Efficacy and safety of different bupivacaine concentrations in periarticular infiltration combined with adductor canal block for bilateral total knee arthroplasty: a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Pain management for bilateral total knee arthroplasty (BTKA) often combines adductor canal block (ACB) with periarticular infiltration (PAI). However, concerns arise regarding local anesthetic toxicity. This study evaluated the efficacy and safety of different bupivacaine concentrations in simultaneous BTKA. METHODS: Patients undergoing simultaneous BTKA under spinal anesthesia were included in the study. They received ACB with 50 mg bupivacaine for each thigh. The patients were then randomized into two groups. Group A was administered a PAI of 100 mg bupivacaine per knee (totaling 300 mg bupivacaine for ACB and PAI). Group B received a PAI with 50 mg bupivacaine per knee (totaling 200 mg bupivacaine for ACB and PAI). Postoperative pain was assessed using a visual analog scale at 4-h intervals for 48 h after surgery. Plasma bupivacaine concentrations were measured at eight specified times. Postsurgery walking ability was also evaluated. RESULTS: Among the 57 participants analyzed, visual analog scale pain scores revealed no significant differences between the two groups. An interim analysis of plasma bupivacaine concentrations in both groups indicated no significant disparities. In group B, 93.1% managed to walk with assistance within 48 h, as opposed to group A's 71.4% (P = 0.041). CONCLUSIONS: Combining ACB with 100 mg bupivacaine and PAI with another 100 mg bupivacaine provided effective pain relief. This combination also had a better safety profile and led to more patients walking postsurgery than when combining ACB with 100 mg bupivacaine and PAI with 200 mg bupivacaine. Thus, ACB combined with PAI with a total dose of 200 mg bupivacaine appears suitable for simultaneous BTKA. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03249662).

To resurface or not to resurface? Investigating the impact of patellar resurfacing on anterior knee pain in rheumatoid arthritis patients undergoing total knee replacement.

BACKGROUND: Routine patellar resurfacing is a controversial issue in total knee replacement (TKR), especially for rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Anterior knee pain (AKP) is a common complaint after TKR that may be related to patellofemoral joint condition. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence and factors associated with AKP after TKR for RA compared between non-resurfaced patella (NRP) and resurfaced patella (RP). METHODS: This retrospective study included RA patients who underwent TKR at our institute from 2002 to 2019. All included patients had at least 1 year of follow up. Patients were divided into the NRP and RP groups. At the last follow up visit, the prevalence of AKP, and the severity of AKP, including visual analogue pain score (VAPS) and Kujala score, were compared between groups. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to identify independent predictors of AKP. RESULTS: A total of 141 RA patients (median age: 60 years, 90% female, 219 knees) were included. There was no significant difference in AKP between the NRP and RP groups (12.7% vs. 7.3%, P = 0.185). Regarding AKP severity, there was no significant difference in VAPS or Kujala score between groups (P = 0.147 and P = 0.067, respectively). No independent predictors of AKP were identified. CONCLUSION: Although patellar resurfacing is recommended in TKR for RA, this study found no significant difference in prevalence of AKP, VAPS and Kujala score between those with and without patellar resurfacing during TKR.

The association between perception of patients and their actual ability to do floor activities after mobile-bearing unicompartmental knee arthroplasty: A prospective, cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to evaluate the association between patients' perception and their ability to perform floor activities after mobile-bearing unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (MB-UKA). PATIENTS AND METHODS: This prospective, cross-sectional study included a total of 63 knees of 63 patients (7 males, 56 females; mean age: 65.6±6.2 years; range, 51 to 79 years) with anteromedial osteoarthritis knee who had MB-UKA with a follow-up period of at least one year postoperatively. Each participant was asked to rate their perception of their ability to perform six floor activities. Their actual abilities were measured by using a five-category anchored scale. The primary outcome was the association between participants' perception and their actual ability. The secondary outcome was to evaluate factors affecting patients' actual ability. RESULTS: More than 60% of the patients could achieve good actual ability scores in performing chair kneeling, floor kneeling, and sitting side-legged regardless of their perception. Chair kneeling at 90 degrees had the most patients (69.8%) with good actual ability scores. Standing up from the floor was the activity with the highest positive perception rate of 84.1%. However, relatively lower actual activity scores were observed in floor squatting, cross-legged sitting, and standing up from the floor. Floor squatting yielded the lowest rate of positive perception and actual ability scores (39.1% and 20.6%, respectively). The Oxford Knee Score and knee flexion angle had moderate positive correlations with the actual ability scores (r=0.44 and 0.40, respectively). CONCLUSION: Patients' perception and their actual ability may differ for each floor activity after MB-UKA. An appropriate sequence of activities based on their difficulties along with positive reinforcement and appropriate patient education may yield favorable functional outcomes following MB-UKA.

