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Periprosthetic patellar fractures represent a spectrum of injuries to a patient with a total knee arthroplasty. They range in severity from an inconsequential injury, which does not compromise function, to a severely debilitating injury that may require advanced reconstructive measures. This article will outline the epidemiology and risk factors associated with periprosthetic patellar fractures. Treatment options as they relate to injury mechanism, fracture severity, patellar component stability, and remaining bone stock will also be discussed. Finally, a review of the current literature regarding the results of treatment will be presented., (Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.)

The authors performed a complication-based analysis of total knee (TKA), total hip (THA), and total ankle arthroplasty (TAA) using worldwide arthroplasty registers. We extracted data with respect to reason for revision surgery and pooled causes. The most common causes for revisions in THA were aseptic loosening (55.2%), dislocation (11.8 %), septic loosening (7.5%), periprosthetic fractures (6%), and others. The most common causes in TKA were aseptic loosening (29.8%), septic loosening (14.8%), pain (9.5%), wear (8.2%), and others. The most common causes in TAA were aseptic loosening (38%), technical errors (15%), pain (12%), septic loosening (9.8%), and others. Revisions in TKA and THA differ with respect to type of complication. However, in case of TAA, higher rates of technically related complications are reported., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Femoral fixation in THA can be achieved with different design rationales. Our hypothesis was that two short titanium flat-tapered stems would demonstrate similar stability., Methods: Between May 2005 and May 2012, 849 short (135-170mm), titanium flat stems ("Short") were used in THA. Between July 2005 and May 2012, 902 similar, but 35-mm shorter, stems ("Shorter") were utilized. Harris Hip Score, radiographic, and survivorship data were analyzed., Results: Survivorship of the "Short" stems was 99.1% at 7years. Eight of 849 stems have been revised: 4 for loosening, 3 for fracture, and 1 for infection. Harris Hip Score improved from 41.6 to 88.9. In the "Shorter" group, 9 of 902 have been revised: 6 for fracture/loosening, 2 for infection, and 1 for instability. HHs improved from 43.7 to 92.0. No statistically significant differences were noted in revision rate., Conclusion: This comparison study of short titanium tapered stems has confirmed similar >99% survivorship in >1750 THA stems at 6- to 88 (mean 36)-month follow-up. Early periprosthetic fracture, although rare (0.5%), was more likely to occur in older patients., (© 2013.)

The purpose of this study is to report the incidence, management, and outcomes of periprosthetic fractures associated with the insertion of press-fit stems during revision total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Immediate and six week post-operative radiographs from 634 stemmed implants (307 femoral, 327 tibial) from 420 consecutive revision TKAs were reviewed. Sixteen tibial (4.9%) and 3 femoral (1%) fractures (combined incidence 3.0%) were identified. All healed uneventfully without operative intervention, with no evidence of implant loosening at a mean of 23 months (range 12 to 47 months). The technique of tightly press fitting stems into the diaphysis is associated with a small rate (3%) of periprosthetic fractures; most were non or minimally displaced, all healed uneventfully with non-operative management and were not associated with implant loosening., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The triple tapered polished cemented stem, C-Stem, introduced in 1993 was based on the original Charnley concept of the "flat back" polished stem. We present our continuing experience with the C-Stem in 621 consecutive primary arthroplasties implanted into 575 patients between 1993 and 1997. Four hundred and eighteen arthroplasties had a clinical and radiological follow-up past 10 years with a mean follow-up of 13 years (10-15). There were no revisions for stem loosening but 2 stems were revised for fracture - both with a defective cement mantle proximally. The stem design and the surgical technique support the original Charnley concept of limited stem subsidence within the cement mantle and the encouraging results continue to stand as a credit to Sir John Charnley's original philosophy., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The aim of this study was to assess peri-operative complications, safety and efficacy of non-cemented femoral fixation in total hip arthroplasty (THA) as compared to cemented femoral fixation in the elderly population. Fifty-two matched pair analysis of patients with 75 years of age and older (104 patients), who underwent primary THA from June 1997 to December 2004, was performed based on age, sex, BMI, and Charnley classification. Mean age was 81 years (75-101) and the average follow up was 3.1 ± 2.9 years (1.2-6.4). There was no difference in peri-operative cardiopulmonary complications, pulmonary failures, deep venous thrombosis, pulmonary embolus, length of stay, or discharge deposition between the two groups. Non-cemented fixation is safe and effective in patients older than 75 years of age., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Despite progress in implant design and surgical technique, the reported number of periprosthetic ankle fractures following total ankle joint replacement continues to increase. A treatment-oriented classification of these fractures has not yet been reported. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prevalence, cause, and location of periprosthetic fractures and the stability of the associated prosthetic components after total ankle replacement and to develop a method of classification., Methods: Data regarding 503 total ankle replacements with a mean follow-up of 14.7 months were reviewed. The prevalence, location, and possible cause of the fractures as well as prosthesis stability were analyzed and a systematic method of classification based on these factors was developed., Results: Twenty-one patients (4.2%) with a periprosthetic fracture were identified. The fracture was intraoperative (Type 1) in eleven patients (2.2%) and postoperative in the remaining ten (2.0%). Two of the latter fractures were traumatic (Type 2) and eight were stress fractures (Type 3). Two-thirds (fourteen) of the twenty-one fractures occurred in the medial malleolus., Conclusions: The prevalence of periprosthetic fractures following primary total ankle replacement was relatively low. We propose a classification system for these fractures that is based on more than 500 cases. We believe that this classification can facilitate therapeutic decision-making, as it allows for differential analysis of the cause and guides the choice among operative and nonoperative treatment options.

