Better operating room efficiency and reduced staff demand: Individualised versus off-the-shelf total knee arthroplasty.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this pilot cross-sectional study was to compare the operating room (OR) efficiency and intraoperative staff task load when performing individualised versus off-the-shelf (OTS) total knee arthroplasty (TKA). METHODS: A consecutive series of 28 patients randomised (1:1) to receive either OTS TKA or individualised TKA were included. The OR staff workload was assessed with the NASA Task Load Index (TLX), a subjective grading system assessing mental demand, physical demand, temporal demand, performance, effort and frustration on a scale from 0 (very low) to 20 (very high). The time for patient preparation, surgical time, closure and total OR time was recorded to assess OR efficiency. Effect sizes of differences between OTS and individualised TKA were expressed as mean differences (MDs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). RESULTS: Patients in both cohorts were similar in age (OTS vs. individualised TKA (median [IQR]), 67 [63-76] vs. 71 [68-79]; p = 0.207) and body mass index (BMI) (29 [24-33] vs. 29 [26-31]; p = 0.807), and there were no significant differences in other preoperative characteristics. The OR staff perceived individualised TKA as less demanding than OTS TKA: Individualised TKA was rated significantly better across the six domains of the NASA TLX: mental demand by 5.6 points, physical demand by 6.3 points, temporal demand by 5.3 points, performance by 3.6 points, effort by 5.9 points and frustration by 5.8 points. Individualised TKA resulted in statistically significantly shorter mean total OR time (MD, 10 min; p = 0.018). CONCLUSION: The staff in the OR found that individualised TKA is less mentally, physically and temporally demanding than OTS TKA. The average total time spent in the OR during individualised TKA is 10 min less than during OTS TKA. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study constitutes a part of a larger registered randomised controlled trial comparing patient satisfaction following OTS versus individualised TKA (NCT04460989). LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III.

Individualised compared to off-the-shelf total knee arthroplasty results in lower and less variable patellar tilt.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to compare postoperative patellar tilt at 4 months follow-up in a consecutive series of randomised patients that received individualised or off-the-shelf (OTS) primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA). The hypothesis was that patellar tilt would be lower and less variable in patients who received individualised TKA compared to patients who received OTS TKA. METHODS: A consecutive series of 385 patients randomised (1:1) to receive either OTS TKA or individualised TKA were analysed. Pre- and postoperative radiographs at 4 months were obtained of weight-bearing long leg, anterior-posterior and lateral knee views and a skyline view at 30° of flexion. Postoperative patellar tilt was measured between the anterior femoral line and patellar resection surface (ß) and the anterior femoral line and mediolateral patellar axis (σ). Postoperative patellar tilt (absolute value) was compared between the individualised and OTS TKA groups based on preoperative phenotypes of their femoral mechanical angle, tibial mechanical angle and hip-knee-ankle angle. Variability in postoperative patellar tilt was compared using the 95% confidence intervals (CIs). RESULTS: Comparisons of baseline patient characteristics revealed no difference between the individualised and OTS TKA groups. Comparison of absolute postoperative patellar tilt revealed significant differences between individualised and OTS TKA (|ß|, 1.0° ± 1.0° and 2.5° ± 2.2°, respectively, p < 0.001; |σ|, 1.7° ± 1.6° and 2.8° ± 2.3°, respectively, p < 0.001). The 95% CI of postoperative patellar tilt (|ß|) was narrower in patients that received individualised compared to OTS TKA (0.0° to 3.8° and 0.1° to 8.3°, respectively), irrespective of their preoperative phenotype. CONCLUSION: Patients who underwent individualised TKA had lower and less variable postoperative patellar tilt than those with OTS TKA, irrespective of preoperative phenotype. Individualised TKA allows the decoupling of the tibiofemoral and patellofemoral joints, replicating anatomical trochlear orientation and improving patellar tilt, which could facilitate better clinical outcomes. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study constitutes a part of a larger registered randomised controlled trial comparing patient satisfaction following OTS versus individualised TKA (NCT04460989). LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level II.

Arthroscopic popliteal tenotomy grants satisfactory outcomes in total knee arthroplasty with persistent localised posterolateral pain and popliteus tendon impingement.

