Total knee arthroplasty after a prior knee arthroscopy has higher complication rates: a systematic review

PURPOSE

This article aimed to study in a systematic manner outcomes and complication rates after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) in patients who have undergone a prior knee arthroscopy for osteoarthritis. Our hypothesis was that a prior knee arthroscopy may be detrimental to the outcomes of knee arthroplasty in the future.

METHODS

Electronic searches were performed for all studies published before June 2020. We included studies in which at least one group had a non-ligament knee arthroscopy surgery prior to primary knee arthroplasty. MINORS (Methodological index for non-randomized studies) criteria was used to assess the methodological quality of all the studies.

RESULTS

Seven retrospective studies were included in the systematic review. The total number of TKA without prior arthroscopies was 138,630, and the total TKA after a prior arthroscopy was 4372. Of the five studies that reported functional outcomes, three studies reported no difference, whereas two studies reported worse outcomes in patients with a prior knee arthroscopy. Higher rates of prosthetic joint infection and overall complications were seen in patients with a prior knee arthroscopy.

CONCLUSION

Total knee arthroplasty, when preceded by knee arthroscopy for osteoarthritis may lead to an increase in complication rates like prosthetic joint infections, revision, and re-operations. However, no significant differences were observed in patient-reported functional outcomes and range of joint motion. An association with postoperative complications after subsequent TKA should be a deterrent in advocating this procedure in an arthritic knee.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

III.

Satisfaction and Health-Related Quality of Life Following Hip and Knee Arthroplasty Surgeries in Indian Patients: A Cross-Sectional Study

Introduction

Recently, the patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) have been considered as the most important assessment tool for surgical outcome evaluation in arthroplasty. However, no study from the Indian subcontinent has evaluated the PROM in the total hip (THA) and knee (TKA) arthroplasties.

Materials and Methods

This cross-sectional study evaluated the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of 1244 North Indian patients following primary THA and TKA who had at least one-year follow-up. This study included 617 patients with 664 THA and 627 patients with 1152 TKA. The patients were asked to answer the EQ-5D-5L questionnaires and EQ-VAS in their own languages. The EQ-5D-5L values were used to derive level frequency scores (LFS) with validated Indian norms of EuroQoL.

Results

Ninety percent of THA and 82% of TKA patients rated excellent HRQoL using EQ-VAS. The regression analysis revealed age, gender, etiology and brand of prosthesis had a significant impact on EQ-5D-5L following THA. However, gender and simultaneous bilateral surgery were found to be important predictors of outcome in TKA. The mean value of LFS for THA was 0.95 ± 0.12 and TKA was 0.88 + 0.24 (p < 0.001). However, There was no difference in LFS between THA and TKA when only elderly patients (> 60 years) were considered (p = 0.168).

Conclusion

THA patients reported better HRQoL than TKA in the Indian subcontinent. One of the factors for a better outcome in hip arthroplasty was the relatively younger age of the patients. Patients above 60 years of age reported similar levels of statisfactior in both THA and TKA.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s43465-021-00589-x.

Intraarticular viscosupplementation following arthroscopic anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: A systematic review

BACKGROUND

Pain, swelling and joint stiffness are the major problems following arthroscopic ACL reconstruction (ACLR) surgery that restrict early return to sports and athletic activities. The patients often receive prolonged analgesic medications to control the inflammatory response and resume the pre-injury activities. This systematic review aims to evaluate the safety and efficacy of intraarticular (IA) hyaluronic acid (HA) injection following ACLR.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A literature search of electronic databases and a manual search of studies reporting clinical effectiveness of IA HA following ACLR was performed on 1^st November 2020. The quality of the methodology and risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane Collaboration Risk of Bias Tool and Newcastle-Ottawa scale for randomized-controlled trial and prospective cohort studies, respectively.

RESULTS

Of 324 studies retrieved, four studies (3 RCTs and one prospective cohort study) were found to be suitable for inclusion in this review. These studies had a low to moderate risk of bias. There were 182 patients in the HA group and 121 patients in the control group. The demographic characteristics of the patients were similar in all studies. The pooled analysis of studies evaluating pain at different follow up periods (2-week, 4-6 weeks, 8-12 weeks) after ACLR revealed no significant difference between the HA and control groups (p > 0.05). The knee swelling was significantly less in the HA group at two weeks (MD -7.85, 95% CI: [-15.03, -0.68], p = 0.03, I2 = 0%), but no such difference was noted after 4-6 weeks and 8-12 weeks. The functional outcome score was not significantly different between the groups (SMD 0.00, 95% CI: 0.38 to 0.38, p = 0.99, I² = 0%).

CONCLUSIONS

Although the individual study demonstrated a short-term positive response regarding pain control and swelling reduction, the pooled analysis did not find any clinical benefit of IA HA injection following ACLR surgery.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

II.

