The efficacy of aspirin versus low-molecular-weight heparin for venous thromboembolism prophylaxis after knee and hip arthroplasty: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to assess the efficacy of aspirin versus low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) in preventing venous thromboembolism (VTE) following hip and knee arthroplasty. METHODS: PubMed/Medline, Embase, Cochrane Library and Google Scholar databases were searched from inception till June 2024 for original trials investigating the outcomes of aspirin versus LMWH in hip and knee arthroplasty. The primary outcome was VTE. Secondary outcomes included minor and major bleeding events, and postoperative mortality within 90 days. This review was conducted per the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. RESULTS: A total of 7 randomized controlled trials with 12,134 participants were included. The mean ages for the aspirin and LMWH cohorts were 66.6 (57.6-69.0) years and 66.8 (57.9-68.9) years, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference in the overall risk of VTE between the aspirin and the LMWH cohorts (odds ratio [OR]: 0.95; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.48-1.89; p: 0.877). A subanalysis based on the specific VTE entity (pulmonary embolism [PE] or deep venous thrombosis) showed a significantly higher PE risk for patients receiving aspirin than the LMWH cohort (OR: 1.79; 95% CI: 1.11-2.89; p: 0.017). There was no difference in minor (OR: 0.64; 95% CI: 0.40-1.04; p: 0.072) and major bleeding (OR: 0.77; 95% CI: 0.40-1.47; p: 0.424) episodes across both groups. Furthermore, subanalysis among the total knee arthroplasty group showed that the aspirin cohort was significantly more likely to suffer VTEs than their LMWH counterparts (OR: 1.55; 95% CI: 1.21-1.98; p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated a significantly higher risk of PE among patients receiving aspirin compared to LMWH following hip or knee arthroplasty for osteoarthritis. Aspirin was associated with a significantly higher overall VTE risk among patients undergoing knee arthroplasty, in particular. This might suggest the inferiority of aspirin compared to LMWH in preventing VTE following such procedures. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level I.

Correlation between anthropometric measurements and graft size in anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PURPOSE: This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to investigate the correlation between anthropometric measurements and graft size in anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. METHODS: A systematic search of Ovid MEDLINE, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases was conducted for observational studies published until March 2023 that reported the relationship between anthropometric data [height, weight, body mass index (BMI), age, gender, thigh length, and circumference] and ACL graft size. Correlation coefficients (COR) and their associated 95% confidence intervals were used as the primary effect size. This review was conducted in line with PRISMA guidelines. RESULTS: A total of 42 observational studies involving 7110 patients were included, with a mean age of 29.8 years. Statistically significant, moderately positive correlations were found between graft size and height (COR: 0.49; 95% CI: 0.41-0.57; p-value: < 0.001), weight (COR: 0.38; 95% CI: 0.31-0.44; p-value: < 0.001), thigh circumference (COR: 0.40; 95% CI: 0.19-0.58; p-value: < 0.001), and thigh length (COR: 0.35; 95% CI: 0.18-0.50; p-value: < 0.001). However, age and gender were insignificantly correlated with graft size (p-value: NS). A subanalysis based on graft type showed a significant positive correlation between height and graft diameter, which was more significant in the peroneus tendon than in hamstring grafts (COR: 0.76 vs. 0.45; p-value: 0.020). CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated a moderate positive correlation between anthropometric measurements (height, weight, thigh circumference, and length) and ACL graft size, along with a weak positive correlation with BMI. Age and gender showed no significant correlation. These findings support the predictability and selection of ACL graft size based on pre-operative patient anthropometric data. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level of Evidence: IV. PROSPERO registration number: CRD42023416044.

Reliability of artificial intelligence in predicting total knee arthroplasty component sizes: a systematic review.

