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Total hip arthroplasty with use of second-generation cementing techniques. An eighteen-year-average follow-up study.

In this report, we present the results of a further follow-up of a series of 140 consecutive patients (161 hips) who had had a primary total hip arthroplasty with insertion of a bead-blasted monoblock femoral component with use of so-called second-generation cementing techniques. The average age of the patients at the time of the arthroplasty was sixty-one years (range, twenty-one to eighty-five years). Sixty-seven patients (seventy-seven hips) died less than seventeen years after the index operation. The remaining seventy-three patients (eighty-four hips) were followed for an average of eighteen years (range, seventeen to twenty years). No patient was lost to follow-up. In the entire group of 161 hips, over the twenty-year span of the study, eight femoral components (5 percent) and twenty-eight acetabular components (17 percent) had been revised because of aseptic loosening. Of the seventy-seven hips in the sixty-seven patients who died, four had been revised because of aseptic loosening of the acetabular component only; one, because of aseptic loosening of the femoral component only; and one, because of aseptic loosening of both components. Of the eighty-four hips in the seventy-three patients who were alive at least seventeen years after the index arthroplasty, twenty-four hips (29 percent) in twenty-one patients had had revision of one or both components for any reason. Twenty-three acetabular components (27 percent) and six femoral components (7 percent) had been revised because of aseptic loosening. An additional two hips (2 percent) in two patients were loose according to radiographic criteria but had not been revised. Of the sixty-five all-polyethylene acetabular components that had been inserted with cement and were in patients who were alive at least seventeen years postoperatively, fifteen (23 percent) had been revised because of aseptic loosening. An additional seventeen cups (26 percent) were loose according to radiographic criteria. Thus, a total of thirty-two cups (49 percent) had been revised because of loosening or were loose but had not been revised at the time of the latest follow-up. The femoral components that had been inserted with use of second-generation cementing techniques fared better than did the acetabular components that had been inserted with these techniques during the same time-period. We found that assessment of all postoperative radiographs rather than only those that had been made immediately postoperatively increased the accuracy of the grading of the cement around the femoral component. Subsequent radiographs frequently had been made at different projections, which revealed new findings, consisting primarily of previously undetected voids, areas of thin cement, and defects in the cement mantle. Thus, we now use all available radiographs to determine the grade of the cement.

Adult↗

Instability of the elbow treated with semiconstrained total elbow arthroplasty.

The results of nineteen semiconstrained modified Coonrad-Morrey total elbow arthroplasties performed in nineteen patients to treat instability were evaluated at an average of seventy-two months (range, twenty-five to 128 months) postoperatively. Preoperatively, all patients had either a flail elbow or gross instability of the elbow that prevented useful function of the extremity. The instability of sixteen elbows was the result of a traumatic injury or of the treatment of such an injury. The most recent result was satisfactory for sixteen elbows and unsatisfactory for three. The average overall Mayo elbow performance score increased from 44 points preoperatively to 86 points postoperatively. At the most recent follow-up examination, no elbow was unstable. The average arc of flexion was from 25 degrees (range, 0 to 60 degrees) to 128 degrees (range, 30 to 142 degrees), which represented a 58-degree increase from the preoperative average arc. Sixteen patients had little or no pain after the arthroplasty. There were four complications in four patients. Three complications (loosening of the humeral component in one patient and a fracture of the ulnar component in two) occurred postoperatively; all three were treated with a revision procedure. The other complication (a fracture of the olecranon) occurred intraoperatively and was treated with tension-band fixation; the most recent outcome was not affected. Radiographically, one patient had complete (type-V) radiolucency about the humeral component. None of the nine patients for whom true anteroposterior radiographs were available had evidence of wear of the bushings. The bone graft behind the anterior flange of the humeral prosthesis was mature in fourteen elbows, incomplete in two, and resorbed in two. One patient was excluded from this analysis because radiographs were not available. Instability of the elbow resulting in the inability to use the extremity is a challenging clinical situation. However, in patients who are more than sixty years old and in selected patients who are less than sixty years old but who have extensive loss of bone as a result of severe injury, have had multiple operations, or have rheumatoid arthritis, total elbow arthroplasty with a linked, semiconstrained prosthesis reestablishes a mobile, stable joint without premature loosening or failure of the components. In our experience, the use of customized implants, maintenance of the muscular attachments to the epicondyles, and reconstruction of the epicondyles to the implant were unnecessary.

