Tourniquet use during primary total knee arthroplasty-a survey of Irish orthopaedic surgeons in 2022.

BACKGROUND: Tourniquet use during primary total knee arthroplasty is a debated topic in the literature with no consensus on its optimal use. AIM: To analyse current tourniquet practice amongst Irish orthopaedic surgeons performing primary total knee arthroplasty surgery. To evaluate if there has been a shift in practice in recent years and to explore potential reasons behind this. METHODS: An eleven-question online survey was developed using the online platform SurveyMonkey. This was distributed by email to Irish orthopaedic surgeons via the Irish Institute of Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery. RESULTS: Fifty responses were included in the final analysis of this study. Eighteen (36%) respondents reported changing their tourniquet use in the past 5 years. Thirty-one (62%) respondents reported inflating the tourniquet for the entire case, with the remaining never applying a tourniquet (n = 6, 12%), applying a tourniquet but not routinely inflating it (n = 3, 6%), or inflating the tourniquet only during cementation (n = 5, 10%). The number of years of experience as a consultant appeared to impact tourniquet use in a bimodal pattern. CONCLUSION: While the majority of Irish orthopaedic surgeons in this survey inflate a tourniquet for the entire surgical procedure, there is a definite shift towards reduced tourniquet use compared to previous Irish, UK, and American surveys.

Obesity trends over 10 years in primary hip and knee arthroplasty-a study of 12,000 patients.

OBJECTIVES/AIMS: Obesity and its increasing prevalence are global public health concerns. Following joint replacement, there is evidence to support that obese patients are more likely to suffer complications. We examined 10-year trends in BMI of the primary total hip and total knee replacement cohorts in our institution to discern whether the BMI of these patients has changed over time. METHODS: We examined BMI data of patients who underwent primary hip and knee arthroplasty from our institutional database from January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2019 (n = 12,169). We analysed trends in BMI over this period with respect to (i) surgical procedure, (ii) gender, and (iii) age categories. RESULTS: The overall number of surgical procedures increased over the study period which meant more obese patients underwent surgery over time. Average BMI did not change significantly over time; however, there was a statistically significant increase in BMI in females aged < 45 in both arthroplasty groups. CONCLUSION: The average BMI of patients undergoing primary hip and knee arthroplasty in our high-volume tertiary orthopaedic centre has remained relatively unchanged over the past 10 years; however, our local service is caring for a greater number of overweight/obese patients due to the increase in overall volume. This will have significant implications on health care expenditure and infrastructure going forward which further emphasises the importance of ongoing national obesity prevention strategies. The increase in BMI seen in females aged < 45 may mark an impending era of obese younger patients with end-stage osteoarthritis.

Increasing hip fracture volume following repeated lockdowns: an Irish multicentre study of periods pre-Covid, during Covid lockdown and following vaccination.

BACKGROUND: Older age groups were identified as a high-risk cohort for Covid-19 and thus were a focus of lockdown measures enacted internationally. Resultant decreased social mobility and physical activity levels are associated with sarcopenia, which may lead to increased risk of hip fracture upon resuming social integration and physical activities after easing of lockdown restrictions. AIMS: Our aim was to compare the incidence of hip fractures during the period following vaccination with subsequent relaxation of restrictions, to those prior to and during the Covid pandemic. METHODS: A multicentre retrospective cohort study was performed consisting of all patients presenting with a "hip" fracture to 3 regional trauma units over the relevant time periods in 2019, 2020 and 2021. Tallaght, Galway and Waterford University Hospitals are large academic teaching hospitals with a combined mixed urban and rural catchment of over 1 million people. FINDINGS: Four-hundred-fourteen patients in total were included in the final analysis, with 133 eligible hip fractures observed proceeding to operative treatment across the study period in 2019, 132 in 2020 and 149 in 2021, representing a 12.88% increase. Demographic data revealed similar patient cohorts with respect to age and gender, fracture pattern and treatment. CONCLUSIONS: An increase in hip fracture volume was observed during the period post vaccination with subsequent relaxation of restrictions and increased social mobility, compared to those prior to and during the Covid pandemic. These findings have implications for hospital planning and orthopaedic resourcing as we navigate our way forward past the Covid-19 Pandemic.

A multi-site review of second hip fractures across 6 Dublin teaching hospitals.

