Similar QALY gain in primary and revision knee arthroplasty: A cost analysis and Markov model.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to investigate the cost-effectiveness of revision total knee arthroplasty compared to primary total knee arthroplasty in terms of cost-per-quality-adjusted life year (QALY). METHODS: Data were retrieved for all primary and revision total knee replacement (TKA) procedures performed at a tertiary Swiss hospital between 2006 and 2019. A Markov model was created to evaluate revision risk and we calculated lifetime QALY gain and lifetime procedure costs through individual EuroQol 5 dimension (EQ-5D) scores, hospital costs, national life expectancy tables and standard discounting processes. Cost-per-QALY gain was calculated for primary and revision procedures. RESULTS: EQ-5D data were available for 1343 primary and 103 revision procedures. Significant QALY gains were seen following surgery in all cases. Similar, but significantly more QALYs were gained following primary TKA (PTKA) (5.67 ± 3.98) than following revision TKA (RTKA) (4.67 ± 4.20). Cost-per-QALY was €4686 for PTKA and €10,364 for RTKA. The highest average cost-per-QALY was seen in two-stage RTKA (€12,292), followed by one-stage RTKA (€8982). CONCLUSION: RTKA results in a similar QALY gain as PTKA. The costs of achieving health gain are two to three times higher in RTKA, but both procedures are highly cost-effective. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Economic level II.

Rehabilitation of brachial plexus injury in contact sport: Where are the data that underpin clinical management? A scoping review.

BACKGROUND: Although a common injury there is a lack of published primary data to inform clinical management of sports related brachial plexus injuries. METHODS: A systematic search was completed in Medline, CINAHL, PubMed, SPORTDiscus and Web of Science databases and Google Scholar from inception to August 2023 according to the PRISMA-ScR guidelines. Methodological quality assessment of included articles was with the Joanna Briggs Institute tool. Studies providing primary data as to the rehabilitative management of diagnosed or suspected brachial plexus injuries sustained when playing contact sports were included. RESULTS: Sixty-five studies were identified and screened, of which, 8 case reports were included, incorporating 10 participants with a mean age of 19.8 (±4.09) years. There was wide heterogeneity in injury severity, injury reporting, physical examination and imaging approaches documented. 9 of 10 participants returned to competitive sports, though follow-up periods also varied widely. Whilst return to play criteria varied between studies, the most consistent indicator was pain-free shoulder range of motion and strength. CONCLUSIONS: There is a distinct lack of data available to inform evidence-based rehabilitation management of sports related brachial plexus injury. Only 8 individual case reports contain published data reporting on 10 athletes. Further reporting is critical to inform clinical management.

The influence of facemasks on communication in healthcare settings: a systematic review.

PURPOSE: Although a well-established aspect of healthcare practice, the impact of facemasks on verbal communication is surprisingly ambiguous. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A systematic search was conducted in APA PSYCHinfo, CINAHL, NHS Knowledge Network, Medline and SPORTDiscus databases from inception to November 2022 according to the PRISMA guidelines. Studies reporting an objective measure of speech understanding in adults, where information was transmitted or received whilst wearing a facemask were included. Risk of bias of included studies was assessed with the Newcastle-Ottawa score. RESULTS: Four hundred and thirty-three studies were identified, of which fifteen were suitable for inclusion, incorporating 350 participants with a median age of 49 (range 19 to 74) years. Wide heterogeneity of test parameters and outcome measurement prohibited pooling of data. 93% (14 of 15) studies reported a deleterious effect of facemasks on speech understanding, and 100% (5 of 5) of the included studies reported attenuation of sound with facemask usage. Background noise added further deleterious effects on speech understanding which was particularly problematic within hearing-impaired populations. Risk of bias in included studies varied but overall was modest. CONCLUSIONS: Despite considerable complexity and heterogeneity in outcome measure, 93% (14 of 15) articles suggest respiratory protective equipment negatively affects speech understanding in normal hearing and hearing-impaired adults.

