Postoperative alignment in revision total knee arthroplasty, a comparison between intra and extra-medullary tibial alignment

Validated Wearable Device Shows Acute Postoperative Changes in Sleep Patterns Consistent With Patient-Reported Outcomes and Progressive Decreases in Device Compliance After Shoulder Surgery

Purpose

To assess the utility of a validated wearable device (VWD) in examining preoperative and postoperative sleep patterns and how these data compare to patient-reported outcomes (PROs) after rotator cuff repair (RCR) or total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA).

Methods

Male and female adult patients undergoing either RCR or TSA were followed up from 34 days preoperatively to 6 weeks postoperatively. Sleep metrics were collected using a VWD in an unsupervised setting. PROs were assessed using the following validated outcome measures: Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Physical Function questionnaire; American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons self-evaluation questionnaire; visual analog scale assessing pain; and Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand questionnaire. Data were analyzed preoperatively and at 2-week intervals postoperatively with χ2 analysis to evaluate device compliance. Sleep metrics and PROs were evaluated at each interval relative to preoperative values within each surgery type with an analysis of variance repeated on time point. The relation between sleep metrics and PROs was assessed with correlation analysis.

Results

A total of 57 patients were included, 37 in the RCR group and 20 in the TSA group. The rate of device compliance in the RCR group decreased from 84% at surgery to 46% by 6 weeks postoperatively (P < .001). Similarly, the rate of device compliance in the TSA group decreased from 81% to 52% (P < .001). Deep sleep decreased in RCR patients at 2 to 4 weeks (decrease by 10.99 ± 3.96 minutes, P = .021) and 4 to 6 weeks postoperatively (decrease by 13.37 ± 4.08 minutes, P = .008). TSA patients showed decreased deep sleep at 0 to 2 weeks postoperatively (decrease by 12.91 ± 5.62 minutes, P = .045) and increased rapid eye movement sleep at 2 to 4 weeks postoperatively (increase by 26.91 ± 10.70 minutes, P = .031). Rapid eye movement sleep in the RCR group and total sleep in the TSA group were positively correlated with more favorable PROs (P < .05).

Conclusions

VWDs allow for monitoring components of sleep that offer insight into potential targets for improving postoperative fatigue, pain, and overall recovery after shoulder surgery. However, population demographic factors and ease of device use are barriers to optimized patient compliance during data collection.

Level of Evidence

Level IV, diagnostic case series.

A multimodal intraosseous infusion of morphine and ketorolac decreases early postoperative pain and opioid consumption following total knee arthroplasty

BACKGROUND

Multimodal pain management regimens and intraosseous infusion of morphine are two novel techniques that show promise in decreasing postoperative pain and opioid consumption following total knee arthroplasty. However, no study has analyzed the intraosseous infusion of a multimodal pain management regimen in this patient population. The purpose of our investigation was to examine the intraosseous administration of a multimodal pain regimen comprised of morphine and ketorolac during total knee arthroplasty with regard to immediate and 2-week postoperative pain, opioid pain medication intake, and nausea levels.

METHODS

In this prospective cohort study with comparisons to a historical control group, 24 patients were prospectively enrolled to receive an intraosseous infusion of morphine and ketorolac dosed according to age-based protocols while undergoing total knee arthroplasty. Immediate and 2-week postoperative Visual Analog Score (VAS) pain scores, opioid pain medication intake, and nausea levels were recorded and compared against a historical control group that received an intraosseous infusion of morphine alone.

RESULTS

During the first four postoperative hours, patients who received the multimodal intraosseous infusion experienced lower VAS pain scores and required less breakthrough intravenous pain medication than those patients in our historical control group. Following this immediate postoperative period, there were no additional differences between groups in terms of pain levels or opioid consumption, and there were no differences in nausea levels between groups at any time.

CONCLUSIONS

Our multimodal intraosseous infusion of morphine and ketorolac dosed according to age-based protocols improved immediate postoperative pain levels and reduced opioid consumption in the immediate postoperative period for patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty.

Shear wave elastography of the ulnar collateral ligament in division IA pitchers across a competitive collegiate season

Background

The ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) is a commonly injured elbow stabilizer during throwing. Shear wave elastography (SWE) is a technique that may reveal structural changes in the UCL that are indicative of ligament health and injury risk. The purpose of this study was to assess preseason and inseason shear wave velocity (SWV) in the UCL of collegiate pitchers and to asses repeatability of this measurement technique in healthy volunteers.

Methods

Seventeen collegiate baseball pitchers and 11 sex-matched volunteers were recruited. Two-dimensional SWE of the UCL was performed by a single radiologist. In pitchers, SWV was measured at the proximal, midsubstance, and distal UCL for dominant and nondominant elbows preseason, midseason, and postseason, and Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic (KJOC) Shoulder and Elbow questionnaire scores were recorded. In volunteers, SWV was measured at UCL midsubstance in dominant elbows at 3 separate occasions over 1 week. An independent samples t-test was used to compare preseason midsubstance measures between pitchers and the healthy volunteers. A mixed-model analysis of covariance (covaried on preseason measures) was used to compare SWV measures at the preseason, midseason, and postseason time points. A similar generalized linear model for nonparametric data was used to compare KJOC scores. Type-I error was set at P < .05.