Arthroplasty, Replacement↗

Comparison of fixation of the femoral component without cement and fixation with use of a bone-vacuum cementing technique for the prevention of fat embolism during total hip arthroplasty. A prospective, randomized clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Acute hypotension, hypoxemia, cardiac arrest, and sudden death are well recognized complications during total hip arthroplasty, and they have been attributed to embolization of fat and bone marrow. An increase in intramedullary pressure in the femur is the most important pathogenic factor for the development of embolic events. Intravasation of fat, bone marrow, and bone debris during the implantation of a femoral component, and the embolization of these elements through the venous system located along the linea aspera and through the metaphyseal vessels, have been demonstrated experimentally and clinically. The purpose of the present study was to compare the effects of fixation of the femoral component without cement with those of fixation with a bone-vacuum cementing technique on the severity of embolic phenomena and cardiopulmonary impairment during total hip arthroplasty. Fixation with a conventional cementing technique was also evaluated as a control. METHODS: Sixty patients (sixty hips) were entered into a prospective, randomized clinical trial. The patients were assigned to one of three groups. Group 1 consisted of twenty patients who had the femoral component inserted without cement, Group 2 comprised twenty patients who had the component inserted with a conventional cementing technique, and Group 3 included twenty patients who had fixation with the so-called bone-vacuum cementing technique. In the hips in Group 3, a suction of -800 millibars (-80,000 pascals) was applied to a proximal drainage cannula placed along the linea aspera and a distal drainage cannula placed in the diaphysis in order to produce a vacuum in the medullary cavity of the femur during the application of cement and the insertion of the stem. Transesophageal echocardiography and hemodynamic and blood-gas analysis were performed during the operation. RESULTS: Severe embolic events (defined as a cascade of fine echogenic particles of less than five millimeters in diameter) were observed in seventeen (85 percent) of the twenty patients during insertion of the stem with use of a conventional cementing technique but in none of the patients who had the stem inserted without cement (p < 0.05). Insertion of the femoral component with the bone-vacuum cementing technique prevented embolic phenomena in all but one patient (5 percent). Arterial oxygen saturation decreased significantly (p < 0.05) from a mean of 99.5 to 92.9 percent after insertion of the stem with a conventional cementing technique, but only slight changes were observed in the patients who had fixation of the component without cement and in those who were managed with the bone-vacuum cementing technique. Intraoperative pulmonary shunt values increased a mean of 24 percent (p < 0.05) when the femoral component was inserted with a conventional cementing technique, but with the numbers available we did not detect a significant change in those values when the component was fixed without cement or when it was inserted with use of the bone-vacuum cementing technique. CONCLUSIONS: The present study showed that severe embolic events and intraoperative pulmonary impairment are common when a femoral component is fixed with use of a conventional cementing technique. The results clearly demonstrated a low risk of embolism during total hip arthroplasty when the femoral component was fixed without cement and when it was fixed with the bone-vacuum cementing technique. The ability of a patient to withstand an embolic event should be considered before fixation of the femoral component with use of a conventional cementing technique is planned.

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The consequences of anterior femoral notching in total knee arthroplasty. A biomechanical study.

BACKGROUND: Notching of the anterior femoral cortex during total knee arthroplasty has been implicated as a cause of subsequent periprosthetic supracondylar femoral fracture. However, other than observational clinical data, no reliable association between these events has been established, to our knowledge. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the biomechanical effects of notching of the anterior femoral cortex. METHODS: The femoral component of a total knee replacement was implanted in twelve matched pairs of human cadaveric femora; one specimen in each pair had preservation of the anterior femoral cortex, and the other had a full-thickness cortical defect created just proximal to the anterior flange of the femoral component. The pairs were then subjected to either bending or torsional loading to failure. Both the fracture pattern and the quantitative load to failure were analyzed. Two matched pairs were excluded from the analysis because of inadvertent fracture during placement of the component. RESULTS: Following the application of a bending load, femora with notching of the anterior femoral cortex sustained a short oblique fracture that originated at the cortical defect proximal to the femoral component and femora without notching had a midshaft fracture. In contrast, notching of the anterior femoral cortex had no effect on the fracture pattern that was observed after the application of a torsional load. The mean load to failure was significantly reduced by notching in both testing modes. Notching decreased bending strength from 11,813 to 9690 newtons (18 percent; p = 0.0034), and it decreased torsional strength from 134.7 to 81.8 newton-meters (39.2 percent; p = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Biomechanical testing demonstrated that notching of the anterior femoral cortex significantly lessens the load to failure following total knee arthroplasty and influences the subsequent fracture pattern. These effects are manifested in different ways under the two loading conditions: the fracture pattern is altered under bending load, and there is a greater quantitative decrease in load to failure with torsional loading. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Weakening of the femur by notching of the anterior cortex after total knee arthroplasty may warrant alteration in the customary postoperative regimen for these patients. Manipulation of a total knee replacement with a notched anterior femoral cortex should probably be avoided.

Aged↗

Total knee arthroplasty after high tibial osteotomy. A comparison study in patients who had bilateral total knee replacement.