Does the accelerometer-based navigation system reduce blood loss and transfusion in one-stage sequential bilateral total knee arthroplasty? A randomized double-blind controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is associated with significant blood loss and postoperative transfusion. The accelerometer-based navigation (ABN) system guides the bone cutting plane without breaching the intramedullary canal, which may reduce bleeding. This study aimed to investigate blood loss and transfusion compared between the ABN system and the conventional procedure in patients undergoing one-stage sequential bilateral TKA (SBTKA). METHODS: A total of 66 patients scheduled for SBTKA were randomly allocated to either the ABN or conventional group. Postoperative hematocrit (Hct) level, drainage blood loss, transfusion rate, and amount of packed red cell transfusion were collected. Total red blood cell (RBC) loss was then calculated for the primary outcome. RESULTS: The mean calculated total RBC loss in the ABN and conventional group was 669.7 and 630.0 mL, respectively (p = 0.572). There was no significant difference between groups for other evaluated outcome parameters, including postoperative Hct level, drainage blood loss, or packed red cell transfusion volume. All patients in the conventional group required postoperative blood transfusion while 96.8% of patients in the ABN group were transfused. CONCLUSIONS: The total RBC loss and volume of packed red cells transfusion were not significant difference between interventions, which suggest no benefit of the ABN system in reducing blood loss and transfusion in patients undergoing SBTKA. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The protocol of this study was registered in the Thai Clinical Trials Registry database no. TCTR20201126002 on 26/11/2020.

Efficacy of epinephrine in local infiltration analgesia on pain relief and opioid consumption following total knee arthroplasty: a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Local infiltration analgesia (LIA) is one of the effective regimens to reduce pain after total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Epinephrine is a commonly used sympathetic adjunct in LIA. It is expected to enhance the intensity and extend the duration of LIA. The primary aim of the study was to evaluate the efficacy of epinephrine on postoperative pain control after primary TKA. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 80 patients who underwent primary TKA were randomized into an epinephrine (EN) and a control (C) group. Postoperative visual analogue pain score (VAPS) and morphine consumption were recorded every 6 hours until 48 hours after operation. The VAPS 6-48 hours were compared using repeated measure statistics. The range of motion (ROM) on discharge and complications were also compared between these 2 groups. RESULTS: The study showed that although VAPS differed statistically between the 2 groups at 12 hours (C higher) and 48 hours (C lower) postoperatively (p = 0.04 and 0.02, respectively), repeated measures analysis revealed that there were no significant differences in 6-48 hours VAPS (p = 0.6). Total morphine consumption in the EN and C groups was 3.4 (SD 3.7) and 4.2 (SD 4.4) mg, respectively (p = 0.4). ROM on discharge was also similar between the groups. No complications were detected in this study. CONCLUSION: Our study showed that additional epinephrine in LIA had a statistically significant reduction in VAPS at 12 hours and morphine usage during 6-12 hours when compared with the control group. However, the magnitude of difference did not reach minimal clinically importance difference (MCID) value for TKA.

The pre-anesthetic period is the best time to evaluate the knee flexion angle for predicting the flexion angle after total knee arthroplasty: A prospective cohort study.

