Aims. We propose a state-of-the-art temporary spacer, consisting of a cobalt-chrome (CoCr) femoral component and a gentamicin-eluting ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) tibial insert, which can provide therapeutic delivery of gentamicin, while retaining excellent mechanical properties. The proposed implant is designed to replace conventional spacers made from bone cement. Methods. Gentamicin-loaded UHMWPE was prepared using phase-separated compression moulding, and its drug elution kinetics, antibacterial, mechanical, and wear properties were compared with those of conventional gentamicin-loaded bone cement. Results. Gentamicin-loaded UHMWPE tibial components not only eradicated planktonic Staphylococcus aureus, but also prevented colonization of both femoral and tibial components. The proposed spacer possesses far superior mechanical and wear properties when compared with conventional bone cement spacers. Conclusion. The proposed gentamicin-eluting UHMWPE spacer can provide antibacterial efficacy comparable with currently used bone cement spacers, while overcoming their drawbacks. The novel spacer proposed here has the potential to drastically reduce complications associated with currently used bone cement spacers and substantially improve patients’ quality of life during the treatment. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2020;102-B(6 Supple A):151–157

Aims. The aim of this study was to determine if the local delivery of vancomycin and tobramycin in primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA) can achieve intra-articular concentrations exceeding the minimum inhibitory concentration thresholds for bacteria causing acute prosthetic joint infection (PJI). Methods. Using a retrospective single-institution database of all primary TKAs performed between January 1 2014 and May 7 2019, we identified patients with acute PJI that were managed surgically within 90 days of the initial procedure. The organisms from positive cultures obtained at the time of revision were tested for susceptibility to gentamicin, tobramycin, and vancomycin. A prospective study was then performed to determine the intra-articular antibiotic concentration on postoperative day one after primary TKA using one of five local antibiotic delivery strategies with tobramycin and/or vancomycin mixed into the polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) or vancomycin powder. Results. A total of 19 patients with acute PJI after TKA were identified and 29 unique bacterial isolates were recovered. The mean time to revision was 37 days (6 to 84). Nine isolates (31%) were resistant to gentamicin, ten (34%) were resistant to tobramycin, and seven (24%) were resistant to vancomycin. Excluding one Fusobacterium nucleatum, which was resistant to all three antibiotics, all isolates resistant to tobramycin or gentamicin were susceptible to vancomycin and vice versa. Overall, 2.4 g of tobramycin hand-mixed into 80 g of PMMA and 1 g of intra-articular vancomycin powder consistently achieved concentrations above the minimum inhibitory concentrations of susceptible organisms. Conclusion. One-third of bacteria causing acute PJI after primary TKA were resistant to the aminoglycosides commonly mixed into PMMA, and one-quarter were resistant to vancomycin. With one exception, all bacteria resistant to tobramycin were susceptible to vancomycin and vice versa. Based on these results, the optimal cover for organisms causing most cases of acute PJI after TKA can be achieved with a combination of tobramycin mixed in antibiotic cement, and vancomycin powder. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2020;102-B(6 Supple A):163–169

Aims

To establish our early clinical results of a new total knee arthroplasty (TKA) tibial component introduced in 2013 and compare it to other designs in use at our hospital during the same period.

Aims

The management of periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is challenging. The correct antibiotic management remains elusive due to differences in epidemiology and resistance between countries, and reports in the literature. Before the efficacy of surgical treatment is investigated, it is crucial to analyze the bacterial strains causing PJI, especially for patients in whom no organisms are grown.

Aims

It remains difficult to diagnose early postoperative periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) following total knee arthroplasty (TKA). We aimed to validate the optimal cutoff values of ESR, CRP, and synovial fluid analysis for detecting early postoperative PJI in a large series of primary TKAs.

Aims

Metaphyseal fixation during revision total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is important, but potentially difficult when using historical designs of cone. Material and manufacturing innovations have improved the size and shape of the cones which are available, and simplified the required bone preparation. In a large series, we assessed the implant survivorship, radiological results, and clinical outcomes of new porous 3D-printed titanium metaphyseal cones featuring a reamer-based system.

Aims

Total knee arthroplasty is an established treatment for knee osteoarthritis with excellent long-term results, but there remains controversy about the role of uncemented prostheses. We present the long-term results of a randomized trial comparing an uncemented tantalum metal tibial component with a conventional cemented component of the same implant design.

