Arthroscopic partial meniscectomy vs non-surgical or sham treatment in patients with MRI-confirmed degenerative meniscus tears: a systematic review and meta-analysis with individual participant data from 605 randomised patients.

OBJECTIVE: To identify subgroups of patients with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-confirmed degenerative meniscus tears who may benefit from arthroscopic partial meniscectomy (APM) in comparison with non-surgical or sham treatment. METHODS: Individual participant data (IPD) from four RCTs were pooled (605 patients, mean age: 55 (SD: 7.5), 52.4% female) as to investigate the effectiveness of APM in patients with MRI-confirmed degenerative meniscus tears compared to non-surgical or sham treatment. Primary outcomes were knee pain, overall knee function, and health-related quality of life, at 24 months follow-up (0-100). The IPD were analysed in a one- and two-stage meta-analyses. Identification of potential subgroups was performed by testing interaction effects of predefined patient characteristics (e.g., age, gender, mechanical symptoms) and APM for each outcome. Additionally, generalized linear mixed-model trees were used for subgroup detection. RESULTS: The APM group showed a small improvement over the non-surgical or sham group on knee pain at 24 months follow-up (2.5 points (95% CI: 0.8-4.2) and 2.2 points (95% CI: 0.9-3.6), one- and two-stage analysis, respectively). Overall knee function and health-related quality of life did not differ between the two groups. Across all outcomes, no relevant subgroup of patients who benefitted from APM was detected. The generalized linear mixed-model trees did also not identify a subgroup. CONCLUSIONS: No relevant subgroup of patients was identified that benefitted from APM compared to non-surgical or sham treatment. Since we were not able to identify any subgroup that benefitted from APM, we recommend a restrained policy regarding meniscectomy in patients with degenerative meniscus tears.

Effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of surgery versus casting for elderly patients with Displaced intra-Articular type C distal Radius fractures: protocol of a randomised controlled Trial with economic evaluation (the DART study).

INTRODUCTION: Current literature is inconclusive about the optimal treatment of elderly patients with displaced intra-articular distal radius fractures. Cast treatment is less invasive and less expensive than surgical treatment. Nevertheless, surgery is often the preferred treatment for this common type of distal radius fracture. Patients with a non-acceptable position after closed reduction are more likely to benefit from surgery than patients with an acceptable position after closed reduction. Therefore, this study aims to assess non-inferiority of functional outcomes after casting versus surgery in elderly patients with a non-acceptable position following a distal radius fracture. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This study is a multicentre randomised controlled trial (RCT) with a non-inferiority design and an economic evaluation alongside. The population consists of patients aged 65 years and older with a displaced intra-articular distal radius fracture with non-acceptable radiological characteristics following either inadequate reduction or redisplacement after adequate reduction. Patients will be randomised between surgical treatment (open reduction and internal fixation) and non-operative treatment (closed reduction followed by cast treatment). We will use two age strata (65-75 and >75 years of age) and a web-based mixed block randomisation. A total of 154 patients will be enrolled and evaluated with the patient-rated wrist evaluation as the primary outcome at 1-year follow-up. Secondary outcomes include the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand questionnaire, quality of life (measured by the EQ-5D), wrist range of motion, grip strength and adverse events. In addition, we will perform a cost-effectiveness and cost-utility analysis from a societal and healthcare perspective. Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios, cost-effectiveness planes and cost-effectiveness acceptability curves will be presented. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The Research and Ethics Committee approved this RCT (NL56858.100.16). The results of this study will be reported in a peer-reviewed journal. We will present the results of this study at (inter)national conferences and disseminate the results through guideline committees. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: Clinicaltrials.gov (NCT03009890). Dutch Trial Registry (NTR6365).

In patients eligible for meniscal surgery who first receive physical therapy, multivariable prognostic models cannot predict who will eventually undergo surgery.