Purpose: The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of imageless computer-assisted surgery (CAS) on the accuracy of positioning of the femoral component and on the short-term clinical outcome in hip resurfacing (HR) using a randomised prospective design., Methods: A total of 75 consecutive patients undergoing HR were randomly allocated to CAS and conventional implantation, respectively. Preoperatively and six months post-operatively standardised pelvic anteroposterior X-ray images, the total Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index, the Harris Hip Score and the EQ-5D utility index were evaluated in a blinded manner. The primary end point of the study was a post-operative femoral component malpositioning in five degrees or more either varus or valgus absolute deviation from the planned stem shaft angle., Results: Patient demographics and algofunctional scores did not differ between the CAS and conventional implantation samples. Using CAS fewer femoral components were positioned in five or more degrees absolute deviation (4/37 vs 12/38, Fisher's exact p = 0.047; 95 % confidence interval for the primary end point's incidence difference: +3 %; +39 %); the respective incidences of five or more degrees of varus deviation were 0/37 vs 5/38. One conversion to a stemmed prosthesis (CAS group) was performed for periprosthetic femoral neck fracture. Radiological signs of superolateral femoral neck/implant impingement were observed in two cases (one CAS-based and one conventional implantation)., Conclusions: The accuracy of femoral HR component positioning was significantly improved using CAS. However, one major complication necessitated early revision in the CAS group at six months of observation. Apart from that adverse event no inter-group differences were observed for the short-term clinical outcome. Future studies need to address the clinical long-term relevance of CAS in HR.

The direct anterior approach for total hip arthroplasty has gained popularity throughout the last decade. Early reports showed successful results with rapid functional recovery and low dislocation rates. However there is some concern about the high number of complications induced by the technique. The aim of this study was to examine the early radiological outcome and perioperative complications in a consecutive series of 300 total hip arthroplasties performed through a minimal invasive anterior approach with the aid of a positioning table. We observed 9(3%) intra-operative complications : two femoral perforations, 4 calcar fractures and 3 greater trochanter fractures. There were 42 (14%) postoperative complications and 20 (6.7%) patients required a surgical re-intervention. Our major finding was early peri-prosthetic femoral fracture in 5 patients, not noticed during surgery. The dislocation ratio (2 cases, 0.66%) was low. The complication ratio decreased throughout our series, but statistical significance could not be shown (p = 0.26). Surgeons should be aware of the high risk of occult intra-operative fractures when starting with this technique.

