History of previous knee surgery does not affect the clinical outcomes of primary total knee arthroplasty in an Asian population

The alterations in nerve growth factor concentration in plasma and synovial fluid before and after total knee arthroplasty

Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is an effective procedure for pain relief; however, the emergence of postsurgical pain remains a concern. In this study, we investigated the production of nerve growth factor (NGF) and mediators that affect NGF production and their function in the synovial fluid and plasma after TKA. This study included 19 patients (20 knees) who had rheumatoid arthritis (RA), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and knee osteoarthritis (OA) who underwent TKA, categorized into OA and non-OA groups. The levels of NGF, inflammatory cytokines, and lipid mediators were analyzed before and after surgery. The intraoperative synovial fluid NGF concentration was more than seven times higher in the non-OA group than in the OA group. The intra-articular NGF levels increased significantly by more than threefold postoperatively in the OA group but not in the non-OA group. Moreover, the levels of inflammatory cytokines and lipid mediators were increased in the synovial fluid of both groups. The intra-articular cytokines or NGF concentrations positively correlated with postoperative pain. Targeted NGF control has the potential to alleviate postsurgical pain in TKA, especially in patients with OA, emphasizing the importance of understanding NGF dynamics under different knee conditions.

Previous Extensor Mechanism Repair Is Associated With Increased Rates of Surgical Complications Following Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Propensity-matched Analysis

Background

Although extensor mechanism failure following total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is a devastating complication and has been heavily studied in the literature, the impact of extensor mechanism rupture and concomitant repair prior to TKA has not previously been evaluated. The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate how quadriceps and/or patellar tendon repairs prior to TKA would impact medical and surgery-related complications following TKA.

Methods

The PearlDiver database was retrospectively reviewed to identify all primary TKA patients from 2010 to 2019. Patients who underwent quadriceps or patellar tendon repair prior to TKA were matched using a propensity score algorithm to a control cohort. We compared medical and surgical complication rates, emergency room visits, readmissions, and 90-day cost of care between the groups.

Results

A total of 1197 patients underwent extensor mechanism repair prior to TKA and were matched to 11,970 patients who did not undergo repair prior to TKA. Patients who underwent extensor mechanism repair had higher rates of 90-day medical complications, as well as 1-year surgery-related complications including revision TKA (odds ratio [OR] 6.06; P < .001), lysis of adhesions (OR 2.18; P = .026), aseptic loosening (OR 2.21; P = .018), infection (OR 7.58; P < .001), and fracture (OR 8.53; P < .001). Patients with prior extensor mechanism repair were more likely to return to the emergency department (OR 1.66; P < .001) and become readmitted (OR 4.15; P < .001) within 90 days.

Conclusions

Patients with previous extensor mechanism repair exhibited higher medical and surgery-related complications, including lysis of adhesions, following TKA than a control cohort. These findings may suggest that patients may require additional surveillance in the early postoperative period to avoid these disastrous complications following primary TKA.

Comparison of survival rates between total knee arthroplasty after a previous anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction and primary total knee arthroplasty via propensity score matching

INTRODUCTION

Although the survival rate of total knee arthroplasty (TKA) in patients treated with anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) is not as favorable as that in patients treated with primary TKA without ligament reconstruction, the exact survival rates and complications associated with these procedures are still controversial. Therefore, the purpose of the current study was to compare the revision rates of TKA in patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA) with a previous ACLR and those of patients with primary TKA with no history of knee surgery by using propensity score matching analysis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A list of patients who underwent TKA from January 1, 2008 to May 31, 2019 was obtained from the Korean National Health Insurance database. Among these, 460 patients underwent TKA in a knee with a previous ACLR and 569,766 patients who underwent primary TKA due to degenerative OA. We performed propensity scoring matching to compare the revision rates including septic revision due to prosthetic joint infection after TKA and perioperative complication rates within 90 days after revision TKA between the two groups.

RESULTS

Matched patients were assigned to one of the two groups (group A: 2,201 patients who underwent TKA due to primary OA, group B: 448 patients who underwent TKA in a knee with a previous ACLR) based on the propensity score. The total number of revisions per 1000 person-years was significantly higher in group B than in group A (10.16 vs 4.66, respectively). Group B showed a higher risk of revision than group A at 10 years post-TKA (hazard ratio: 2.49, 95% confidence interval: 1.30-4.77). However, group B showed a similar risk of septic revision as group A (p = 0.44). Perioperative complications within 90 days after TKA showed no significant differences between the groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Surgeons should be aware of the relatively higher revision rate of TKA in patients who had previously undergone an ACLR compared to that in patients who underwent primary TKA.