PURPOSE: This systematic review aimed to investigate the reliability of AI predictive models of intraoperative implant sizing in total knee arthroplasty (TKA). METHODS: Four databases were searched from inception till July 2023 for original studies that studied the reliability of AI prediction in TKA. The primary outcome was the accuracy ± 1 size. This review was conducted per PRISMA guidelines, and the risk of bias was assessed using the MINORS criteria. RESULTS: A total of four observational studies comprised of at least 34,547 patients were included in this review. A mean MINORS score of 11 out of 16 was assigned to the review. All included studies were published between 2021 and 2022, with a total of nine different AI algorithms reported. Among these AI models, the accuracy of TKA femoral component sizing prediction ranged from 88.3 to 99.7% within a deviation of one size, while tibial component sizing exhibited an accuracy ranging from 90 to 99.9% ± 1 size. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated the potential of AI as a valuable complement for planning TKA, exhibiting a satisfactory level of reliability in predicting TKA implant sizes. This predictive accuracy is comparable to that of the manual and digital templating techniques currently documented in the literature. However, future research is imperative to assess the impact of AI on patient care and cost-effectiveness. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE III: PROSPERO registration number: CRD42023446868.

Trauma and orthopaedic surgery response at the world's largest sporting event: an analysis of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to analyse the impact of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 on the Orthopaedic Surgery department at Hamad Medical Corporation and its response to the challenges posed by the world's largest sporting event. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on the epidemiology, crisis management plan, and training program adaptations at the Orthopaedic Surgery department during the World Cup. Descriptive analysis of the number and types of surgeries performed, patient demographics, and the disaster preparedness plan were performed. RESULTS: During the tournament period (November-December 2022), 706 patients (4.22% football fans) were operated on, with an average age of 44 ± 17 years. Most patients were males, 67%. Of the 706 patients, 60.33% were emergency cases, 38.24% were elective, 1.27% were limb-saving, and one life-saving procedure was performed, comparable to pre-tournament numbers. The patients were of 77 different nationalities, reflecting the diverse background of Qatar's population and the international fanbase of the tournament. CONCLUSIONS: This analysis provides valuable insights for future mega sporting events and highlights the importance of crisis management and training program adaptation for optimal patient care and resident training advancement. The findings demonstrate the crucial role of the Orthopaedic Surgery Department in responding to the challenges posed by large-scale events.

Trabecular metal monoblock versus modular tibial trays in total knee arthroplasty: meta-analysis of randomized control trials.

PURPOSE: Total knee arthroplasty is one of the significantly evolving procedures with different knee designs available in the market. The continued development of these prosthesis resulted in improvement of the implant survivorship and patient satisfaction. This study is an RCT-based meta-analysis aimed to compare two designs of total knee replacement: the conventional modular and the monoblock trabecular metal tibial trays. METHODS: This meta-analysis was performed by a literature review according to the PRISMA guidelines. A detailed search of the English literature was done using the PubMed, Medline, CINAHL, Cochrane, Embase, and Google Scholar databases. Only randomized control trials were included in the analysis after ensuring homogeneity. RevMan V.5.0.18.33 (The Cochrane Collaboration, Copenhagen, Denmark) was used to perform the meta-analysis. Extracted outcome measures were Knee Society score, Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) score, survivorship, complication rate, and radiostereographic analysis. RESULTS: Seven randomized control trials with 635 patients were eligible for our analysis after they met our inclusion criteria. Three hundred twelve patients received monoblock tibias, and the other 323 patients received modular tibial trays during their total knee arthroplasty surgeries. There were statistically significant superiority of the modular knees in the functional Knee Society and WOMAC scores at five years (P = 0.003 and 0.05, respectively). The modular design was also more stable on RSA at two years (P < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: Modular and monoblock tibial trays are comparable knee designs with comparable survivorship and complication rates. However, the modular knees had better mid-term functional outcome and are more stable on radiostereographic analysis.

Synovial fluid calprotectin in diagnosing periprosthetic joint infection: A meta-analysis.