As a result of the covid-19 pandemic, facemask use is now commonplace across all healthcare and rehabilitation settings and has material implications for interpersonal communication.This systematic review of human communicative studies highlights that the use of facemasks does indeed inhibit communication through effects on speech intelligibility and through sound attenuation.These effects are evident in both normal hearing and hearing-impaired adults due to the visual cues required with lipreading and facial expressions during communication.The presence of background noise also produces deleterious effects on speech understanding and is more problematic for hearing-impaired populations.Simple recommendations to reduce background noise (where possible), to step closer (where social-distancing rules permit), to speak louder or to use speech to text applications (if practical) could all mitigate these communicative barriers. Further an awareness of persons with hearing impairments, the function (or otherwise) of hearing aids in those patients that require these, and an ability to use transparent facemasks can be specifically helpful.

Completeness of intervention reporting in randomised trials of technology-enabled remote or hybrid exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation: a systematic review using the TIDieR framework.

BACKGROUND: Exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation improves clinical outcomes and quality of life. Technology-enabled delivery of remote cardiac rehabilitation is as effective in improving health outcomes as in-person delivery and has the potential to transform clinical service delivery. However, for the successful translation of research to clinical practice, interventions must be adequately reported in the literature. METHODS: Systematic review of MedLine, CINAHL, PubMed and SPORT Discus databases applying PRISMA guidance. Randomised controlled trials of remote or hybrid technology-enabled exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation interventions were included. Completeness of reporting was evaluated against the TIDieR checklist. RESULTS: The search strategy returned 162 articles which, following screening, resulted in 12 randomised trials being included containing data for 1588 participants. No trial fully reported their rehabilitation intervention as per the 12-item TIDieR checklist, with a median score of eight out of 12 categories. Notably, intervention detail, dosage and modification were comparatively poorly reported. CONCLUSION: Technology-enabled remotely delivered cardiac rehabilitation may be effective at improving cardiovascular fitness; however, the quality of reporting of these interventions in randomised trials is insufficient for replication which has material implications for translation into clinical practice.

Nexus Evaluation Primary Trident II UNcemented shEll (NEPTUNE).

Aims: The primary aim of this study is to assess the survival of the uncemented hydroxyapatite (HA) coated Trident II acetabular component as part of a hybrid total hip arthroplasty (THA) using a cemented Exeter stem. The secondary aims are to assess the complications, joint-specific function, health-related quality of life, and radiological signs of loosening of the acetabular component. Methods: A single-centre, prospective cohort study of 125 implants will be undertaken. Patients undergoing hybrid THA at the study centre will be recruited. Inclusion criteria are patients suitable for the use of the uncemented acetabular component, aged 18 to 75 years, willing and able to comply with the study protocol, and provide informed consent. Exclusion criteria includes patients not meeting study inclusion criteria, inadequate bone stock to support fixation of the prosthesis, a BMI > 40 kg/m2, or THA performed for pain relief in those with severely restricted mobility. Results: Implant survival, complications, functional outcomes and radiological assessment up to ten years following index THA (one, two, five, seven, and ten years) will be performed. Functional assessment will include the Oxford Hip Score, Forgotten Joint Score, 12-Item Short Form Health Survey, EuroQol five-dimension health questionnaire, and pain and patient satisfaction. Radiological assessment with assess for acetabula lucent lines, lysis, and loosening according to DeLee and Charnley zones. Conclusion: This study is part of a stepwise introduction of a new device to orthopaedic practice, and careful monitoring of implants should be carried out as part of the Beyond Compliance principles. The results of this study will provide functional, radiological, and survival data to either support the ongoing use of the HA acetabulum or highlight potential limitations of this new implant before wide adoption.

Early muscle recovery following robotic-assisted unicompartmental knee arthroplasty.