PURPOSE: Although physical therapy is the recommended treatment in patients over 45 years old with a degenerative meniscal tear, 24% still opt for meniscal surgery. The aim was to identify those patients with a degenerative meniscal tear who will undergo surgery following physical therapy. METHODS: The data for this study were generated in the physical therapy arm of the ESCAPE trial, a randomized clinical trial investigating the effectiveness of surgery versus physical therapy in patients of 45-70 years old, with a degenerative meniscal tear. At 6 and 24 months patients were divided into two groups: those who did not undergo surgery, and those who did undergo surgery. Two multivariable prognostic models were developed using candidate predictors that were selected from the list of the patients' baseline variables. A multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed with backward Wald selection and a cut-off of p < 0.157. For both models the performance was assessed and corrected for the models' optimism through an internal validation using bootstrapping technique with 500 repetitions. RESULTS: At 6 months, 32/153 patients (20.9%) underwent meniscal surgery following physical therapy. Based on the multivariable regression analysis, patients were more likely to opt for meniscal surgery within 6 months when they had worse knee function, lower education level and a better general physical health status at baseline. At 24 months, 43/153 patients (28.1%) underwent meniscal surgery following physical therapy. Patients were more likely to opt for meniscal surgery within 24 months when they had worse knee function and a lower level of education at baseline at baseline. Both models had a low explained variance (16 and 11%, respectively) and an insufficient predictive accuracy. CONCLUSION: Not all patients with degenerative meniscal tears experience beneficial results following physical therapy. The non-responders to physical therapy could not accurately be predicted by our prognostic models. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III.

The influence of preoperative psychological distress on pain and function after total knee arthroplasty: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

AIMS: We performed a meta-analysis investigating the association between preoperative psychological distress and postoperative pain and function after total knee arthroplasty (TKA). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Pubmed/Medline, Embase, PsycINFO, and the Cochrane library were searched for studies on the influence of preoperative psychological distress on postoperative pain and physical function after TKA. Two blinded reviewers screened for eligibility and assessed the risk of bias and the quality of evidence. We used random effects models to pool data for the meta-analysis. RESULTS: Six prospective cohort studies, with a total of 1525 patients, were included. The random effects models showed significantly poorer outcomes in patients who preoperatively had elevated scores on the pain catastrophizing scale, worse 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) mental health score, symptoms of anxiety and/or depression, and somatization dysfunction. After 12 months, the standard mean difference for pain was -0.74 (95% confidence interval (CI) -1.04 to -0.44) and -0.56 (95% CI -0.80 to -0.32) for function. CONCLUSION: Preoperative pain catastrophizing, mental distress, symptoms of anxiety and/or depression, and somatoform disorders appear to adversely affect pain and function after TKA. Some patients undergoing TKA may therefore need psychological support to improve the outcome and quality of life.

Neurological Outcome After Traumatic Transverse Sacral Fractures: A Systematic Review of 521 Patients Reported in the Literature.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to determine the neurological outcome after transverse sacral fractures in patients with neurological impairment. METHODS: A systematic review of the English, French, German, and Dutch literature was conducted. All study designs, including retrospective cohort studies and case reports, describing transverse sacral fractures were included. Two authors independently extracted the predefined data and scored the neurological impairment according to the Gibbons classification after the trauma and at the time of follow-up. The neurological outcomes were pooled according to the Gibbons classification. RESULTS: No randomized controlled trials or prospective case series were found. A total of 139 articles were included, consisting of 81 case reports and 58 retrospective case series involving 521 patients. Regardless of the type of management, neurological recovery of at least 1 Gibbons category was reported in 62% of these patients. A comparison of the neurological outcome of nonoperatively treated patients and surgically treated patients showed similar neurological recovery rates. For the surgically treated patients, fixation of the fracture resulted in a better neurological improvement compared with an isolated decompression. CONCLUSIONS: This review could not provide evidence of improved neurological recovery after surgical treatment compared with nonoperative treatment. When surgical treatment was considered, there was a low level of evidence that fixation of the fracture results in better neurological improvement compared with isolated decompression. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic Level IV. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Are the patient-rated wrist evaluation (PRWE) and the disabilities of the arm, shoulder and hand (DASH) questionnaire used in distal radial fractures truly valid and reliable?