Clear cell variant of chondrosarcoma of calcaneum: A case report with review of the literature

Clear cell chondrosarcoma (CCC) is an uncommon variant constituting less than 2% of all chondrosarcomas. CCC arises most commonly in the proximal end of the femur, followed by the humerus, and other small bones. CCC involving the tarsal bone is very rare, and to the best of our knowledge, only one case has been described involving the calcaneum in the English literature to date. In this article, we discuss a case of CCC involving the right calcaneum with complete clinico-immuno-histomorphological features, which is successfully managed by below-knee amputation. We also reviewed the reported cases of chondrosarcomas involving the calcaneum with special reference to clinical features, therapy, morphology, and follow-up data.

Safe surgical hip dislocation for acetabular osteoid osteoma excision

Excision of acetabular osteoid osteoma is technically difficult. We report osteoid osteoma of the quadrilateral plate in a 9-year-old girl who presented to us with persistent nocturnal pain, limp and restricted hip joint movement. The child was investigated with CT scan, MRI and triple-phase bone scan. The 0.7 cm nidus was located in the central portion of the cancellous bone in the quadrilateral plate, 1.94 cm inferior to the triradiate cartilage. The child was operated on through the safe surgical dislocation of the left hip. The location of the lesion was gauged from the preoperative CT scan measurement data and intraoperative fluoroscopic aid. The nidus with a sclerotic rim was burred down completely. Postoperative X-ray and CT scan revealed complete excision of the tumour, and the patient was pain-free. At 18 months follow-up, the patient is completely asymptomatic and walking normally.

Dual-Plating in Distal Femur Fracture: A Systematic Review and Limited Meta-analysis

INTRODUCTION

Although lateral locking plate has shown promising results in distal femur fracture, there are high rates of varus collapse and implant failure in comminuted metaphyseal and articular fractures. This systematic review evaluates the functional outcomes and complications of dual plating in the distal femur fracture.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Manual and electronic search of databases (PubMed, Medline Embase and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials) was performed to retrieve studies on dual plate fixation in the distal femur fracture. Of the retrieved 925 articles, 12 were included after screening.

RESULTS

There were one randomized-controlled, four prospective and seven retrospective studies. A total of 287 patients with 292 knees were evaluated (dual plating 213, single plating 76, lost to follow-up 3). The nonunion and delayed union rates following dual plate fixations were up to 12.5% and 33.3%, respectively. The mean healing time ranged from 11 weeks to 18 months. Good to excellent outcome was observed in 55-75% patients. There was no difference between the single plate and dual plate fixation with regards to the functional outcomes (VAS score, Neer Score and Kolmert's standard) and complications. Pooled analysis of the studies revealed a longer surgical duration (MD - 16.84, 95% CI - 25.34, - 8.35, p = 0.0001) and faster healing (MD 5.43, 95% CI 2.60, 8.26, p = 0.0002) in the double plate fixation group, but there was no difference in nonunion rate (9.2% vs. 0%, OR 4.95, p = 0.13) and blood loss (MD - 9.86, 95% CI - 44.97, 25.26, p = 0.58).

CONCLUSION

Dual plating leads to a satisfactory union in the comminuted metaphyseal and articular fractures of the distal femur. There is no difference between the single plate and dual plate with regards to nonunion rate, blood loss, functional outcomes and complications. However, dual fixation leads to faster fracture healing at the cost of a longer surgical duration.

Multidisciplinary management of solitary hypervascular metastatic recurrence of renal cell carcinoma presenting with pathological femoral fracture

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) frequently presents with osseous metastasis, predominantly lytic and prone to pathological fracture. The metastatic lesion in the extremity presents with local swelling, pain and immobility due to pathological fracture. The solitary or oligometastatic lesions should be treated with curative intent, which can help the patient to lead a more prolonged and disability-free life. The RCCs and their metastases are hypervascular with an exuberant arterial supply. Surgery can lead to uncontrolled life-threatening haemorrhage. Preoperative transarterial embolisation reduces tumour vascularity significantly and reduces intraoperative blood loss. We present a 46-year-old male patient with solitary hypervascular metastatic recurrence of RCC with a pathological femoral fracture with an infeasible initial surgery due to profuse haemorrhage. He was successfully treated by preoperative transarterial embolisation, followed by surgical resection and implantation of a megaprosthesis. Multidisciplinary management reduces patient morbidity and mortality with successful treatment in solitary hypervascular metastasis from RCC.

Joint awareness after unicompartmental knee arthroplasty and total knee arthroplasty: a systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies

PURPOSE

The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to evaluate the joint awareness after unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA) and total knee arthroplasty (TKA). It was hypothesized that patients with UKA could better forget about their artificial joint in comparison to TKA.

METHODS

A search of major literature databases and bibliographic details revealed 105 studies evaluating forgotten joint score in UKA and TKA. Seven studies found eligible for this review were assessed for risk of bias and quality of evidence using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. The forgotten joint score (FJS-12) was assessed at 6 months, 1 year, and 2 years.