BACKGROUND: The outcome of total knee replacement after high tibial osteotomy remains uncertain. We hypothesized that the results of total knee replacement with or without a previous high tibial osteotomy are similar. METHODS: The results of a consecutive series of thirty-nine bilateral total knee arthroplasties performed with cement at an average of 8.7 years after unilateral high tibial osteotomy were reviewed. There were twenty-seven men and twelve women. Preoperatively, the knee scores according to the system of the Knee Society were similar for all of the knees; however, valgus alignment and patella infera were more common in the knees with a previous high tibial osteotomy. Bilateral total knee replacement was staged in seven patients and was simultaneous in thirty-two patients. The results of the total knee arthroplasties were retrospectively reviewed with respect to the knee and function scores according to the system of the Knee Society, the radiographic findings, and the complications. RESULTS: Intraoperatively, no notable differences were identified in the number of medial, lateral, or lateral patellar releases required. However, less lateral tibial bone was resected in the group with a previous high tibial osteotomy (average, 3.3 millimeters) than in the group without a high tibial osteotomy (average, 7.5 millimeters). The average duration of follow-up was 7.5 years (range, three to sixteen years) in the group with a previous high tibial osteotomy and 6.8 years (range, two to ten years) in the group without a high tibial osteotomy. At the time of the final follow-up, the knee and function scores were similar for the two groups (89.0 and 81.0 points, respectively, for the group with a previous high tibial osteotomy, and 89.6 and 83.9 points, respectively, for the group without a high tibial osteotomy). Although more knees were free of pain in the group without a previous high tibial osteotomy (thirty-six) than in the group with a previous osteotomy (thirty-three), this difference was not found to be significant with the numbers available (p = 0.4810). Knee alignment and stability, femoral and tibial component alignment, and range of motion also were similar in both groups postoperatively. One allpolyethylene tibial component was revised in the high tibial osteotomy group. Two knees in each group required manipulation. There were no deep infections. CONCLUSIONS: While patients with a previous high tibial osteotomy may have important differences preoperatively, including valgus alignment, patella infera, and decreased bone stock in the proximal part of the tibia, the present study suggests that the clinical and radiographic results of primary total knee arthroplasty in knees with and without a previous high tibial osteotomy are not substantially different. In our relatively small group of patients, the previous high tibial osteotomy had no adverse effect on the outcome of the subsequent total knee replacement.

Aged↗

Functional outcome of semiconstrained total elbow arthroplasty.

BACKGROUND: The objective of the present study was to review the results of primary total elbow arthroplasty with use of the Coonrad-Morrey prosthesis. Two hypotheses were tested: (1) the results in patients with inflammatory arthritis would be superior to those in patients with a traumatic or posttraumatic condition, and (2) the isometric extensor torque after total elbow arthroplasty would be significantly less than that of the contralateral elbow. METHODS: Forty-seven consecutive patients (fifty-one elbows) had the operation performed by one of three surgeons between November 1, 1989, and June 30, 1996. Thirty-six surviving patients (thirty-nine elbows) were available for follow-up. The mean duration (and standard deviation) of follow-up was 50 +/- 11 months (range, twenty-four to ninety-seven months). The mean age at the time of the operation was 64 +/- 11 years (range, twenty-seven to eighty-seven years). Eighteen patients (twenty-one elbows) had inflammatory arthritis. Eighteen patients (eighteen elbows) had an acute fracture or posttraumatic condition (posttraumatic osteoarthritis in eight, an acute fracture of the humerus in seven, nonunion of the distal aspect of the humerus in two, and primary osteoarthritis in one). The patients were evaluated with use of questionnaires (the Mayo elbow performance index, the Short Form-36 [SF-36], and the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand [DASH] Questionnaire); clinical examination by an orthopaedic surgeon who was not involved with the pre-operative, operative, postoperative, or follow-up care; radiographs; and elbow strength-testing with an isokinetic dynamometer. RESULTS: The mean score (and standard deviation) on the Mayo elbow performance index for the group that had inflammatory arthritis (90 +/- 11 points) was significantly higher than that for the group with a traumatic or posttraumatic condition (78 +/- 18 points) at the time of the latest follow-up (p < 0.05). In both groups, the mean extensor torque of the involved elbow was significantly less than that of the contralateral elbow (p < 0.05). No significant difference between the groups was found with respect to the flexion-extension arc of motion. Ten elbows (26 percent) had ulnar nerve dysfunction (a transient deficit in six and a permanent deficit in four); nine (23 percent), an intraoperative fracture (of the humeral diaphysis in four, of the ulnar diaphysis in four, and of the olecranon in one); three (8 percent), a periprosthetic infection; three, a triceps disruption; and one (3 percent), a revision because of a fracture of the ulnar component. There were no other revisions. Of the thirty-four elbows with complete radiographic follow-up, twenty-three had no change in the bone-cement interface. Progressive radiolucency was noted around the ulnar prosthesis in eight elbows, around the humeral prosthesis in one elbow, and around both components in two elbows. CONCLUSIONS: Patients who had a total elbow arthroplasty with use of a semiconstrained Coonrad-Morrey prosthesis were generally satisfied; the mean level of patient satisfaction was 9.2 of a possible 10 points for those who had inflammatory arthritis and 8.6 points for those who had a fracture or posttraumatic condition. The rates of complications involving the ulnar nerve, intraoperative fracture, triceps disruption, deep infection, and periprosthetic radiolucency are of concern.

Aged↗

Primary repair of intraoperative disruption of the medical collateral ligament during total knee arthroplasty.