INTRODUCTION: Knee flexion angle (KFA) is one of the most critical factors for evaluating patient functional outcomes after total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Preoperative KFA and intraoperative drop leg test are both accepted as predictors of postoperative KFA after TKA. Preoperative testing performed after anesthesia helps overcome pain-related limitations; however, the KFA measurement timepoint that best predicts KFA at 6 months after TKA has not yet been established. METHODS: This prospective cohort study recruited patients who underwent unilateral primary TKA at Siriraj Hospital (Bangkok, Thailand) during August 2012 to August 2017. We recorded KFA at the pre-anesthetic phase, post-anesthetic phase, intraoperation using drop leg test, and at 6-months post-operation. Pearson's correlation coefficient was used to evaluate correlation between different measurement timepoints and 6 months after surgery. Those same relationships were evaluated for overall patients, and for patients with KFA <90° (poor KFA), 90-120° (average KFA), and >120° (high KFA). RESULTS: A total of 165 patients with a mean age of 68.7 years were recruited. Pre-anesthetic KFA measurement had the highest positive correlation with the 6-month KFA (r = 0.771, p<0.05). Post-anesthetic measurement and intraoperative drop leg KFA measurement had moderate positive correlation (r = 0.561, p<0.05) and low positive correlation (r = 0.368, p<0.05) with the 6-month KFA, respectively. The average KFA group had the highest positive correlation between pre-anesthetic KFA measurement and the 6-month KFA (r = 0.711, p<0.05). Predicted 6-month KFA (degrees) adjusted for pre-anesthetic KFA is 45.378 + [0.596 x pre-anesthetic KFA (degrees)] (r = 0.67, p <0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Pre-anesthetic KFA demonstrated the highest correlation with the final KFA at six months after unilateral primary TKA, especially in the patients who had a preoperative KFA within 90-120°.

Clinical and radiological outcomes of robotic-assisted versus conventional total knee arthroplasty: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Robotic-assisted total knee arthroplasty (RATKA) is an alternative surgical treatment method to conventional total knee arthroplasty (COTKA) that may deliver better surgical accuracy. However, its impact on patient outcomes is uncertain. The aim of this systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) is to evaluate whether RATKA could improve functional and radiological outcomes compared with COTKA in adult patients with primary osteoarthritis of the knee. METHODS: We searched Ovid MEDLINE, EMBASE, Scopus, and the Cochrane Library to identify published RCTs comparing RATKA with COTKA. 2 reviewers independently screened eligible studies, reviewed the full texts, assessed risk of bias using the Risk of Bias 2.0 tool, and extracted data. Outcomes were patient-reported outcomes, range of motion, and mechanical alignment (MA) deviation and outliers, and complications. RESULTS: We included 12 RCTs involving 2,200 patients. RATKA probably results in little to no effect on patient-reported outcomes (mean difference (MD) in the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) score of -0.35 (95% confidence interval [CI] -0.78 to 0.07) and range of motion (MD -0.73°; CI -7.5° to 6.0°) compared with COTKA. However, RATKA likely results in a lower degree of MA outliers (risk ratio 0.43; CI 0.27 to 0.67) and less deviation from neutral MA (MD -0.94°; CI -1.1° to -0.73°). There were no differences in revision rate or major adverse effects associated with RATKA. CONCLUSION: Although RATKA likely results in higher radiologic accuracy than COTKA, this may not be clinically meaningful. Also, there is probably no clinically important difference in clinical outcomes between RATKA and COTKA, while it is as yet inconclusive regarding the revision and complication rates due to insufficient evidence.

No association between different in tibial resection level and clinical outcomes six months after Oxford unicompartmental knee arthroplasty: a prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Localized tibial strain is one of the hypotheses to explain residual pain after Oxford UKA. We evaluate whether the depth of the vertical cut during tibial resection correlates with medial knee pain. We aimed to investigate the association between the depth of tibial resection and medial knee pain after OUKA. METHODS: This prospective cohort study enrolled 85 patients (mean age: 64.5 ± 7.7 years) who underwent cemented OUKA at our institute during October 2018-June 2019. The depth of tibial resection was measured intraoperatively as the thickness of the anterior, middle, and posterior parts. The greatest of the three thicknesses was recorded. Medial knee pain was assessed at 6 weeks and followed to 6 months. Patients were divided into the pain (P) and no pain (NP) groups. Preoperative and postoperative radiographic findings and OKS were compared between groups. We used logistic regression to analyze the independent association. RESULTS: The mean preoperative Oxford Knee Score (OKS) was 27.2 ± 7.6. The incidence of medial knee pain was 23.5% at 6 weeks after OUKA. The P group had a significantly lower OKS at 6 weeks compared to the NP group (28.9 ± 9.7 vs 33.7 ± 6.5, p = 0.049). There was no significant difference in the depth of tibial resection between groups. Medial knee pain had resolved by 6 months in all patients, and the 6-month OKS was similar between groups. CONCLUSION: Medial knee pain was found to be common in the early postoperative period after OUKA, but this pain spontaneously resolved by 6 months. As a range of tibial resection level, post-operative pain is not associated with tibial resection thickness in this study. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level II. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The study was approved by the Institutional review board of Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol university. [SIRB 691/2560(EC4)].