RESULTS

The mean FJS-12 at 2 years was 82.35 in the UKA group and 74.05 in the TKA group. Forest plot analysis of five studies (n = 930 patients) revealed a mean difference of 7.65 (95% CI: 3.72, 11.57, p = 0.0001; I² = 89% with p < 0.0001) in FJS-12 at 2 years. Further sensitivity analysis lowered I² heterogeneity to 31% after exclusion of the study by Blevin et al. (MD 5.88, 95%CI: 3.10, 8.66, p < 0.0001). A similar trend of differences in FJS-12 between the groups was observed at 6 months (MD 32.49, 95% CI: 17.55, 47.43, p < 0.0001) and at 1 year (MD 25.62, 95% CI: 4.26, 46.98, p = 0.02).

CONCLUSIONS

UKA patients can better forget about their artificial joint compared to TKA patients.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

III.

Comparison of bone SPECT/CT and MRI in detection of pain generator in ankle and foot pain: a retrospective diagnostic study

OBJECTIVE

To study the sensitivity and specificity of MRI and bone SPECT-CT in detecting the pain generator in ankle and foot pain with diagnostic dilemma.

METHODS

Retrospectively data of patients with ankle or foot pain who underwent both MRI and Bone SPECT-CT were analyzed. The lesions and probable pain generator sites were reported as per MRI and bone SPECT-CT findings. These lesions were correlated clinically, managed accordingly and followed up. The patients who had significant improvement in response to the treatment provided were considered to have been diagnosed accurately. The foot and ankle disability index (FADI) was used to evaluate the patient's pre- and postintervention condition.

RESULTS

The study included 37 patients retrospectively (18 women and 19 men). The lesions were classified into soft tissue lesions (ligaments/tendons), joint lesions (arthritis) and bony lesions (fractures/osteomyelitis/osteochondral lesions). Overall, MRI had sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of 82, 31, 74 and 42%, respectively, and SPECT-CT had sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of 84, 60, 84 and 60%, respectively. The mean FADI score pretreatment for all patients was 61.5 (SD = 13.8) and posttreatment 88.4 (SD = 13.01) showing significant improvement in the score (P < 0.05), suggesting that the final diagnosis of these patients was accurate. Overall, management change due to bone SPECT-CT over MRI was seen in 26% of patients.

CONCLUSION

Bone SPECT-CT has incremental value over MRI in the diagnosis of pain generator in foot and ankle pain. The overall specificity of bone SPECT-CT is higher than MRI in detection of pain generators. Bone SPECT-CT performed better than MRI in detection of culprit pathology in the bone, whereas MRI is better in soft tissue lesions.

ADVANCES IN KNOWLEDGE

There are only a few published literature with direct comparison of bone SPECT-CT scintigraphy and MRI in detection of foot and ankle pain generator. This study directly compares diagnostic utility of bone SPECT-CT scintigraphy and MRI in foot and ankle pain. In the present study, the bone SPECT-CT performed better than MRI in detection of culprit pathology in the bone, whereas MRI is better in soft tissue lesions.

External fixation versus open reduction and internal fixation in the treatment of Complex Tibial Plateau Fractures: A systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this meta-analysis was to compare the functional outcomes and complications of external fixation (EF) versus open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) in the treatment of complex tibial plateau fractures.

METHODS

Based on a comprehensive search of major databases through PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), 19 studies comparing EF versus ORIF in treatment of complex tibial plateau fractures (Schatzker V-VI/ OTA C1, C2, and C3) were included in the studies. There was one randomized controlled trial, two prospective comparative studies, 14 retrospective comparative studies, and two conference papers. From these studies, the data regarding functional and surgical outcomes as well as complications were obtained and pooled to conduct a comparison between the two methods of treatment.

RESULTS

1191 tibial plateau fractures were determined by the systematic review. Of those fractures, 543 were treated using EF, and 648 were treated using ORIF with plate and screws. All the studies included the young patients with traumatic tibial plateau fractures with mean ages from 40 to 60 years. The analysis of pooled data revealed significantly better functional outcome in patients operated with EF (standard mean difference [SMD] = 0.29, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.04-0.55, P = 0.02, I2= 0%). However, according to categorical functional outcomes, no significant differences were found (OR 0.80, 95%CI: 0.47, 1.34, P=0.39, I2= 31%). The range of movement at the knee joint was significantly better in patients treated by EF (mean difference [MD] = 7.86, 95%CI = 3.56 -12.17, P = 0.0003). The surgical time in the EF group was significantly shorter compared to the ORIF group (MD = -52.11, 95%CI = -99.62-(-4.60), P = 0.03). Similarly, the intraoperative blood loss was significantly lesser in the EF group (MD = -341.53, 95%CI = -528.18- (-154.88), P = 0.0003). Although the superficial infection was more frequent in the EF group (odds ratio [OR] = 3.22, P = 0.0002), there were no differences in the deep infection and overall infection rates. Also, there were no differences in reoperation rate, knee stiffness, compartment syndrome, and venous thromboembolism. The radiographic osteoarthritis was more common in the EF group (OR = 1.56, P = 0.04); however, there was no difference in the need for total knee arthroplasty between the two treatment modalities.