Aims

Arthrodesis is rarely used as a salvage procedure for patients with a chronically infected total knee arthroplasty (TKA), and little information is available about the outcome. The aim of this study was to assess the reliability, durability, and safety of this procedure as the definitive treatment for complex, chronically infected TKA, in a current series of patients.

Aims

Unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA) has been successfully performed in the United States healthcare system on outpatients. Despite differences in healthcare structure and financial environment, we hypothesised that it would be feasible to replicate this success and perform UKA with safe day of surgery discharge within the NHS, in the United Kingdom. This has not been reported in any other United Kingdom centres.

Objectives

The lack of effective treatment for cartilage defects has prompted investigations using tissue engineering techniques for their regeneration and repair. The success of tissue-engineered repair of cartilage may depend on the rapid and efficient adhesion of transplanted cells to a scaffold. Our aim in this study was to repair full-thickness defects in articular cartilage in the weight-bearing area of a porcine model, and to investigate whether the CD44 monoclonal antibody biotin-avidin (CBA) binding technique could provide satisfactory tissue-engineered cartilage.

All major studies have incorporated the use of prolonged courses of parenteral or oral antibiotic therapy in the management of two-stage revision of an infected total knee arthroplasty. We present a series of 59 consecutive patients, all with microbiologically-proven deep infection of a total knee arthroplasty, in whom a prolonged course of antibiotic therapy was not routinely used. The mean follow-up was 56.4 months (24 to 114).

Of the 38 patients who underwent a staged exchange, infection was successfully eradicated in 34 (89%) but recurrent or persistent infection was present in four (11%). Our rate of cure for infection is similar to that reported elsewhere. We conclude that a prolonged course of antibiotic therapy seems not to alter the incidence of recurrent or persistent infection. The costs of the administration of antibiotics are high and such a regime may be unnecessary.

Two-stage revision surgery for infected total knee replacement offers the highest rate of success for the elimination of infection. The use of articulating antibiotic-laden cement spacers during the first stage to eradicate infection also allows protection of the soft tissues against excessive scarring and stiffness. We have investigated the effect of cyclical loading of cement spacers on the elution of antibiotics. Femoral and tibial spacers containing vancomycin at a constant concentration and tobramycin of varying concentrations were studied in vitro. The specimens were immersed and loaded cyclically to 250 N, with a flexion excursion of 45°, for 35 000 cycles. The buffered solution was sampled at set intervals and the antibiotic concentration was established so that the elution could be calculated. Unloaded samples were used as a control group for statistical comparison.

The elution of tobramycin increased proportionately with its concentration in cement and was significantly higher at all sampling times from five minutes to 1680 minutes in loaded components compared with the control group (p = 0.021 and p = 0.003, respectively). A similar trend was observed with elution of vancomycin, but this failed to reach statistical significance at five, 1320 and 1560 minutes (p = 0.0508, p = 0.067 and p = 0.347, respectively). However, cyclically loaded and control components showed an increased elution of vancomycin with increasing tobramycin concentration in the specimens, despite all components having the same vancomycin concentration. The concentration of tobramycin influences both tobramycin and vancomycin elution from bone cement. Cyclical loading of the cement spacers enhanced the elution of vancomycin and tobramycin.

The rate of peri-prosthetic infection following total joint replacement continues to rise, and attempts to curb this trend have included the use of antibiotic-loaded bone cement at the time of primary surgery. We have investigated the clinical- and cost-effectiveness of the use of antibiotic-loaded cement for primary total knee replacement (TKR) by comparing the rate of infection in 3048 TKRs performed without loaded cement over a three-year period versus the incidence of infection after 4830 TKRs performed with tobramycin-loaded cement over a later period of time of a similar duration. In order to adjust for confounding factors, the rate of infection in 3347 and 4702 uncemented total hip replacements (THR) performed during the same time periods, respectively, was also examined. There were no significant differences in the characteristics of the patients in the different cohorts.

The absolute rate of infection increased when antibiotic-loaded cement was used in TKR. However, this rate of increase was less than the rate of increase in infection following uncemented THR during the same period. If the rise in the rate of infection observed in THR were extrapolated to the TKR cohort, 18 additional cases of infection would have been expected to occur in the cohort receiving antibiotic-loaded cement, compared with the number observed. Depending on the type of antibiotic-loaded cement that is used, its cost in all primary TKRs ranges between USD $2112.72 and USD $112 606.67 per case of infection that is prevented.

Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2014;96-B:65–9.

We attempted to characterise the biological quality and regenerative potential of chondrocytes in osteochondritis dissecans (OCD). Dissected fragments from ten patients with OCD of the knee (mean age 27.8 years (16 to 49)) were harvested at arthroscopy. A sample of cartilage from the intercondylar notch was taken from the same joint and from the notch of ten patients with a traumatic cartilage defect (mean age 31.6 years (19 to 52)). Chondrocytes were extracted and subsequently cultured. Collagen types 1, 2, and 10 mRNA were quantified by polymerase chain reaction. Compared with the notch chondrocytes, cells from the dissecate expressed similar levels of collagen types 1 and 2 mRNA. The level of collagen type 10 message was 50 times lower after cell culture, indicating a loss of hypertrophic cells or genes. The high viability, retained capacity to differentiate and metabolic activity of the extracted cells suggests preservation of the intrinsic repair capability of these dissecates. Molecular analysis indicated a phenotypic modulation of the expanded dissecate chondrocytes towards a normal phenotype. Our findings suggest that cartilage taken from the dissecate can be reasonably used as a cell source for chondrocyte implantation procedures.

Between 1989 and 1992 we had 102 knees suitable for unicompartmental knee replacement (UKR). They were randomised to receive either a St Georg Sled UKR or a Kinematic modular total knee replacement (TKR). The early results demonstrated that the UKR group had less complications and more rapid rehabilitation than the TKR group. At five years there were an equal number of failures in the two groups but the UKR group had more excellent results and a greater range of movement.

The cases were reviewed by a research nurse at 8, 10 and 12 years after operation. We report the outcome at 15 years follow-up. A total of 43 patients (45 knees) died with their prosthetic knees intact. Throughout the review period the Bristol knee scores of the UKR group have been better and at 15 years 15 (71.4%) of the surviving UKRs and 10 (52.6%) of the surviving TKRs had achieved an excellent score. The 15 years survivorship rate based on revision or failure for any reason was 24 (89.8%) for UKR and 19 (78.7%) for TKR. During the 15 years of the review four UKRs and six TKRs failed.

The better early results with UKR are maintained at 15 years with no greater failure rate. The median Bristol knee score of the UKR group was 91.1 at five years and 92 at 15 years, suggesting little functional deterioration in either the prosthesis or the remainder of the joint. These results justify the increased use of UKR.

We describe the survivorship of the Medial Rotation total knee replacement (TKR) at ten years in 228 cemented primary replacements implanted between October 1994 and October 2006, with their clinical and radiological outcome. This implant has a highly congruent medial compartment, with the femoral component represented by a portion of a sphere which articulates with a matched concave surface on the medial side of the tibial insert.

There were 78 men (17 bilateral TKRs) and 111 women (22 bilateral TKRs) with a mean age of 67.9 years (28 to 90). All the patients were assessed clinically and radiologically using the American Knee Society scoring systems. The mean follow-up was for six years (1 to 13) with only two patients lost to follow-up and 34 dying during the period of study, one of whom had required revision for infection.

There were 11 revisions performed in total, three for aseptic loosening, six for infection, one for a periprosthetic fracture and one for a painful but well-fixed replacement performed at another centre.

With revision for any cause as the endpoint, the survival at ten years was 94.5% (95% CI 85.1 to 100), and with aseptic loosening as the endpoint 98.4% (95% CI 93 to 100). The mean American Knee Society score improved from 47.6 (0 to 88) to 72.2 (26 to 100) and for function from 45.1 (0 to 100) to 93.1 (45 to 100). Radiological review failed to detect migration in any of the surviving knees.

The clinical and radiological results of the Medial Rotation TKR are satisfactory at ten years. The increased congruence of the medial compartment has not led to an increased rate of loosening and continued use can be supported.

Autologous chondrocyte implantation is an established method of treatment for symptomatic articular defects of cartilage. CARTIPATCH is a monolayer-expanded cartilage cell product which is combined with a novel hydrogel to improve cell phenotypic stability and ease of surgical handling. Our aim in this prospective, multicentre study on 17 patients was to investigate the clinical, radiological, arthroscopic and histological outcome at a minimum follow-up of two years after the implantation of autologous chondrocytes embedded in a three-dimensional alginate-agarose hydrogel for the treatment of chondral and osteochondral defects.

