Comparing mortality risk of patients with acute hip fractures admitted to a major trauma centre on a weekday or weekend.

Proximal femoral fractures are a major public health concern with estimated annual direct and social costs amounting to £2 billion and average 30-day mortality risk of 7.5%. In response to the recent debate over out-of-hours hospital provision we investigated the 'weekend effect' at a major trauma centre, caring for acute injuries. A single centre, multi-surgeon review of 2060 patients performed. The distribution of patient and treatment variables compared in patients admitted on a weekday or the weekend. Fewer patients met performance indicators during weekend admission, time to surgery (63 vs. 71%) and time to geriatric review (86 vs. 91%). Weekend admission 30-day mortality was marginally lower than weekday (9.7% vs. 10.2%, OR 0.94, 95% CI 0.67 to 1.32, p = 0.7383). Increasing age, female gender, co-morbidities and confusion increased mortality risk. Binary regression analysis including these variables found no significant 'weekend effect'. Despite the unit observing an increasing workload in the last five years, with meticulous workforce planning, senior doctor provisions and careful use of resources, it is possible to provide a seven-day fracture neck of femur service with no variation in thirty-day mortality by the day of admission.

Revision surgery for failed unicompartmental knee replacement: technical aspects and clinical outcome.

The aims of this study were to determine the complexity of surgery required to revise failed unicompartmental knee replacements and to evaluate the outcome following revision. Between 2000 and 2009, 494 cemented Oxford phase 3 medial unicompartmental knee replacements were implanted, with 24 (4.9%) requiring revision (mean age: 63.5 years; 58% male). Mean time to revision was 3.0 years. All cases were revised to a cemented total knee replacement, with primary components used in 67% and revision components in 33%. At a mean follow-up of 3.2 years the median Oxford knee score was 333% with one knee requiring re-revision (5-year survival 933%). Most failed unicompartmental knee replacements could be revised without the need for stemmed implants, augmentation, or bone allograft. When bone loss occured it was commonly on the tibial side. Good functional outcome for the revised unicompartmental knee replacement was achieved and was comparable to primary knee replacement.

Survival of autologous osteochondral grafts in the knee and factors influencing outcome.

The primary aim of this retrospective study was to determine the medium-term survival of autologous osteochondral grafts (mosaicplasty) in the knee. The secondary aims were to evaluate any reason for failure, and to ascertain if age, gender, BMI, previous or associated knee surgery, site or size of the osteochondral graft had any influence on outcome. Fifty-five patients undergoing an autologous osteochondral graft procedure between 1999 and 2008 were evaluated, with a mean follow-up of 5.9 years (range 0.5 to 10.5). Loosening, graft degeneration or subsequent surgery in the form of arthroplasty, revision autologous osteochondral graft or any other osteochondral procedure, and an Oxford knee score above 49.7 (see text) were considered as failure. Kaplan-Meier analysis demonstrated an 87.5% survival at 8 years (95% CI 72% to 97%). The mean Oxford score at follow-up was 163% (95% CI 10.6% to 22.1%) at follow-up. Two of 6 failures occurred in patients with varus malalignment. Linear regression analysis demonstrated an improved outcome in Oxford knee score in younger patients. Gender, BMI, previous or associated knee surgery, site and size of the graft had no influence on outcome. The authors consider autologous osteochondral grafting as a reliable method of treatment in the medium-term for young patients with small contained articular cartilage lesions up to 4 cm2. Careful attention should be paid to the mechanical axis (varus) prior to grafting. Long-term studies are necessary.

The Oxford medial unicompartmental knee replacement: survival and the affect of age and gender.