Background and Purpose: Periprosthetic fracture is a devastating complication of total knee replacement (TKR). Most published studies have not comprehensively assessed clinical and demographic predictors. We wanted to determine the incidence and predictors of postoperative periprosthetic fracture after primary and revision TKR., Patients and Methods: We used prospectively collected data in the Mayo Clinic Total Joint Registry on all patients who underwent primary or revision TKR at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, from 1989 through 2008. We assessed incidence of postoperative periprosthetic fractures and modifiable (comorbidity, body mass index) and unmodifiable factors (age, sex, operative diagnosis, ASA class, previous cardiac disease, and previous thromboembolic disease) as predictors of postoperative periprosthetic fractures. We used multivariable-adjusted Cox regression analyses separately for primary and revision TKR., Results: 12,914 patients underwent 17,633 primary TKRs and 3,286 patients underwent 4,090 revision TKRs during the period 1989-2008. 1.1% of patients (188/17,633) after primary TKR and 2.5% of patients (104/4,090) after revision TKR sustained a postoperative periprosthetic fracture on or after postoperative day 1. Older age was associated with lower risk of periprosthetic fractures after primary TKR (p < 0.001). Compared to ≤ 60 years, risk was lower for ages 61-70 years (hazard ratio (HR) = 0.5, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.3-0.7)) and 71-80 years (HR = 0.6, CI: 0.4-0.8), but not for age > 80 years (HR = 0.9, CI: 0.5-1.6). In revision TKR cohort, a diagnosis of non-union (HR = 4.9, CI: 1.2-20), infection (HR = 2.9, CI: 1.3-6.4) or previous surgery with components removed (HR = 2.1, CI: 1.3-3.4) increased the risk of postoperative periprosthetic fracture, compared to a diagnosis of loosening/wear/osteolysis., Interpretation: We identified significant risk factors for periprosthetic fracture after primary and revision TKR. Patients with these risk factors can be informed by their surgeons of increased risk of this uncommon, but serious complication of TKR.

We studied the incidence of greater trochanteric fractures at our department following THR. In all we examined 911 patients retrospectively and found the occurance of a greater trochanteric fracture to be 3%. Patients with fractures had significantly poorer outcome on Oxford Hip score, Pain VAS, Satisfaction VAS and EQ-5D compared to THR without fractures. Greater trochanteric fracture following THR is one of the most common complications following THR. It has previously been thought to have little impact on the overall outcome following THR, but our study suggests otherwise.

Complicated knee revision procedures require specific expertise that may not be available across the healthcare network. Teaching hospitals appear to perform more knee revisions overall than urban or rural hospitals. We examined the location of care and payer status for all knee revisions including complex revisions (infection, periprosthetic fracture). Although only 39.7% of all primary total knee cases were performed in teaching hospitals, over half of all knee revisions were performed in teaching hospitals. Knee revision procedures, including treatment of periprosthetic infections and fractures are performed more often in teaching hospitals than in urban and rural settings combined. Reimbursement that does not match the cost of care for complex revision and infection cases may have a disproportionate impact on teaching hospitals., (Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Periprosthetic fractures of the femur after total hip replacement can present some unique challenges to the treating reconstructive orthopedic surgeon. Treatment may differ depending on fracture location, bone condition, implant stability, patient characteristics, and surgeon experience. It is imperative that adequate and sufficient mechanical fixation be achieved in the treatment of these patients. It is crucial that the treating orthopaedic surgeon have a clear and effective treatment plan to manage these complex cases. The patient's final outcome is dependent on fracture union, implant stability, early functional recovery, and return to pre-injury independence. This review presents an overview of the current diagnostic and treatment approaches, with the goal of providing a template for optimal decision-making when dealing with these complex injuries.

Anterior total hip arthroplasty (THA) has been touted by some as a muscle-sparing, less invasive procedure. Reports have focused on the high intraoperative and postoperative complication rates, the increased transfusion risk, and its questionable clinical benefits. The senior author's experience regarding complications and reoperations that occurred after primary and revision THA using an anterior supine intermuscular approach has been generally favorable. An electronic database was used to identify 906 patients treated with 1,035 consecutive anterior supine intermuscular THAs performed by a single surgeon between January 2007 and December 2010, which included 986 primary THAs, 2 resurfacings, 2 conversions of failed open reduction and internal fixation for fracture, and 45 revision THAs. The surgical technique used an anterior approach with a modified Smith-Petersen interval and was performed with the patient supine on a standard operating table without traction. The transfusion rate was 5%. There were three intraoperative calcar cracks and one canal perforation, which was treated with cerclage cables. Four wound complications required débridement, four hips had substantial lateral femoral cutaneous nerve paresthesias that had not resolved by the 12-month follow-up, and one femoral nerve palsy was reported. At up to 40 month's follow-up, there have been 25 revisions (2.4%), including 9 periprosthetic femoral fractures; 1 stem subsidence; 4 hips with aseptic loosening; 5 metal-on-metal bearing complications; 1 cup malpositioning, which was corrected the same day; 4 dislocations; and 1 infection. This 4-year experience with primary and revision anterior THAs has showed acceptable rates of perioperative transfusion, complications, and revisions.