Results

Mean preseason midsubstance dominant arm UCL SWV did not significantly differ between the pitchers (5.40 ± 1.65 m/s) compared to the healthy volunteers (4.35 ± 1.45 m/s). For inseason measures among the pitchers, a decrease in midsubstance (-1.17 ± 0.99 m/s, P = .021) and proximal (-1.55 ± 0.91 m/s, P = .001) SWV was observed at midseason compared to preseason. The proximal measure was also observed to be significantly lower than the nondominant arm (-1.97 ± 0.95 m/s, P < .001). Proximal SWV remained reduced relative to the preseason and the postseason mark (-1.13 ± 0.91 m/s, P = .015). KJOC scores decreased at midseason compared to preseason (P = .003) but then increased to a similar preseason value at the postseason measurement (preseason = 92 ± 3, midseason = 87 ± 3, postseason = 91 ± 3). The repeatability coefficient of SWE in the volunteer cohort was 1.98 m/s.

Conclusion

Decreased SWV in the proximal and midsubstance of the dominant arm UCL at midseason suggests structural changes indicative of increasing laxity or 'softening' of the UCL. Associated decline in KJOC scores suggests that these changes are associated with functional decline. Future studies with more frequent sampling would be invaluable to further explore this observation and its significance for predicting and managing UCL injury risk.

Alignment and Fixation in Revision Total Knee Arthroplasty With Press-Fit, Offset, Diaphyseal-Engaging Stem Extensions, and Eccentric Reaming Technique

BACKGROUND

A revision total knee arthroplasty must control limb alignment, often to address the cause of failure. Press-fit stems that engage the diaphysis with cement restricted to the metaphysis constitute one fixation technique. These long stems restrict coronal alignment of the prosthesis and as a result reduce the likelihood of extreme malposition. For the same reasons, long stems can make it difficult to manipulate alignment and achieve a specific coronal alignment angle. Nevertheless, femoral stems with a tight diaphyseal fit may still occupy a small range of varus-valgus positions due to the conical distal femoral metaphysis. Pulling the reamer toward the lateral endosteum increases femoral component coronal alignment toward a valgus direction and pushing the reamer medially increases alignment in a more varus direction. A straight stem, in combination with a medially directed reaming, would result in a femoral component that overhangs medially, but an offset stem can recenter the femoral component and maintain the desired alignment. We hypothesized that diaphyseal fit plus this reaming technique can control limb coronal alignment and provide fixation.

METHODS

This was a retrospective clinical and long-leg radiographic study of consecutive revision total knee arthroplasties with minimum 2-year follow-up. Outcomes were correlated with New Zealand Joint Registry data to identify rerevisions of 111 consecutive revision knee arthroplasties, 92 after exclusions, at a minimum 2-year (range, 2 to 10) follow-up.

RESULTS

Mean femoral and tibial canal fill exceeded 91% on antero-posterior and lateral radiographs. The mean hip-knee-ankle angle was 179.6o (174.9-184.0) with 80% within ± 3o of neutral. The hip-ankle axis crossed the central Kennedy zone in 76.5% of cases and the other 24.6% crossed the inner medial and inner lateral zones. Tibial components: 99.0% ± 3o. Femoral components: 89.5% within ± 3o. There were 5 knees that failed due to infection, 3 from femoral loosening, and 1 due to recurvatum instability from polio.

CONCLUSIONS

This study describes a surgical plan and technique for achieving target coronal alignment with press-fit diaphyseal fixation. It is the only series of revision knee arthroplasties with diaphyseal press-fit stems to report canal fill in 2 planes and coronal alignment on full-length radiographs.

Intraosseous Morphine Decreases Postoperative Pain and Pain Medication Use in Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Double-Blind, Randomized Controlled Trial

BACKGROUND

Intraosseous (IO) infusion of medication is a novel technique for total knee arthroplasty (TKA) antibiotic prophylaxis. To decrease postoperative pain in TKA patients, we investigated addition of morphine to a standard IO antibiotic injection.

METHODS

A double-blind, randomized controlled trial was performed on 48 (24 each) consecutive patients undergoing primary TKA. The control group received an IO injection of antibiotics as per the standard protocol. The experimental group received an IO antibiotic injection with 10 mg of morphine. Pain, nausea, and opioid use were assessed up to 14 days postoperatively. Morphine and interleukin-6 serum levels were obtained 10 hours postoperatively in a subgroup of 20 patients.

RESULTS

The experimental group had lower Visual Analog Scale pain score at 1, 2, 3, and 5 hours postoperatively (P = .0032, P = .005, P = .020, P = .010). This trend continued for postoperative day 1, 2, 8, and 9 (40% reduction, P = .001; 49% reduction, P = .036; 38% reduction, P = .025; 33% reduction, P = .041). The experimental group had lower opioid consumption than the control group for the first 48 hours and second week postsurgery (P < .05). Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score for Joint Replacement scores for the experimental group showed significant improvement at 2 and 8 weeks postsurgery (P < .05). Serum morphine levels in the experimental group were significantly less than the control group 10 hours after IO injection (P = .049).

CONCLUSION

IO morphine combined with a standard antibiotic solution demonstrates superior postoperative pain relief immediately and up to 2 weeks. IO morphine is a safe and effective method to lessen postoperative pain in TKA patients.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Therapeutic, Level 1.