CONCLUSION

EF provides better functional outcomes and range of motion compared to ORIF in the treatment of complex tibial plateau fractures. With shorter surgical time and lesser intraoperative blood loss, EF can be considered as a definite treatment method in open injuries, polytrauma patients, and chronically morbid patients who cannot withstand prolonged surgery.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level III, Therapeutic Study.

Complications and Functional Outcome of Femoral Head Fracture-Dislocation In Delayed and Neglected Cases

INTRODUCTION

Delayed reduction of the hip in femoral head fracture dislocation increases the risk of osteonecrosis and adversely affects the functional outcome.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This retrospective study was designed to evaluate the outcome and complications of 138 patients with femoral head fracture dislocation treated by a single surgeon over a period of 22 years. Only seven patients presented within 24 h of injury and remaining all presented late. The hip joints could be reduced by closed manoeuvre in 105 patients, and 33 patients needed open reduction. The patients were managed conservatively or surgically. The mean follow-up period was 3.57 years (1-18 years).

RESULTS

There were 119 males and 19 females. The mean age was 35.71 years (range, 18-70 years). Forty-two patients were managed conservatively, and 96 patients needed surgical treatment. The Kocher-Langenbeck approach was used in 40 patients, the trochanteric flip osteotomy in 14 patients, the Smith-Peterson approach in 31 patients, and the Watson-Jones approach in one patient. The femoral head fragment was fixed in 47.82% patients and excised in 11.59% patients. Primary total hip replacement (THR) was performed in 7.24% of patients through the posterior approach. 24.63% of patients developed complications with 14.49% of hip osteonecrosis, 2.89% posttraumatic osteoarthritis and 2.17% femoral head resorption. 55% of patients who developed osteonecrosis were operated through the posterior approach. Secondary procedures were needed in 14.48% of patients. The clinical outcome, as evaluated using the modified Harris Hip Score, was good to excellent in 52.89% of patients and poor to fair in 47.11% of patients.

CONCLUSION

The incidences of osteonecrosis and secondary procedures are increased in delayed and neglected femoral head fracture dislocation. Osteonecrosis is commonly seen in Brumback 2A injuries and posterior-based approaches. All Brumback 3B fractures in such delayed cases should be treated with THR. Osteosynthesis or conservative treatment should be reserved for other types of injuries. A careful selection of treatment plan in such delayed cases can result in a comparable functional outcome as reported in the literature.

Cross-cultural validation of Hindi version Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) in osteoarthritis knee

PURPOSE

To assess the reliability, validity and responsiveness of the Hindi version of the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (H-KOOS) in osteoarthritic knee.

METHODS

Two hundred and fourteen patients of osteoarthritis knee (OA) between 40 and 80 years of age were evaluated with H-KOOS, Short form health survey (SF12v2) and the WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire. The H-KOOS was re-evaluated after 48 h in 125 patients to assess the test-retest reliability. For responsiveness, 40 patients were treated with the intra-articular hyaluronic acid injection, and the effect was assessed after 6 weeks.

RESULTS

Most of the domains in H-KOOS did not show a ceiling effect. The floor values were observed in 3.75% of patients in sports/recreation function and 2.75% of patients in Quality of life (QoL). The test-retest reliability was excellent with the Intraclass-Correlation-Coefficient (ICC) ranging from 0.89 to 0.94. Internal consistency as assessed using Cronbach's alpha coefficient was acceptable for pain, activities of daily living (ADL) and sport/recreation function (range 0.86-0.93); however, symptoms and QoL had weak internal consistency. There were moderate to strong correlations (r = 0.35 to 0.6) between domains measuring similar constructs in H-KOOS, SF12v2 and WHOQOL-BREF indicating good convergent construct validity. The responsiveness as measured by the effect size (ES) and standardized response mean (SRM) was large for pain (ES 0.9, SRM 0.8), moderate for Sport/Rec (ES 0.66, SRM 0.2) and small for ADL, QoL and Symptoms subscales.

CONCLUSION

The Hindi version KOOS is a valid, reliable and responsive measure to evaluate osteoarthritis knee with minimal ceiling and floor effects.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Prospective cohort study, level II.

Perioperative mortality and morbidity of hip fractures among COVID-19 infected and non-infected patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis

PURPOSE

Hip fractures among elderly patients are surgical emergencies. During COVID-19 pandemic time, many such patients could not be operated at early time because of the limitation of the medical resources, the risk of infection and redirection of medical attention to a severe infective health problem.

METHODS

A search of electronic databases (PubMed, Medline, CINAHL, EMBASE and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials) with the keywords "COVID", "COVID-19″, "SARS-COV-2", "Corona", "pandemic", "hip fracture", "trochanteric fracture" and "neck femur fracture" revealed 64 studies evaluating treatment of hip fracture in elderly patients during COVID-19 pandemic time. The 30-day mortality rate, inpatient mortality rate, critical care/special care need, readmission rate and complications rate in both groups were evaluated. Data were analyzed using Review Manager (RevMan) V.5.3.