PURPOSE: The purpose was to estimate the prevalence of popliteus tendon impingement following TKA, and to describe the characteristics and the differential diagnosis protocol for this rare condition. The hypothesis was that arthroscopic popliteal tenotomy in TKA patients with suspected popliteus tendon impingement would relieve pain and improve satisfaction. METHODS: Of 741 TKAs performed over three years, eight (1.1%, all women) had suspected popliteus tendon impingement, of which seven had severe localised posterolateral knee pain and one global knee pain. Upon confirmation of popliteus tendon impingement, arthroscopic popliteal tenotomy was performed, and outcomes (Pain on visual analogue scale (pVAS; best, 0; worst, 10), Oxford Knee Score (OKS; best, 48; worst, 0) and satisfaction (best, 100%; worst, 0%) assessed at mean 18-month follow-up. RESULTS: At four to 30 months after TKA, arthroscopic exploration revealed popliteus tendon impingement in all eight knees. Six reported complete pain relief (pVAS, 0) the day following arthroscopic popliteal tenotomy, whilst one reported some residual pain (pVAS, 2). The remaining patient with global pain reported no pain relief, and required revision TKA at 12 months. Excluding the revised TKA, OKS was between 19 and 43, and satisfaction was rated ≥ 80% in five of the remaining seven patients. CONCLUSIONS: Arthroscopic popliteal tenotomy relieved symptoms in TKA patients with persistent localised posterolateral pain and a positive popliteus test. These findings suggest that the popliteus test is reliable to diagnose popliteus tendon impingement following TKA, which could be treated by arthroscopic popliteal tenotomy. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV, Small case series.

Custom TKA enables adequate realignment with minimal ligament release and grants satisfactory outcomes in knees that had prior osteotomies or extra-articular fracture sequelae.

PURPOSE: To report the early clinical and radiographic outcomes of custom total knee arthroplasty (TKA) in knees that had prior osteotomies and/or extra-articular fracture sequelae. METHODS: The authors retrospectively analysed a consecutive series of 444 knees that received custom TKA between 2016 and 2019 and identified 41 knees that had prior extra-articular events (osteotomies or fracture sequelae). Patients responded to pre- and post-operative (> 12 months) questionnaires, including Knee Society Score (KSS), Oxford Knee Score (OKS), Forgotten Joint Score (FJS) and Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS). Net improvements were calculated by subtracting pre- from post-operative scores. In addition to a preoperative CT scan, pre- and post-operative long-leg weight-bearing radiographs were obtained, on which the hip-knee-ankle (HKA) angle, femoral mechanical angle (FMA, between femoral mechanical axis and joint line) and tibial mechanical angle (TMA, between tibial mechanical axis and joint line) angles were measured, and alignment was planned within a 'target zone' of FMA and TMA within 85°-95° and HKA angle within 175°-183°. Agreements between preoperative, planned and post-operative angles were calculated using intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC). RESULTS: From the initial 41 knees, 3 had incomplete post-operative data and 1 was revised for painful stiffness due to uncorrected rotational malunion, leaving 37 knees for analysis. Twenty had prior osteotomies (tibia, n = 18, femur, n = 2), 8 had isolated fractures (tibial, n = 3; femoral, n = 5), and 9 had both osteotomies and fractures. Postoperative coronal alignments were 90.4° ± 2.4° for FMA, 89.3° ± 2.6° for TMA and 179.9° ± 3.0° for HKA angle. Agreements between planned and achieved alignments were fair to excellent, and 29 (78%) knees were within the 'target zone'. At a mean follow-up of 15 ± 5 months, all clinical scores had improved significantly (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Custom TKA granted satisfactory clinical outcomes and a low complication rate in knees that had prior osteotomies and/or extra-articular fracture sequelae. Using custom implants and strategies for coronal alignment, 29 (78%) of the 37 knees were successfully aligned within the 'target zone', and 35 (95%) of the 41 knees did not require ligament release. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: IV.

Considerable inter-individual variability of tibial geometric ratios renders bone-implant mismatch unavoidable using off-the-shelf total knee arthroplasty: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to investigate the variability in tibial geometric ratios among knees of different sexes and races to determine whether commercially-available tibial baseplates accommodate the morphologic diversity. The hypothesis was that anthropometric studies report considerable variability of tibial geometric ratios among sexes and races. METHODS: This systematic review and meta-analysis was performed according to the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) criteria. Two authors independently conducted an electronic search using MEDLINE® and Embase® on 28 January 2021 for clinical studies reporting on tibial geometric ratios. Tibial geometric ratios, as reported by the clinical studies, were represented by plotting their means and two standard deviations for comparison to two symmetric and two asymmetric commercially-available tibial baseplates. RESULTS: A total of 27 articles that reported on a combined total of 20,944 knees were eligible for data extraction. Variation in tibial aspect ratios was equal among sexes. The greatest variation in aspect ratio was observed among East Asians, followed by Caucasians, African-Americans, Indian and Middle Easterns. The variation in tibial asymmetry ratio was larger among men compared to women. The greatest variation in asymmetry ratio was observed among African-Americans, followed by Caucasians, East Asians, Indian and Middle Easterns. Bone-implant mismatch of > 3 mm overhang or > 4 mm under-coverage with four commercially-available tibial baseplates occurred in large proportions of knees due to variations in aspect ratio (in 17-100% of knees) and asymmetry ratio (in 7-100% of knees). CONCLUSION: Anthropometric studies reported considerable inter-individual variability of tibial geometric ratios, which exceeded effects of sexual dimorphism and racial diversity. Bone-implant mismatch may be unavoidable in a large proportion of knees, when considering that a surgeon generally only uses one or a few TKA brands. These findings support the drive towards patient-specific implants to potentially achieve accurate bone-implant fit by implant customisation. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: IV.