OBJECTIVES: The patient-rated wrist evaluation (PRWE) and the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) questionnaire are patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) used for clinical and research purposes. Methodological high-quality clinimetric studies that determine the measurement properties of these PROMs when used in patients with a distal radial fracture are lacking. This study aimed to validate the PRWE and DASH in Dutch patients with a displaced distal radial fracture (DRF). METHODS: The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was used for test-retest reliability, between PROMs completed twice with a two-week interval at six to eight months after DRF. Internal consistency was determined using Cronbach's α for the dimensions found in the factor analysis. The measurement error was expressed by the smallest detectable change (SDC). A semi-structured interview was conducted between eight and 12 weeks after DRF to assess the content validity. RESULTS: A total of 119 patients (mean age 58 years (sd 15)), 74% female, completed PROMs at a mean time of six months (sd 1) post-fracture. One overall meaningful dimension was found for the PRWE and the DASH. Internal consistency was excellent for both PROMs (Cronbach's α 0.96 (PRWE) and 0.97 (DASH)). Test-retest reliability was good for the PRWE (ICC 0.87) and excellent for the DASH (ICC 0.91). The SDC was 20 for the PRWE and 14 for the DASH. No floor or ceiling effects were found. The content validity was good for both questionnaires. CONCLUSION: The PRWE and DASH are valid and reliable PROMs in assessing function and disability in Dutch patients with a displaced DRF. However, due to the high SDC, the PRWE and DASH are less useful for individual patients with a distal radial fracture in clinical practice.Cite this article: Y. V. Kleinlugtenbelt, R. G. Krol, M. Bhandari, J. C. Goslings, R. W. Poolman, V. A. B. Scholtes. Are the patient-rated wrist evaluation (PRWE) and the disabilities of the arm, shoulder and hand (DASH) questionnaire used in distal radial fractures truly valid and reliable? Bone Joint Res 2018;7:36-45. DOI: 10.1302/2046-3758.71.BJR-2017-0081.R1.

Arthroscopic surgery for degenerative knee arthritis and meniscal tears: a clinical practice guideline

The role of arthroscopic surgery in degenerative knee disease was evaluated in this guideline.

Can experienced surgeons predict the additional value of a CT scan in patients with displaced intra-articular distal radius fractures?

There are no clear guidelines when an additional CT scan should be obtained for the treatment of displaced intra-articular distal radius fractures (DRF). This study aimed to investigate whether surgeons can predict the usefulness of CT scans to facilitate choice of treatment plan and/or pre-operative planning for DRF. Four surgeons evaluated 51 patients with displaced DRF. The choice of treatment (operative or nonoperative) was based on conventional radiographs. Subsequently, the surgeons were asked whether they would have requested an additional CT scan to determine this treatment choice, and also whether they required a CT scan for pre-operative planning. After 4 weeks, the additional CT scan was provided and the cases were assessed again. Based on these data, we calculated the number needed to scan (NNS) and number needed to harm (NNH) for two decision models. Model 1: Only provide a CT scan if the surgeon requested one based on their judgment of the X-rays. Model 2: CT scans for all displaced intra-articular DRF. For choice of treatment, the NNS was lower for model 1 than for model 2 (2.6 vs. 4.3) and the NNH is higher for model 1 (3.1 vs. 1.3). For pre-operative planning, the NNS (1.3 vs. 1.4) and NNH (3.7 vs. 3.4) were comparable for both models. Surgeons are able to predict the usefulness of an additional CT scan for intra-articular displaced DRF for OR indication. However, for pre-operative planning the usefulness of a CT scan is much harder to predict.

Patient restrictions following total hip arthroplasty: A national survey.