RESULTS

After screening, 7 studies were identified that described the mortality and morbidity in hip fractures in both COVID-19 infected (COVID-19 +) and non-infected (COVID-19 -) patients. There were significantly increased risks of 30-day mortality (32.23% COVID-19 + death vs. 8.85% COVID-19 - death) and inpatient mortality (29.33% vs. 2.62%) among COVID-19 + patients with odds ratio (OR) of 4.84 (95% CI: 3.13-7.47, p < 0.00001) and 15.12 (95% CI: 6.12-37.37, p < 0.00001), respectively. The COVID-19 + patients needed more critical care admission (OR = 5.08, 95% CI: 1.49-17.30, p < 0.009) and they remain admitted for a longer time in hospital (MD = 3.6, 95% CI: 1.74-5.45, p = 0.0001); but there was no difference in readmission rate between these 2 groups. The risks of overall complications (OR = 17.22), development of pneumonia (OR = 22.25), and acute respiratory distress syndrome/acute respiratory failure (OR = 32.96) were significantly high among COVID-19 + patients compared to COVID-19 - patients.

CONCLUSIONS

There are increased risks of the 30-day mortality, inpatient mortality and critical care admission among hip fracture patients who are COVID-19 +. The chances of developing pneumonia and acute respiratory failure are more in COVID-19 + patients than in COVID-19 ‒ patients.

Medial malleolar osteotomy for intralesional curettage and bone grafting of primary aneurysmal bone cyst of the talus

Access to the cystic lesion of the talar body without damage to the articular surface is difficult. This case report is about a 23-year-old man who had a symptomatic huge cystic lesion in the left-sided talus bone. Radiograph and CT scan showed an expansile lytic lesion within the talar body. The MRI revealed a well-defined lesion with fluid-fluid levels. The needle biopsy aspirate was haemorrhagic, and hence a diagnosis of the aneurysmal bone cyst was made. As the lesion was beneath the talar dome with an intact neck and head, a medial approach with medial malleolar osteotomy was performed. The lesion was curetted out, and the cavity was filled up with a morselised bone graft. The limb was splinted for 6 weeks, and complete weight bearing was started after 3 months. At 1-year follow-up, the lesion was found to be healed up, and the patient was pain-free with no recurrence.

Association of Gut Microbiome and Vitamin D Deficiency in Knee Osteoarthritis Patients: A Pilot Study

BACKGROUND

Few preclinical studies have shown that Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is linked to gut microbiome dysbiosis and chronic inflammation. This pilot study was designed to look at the gut microbiome composition in KOA patients and normal individuals with or without vitamin D deficiency (VDD, serum vitamin D <30 ng/mL).

METHODS

This pilot study was conducted prospectively in 24 participants. The faecal samples of all the participants were taken for DNA extraction. The V3-V4 region of 16s rRNA was amplified, and the library was prepared and sequenced on the Illumina Miseq platform.

RESULTS

The mean (±SD) age was 45.5 (±10.2) years with no defined comorbidities. Of 447 total Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs), a differential abundance of 16 nominally significant OTUs between the groups was observed. Linear discriminate analysis (LEfSe) revealed a significant difference in bacteria among the study groups. Pseudobutyrivibrio and Odoribacter were specific for VDD, while Parabacteroides, Butyricimonas and Gordonibacter were abundant in the KOA_VDD group, and Peptococcus, Intestimonas, Delftia and Oribacterium were abundant in the KOA group. About 80% of bacterial species were common among different groups and hence labelled as core bacterial species. However, the core microbiome of KOA and VDD groups were not seen in the KOA_VDD group, suggesting that these bacterial groups were affected by the interaction of the KOA and VDD factors.

CONCLUSION

Parabacteroides, Butyricimonas, Pseudobutyrivibrio, Odoribacter and Gordonibacter are the predominant bacteria in vitamin D deficient patients with or without KOA. Together these results indicate an association between the gut microbiome, vitamin D and knee osteoarthritis.

Serum levels of osteoprotegerin, RANK-L & vitamin D in different stages of osteoarthritis of the knee

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the 11^th leading cause of disability in the modern world, but till date, there have been no effective markers for monitoring the progression of OA. The three proteins RANK/RANK-Ligand and Osteoprotegerin (OPG) have been found to be the key regulators of bone metabolism. Interaction of RANK-Ligand with its receptor RANK triggers differentiation of osteoclasts leading to bone resorption. OPG on the other hand is protective as it is expressed by osteoblasts and bind RANKL with higher affinity preventing its interaction with RANK. The levels of these serum proteins are regulated by vitamin D and parathyroid hormones. Therefore, the present study, aimed to study the association of serum RANKL, OPG and vitamin D with disease severity in patients with knee OA.

METHODS

It was a cross-sectional study where 80 (43 women and 37 men) newly diagnosed subjects with OA knee were recruited. They were classified into four grades based on K-L grading and into two groups as early (grade 1+grade 2) and advanced (grade 3 + grade 4) based on the disease progression.

