Total hip arthroplasty for adult patients with hip arthritis in Jordan: clinical profiles and patient characteristics.

PURPOSE: Total Hip Arthroplasty (THA) is one of the most commonly performed orthopaedic surgeries, with hip arthritis being the main indication. This procedure is usually performed when other non-surgical methods fail to relieve patients' hip pain and improve their quality of life. However, limited information exists to identify and compare the demographics and clinical characteristics of patients undergoing this procedure in Jordan. This study aims to identify these demographic and clinical characteristics and compare the findings in terms of gender differences. METHODOLOGY: This is a retrospective study that analysed the hospital records of 650 patients undergoing THA in tertiary referral hospital in Jordan over a four-year period from January 2019 to December 2022. The collected data were classified into three categories: demographic characteristics, perioperative variables, and patients' related health profiles. IBM's Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 23 software (IBM, USA) and descriptive analysis were used for data analysis. RESULTS: Two-thirds of the sample studied were female (63.4%). In terms of bleeding profiles, the mean intraoperative blood loss was 542 millilitres. The major indication for THA was degenerative hip arthritis (50.5%), followed by hip dysplasia (40.3%).. Comparing the findings of the two gender groups, females were more likely to have degenerative and dysplastic hip arthritis (221 and 157, p = 0.04 and p = 0.1, respectively) when compared to males. Although males were more likely to lose more blood during the surgery (557 ml vs. 533 ml, p = 0.33, females needed more blood transfusions both during (21 vs. 6 patients, p = 0.12) and after the surgery (57 vs. 16 patients, p = 0.006). Furthermore, females were more likely to have comorbidities such hypertension (293 vs. 179 patients, p = 0.20), and hypothyroidism (313 vs 187, p = 0.36), and diabetes (85 vs. 38 patients, p = 0.15), among many other health conditions. However, in the study sample, male smokers outnumbered female smokers (132 vs. 63). CONCLUSION: Gender highly impacted the immediate surgical outcomes of patients who underwent THA. Females were more likely to need blood transfusions both during and after the surgery and had lower post-operative haemoglobin readings. In addition, females had more comorbidities and degenerative hip osteoarthritis. We believe that raising awareness about comorbidity management, preoperative smoking cessation, and perioperative blood transfusion management can improve medical and surgical outcomes.

Intraoperative blood loss and haemoglobin drop in patients with developmental dysplasia of the hip in Jordan undergoing total hip arthroplasty.

PURPOSE: Developmental dysplasia of the hip is still a prevailing secondary cause of early hip osteoarthritis in Jordan. Dysplastic coxarthrosis can result in significant and disabling hip pain with impaired patient's functionality. Due to this significant morbidity, patients ultimately need total hip arthroplasty, which offers the best functional outcome. Significant anatomical aberrances do exist in such hips as a result of old dysplasia; such pathoanatomical changes can complicate an already difficult surgery and lead to significant intraoperative blood loss and haemoglobin drop postoperatively. So, the aim of this research was to investigate on the intraoperative blood loos, and postoperative haemoglobin drop in these patients. METHODS: A cross-sectional study design was adopted, and 162 patients with advanced hip osteoarthrosis secondary to developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) were studied. We studied predictors of hemoglobin drop and blood loss and linked some variables to this outcome variable using different statistical tests. RESULTS: Our results showed a positive correlation between blood loss and BMI (r = 0.27, p = 0.73), haemoglobin drop and duration of surgery (r = 0.14, p = 0.07), length of hospital stay and duration of surgery (r = 0.25, p = 0.001). No significant differences between outcome measures (blood loss, haemoglobin drop, and duration of surgery) between males and females (p = 0.38, 0.93, 0.77 respectively). However, there was a statistically significant differences in haemoglobin drop among patients underwent general versus spinal anaesthesia (p = 0.03). additionally, there was a statistically significant association in length of hospital stay among smokers (p = 0.03), and patients who didn't prescribed anxiolytic preoperatively (p = 0.008). CONCLUSION: Haemoglobin drop and blood loss in patients with dysplastic coxarthrosis were linked to increased preoperative BMI. Use of preoperative anxiolytics, and being non-smoker decreased the length of hospital stays. General anaesthesia was associated with more haemoglobin drop as well.