BACKGROUND: Intraoperative disruption of the medial collateral ligament during total knee arthroplasty is an uncommon complication that is frequently treated by implanting a prosthesis with varus-valgus constraint. To our knowledge, no data have been published on primary repair or reattachment of the medial collateral ligament and implantation of a minimally constrained posterior-stabilized or cruciate-retaining prosthesis. This retrospective study evaluates the hypothesis that satisfactory clinical results, at a minimum of two years, can be achieved with immediate repair or reattachment of the medial collateral ligament and without a constrained total knee prosthesis. METHODS: Of 600 knees treated with primary total knee arthroplasty, sixteen (in fourteen patients) sustained either a midsubstance disruption of the medial collateral ligament or an avulsion of the ligament from bone during the procedure. Preoperatively, all patients had either neutral or varus alignment and an intact medial collateral ligament. Midsubstance tears were treated with direct primary repair, and avulsions of the ligament off the tibia or femur were treated with suture-anchor reattachment to bone. All patients wore a hinged knee brace, with no limit to the range of motion, for six weeks postoperatively. Clinical and radiographic data were gathered prospectively as part of a database that was ongoing throughout the period of study; the cohort of patients was assembled retrospectively by searching that database. RESULTS: No patients were lost to follow-up. The mean duration of follow-up was forty-five months (range, twenty-four to ninety-five months). The Hospital for Special Surgery knee scores increased from a mean of 47 points (poor) preoperatively to a mean of 93 points (excellent) at the time of final follow-up. On physical examination, no patient had a Hospital for Special Surgery score in the fair or poor range and all patients had regained normal stability in the coronal plane both at full extension and at 30 degrees of flexion. No patient required knee-bracing beyond the initial six-week postoperative period. The range of motion at the time of final follow-up averaged 108 degrees (range, 85 degrees to 125 degrees ), although one knee required manipulation under anesthesia to obtain a satisfactory range of motion. No arthroplasties required revision. Radiographic examination demonstrated appropriate limb alignment in all patients at the time of final follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Intraoperative disruption of the medial collateral ligament can be treated with primary repair or reattachment of the ligament to bone and postoperative bracing with good results; this avoids the potential disadvantages associated with the use of varus-valgus constrained implants.

Aged↗

Primary cementless total hip arthroplasty in octogenarians. Two to eleven-year follow-up.

BACKGROUND: Cementless total hip arthroplasty is an accepted alternative to total hip arthroplasty with cement in younger patients, but it remains controversial for elderly patients. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical and radiographic outcomes of cementless total hip arthroplasty with use of a proximally coated stem in patients who were at least eighty years of age at the time of the operation. METHODS: One hundred and twenty-three cementless total hip replacements were performed for the treatment of osteoarthritis in 114 patients between the ages of eighty and eighty-nine years. Seven patients (eight hips) died within two years after the surgery, seventeen patients (eighteen hips) died more than two years postoperatively but were not followed for at least two years, and five hips were lost to follow-up; this left ninety-two hips in eighty-six patients for review. The mean duration of follow-up was five years (range, two to eleven years). For the clinical evaluation, the Charnley modification of the Merle d'Aubigné and Postel scale was used. In addition, preoperative and postoperative Harris hip scores were available for sixty-nine hips. Seventy-eight hips were followed radiographically for two years or more. The focus of the radiographic evaluation was the status of the fixation of the femoral and acetabular components as well as cup wear. RESULTS: Perioperative medical complications occurred in association with 24% (thirty) of the 123 operations, but there were no deaths. The mean Charnley scores for pain and function for the ninety-two hips that were followed clinically for at least two years improved by 3.0 and 1.4 points, respectively. The sixty-nine hips for which preoperative and postoperative Harris hip scores were available had a mean improvement of 42 points, with a mean score of 82 points at the last follow-up evaluation. Mild thigh pain was present in four patients, but it did not limit their activity. There were no femoral component revisions. All of the femoral components were radiographically stable and had bone ingrowth. No acetabular component failed by loosening, but 41% (thirty) of the seventy-three hips with radiographs available for measurement of wear showed polyethylene wear. Of the seventy-eight cups that were followed radiographically for two years or more, 4% (three) were associated with lysis, but none had been revised. CONCLUSIONS: Cementless fixation in the elderly is safe, effective, and durable at the time of two to eleven-year follow-up.