Long-Term Clinical Performance of an Uncemented, Mobile Bearing, Anterior Stabilized Knee System and the Impact of Previous Knee Surgery

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study is to report long-term survival and patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) of the uncemented low contact stress total knee system and explore the potential association between prior knee surgery and outcomes.

METHODS

A total of 1,289 procedures in 1,068 patients performed between 2000 and 2010 (mean follow-up 11.1 years) were retrospectively identified. All patients received an uncemented, mobile bearing, anterior stabilized (cruciate sacrificing) knee implant with a porous coating on the bone-prosthesis surface. Implant survival was calculated using competing risk analyses at 5, 10, and 15 years. PROMs include the Oxford Knee Score, Knee Society Score (domain function), EuroQol 5D-3L, and Numeric Rating Scale for pain during rest and activity, and for overall satisfaction. The association between previous surgery (no surgery versus meniscectomy versus arthroscopy versus corrective osteotomies) and implant survival was assessed with multivariable Cox proportional hazards analysis; the association with PROMs was assessed with multivariable linear regression analyses.

RESULTS

Survival after 5, 10, and 15 years was 97.0% (95% CI 96.0-98.0), 96.3% (95% CI 95.3-97.3), and 96.0% (95% CI 94.8-97.2), respectively. The most common reason for revision was aseptic loosening of the tibial tray (23/49 revisions, 47%). All PROMs were comparable with the reference values of the Dutch Arthroplasty Register. History of knee surgery prior to TKA was not associated with survival or PROMs.

CONCLUSION

The low contact stress uncemented mobile bearing knee implant provides excellent survival and patient satisfaction in our cohort. Previous surgery does not seem to compromise results in our population.

Tibial metaphyseal sleeves in primary total knee arthroplasty following high tibial osteotomy and tibial plateau fracture; preliminary mid-term survival and outcome

BACKGROUND

Previous high tibial osteotomy (HTO), and tibial plateau fractures (TPF) may cause problems in subsequent total knee arthroplasty (TKA) due to altered metaphyseal bone structure. Higher rates of loosening of the tibial component have been described. In post-HTO and TPF cases, a more durable fixation could be achieved by tibial sleeves. This study investigates the preliminary short-to-midterm clinical and radiographic results in a cohort of these cases.

METHODS

A cohort of 28 patients was selected, 11 following HTO, and 17 following TPF. Standard clinical and radiologic follow-up was performed at 6 weeks, and one and two years. Revision with removal of primary prosthesis for any reason was the primary outcome. Patient reported pre- and postoperative pain, satisfaction and general health scores were collected at one and two years. Postoperative radiographs were analyzed for radiolucent lines.

RESULTS

There were no cases of aseptic loosening. Survival for all reasons was 96.4% (CI 77.2%-99.5%). One progressive radiolucent line was seen. Numerical rating scale (NRS) for pain with and without weightbearing at 2-year follow-up improved from 8 to 3 and from 5 to 2 points respectively. Overall general health scores improved with a median of 70 at ≥ 2 years, compared to 63 pre-operatively.

CONCLUSION

With no revision for aseptic loosening the use of tibial sleeves in primary TKA seems a safe and reliable method for fixation of the tibial component in metaphyseal bone with altered bone structure at short and mid-term follow-up.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level IV, cohort study.

History of previous surgery is associated with higher risk of revision after primary total knee arthroplasty: a cohort study from the Geneva Arthroplasty Registry

Background and purpose - Prior to primary total knee arthroplasty (pTKA), 6-34% of patients have undergone surgical procedure(s) of their knee. We investigated whether history of previous surgeries influences the risk of revision of pTKA, the risk according to the type of previous surgery, and how previous surgery influences specific causes of revision and the time of revision.Patients and methods - This is a prospective cohort study from the Geneva Arthroplasty Registry. All pTKA between 2000 and 2016 were included and followed until December 31, 2019. Outcomes were risk of revision, evaluated using Kaplan-Meier survival and Cox and competing risks regression, the specific causes, and time of revision.Results - Of 3,945 pTKA included (mean age 71 years, 68% women), 21% had a history of previous surgery, with 8.3% revisions vs. 4.3%, at 3-20 years' follow-up (mean 8.6). 5- and 10-year cumulative failure by previous surgery (yes vs. no) were 6.6% (95% CI 5.1-8.5) vs. 3.3% (CI 2.7-4.0), and 8.4% (CI 6.6-10.6) vs. 4.5% (CI 3.8-5.4). Baseline differences explained only part of the higher risk (adjusted HR 1.5, CI 1.1-2.1). The risk of failure was higher for all causes of revision considered. Patients in the previous surgery group had a higher risk of an early revision.Interpretation - A history of previous surgery adversely affected the outcome with a 1.5 times higher cumulative risk of all-cause revision over the course of up to 20 years after index surgery. The increased risk was seen for all causes of revision and was highest in the first years.

