St Georg Sled medial unicompartmental arthroplasty: survivorship analysis and function at 20 years follow up.

PURPOSE: The peri-operative and short-term benefits of unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA) are well supported in the literature. However, there remains concern regarding the higher revision rate when compared with total knee replacement. This manuscript reports the functional outcome and survivorship of a large series of fixed bearing, medial unicompartmental replacements (St Georg Sled), with a minimum of 20 years follow-up. METHODS: Between 1974 and 1994, 399 patients (496 knees) underwent a medial fixed-bearing UKA. Prospective data were collected pre-operatively and at regular intervals post-operatively using the Bristol Knee Score (BKS), Oxford Knee (OKS) and Western Ontario MacMaster (WOMAC) scores. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was used to determine survivorship, with revision or need for revision as end point, and differences assessed using Mantel-Cox log rank test. RESULTS: Functional knee scores improved post-operatively, but demonstrated a slight decline from 10 years of follow-up onwards. Survivorship is estimated as 86% at 10 years, 80% at 15 years, and 78% at 20 years. Sixty knees were revised, with progression of disease in another compartment the commonest reason. Eighty eight percent were revised using a primary prosthesis. For patients over the age of 65 years at the time of index procedure, 93% died with a functioning prosthesis in situ. CONCLUSION: Medial UKA demonstrates good long-term function and survivorship, and represents an excellent surgical option for patients aged over 65 years of age, where few patients will require a revision procedure. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: IV.

Does immediate elbow mobilization after distal biceps tendon repair carry the risk of wound breakdown, failure of repair, or patient dissatisfaction?

BACKGROUND: Rehabilitation protocols after distal biceps repair are highly variable, with many surgeons favoring at least 2 weeks of immobilization. Is this conservative approach necessary to protect the repair? METHODS: This was a consecutive series of 22 distal biceps tendon repairs in which a cortical button system was used. Patients were encouraged to mobilize their elbow actively from the day of surgery. Physiotherapy commenced at 3 weeks, with strengthening exercises when full range of movement (ROM) was achieved. The primary outcome measured was the clinical integrity of the repaired tendon. Secondary outcomes comprised wound or nerve complication, elbow ROM, and patient-reported outcome measures (the 11-item version of the Disabilities of Arm, Shoulder and Hand, Mayo Elbow Performance Index, and Oxford Elbow Score). RESULTS: All patients were male, and the dominant arm was repaired in 60%. Mean age was 40.6 years (range, 27-62 years), and mean time to surgery was 17 days (range, 5-99 days). Mean follow-up was 16.6 months (range, 3.8-29 months). All tendons were clinically intact at time of review. No wound breakdown occurred. Mean extension was -6° (range, -10° to 10°), and flexion was 144° (range, 135°-150°). All patients achieved full pronosupination. ROM was equivalent to the uninjured arm (P = .7). The mean 11-item version of the Disabilities of Arm, Shoulder and Hand score was 2.7 (range, 0-15.9), the Mayo Elbow Performance Index was 97.8 (range, 70-100), and the Oxford Elbow Score was 46.9 (range, 43-48) at the latest follow-up. One-third of patients experienced a transient sensory neurapraxia. CONCLUSION: Immediate mobilization after biceps tendon repair with a cortical button is possible, and in this series was not associated with failure of the repair, wound breakdown, or patient dissatisfaction. However, this series emphasizes the high incidence of nerve complication that can be associated with the single transverse incision technique.

Epidemiology and outcomes of tibial plateau fractures in adults aged 60 and over treated in the United Kingdom.

BACKGROUND: Tibial plateau fractures are common in older adults, often resulting from low-energy falls. Although lower limb fragility fracture care has evolved, the management of tibial plateau fractures in older patients remains poorly researched. This study aimed to define the epidemiology, treatment and outcomes of tibial plateau fractures in patients aged over 60 years. METHODOLOGY: Patients aged 60 years or older with a tibial plateau fracture who presented to a single trauma center between January 2008 and December 2018 were identified. Incomplete records were excluded. Epidemiological data, fracture classification, injury management, radiological outcomes, complications, and mortality were assessed via retrospective case note and radiograph review. Local ethics approval was obtained. RESULTS: Two-hundred and twenty patients with a mean age of 74 years (range 60-100) were included. 73% were female and 71% of injuries were sustained following low-energy falls. Median follow up was three months. 50% of fractures involved the lateral plateau. 60% of injuries were treated non-operatively. 76% of patients had their weight-bearing restricted for the first six weeks, with little difference between operatively and non-operatively managed patients. 8% of all patients required subsequent knee replacement. All-cause mortality at 30-days and one-year were 2% and 5% respectively. CONCLUSION: The majority of tibial plateau fractures in the over 60s are sustained from low-energy trauma. Management is relatively conservative when compared with younger cohorts. The data reported brings up questions of whether surgical treatment is beneficial to this patient group, or whether restricted weight bearing is either possible or beneficial. Prospective, multi-center comparative trials are needed to determine whether increased operative intervention or different rehabilitation strategies purveys any patient benefit.

Fixed bearing, all-polyethylene tibia, lateral unicompartmental arthroplasty - A final outcome study with up to 28 year follow-up of a single implant.