Efficacy of adding an interspace block to the posterior knee for perioperative pain in total knee arthroplasty: a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The interspace between the popliteal artery and the capsule of the posterior knee (IPACK) block is a novel anesthetic technique for total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Our objective was to compare the effect of IPACK and adductor canal block (ACB) and periarticular injection (PAI), relative to ACB and PAI only, from baseline to postoperative day 3, in patients undergoing unilateral primary TKA. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This was a single-center, double-blinded, randomized controlled trial. Adults over the age of 50 who were scheduled for unilateral primary TKA were enrolled. They were randomly assigned to ACB and PAI block (control group), or ACB, PAI, and IPACK block (IPACK group). The primary outcome was mean pain at rest during 24-48 hours post-operation using a numerical rating scale (0-10). We also investigated opioid use and ambulation pain. RESULTS: 89 patients were evaluated, 45 from the control group and 44 from the IPACK group. Despite slightly higher mean pain score at rest in the control group, no statistically significant difference was found during 0-24 hours (0.13; 95% CI -0.19 to 0.46), 24-48 hours (0.42; CI -0.06 to 0.89), and 48-72 hours (0.35; CI 0.00 to 0.69) postoperatively as well as in maximum pain scores at rest. Neither pain during ambulation nor the number of opioids used differed between the trial groups at any given time point. CONCLUSION: The addition of the IPACK block to ACB and PAI did not reduce postoperative pain intensity or opioid usage. Therefore, IPACK block may not offer any benefit for pain management in patients undergoing unilateral primary TKA who are already receiving ACB and PAI.

Alignment accuracy and functional outcomes between hand-held navigation and conventional instruments in TKA: a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: This study assessed surgical accuracy and functional outcomes using hand-held accelerometer-based navigation following total knee arthroplasty (TKA). QUESTION: (1) Does hand-held navigation (the iAssist system) improve surgical accuracy (assessed with five parameters commonly used to evaluate surgical alignment: the hip-knee-ankle angle (HKA), femoral coronal angle (FCA), tibial coronal angle (TCA), femoral sagittal angle (FSA), and tibial slope angle (TSA)) compared to conventional instruments in TKA? (2) Which surgical alignment parameters among HKA, FCA, TCA, FSA, and TSA can obtain the most advantage from the iAssist system? (3) Does the iAssist system lead to better functional outcomes at two years of follow-up after TKA? METHODS: This parallel-group double-blinded randomized controlled trial recruited 60 patients (30 patients each in the iAssist and conventional group) with osteoarthritis who underwent primary TKA by a single surgeon at Siriraj Hospital. There was no loss to follow-up in the study. All procedures in both groups were performed using similar surgical exposure, prosthesis implant, perioperative and postoperative protocols. Participants in the iAssist group received the iAssist system as an assistive technique, while those in the conventional group only had conventional instruments. Surgical alignments (HKA, FCA, TCA, FSA, and TSA) were recorded using CT scan at six weeks post-operation. Functional outcomes were assessed with knee ROM, KSS, and EQ-5D at 6 months, 1 year and 2 years post-operation. Baseline characteristics including age, sex, the affected knee side, and body mass index were comparable between the two groups, similar to preoperative ROM, KSS, and EQ-5D. RESULTS: The mean operative time was relatively longer in the iAssist than the conventional group, although not statistically significant (88.1 ± 13.7 versus 83.4 ± 21.3; p = 0.314). Among the surgical alignment parameters evaluated, FCA was the only radiographic parameter with a statistically significant difference between the two groups and was closer to 90º in the iAssist group (89.4 ± 2.2 in the iAssist versus 87.2 ± 2.1 in the conventional group; p = 0.003). Also, there was a higher proportion of outliers in the conventional than the iAssist group (23.3% versus 10%; p = 0.086). Nonetheless, HKA and TCA did not differ between the two groups (p = 0.25 and 0.096, respectively), although the percentages of outliers were higher in the conventional than the iAssist group (HKA: 26.7% vs. 13.3%; p = 0.101 and TCA: 6.7% versus 0%; p = 0.078). Likewise, we observed other radiographic parameters had no significant group differences, including FSA and TSA. Furthermore, at two years post-operation, we found no differences between the iAssist and the conventional group in knee ROM (106.7 ± 14.6 versus 108.2 ± 12.7; p = 0.324), KSS (82.5 ± 6.4 versus 83.8 ± 3.4; p = 0.324), and EQ-5D (0.9 ± 0.2 versus 1.0 ± 0.1; p = 0.217). All functional outcomes were also comparable at 6 months and 12 months of follow-up postoperatively. CONCLUSION: The iAssist technology increase surgical precision by allowing for a more precise FCA with fewer outliers than conventional equipment. iAssist had longer operative time. Functional outcomes and quality of life were not different. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: I.