Background: The objective of this study was to assess the frequency of, and risk factors for, periprosthetic fractures during and after shoulder arthroplasty., Methods: All adults treated with a primary total shoulder arthroplasty or humeral head replacement at the Mayo Clinic Medical Center from 1976 to 2008 were identified. Periprosthetic fractures were validated by medical record review. Univariate and multivariable-adjusted logistic regression analyses were used to assess the association of demographic factors (age, sex, and body mass index [BMI]), underlying diagnosis, implant fixation (cemented or uncemented), American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) class, and comorbidity as assessed with the Deyo-Charlson index., Results: The cohort consisted of 2207 patients treated with a total of 2588 primary total shoulder arthroplasties and 1349 patients treated with 1431 humeral head replacements. Seventy-two medical-record-confirmed periprosthetic fractures occurred in association with the total shoulder arthroplasties. These consisted of forty-seven intraoperative fractures (forty humeral fractures, five glenoid fractures, and two fractures for which the site was unclear) and twenty-five postoperative fractures (twenty humeral fractures, three glenoid fractures, and two fractures for which the site was unclear). There were thirty-three fractures associated with the humeral head replacements. Fifteen were intraoperative (eight humeral fractures and seven glenoid fractures), and eighteen were postoperative (sixteen humeral fractures and two glenoid fractures). In the multivariable regression analysis of the total shoulder arthroplasties, female sex (odds ratio [OR], 4.19; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.82 to 9.62; p &lt; 0.001; a 2.4% rate for women versus 0.6% for men) and the underlying diagnosis (p = 0.04; posttraumatic arthritis: OR, 2.55; 95% CI, 0.92 to 7.12) were associated with a significantly higher risk of intraoperative humeral fracture in general, and female sex was associated with the risk of intraoperative humeral shaft fracture (OR, infinity; p &lt; 0.001). In combined analyses of all patients (treated with either total shoulder arthroplasty or humeral head replacement), a higher Deyo-Charlson index was significantly associated with an increased risk of postoperative periprosthetic humeral shaft fracture (OR, 1.27; 95% CI, 1.11 to 1.45); p &lt; 0.001), after adjusting for the type of surgery (total shoulder arthroplasty or humeral head replacement)., Conclusions: The overall risk of periprosthetic fractures after total shoulder arthroplasty or humeral head replacement was low. Women had a significantly higher risk of intraoperative humeral shaft fracture. The underlying diagnosis (especially posttraumatic arthritis) was significantly associated with the risk of intraoperative humeral fracture, and comorbidity was significantly associated with the risk of postoperative humeral shaft fracture., Level of Evidence: Prognostic Level II. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

We assessed important patient risk factors for postoperative periprosthetic fractures after revision total hip arthroplasty (THA) using prospectively collected Institutional Joint Registry data. We used univariate and multivariable-adjusted Cox regression analyses. There were 330 postoperative periprosthetic fractures after 6281 revision THAs. In multivariable-adjusted analyses, hazard ratio (95% confidence interval) of periprosthetic fracture was higher for women (1.66 [1.32-2.080], P < .001), a higher Deyo-Charlson comorbidity index of 2 (1.46 [1.03-2.07]) and index of 3+ (2.01 [1.48-2.73]; overall, P < .001), and operative diagnosis, especially previous nonunion (5.76 [2.55-13.02]; overall, P < .001). Hazard ratio was lower in patients 61 to 70 years old (0.64 [0.49-0.84]) and 71 to 80 years old (0.57 [0.43-0.76]) compared with those younger than 60 years (overall, P < .0001). Our study identified important modifiable and unmodifiable risk factors for fractures after revision THA., (Published by Elsevier Inc.)