Custom total knee arthroplasty combined with personalised alignment grants 94% patient satisfaction at minimum follow-up of 2 years.

PURPOSE: The purpose was to report detailed patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) and satisfaction rates for computed tomography (CT)-based custom TKA at minimum follow-up of 2 years. The hypothesis was that custom TKA combined with 'personalised alignment' would yield equivalent or better PROMs compared to values reported in systematic reviews and meta-analyses on off-the-shelf (OTS) TKA. METHODS: Of an initial cohort of 150 custom TKAs, four died (unrelated to surgery), one required a revision, and five refused participation, leaving 140 patients for analysis. Patients completed pre- and post-operative PROMs (Oxford Knee Score (OKS), Forgotten Joint Score (FJS), Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS), Western Ontario and McMaster osteoarthritis index (WOMAC)) as well as overall level of satisfaction. Proportions that attained a patient acceptable symptom state (PASS) were calculated for OKS and FJS. Clinical findings were compared to the average scores reported for PROMs in recent systematic reviews and/or meta-analyses on OTS TKA. Descriptive statistics were used to summarise the clinical findings as means, standard deviations (SD) and ranges, or numbers and percentages. RESULTS: At mean follow-up 33.5 ± 4.5 months, 94% (135/143) were either satisfied or very satisfied. Proportions that achieved PASS were 89% for OKS (120/135), and 85% for FJS (118/139). Median OKS, WOMAC and KOOS Symptoms and Pain scores were all within the 4th quartile of medians reported in systematic reviews and/or meta-analyses. CONCLUSIONS: At a minimum follow-up of two years following custom TKA combined with 'personalised alignment', 94% of patients were either satisfied or very satisfied, and the PASS criteria were achieved in 89% for OKS and 85% for FJS, all of which compare favourably to published outcomes of OTS TKA. Direct comparisons to the literature may not be appropriate, however, considering the heterogeneity of patient demographics and alignment techniques. Randomised controlled trials with sufficient statistical power are needed to corroborate these findings and generalise them to unselected TKA patients. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: IV, retrospective cohort study.

Artificial Intelligence Radiographic Analysis Tool for Total Knee Arthroplasty.

BACKGROUND: The postoperative follow-up of a patient after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) requires regular evaluation of the condition of the knee through interpretation of X-rays. This rigorous analysis requires expertize, time, and methodical standardization. Our work evaluated the use of an artificial intelligence tool, X-TKA, to assist surgeons in their interpretation. METHODS: A series of 12 convolutional neural networks were trained on a large database containing 39,751 X-ray images. These algorithms are able to determine examination quality, identify image characteristics, assess prosthesis sizing and positioning, measure knee-prosthesis alignment angles, and detect anomalies in the bone-cement-implant complex. The individual interpretations of a pool of senior surgeons with and without the assistance of X-TKA were evaluated on a reference dataset built in consensus by senior surgeons. RESULTS: The algorithms obtained a mean area under the curve value of 0.98 on the quality assurance and the image characteristics tasks. They reached a mean difference for the predicted angles of 1.71° (standard deviation, 1.53°), similar to the surgeon average difference of 1.69° (standard deviation, 1.52°). The comparative analysis showed that the assistance of X-TKA allowed surgeons to gain 5% in accuracy and 12% in sensitivity in the detection of interface anomalies. Moreover, this study demonstrated a gain in repeatability for each single surgeon (Light's kappa +0.17), as well as a gain in the reproducibility between surgeons (Light's kappa +0.1). CONCLUSION: This study highlights the benefit of using an intelligent artificial tool for a standardized interpretation of postoperative knee X-rays and indicates the potential for its use in clinical practice.