Aged↗

Total hip arthroplasty for the treatment of ankylosed hips : a five to twenty-one-year follow-up study.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of the present retrospective study was to report the long-term results of total hip arthroplasty following a hip fusion. Special attention was paid to the resulting function of both the involved joint and the neighboring joints, as pain in the lower back or knee was the usual indication for conversion. The factors that were likely to influence the functional outcome were analyzed. METHODS: Forty-five consecutive total hip arthroplasties were performed in forty-five patients from 1969 through 1993. The mean age of the patients at the time of the operation was 55.8 years (range, twenty-eight to eighty years). Ankylosis of the hip had been spontaneous in twenty patients and postoperative in twenty-five patients. The mean duration of the ankylosis had been thirty-six years (range, three to sixty-five years). The mean duration of follow-up was 8.5 years (range, five to twenty-one years). No patient was lost to follow-up. RESULTS: The mean hip score, according to the scale of Merle d'Aubigné, was 16.5 1.5 points at the latest follow-up evaluation. Hip function was considered to be satisfactory for forty-one (91%) of the forty-five patients. The definitive score for walking ability was not achieved by the one-year evaluation; it improved notably for two to three years and then it remained stable. At the time of the latest follow-up, the mean arc of flexion was 88 degrees (range, 30 degrees to 130 degrees ). Forty-three (96%) of the forty-five patients had no pain in the involved joint. The only factor that was predictive of the final functional result with regard to walking ability was the intraoperative status of the gluteal muscles. Most patients had effective pain relief in the neighboring joints. The cumulative survival rate at eight years, with revision as the end point, was 96.7% (95% confidence interval, 90.2% to 100%). CONCLUSIONS: The long-term effectiveness of total hip arthroplasty for the treatment of an ankylosed hip was clearly demonstrated in both the involved and the neighboring joints in the present study. However, the preoperative and intraoperative status of the gluteal muscles should be carefully evaluated when this procedure is being considered, as this was the only factor that was predictive of the final walking ability.

Adult↗

Arthroplasty with a metal radial head for unreconstructible fractures of the radial head.

BACKGROUND: Treatment of unreconstructible comminuted fractures of the radial head remains controversial. There is limited information on the outcome of management of these injuries with arthroplasty with a metal radial head implant. METHODS: The functional outcomes of arthroplasties with a metal radial head implant for the treatment of twenty-five displaced, unreconstructible fractures of the radial head in twenty-four consecutive patients (mean age, fifty-four years) were evaluated at a mean of thirty-nine months (minimum, two years). There were ten Mason type-III and fifteen Mason-Johnston type-IV injuries. Two of these injuries were isolated, and twenty-three were associated with other elbow fractures and/or ligamentous injuries. RESULTS: At the time of follow-up, Short Form-36 (SF-36) summary scores suggested that overall health-related quality of life was within the normal range (physical component = 47 +/- 10, and mental component = 49 +/- 13). Other outcome scales indicated mild disability of the upper extremity (Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand score = 17 +/- 19), wrist (Patient-Rated Wrist Evaluation score = 17 +/- 21 and Wrist Outcome Score = 60 +/- 10), and elbow (Mayo Elbow Performance Index = 80 +/- 16). According to the Mayo Elbow Performance Index, three results were graded as poor; five, as fair; and seventeen, as good or excellent. The poor and fair outcomes were associated with concomitant injury in two patients, a history of a psychiatric disorder in three, comorbidity in two, a Workers' Compensation claim in two, and litigation in one. Subjective patient satisfaction averaged 9.2 on a scale of 1 to 10. Elbow flexion of the injured extremity averaged 140 degrees +/- 9 degrees; extension, -8 degrees +/- 7 degrees; pronation, 78 degrees +/- 9 degrees; and supination, 68 degrees +/- 10 degrees. A significant loss of elbow flexion and extension and of forearm supination occurred in the affected extremity, which also had significantly less strength of isometric forearm pronation (17%) and supination (18%) as well as significantly less grip strength (p < 0.05). Asymptomatic bone lucencies surrounded the stem of the implant in seventeen of the twenty-five elbows. Valgus stability was restored, and proximal radial migration did not occur. Complications, all of which resolved, included one complex regional pain syndrome, one ulnar neuropathy, one posterior interosseous nerve palsy, one episode of elbow stiffness, and one wound infection. CONCLUSIONS: Patients treated with a metal radial head implant for a severely comminuted radial head fracture will have mild-to-moderate impairment of the physical capability of the elbow and wrist. At the time of short-term follow-up, arthroplasty with a metal radial head implant was found to have been a safe and effective treatment option for patients with an unreconstructible radial head fracture; however, long-term follow-up is still needed.

Adolescent↗

Poor outcomes of isolated tibial insert exchange and arthrolysis for the management of stiffness following total knee arthroplasty.

BACKGROUND: Severe stiffness after total knee arthroplasty is a debilitating problem. In patients with securely fixed and appropriately aligned components, arthrolysis of adhesions and exchange to a thinner tibial polyethylene insert may appear to be a reasonable and logical solution. We reviewed our experience with this procedure to determine its efficacy. METHODS: From 1992 through 1998, seven knees with marked stiffness after total knee arthroplasty were treated at our institution with arthrolysis of adhesions and conversion to a thinner tibial polyethylene insert. Only patients in whom the total knee prosthesis was well aligned, well fixed, and not associated with infection were included. There were five women and two men with a mean age at revision of sixty-one years (range, thirty-eight to seventy-four years). The average time to revision was twelve months, and the mean arc of motion prior to revision was 38.6 degrees (range, 15 degrees to 60 degrees ). The duration of follow-up after the insert exchange averaged 4.2 years (range, two to eight years). RESULTS: Mean Knee Society pain and function scores changed from 44 and 36.4 points preoperatively to 39.6 and 46 points at the time of final follow-up. Two knees were rerevised, one because of infection and the other because of aseptic loosening of the components. The five remaining knees were painful and stiff at the time of final follow-up. Four of these five knees were severely painful, and one knee was moderately and occasionally painful. The mean arc of motion of these five knees was 58 degrees (range, 40 degrees to 70 degrees ) at the time of final follow-up. CONCLUSION: Isolated tibial insert exchange, arthrolysis, and débridement failed to provide a viable solution to the difficult and poorly understood problem of knee stiffness in a group of carefully selected patients following total knee arthroplasty. We therefore have little enthusiasm for the continued use of this strategy.