Rates, patterns, and predictors of complementary medicine use among patients with musculoskeletal diseases.

AIM: To investigate the extent of complementary medicine (CM) use and the most common therapies utilized by Jordanian patients with musculoskeletal (MSK) diseases. METHODS: A semi-structured questionnaire was used to conduct a cross-sectional survey of outpatient orthopedic and rheumatology patients at an academic medical center in Amman, Jordan between January and September 2020. RESULTS: A convenience sample of 1001 patients was interviewed (82% females). Pearson's chi-square comparisons showed that nutritional CM was used by 43.4% of patients, while 29.8% used physical CM, and 16% used both. Almost all used the nutritional or physical CM in addition to their prescribed treatment. Nutritional form use was significantly higher among females, older age groups, married people, and those who worked (p < .05). Physical form use was statistically more prevalent in older age groups and those with a higher level of education (p < .05). Family income and urban residence were not significantly associated with the use of either form of CM therapy. Olive oil was the most frequently reported nutritional type (22.9%), and cupping was the most reported physical type (41.6%). Recommendations to use CM came primarily from family members or friends (64% of nutritional CM users and 59% of physical CM users). A physician or pharmacist was cited more frequently with physical CM (24% versus 8% for the nutritional form). In contrast, media sources were cited more for nutritional than physical form (28% versus 7%). Over half of the patients believed they received the desired effect from CM. Surprisingly, only 9.5% of the patients admitted to discussing their CM use with their physician. CONCLUSION: CM use is prevalent among Jordanian patients with MSK disorders. Most patients rely on family and friends for recommendations, and they rarely inform their physician of the CM use. Physicians should routinely inquire about CM to provide patients with information regarding their benefits and risks.

Corrosion behavior, in vitro and in vivo biocompatibility of a newly developed Ti-16Nb-3Mo-1Sn superelastic alloy.

The biocompatibility of a recently developed Ni-free Ti-16Nb-3Mo-1Sn (at.%) superelastic alloy was investigated both in vitro and in vivo. In addition, static water contact angle (WCA) and electrochemical tests were carried out. Commercial purity Ti (cp-Ti), which is already being used as a clinical material, was used as the control material. The alloy showed a stable corrosion behavior similar to that of the cp-Ti. The WCA measurements showed that the alloy exhibited hydrophilic properties that contributed to cell attachment to implants, as evident by the cytocompatibility tests. According to the in vivo implantation tests conducted on 30 adult BALB/c rats for periods up to 12 weeks, the tissue reaction around the implants was similar for both the cp-Ti and the alloy, and no significant difference was found in almost all parameters analyzed. Due to its stable superelastic properties accompanied with excellent biocompatibility and high corrosion resistance, we believe that this alloy is considered as a promising substitute for the biomedical materials containing Ni or other toxic elements.

Active remote-site musculoskeletal infection as a risk factor for periprosthetic infection in a new joint implant: A case series.

INTRODUCTION: Arthroplasty has always been associated with complications, such as the possibility of periprosthetic infection. The presence of an active infection at the site of the planned surgery is considered a contraindication for the new implant. However, it is unclear whether there is an association between the presence of remote musculoskeletal infection and the development of infection in the prosthetic joint itself. We report six cases involving patients with active ongoing musculoskeletal infections at a remote site who underwent arthroplasty. PRESENTATION OF CASES: Four male and two female patients were included in this review. Three patients underwent total hip arthroplasty, one underwent hip hemiarthroplasty, and two underwent total knee arthroplasty. All surgeries were performed in the presence of different stages of infection at a remote site; two had active infections with pus-discharging sinus, one was being treated with long-term oral antibiotic suppression, and three patients were diagnosed with remote prosthetic joint infections on the basis of joint aspiration or intraoperative cultures. Clinical assessments of pain, wound erythema or drainage, and soft tissue swelling were performed at follow-up. Radiography and analysis of inflammatory marker levels were performed preoperatively and 6 weeks postoperatively. DISCUSSION: All six patients were followed-up for at least 18 months (mean, 4.6 years; range, 18 months to 9 years). No evidence of superficial surgical-site infection or deep prosthetic joint infection was observed. CONCLUSION: The presence of an active infection at a remote site might not be a contributing factor to periprosthetic joint infection.