BACKGROUND: Robotic-assisted unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA) improves implant accuracy, however whether this translates to patient function is less clear. Various outcomes have been reported but muscle recovery has not been previously investigated. OBJECTIVE: To explore sequential change in lower limb muscle strength following robotic-assisted UKA with isokinetic dynamometry. RESULTS: 12 participants undergoing rUKA for medial compartment osteoarthritis were assessed pre-operatively, and at 6- and 12-weeks post-operatively. Maximal muscle strength changed over time in both quadriceps (p = 0.006) and hamstrings (p = 0.018) muscle groups. Quadriceps strength reduced from 88.52(39.86)Nm to 74.47(27.58)Nm by 6-weeks (p = 0.026), and then recovered to 90.41(38.76)Nm by 12-weeks (p = 0.018). Hamstring strength reduced from 62.45(23.18)Nm to 54.12(20.49)Nm by 6-weeks (p = 0.016), and then recovered to 55.07(17.99)Nm by 12-weeks (p = 0.028). By 12-weeks quadriceps strength was 70% and hamstrings 83% of the values achieved in the un-operated limb. Substantial improvement was seen in all other measures over time, with sequential positive change in Timed-up-and-go test (p = 0.015), 10 m walk test (p = 0.021), range of knee flexion (p = 0.016) and PROMs (p < 0.025).

Effects of home-based prehabilitation on pre- and postoperative outcomes following total hip and knee arthroplasty.

The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of home-based prehabilitation on pre- and postoperative outcomes in participants awaiting total knee (TKA) and hip arthroplasty (THA). A systematic review with meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of prehabilitation interventions for TKA and THA. MEDLINE, CINAHL, ProQuest, PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar databases were searched from inception to October 2022. Evidence was assessed by the PEDro scale and the Cochrane risk-of-bias (ROB2) tool. A total of 22 RCTs (1,601 patients) were identified with good overall quality and low risk of bias. Prehabilitation significantly improved pain prior to TKA (mean difference (MD) -1.02: p = 0.001), with non-significant improvements for function before (MD -0.48; p = 0.06) and after TKA (MD -0.69; p = 0.25). Small preoperative improvements were observed for pain (MD -0.02; p = 0.87) and function (MD -0.18; p = 0.16) prior to THA, but no post THA effect was found for pain (MD 0.19; p = 0.44) and function (MD 0.14; p = 0.68). A trend favouring usual care for improving quality of life (QoL) prior to TKA (MD 0.61; p = 0.34), but no effect on QoL prior (MD 0.03; p = 0.87) or post THA (MD -0.05; p = 0.83) was found. Prehabilitation significantly reduced hospital length of stay (LOS) for TKA (MD -0.43 days; p < 0.001) but not for THA (MD, -0.24; p = 0.12). Compliance was only reported in 11 studies and was excellent with a mean value of 90.5% (SD 6.82). Prehabilitation interventions improve pain and function prior to TKA and THA and reduce hospital LOS, though it is unclear if these effects enhance outcomes postoperatively.

The use of technology to support lifestyle interventions in knee osteoarthritis: A scoping review.

