture of the elbow. This retrospective study included 26 patients (15 males and 11 females) with a mean age of 30 years (12 to 60). The mean duration of stiffness was 9.1 months (5.4 to 18) with mean follow-up of 5.2 years (3.5 to 9.4). The mean pre-operative arc of movement was 15.6° (0° to 30°), with mean pre-operative flexion of 64.1° (30° to 120°) and mean pre-operative extension of 52.1° (10° to 90°). Post-operatively the mean arc improved to 102.4° (60° to 135°), the mean flexion improved to 119.1° (90° to 140°) and mean extension improved to 16.8° (0° to 30°) (p < 0.001). The Mayo elbow score improved from a mean of 45 (30 to 65) to 89 (75 to 100) points, and 13 had excellent, nine had good, three had fair and one had a poor result. We had one case of severe instability and one wound dehiscence which responded well to treatment. One case had deep infection with poor results which responded well to treatment.

Our findings indicate that this method is very effective in the treatment of severe elbow contracture; however, a randomised controlled study is necessary for further evaluation.

We investigated the early results of modular porous metal components used in 23 acetabular reconstructions associated with major bone loss. The series included seven men and 15 women with a mean age of 67 years (38 to 81), who had undergone a mean of two previous revisions (1 to 7).

Based on Paprosky’s classification, there were 17 type 3A and six type 3B defects. Pelvic discontinuity was noted in one case. Augments were used in 21 hips to support the shell and an acetabular component-cage construct was implanted in one case. At a mean follow-up of 41 months (24 to 62), 22 components remained well fixed. Two patients required rerevision of the liners for prosthetic joint instability. Clinically, the mean Harris Hip Score improved from 43.0 pre-operatively (14 to 86) to 75.7 post-operatively (53 to 100). The mean pre-operative Merle d’Aubigné score was 8.2 (3 to 15) and improved to a mean of 13.7 (11 to 18) post-operatively.

These short-term results suggest that modular porous metal components are a viable option in the reconstruction of Paprosky type 3 acetabular defects. More data are needed to determine whether the system yields greater long-term success than more traditional methods, such as reconstruction cages and structural allografts.