Sagittal femoral condylar shape varies along a continuum from spherical to ovoid: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Considerable anatomic variations of sagittal femoral condylar shape have been reported, with a continuum between spherical (or single-radius) and ovoid (or multi-radius) condyles. The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to critically appraise and synthesise the available literature on the sagittal femoral profile. The hypothesis was that studies would reveal considerable variability among individuals, but also in their methodology to quantify sagittal profiles. METHODS: This systematic review was performed in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. On 10 September 2021 two authors searched for Level I to IV studies that reported on the sagittal curvature of the medial and/or lateral femoral condyles using the MEDLINE®, EMBASE® and Cochrane Library. Results were summarised by tabulating means, standard deviations and/or ranges for the reported radii-of-curvature, or ellipsoidal semi-major and semi-minor lengths of the condyles. To quantify sagittal 'ovoidicity' and asymmetry, results were stratified according to coordinate reference frame (posterior condylar axis (PCA), clinical and surgical transepicondylar axis (cTEA and sTEA), unified sagittal plane (USP), or unclear) and summarised in forest plots as standardised mean differences (SMD). RESULTS: Thirty-eight articles were eligible for full text extraction, quantifying sagittal radii-of-curvature by best-fit circles (BFC), ellipsoids, polynomials, spherical or cylindrical fitting. Studies with clear definition of the measurement plane revealed that both condyles were generally ovoid, with considerably greater 'ovoidicity' at the medial condyle (SMD, 4.09) versus the lateral condyle (SMD, 3.33). In addition, distal condylar radii were greater medially when measured normal to the TEA (cTEA: SMD, 0.81; sTEA: SMD, 0.79), but greater laterally when measured in a USP (SMD, - 0.83). Posterior condylar radii were greater laterally when measured in a USP (SMD, - 0.60). CONCLUSION: Studies reported considerable variability of sagittal femoral condylar radii-of-curvature, which are not incremental, but rather a continuum that ranges from spherical to ovoid. Although this variation could be accommodated by single-, dual- and multi-radii femoral components, a surgeon typically uses only one or two TKA designs. Hence, there is a risk of mismatch between the native and prosthetic sagittal profile that could result in mid-flexion ligament imbalance unless other parameters are changed. These findings support the drive towards patient-specific implants to potentially achieve accurate sagittal bone-implant fit through implant customisation. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: IV.

Sexual dimorphism and racial diversity render bone-implant mismatch inevitable after off-the-shelf total knee arthroplasty: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to investigate the variability in femoral geometric ratios among knees of different sexes and races, and to appreciate whether the observed variability is accommodated by commonly implanted total knee arthroplasty (TKA) components. The hypothesis was that the anthropometric studies report considerable variability of femoral geometric ratios among sexes and races. METHODS: This systematic review and meta-analysis was performed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) criteria. Two authors independently conducted an electronic search using MEDLINE® and Embase® on 6 July 2020 for clinical studies reporting on femoral geometric ratios among sexes and races. Femoral geometric ratios were graphically represented as means and 2 standard deviations, and compared to those of 13 commonly implanted femoral components. RESULTS: A total of 15 studies were identified that reported on a combined total of 2627 knees; all reported the aspect ratio, and 2 also reported the asymmetry ratio and trapezoidicity ratio. Men had wider knees than women, and compared to Caucasian knees, Arabian and Indian knees were wider, while East Asian were narrower. There were no differences in asymmetry ratio between men and women, nor among Caucasian and East Asian knees. Men had more trapezoidal knees than women, and East Asian knees were more trapezoidal than Caucasian knees. The commonly implanted femoral components accommodated less than a quarter of the geometric variability observed among sexes and races. CONCLUSION: Anthropometric studies reported considerable sexual dimorphism and racial diversity of femoral geometric ratios. Since a surgeon generally only uses one or a few TKA brands, bone-implant mismatch remains unavoidable in a large proportion of knees. These findings support the drive towards personalized medicine, and accurate bone-implant fit may only be achievable through customisation of implants, though the clinical benefits of custom TKA remain to be confirmed. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: IV.