The factors influencing the component sizes in Oxford Phase 3 unicompartmental knee arthroplasty.

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to investigate the Thai population characteristics that may correlate the component sizes used in the Oxford Phase 3 unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (OUKA) and to examine common matching patterns and variables affecting matching and patient-specific factors while determining the femoral component (Fc) size for Thai patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between June 2003 and June 2019, a total of 773 knees of 773 patients (145 males, 628 females; median age: 64.0 years; range: 44 to 86 years) who underwent OUKA using Oxford Microplasty® Instrumentation were retrospectively analyzed. The femoral and tibial components (Tc) were matched based on the patient's age, sex, height, weight, and other characteristics. The Fc sizes were compared in terms of patient characteristics. Also, the area under the receiver operating characteristic (AuROC) was calculated. RESULTS: A total of 6.5% of the Fcs were extra small (XS), 65.7% were small (S), 20.6% were medium (M), 7.2% were large (L), and 0% were extra-large (XL). For Tc sizes, the distribution was as follows: 20.2% AA; 31.6% A; 24.3% B; 16.3% C; 6.0% D; 1.7% E; and 0% F. Females had the most common Fc and Tc sizes of S and A, while males had the most common sizes of M and C. The S-A (32.3%) and M-C (27.5%) were the most often used matching patterns among females and males, respectively. Sex, body weight (BW), height, and body mass index (BMI) were independent predictors of Fc sizes. The AuROC for BW, height, and BMI was statistically significant. CONCLUSION: The S and A for females and M and C for men were the most common sizes of Fc and Tc in Thai patients. Among females, the most prevalent pairing was S-A and, among men, it was M-C. The strongest determinants of Fc sizes were found to be male sex and height.

Early Intraprosthetic Dislocation After Closed Reduction in Modern Dual-mobility Total Hip Arthroplasty.

The unique or specific implant-related complication of dual-mobility total hip arthroplasty (DM-THA) is intraprosthetic dislocation (IPD), and different mechanisms of IPD have been proposed. Early IPD or IPD without polyethylene wear has been reported in modern DM-THA designs. We report the first case of early IPD in Thailand that occurred after attempted closed reduction of DM-THA.

Accuracy of empirical distal femoral valgus cut angle of 4° to 6° in total knee arthroplasty: a randomized controlled trial.

INTRODUCTION: Currently, the best and simplest way that used to select the distal femoral valgus cut (DFVC) angle in total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is standing long leg radiograph. However, this kind of film is still not available in all hospitals. The purpose of this study is to compare the accuracy of different empirical DFVC angles in the restoration of the neutral mechanical alignment of the femoral component after TKA. METHOD: 125 patients who diagnosed primary osteoarthritic knee and underwent unilateral TKA were randomly assigned into three groups: A, B, and C, according to the use of an intramedullary guide with the DFVC angle of 4°, 5°, and 6°, respectively. At three months after surgery, anteroposterior hip-to-ankle computed tomography (CT) scanograms were evaluated. Mechanical axis angle (MAA), mechanical lateral distal femoral angle (LDFA), femoral bowing, femoral neck-shaft angle (FNSA), and outliers of femoral component position were measured and compared among three groups. Independent influencing factors for the outliers > ±3° were determined using binary logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: Group B was older than group A. There were no significant differences of postoperative MAA, LDFA, femoral bowing, and FNSA among three groups. Outliers > ±3° of femoral component position in each group were 14.6%, 19.0%, and 16.7%, respectively (p = 0.865). When considering the outliers > ±2°, group C (35.7%) had a trend to have fewer outliers than groups A and B (41.5 and 42.9%). However, this finding was not reached the statistical significance (p = 0.778). Femoral bowing was only significantly influencing factors that related to the outliers > ±3° (p = 0.003). CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that there are no significant differences in coronal femoral component alignment among using the DFVC angle of 4°, 5°, and 6°. The use of the DFVC angle of 6° had a trend to reduce the outliers. Nevertheless, femoral bowing is the crucial influencing factor for selecting the degree of DFVC angle.