We observed 44 patients with 2-stage revisions for septic hip prostheses. We used a uniform protocol consisting of the implantation of a preformed spacer (interval 12-26 weeks), specific systemic antibiotic therapies, and cementless total hip arthroplasty at time of reimplantation. The minimum follow-up was 36 months (mean, 67 months; range, 36-120 months). During the spacer period, we observed 4 dislocations and 2 fractures leading to a resection arthroplasty interval before reimplantation in 5 cases. In one patient, reinfection was diagnosed 12 months after reimplantation. The Harris hip score increased from a preoperative mean of 39 to 90 at a mean follow-up of 67 months after reimplantation., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background and Purpose: There have been no published studies assessing the possible association of medical comorbidities with periprosthetic fracture risk. We therefore assessed whether medical comorbidity is associated with risk of periprosthetic fractures after total hip replacement (THR)., Material and Methods: We used prospectively collected data from 1989-2008 in the Mayo Clinic Total Joint Registry for 2 cohorts: primary THR and revision THR. The main variables of interest were Deyo-Charlson comorbidities at the time of surgery. Outcome of interest was p ostoperative periprosthetic fracture at postoperative day 1 onwards. Multivariable Cox regression models were additionally adjusted for age, sex, body mass index, American Society of Anesthesiology (ASA) class, and operative diagnosis., Results: We identified 14,065 primary THRs and 6,281 revision THRs with mean follow-up times of 6.3 and 5.6 years, respectively. There were 305 postoperative periprosthetic fractures in the primary THR cohort and 330 in the revision THR cohort. In patients who underwent primary THR, 2 comorbidities were associated with higher risk of periprosthetic fracture: peptic ulcer disease with adjusted hazard ratio of 1.5 (95% CI: 1.1-2.2) and heart disease with adjusted hazard ratio of 1.7 (CI: 1.2-2.4). In patients with revision THR, peptic ulcer disease was associated with a higher adjusted risk of periprosthetic fracture, 1.6 (CI: 1.1-2.3)., Interpretation: Peptic ulcer disease and heart disease in primary THR patients and peptic ulcer disease in revision THR patients were associated with higher postoperative periprosthetic fracture risk. Further studies are needed to understand whether disease severity or specific medications used for treatment, or both, are responsible for this association. This may allow identification of modifiable factors.

This study evaluated concordance between self-reports and surgeon assessments of short-term complications. A total of 3976 primary total hip arthroplasty patients consented for an institutional registry (5/2007-12/2008); 3186 (80.1%) completed a 6-month survey; 137 (4.4%) reported deep venous thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, major bleeding, fracture, or dislocation. Patients reporting complications were called. Positive predictive values and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) for patient self-report were measured, using surgeon assessment for comparison: pulmonary embolism, 88.9% (95% CI, 78.4%-99.4%); dislocation, 81.1% (95% CI, 75.9%-86.5%); fracture, 73.7% (95% CI, 63.8%-83.5%); deep venous thrombosis, 69.7% (95% CI, 61.9%-77.5%); major bleeding, 32.0% (95% CI, 19.4%-44.5%); any bleeding, 88.0% (95% CI, 75.3%-99.9%). Of 97 confirmed complications, 64.95% presented to outside institutions. Registry data on self-reported complications may overcome limitations of traditional methods, but data should be interpreted cautiously. Concordance was high for PE and dislocation but low for major bleeding., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Unlabelled: Endoprosthetic hip arthroplasty is a surgical intervention that significantly improves the quality of the patient's life, with excellent long term results, but with an increased risk of major complications. One such complication is the periprosthetic femoral fracture, which may occur in both young and old patients due to several risk factors typical to the elderly (osteoporosis, fall risk), cementless press-fit implants, implant loosening, and revision arthroplasty., Material and Methods: This study tries to evaluate the risk factors for periprosthetic femoral fractures treated at the Orthopedics and Trauma Department of the Iaşi Rehabilitation Hospital. Retrospective evaluations were conducted on 3454 patients with primary hip arthroplasty and 167 patients with revision hip arthroplasty, the surgical procedures being performed between January 1994 and March 2012. The study was conducted on 47 patients (17 males and 30 females, mean age 68 years) with periprosthetic fracture., Results: The incidence of periprosthetic femoral fractures in primary arthroplasty group was 0.89% (0.63% intraoperative and 0.26% postoperative), with a considerably higher incidence for cementless implants (81.39%), and 9.58% in revision arthroplasty group (8.38% intraoperative and 1.19% postoperative). Vancouver type B was the most frequent, both in operative and postoperative revision arthroplasty and in postoperative primary arthroplasty. 88% of the fractures were surgically treated, with a satisfactory postoperative course both in early and long-term follow-up., Conclusions: Periprosthetic femoral fractures result in increased morbidity and mortality rate, are difficult to treat, and require complex therapeutic strategies depending on risk factors, fracture type, bone stock, and implant stability.