Adult↗

Charnley total hip arthroplasty with use of improved cementing techniques: a minimum twenty-year follow-up study.

BACKGROUND: In total hip arthroplasty, techniques for cementing the femoral component have changed over time. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether a cementing technique that includes use of a distal cement plug and retrograde filling of the femoral canal affects the fixation of the femoral component at a minimum of twenty years after the operation. METHODS: Between 1976 and 1978, the senior one of us (R.C.J.) performed 357 total hip arthroplasties with use of a Charnley flatback polished femoral stem and a contemporary cementing technique (insertion of a distal cement plug and retrograde filling of the femoral canal with cement) in 320 patients. The results after a minimum follow-up of twenty years were compared with those after 330 total hip arthroplasties performed, between 1970 and 1972, with the same femoral stem by the same surgeon with use of a hand-packing technique of cementing in 262 patients. The clinical and radiographic evaluation as well as the duration of follow-up were identical in the two groups. RESULTS: In the group managed with the contemporary cementing technique, six (1.8%) of the 336 hips that had not been lost to follow-up or revised because of infection or dislocation were revised because of aseptic loosening of the femoral component. Of the ninety-one hips in the eighty-two patients who were alive at a minimum of twenty years, five (5%) had a revision because of aseptic loosening of the femoral component. Only one hip was revised during the fifteen-to-twenty-year follow-up interval. (The revision was performed because of a fracture of the femoral component.) The rate of failure when radiographic signs of loosening were included was 4.8% (sixteen of 336 femoral components that had not been revised because of infection or dislocation) for the group managed with the contemporary cementing technique compared with 6.3% (twenty of 319 hips) in the group managed with the hand-packing technique; the difference was not significant (p = 0.40). Adequate filling of the femoral canal with cement was found to be associated with improved survival of the femoral component (p = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: While no significant difference between the two cementing techniques could be identified, the ability to deliver adequate cement around the femoral component was more predictable with the contemporary cementing technique. In addition, the prevalence of loosening of the femoral component was low with use of either technique, a tribute to the Charnley flatback polished femoral component design.

Adult↗

The effectiveness of isolated tibial insert exchange in revision total knee arthroplasty.

BACKGROUND: Despite improvements in the design and manufacturing of the components used in total knee arthroplasty, wear of the polyethylene bearing remains a potential source of failure. One theoretical advantage of modular tibial implants is that, when the components are well fixed, patients with wear or instability of the tibial insert can be treated with isolated polyethylene exchange. The aim of this study was to assess the results of isolated tibial insert exchange during revision surgery in a relatively large, consecutive group of patients. METHODS: From 1985 through 1997, we performed fifty-six isolated tibial insert exchanges in fifty-five patients (twenty-nine men [one man had bilateral revision] and twenty-six women; mean age, sixty-six years) primarily because of wear or instability. Patients with loosening of any of the components, a history of infection, severe stiffness of the knee, recognized malposition of any component, or problems with the extensor mechanism were excluded. Twelve knees had had one, two, or three prior revisions. The duration of follow-up averaged 8.3 years (range, 1.6 to 16.2 years) after the index arthroplasty and 4.6 years (range, two to fourteen years) after the revision. RESULTS: The mean Knee Society knee and function scores improved from 56 and 50.9 points prior to the revision to 76 and 59 points at the time of final follopcow-up. Fourteen (25%) of the fifty-six knees subsequently required rerevision at a mean of only three years (range, 0.5 to 6.8 years) after the tibial insert exchange. The cumulative survival rate at 5.5 years was 63.5% (95% confidence interval, 14.4%, with nineteen patients remaining at risk). Of the twenty-seven knees with preoperative instability, eight were rerevised and another four were considered failures because of severe pain. Of the twenty-four knees that were treated with the index revision because of wear of the insert, five were rerevised. In addition, one extremity in this group was amputated above the knee as a result of chronic osteomyelitis of the ankle concomitant with chronic pain at the site of the total knee arthroplasty and another two inserts were considered failures because of severe pain. CONCLUSIONS: Isolated tibial insert exchange led to a surprisingly high rate of early failure. Tibial insert exchange as an isolated method of total knee revision should therefore be undertaken with caution even in circumstances for which the modular insert was designed and believed to be of greatest value.