Custom TKA combined with personalised coronal alignment yield improvements that exceed KSS substantial clinical benefits.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to report Knee Society Scores (KSS) at 12-month follow-up in a series of 266 knees that received custom TKA. The hypothesis was that custom TKA combined with personalised alignment would yield improvements greater than substantial clinical benefits (SCB) of KSS Knee and Function. METHODS: From a consecutive series of 905 patients (918 knees) that received primary TKAs, 261 (29%) patients (266 knees) received computed tomography (CT)-based posterior-stabilised cemented custom TKA. Knees were aligned aiming to preserve or restore constitutional alignment within predetermined limits of 85°-95° for femoral mechanical angle (FMA) and tibial mechanical angle (TMA), and 175°-183° for hip knee ankle (HKA) angle. The KSS Knee and Function were collected preoperatively and 12 months postoperatively, to determine if patients achieved SCB. Uni- and multivariable analyses were performed to determine associations between KSS scores (Knee and Function) and patient demographics as well as pre- and postoperative radiographic alignments. RESULTS: Of the initial cohort of 261 patients, 4 (1.8%) were reoperated for patellar resurfacing, 1 (0.4%) for lavage to treat infection, and 1 (0.4%) had arthroscopy to treat a stiff knee with < 90° range of motion. Complete clinical records were available for 227 patients (232 knees, 87%) that comprised 102 men (5 bilateral) and 125 women. At 12-month follow-up, mean improvements in KSS Knee and Function scores were, respectively, 61.0 ± 13.0 and 42.7 ± 16.7, which exceeded the SCB of KSS. Comparison of knees inside versus outside the target zone revealed no differences in KSS Knee (94.1 ± 9.1 versus 94.3 ± 9.0, n.s.) and Function (96.1 ± 9.2 versus 96.3 ± 8.9, n.s.). Multivariable analysis revealed worse KSS Knee in knees with preoperative FMA > 95° (ß = - 6.21; p = 0.023), but no association between KSS Function and patient demographics or pre- and postoperative radiographic alignments. CONCLUSIONS: Custom TKA combined with personalised alignment yielded improvements that exceeded substantial clinical benefits of KSS Knee and Function scores. These findings demonstrate the feasibility of custom TKA with 'personalised alignment' and encourage further investigations using comparative studies at longer follow-up. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: IV, case series.

Custom total knee arthroplasty facilitates restoration of constitutional coronal alignment.

PURPOSE: To describe a strategy for coronal alignment using a computed tomography (CT) based custom total knee arthroplasty (TKA) system, and to evaluate the agreement between the planned and postoperative Hip-Knee-Ankle (HKA) angle, Femoral Mechanical Angle (FMA) and Tibial Mechanical Angle (TMA). METHODS: From a consecutive series of 918 primary TKAs, 266 (29%) knees received CT-based posterior-stabilized cemented custom TKA. In addition to a preoperative CT-scan, pre- and post-operative radiographs of weight-bearing long leg, anterior-posterior and lateral views of the knee were obtained, on which the FMA, TMA and HKA angles were measured. CT-based three-dimensional (3D) models enabled to correct for cases with bony wear by referring to the non-worn areas and to estimate the native pre-arthritic angles. The alignment technique aimed to preserve or restore constitutional alignment (CA) within predetermined limits, by defining a 'target zone' based on three criteria: 1) a ± 3° (range 87°-93°) primary tolerance for the femoral and tibial resections; 2) a ± 2° secondary tolerance for component obliquity, extending the bounds for FMA and TMA (range 85°-95°); 3) a planned HKA angle range of 175°-183°. Agreement between preoperative, planned and postoperative measurements of FMA, TMA and HKA angle were calculated using intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC). RESULTS: Preoperative radiograph and CT-scan measurements revealed that, respectively, 73 (28%) and 103 (40%) knees were in the 'target zone', whereas postoperative radiographs revealed that 217 (84%) TKAs were in the 'target zone'. Deviation from the planned angles were - 0.5° ± 1.8° for FMA, - 0.5° ± 1.8° for TMA, and - 1.1° ± 2.1° for HKA angle. Finally, the agreement between the planned and achieved targets, indicated by ICC, were good for FMA (0.701), fair for TMA (0.462) and fair for HKA angle (0.472). CONCLUSION: Using this strategy for coronal alignment, 84% of custom TKAs were within the 'target zone' for FMA, TMA and HKA angles. These findings support the concepts of emerging personalized medicine technologies, and emphasise the importance of accurate strategies for preoperative planning, which are key to achieving satisfactory 'personalised alignment' that can further be improved by customisation of implant components. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: IV.

Stem-bone contact patterns of a long straight tapered uncemented stem for primary THA.