Knee Arthroplasty with Prior Ligamentous Knee Surgery: A Matched Case-Control Study

We aimed to evaluate the timing, operative details, and outcomes of total knee arthroplasty (TKA) in patients with prior ligamentous knee surgery (LKS). All consecutive patients undergoing TKA with prior LKS at a single institution were identified from a large prospectively collected database. Patients were matched on a 2:1 basis according to age, sex, and body mass index to a group of patients without previous LKS undergoing primary TKA. A total of 39 patients with prior LKS and a mean age of 55.6 years (range: 42.8-76.4) were identified and matched with 78 patients without LKS with a mean age of 57.6 years (range: 44.0-79.4) undergoing primary TKA (p = 0.24). Significantly more posterior stabilized implants were used in patients with LKS compared with control patients (29 [74.3%] vs. 27 [34.6%], p < 0.001). In the LKS group, 15 patients (38.4%) required hardware removal. Postoperative complications and rate of further surgery were greater in the LCS group, but the difference was not significant (10.6 vs. 6.4%, p = 0.25). Mean difference in pre- to postoperative knee flexion and clinical outcome scores (12-item Short Form Survey, International Knee Documentation Committee, and Oxford Knee Score) were similar between the two groups, with no cases of loosening or osteolysis. TKA with prior LKS often warranted hardware removal and generally more constrained implants. Those patients with prior LKS undergoing subsequent TKA have higher complication rates and an increased rate of subsequent surgery related to post-TKA stiffness.

Clinical Course of Pain and Function Following Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Systematic Review and Meta-Regression

BACKGROUND

Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is widely considered a successful intervention for osteoarthritis and other degenerative knee diseases. This study addresses the need for a high-quality meta-analysis that outlines the clinical course of pain and function post-TKA.

METHODS

The review included prospective cohort studies assessing pain or function of patients undergoing primary TKA at baseline (preoperatively) and at least 2 additional time points including one at least 12 months postoperatively. Two reviewers independently screened references, extracted data, and assessed risk of bias using the Quality in Prognosis Studies tool. The time course of recovery of pain and function was modeled using fractional polynomial meta-regression.

RESULTS

In total, 191 studies with 59,667 patients were included, most with low risk of bias. The variance-weighted mean pain score (/100, 0 = no pain) was 64.0 (95% confidence interval [CI] 60.2-67.7) preoperatively, 24.1 (95% CI 20.3-27.9) at 3 months, 20.4 (95% CI 16.7-24.0) at 6 months, and 16.9 (95%CI 13.6-20.3) at 12 months, and remained low (10.1; 95% CI 4.8-15.4) at 10 years postoperatively. The variance-weighted mean function score (/100, 0 = worst function) was 47.1 (95% CI 45.7-48.4) preoperatively, 72.8 (95% CI 71.3-74.4) at 3 months, 76.3 (95% CI 74.7-77.8) at 6 months, and 78.1 (95%CI 76.4-79.7) at 12 months. Function scores were good (79.7; 95% CI 77.9-81.5) at 10 years postoperatively.

CONCLUSION

Patients undergoing primary TKA can expect a large and rapid but incomplete recovery of pain and function in the first postoperative year. At 10 years, the gains in pain scores may still remain while there is an improvement in function.

Does Prior Hip Arthroscopy Affect Outcomes of Subsequent Hip Arthroplasty? A Systematic Review

PURPOSE

To compare outcomes of hip arthroplasty in patients with and without a history of hip arthroscopy through a systematic review.

METHODS

A comprehensive search of the PubMed (MEDLINE) and Cochrane Central databases was performed using combinations of the keywords "hip," "arthroscopy," "arthroscopic," "arthroplasty," "replacement," and "conversion" in December 2017. Level I through III studies directly comparing outcomes of total or resurfacing hip arthroplasty between patients with and without a history of hip arthroscopy were included in this review if they reported at least 1 outcome measure.