BACKGROUND: Lateral unicompartmental arthroplasty (UKA) constitutes only 5-10% of all unicompartmental replacements performed. Whilst the short and medium term benefits are well documented, there remains concern regarding the higher revision rate when compared with total knee replacement. We report the long term clinical outcome and survivorship of a large series of lateral UKA. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between 1974 and 1994, 71 patients (82 knees) underwent a lateral fixed-bearing St Georg Sled UKA. Prospective data was collected pre-operatively and at regular intervals post-operatively using the Bristol Knee Score (BKS), with later introduction of the Oxford Knee (OKS) and Western Ontario MacMaster (WOMAC) scores. Kaplan Meier survival analysis was used, with revision, or need for revision, as end point. 85% of the patients were female. No patients were lost to follow-up. RESULTS: Functional knee scores improved post-operatively up to 10 years, at which point they demonstrated a steady decline. Survivorship was 72% at 15 years, and 68% at 20 and 25 years. Nineteen knees were revised, with progression of disease in another compartment the commonest reason. There were two revisions due to implant fracture. In patients aged over 70 years at time of index procedure, 81% died with a functioning prosthesis in situ. CONCLUSION: This represents the longest follow-up of a large series of lateral UKA. Results of this early design of fixed bearing UKA demonstrate satisfactory long term survivorship. In elderly patients, further intervention is rarely required. More contemporary designs or techniques may show improved long term survivorship in time.

Dynamic Ulnar Drift of Single Digit by an Anomalous Accessory Extensor Tendon.

Descriptions of multiple extensor slips and accessory extensor tendons of the hand are extensively published in the contemporary literature. Despite their varied anatomy, accessory tendons seldom have a functional implication for the patient. We report a case detailing a previously undescribed accessory extensor tendon of the hand, which resulted unusually in an aberration in the mechanics of a single digit. This was explored and corrected surgically, resulting in an excellent outcome for the patient.

Distal femoral fractures: The need to review the standard of care.

BACKGROUND: Hip fracture care has evolved, largely due to standardisation of practice, measurement of outcomes and the introduction of the Best Practice Tariff, leading to the sustained improvements documented by the National Hip Fracture Database (NHFD). The treatment of distal femoral fractures in this population has not had the same emphasis. This study defines the epidemiology, current practice and outcomes of distal femoral fractures in four English centres. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 105 patients aged 50 years or greater with a distal femoral fracture, presenting to four UK major trauma centres between October 2010 and September 2011 were identified. Data was collected using an adapted NHFD data collection tool via retrospective case note and radiograph review. Local ethics approval was obtained. RESULTS: Mean age was 77 years (range 50-99), with 86% female. 95% of injuries were sustained from a low energy mechanism, and 72% were classified as either 33-A1 or 33-C1. The mean Parker mobility score and Barthel Independence Index were 5.37 (0-9) and 75.5 (0-100) respectively. Operative management was performed in 84%, and 86% had their surgery within 36 h. Three quarters were fixed with a peri-articuar locking plate. There was no consensus on post operative rehabilitation, but no excess of complications in the centres where weight bearing as tolerated was the standard. 45% were seen by an orthogeriatrician during their admission. Mean length of stay was 29 days. Mortality at 30 days, 6 months, and 1 year was 7%, 16% and 18% respectively. DISCUSSION: This study demonstrates that the distal femoral and hip fracture populations are similar, and highlights the current disparity in their management. The metrics and standards of care currently applied to hip fractures should be applied to the treatment of distal femoral fractures. Optimal operative treatment and rehabilitation remains unclear, and is in need of further research.

Fixed bearing lateral unicompartmental knee arthroplasty--short to midterm survivorship and knee scores for 101 prostheses.

BACKGROUND: Isolated unicompartmental knee arthritis is less common laterally than medially. Lateral unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA) constitutes only 1% of all knee arthroplasty performed. Use of medial UKA is supported by several published series showing good long-term survivorship and patient satisfaction, in large patient cohorts. Results of lateral UKA however have been mixed. We present the short and mid-term survivorship and 5-year clinical outcome of 101 lateral UKAs using a single prosthesis. METHODS: Over a 9 year period, 100 patients who satisfied inclusion criteria underwent a lateral fixed-bearing unicompartmental arthroplasty. American Knee Society (AKSS), Oxford Knee (OKS) and modified Western Ontario McMaster Universities Arthritis Index (WOMAC) scores were completed preoperatively and at 1, 2 and 5 years postoperatively. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was used to determine the 2-year and 5-year survivorship, using revision for any cause as end point. RESULTS: Survivorship was 98.7% and 95.5% at 2 and 5 years respectively. 1 knee was revised for subsidence of the tibial component and 1 knee for progression of medial compartment osteoarthritis. Of a possible 35 knees in situ at 5 year follow-up, 33 knees were fully scored. Median AKSS, OKS and modified WOMAC scores were 182, 41, and 16 respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The mid-term survivorship and outcome scores at 5-years suggest that lateral unicompartmental knee arthroplasty provides a valuable alternative to total joint replacement in selected patients with isolated lateral tibio-femoral arthritis at mid-term follow-up. Level II evidence.

Stem compatibility for cement-in-cement femoral revision: an in vitro study.

Cement-in-cement femoral component revision is a useful and commonly practised technique. Onerous and hazardous re-shaping of the original cement mantle is required if the new stem does not seat easily. Furthermore, without removing the entirety of the original cement mantle, the freedom to alter anteversion or leg length is difficult to predict preoperatively. We present data from in vitro experiments testing the compatibility of the top cemented stems according to UK registry figures (NJR 2013). This data augments preoperative planning by indicating which revision stems require minimal or no cement reshaping when being inserted into another stem's mantle. We also present the maximum shortening and anteversion that can be achieved without reshaping the original cement mantle.