INTRODUCTION: Despite excellent long-term survival, total hip arthroplasty (THA) can fail due to aseptic loosening, dislocations, sepsis and periprosthetic fractures, all of which remain considerably burdensome. Aseptic loosening is one of the main causes of THA failure, often due to osteolysis, stress shielding and/or lack of primary stability. This study aimed to investigate stem-bone contact patterns of a long straight-tapered uncemented stem following primary THA, and to determine whether these contact patterns are related to preoperative femoral morphology and whether they influence postoperative outcomes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The authors reviewed a continuous series of 60 hips (55 patients) that underwent primary THA using the Corail® stem (DePuy, Leeds, UK). Patients were evaluated pre- and post-operatively using the Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) score. Computed-tomography (CT) scans were performed preoperatively to assess femoral bone morphology, and immediate postoperatively to assess stem-bone contact patterns. Postoperative radiographs were performed to calculate the Engh score. Regression analyses were performed to determine associations of postoperative JOA and Engh score with 27 independent variables. RESULTS: Forty-nine patients (54 hips) were assessed at 31 ± 8 months, with a JOA score of 92.9 ± 8.1 and an Engh score of 21.2 ± 1.9. Six patients (6 hips) were lost-to-follow-up. There were no revisions and only one complication (recurrent dislocation). Stem-bone contact patterns were associated with preoperative femoral morphology (sagittal CFI [p = 0.006], femoral offset [p = 0.028], and NSA [p = 0.022]), but were not associated with either postoperative JOA or postoperative Engh score. CONCLUSIONS: The stem-bone contact patterns of a long straight-tapered uncemented stem are related to preoperative femoral morphology, but do not influence short-term postoperative outcomes. Contact patterns were related to preoperative femoral offset, NSA, and sagittal CFI, but not coronal CFI. Surgeons should, therefore, consider sagittal morphology for surgical planning and templating, in addition to the conventional parameters of coronal morphology.

Mid-Term Clinical and Radiographic Outcomes of a Long Cementless Monobloc Stem for Revision Total Hip Arthroplasty.

BACKGROUND: For the past 2 decades, the authors have been using a long tapered cementless stem made of titanium and fully coated with hydroxyapatite for revision total hip arthroplasty. The purpose of this multicentric study is to assess clinical outcomes, radiographic outcomes, re-revision rates, and survival rates of this revision stem at a minimum 5-year follow-up. METHODS: The records of a multicentric continuous series of 335 adults undergoing revision total hip arthroplasty using the Corail revision stem (DePuy, Leeds, UK) between 2000 and 2012 were retrospectively reviewed. The Harris Hip Score, Oxford Hip Score, and Engh score were recorded. Survival was assessed using the Kaplan-Meier method and cumulative incidence function. RESULTS: Seventy-seven patients died with their revision stem in place, 47 could not be contacted, and 22 had stem re-revisions. This left a final cohort of 201 patients, aged 70 ± 12 years at revision surgery, with a body mass index of 26 ± 4. The Kaplan-Meier survival was 93.9% for re-revision of any component for any reason, 96.7% for re-revision of the stem for any reason, and 99.3% for re-revision of the stem for aseptic reasons. At last follow-up, the Harris Hip Score was 84.8 ± 13.1, the Oxford Hip Score was 21.0 ± 7.8, and the Engh score was 16.4 ± 6.7. CONCLUSION: The long tapered cementless revision stem had excellent clinical and radiographic outcomes at a minimum follow-up of 5 years. The revision stem enabled restoration of bone stock in femurs with pre-revision bone defects, confirming that the hydroxyapatite coating promotes osseointegration, even in femurs with extensive bone loss. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV, retrospective cohort study.

Patellar facet ratio affects knee pain, stair climbing and stair descent after TKA without patellar resurfacing.

PURPOSE: To determine whether knee pain or functional impairment after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) without patellar resurfacing are correlated with preoperative patellar morphology or postoperative patellar orientation. The hypotheses were that patellar shape, increased tilt and lateral displacement would be associated with pain and functional impairment. METHODS: From a consecutive series of 152 knees that received a cemented postero-stabilized TKA, the Oxford Knee Score (OKS) and the Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) were collected at a minimum follow-up of 12 months. Uni- and multi-variable linear regression analyses were performed to determine associations between the collected clinical scores and patient demographics and patellar morphology, measured from pre- and post-operative frontal, lateral and skyline view radiographs. RESULTS: The OKS was 75 ± 23, whereas the KOOS pain, stair climbing, and descent were respectively 77 ± 24, 3.9 ± 1.1 and 3.8 ± 1.2. OKS was not associated with any radiographic outcomes, whereas KOOS pain was better for knees with larger medial patellar facets. The KOOS stair climbing and descent were also better for knees with larger medial patellar facets. CONCLUSION: The findings of this study partly confirm the hypotheses that pain and functional impairments after TKA without patellar resurfacing are associated with patellar shape. No association was revealed between postoperative patellar orientation and function nor pain. Quantitative consideration of patellar congruency could therefore prevent pain and improve function after TKA without patellar resurfacing. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Retrospective study, Level III.