PURPOSE: Periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) is one of the most debilitating complications following joint replacement surgery. Synovial biomarkers, such as Calprotectin, have become valuable in the diagnosis of PJI. This meta-analysis aimed to investigate the role of synovial Calprotectin as a diagnostic test in PJI. METHODS: This meta-analysis was conducted with adherence to PRISMA guidelines. PubMed, Cochrane, Web of Science, and Google Scholar were searched until February 2022. Inclusion criteria were as follows: all studies in which the patients with joint replacements were evaluated for PJI; synovial Calprotectin was the biomarker of choice to diagnose PJI; standardized guidelines were used as the gold standard for the diagnosis; and a comparison between the guidelines and Calprotectin results was made. Diagnostic parameters such as sensitivity, specificity, diagnostic odds ratio (DOR), positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and area under the curve (AUC) were calculated for the included studies to evaluate synovial Calprotectin for PJI diagnosis. RESULTS: The total number of the included patients was 618 from eight studies. The pooled sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic odds ratio of Calprotectin test were 92% (95%CI: 84%-98%), 93% (95%CI: 84%-99%), and 187.61 (95%CI: 20.21-1741.18), respectively. The results showed that the negative and positive likelihood ratios of the Calprotectin test were 0.07 (95%CI: 0.02-0.22) and 9.91 (95%CI: 4.11-23.93), respectively. The SROC showed that the area under the curve for Calprotectin test was 0.935. CONCLUSION: Synovial Calprotectin is a valuable biomarker as it provides a reliable and rapid diagnosis of PJI. It has the potential to be used in clinical practice due to its high sensitivity and specificity that are comparable to the other utilized biomarkers. Another advantage is its low cost relative to other biomarkers.

Mobile-bearing versus fixed-bearing total knee arthroplasty: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to perform a meta-analysis comparing mobile-bearing with fixed-bearing total knee arthroplasty (TKA) in terms of all-cause revision rates, aspetic loosening, knee functional scores, range of motion and radiographic lucent lines and osteolysis. METHODS: PubMed, Cochrane Library, Google Scholar and Web of Science were searched up to January 2020. Randomized controlled trials that compared primary mobile-bearing with fixed-bearing TKA, reporting at least one of the outcomes of interest, at a minimum follow-up of 12 months were included. All outcomes of interest were pooled at short-term (< 5 years), mid-term (5 to 9 years) and long-term (> = 10 years) follow-up intervals. RESULTS: A total of 70 eligible articles were included in the qualitative and statistical analyses. There was no difference between mobile-bearing or fixed-bearing TKA at short-term, mid-term and long-term follow-ups in all outcome measures including all-cause revision rate, aseptic loosening, oxford knee score, knee society score, Hospital for Special Surgery score, maximum knee flexion, radiographic lucent lines and radiographic osteolysis. CONCLUSION: The current level of evidence demonstrated that both mobile-bearing and fixed-bearing designs achieved excellent outcomes, yet it does not prove the theoretical advantages of the mobile-bearing insert over its fixed-bearing counterpart. The use of either design could therefore be supported based on the outcomes assessed in this study. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level II, Therapeutic.

Bilateral femoral neck fracture following a convulsion in the presence of chronic kidney disease. A case report.

INTRODUCTION AND IMPORTANCE: Bilateral femoral neck fractures in young adults are a rare entity. It is usually associated with pre-existing metabolic diseases, such as osteoporosis, renal osteodystrophy, or hypocalcemic seizures. Hence, it is essential in such cases to look for other associated injuries following a traumatic event. Missing associated injuries may lead to significant morbidities and poor functional outcomes. CASE PRESENTATION: A 37 years old male, who had chronic renal failure secondary to hypertension, and presented to the emergency room following a seizure episode, in which he developed a generalized tonic-clonic convulsion secondary to electrolyte imbalances with metabolic acidosis. As a result, he developed bilateral neck of femur fracture. INTERVENTION AND OUTCOME: The medical team optimized electrolytes imbalance and then the patient underwent surgical stabilization of both femur neck fracture, 1 year following the surgical fixation the patient had full range of motion of both hips with radiological evidence of complete healing of the fracture. CONCLUSION: In cases of fractures secondary to metabolic conditions, bilateral femoral neck fractures should be suspected and investigated; especially in young patients who develop a generalized tonic-clonic seizure. The etiology is multifactorial, and the treating surgeon should be aware of predisposing factors which may affect bone quality, thereby raising the risk of fractures even with low-energy atraumatic events. Hip preservation should always be the primary target when treating these patients.

Total knee arthroplasty for Ochronosis induced knee arthropathy. Case report.