INTRODUCTION: Fragility hip fractures are common and costly. Secondary fracture prevention is a treatment goal following hip fracture; however, the number of those that proceed to fracture their contralateral hip in Ireland is unknown. There are plans to introduce a Fracture Liaison Service Database in Ireland which will aim to prevent secondary fractures. To establish a baseline figure for secondary hip fractures, the injury radiographs of 1284 patients from 6 teaching hospitals over a 1-year period were reviewed. METHODS: Irish Hip Fracture Datasheets and corresponding injury radiographs were reviewed locally for all hip fractures within each respective teaching hospital for a 1-year period (2019). RESULTS: A total of 8.7% of all fragility hip fractures across the 6 hospitals were secondary hip fractures (range 4.9-11.5%). 46% occurred within years 1 to 3 following index hip fracture. Forty-eight per cent of patients were started on bone protection medications following their second hip fracture. DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION: Approximately 1 in 11 hip fractures treated across the 6 teaching hospitals assessed in 2019 was a patient's second hip fracture. We advocate for the widespread availability of Fracture Liaison Services to patients throughout Ireland to assist secondary fracture prevention.

Hip fracture surgery within 36 hours reduces both 30-day and 1-year mortality rates.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Currently the Irish Hip Fracture Standards [IHFS] recommend a Time-to-Surgery [TTS] of within 48 h of admission. The aim of our research is to determine if there was a statistically significant relationship between TTS and 30-day or one-year mortality and to assess whether a 48 h window for surgery is still the most appropriate recommendation. METHODS USED: This was a single-hospital retrospective review of all of the fragility hip fractures between 1st January 2013 and 31st December 2017. Patient demographics were described using descriptive statistics. Dependent variables of interest were 30-day mortality and one-year mortality. Independent predictor variables analysed included age, ASA grade, fracture type, surgery performed, anaesthesia administered, length of stay and TTS (hours as an interval variable), TTS in less than 36 h (binary variable) and TTS in less than 48 h (binary variable). When the significant predictor variables were identified, in order to control for confounder variables, a multivariate regression analysis was performed to identify which predictors were still significantly associated with the outcome variables even after controlling for all other known confounder variables. RESULTS: In total, 806 patients were identified. TTS within 36 h was predictive of a significantly lower 30-day mortality when compared to those undergoing surgery after 36 h (p = 0.031). In contrast, TTS within 48 h did not demonstrate a significantly lower 30-day mortality when compared to those undergoing surgery after 48 h (p = 0.104). On multivariate regression analysis, TTS <36 h (p = 0.011) and age (p < 0.0001) were all independently predictive of 30-day mortality. On multivariate regression analysis, both age (p < 0.0001) and TTS < 36 h (p = 0.002) were significantly predictive of one-year mortality. CONCLUSION: Performing hip fracture surgery within 36 h confers a significant reduction in both 30-day and one-year mortality rates when compared to patients undergoing surgery outside of this time frame. A 36-h window also appears to be superior to a 48-h window because performing surgery within 48 h has no significant impact on the reduction of 30-day mortality rates. We recommend that national guidelines reflect these important findings.

Assessing outcomes in hip fracture patients under the age of 60.

BACKGROUND: Hip fractures are a common and serious orthopaedic injury. The principle of treatment for hip fractures in the "non-elderly" patient is to preserve the native hip. There is limited published literature in this area. AIM: The aim of this research is to review all of the "non-elderly" hip fracture patients to report on the demographics, fracture patterns, fixation types, and revisions. METHODS: This was a retrospective single-site review of all of the "non-elderly" patients who underwent operative management for hip fractures between 1999 and 2019. A manual review was done of all of the x-rays for the identified patients to confirm the fracture type and identify further surgeries. RESULTS: Three hundred and eighty-one patients were identified. The average age was 48.4 years old. Two hundred and thirty nine of them were intra-capsular, and 142 of them were extra-capsular fractures. Dynamic hip screw (DHS) was the most popular fixation method. In the recent decade of data, the number of hemi-arthroplasties remained consistent, but the number of total hip arthroplasties (THAs) performed increased sevenfold. Mean follow-up was 35 months. Forty-three (11%) patients required follow-up surgery. Non-union accounted for 56% of all revisions and avascular necrosis for 19%. THA was performed in 70% of all revisions. CONCLUSION: DHS remains the most widely used fixation technique in an effort to preserve the native hip. The use of THA has increased and surpassed the usage of hemi-arthroplasty in recent times. A high proportion of these patients will go on to develop complications requiring secondary surgery; therefore, they all need long-term follow-up.

Atraumatic groin pain secondary to an aneurysmal bone cyst: A case report and literature review.

