A prospective, randomized comparison of 3 types of proximal interphalangeal joint arthroplasty.

PURPOSE: For surface replacement arthroplasty in proximal interphalangeal joint osteoarthritis, titanium-polyethylene (TI) and pyrocarbon (PY) implants are frequently used. However, their superiority in comparison to the silicone (SI) spacer has not been established. The purpose of this study was to compare these 3 types of implants with regard to outcome. METHODS: A prospective, randomized, multicenter trial was performed. A total of 43 patients (62 proximal interphalangeal joints) had surgery in the 3 participating centers, and each patient was randomly allocated to one of the 3 groups (TI, PY, SI). Range of motion (ROM) and strength were measured before surgery; pain and disability self-assessment and radiographic analysis were also completed. The same examination protocol was planned for 3 months, 6 months, and 1, 2, and 3 years after surgery, but some follow-up visits did not take place due to patient death or poor compliance. RESULTS: The mean follow-up time at the final follow-up was 35 ± 3 months (range, 30-41 mo). All implant types led to significant pain reduction at rest and at load. Tip pinch strength was slightly improved by all 3 devices at the 3-year follow-up. No significant improvement in ROM for silicone or resurfacing implants was found. However, when comparing the highest ROM values reached after surgery, the resurfacing devices tended to show superior joint motility compared to silicone spacers, albeit only temporarily and not significantly. Sixteen explantations were necessary: 2 of 18 SI (11%), 7 of 26 TI (27%) and 7 of 18 PY (39%) implants had to be removed. An additional 4 secondary surgical procedures were performed in group TI. CONCLUSIONS: Surface replacement arthroplasty devices showed a tendency for a temporarily superior maximum postoperative ROM, but markedly higher postoperative complication and explantation rates were observed compared to the silicone spacer implantation.

High frequency failure of the Moje thumb carpometacarpal joint arthroplasty.

Arthroplasty is one of several options for treating symptomatic osteoarthritis of the thumb carpometacarpal joint. There are various hemi- and total arthroplasties available on the market. We report our experience of treating 12 patients with the Moje Acamo CMC1 prosthesis. We reviewed all the patients at a mean of 50 months postoperatively. All patients presented with loosening, migration or tilting of one or both implant components. Nine patients were symptomatic enough to warrant revision surgery with removal of the implant leaving a pseudarthrosis. At the last follow-up, five patients (42%) had already received revision surgery. All patients still possessing an implant showed progressive signs of implant loosening, although some of them had no symptoms. In order to assess their overall disadvantage compared with patients treated by primary trapeziectomy, the outcomes of these two groups were compared (matched pairs). The outcomes after revision surgery were comparable with those of primary trapeziectomy. We no longer use the Moje Acamo CMC1 implant and recommend that patients who have received this implant should be monitored carefully both clinically and radiologically.

[Cemented total hip arthroplasty in Germany - update 2010]. / Stand der zementierten Hüftendoprothetik in Deutschland 2010.

BACKGROUND: The results of a national survey from 1998 showed that only around 10 % of orthopaedic surgeons in Germany had strictly implemented modern third-generation cementing techniques in total hip arthroplasty (THA). A 2005 update showed an improvement up to 29.4 %. The study was repeated in 2010 in order to evaluate the current situation and to determine whether modern cementing techniques have become more popular. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A detailed, slightly modified questionnaire regarding cement and bone preparation, cementing techniques on acetabulum and femur, and implant types was sent to 492 German orthopaedic and trauma hospitals, as well as to visiting surgeons with an interest in THA. The survey was conducted over 6 months. The response rate was 51.8 %, 255 questionnaires were available for evaluation and statistical analysis. RESULTS: Palacos R+G bone cement remained the most widely used cement (52.2 %). The mixing times given varied significantly. Vacuum mixing systems have again become more popular (85.2 %). In the femur 78.6 % of the surgeons attempted to preserve cancellous bone and 77.8 % used pulsatile (jet) lavage. Retrograde cement application via a cement gun was done in 85.8 %. Cement restrictors were used in more than 98 %. Only 72.7 % of the surgeons implemented sustained cement pressurisation and preferred a cement mantle thickness over 2 mm (55.2 %). Only 18.1 % drilled multiple small acetabular keyholes and 66.5 % used jet lavage. In 67.9 % no cement gun was used and in 70.7 % the cement was applied at high viscosity. Cement pressurisation was done manually in 89.1 %. The Müller straight stem device remained the most popular implant. Only 7.4 % of the centres implanted less than 20 and 40.3 % more than 100 cemented stems per year, whereby higher THA volumes correlated with better cementing technique. CONCLUSION: The results of this survey demonstrate that, in comparison to 2005, the current state of cemented THA, in particular cementing technique has generally significantly improved. Future emphasis should focus on continued surgeon education and training, as the cementing techniques are of utmost importance for long-term durability.

[Kienböck's disease: an actual summary with long-term results of the therapeutic options]. / Lunatumnekrose: eine aktuelle Zusammenfassung mit Langzeitergebnissen der therapeutischen Verfahren.

Only a few diseases are treated by such a wide spectrum of therapeutic options as avascular necrosis of the lunate bone. The ultimate aim of all these very different biomechanical concepts is to avoid carpal collapse and wrist osteoarthritis. To be able to assess the efficiency of the separate operative methods, a crucial analysis of the present long-term publications is needed. We have reviewed 20 long-term studies (mean follow-up interval >10 years) to evaluate the different therapeutic options. The main results of these publications have been collected here. Decompression osteotomies can provide in the long term a ROM of 80-87%, a pain-free state in 20-67%, a progression in 20-50% and osteoarthritis in 25-73% of the cases. In contrast, revascularisation procedures can provide in the long term a ROM of 68-81%, pain-free state in 35-72%, progression in 11-100% and osteoarthritis in 32-100%. Salvage procedures can be applied at a later stage of the disease; they can provide in the long term a ROM of 61-78%, pain-free state in 38-50%, and osteoarthritis in 24-48% of the cases. Based on the listed long-term studies, it was demonstrated that a differentiated therapy should be based on the anatomic conditions and stage of the disease. Due to the restricted comparability of the studies, the formulation of a common therapy algorithm was not possible.