We evaluated all revisions performed from March 1996 to December 2008 and compared complications, mortality, and clinical outcomes between patients 80 years and older and patients younger than 80 years. Data were collected prospectively. There were 325 revisions, 84 (25.8%) in patients 80 years and older and 241 in patients younger than 80 years (62% revision for aseptic loosening in both groups). The mean follow-up was 4.3 years. The results, 80 years and older vs younger than 80 years, revealed the following: mortality, 5% vs 0% 3 months postoperatively; medical complications in 23.8% vs 6.2%; postoperative fractures, 9.5% vs 2.5%; and improved Merle d'Aubigné scores from 9.6 to 13.0 vs 10.4 to 14.3. Revision total hip arthroplasty in patients 80 years and older was associated with substantial clinical improvement and patient satisfaction. However, medical complications and 90-day mortality were higher, and postoperative fractures occurred more frequently., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Complications related to femoral spacers are common during addressing infected total hip arthroplasties by 2-stage revision. We evaluated 11 patients who had 2-stage revisions with massive bone loss after removal of the infected components by a trochanteric osteotomy. All femoral cement spacers were assembled on intramedullary nails. Femurs were protected by a plate, whereas acetabuli were augmented by a cage or roof ring depending on the remaining bone stock. This additional hardware was covered with antibiotic-impregnated cement. Infection was eradicated in 10 (90.9%) of 11 patients within 3.5 months in average. None of the patients had spacer fracture, periprosthetic fracture, or dislocation. Augmentation by hardware covered with antibiotic-impregnated cement is effective and may reduce complications until definitive treatment is performed., (Crown Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Femoral nerve catheters are widely used for analgesia in total knee arthroplasty. Although evidence suggests that catheters improve pain control and may facilitate short-term rehabilitation, few reports exist regarding their complications. This case series explores the experience of femoral nerve catheter use at high-volume orthopedic specialty hospitals. Serious complications including compartment syndrome, periprosthetic fracture, and vascular injury are reported. The authors support femoral nerve catheter use with appropriate precautions taken to reduce risk of patient falls, vascular injury, and wrong-site surgery., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background and Aims: Loosening of a hip prosthesis after total arthroplasty is related to periprosthetic bone loss. Calcitonin has been used in the treatment of bone loss in osteoporosis and prevention of fractures. The main purposes of the study were firstly to evaluate the effect of calcitonin on periprosthetic bone after total hip arthroplasty, secondly investigate possible loosening of the prosthesis and thirdly examine further clinical outcome., Patients and Methods: 60 patients who underwent total hip arthroplasty using cemented Exeter prosthesis were randomized in the treatment group (salmon calcitonin 200 IU nasal spray daily + calcium 500 mg) and the placebo group (inactive nasal spray + calcium 500 mg) for six months. Bone mineral density (BMD) was measured from different locations at the time of discharge and after six and 12 months. Dynamic histomorphometry on bone biopsies taken from femoral collum was performed. Serum bone-specific alkaline phosphatase (BAP), serum osteocalcine (OC) and cross-linked N-telopeptides (NTX) were measured after one week, one month, three months and 12 months. Clinical manifestations and the incidence of fractures and loosening of the prosthesis were followed up to eight years., Results: Statistically there was not significant difference in bone histomorphometry between the groups. In both groups there was a significant BMD decrease in periprosthetic bone. However, the difference between the groups was not statistically significant. In the biochemical analysis NTX increased more in the Miacalcic group than in the placebo group (p = 0.013). There were no significant differences between the groups in serum BAP or OC even though the changes within the groups were statistically significant. No loosening of the prosthesis was seen during the follow-up and there was no need for revision of any reason. Four fractures were recorded in three patients. One patient sustained a periprosthetic fracture. All the patients with fractures were allocated in the placebo group., Conclusions: Nasal salmon calcitonin 200 IU on a daily basis does not promote any additional value on calcium substitution to prevent bone loss after hip replacement. The durability of the Exeter prosthesis was good.