BACKGROUND: Bone lesions can present the multi-displinary team with a challenge by way of diagnosis as some lesions share many radiological and histological characteristics. Giant cell tumours of the bone (GCTB) are relatively common, benign bone tumours. Aneurysmal bone cysts (ABC) are less common benign osteolytic lesions that are histologically similar to GCTBs but produce blood filled cavities. Both GCTBs and ABCs are locally aggressive and are typically found on meta-epiphyseal regions of long bones with pelvic tumours being less common. CASE SUMMARY: A 17-year old female presented with atraumatic right groin pain and was initially diagnosed with a GCTB on the right superior pubic ramus of the pelvis. The patient was treated successfully with a wide excision, curettage and bone graft and underwent open reduction and internal fixation of the right hemi-pelvis. Following further intra-operative histological investigations, the lesion was diagnosed as an ABC. CONCLUSION: This patient has had an uncomplicated post-operative course, has returned to comfortable weight bearing and will be reviewed for minimum 5 yr in the out-patient setting to monitor for reoccurrence.

A novel approach using 3-D printing in the Irish National Centre for pelvic and acetabular surgery.

BACKGROUND: Complex pelvic fractures present the orthopaedic surgeon with many challenges. 3-D printed models may provide assistance in pre-operative planning, may lead to improvements in intra-operative (i) decision making and (ii) efficiencies (time reduction, blood loss reduction, screening reduction) and may result in improvements in post-operative outcomes (fracture reduction & quality of life). The models also provide hands-on opportunities for orthopaedic trainees and patients. This may result in improvements in (i) education/training regarding the management of pelvic and acetabular fractures for orthopaedic trainees and (ii) improvements in patient consenting and overall patient satisfaction. DESIGN: Single-centre, two orthopaedic surgeons (pelvic and acetabular fellowship trained), prospective observational study. Twenty patients with acute displaced pelvic/acetabular fracture(s); ten 3-D-printed pelvis and ten non-printed cases for comparison. The comparison cohorts were matched for fracture classification, sex and age. OUTCOME MEASURES: Classification assistance, intra-operative time, estimated blood loss, screening amount, post-operative reduction and infection, EQ-5D-5L, teaching/educational assistance and pre-operative counselling. RESULTS: The models provided more information regarding fracture pattern, however, this did not result in change of CT-planned approach/procedure or patient outcomes. The models scored highly on surgeon's questionnaire. The models were found to have a positive impact on trainee education and patient consenting/counselling. With regard to objective comparisons, there was no significant improvements in time-to-surgery, intra-operative time, estimated blood loss, screening amount, fracture reduction or infection rate. There was no significant difference in quality of life questionnaire ~ 12 months post-surgery (statistical tests used; Cohen's effect size and Fisher's exact test). CONCLUSIONS: Whilst the authors recognize the positive subjective findings with respect to the use of 3-D printing in pelvic and acetabular trauma in our National Centre, objective findings were lacking.

Changing trends in the mortality rate at 1-year post hip fracture - a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Traditionally, the mortality rate at 1-year post hip fracture was quoted as approximately 30% of all hip fractures. There have been recent improvements in hip fracture care in the main driven by national hip fracture registries with reductions in 30-d mortality rates reported. AIM: To address recent 1-year post hip fracture mortality rates in the literature. METHODS: Systematic literature review, national hip fracture registries/databases, local studies on hip fracture mortality, 5 years limitation (2013-2017), cohorts > 100, studies in English. Outcome measure: Mortality rate at 1-year post hip fracture. RESULTS: Recent 1-year mortality rates were reviewed using the literature from 8 National Registries and 36 different countries. Recently published 1-year mortality rates appear lower than traditional figures and may represent a downward trend. CONCLUSION: There appears to be a consistent worldwide reduction in mortality at 1-year post hip fracture compared to previously published research. Globally, those which suffer hip fractures may currently be benefiting from the results of approximately 30 years of national registries, rigorous audit processes and international collaboration. The previously quoted mortality rates of 10% at 1-mo and 30% at 1-year may be outdated.

A growing problem: cycling referrals to the National Centre for Pelvic and Acetabular Fracture Management in Ireland.