RESULTS

On comparing the biochemical parameters among the four grades decreasing vitamin D levels were seen with increasing severity of knee OA; an increasing trend of RANKL with increase in the severity of OA was seen; OPG was found to be elevated more in the early stages of OA. We also observed a strong association of RANKL/OPG ratio with disease severity.

INTERPRETATION & CONCLUSIONS

Overall the results suggest that OPG may be considered as an early marker of the diseases.

Thirty-day mortality of patients with hip fracture during COVID-19 pandemic and pre-pandemic periods: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Timely intervention in hip fracture is essential to decrease the risks of perioperative morbidity and mortality. However, limitations of the resources, risk of disease transmission and redirection of medical attention to a more severe infective health problem during coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic period have affected the quality of care even in a surgical emergency.

AIM

To compare the 30-d mortality rate and complications of hip fracture patients treated during COVID-19 pandemic and pre-pandemic times.

METHODS

The search of electronic databases on 1^st August 2020 revealed 45 studies related to mortality of hip fracture during the COVID-19 pandemic and pre-pandemic times. After careful screening, eight studies were eligible for quantitative and qualitative analysis of data.

RESULTS

The pooled data of eight studies (n = 1586) revealed no significant difference in 30-d mortality rate between the hip fracture patients treated during the pandemic and pre-pandemic periods [9.63% vs 6.33%; odds ratio (OR), 0.62; 95%CI, 0.33, 1.17; P = 0.14]. Even the 30-d mortality rate was not different between COVID-19 non-infected patients who were treated during the pandemic time, and all hip fracture patients treated during the pre-pandemic period (OR, 1.03; 95%CI, 0.61, 1.75; P = 0.91). A significant difference in mortality rate was observed between COVID-19 positive and COVID-19 negative patients (OR, 6.99; 95%CI, 3.45, 14.16; P < 0.00001). There was no difference in the duration of hospital stay (OR, -1.52, 95%CI, -3.85, 0.81; P = 0.20), overall complications (OR, 1.62; P = 0.15) and incidence of pulmonary complications (OR, 1.46; P = 0.38) in these two-time frames. Nevertheless, the preoperative morbidity was more severe, and there was less use of general anesthesia during the pandemic time.

CONCLUSION

There was no difference in 30-d mortality rate between hip fracture patients treated during the pandemic and pre-pandemic periods. However, the mortality risk was higher in COVID-19 positive patients compared to COVID-19 negative patients. There was no difference in time to surgery, complications and hospitalization time between these two time periods.

Limb length discrepancy after total knee arthroplasty: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Limb length discrepancy (LLD) after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) has been considered as one of the reasons for the unsatisfactory outcome. However, there is no consensus about the extent of LLD that can be considered as clinically relevant.

AIM

To evaluate the incidence of radiographic LLD and its impact on functional outcome following TKA.

METHODS

All randomized-controlled trial and observational studies on LLD in TKA, published till 22^nd June 2020, were systematically searched and reviewed. The primary outcome was “limb lengthening or LLD after TKA”. The secondary outcomes included “assessment of LLD in varus/valgus deformity” and “impact of LLD on the functional outcome”.

RESULTS

Of 45 retrieved studies, qualitative and quantitative assessment of data was performed from eight studies and six studies, respectively. Five studies (n = 1551) reported the average limb lengthening of 5.98 mm. The LLD after TKA was ranging from 0.4 ± 10 mm to 15.3 ± 2.88 mm. The incidence of postoperative radiographic LLD was reported in 44% to 83.3% of patients. There was no difference in the preoperative and postoperative LLD (MD -1.23; 95%CI: -3.72, 1.27; P = 0.34). Pooled data of two studies (n = 219) revealed significant limb lengthening in valgus deformity than varus (MD -2.69; 95%CI: -5.11, 0.27; P = 0.03). The pooled data of three studies (n = 611) showed significantly worse functional outcome in patients with LLD of ≥ 10 mm compared to < 10 mm (standard MD 0.58; 95%CI: 0.06, 1.10; P = 0.03).

CONCLUSION

Limb lengthening after TKA is common, and it is significantly more in valgus than varus deformity. Significant LLD (≥ 10 mm) is associated with suboptimal functional outcome.

Functional outcome of gastrocnemius advancement flap augmented with short flexor hallucis longus tendon transfer in chronic Achilles tear

BACKGROUND

There are various techniques of Achilles tendon (TA) repair and reconstruction in chronic Achilles tear. However, there is no clear consensus on the relevance of one method over the other. The short flexor hallucis longus tendon (FHL) transfer has recently gained popularity because of its same phasic action, ease of harvesting and tensile strength.

METHODOLOGY

Fifteen chronic Achilles tear (>6 weeks) were treated with tendon repair using gastrocnemius advancement flap augmented with FHL transfer. The patients were followed-up at 1.5, 3, 6, 12 and 24 months. The clinical outcome at latest follow-up was evaluated using the American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Score (AOFAS) and the Achilles Tendon Rupture Score (ATRS).