Background and Aims: Total hip arthroplasty significantly improves patient's life quality. However, total joint replacement is associated with possible complications, such as dislocations, infections, fractures and periprosthetic osteolysis. The goal of this study was to evaluate a large head metal-on-metal total hip arthroplasties and analyse short term complications related to them., Material and Methods: Between 9/2005 and 6/2009, a total of 691 hip replacements were performed on 635 patients with the use of Magnum M2 large head cementless metal-on-metal prosthesis in Turku University Hospital. All patients had a scheduled follow-up at two to three months, and at one year. The results were evaluated using X-rays, Harris Hip Score (HHS), and evaluating post-operative complications and reasons for re-operations., Results: During our follow-up the HHS median raised from its preoperative value of 59.8 to 86.4 two to three months after the operation, and to 93.9 one year after the operation. As a complication we had five infections requiring single open debridement (early infection) or a two stage revision. Seven patients had a periprosthetic femoral fracture that was operated and 11 patients were reoperated because of acetabular component malposition, fracture or early loosening. We did not observe any dislocations, n. ischiadicus damages, squeeking or complications related to high metal ion release (ALVAL-reactions (Aseptic Lymphocyte-dominated Vasculitis-Associated Lesion) or pseudotumours)., Conclusions: The metal-on-metal bearing pair allows large femoral head size, which decreases the risk for dislocation. It may also decrease the risk for osteolysis and aseptic loosening in a long run. Early complication rate related to the bearing surface is minimal. Metal-on-metal prosthesis is a good choice for young and active patients with good bone quality.