Reoperation rate and implant survivorship compared between cementless and cemented bipolar hemiarthroplasty in femoral neck fracture patients with chronic kidney disease.

BACKGROUND: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is commonly associated with aging and disorders of mineral and bone metabolism. Femoral neck fracture (FNF) is one of the most common fractures among older adults with coexisting CKD, and bipolar hemiarthroplasty (BHA) is a preferred treatment. However, the optimal method of stem fixation has not been conclusively determined. Accordingly, this study aimed to investigate the reoperation rate and implant survivorship compared between cementless and cemented BHA in FNF patients with CKD. METHODS: A total of 183 FNF patients with moderate to severe CKD who underwent BHA during 2003 to 2019 were recruited and divided into either the cemented (CT group, n = 56) or cementless (CL group, 127) groups. Demographic data, preoperative laboratory investigations, preoperative radiographic outcomes, perioperative outcomes, and 90-day morbidity, mortality, and reoperation rates for any reason were recorded and compared between groups. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was used to compare implant survivorship between the CT and CL groups. Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to identify independent risk factors for implant survivorship. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in patient characteristics or preoperative data between groups, except for Dorr's classification of proximal femoral geometry. The CT group had a significantly lower proportion of Dorr type A (p = 0.020), and a higher proportion of Dorr type C (p<0.001). The CT group also had significantly more intraoperative blood loss (p<0.01). No significant differences in morbidity or mortality were observed. The median follow-up time in the CT group and CL group was 22.6 months (range: 0-151) and 22.6 months (range 0-154), respectively (p = 0.607). The reoperation rate was 5.4% and 4.7% among CT and CL patients, respectively (p = 1.000). There was no significant difference in the mean survival time between the CT (139.5 ± 6.3 months, 95%CI: 127.1-151.8) and CL (142.5 ± 4.7 months, 95%CI: 133.2-151.7) groups (p = 0.880). Univariate and multivariate analyses revealed no independent risk factors for implant survivorship. CONCLUSION: The results of this study showed no significant differences in the reoperation rate or implant survivorship between cemented and cementless BHA for treating FNF in moderate to severe CKD patients. A well-designed larger and longer-term study is needed to confirm these results.

Risk factors of early periprosthetic femoral fracture after total knee arthroplasty.

BACKGROUND: Periprosthetic femoral fracture (PFF) is a serious complication after total knee arthroplasty (TKA). However, the risk factors of PFF in the early postoperative setting are not well documented. This study determines the risk factors of early PFF after primary TKA. METHODS: This study recruited 24 patients who had early PFF within postoperative 3 months and 96 control patients. Demographic data (age, gender, weight, height, body mass index, Deyo-Charlson comorbidity index, diagnosis, operated side, underlying diseases and history of steroid usage intraoperative outcomes), intraoperative outcomes (operative time, surgical approach, type and brand of the prosthesis), and radiographic outcomes (distal femoral width; DFW, prosthesis-distal femoral width ratio; PDFW ratio, anatomical lateral distal femoral angle; LDFA, the change of LDFA, femoral component flexion angle; FCFA and anterior femoral notching; AFN) were recorded and compared between groups. Details of PFF, including fracture pattern, preoperative deformity, and time to PFF were also documented. RESULTS: In univariate analysis, the PFF group had significantly older, right side injury, rheumatoid, dyslipidemia, Parkinson patients than the control group (p < 0.05). No cruciate-retaining design was used in PFF group (p = 0.004). Differences between the prosthetic brand used were found in this study (p = 0.049). For radiographic outcomes, PFF group had significantly lower DFW but higher PDFW ratio and postoperative LDFA than the control group (p < 0.05). While the change of LDFA, FCFA and AFN were similar between groups. The fracture patterns were medial condylar (45.8%), lateral condylar (25.0%) and supracondylar fracture (29.2%). The mean overall time to PFF was 37.2 ± 20.6 days (range 8-87 days). Preoperative deformity was significantly different among the three patterns (p < 0.05). When performed multivariate analysis using the logistic regression model, age was only an independent risk factor for early PFF. The cut-off point of age was > = 75 years, with a sensitivity of 75.0% and specificity of 78.1%. CONCLUSION: This study determined that age was the independent risk factors for early PFF. However, further well-controlled studies with a larger sample size were needed to address this issue.