In this prospective nation-wide web based survey we describe the current practice regarding patient restrictions following total hip arthroplasty. A web-based survey involving 20 items was developed and tested prior to administration. The questionnaire included general information, type of restrictions, specification and duration of restrictions. The target population consisted of all orthopaedic surgeons registered with the Dutch Orthopaedic Association working at one of the 94 orthopaedic departments in the Netherlands. The response rate of the orthopaedic departments was 78% (n=74). The majority of orthopaedic departments use patient restrictions following THA. Restrictions were used with different rates per type of surgical approach: anterior (69%), anterolateral (100%), straight lateral (94%) and posterolateral (93%). The duration of these restrictions is generally six weeks. Patient restrictions following THA are current practice, regardless of the surgical approach.

Predictors of physical functioning after total hip arthroplasty: a systematic review.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this systematic review of the literature was to identify the predictors of functional outcome after total hip arthroplasty (THA). METHOD: A systematic literature search in Web of Science, CINAHL, EMBASE and PubMed was conducted on 23 June 2015. The articles were selected based on their quality, relevance and measurement of the predictive factor. The level of evidence of all studies was determined using the GRADE rating scheme. RESULTS: The initial search resulted in 1092 citations. After application of the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 33 articles met our eligibility criteria and were graded. Included studies were classified as level of evidence low (11), moderate (17) or high (5). Of the included studies, 18 evaluated body mass index (BMI), 17 evaluated preoperative physical functions, 15 evaluated age, 15 evaluated gender and 13 evaluated comorbidity. There was strong evidence suggesting an association between BMI, age, comorbidity, preoperative physical functions and mental health with functional outcome after THA. There was weak evidence suggesting an association between quadriceps strength and education with functional outcome after THA. The evidence was inconsistent for associations with gender and socioeconomic status and functional outcome following THA. We found limited evidence suggesting that alcohol consumption, vitamin D insufficiency and allergies were predictors of functional outcome following THA. CONCLUSIONS: We have identified multiple predictors of functional outcome after THA, which will enable general practitioners and orthopaedic surgeons to better predict the improvement in physical functioning for their patients with THA. They can use this information to provide patient-specific advice regarding the referral for THA and the expected outcomes after THA. Further research with consistent measurement tools, outcomes and duration of follow-up across studies is needed to confirm the influence of these factors.

Are validated outcome measures used in distal radial fractures truly valid? A critical assessment using the COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments (COSMIN) checklist.

OBJECTIVES: Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) are often used to evaluate the outcome of treatment in patients with distal radial fractures. Which PROM to select is often based on assessment of measurement properties, such as validity and reliability. Measurement properties are assessed in clinimetric studies, and results are often reviewed without considering the methodological quality of these studies. Our aim was to systematically review the methodological quality of clinimetric studies that evaluated measurement properties of PROMs used in patients with distal radial fractures, and to make recommendations for the selection of PROMs based on the level of evidence of each individual measurement property. METHODS: A systematic literature search was performed in PubMed, EMbase, CINAHL and PsycINFO databases to identify relevant clinimetric studies. Two reviewers independently assessed the methodological quality of the studies on measurement properties, using the COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments (COSMIN) checklist. Level of evidence (strong / moderate / limited / lacking) for each measurement property per PROM was determined by combining the methodological quality and the results of the different clinimetric studies. RESULTS: In all, 19 out of 1508 identified unique studies were included, in which 12 PROMs were rated. The Patient-rated wrist evaluation (PRWE) and the Disabilities of Arm, Shoulder and Hand questionnaire (DASH) were evaluated on most measurement properties. The evidence for the PRWE is moderate that its reliability, validity (content and hypothesis testing), and responsiveness are good. The evidence is limited that its internal consistency and cross-cultural validity are good, and its measurement error is acceptable. There is no evidence for its structural and criterion validity. The evidence for the DASH is moderate that its responsiveness is good. The evidence is limited that its reliability and the validity on hypothesis testing are good. There is no evidence for the other measurement properties. CONCLUSION: According to this systematic review, there is, at best, moderate evidence that the responsiveness of the PRWE and DASH are good, as are the reliability and validity of the PRWE. We recommend these PROMs in clinical studies in patients with distal radial fractures; however, more clinimetric studies of higher methodological quality are needed to adequately determine the other measurement properties.Cite this article: Dr Y. V. Kleinlugtenbelt. Are validated outcome measures used in distal radial fractures truly valid?: A critical assessment using the COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments (COSMIN) checklist. Bone Joint Res 2016;5:153-161. DOI: 10.1302/2046-3758.54.2000462.