Introduction: Technological tools that promote the adoption of physical activity to increase individuals' functional ability in knee osteoarthritis (OA) are desired to support lifestyle interventions. However, there is little consensus as to the current use of such supportive interventions for knee OA. The aim of this scoping review is therefore to provide an overview on the current use of technology within lifestyle interventions for individuals with knee OA. Methods: Scoping review as per PRISMA guidance. Structured search of Cochrane Central Register for Controlled Trials, ELSEVIER, IEEExplore, GOOGLE Scholar, MEDLINE, PEDRO, PUBMED, WEB OF SCIENCE from 2010 to 2020 inclusive. Hits were screened by title and abstract and then full text review based on pre-defined criteria. Results were synthesised and pooled by theme for reporting. Results: 2508 papers were identified, and following review, 78 studies included. Papers included interventions for individuals with knee osteoarthritis (n â€‹= â€‹31), total or partial knee arthroplasty (n â€‹= â€‹20) and developmental work in healthy controls (n â€‹= â€‹27). Of the 78 studies, 47 were carried out in laboratory settings and 31 in the field. The identified themes included Movement measurement (n â€‹= â€‹24), Tele-rehabilitation (n â€‹= â€‹22), Biofeedback (n â€‹= â€‹20), Directly applied interventions (n â€‹= â€‹3), Virtual or augmented reality (n â€‹= â€‹5) and Machine learning (n â€‹= â€‹4). Conclusions: The predominant current use of technology in OA lifestyle interventions is through well-established telecommunication and commercially available activity, joint angle and loading based measurement devices, while integrating new advanced technologies seems a longer-term goal. There is great potential for the engineering and clinical community to use technology to develop systems that offer real-time feedback to patients and clinician as part of rehabilitative interventions to inform treatment.

Can Arthroplasty Stem Influence Outcome: A Randomized Controlled Trial of Stem Length in Cemented Total Hip Arthroplasty.

BACKGROUND: The primary aim was to assess whether a short (125 millimeter (mm)) stem offered an equivalent hip-specific function compared to the standard (150 mm) stem when used for cemented total hip arthroplasty. Secondary aims were to evaluate health-related quality of life, patient satisfaction, stem height and alignment, as well as radiographic loosenings and complications between the two stems. METHODS: A prospective twin-center double-blind randomized control trial was conducted. During a 15-month period, 220 patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty were randomized to either a standard (n = 110) or a short (n = 110) stem. There were no significant (P ≥ .065) differences in preoperative variables between the groups. Functional outcomes and radiographic assessment were undertaken at a mean of 1 and 2 years. RESULTS: There were no differences (P = .428) in hip-specific function according to the mean Oxford hip scores at 1 year (primary endpoint) or at 2 years (P = .622) between the groups. The short stem group had greater varus angulation (0.9 degrees, P = .003) when compared to the standard group and were more likely (odds ratio 2.42, P = .002) to have varus stem alignment beyond one standard deviation from the mean. There were no significant (P ≥ .083) differences in the forgotten joint scores, EuroQol-5-Dimension, EuroQol-visual analogue scale, short form 12, patient satisfaction, complications, stem height, or radiolucent zones at 1 or 2 years between the groups. CONCLUSION: The cemented short stem used in this study had equivalent hip-specific function, health-related quality of life, and patient satisfaction when compared to the standard stem at mean 2 years post operation. However, the short stem was associated with a greater rate of varus malalignment, which may influence future implant survival.

Do digital interventions increase adherence to home exercise rehabilitation? A systematic review of randomised controlled trials.

BACKGROUND: Home exercise regimes are a well-utilised rehabilitation intervention for many conditions; however, adherence to prescribed programmes remains low. Digital interventions are recommended as an adjunct to face-to-face interventions by the National Health Service in the UK and may offer increased exercise adherence, however the evidence for this is conflicting. METHOD: A systematic review was undertaken using MEDLINE and CINAHL databases using the PRISMA guidelines. Randomised controlled trials in any clinical population evaluating the adherence to prescribed home exercise interventions with and without additional digital interventions were included. Publication quality was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool. RESULTS: The search strategy returned a total of 1336 articles, of which 10 randomised controlled trials containing data for 1117 participants were eligible for inclusion. 565 participants were randomised to receive the interventions, and 552 to the control. Seven of the ten trials reported a significant difference in adherence between the control and intervention groups favouring an additional digital intervention. Three trials reported equivalent findings. These three reported longer-term outcomes, suggesting an interaction between adherence and duration of intervention. There was substantial heterogeneity in outcome assessment metrics used across the trials prohibiting formal meta-analysis. This included studies were of low to moderate quality in terms of risk of bias. CONCLUSION: The addition of a digital interventions to prescribed home exercise programmes can likely increase exercise adherence in the short term, with longer term effects less certain.