Clinically, all the patients improved significantly. Patients with lesions larger than 3 cm² improved significantly more than those with smaller lesions. There was no correlation between the clinical outcome and the body mass index, age, duration of symptoms and location of the defects. The mean arthroscopic International Cartilage Repair Society score was 10 (5 to 12) of a maximum of 12. Predominantly hyaline cartilage was seen in eight of the 13 patients (62%) who had follow-up biopsies.

Our findings suggest that autologous chondrocyte implantation in combination with a novel hydrogel results in a significant clinical improvement at follow-up at two years, more so for larger and deeper lesions. The surgical procedure is uncomplicated, and predominantly hyaline cartilage-like repair tissue was observed in eight patients.

We present a series of 48 patients with infected total knee replacements managed by the use of articulating cement spacers and short-term parenteral antibiotic therapy in the postoperative period. All patients had microbiological and/or histological confirmation of infection at the first stage of their revision. They all underwent re-implantation and had a mean follow-up of 48.5 months (26 to 85).

Infection was successfully eradicated in 42 of the 48 patients (88%). Six had persistent infection which led to recurrence of symptoms and further surgery was successful in eliminating infection in four patients. These rates of success are similar to those of other comparable series. We conclude that protracted courses of intravenous antibiotic treatment may not be necessary in the management of the infected total knee replacement.

In addition, we analysed the microbiological, histological and serological results obtained at the time of re-implantation of the definitive prosthesis, but could not identify a single test which alone would accurately predict a successful outcome.

We compared the performance of uncemented trabecular metal tibial components in total knee replacement with that of cemented tibial components in patients younger than 60 years over two years using radiostereophotogrammetric analysis (RSA). A total of 22 consecutive patients (mean age 53 years, 33 to 59, 26 knees) received an uncemented NexGen trabecular metal cruciate-retaining monobloc tibial component and 19 (mean 53 years, 44 to 59, 21 knees) a cemented NexGen Option cruciate-retaining modular tibial component.

All the trabecular metal components migrated during the initial three months and then stabilised. The exception was external rotation, which did not stabilise until 12 months. Unlike conventional metal-backed implants which displayed a tilting migration comprising subsidence and lift-off from the tibial tray, most of the trabecular metal components showed subsidence only, probably due to the elasticity of the implant.

This pattern of subsidence is regarded as being beneficial for uncemented fixation.

The clinical results of bilateral total knee replacement staged at a one-week interval during a single hospital admission were compared with bilateral total knee replacements performed under the same anaesthetic and with bilateral total knee replacements performed during two separate admissions. The data were retrospectively reviewed. All operations had been performed by the same surgeon using the same design of prosthesis at a single institution.

The operative time and length of stay for the one-week staged group were comparable with those of the separate admission group but longer than for the patients treated under one anaesthetic. There was a low rate of complications and good clinical outcome in all groups at a mean follow-up of four years (1 to 7.2). The group staged at a one-week interval had the least blood loss (p = 0.004).

With appropriate patient selection, bilateral total knee replacement performed under a single anaesthetic, or staged at a one-week interval, is a safe and effective method to treat bilateral arthritis of the knee.

Abnormal sagittal kinematics after total knee replacement (TKR) can adversely affect functional outcome. Two important determinants of knee kinematics are component geometry and the presence or absence of a posterior-stabilising mechanism (cam-post). We investigated the influence of these variables by comparing the kinematics of a TKR with a polyradial femur with a single radius design, both with and without a cam-post mechanism.

We assessed 55 patients, subdivided into four groups, who had undergone a TKR one year earlier by using an established fluoroscopy protocol in order to examine their kinematics in vivo. The kinematic profile was obtained by measuring the patellar tendon angle through the functional knee flexion range (0° to 90°) and the results compared with 14 normal knees. All designs of TKR had abnormal sagittal kinematics compared with the normal knee. There was a significant (p < 0.05) difference between those of the two TKRs near to full extension. The presence of the cam-post mechanism did not influence the kinematics for either TKR design. These differences suggest that surface geometry is a stronger determinant of kinematics than the presence or absence of a cam-post mechanism for these two designs. This may be because the cam-post mechanism is ineffective.