Total medical costs of treating femoral neck fracture patients with hemi- or total hip arthroplasty: a cost analysis of a multicenter prospective study.

UNLABELLED: The aim of this study was to determine the total medical costs for treating displaced femoral neck fractures with hemi- or total hip arthroplasty in fit elderly patients. The mean total costs per patient at 2 years of follow-up were €26,399. These results contribute to cost awareness. INTRODUCTION: The absolute number of hip fractures is rising and increases the already significant burden on society. The aim of this study was to determine the mean total medical costs per patient for treating displaced femoral neck fractures with hemi- or total hip arthroplasty in fit elderly patients. METHODS: The population was the Dutch sample of an international randomized controlled trial consisting of femoral neck fracture patients treated with hemi- or total hip arthroplasty. Patient data and health care utilization were prospectively collected during a total follow-up period of 2 years. Costs were separated into costs for hospital care during primary stay, hospital costs for clinical follow-up, and costs generated outside the hospital during rehabilitation. Multiple imputations were used to account for missing data. RESULTS: Data of 141 participants (mean age 81 years) were included in the analysis. The 2-year mortality rate was 19 %. The mean total cost per patient after 10 weeks of follow-up was €15,216. After 1 and 2 years of follow-up the mean total costs were €23,869 and €26,399, respectively. Rehabilitation was the main cost determinant, and accounted for 46 % of total costs. Primary hospital admission days accounted for 22 % of the total costs, index surgery for 11 %, and physical therapy for 7 %. CONCLUSIONS: The main cost determinants for hemi- or total hip arthroplasty after treatment of displaced femoral neck fractures (€26,399 per patient until 2 years) were rehabilitation and nursing homes. Most of the costs were made in the first year. Reducing costs after hip fracture surgery should focus on improving the duration and efficiency of the rehabilitation phase.

Spectrum bias, a common unrecognised issue in orthopaedic agreement studies: do CT scans really influence the agreement on treatment plans in fractures of the distal radius?

OBJECTIVES: Current studies on the additional benefit of using computed tomography (CT) in order to evaluate the surgeons' agreement on treatment plans for fracture are inconsistent. This inconsistency can be explained by a methodological phenomenon called 'spectrum bias', defined as the bias inherent when investigators choose a population lacking therapeutic uncertainty for evaluation. The aim of the study is to determine the influence of spectrum bias on the intra-observer agreement of treatment plans for fractures of the distal radius. METHODS: Four surgeons evaluated 51 patients with displaced fractures of the distal radius at four time points: T1 and T2: conventional radiographs; T3 and T4: radiographs and additional CT scan (radiograph and CT). Choice of treatment plan (operative or non-operative) and therapeutic certainty (five-point scale: very uncertain to very certain) were rated. To determine the influence of spectrum bias, the intra-observer agreement was analysed, using Kappa statistics, for each degree of therapeutic certainty. RESULTS: In cases with high therapeutic certainty, intra-observer agreement based on radiograph was almost perfect (0.86 to 0.90), but decreased to moderate based on a radiograph and CT (0.47 to 0.60). In cases with high therapeutic uncertainty, intra-observer agreement was slight at best (-0.12 to 0.19), but increased to moderate based on the radiograph and CT (0.56 to 0.57). CONCLUSION: Spectrum bias influenced the outcome of this agreement study on treatment plans. An additional CT scan improves the intra-observer agreement on treatment plans for a fracture of the distal radius only when there is therapeutic uncertainty. Reporting and analysing intra-observer agreement based on the surgeon's level of certainty is an appropriate method to minimise spectrum bias. Cite this article: Bone Joint Res 2015;4:190-194.

Development and preliminary testing of a computerized animated activity questionnaire in patients with hip and knee osteoarthritis.

