Revision total knee replacement: A two-year review of complexity data and regional workload in South West England.

BACKGROUND: The GIRFT report (2012) sought to address the need for sustainable orthopaedic treatment delivered through regional "networks"; the aim being improved care, decreased cost and reduced revision rate. The aims of this study were to record the number and complexity of revision total knee replacements within a regional network using a validated classification over a two-year period and audit this against National Joint Registry (NJR) records. METHODS: A region-wide network model where revision TKR cases are assessed locally using the Revision Knee Complexity Classification (RKCC) and local multi-disciplinary team (MDT) was introduced. Data was collected from 8 revision centres over a two-year period using the RKCC. The case volume was audited against the NJR records. RESULTS: In year 1 (01/01/2018-31/12/2018) 237 RKCC forms were collected from eight centres. 46% of R2s and 63% of R3s were carried out at the higher volume centre. 211 K2 forms were received by the NJR. In year 2 (01/01/2019-31/12/2019) 252 RKCC forms were collected. 46% of R2s and 64% of R3s were carried out at the higher volume centre. 267 K2 forms were received by the NJR. CONCLUSION: This is the first published set of revision knee data showing complexity percentages across a region. The RKCC has been successfully introduced into the region and this has been sustained. The findings show that a successful network has been established and majority of complex revision knee surgery is occurring in the high-volume centre. NJR data suggests that the RKCC is capturing the complexity and volume of our work accurately.

Revision knee replacement surgery in the NHS: A BASK surgical practice guideline.

BACKGROUND: Revision knee replacement (KR) is both challenging for the surgical team and expensive for the healthcare provider. Limited high quality evidence is available to guide decision-making. AIM: To provide guidelines for surgeons and units delivering revision KR services. METHODS: A formal consensus process was followed by BASK's Revision Knee Working Group, which included surgeons from England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. This was supported by analysis of National Joint Registry data. RESULTS: There are a large number of surgeons operating at NHS sites who undertake a small number of revision KR procedures. To optimise patient outcomes and deliver cost-effective care high-volume revision knee surgeons working at high volume centres should undertake revision KR. This document outlines practice guidelines for units providing a revision KR service and sets out: The current landscape of revision KR in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Service organisation within a network model. The necessary infrastructure required to provide a sustainable revision service. Outcome metrics and auditable standards. Financial mechanisms to support this service model. CONCLUSIONS: Revision KR patients being treated in the NHS should be provided with the best care available. This report sets out a framework to both guide and support revision KR surgeons and centres to achieve this aim.

Investigation and management of prosthetic joint infection in knee replacement: A BASK Surgical Practice Guideline.

BACKGROUND: The burden of knee replacement prosthetic joint infection (KR PJI) is increasing. KR PJI is difficult to treat, outcomes can be poor and it is financially expensive and limited evidence is available to guide treatment decisions. AIM: To provide guidelines for surgeons and units treating KR PJI. METHODS: Guideline formation by consensus process undertaken by BASK's Revision Knee Working Group, supported by outputs from UK-PJI meetings. RESULTS: Improved outcomes should be achieved through provision of care by revision centres in a network model. Treatment of KR PJI should only be undertaken at specialist units with the required infrastructure and a regular infection MDT. This document outlines practice guidelines for units providing a KR PJI service and sets out: CONCLUSIONS: KR PJI patients treated within the NHS should be provided the best care possible. This report sets out guidance and support for surgeons and units to achieve this.

Provision of revision knee surgery and calculation of the effect of a network service reconfiguration: An analysis from the National Joint Registry for England, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man.

BACKGROUND: Revision knee replacement (KR) is technically challenging, expensive, and outcomes can be poor. It is well established that increasing surgeon and unit volumes results in improved outcomes and cost-effectiveness for complex procedures. The aim of this study was to 1) describe the current provision of revision KR in England, Wales and Northern Ireland at the individual surgeon and unit level and 2) investigate the effect on workload of case distribution in a network model. METHODS: Current practice was mapped using NJR summary statistics containing all revision KR procedures performed over a three-year period (2016-2018). Units were identified as revision centres based on threshold volumes. Units undertaking <20 revisions per year were classified as Primary Arthroplasty Units (PAUs) in calculations on the effect of workload centralisation. RESULTS: Revision KR was performed by 1353 surgeons at 232 NHS sites. The majority of surgeons and units were low-volume; >1000 surgeons performed <7 and 125 sites performed <20 procedures per year. Reallocation of work from these 125 PAUs (1235 cases, 21% of total workload) to a network model with even redistribution of cases between centres undertaking revision surgery would result in an additional average annual case increase of 11 per unit per year (range six to 14). CONCLUSIONS: Revision KR workload re-allocation would lift all revision centres above a 30 per year threshold and would appear to be a manageable increase in workload for specialist revision KR centres. Case complexity and local referral agreements will significantly affect the real increase in workload; these factors were not incorporated here.