INTRODUCTION: Alkaptunurea is a rare metabolic disorder with autosomal recessive genetic pattern in transmission, it is characterized by accumulation of hemogenistic acid in the tissues due to deficiency of homogentisate 1,2 dioxygenase activity. Characteristically, affected patient will have dark urine and blackish discoloration of connective tissue, especially cartilage and bone and hence it is known as black bone disease. PRESENTATION OF THE CASE: The reported case is for 49 years old gentleman, known to have hypertension, hypothyroidism and Alkaptunurea. He presented to our facility with long standing bilateral knee pain (more in the left) with difficulty in doing daily activities. He presented to our tertiary facility after failure of previous treatment measures. The patient underwent uncomplicated Robotic assisted total knee arthroplasty that resulted in significant improvement of his pain and function. CONCLUSION: Knee arthroplasty is a reliable and reproducible modality in treating Ochronotic knee arthropathy and it would result in pain reduction and better function of patients with such condition.

Rare presentation of lateral meniscus tear with pathognomonic MRI finding.

INTRODUCTION: Meniscal tears are common knee injuries that occur in different populations and particularly among athletes. Either isolated or accompanied with anterior cruciate ligament injury, meniscal tears can be a source of significant knee pain, locking and instability. Different patterns of meniscal tears are described radiologically and arthroscopically, however displacement of the torn part of the meniscus can cause characteristic appearance on MRI. PRESENTATION OF THE CASE: The reported case is of a 27-year-old, previously healthy gentleman who presented to our care with acute sharp left knee pain and infrequent locking symptoms after playing football. The patient was limping and had lateral joint line tenderness along with positive McMurray's test for lateral meniscus. MRI study showed double popliteus tendon sign on the sagittal cuts. The patient was operated on elective list and underwent lateral meniscus posterior flap tear partial meniscectomy as the tear was in the white zone. On follow up after 4 months, the patient was satisfied and had regained full pre-injury functional capacity. CONCLUSION: Displaced lateral meniscus tear into the popliteal hiatus can be seen as a characteristic double popliteal sign in MRI as the displaced meniscus flap runs on the tibial surface parallel to the popliteus tendon.

Reverse shoulder arthroplasty for deltoid-deficient shoulder following latissimus dorsi flap transfer. Case report.

INTRODUCTION: The usual indication for reverse shoulder arthroplasty is glenohumeral arthritis with inadequate rotator cuff and intact deltoid muscle. We report here a case of reverse shoulder arthroplasty using a lattisimus dorsi flap in a patient with deltoid-deficient shoulder following a gunshot injury. PRESENTATION OF THE CASE: The patient was an otherwise healthy 51-year-old male with a history of gunshot injury of the left shoulder 2006. Upon presentation in 2011, the patient had a loss of most of his shoulder bony and muscular structures. Due to deltoid muscle deficiency, the patient underwent Lattisimus Dorsi muscle flap followed by reverse shoulder arthroplasty in order to establish an upper limb function. Upon discharge, 11days after the surgery, the patient was able to achieve 150° flexion and 90° abduction while in the supine position and 45° in each direction, while sitting. He was able to perform internal rotation (behind back) up to the level of the L1 vertebra, assisted active abduction of 90°, and external rotation of 20°. Power tests showed power of grade 4/5 for both shoulder flexion and extension and grade 2+/5 for both abduction and adduction. At the last follow up one year after the operation, The patient still had passive pain-free full range of motion, but no progress in active range of motion beyond that upon discharge. CONCLUSION: Reverse shoulder arthroplasty after Latissmus dori flap in patient with deltoid deficient shoulders can be a successful and reproducible approach to treat such conditions.

Efficiency of fragment specific fixation plates in the treatment of comminuted distal radial fractures.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to assess the clinical, radiologic and functional outcome of treating comminuted intra-articular distal radius fractures with fragment specific fixation. METHODS: This was a retrospective chart review of 25 unstable intra-articular distal radius fractures (type C2 AO) that had fragment specific fixation done in the orthopaedic department of the Hamad General Hospital (level 1 trauma center) over three years (2010-2013), with a follow up of one year post-operatively. Pre-operative X-rays (wrist parameters) were compared to post-operative X-rays at different time points (i.e. 6 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, etc.). Range of motion and grip strength were recorded at different time points until the final follow up evaluation. All the data has been obtained from patients' charts (including outpatient and occupational therapy rehabilitation range of motion data) after final approval from the Hamad Corporation medical research center/Ethics committee. RESULTS: There were 25 patients ranging in age from 24 to 58 years with 13 patients above 35 years (52%) and 12 patients below 35 years (48%). There were 22 males (88%) and 3 females (12%) with different mechanisms of injury such as falling from height (average 2 metres), which was the most common with 13 patients (52%), and most were work related. Left wrist was more common than right wrist injuries and mostly in the non-dominant hand with 14 patients (56%). There was an obvious improvement between pre and post-operative wrist parameters at different time points, but P-values were not significant; supination and pronation at six weeks of follow up showed significant values (p = 0.04 & 0.03, respectively). Grip strength improved about 76% compared to the normal side. CONCLUSIONS: Fragment specific fixation is a reasonable alternative for treating intra-articular distal radius fractures. At final follow up evaluations, results showed a better clinical, radiological and functional outcome. Stable fixation allowed starting active and passive motion of the wrist without compromising post-operative alignment.