Adult↗

Patellar resurfacing in total knee arthroplasty: a prospective, randomized trial.

BACKGROUND: The management of the patella in total knee arthroplasty is still problematic. We aimed to identify differences in the clinical outcome of total knee arthroplasty according to whether or not patellar resurfacing had been performed in a prospective, randomized study of 220 osteoarthritic knees. METHODS: Two hundred and twenty total knee arthroplasties in 201 patients were randomly assigned to be performed with either resurfacing or retention of the patella, and the results were followed for a mean of forty-eight months (range, thirty-six to seventy-nine months) in a double-blind (both patient and clinical evaluator blinded), prospective study. Evaluation was performed annually by an independent observer and consisted of assessment with the Knee Society clinical rating system, specific evaluation of anterior knee pain, a stair-climbing test, and radiographic examination. RESULTS: Fifteen (12%) of the 128 knees without patellar resurfacing and nine (10%) of the ninety-two knees with patellar resurfacing underwent a revision or another type of reoperation related to the patellofemoral articulation. This difference was not significant (chi square with one degree of freedom = 0.206, p = 0.650). At the time of the latest follow-up, there was a significantly higher incidence of anterior pain (chi square with one degree of freedom = 5.757, p = 0.016) in the knees that had not had patellar resurfacing. CONCLUSIONS: Patients who underwent patellar resurfacing had superior clinical results in terms of anterior knee pain and stair descent. However, anterior knee pain still occurred in patients with patellar resurfacing, and nine (10%) of the ninety-two patients in that group underwent a revision or another type of reoperation involving the patellofemoral joint. Weight but not body mass index was associated with the development of anterior knee pain in the patients without patellar resurfacing, a finding that suggests that patellofemoral dysfunction may be a function of joint loading rather than obesity.

Aged↗

Cementless total hip arthroplasty with a tapered, rectangular titanium stem and a threaded cup: a minimum ten-year follow-up.

BACKGROUND: We report the results of cementless total hip arthroplasty with a tapered, rectangular titanium stem that was introduced in 1979 and continues to be used today with only minor changes. The aim of the design is to achieve primary stability to resist rotational and axial forces through precision rasping and press-fit implantation of a tapered, rectangular femoral component. METHODS: Between October 1986 and November 1987, 208 total hip arthroplasties with insertion of a tapered, rectangular titanium stem and a threaded cup without cement were performed in 200 consecutive patients (average age, sixty-one years; range, twenty-two to eighty-four years). RESULTS: At the time of the latest follow-up, fifty-one patients (fifty-two hips) had died and sixteen patients had been lost to follow-up, leaving 133 patients. Twelve hips had been revised, two in patients who subsequently died, leaving 123 living patients without revision. The median follow-up time was 120.7 months. Five cups needed revision surgery because of aseptic loosening; two, because of massive polyethylene wear; one, because of posttraumatic migration; and one, because of breakage. Three femoral stems were revised: one because of malpositioning (the reoperation was done five days after implantation); one, because of infection; and the third, after multiple failed acetabular revisions. The mean Harris hip score for the patients who did not have revision was 85.4 points (range, 46 to 100 points) at the time of the latest follow-up. Four patients (3%) complained of thigh pain that was not associated with another disorder. According to the criteria of Engh et al., all femoral implants were graded as stable bone-ingrown. The probability of survival of both the femoral and the acetabular component at ten years, with any revision as the end point, was 0.92 (95% confidence interval, 0.88 to 0.97). The probability of survival of the cup was 0.93 (95% confidence interval, 0.89 to 0.97), and that of the stem was 0.99 (95% confidence interval, 0.97 to 1.00). CONCLUSIONS: The results of arthroplasty with a tapered, rectangular titanium stem combined with a conical threaded cup inserted without cement were excellent at a minimum of ten years. Our data suggest that femoral stem fixation continues to be secure, while the threaded cup is prone to aseptic loosening.

Adult↗

Characterizing the functional improvement after total shoulder arthroplasty for osteoarthritis.

BACKGROUND: Both shoulder surgeons and patients who are considering total shoulder arthroplasty are interested in the anticipated improvement in shoulder comfort and function after the procedure. The purpose of the present study was to characterize shoulder-specific functional gains in relation to preoperative shoulder function and to present this information in a way that can be easily communicated to patients who are considering this surgery. METHODS: We analyzed the preoperative and follow-up shoulder function in patients managed with total shoulder arthroplasty for the treatment of primary glenohumeral osteoarthritis. Functional self-assessments were available for 102 (80%) of 128 shoulders after thirty to sixty months of follow-up. Outcome was assessed with respect to the change in the number of shoulder functions that were performable, the change in shoulder function as a percentage of the preoperative functional deficit, and the change in the ability to perform specific shoulder functions. RESULTS: The average number of shoulder functions that were performable improved from four of twelve preoperatively to nine of twelve postoperatively (p < 0.01). Function improved in ninety-six shoulders (94%). The number of functions that were performable at the time of follow-up was positively associated with preoperative shoulder function (p < 0.05): the better the preoperative function, the better the follow-up function. The improvement in function was greatest for shoulders with less preoperative function (p < 0.01). On the average, patients regained approximately two-thirds of the functions that had been absent preoperatively. Significant improvement was noted in eleven of the twelve shoulder functions that were examined (p < 0.01). The chance of regaining a function that had been absent before surgery was 73%, whereas the chance of losing a function that had been present before surgery was 6%. Older men tended to have greater functional improvement than younger men. CONCLUSION: Total shoulder arthroplasty for the treatment of primary glenohumeral osteoarthritis significantly improves shoulder function. Postoperative function is related to preoperative function. The improvement that was observed in this clinical series can be conveyed to patients most simply by stating that, after surgery, shoulders typically regained approximately two-thirds of the functions that had been absent preoperatively.