The first knee prosthesis to go through beyond compliance: A new standard for the safe introduction of orthopaedic implants.

INTRODUCTION: Beyond Compliance (BC) was introduced in 2012 to improve the monitoring and regulation of new medical devices and techniques, ensuring patient safety whilst promoting innovation through an evidence based appraisal of devices during their introduction. This study reports the 2 year outcomes of the first Total Knee Replacement (TKR) implant to be assessed through the BC process. METHODS: 100 consecutive patients undergoing primary knee arthroplasty were enrolled. All patients received a single radius cruciate retaining TKA (Unity, Corin), and the patella was resurfaced in all cases. Patients were followed up at 6 weeks, 3, 6, 12 and 24 months post operatively. Pre-and post-operative range of movement (ROM) as well as outcome scores including OKS, KOOS, EQ5D index and EQ5D VAS were recorded. RESULTS: 100 patients with a mean age 73.6 (SD = 8.7) were included. 2 patients died during the follow-up period due to unrelated reasons. Overall satisfaction rates were 96%. Complications included ongoing pain (5 patients), and a periprosthetic fracture (1 patient) nine months post-surgery (traumatic). No knees were revised during the follow-up period. Significant improvements were observed in all outcomes measures (OKS, KOOS, EQ5D, and EQ5D VAS). The mean added ROM was 13.2°. DISCUSSION: This knee prosthesis has been demonstrated to be safe and effective with excellent early outcomes. The careful regulated introduction of this device through BC has ensured patients safety while supporting innovation in knee arthroplasty. The success of BC requires surgeons to insist industry fully engage with the process for all new devices or techniques.

Revision knee complexity classification-RKCC: a common-sense guide for surgeons to support regional clinical networking in revision knee surgery.

PURPOSE: There is considerable variation in practice throughout Europe in both the services provided and in the outcomes of Revision Knee Surgery. In the UK, a recent report published called get it right first time (GIRFT) aims to improve patient outcomes through providing high quality, cost-effective care, and reducing complications. This has led to the development of a classification system that attempts to classify the complexity of revision knee surgery, aiming to encourage and support regional clinical networking. METHODS: The revision knee classification system (RKCC) incorporates not only complexity, but also patient factors, the presence of infection, the integrity of the extensor mechanism, and the soft tissues. It then provides guidance for clinical network discussion. Reliability and reproducibility testing have been performed to establish the inter- and intra-observer variabilities using this classification. RESULTS: Good correlation between first attempt non-expert and experts, good intra-observer variability of non-expert, and an excellent correlation between second attempt non-expert and experts has been achieved. This supports the use of RKCC by both inexperienced and experienced surgeons. CONCLUSIONS: The revision knee complexity classification has been proposed that offers a common-sense approach to recognize the increasing complexity in revision TKR cases. It provides a methodological assessment of revision knee cases and support regional clinical networking and triage of appropriate cases to revision units or specialist centres. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Expert opinion, Level V.

The natural history of pain and neuropathic pain after knee replacement: a prospective cohort study of the point prevalence of pain and neuropathic pain to a minimum three-year follow-up.

A small proportion of patients have persistent pain after total knee replacement (TKR). The primary aim of this study was to record the prevalence of pain after TKR at specific intervals post-operatively and to ascertain the impact of neuropathic pain. The secondary aim was to establish any predictive factors that could be used to identify patients who were likely to have high levels of pain or neuropathic pain after TKR. A total of 96 patients were included in the study. Their mean age was 71 years (48 to 89); 54 (56%) were female. The mean follow-up was 46 months (39 to 51). Pre-operative demographic details were recorded including a Visual Analogue Score (VAS) for pain, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression score as well as the painDETECT score for neuropathic pain. Functional outcome was assessed using the Oxford Knee score. The mean pre-operative VAS was 5.8 (1 to 10); and it improved significantly at all time periods post-operatively (p < 0.001): (from 4.5 at day three to five (1 to 10), 3.2 at six weeks (0 to 9), 2.4 at three months (0 to 7), 2.0 at six months (0 to 9), 1.7 at nine months (0 to 9), 1.5 at one year (0 to 8) and 2.0 at mean 46 months (0 to 10)). There was a high correlation (r > 0.7; p < 0.001) between the mean VAS scores for pain and the mean painDETECT scores at three months, one year and three years post-operatively. There was no correlation between the pre-operative scores and any post-operative scores at any time point. We report the prevalence of pain and neuropathic pain at various intervals up to three years after TKR. Neuropathic pain is an underestimated problem in patients with pain after TKR. It peaks at between six weeks and three-months post-operatively. However, from these data we were unable to predict which patients are most likely to be affected.