OBJECTIVE: To develop an Animated Activity Questionnaire (AAQ) based on video animations for assessing activity limitations in patients with hip/knee osteoarthritis (OA) that combines the advantages of self-reported questionnaires and performance-based tests without many of their limitations and to preliminarily assess its reliability and validity. We hypothesized that the AAQ would correlate highly with performance-based tests and moderately with self-reported questionnaires. METHODS: Item selection was based on the pilot AAQ, prespecified conditions, the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health core set for OA, existing measurement instruments, and focus groups of patients. Test-retest reliability was assessed in 30 of 110 patients. In 110 patients, correlations were calculated between the AAQ and the self-reported Hip Disability/Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score activities of daily living subscale (H/KOOS). In 45 of 110 patients, correlations with performance-based tests (stair climbing test, timed up and go test, and 30-second chair stand test) were calculated. RESULTS: In total, 17 basic daily activities were chosen for the AAQ. Video animations were made showing a person performing each activity with 3-5 different levels of difficulty. Patients were asked to select the level that best matched their own performance. Reliability was high (intraclass correlation coefficient 0.97 [95% confidence interval 0.93-0.98]); the AAQ correlated highly with performance-based tests (0.62), but higher with the H/KOOS (0.76) than expected. CONCLUSION: A computerized AAQ for assessing activity limitations was developed. Content validity was considered good. Preliminary validation results showed high reliability, but construct validity needs further study with a larger sample size. Continuing research will focus on construct validity and crosscultural validity.

Effects of bariatric surgery for knee complaints in (morbidly) obese adult patients: a systematic review.

Obesity is a major risk factor for the development of knee osteoarthritis, and over the past 30 years the prevalence of obesity has more than doubled. In an advanced-stage knee osteoarthritis is treated with total knee arthroplasty, and the demand for primary total knee arthroplasties is expected to grow exponentially. However, total knee arthroplasty in obese patients is associated with more complications, longer hospital stay and higher costs. We aimed to determine the effects of bariatric surgery on knee complaints in (morbidly) obese (body mass index >30 kg m(-2) ) adult patients. The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, MEDLINE, EMBASE, TRIP, BIOSIS-Previews and reference lists of retrieved publications were systematically searched from earliest available up to 20 April 2014 for any English, German, French and Dutch studies. There was no restriction on study design. We included studies on the effect of surgically induced weight reduction on knee complaints in (morbidly) obese adult patients, with a minimal follow-up of 3 months. Studies on the effects of lipectomy or liposuction and studies in which patients had already received a total knee arthroplasty were excluded. Thirteen studies were included in this systematic review with a total of 3,837 patients. Although different assessment tools were used, an overall significant improvement in knee pain was seen in 73% out of the used assessments. All studies measuring intensity of knee pain, knee physical function and knee stiffness showed a significant improvement after bariatric surgery. The quality of evidence was very low or too low for most of the included studies and moderate for one study. Bariatric surgery with subsequent marked weight loss is likely to improve knee pain, physical function and stiffness in (morbidly) obese adult patients. However, with the current available evidence, there is need for high-quality studies.

Patient-important outcome for the assessment of fracture repair.

Current evidence indicates that fracture healing assessment is limited to the use of one or two domains (such as pain, range of motion or mobility) in any single study. Functional outcome measures, which include physician-rated or observer-based impairment ratings and patient self-reported or observer-based activity limitation measures, better position the effectiveness of a given intervention towards patient-important outcomes. Health status measures, for example, cover a wide-range of physical, emotional, and social health dimensions. In this paper, we will examine the utility of metrics to assess fracture healing that are important to both the patient and provider, with selected examples from the recent literature. We recommend outcome measures with established and verified reliability and validity. Policy-makers and other stakeholders need to have an accurate assessment of treatment outcome that includes changes in function over time-adequate measures, should be re-applied at periodic intervals.

A randomised, controlled trial of circumpatellar electrocautery in total knee replacement without patellar resurfacing: a concise follow-up at a mean of 3.7 years.