Delayed Femoral Artery Occlusion After Total Hip Arthroplasty via the Posterior Approach: A Single-Case Report From Thailand.

Arterial injury after total hip arthroplasty is rare, but the consequences of this complication are serious and potentially life-threatening. Here, we report a case of delayed-onset common femoral artery occlusion after total hip arthroplasty that was performed via the posterior approach at Siriraj Hospital-Thailand's largest university-based national tertiary referral center. Our case was successfully treated with arterial thromboembolectomy. We postulate that anterior retractor placement caused intimal injury to the vessel. Routine monitoring of postoperative vascular pulse is essential. Early detection and prompt vascular surgeon consultation are the important factors for preventing the potentially catastrophic consequences of this complication.

Blood loss and transfusion rate compared among different dosing regimens of tranexamic acid administration in patients undergoing hip hemiarthroplasty for femoral neck fracture: A randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Intravenous tranexamic acid (TXA) administration is a proven safe and effective method for reducing both blood loss and transfusion in total joint arthroplasty. However, data specific to its efficacy in hip hemiarthroplasty (HHA) for femoral neck fracture are scarce. Furthermore, no study has investigated the efficacy of an additional dose of TXA administration. Accordingly, this study aimed to assess blood loss and the transfusion rate compared among different regimens of TXA administration in patients undergoing HHA for femoral neck fracture. METHODS: Between January 2019 to December 2020, 90 HHA patients were randomized into one of three groups (30 patients/group). Control group patients received intravenous normal saline solution (NSS) 20 mL before skin incision, and NSS 20 mL at 3 hours after surgery. one-dose (1D) group patients received 750 mg of intravenous TXA before skin incision, and NSS 20 mL at 3 hours after surgery. Two-dose (2D) group patients received 750 mg of intravenous TXA before skin incision, and 750 mg of TXA at 3 hours after surgery. The primary outcome was blood transfusion rate. Intraoperative blood loss, hemoglobin levels at 24- and 48-hours postoperation, and calculated total blood loss were compared among the three groups. RESULTS: The mean age of the study population was 79.7 years, and 76.7% of participants were women. The transfusion rate in the control, 1D and 2D groups was 43.3%, 16.7%, and 3.3%, respectively. Total hemoglobin loss; total red blood cell loss; intraoperative blood loss; hemoglobin level at 24- and 48-hours postoperation; change in hemoglobin level between 0 and 24 hours, and between 0 and 48 hours; blood transfusion rate; and, the number of patients who did not require blood transfusion were all significantly improved in the 2D group compared to baseline. No parameters were significantly improved in the 1D group compared to controls. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study demonstrate both the efficacy of TXA administration in HHA, and the superiority of two-dose TXA administration over one-dose TXA administration in HHA for femoral neck fracture.

Construction and Evaluation of Osteochondral-Like Tissue Using Chondrocyte Sheet and Cancellous Bone.