RESULTS

The mean age was 43.5 ± 12.4 years and the median time from injury to surgery was 17.13 ± 9.64 weeks. The mean gap between the retracted ends of the ruptured tendon was 5.67 ± 1.63 cm (range 4-10 cm). The mean follow-up was 19.07 ± 3.15 months (range, 13-24 months). The mean AOFAS and ATRS improved from 72.07 ± 8.29 (62-83) to 98.4 ± 2.03 (94-100) and 61.73 ± 8.16 (52-70) to 98 ± 1.85 (94-100) respectively (paired t-test, p-value 0.0001). All patients resumed their pre-injury daily activities, and there was no donor site morbidity. Two patients had sterile serous discharge, and one patient had a staphylococcus infection. These patients responded to debridement with prolonged antibiotic therapy. There were no nerve injuries or re-rupture.

CONCLUSION

The functional outcome of chronic Achilles tear treated with gastrocnemius advancement flap augmented with short FHL transfer is rewarding.

Factors affecting quality of life after pelvic fracture

INTRODUCTION

Functional outcome and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) after pelvis fracture is suboptimal; majority of the patients do not return to their preinjury activities. Many researchers reported that late morbidity in pelvis fracture is associated with severity of the fracture, associated trauma, pelvic fracture-related complications and methods of treatment.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

One hundred and twelve patients with pelvis fracture who were treated either conservatively (n = 88) or surgically (n = 24) with a minimum of two years follow up were evaluated clinically and radiologically. The clinical outcome was evaluated using Majeed score and self-reported Short Musculoskeletal Function Assessment (SMFA). Their HRQOL was evaluated using the 36-item Short Form Survey (SF-36) and WHOQOL-BREF questionnaires. The fracture-displacement in the anterior or posterior pelvis ring was measured from the anteroposterior radiograph or inlet/outlet view.

RESULTS

The average Majeed score was 76.65 ± 14.73 (range, 36 to 96). There were 81 patients with good to excellent outcomes and 31 patients with poor to fair outcomes. The average SF-36 Physical Component Summary (PCS) score was 47.71 ± 7.88 (range, 27.3 to 61.5) and SF-36 Mental Component Summary (MCS) was 49.20 ± 9.37 (range, 23.1 to 56.8). The functional level of the general population in the physical and mental domain was achieved in 48.23% and 65.3% of pelvic-fractured patients respectively. General population norms were achieved in 56.3%, 63.4%, 65.2% and 84.8% of patients in WHOQOL-BREF domain one, two, three and four respectively. The patients had significantly worse functional outcome and HRQOL if residual displacement was > 1 cm. Age, sex, associated injuries and injury mechanism were not affecting the HRQOL in patients with acceptable residual displacement of ≤ 1 cm.

CONCLUSION

Pelvic fracture with the residual displacement of ≤ 1 cm in the sacroiliac joint/symphysis pubis result in better functional outcome and HRQOL. Injury mechanism and associated injury have no impact on the HRQOL if the residual displacement is within the acceptable limit.

Acetabulum fractures in elderly: A systematic review of fracture pattern and treatment

PURPOSE

Acetabulum fractures are being increasingly seen with low impact injuries in elderly patients. This article aimed to study systematically literature on geriatric acetabulum fractures. Objectives of this systematic review were to study (1) demography of patients, common mechanisms of injury and types of fracture patterns commonly seen in elderly patients, (2) treatment used for these fractures in literature and (3) mortality rates in elderly with these fractures.

METHODS

Systematic search was carried out in May 2020 using predefined search strategy for all studies published in the English language in last 20 years. Literature search and data abstraction was done by two independent reviewers.

RESULTS

After screening of all abstracts, a total of 48 studies were included in the systematic review. In total there were 7876 geriatric patients with acetabulum fractures. Mean age of the patients was 72.47 years. There were 4841 males (61.5%). Fall from low heights was the most common mechanism of injury, present in 47.12% patients followed by motor vehicular accidents in 28.73%. Most common fracture pattern was both column fracture, seen in 19.03% patients, followed by anterior column and posterior hemitransverse fracture in 17.23%, anterior column fractures in 17.13%, and posterior wall fractures in 13.46% patients. Out of total 5160 patients for whom details of treatment were available, 2199 (42.62%) were given non-operative treatment, 2285 (44.28%) were treated with ORIF of acetabulum fracture, 161 (3.12%) were treated with percutaneous fixation and 515 (9.98%) were treated with primary THA. Gull sign, femoral head injury and posterior wall comminution were associated with poorer prognosis after ORIF and may form an indication for a primary THA.

CONCLUSION

Literature on treatment of geriatric acetabulum fractures is not enough to draw any definite conclusions. There is limited evidence from current literature that surgery could be considered a safe treatment option for displaced acetabulum fractures in elderly. Primary THA can provide early mobility and reduce chances of resurgery in fracture patterns where restoration of joint surface may not be possible.