BACKGROUND: Popularity in cycling continues to grow. In Ireland, in the last 5 years, 42% more people now use it to travel to work. This has been mirrored by a rise in cycling-related trauma and deaths. The popularity amongst men has led to the term middle-aged men in Lycra (MAMIL) being coined. AIMS: The purpose of our study was to quantify cycling-related pelvic and acetabular fracture referrals in Ireland and determine injury patterns, cost and functional outcomes following these injuries. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted of all referrals to our institution, the National Centre for Pelvis and Acetabular Fracture Management, in 2016 and 2017. Demographic, mechanism of injury, concomitant trauma and treatment data were analysed. Patients were contacted to assess return to work, sport and quality of life (EQ-5D-3L). RESULTS: Cycling injury referrals increased by 90% between 2016 and 2017 with a greater number of cycling than motorbike injury referrals. Twenty-nine patients sustained a pelvic and acetabular (PA) injury while cycling. The mean patient age was 51.7 years of which 86.2% were male with 41% suffering a concomitant injury. Fourteen patients (48.3%) required surgery of which 60% have returned to cycling. Mean cost of treatment was €11,757. The median EQVAS was 80. CONCLUSIONS: The rise in popularity of cycling has been mirrored by an increase in PA injuries and deaths. These injuries are associated with significant costs to the patient, hospital and society. Greater investment in safety and awareness is needed to protect this vulnerable group.

Chylous-Related Complications Following Surgical Management of Clavicular Fractures: A Report of Two Cases.

CASE: We treated 2 patients with chylous-related complications following open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) of the clavicle. These complications were of unknown etiology; 1 was treated with percutaneous injection of a sclerosing agent, while the other was treated with ligation of the thoracic duct. CONCLUSION: A chyle leak is more commonly seen with upper gastrointestinal, thoracic, and head and neck surgery. This complication potentially carries a substantial rate of morbidity. We report the successful management of 2 patients with difficult postoperative chylous-related complications following ORIF of the clavicle.

An interdisciplinary approach to improve surgical antimicrobial prophylaxis.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to improve surgical antimicrobial prophylaxis (SAP) prescribing in orthopaedic surgery using the model for improvement framework. Design/methodology/approach Orthopaedic patients receiving joint replacements, hip fracture repairs or open-reduction internal-fixation procedures were included. Antimicrobial(s); dose, time of administration and duration of SAP were evaluated for appropriateness based on the local SAP guidelines. After baseline data collection, a driver diagram was constructed with interventions devised for plan-do-study-act cycles. Data were fed back weekly using a point prevalence design (PPD). Interventions included SAP guideline changes, reminders and tools to support key messages. Findings SAP in 168 orthopaedic surgeries from 15 June 2016 to 31 January 2017 was studied. Prescribing appropriateness improved from 20 to 78 per cent. Junior doctor changeover necessitated additional education and reminders. Practical implications Due to constant staff changeover; continuous data collection, communication, education and reminders are essential to ensure continuous compliance with clinical guidance. Patients with hip fractures are difficult to weigh, requiring weight estimation for weight-based antimicrobial dosing. Unintended consequences of interventions included the necessity to change pre-operative workflow to accommodate reconstitution time of additional antimicrobials and inadvertent continuation of new antimicrobials post-operatively. Originality/value Rather than perform the traditional retrospective focused audit, we established a prospective, continuous, interventional quality improvement (QI) project focusing on internal processes within the control of the project team with rapid cyclical changes and interventions. The weekly PPD was pragmatic and enabled the QI project to be sustained with no additional resources.

Serious infection during etanercept, infliximab and adalimumab therapy for rheumatoid arthritis: A literature review.

The purpose of this review is to establish whether there is a significantly increased incidence of serious infections during treatment for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with etanercept, infliximab or adalimumab, to determine the background risk of serious infection in RA patients without treatment with any biological therapy and to ascertain which organisms are involved in serious infections in RA patients while being treated with etanercept, infliximab or adalimumab. Randomised controlled trials (RCTs), meta-analyses of RCTs, Cochrane reviews, national registry articles and case reports were identified using PubMed/MEDLINE, The Cochrane Library and Google Scholar. The medical subject heading "rheumatoid arthritis" was combined with "serious infection" or "infection" or "adverse drug events" with each of the three reference biological therapies separately: etanercept, infliximab and adalimumab. These electronic searches were limited to human studies, adult studies, those published in the last 10 years (2004-14) and in the English language. Studies which involved the tumor necrosis factor-α inhibitors certolizumab pegol or golimumab were excluded. The background risk of serious infection appears to be approximately two-fold more than non-RA patients before any treatment with biological therapy. The national registries, which may represent the typical RA patient more accurately than clinical trials, suggest a small but significantly increased incidence of serious infection ranging 1.2-2.78 times that of control (treatment with methotrexate). Mycobacteria spp., Staphyloccus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes, Varicella zoster virus and Leishmania species (spp.) repeatedly appear in the case report literature and should be in the mind of the clinician faced with a serious infection in a RA patient with an unknown pathogen who is being treated with either etanercept, infliximab or adalimumab.