STUDY AIMS: To determine the survival and functional outcome for the phase 3 Oxford unicompartmental knee replacement (UKR) performed at a single independent centre and to assess whether age and gender affect survival. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between 2000 and 2008, 459 consecutive Oxford UKRs were implanted in 392 patients using a minimally invasive technique. RESULTS: Mean age of patients was 63.0 years and 53% were female. Mean follow-up was 4.4 years (range 0.5-11.2 years). No patient was lost to follow-up and 411 (90%) knees had a minimum follow-up of 2 years. Twenty knees (4.4%) have undergone revision to total knee replacement at a mean time of 3.2 years. Aseptic component loosening (n=11) accounted for most failures. Cumulative survival was 94.4% at 5 years (95% confidence interval 90.9-97.0) and 93.0% at 8 years (95% confidence interval 84.8-96.2). The median postoperative Oxford knee score was 31.2% (interquartile range 12.2%-52.1%) at latest follow-up. Age and gender had no statistically significant affect on UKR survival. CONCLUSIONS: This large independent series demonstrates good medium-term survival and functional outcome can be achieved with the phase 3 Oxford UKR in appropriately selected patients. Age and gender should not be considered contraindications for performing Oxford UKR.

Road traffic collisions-case fatality rate, crash injury rate, and number of motor vehicles: time trends between a developed and developing country.

Road traffic collisions (RTCs) are one of the most common preventable causes of death and disability worldwide. We investigated changes in numbers of motor vehicles, case fatality rate, and crash injury rate for the most present recorded year (2002) 5 and 10 years before that in the United Kingdom (U.K.) and Sri Lanka (SL). We also investigated environmental and individual factors impacting patients at South Birmingham Trauma Unit, U.K. and Colombo General Hospital, SL. We conducted a descriptive cross-sectional study (both quantitative and qualitative). Over the 10-year period, numbers of motor vehicles have risen in both countries; the crash injury remained stable in both countries. Case fatality rate (far higher) in SL has decreased, as in the U.K.. Three hundred and twenty-five patients took part in the survey in SL, with 83 in the U.K. In the categories investigated, including patient demographics, RTC environment, visual impairment, pedestrian and driver factors, the majority of results were significantly different between the two countries. Target factors such as inadequate street lighting, visual impairment, speeding, and not wearing seatbelts at time of accident were identified, and recommendations developed as a result.

Electrolytes imbalance: a rare side effect of piperacillin/ tazobactam therapy.

Electrolytes imbalance has been reported with the use of several antimicrobials. We report a case of severe hypokalemia secondary to piperacillin/tazobactam in a patient with normal renal function and normal serum potassium level who had presented with a fractured neck of femur. The electrolytes abnormality was corrected once piperacillin/tazobactam was stopped. To our knowledge, this is the first case to describe an early severe hypokalemia induced by piperacillin/ tazobactam therapy in an otherwise healthy individual.

Functional salvage of a mangled lower limb using custom-made endoprosthetic replacement.

Functional salvage of a severely injured extremity is a challenge for the patient and the treating surgeon. We report a case of a woman presenting with severely injured lower limb and bone loss, which was managed using a custom-made endoprosthetic replacement for successful functional outcome. Despite being complicated by bone loss, nerve injury and infection; a planned staged surgical treatment and rehabilitation have resulted in satisfactory outcome. At 3-year follow-up, the functional score according to the Musculoskeletal Tumor Society-International Symposium on Limb Salvage System was 70% and the Toronto Extremity Salvage Score was 62%. Endoprosthetic replacements may have a limited role in managing selected patients with mangled extremity and can lead to a good functional outcome to these patients.

A new technique for femoral and tibial tunnel bone grafting using the OATS harvesters in revision anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.

Revision anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction is becoming more frequent, especially in specialized centers, because of the large numbers of primary ACL procedures performed. In 2-stage revisions, bone grafting of the tunnels may be undertaken if the primary position was inaccurate or if osteolysis has caused widening of the tunnels. This will allow the desired placement of the new tunnels without the risk of loss of structural integrity. It is technically difficult to deliver and impact bone graft into the femoral tunnel with the standard surgical and arthroscopic instruments. We describe a new technique for femoral and tibial tunnel impaction grafting in 2-stage ACL revisions, using the OATS grafting instruments (Osteochondral Autologous Transfer System; Arthrex, Naples, FL). The appropriately sized OATS harvester is chosen 1 mm larger than the tunnel size and is used to harvest bone graft from the iliac crest through a percutaneous approach. This provides a cylindrical graft, which is delivered to the femoral tunnel through the arthroscopic portal. The inside punch of the harvester is tapped and this allows delivery of the graft in a controlled manner and its impaction into the tunnel. The same is repeated for the tibial tunnel while providing support for the proximal end of the tunnel.