The effect of sarcopenia on outcomes following orthopaedic surgery : a systematic review.

AIMS: Sarcopenia is characterized by a generalized progressive loss of skeletal muscle mass, strength, and physical performance. This systematic review primarily evaluated the effects of sarcopenia on postoperative functional recovery and mortality in patients undergoing orthopaedic surgery, and secondarily assessed the methods used to diagnose and define sarcopenia in the orthopaedic literature. METHODS: A systematic search was conducted in MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Google Scholar databases according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Studies involving sarcopenic patients who underwent defined orthopaedic surgery and recorded postoperative outcomes were included. The quality of the criteria by which a diagnosis of sarcopenia was made was evaluated. The quality of the publication was assessed using Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. RESULTS: A total of 365 studies were identified and screened, 26 full-texts were reviewed, and 19 studies were included in the review. A total of 3,009 patients were included, of whom 2,146 (71%) were female and 863 (29%) were male. The mean age of the patients was 75.1 years (SD 7.1). Five studies included patients who underwent spinal surgery, 13 included hip or knee surgery, and one involved patients who underwent fixation of a distal radial fixation. The mean follow-up was 1.9 years (SD 1.9; 5 days to 5.6 years). There was wide heterogeneity in the measurement tools which were used and the parameters for the diagnosis of sarcopenia in the studies. Sarcopenia was associated with at least one deleterious effect on surgical outcomes in all 19 studies. The postoperative rate of mortality was reported in 11 studies (57.9%) and sarcopenia was associated with poorer survival in 73% (8/11) of these. The outcome was most commonly assessed using the Barthel Index (4/19), and sarcopenic patients recorded lower scores in 75% (3/4) of these. Sarcopenia was defined using the gold-standard three parameters (muscle strength, muscle quantity or quality, and muscle function) in four studies (21%), using two parameters in another four (21%) and one in the remaining 11 (58%). The methodological quality of the studies was moderate to high. CONCLUSION: There is much heterogeneity in the reporting of the parameters which are used for the diagnosis of sarcopenia, and evaluating the outcome of orthopaedic surgery in sarcopenic patients. However, what data exist suggest that sarcopenia impairs recovery and increases postoperative mortality, especially in patients undergoing emergency surgery. Further research is required to develop processes that allow the accurate diagnosis of sarcopenia in orthopaedics, which may facilitate targeted pre- and postoperative interventions that would improve outcomes. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2022;104-B(3):321-330.

Do the outcomes of hip arthroscopy for femoroacetabular impingement change over time?

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to search for changes in functional outcomes of patients undergoing hip arthroscopy for femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) between short and medium-term follow-up. Secondary aims included reporting rates of revision surgery and total hip arthroplasty (THA) at medium-term follow-up. HYPOTHESIS: We hypothesised that patients' functional outcomes would improve between short and medium-term follow-up. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Consecutive patients undergoing hip arthroscopy with a diagnosis of femoroacetabular impingement with labral tears between February 2013 and June 2015 were included. Twelve item international hip outcome tool (iHOT-12) and EuroQol 5D-5L (EQ-5D) scores were collected preoperatively, at short-term and medium-term follow-up. Short-term scores were recorded at a minimum of one year postoperatively and medium-term scores at a minimum of five years postoperatively. Survivorship was assessed with Kaplan-Meier analysis. RESULTS: Short-term outcome data (at median follow-up 1.6 year, Interquartile range [IQR] 1-2.5) was available for 70 of 87 patients (80.5%) and medium-term outcome data (at median follow-up of 6.5 years, IQR 6-7.1) was available for 68 patients (78.2%). Median age at the time of surgery was 31 years (IQR 25-37). The median iHOT-12 scores at short and medium-term follow-up were 72 (IQR 48.75-91.25) and 85.8 (IQR 66.7-96.7) respectively (p<0.001). Medium-term survivorship was 91.2%. Survivorship following labral repair was 94.2%, and 81.3% following labral debridement (p=0.09). DISCUSSION: Patients undergoing hip arthroscopy for FAI reported continued improvement in iHOT-12 scores between short and medium-term follow-up. Medium-term survivorship following FAI surgery may be greater when the labrum is repaired, although comparisons are limited by their differing indications. Conversion to THA was low with just 4 patients (4.6%) undergoing or being listed for THA at final follow-up. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: IV, Case series.