Adult↗

Ten to fifteen-year follow-up after total hip arthroplasty with a tapered cobalt-chromium femoral component (tri-lock) inserted without cement.

BACKGROUND: Fixation of the femoral component of a total hip arthroplasty without cement has had variable results. While tapered stems appear to have consistently good results, the duration of follow-up in many series has been relatively short. The purpose of this study was to present a longer-term (ten to fifteen-year) follow-up after total hip arthroplasty with insertion of a tapered femoral component without cement. METHODS: Sixty-seven total hip arthroplasties were performed with insertion of a tapered, cobalt-chromium femoral component without cement in fifty-eight patients from 1983 to 1986. Thirteen patients (fifteen hips) died prior to the fifteen-year follow-up examination, and three patients (three hips) were lost to follow-up after ten years, leaving forty-two patients (forty-nine hips) who were followed clinically for a mean of fifteen years. Thirty-seven of the forty-nine hips were followed radiographically for fifteen years, and the remaining twelve were followed for a minimum of ten years. RESULTS: The mean preoperative Charnley score was 3.0 points for pain, 2.7 points for function, and 3.2 points for motion. At the time of the final follow-up, the mean scores were 5.6, 5.6, and 5.2 points, respectively. Although no preoperative Harris hip scores were available, the mean score at the time of the latest follow-up was 92 points (range, 78 to 100 points). There were no revisions because of isolated aseptic loosening of the femoral component (although revision because of aseptic loosening of the acetabular component led to femoral component revision in seven hips). Two femoral components showed radiographic evidence of instability. At fifteen years, the prevalence of thigh pain was 2%. No femoral component that was thought to be stable, with bone ingrowth at two years, lost fixation. CONCLUSIONS: The design features of this cobalt-chromium femoral component (i.e., the collarless, tapered, wedge fit with circumferential porous coating) are thought to be crucial to the achievement of the good-to-excellent results seen in this study.

Adult↗

Ulnohumeral arthroplasty for primary degenerative arthritis of the elbow: long-term outcome and complications.

BACKGROUND: Primary degenerative arthritis of the elbow is an uncommon disorder that recently has been more clearly recognized. The purpose of this study was to analyze the long-term results and complications of ulnohumeral arthroplasty as treatment of primary osteoarthritis of the elbow and to document any tendency for recurrence of the arthritis after the procedure. METHODS: The results of ulnohumeral arthroplasties performed at our institution, between 1986 and 1996, in forty-six elbows (forty-five patients) with primary osteoarthritis were reviewed at an average of eighty months (range, twenty-four to 164 months) after the operation. There were forty-four men and one woman with a mean age of forty-eight years. All patients complained of pain with terminal elbow extension. The pain was associated with locking in fourteen elbows and with ulnar nerve symptoms in twelve. The surgical procedure involved fenestration of the olecranon fossa and excision of olecranon and coronoid osteophytes in all patients, with removal of loose bodies in thirty-six elbows. A capsular release was performed in nineteen elbows, and an ulnar nerve transposition or neurolysis was done in eight. Preoperative and follow-up assessment included evaluation of elbow pain and range of motion with the Mayo Elbow Performance Score. RESULTS: The mean arc of flexion-extension improved from 79 degrees (range, 10 degrees to 135 degrees) preoperatively to 101 degrees (range, 45 degrees to 135 degrees) at the time of follow-up (p < 0.05). At the last follow-up examination, thirty-five elbows (76%) were not painful or were only mildly painful and eleven were moderately or severely painful. According to the Mayo Elbow Performance Score, the result was excellent for twenty-six elbows, good for eight, fair for four, and poor for eight. Thirteen of the forty-five patients reported some degree of ulnar nerve symptoms postoperatively, and six of them required another operation to decompress or translocate the nerve. Two other patients underwent additional surgery because of persistent symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: The data from this study show that ulnohumeral arthroplasty can yield satisfactory long-term pain relief and an increase in the range of motion. Patients with severe preoperative limitation of elbow extension of >60 degrees and flexion of <100 degrees and those who undergo manipulation under anesthesia in the early postoperative period to increase motion are at risk for the development of ulnar nerve dysfunction postoperatively. One should consider prophylactic ulnar nerve decompression or mobilization under these circumstances.

Adult↗