No Differences in Midterm Sports Participation or Functional Scores After Total Hip Arthroplasty by Posterolateral Vs Anterolateral Approach.

BACKGROUND: Patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty (THA) frequently question surgeons on return to sports. We compared midterm sports participation and functional scores after THA by posterolateral approach (PLA) vs anterolateral approach (ALA). METHODS: Of 1381 patients who underwent uncemented ceramic-on-ceramic THA for primary osteoarthritis, 503 were excluded because of preoperative or postoperative lower limb surgery, leaving 594 operated by PLA and 284 by ALA. Forgotten Joint Score (FJS), Oxford Hip Score (OHS), satisfaction, as well as motivation, participation, and discomfort regarding 22 sports were collected. A 1:1 matching was performed to obtain 2 groups of PLA and ALA patients with similar age, gender, body mass index, and sports motivation. RESULTS: Matching yielded 2 equal groups of 259 patients. There were no significant differences in FJS (P = .057), OHS (P = .685), satisfaction (P = .369), or rates of participation in light (P = .999), moderate (P = .632), or strenuous sports (P = .284). Participation in strenuous sports was reported by 50 PLA (19%) and 61 ALA (24%) patients, with differences for downhill skiing (22 vs 39), running (10 vs 19), and cross-country skiing (18 vs 10). More than 50% of motivated patients practiced most of their sports. Severe discomfort was reported similarly in PLA and ALA patients, mainly during running (13 vs 11), team ball games (9 vs 7), and downhill skiing (7 vs 8). CONCLUSION: There were no significant differences between PLA and ALA patients in terms of OHS, FJS, satisfaction, or sports participation rates. There is little or no evidence to promote an approach based on sports participation or functional improvement. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III, comparative study.

Pre-operative templating in THA. Part I: a classification of architectural hip deformities.

INTRODUCTION: While numerous classifications of hip arthritis have been proposed, none considered the magnitude and direction of femoral head translation relative to the native acetabulum. A more precise classification of architectural hip deformities is necessary to improve preoperative templating and anticipate surgical challenges of total hip arthroplasty (THA). The purpose of the present study was to introduce a classification system to distinguish different types of architectural hip deformities, based on femoral head translation patterns, and to evaluate its repeatability using plain radiographs (qualitative) and Computed Tomography (CT) measurements (quantitative). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We studied pre-operative frontal and lateral hip radiographs and CT scans of 191 hips (184 patients) that received primary THA. The distance between the femoral head center (FC) and the acetabular center (AC) was measured, as well as femoral offset, acetabular offset, head center height, acetabular floor distance and femoral neck angle. The hips were classified qualitatively using frontal plain radiographs, and then quantitatively using CT scans (with an arbitrary threshold of 3 mm as Centered, Medialized, Lateralized, Proximalized or Proximo-lateralized. The agreement between qualitative and quantitative classification methods was compared for applying the same classification. RESULTS: Qualitative classification identified 120 centered (63%), 8 medialized (4%), 49 lateralized (26%), 3 proximalized (2%), and 11 proximo-lateralized (6%) hips, while quantitative classification identified 116 centered (61%), 8 medialized (4%), 51 lateralized (27%), 5 proximalized (3%), and 11 proximo-lateralized (6%) hips. The agreement between the two methods was excellent (0.94; CI 0.90-0.98). Medialization reached 9.7 mm, while lateralization reached 10.9 mm, and proximalization reached 8.5 mm. Proximalized and proximo-lateralized hips had more valgus necks, while medialized hips had more varus necks (p = 0.003). CONCLUSIONS: The classification system enabled repeatable distinction of 5 types of architectural hip deformities. The excellent agreement between quantitative and qualitative methods suggests that plain radiographs are sufficient to classify architectural hip deformities.

Correction to: Pre-operative templating in THA. Part II: a CT-based strategy to correct architectural hip deformities.

The original version of this article unfortunately contained a mistake. The spelling of the Geert Pagenstert name was incorrect.

Pre-operative planning in THA. Part III: do implant size prediction and offset restoration influence functional outcomes after THA?