Phase 3 Trials of Enhanced Versus Usual Care Physical Therapy for Patients at Risk of Poor Outcome Following Knee Arthroplasty: A Perspective on Meaning and a Way Forward.

Physical therapy is routinely delivered to patients after discharge from the hospital following knee arthroplasty. Posthospitalization physical therapy is thought to be beneficial, particularly for those patients most at risk of poor outcome, the subgroup with persistent function-limiting pain, despite an apparently successful surgery. Research teams have undertaken 3 large-scale multicenter Phase 3 randomized clinical trials designed specifically for patients at risk of poor outcome following knee arthroplasty. All 3 trials screened for poor outcome risk using different methods and investigated different physical therapist interventions delivered in different ways. Despite the variety of types of physical therapy and mode of delivery, all trials found no effects of the enhanced treatment compared with usual care. In all cases, usual care required a lower dosage of physical therapy compared with the enhanced interventions. This Perspective compares and contrasts the 3 trials, speculates on factors that could explain the no-effect findings, and proposes areas for future study designed to benefit the poor outcome phenotype.

Patients follow three distinct outcome trajectories following total knee arthroplasty.

AIMS: Although total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is a highly successful procedure, about 20% of patients remain dissatisfied postoperatively. This proportion is derived from dichotomous models of the assessment of surgical success or failure, which may not reflect the spectrum of outcomes. The aim of this study was to explore differing responses to surgery, and assess whether there are distinct groups of patients with differing patterns of outcome. METHODS: This was a secondary analysis of a UK multicentre TKA longitudinal cohort study. We used a group-based trajectory modelling analysis of Oxford Knee Score (OKS) in the first year following surgery with longitudinal data involving five different timepoints and multiple predictor variables. Associations between the derived trajectory groups and categorical baseline variables were assessed, and predictors of trajectory group membership were identified using Poisson regression and multinomial logistic regression, as appropriate. The final model was adjusted for sociodemographic factors (age, sex) and baseline OKS. RESULTS: Data from 731 patients were available for analysis. Three distinct trajectories of outcome were identified: "poor" 14.0%, "modest" 39.1%, and "good" 46.9%. The predicted probability of membership for patients assigned to each trajectory group was high (0.89 to 0.93). Preoperative mental, physical health, and psychosocial factors determined which trajectory is likely to be followed. Poor responders were characterized by a comparatively small number of factors, preoperative expectations of pain and limitations, coping strategies, and a lower baseline physical health status, while the good responders were characterized by a combination of clinical, psychosocial, mental health, and quality of life factors. CONCLUSION: We identified three distinct response trajectories in patients undergoing TKA. Controlling for baseline score, age, and sex, psychosocial factors such as expectations of pain and limited function and poor coping strategies differentiated the trajectory groups, suggesting a role for preoperative psychosocial support in optimizing the clinical outcome. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2021;103-B(6):1096-1102.

Meaningful values in the Forgotten Joint Score after total knee arthroplasty.