Chondroblastoma of the scaphoid: A case report.

Benign Chondroblastoma generally occur in the epiphysis of long bones and rarely arise in carpal bones. We report a young male with chondroblastoma of scaphoid treated with curettage, bone grafting and K-wire fixation. At the last follow-up, 4 years after surgery, the patient was asymptomatic without recurrence.

Giant cell rich osteosarcoma of the cuneiforms.

Osteosarcoma is the commonest primary malignant bone tumor in children and adolescents. Giant cell rich osteosarcoma is a rare subtype of conventional osteosarcoma. Osteosarcomas commonly involve the metaphysis and meta-diaphysis of long bones. We report a 19-year-old girl with giant cell rich osteosarcoma of the medial and intermediate cuneiform bones. Even though, giant cell rich osteosarcoma is frequently mistaken for osteoclastoma of the bone; age of onset, location of lesion, radiological features, and histological characteristics on a high power field helps to differentiate the two conditions. Appropriate and early diagnosis of this variant possibly averts severe morbidity and mortality to the patient. Nonmetastatic osteosarcomas in the foot have better prognosis and are amenable to limb salvage surgeries.

Bilateral stress fractures of femoral neck in non-athletes: a report of four cases.

Femoral neck stress fractures (FNSFs) are rare, constituting only 5% of all stress fractures in young adults. These fractures are usually seen in athletes, military recruits and patients with underlying metabolic diseases. The treatment of FNSFs is still controversial because of the inherent complications associated with the treatment procedure. We came across 4 cases of bilateral FNSFs in non-athletic individuals who were manual labourers without underlying bony disorders. Two patients with FNSFs and coxa vara deformity on both sides were managed by subtrochanteric valgus osteotomy and dynamic hip screw fixation. One of the remaining two patients was treated by cannulated cancellous screw fixation on one side and subtrochanteric valgus osteotomy on the other side. The fourth patient received subtrochanteric valgus osteotomy on one side and bipolar hemiarthroplasty on the other side after failed cannulated screw fixation. All the fractures healed without any complications. No evidence of avascular necrosis or arthritis was noted in our series. Subtrochanteric valgus osteotomy restores normal neck-shaft angle in patients suffering from FNSFs combined with coxa vara deformity. Moreover, it helps to bring the forces acting around the hip to normal biomechanical levels, leading to fracture union and better results. Replacement arthroplasty is recommended to patients who fail to achieve bony union after fixation.

Multicentric osteosarcoma.

Multicentric osteosarcoma is a rare type of osteosarcoma with a poor prognosis. It is usually described as the occurrence of tumorous lesions in more than one bone, but without pulmonary metastasis. It may be of a synchronous or metachronous variety. We report the case of a 12-year-old boy with a synchronous variety of multicentric osteosarcoma, although he did not have any risk factors for the disease. We also discuss the current debate on whether multicentric osteosarcoma represents multiple primary tumours or metastatic disease.

Ganglion cyst of the posterior cruciate ligament in a child.

Ganglion cysts are more commonly associated with the anterior cruciate ligament than the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL). A literature review showed that all reported cases of ganglion cysts to date involved adults. We report a rare case of ganglion cyst in the PCL of a four-year-old boy, and discuss its aetiology, clinical presentation, imaging features and management. Ganglion cysts of the PCL may be confused with meniscal cysts arising from tears of the posterior horn of the medial meniscus on magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. Hence, the posterior horn of the medial meniscus has to be carefully evaluated to rule out a tear. MR imaging is the method of choice to confirm diagnosis, and arthroscopic resection is a safe treatment modality even in children.