Association of vitamin D and knee osteoarthritis in younger individuals

BACKGROUND

The incidence of primary osteoarthritis knee is gradually increasing among young individuals. The increasing prevalence of obesity, sedentary lifestyle, sporting activity, and vitamin D deficiency (VDD) has been hypothesized for this shifting disease trend. This study was designed to look for the association of serum vitamin D among these young arthritic patients.

AIM

To look for the association of serum vitamin D in younger knee osteoarthritis (KOA) patients.

METHODS

In a 2-year observational study, 146 non-obese KOA patients of 35-60 years were evaluated clinically (Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score, KOOS) and radiologically (Kellegren-Lawrence stage, KL). The serum 25(OH)D level of these patients and 146 normal healthy individuals of same age group were estimated.

RESULTS

Both the groups were comparable in terms of age and sex. The average serum 25(OH)D level in healthy individuals and KOA patients was 45.83 ng/mL and 34.58 ng/mL, respectively (P < 0.001). Inadequate serum 25(OH)D level (< 30 ng/mL) was found in 46.57% of KOA patients and 24% of normal healthy participants indicating a significant positive association (odds ratio 2.77, 95%CI: 1.67-4.54, P < 0.001). The 25(OH)D level in KL grade I, II, III and IV was 43.40, 30.59, 31.56 and 33.93 ng/mL respectively (no difference, P = 0.47). Similarly, the KOOS score in sufficient, insufficient and deficient groups were 65.31, 60.36 and 65.31, respectively (no difference, P = 0.051).

CONCLUSION

The serum 25(OH)D level is significantly low in younger KOA patients. However, the clinical and radiological severities have no association with serum vitamin D level.

Intra-operative fractures in primary total knee arthroplasty - a systematic review

BACKGROUND

One of the rare complications of primary total knee arthroplasty is intra-operative fracture. Intra-operative fracture during revision knee arthroplasty has been well-documented but there is limited literature on fractures occurring during primary knee arthroplasty. We conducted a systematic review of the literature to compare and contrast the various studies to clearly define the predisposing factors, incidence, and characteristics of the fracture itself and to arrive at a consensus on the management and prevention of intra-operative fractures during primary knee arthroplasty.

METHODS

The PubMed/Medline, Cochrane, Scopus and Embase databases were searched using keywords "intra-operative fracture", "distal femoral fracture", "tibial fracture", "patella fracture" and "primary total knee arthroplasty". A total of 158 articles were retrieved and after further filtration and exclusion processing, 10 articles that evaluated intra-operative fractures in primary total knee arthroplasty were included for the review.

RESULTS

The reported incidence of intra-operative fractures varied from 0.2% to 4.4%. A higher incidence in female patients with a male to female ratio of 0.4 was reported. Posterior stabilized (PS) total knee arthroplasty was associated with higher risk of intra-operative femoral fractures by many authors in this review. Timing of occurrence and location of the intra-operative fractures can vary widely, with femoral fractures occurring more commonly during bone preparation, trialing and impaction of the final implant and tibial fractures occurring during preparation for the tibial keel and impaction of the tibial component.

CONCLUSIONS

Intra-operative fractures during primary total knee arthroplasty are rare with higher risk associated with osteoporosis, rheumatoid arthritis, advanced age, female gender, chronic steroid use, metabolic bone disorders, PS type of femoral implant and difficult surgical exposure of the knee joint due to severe deformities. A plethora of management options have been utilized according to surgeon preference. Standard principles of fracture fixation and arthroplasty principles should be followed to achieve stable internal fixation and any unstable fracture site should be bypassed with the utilization of stemmed components. Satisfactory radiographic and functional outcome can be expected with appropriate treatment.

Risk Factors for the Development of Postoperative Acute Kidney Injury in Patients Undergoing Joint Replacement Surgery: A Meta-Analysis

A new-onset acute kidney injury (AKI) after arthroplasty impairs rehabilitation and outcome. A prior knowledge of risk factors contributes to a planned preventive management and prognostication. Although many studies have addressed the issue, our objective was to perform a meta-analysis to bring a consensus on the perioperative risk factors promoting AKI postoperatively. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies reporting risk factors with odds of development of AKI according to the existing criteria after hip or knee replacement surgery. We searched the PubMed and Google Scholar databases for free English articles published until June 2018. Two authors independently screened the articles and extracted data. Discrepancies were resolved by consensus or consulting the third author. Methodological quality of the articles was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. A total of five studies were included in this meta-analysis. The following risk factors were found to contribute to new kidney injury: advanced age; male gender; preoperative liver, cardiac, or kidney diseases; presence of heart failure; American Society of Anesthesiologists grade ≥ 3; requirement of perioperative blood transfusion, revision arthroplasty, and knee arthroplasty; body mass index; and use of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors. Diabetes, hypertension, duration of surgery, type of anesthesia, and preoperative serum creatinine were not found to be associated with renal injury. The key limitation was the availability of small number of studies. More longitudinal observational studies addressing the issue are the need of the hour, and, till then, a preventive strategy aimed at the identified risk factors should help.