AIMS: The aim of this study was to identify the minimal clinically important difference (MCID), minimal important change (MIC), minimal detectable change (MDC), and patient-acceptable symptom state (PASS) threshold in the Forgotten Joint Score (FJS) according to patient satisfaction six months following total knee arthroplasty (TKA). METHODS: During a one-year period 484 patients underwent a primary TKA and completed preoperative and six-month FJS and OKS. At six months patients were asked, "How satisfied are you with your operated knee?" Their response was recorded as: very satisfied, satisfied, neutral, dissatisfied, or very dissatisfied. The difference between patients recording neutral (n = 44) and satisfied (n = 153) was used to define the MCID. MIC for a cohort was defined as the change in the FJS for those patients declaring their outcome as satisfied, whereas receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was used to determine the MIC for an individual and the PASS threshold. Distribution-based methodology was used to calculate the MDC. RESULTS: Using satisfaction as the anchor question, the MCID for the FJS was 16.6 (95% confidence interval (CIs) 8.9 to 24.3; p < 0.001) and when adjusting for confounding this decreased to 13.7 points (95% CI 4.8 to 22.5; p < 0.001). The MIC for the FJS for a cohort of patients was 17.7 points and for an individual patient was 10 points. The MDC90 for the FGS was 12 points; where 90% of patients scoring more than this will have experienced a real change that is beyond measurement error. The PASS was defined as 22 points or more in the postoperative FJS. CONCLUSION: The estimates for MCID and MIC can be used to assess whether there is clinical difference between two groups and whether a cohort/patient has had a meaningful change in their FJS, respectively. The MDC90 of 12 points suggests a value lower than this may fall within measurement error. A postoperative FJS of 22 or more was predictive of achieving PASS. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2021;103-B(5):846-854.

The use of pedobarographic analysis to evaluate movement patterns in unstable total knee arthroplasty: A proof of concept study.

BACKGROUND: Definition and clinical diagnosis of instability in TKA is challenging. Sensitive and objective biomechanical tools to aid diagnosis are currently lacking. This proof-of-concept study evaluates the use of pressure mat analyses to identify abnormal biomechanical loading patterns associated with TKA instability within an outpatient clinical setting. METHODS: Twenty participants were examined: 10 patients with suspected unilateral TKA instability and 10 healthy controls. Participants underwent bilateral stance and gait tests measuring time and limb loading pressure parameters. Gait was divided into three phases: heel strike, mid-foot and toe off. Pressure recordings are expressed relative to bodyweight. Between-limb loading discrepancies were calculated in TKA patients and controls, and these differences were then compared between groups. Statistical significance was accepted at p < 0.05. RESULTS: TKA patients consistentlyoffloadedpressure away from the operated limb, whereas healthy controls exhibited more even limb loading throughout bilateral stance (p < 0.05). TKA patients exhibited greater discrepancy in overall step contact time between limbs (-0.09 s ± 0.16 s; p = 0.016) compared to controls (0.06 s ± 0.08 s; p = 0.04). Post-hoc tests showed significant between-group differences during midfoot (-0.04 s ± 0.07 s; p = 0.03) and toe-off (0.05 s ± 0.14 s; p = 0.013). Between-group differences in limb loading discrepancy were evident at heel strike (-9.24% ± 2.11%; p = 0.0166) and toe-off (-10.34% ± 5.51%; p = 0.0496). DISCUSSION: Pedobarographic measurements demonstrated differences in mechanical loading patterns in patients with TKA instability compared to healthy controls during functional tasks and warrants further investigation. This may prove to be a useful clinical diagnostic tool in identifying patients that would benefit from revision surgery or physical therapy.

Robotic arm-assisted versus manual total hip arthroplasty.