In the absence of patellar resurfacing, we have previously shown that the use of electrocautery around the margin of the patella improved the one-year clinical outcome of total knee replacement (TKR). In this prospective randomised study we compared the mean 3.7 year (1.1 to 4.2) clinical outcomes of 300 TKRs performed with and without electrocautery of the patellar rim: this is an update of a previous report. The overall prevalence of anterior knee pain was 32% (95% confidence intervals [CI] 26 to 39), and 26% (95% CI 18 to 35) in the intervention group compared with 38% (95% CI 29 to 48) in the control group (chi-squared test; p = 0.06). The overall prevalence of anterior knee pain remained unchanged between the one-year and 3.7 year follow-up (chi-squared test; p = 0.12). The mean total Western Ontario McMasters Universities Osteoarthritis Indices and the American Knee Society knee and function scores at 3.7 years' follow-up were similar in the intervention and control groups (repeated measures analysis of variance p = 0.43, p = 0.09 and p = 0.59, respectively). There were no complications. A total of ten patients (intervention group three, control group seven) required secondary patellar resurfacing after the first year. Our study suggests that the improved clinical outcome with electrocautery denervation compared with no electrocautery is not maintained at a mean of 3.7 years' follow-up.

Selection of an optimal antiseptic solution for intraoperative irrigation: an in vitro study.

BACKGROUND: With increasing bacterial antibiotic resistance and an increased infection risk due to more complicated surgical procedures and patient populations, prevention of surgical infection is of paramount importance. Intraoperative irrigation with an antiseptic solution could provide an effective way to reduce postoperative infection rates. Although numerous studies have been conducted on the bactericidal or cytotoxic characteristics of antiseptics, the combination of these characteristics for intraoperative application has not been addressed. METHODS: Bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus and S. epidermidis) and human cells were exposed to polyhexanide, hydrogen peroxide, octenidine dihydrochloride, povidone-iodine, and chlorhexidine digluconate at various dilutions for two minutes. Bactericidal properties were calculated by means of the quantitative suspension method. The cytotoxic effect on human fibroblasts and mesenchymal stromal cells was determined by a WST-1 metabolic activity assay. RESULTS: All of the antiseptics except for polyhexanide were bactericidal and cytotoxic at the commercially available concentrations. When diluted, only povidone-iodine was bactericidal at a concentration at which some cell viability remained. The other antiseptics tested showed no cellular survival at the minimal bactericidal concentration. CONCLUSIONS: Povidone-iodine diluted to a concentration of 1.3 g/L could be the optimal antiseptic for intraoperative irrigation. This should be established by future clinical studies.

Treatment preferences of patients with early knee osteoarthritis: a decision board analysis assessing high tibial osteotomy versus the KineSpring® Knee Implant System.

INTRODUCTION: Decision boards can be useful in shared decision making by helping patients and their physicians choose among treatment options. Two surgical treatments for early knee osteoarthritis (OA) are high tibial osteotomy (HTO) and the KineSpring® Knee Implant System. The primary objective of this study was to determine patient preferences between these two treatments using a decision board. METHODS: We developed a decision board that presented information on HTO and the KineSpring System for treating knee OA. First, it was presented to 15 individuals for a pilot test and a "scope test." Then it was presented to 81 individuals who were asked to imagine that they had early to midstage knee OA, and this group was administered a complete a series of questions, including their treatment preference and what they would be willing to pay if they elected to use the KineSpring System. Descriptive statistics were calculated and a chi-squared test was conducted to assess any significant differences in patient preferences based on demographic characteristics. RESULTS: Our pilot test confirmed that most participants (87%) agreed that the decision board was easy to understand and helped them in making a decision. Of 81 respondents, the KineSpring System was preferred by 60% (n = 49). Individuals selecting KineSpring would be willing to pay an average of $2,700 to receive it over HTO. CONCLUSIONS: When provided with treatment options and information, 60% of individuals preferred the KineSpring System over HTO. The decision board was well-received as a useful tool for presenting information.