Periprosthetic fractures around hip hemiarthroplasty performed for hip fracture.

UNLABELLED: Hip fracture is associated with considerable morbidity and mortality and occurs in an elderly and infirm group of patients. Periprosthetic fracture after hip hemiarthroplasty is a serious complication. In this study, we have reviewed our experience of this injury. The outcome measures used were fracture union, mortality, infection and requirement for further surgery. METHOD: We identified a cohort of 79 patients who sustained periprosthetic fractures after hip hemiarthroplasty from a prospective hip fracture database of 8354 patients (3611 were treated with hemiarthroplasty). Seventy-two percent were female and the mean age was 86 years at time of periprosthetic fracture. RESULTS: Sixty-two fractures occurred around uncemented prostheses (Austin Moore n=61); the remainder occurred around cemented prostheses. The mean time from hip fracture surgery to periprosthetic fracture was 35 months (median time 5 months). Fractures were classified according to the Vancouver system. Fifteen percent (n=12) were type A fractures, 26% (n=21) were type B1 fractures, 41% (n=32) were type B2 fractures, 9% (n=7) were type B3 fractures and 9% (n=7) were type C fractures. Twenty-eight patients underwent open reduction internal fixation (ORIF), 36 required revision surgery, one required fixation and simultaneous revision and 14 were treated non-operatively. Eleven percent (n=9) died within 1 month of periprosthetic fracture, 23% had died by 3 months, 34% by 1 year and 49% by 2 years. Nineteen patients (24%) died before fracture union had occurred. Fracture union occurred in 97% of the remaining cases (58/60). Two patients developed nonunion requiring revision surgery (3%), and three patients developed deep infection requiring debridement (4%), one patient had an infection at the time of the periprosthetic fracture requiring a planned two-stage revision, one patient sustained a second periprosthetic fracture and two patients underwent superficial wound debridement (3%). The incidence of periprosthetic fracture at our institution since 1999 is 1.7% (62 of 3611 patients). The incidence rate after uncemented Austin Moore stem was 2.3% (54/2378) and cemented Exeter stem was 0.5% (4/812); Fisher's exact test p=0.004. CONCLUSIONS: This article reports satisfactory outcomes in this complex group of patients. We have established the incidence of 1.7%, with relatively low rates of nonunion, infection and other complications. The mortality rate has been established, and survivorship analysis has identified an increased rate of fracture around the Austin Moore prosthesis.

Atypical femoral fractures and bisphosphonate treatment: experience in two large United Kingdom teaching hospitals.

We performed a retrospective review of all patients admitted to two large University Hospitals in the United Kingdom over a 24-month period from January 2008 to January 2010 to identify the incidence of atypical subtrochanteric and femoral shaft fractures and their relationship to bisphosphonate treatment. Of the 3515 patients with a fracture of the proximal femur, 156 fractures were in the subtrochanteric region. There were 251 femoral shaft fractures. The atypical fracture pattern was seen in 27 patients (7%) with 29 femoral shaft or subtrochanteric fractures. A total of 22 patients with 24 atypical fractures were receiving bisphosphonate treatment at the time of fracture. Prodromal pain was present in nine patients (11 fractures); 11 (50%) of the patients on bisphosphonates suffered 12 spontaneous fractures, and healing of these fractures was delayed in a number of patients. This large dual-centre review has established the incidence of atypical femoral fractures at 7% of the study population, 81% of whom had been on bisphosphonate treatment for a mean of 4.6 years (0.04 to 12.1). This study does not advocate any change in the use of bisphosphonates to prevent fragility fractures but attempts to raise awareness of this possible problem so symptomatic patients will be appropriately investigated. However, more work is required to identify the true extent of this new and possibly increasing problem.

Long-term follow-up of femoral shaft fracture: Relevance of malunion and malalignment for the development of knee arthritis.