AIMS: The primary aim of this study was to compare the hip-specific functional outcome of robotic assisted total hip arthroplasty (rTHA) with manual total hip arthroplasty (mTHA) in patients with osteoarthritis (OA). Secondary aims were to compare general health improvement, patient satisfaction, and radiological component position and restoration of leg length between rTHA and mTHA. METHODS: A total of 40 patients undergoing rTHA were propensity score matched to 80 patients undergoing mTHA for OA. Patients were matched for age, sex, and preoperative function. The Oxford Hip Score (OHS), Forgotten Joint Score (FJS), and EuroQol five-dimension questionnaire (EQ-5D) were collected pre- and postoperatively (mean 10 months (SD 2.2) in rTHA group and 12 months (SD 0.3) in mTHA group). In addition, patient satisfaction was collected postoperatively. Component accuracy was assessed using Lewinnek and Callanan safe zones, and restoration of leg length were assessed radiologically. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in the preoperative demographics (p ≥ 0.781) or function (p ≥ 0.383) between the groups. The postoperative OHS (difference 2.5, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.1 to 4.8; p = 0.038) and FJS (difference 21.1, 95% CI 10.7 to 31.5; p < 0.001) were significantly greater in the rTHA group when compared with the mTHA group. However, only the FJS was clinically significantly greater. There was no difference in the postoperative EQ-5D (difference 0.017, 95% CI -0.042 to 0.077; p = 0.562) between the two groups. No patients were dissatisfied in the rTHA group whereas six were dissatisfied in the mTHA group, but this was not significant (p = 0.176). rTHA was associated with an overall greater rate of component positioning in a safe zone (p ≤ 0.003) and restoration of leg length (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Patients undergoing rTHA had a greater hip-specific functional outcome when compared to mTHA, which may be related to improved component positioning and restoration of leg length. However, there was no difference in their postoperative generic health or rate of satisfaction. Cite this article: Bone Joint Res 2021;10(1):22-30.

Defining the Patient Acceptable Symptom State Using the Forgotten Joint Score 12 After Hip Arthroscopy.

PURPOSE: To contextualize the Forgotten Joint Score (FJS-12) by identifying a patient acceptable symptomatic state (PASS) threshold for patients undergoing hip arthroscopy and to investigate factors which correlated with postoperative FJS-12 score. METHODS: All patients who underwent hip arthroscopy for femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) under the care of a single surgeon between January 2018 and November 2019 were prospectively identified and included. Exclusion criteria were Tönnis classification grade 2 or greater. Data (including FJS-12, EuroQol-5 Dimension-5L [EQ-5D-5L], visual analog scale (VAS), and 12-item International Hip Outcome Tool (iHOT-12) scores) were available before surgery and at a minimum of 1 year after surgery. PASS was calculated using an anchor-based approach and receiver operator characteristic curve analysis. Pearson correlation analysis was used to correlate preoperative and postoperative factors with postoperative FJS-12 score. RESULTS: Seventy-seven patients (54 female, 23 male; mean age 30.3 years [standard deviation {SD} 8.2]) were included. Linked longitudinal follow-up data were available for 65 patients (84%) at a mean of 23.8 months (SD 6.4). Six patients required reoperation. Mean postoperative FJS-12 score was 46.5 (SD 33.1) and mean change in score was 27.2 (SD 30.6, P < .001). The PASS threshold for the FJS-12 was 38.5 (sensitivity 80%, specificity 88%), and the area under the curve was 0.852 (95% confidence interval 0.752-0.951). Overall, 53.8% of patients achieved this score. Postoperative FJS-12 score has moderate correlations with preoperative EQ-5D-5L, iHOT-12, and FJS-12 scores, and strong correlations with EQ-5D-5L, iHOT-12 and VAS scores after surgery. CONCLUSIONS: We report a postoperative PASS threshold of 38.5 points for the FJS-12 after hip arthroscopy for FAI in a United Kingdom population. This value can act as a quantifiable target for clinicians using the FJS-12 to monitor patient outcomes in practice. FJS-12 has strong correlations with EQ-5D-5L, iHOT-12, and VAS at a minimum 12 months after surgery. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: We have calculated the patient acceptable symptomatic state of the Forgotten Joint Score to be 38.5 points at short-term follow-up. This can assist clinicians in determining whether surgical interventions related to hip arthroscopy for FAI are meaningful to the patient.