The manipulation of human chondrocyte sheets in target areas frequently results in their tearing because they are thin and fragile. In this study, human cancellous bones were used as a supporting material to create chondrocyte sheet-cancellous bone tissues, and their properties were evaluated. Using cell sheet technology, human chondrocytes were constructed into triple-layered chondrocyte sheets that displayed chondrogenic properties. After transferring the chondrocyte sheets onto cancellous bones, the top area of the chondrocyte sheet-cancellous bone tissues exhibited a smooth surface topography without cell sheet floating within 7 days of culture. The immunofluorescence staining of collagen type II (COL2A1) and fibronectin (FN1) was also performed and examined. Using the shotgun proteomic analysis, the proteins associated with cell adhesion, extracellular matrix (ECM) organization, cell-substrate junction assembly, and cell adhesion mediated by integrin were observed in the chondrocyte sheets, cancellous bones, and chondrocyte sheet-cancellous bone tissues. Three integrin members, including integrin ß4 (ITGB4), ITGB6, and ITGB8, were found in the chondrocyte sheets. Only ITGB8 was found in the chondrocyte sheets and chondrocyte sheet-cancellous bone tissues. During 48 h, the mean velocity of the individual cell migration was low, which did not affect the structure and chondrogenic properties of the chondrocyte sheets. Staining of the filamentous actin (F-actin) cytoskeleton in the migratory cells also provided a better understanding of the dynamic communication between the cell cytoskeleton and adhesion molecules through ITGB8, which may play a key role in the attachment of the chondrocyte sheets and the synthesis of the cartilage ECM. Therefore, we suggest that cancellous bone could be used as a supporting material to construct chondrocyte sheet-cancellous bone tissues for potential treatment of osteochondral lesions. Impact Statement We proposed a method to construct an osteochondral-like tissue by placing human chondrocyte sheets onto cancellous bone. The stationary chondrocyte sheets and the low mean velocity of the individual cell migration on the cancellous bone with the expression of COL2A1 indicated that the cancellous bone served as an appropriate supporting material. Moreover, the cellular mechanism for the adhesion of the chondrocyte sheets on the cancellous bone based on ITGB8-mediated adhesion through the rearrangement of filamentous actin provided a better understanding to improve the construction of osteochondral-like tissues, and to predict the repair mechanism in osteoarthritis therapy.

Suboptimal patellofemoral alignment is associated with poor clinical outcome scores after primary total knee arthroplasty.

BACKGROUND: Proper patellofemoral alignment is an important goal in total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Acceptable patellar alignment is defined as patellar tilt less than or equal to 5° and patellar displacement less than or equal to 5 mm. Previous studies reported an incidence of post-operative patellar malalignment in TKA from 7 to 35%. However, correlation between patellar malalignment and clinical outcome after TKA remains unclear. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effect of patellar tilt and displacement on the clinical outcome of TKA. METHODS: A retrospective review of 138 primary TKAs with a minimum of 2 year follow-up is reported. Pre-operative and post-operative mechanical axis, patellar tilting angle and patellar displacement were measured. Clinical outcomes were evaluated by the knee functional scores including the Knee Society Score (KSS), Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS), and Western Ontario McMaster University Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) at final follow-up. RESULTS: Forty-two (30%) primary TKAs had suboptimal patellofemoral alignment with a patellar tilt angle greater than 5° or lateral patellar displacement of more than 5 mm. There was no statistical difference in pre-operative mechanical axis, pre-operative patellar tilt angle, or pre-operative lateral patellar displacement between the primary TKAs with proper patellofemoral alignment and those with suboptimal alignment. Patients with post-operative patellar tilt or displacement had clinically significant reductions in KSS, KOOS, and WOMAC when compared with patients without post-operative patellar tilt or displacement. The odds of having a fair or poor post-operative result, an odds ratio of 3.4 (95% CI 1.6-7.2) for KSS, 6.4 (95% CI 2.9-14.2) for KOOS, and 5.9 (95% CI 2.6-13.5) for WOMAC, were associated with suboptimal patellofemoral alignment. CONCLUSION: Establishing proper patellofemoral alignment remains an essential goal of primary TKA. There is a strong association between suboptimal post-operative patellofemoral alignment and poor clinical outcome scores after primary TKA.

Modified Robert Jones bandage can not reduce invisible blood loss after total knee arthroplasty: a randomized-controlled trial.

INTRODUCTION: To compare the efficacy and safety of modified Robert Jones bandage (MRJB) and non-compressive dressing (NCD) on reducing invisible blood loss (IBL) after total knee arthroplasty (TKA). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eighty patients who underwent unilateral TKA were randomly assigned into two groups: MRJB and NCD groups. Pre- and post-operative hematocrit levels, amount of drained blood and transfused blood were measured and calculated into IBL. Pain score, amount of morphine usage, range of motion (ROM) at discharge, blood transfusion rate, and complications were also recorded and compared between both groups. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in the mean IBL between MRJB (221.2 ± 233.3 ml) and NCD groups (158.5 ± 186.7 ml) (p = 0.219). Post-operative pain score at rest and during ambulation, amount of morphine usage, ROM at discharge, blood transfusion rate, and complications were also similar between two groups. CONCLUSIONS: This study cannot determine the benefit of MRJB over NCD. The use of MRJB may not be necessary after primary TKA.