It has not yet been well established whether femoral shaft fracture malunion and malalignment lead to the development of knee osteoarthritis.This study has assessed a cohort of 62 patients after femoral shaft fracture at a median follow-up of 22 years (range 18­28). The mean age of the patients at time of follow-up was 42 years (33­80). Each patient was clinically examined for signs and symptoms of osteoarthritis, radiographs were taken to assess malalignment and radiographic osteoarthritic changes, and WOMAC and SF-36 (physical and mental) scores were measured.Radiographic changes consistent with osteoarthritis were present in only 5 (8%) ipsilateral and 3 (5%)contralateral knees. Clinical signs and symptoms of osteoarthritis were present in only two (3%)ipsilateral knees. However, 16 patients (26%) exhibited mild pain or stiffness in the ipsilateral knee,while only 4 patients (6%) had such findings in their ipsilateral knee (OR 4; p = 0.004).The median WOMAC score for knee pain was 3 (range 1­15; max 20), knee stiffness was 1 (0­8; max 8) and disability was 6 (0­55; max 68). The median SF-36 score for physical function was 85 (range 0­100; max 100).The mean coronal plane malunion was 58 (range 198 to 88). There was no significant association between any measures of malunion and the WOMAC scores, or the presence of either clinical or radiological osteoarthritis.It is concluded that femoral shaft malunion and malalignment does not cause an excess of knee arthritis at 22-year follow-up. However, a significant number of this cohort has developed mild symptoms of ipsilateral knee pain or stiffness at a median age of 42 years; the long-term significance of this is not known.

What is the financial cost of treating periprosthetic hip fractures?

A total of 146 patients were identified from a prospective database of all hip fractures over a 10-year period at a United Kingdom teaching hospital. The financial costs were calculated and analysed and then compared with the money recovered through the tariff produced by Payment by Results.A total of 62% of the study group were female; mean age of 79 years; mean length of stay of 39 days.Fractures occurred around total hip replacement (THR) in 63 cases, revision THR in 27 cases and hemiarthroplasty in 56 cases. Fixation of the fracture was performed in 61 cases, revision arthroplasty in 62 cases and 23 were treated non-operatively.The mean cost of treatment was £23,469 per patient (range £615­£223,000; median £18,031). Ward costs were responsible for 80.3%, theatre costs 5.7%, implants 6.7% and investigations 7.3%. The difference in cost was statistically significant when further surgery was required (p = 0.01) and length of stay was greater than 30 days (p < 0.0001), and when compared with the money recovered by the Trust(mean £3702; p < 0.0001). These results reveal the significant economic impact of treating this group of patients at specialist centres.

There is more than one kind of myofibroblast: analysis of CD34 expression in benign, in situ, and invasive breast lesions.

AIMS: Smooth muscle actin (SMA) positive myofibroblasts have been implicated in tumour invasion; however, acquisition of SMA is not limited to peritumorous fibroblasts and other changes in fibroblasts may be more specifically related to the malignant environment. CD34 is a sialomucin expressed by normal breast fibroblasts but lost in invasive carcinomas. The aim of this study was to establish the relation between CD34 and SMA expression in breast fibroblasts and to analyse whether loss of CD34 is specific for invasive disease. METHODS: Immunohistochemistry for CD34 and SMA was performed on 135 cases including 10 normal, 10 fibroadenomas, 40 infiltrating ductal carcinomas, 55 cases of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), and 20 radial scar/complex sclerosing lesions. The relation between staining pattern and histopathological features was recorded as positive, negative, or reduced. RESULTS: Fibroblasts around all normal duct-lobule units and those showing epithelial hyperplasia were CD34 positive and mainly SMA negative. In fibroadenomas, fibroblasts retained CD34 but acquired SMA expression. In contrast, fibroblasts around invasive carcinoma were CD34 positive and SMA negative. In DCIS, loss of CD34 was significantly more frequent in high grade tumours than in low or intermediate grade ones (p < 0.001). The acquisition of SMA was seen more frequently than the loss of CD34, particularly in non-high grade DCIS. In all radial scars, fibroblasts were SMA positive but CD34 negative, and a similar pattern was seen in stromal cells in areas of fibrosis following core biopsy. CONCLUSIONS: These results show that SMA positive myofibroblasts exhibit variable expression of CD34, indicating that these markers are not coordinately controlled. Loss of CD34 is strongly related to the malignant phenotype, in both invasive and preinvasive disease, but is not entirely specific because radial scar fibroblasts and fibroblasts in reactive fibrosis exhibit a similar phenotype. The functional relevance of altered CD34 expression is unclear but the very focal changes implicate local signalling mechanisms probably of epithelial origin.