RESULTS

Seven retrospective case-control studies collectively evaluating arthroplasty outcomes of 235 patients (104 male and 131 female patients) with a history of hip arthroscopy and 374 matched controls met the inclusion criteria. The mean age in the arthroscopy and control groups was 47.2 years and 49.1 years, respectively. The mean follow-up period after arthroplasty was 3.2 years in the hip arthroscopy group and 3.3 years in the control group. The mean time between arthroscopy and arthroplasty was 1.8 years. A posterior approach was used in 83.6% of arthroplasties. No statistically significant differences were noted in intraoperative measures, postoperative complications, or revision rates, with the exception of 1 study that reported an increased operative time among controls. Most studies reported similar subjective outcomes between groups, with a single study noting worse postoperative findings for the Harris Hip Score, Forgotten Joint Score-12, visual analog scale pain score, and patient satisfaction in the prior hip arthroscopy group.

CONCLUSIONS

The current literature suggests that short-term and midterm outcomes of hip arthroplasty are comparable in patients with and without a history of hip arthroscopy. However, the available literature is limited given the small sample sizes and therefore greater potential for β error. Nevertheless, our findings may be useful for surgeons evaluating risks and prognoses in this patient population.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level III, systematic review of Level III studies.

Primary cementless total knee arthroplasty with or without stem extension: a matched comparative study of ninety eight standard stems versus ninety eight long stems after more than ten years of follow-up

INTRODUCTION

Using a cementless fixation for total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is controversial. We hypothesized that cementless tibial base plate with a monoblock long stem (MLS) would provide secure tibial alignment and stable fixation when bone conditions were considered as poor for a cementless fixation. The purpose of this study was to compare the mean eight year survivorship of cementless standard keels (SK) vs cementless MLS.

MATERIAL METHODS

We report a matched series of 98 cases of SK and 98 cases of MLS in patients with poor bone conditions. The two cohorts were statistically compared. Revision for tibial loosening was used as the endpoint in the survivorship analysis.

RESULTS

We recorded two cases of tibial loosening and three cases of bipolar loosening in the SK group (0% MLS vs 5% SK). No tibial loosening occurred in the MLS group (statistically significant). No tibial periprosthetic or intra-operative fractures occurred in either group. The survivorship at eight years of follow-up was 95.6% in the SS cohort vs 100% in the MLS cohort using revision for tibial loosening as the endpoint.

DISCUSSION

This study was not randomized. Its strength was that it took into account the comparative midterm outcomes of a matched cohort of patients implanted with two types of cementless components in the same bone conditions. We did not record any tibial loosening in the MLS group. Using long stems has been criticized but we did not observe any adverse reactions and no intra-operative tibial fracture occurred.

CONCLUSION

MLS improves the alignment and fixation of cementless TKA. This is a safe solution when bone conditions are poor or modified by previous surgery.

Prior Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Effects on Future Total Knee Arthroplasty

BACKGROUND

The impact of prior anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction on total knee arthroplasty (TKA) has rarely been studied. The objective of this study was to compare intraoperative characteristics in patients who underwent TKA with pre-existing hardware from prior ACL reconstruction with a matched cohort control group.

METHODS

A retrospective study of patients who had undergone primary TKA with pre-existing hardware from prior ACL reconstruction was performed from June 2012 through June 2017. These patients were 2-to-1 matched to the ACL group based on similar patient demographic and provider variables. Outcomes investigated included operative time, estimated blood loss (EBL), and postoperative complications.

RESULTS

One hundred one patients met the inclusion/exclusion criteria. The mean age was 54 ± 9 years, and the mean body mass index was 32.6 ± 6.5 kg/m². The ACL group was divided into 4 subgroups: group 1, no pre-existing hardware removed (22 TKAs); group 2, pre-existing hardware removed from the femur only (8 TKAs); group 3, pre-existing hardware removed from the tibia only (45 TKAs); and group 4, pre-existing hardware removed from both the femur and tibia (26 TKAs). There was no statistical difference in EBL and postoperative complication between the ACL group and controls. Statistical differences were detected between 2 subgroups regarding mean operative time variables: ACL group 3 (74 ± 23 minutes; control: 64 ± 21 minutes, P = .020) and group 4 (79 ± 24 minutes; control: 65 ± 19 minutes, P = .010).

CONCLUSION

Hardware retained, especially on the tibia, from prior ACL reconstruction has a major impact on TKA surgical procedure operative time but not on EBL and/or complications.