INTRODUCTION: Few studies evaluated clinical benefits of pre-operative templating in total hip arthroplasty (THA). We investigated whether mismatch between planned and real implant sizes and medio-lateral offsets compromises THA outcomes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed records of 184 primary THAs with pre-operative CT scans used for templating. Acetabular offset (AO), femoral offset (FO) and global offset (GO) were measured on pre-operative CT scans, during acetate templating, and post-operative antero-posterior radiographs. Multivariable analyses were performed to determine if Forgotten Joint Score (FJS) and Oxford Hip Score (OHS) at > 2 years were associated with differences between post-operative and planned parameters. RESULTS: The FJS and OHS were not influenced by mismatch of component sizes nor of FO and GO. The FJS was better when the post-operative AO was greater than planned (p = 0.050). The FJS differed among arthritic types (p = 0.015). Multivariable analyses confirmed that older patients had better OHS (beta - 0.16; p = 0.033) and FJS (beta 0.74; p = 0.002), medialized hips had worse FJS (beta - 20.1; p = 0.041) and hips with greater AO than planned had better FJS (beta 1.71; p = 0.024) CONCLUSIONS: Implanting a component of different size than planned did not compromise THA outcomes, but medialized hips had worse scores, and conservative acetabular reaming improved scores.

Pre-operative templating in THA. Part II: a CT-based strategy to correct architectural hip deformities.

INTRODUCTION: Pre-operative templating for total hip arthroplasty (THA) remains inaccurate due to improper magnification and alignment. We aimed to describe an improved templating strategy using computed tomography (CT) to predict component sizes and offsets with greater accuracy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We analysed 184 CT images acquired for pre-operative templating of primary THA. We aimed to restore native (pre-arthritic) femoral offset and limb length, by raising the head center to the level of the templated cup center cranio-caudally, but maintaining the pathologic (pre-operative) head center medio-laterally (except in medialized hips). Acetabular offset (AO) and femoral offset (FO) were measured on pre-operative CT scans, during acetate templating, and on post-operative true antero-posterior radiographs. RESULTS: The post-operative offsets were within ± 5 mm from templated estimates in 174 hips (91%) for AO, in 116 hips (61%) for FO, in 111 hips (58%) for GO, and in 134 hips (70%) for neck cut level. The post-operative hip architecture reproduced the templated hip architecture within ±5 mm in 77 hips (40%). The agreement between planned and post-operative parameters was moderate for stem size (0.57), cup size (0.62), AO (0.50), but fair for FO (0.45). The AO decreased in most arthritic types, notably in lateralized hips (6.6 mm), but remained unchanged in medialized hips. The FO increased in most arthritic types (1.8-3.1 mm) but remained unchanged in medialized and lateralized hips. CONCLUSIONS: We described a strategy for pre-operative templating in THA. Despite the accuracy of CT, the authors found significant variations between planned and post-operative reconstructions, which suggest that pre-operative templating should only be used as an approximate guide.

Midterm Clinical and Radiographic Outcomes of a Contemporary Monoblock Dual-Mobility Cup in Uncemented Total Hip Arthroplasty.

BACKGROUND: The efficacy of contemporary monoblock dual-mobility (DM) cups to prevent dislocations in total hip arthroplasty (THA) is well reported, but there is little published data on their mid- to long-term outcomes. The authors aimed at reporting the 10-year survival of a contemporary DM cup as well as its clinical and radiographic outcomes. METHODS: From a retrospective consecutive multicentric series of 516 patients (541 hips) that received uncemented THA between June 2007 and June 2010, 6 patients (6 hips) had cup and stem revisions, 5 patients (5 hips) had isolated stem revision, and 2 patients (2 hips) had isolated insert revision. A total of 103 patients (111 hips) died with their original implants, and 41 patients (42 hips) were lost to follow-up. This left 358 patients (375 hips) for clinical assessment at a median follow-up of 8.7 years (range, 6.8-10.5 years), including 279 patients (290 hips) with postoperative radiographs. Implant survival was calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method, and multivariable analyses were performed to determine whether clinical outcomes are associated with patient or surgical factors. RESULTS: The 10-year survival considering revision for aseptic loosening as end point was 100% for the cup and 99.2% for the stem. No dislocations were observed, and radiographic assessment revealed 1 acetabular granuloma (0.3%), but no radiolucencies nor fractures. The Harris hip score improved from 49.6 ± 15.5 to 85.2 ± 14.5, and the postoperative Oxford hip score was 19.2 ± 7.6. Multivariable analyses revealed that improvement in Harris hip score increased with cup diameter (beta, 1.28; P = .039). CONCLUSION: Our data confirmed satisfactory midterm outcomes of uncemented THA using a contemporary DM cup, with no dislocations nor cup revisions due to aseptic loosening. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV, retrospective cohort study.