Patients who have high body mass indices can have disabling medial compartment knee osteoarthritis, which might benefit from unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA). The purpose of this study was to compare clinical and radiographic outcomes of UKAs in patients with body mass indices (BMIs) greater and less than 35 kg/m(2). Thirty-four patients (40 knees) had BMIs of 35 kg/m(2) or greater, whereas the remaining 33 patients (40 knees) had BMIs below 35 kg/m(2), with 2-year minimum follow-up. In the high-BMI group, 5 knees were revised to total knee arthroplasty, compared with none in the lower BMI group. Knee Society scores were lower in the surviving high-BMI knees. All surviving components were radiographically stable. The results suggest that UKA should be approached with caution in patients who have high BMIs., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Interprosthetic femoral fractures following ipsilateral hip and knee arthroplasty are a rare but serious complication in clinical practice. In most cases, adequate management of these injuries might constitute a challenging problem. However, the literature provides only few data regarding the treatment and outcome of interprosthetic femoral fractures, and there are only few classifications available, which might assist in finding an appropriate treatment concept. The purpose of this study was to analyse our experience in the management of interprosthetic femoral fractures following ipsilateral hip and knee joint replacement., Materials and Methods: We reviewed the clinical and radiographic records of 23 patients (15 female and eight male, average age: 79.2 years) with an interprosthetic fracture after ipsilateral hip and knee joint replacement between 1992 and 2008. For the classification of interprosthetic femoral fractures, the fractures were divided into three types, depending on the fracture site and the adjacency to the prostheses. All patients underwent operative stabilisation, either by lateral plate fixation (n=19), by revision arthroplasty using a long stem (n=2) or by plate fixation and revision arthroplasty (n=2)., Results: Referring to the clinical outcome, 16 patients returned to their pre-injury activity level and were satisfied with their clinical outcome. In six patients, we saw a relevant decrease of hip or knee function and severe limitations in gait and activities of daily living. We had a mean Harris Hip Score (HHS) of 78.4 points, and a mean Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) of 71.8 points. Relating to the radiographic outcome, successful fracture healing was achieved in 19 of 22 patients (86%) within 6 months. Failures of reduction and fixation were noted in four (18%) of 22 patients., Conclusion: We had a satisfactory outcome following individualised treatment of interprosthetic femoral fractures following ipsilateral hip and knee joint replacement. Compared to the rare data in current literature, we had promising functional result and high rate of bony fusion. Regarding the complexity and challenges in many of these cases, interprosthetic fractures require an adequate analysis of the fracture aetiology and a suitable transfer into the best possible treatment concept., (Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To assess the association of specific comorbidities with periprosthetic fractures after primary total knee replacement (TKR)., Methods: We used the prospectively collected data in the Mayo Clinic total joint registry from 1989-2008 on all patients who had undergone primary TKR. The outcome of interest was postoperative periprosthetic fractures during followup. The main predictors of interest were comorbidities grouped from the validated Deyo-Charlson index. Multivariable-adjusted Cox regression analyses were adjusted for sex, age, body mass index (BMI), American Society of Anesthesiology (ASA) class, operative diagnosis, and implant fixation. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were calculated., Results: We included 17,633 primary TKRs with a mean followup of 6.3 years. The mean age was 68 years, 55% were women, and the mean BMI was 31 kg/m(2) . There were 188 postoperative periprosthetic fractures on postoperative day 1 or later; 162 fractures (86%) occurred on postoperative day 90 or later. In multivariable analyses that simultaneously adjusted for all comorbidities and other variables (age, sex, BMI, ASA, operative diagnosis, and cement status), the following 2 conditions were significantly associated with an increased hazard of postoperative periprosthetic fractures: peptic ulcer disease (HR 1.87, 95% CI 1.28-2.75; P = 0.0014) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (HR 1.62, 95% CI 1.10-2.40; P = 0.02)., Conclusion: Peptic ulcer disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are associated with a higher risk of periprosthetic fractures after primary TKR. This may be related to the disease or its treatments, which need further study. Identification of specific risk factors may allow for implementation of intervention strategies to reduce this risk., (Copyright © 2011 by the American College of Rheumatology.)

We compared hospital length of stay (LOS) and costs between (1) minimally invasive total hip surgery (MIS) combined with an active hip pathway (AHP) and (2) long incision total hip surgery (LIS) with a passive hip pathway (PHP). A prospective consecutive cohort of 214 MIS/AHP patients was compared to a concurrent cohort of 265 LIS/PHP patients. The MIS/AHP cohort had significantly decreased LOS (1.5 days vs. 3.8 days, P < .001) and hospital costs ($12.8 thousand vs. $16.7 thousand, P < .001). The complication rates were similar for MIS/AHP and LIS/PHP. We conclude that, compared to LIS/PHP, MIS/AHP significantly shortened LOS by an average of 2.3 days, and significantly reduced hospital costs by an average of $3.9 thousand per patient., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: The present study provides an inventory of the number of fractures that occurred in conjunction with implant placement in edentulous patients in the Dutch population from 1980 to 2007 and estimates the incidence with which this might occur. The study also sought to define the factors that increase the risk of fracture., Materials and Methods: Questionnaires were sent to all 198 oral and maxillofacial surgeons working in 56 hospitals in the Netherlands. Questions were asked regarding the causes of fractures, the height of the edentulous mandible, and the methods of fracture treatment., Results: Responses were received from 53 of the 56 departments. During the study period, 157 edentulous mandibles fractured in conjunction with implant treatment. All fractures occurred in mandibles with less than 10 mm of height, as measured in the symphysis. An incidence of less than 0.05% was estimated based on an estimated number of 475,000 patients treated with at least two implants during this time to support an overdenture. Reasons for early implant failures were insufficient bone volume, iatrogenic causes, nonintegration, and a narrow arch. Peri-implantitis, trauma, and explantation were associated with fractures occurring 1 year or more after implant placement. Several methods were employed to treat the fractured mandibles, including closed reduction, rigid fixation using osteosynthesis plates, and bone grafts with fixation. In 52% of patients, fracture healing was uneventful; however, in 48% of patients, complications were encountered, including osteomyelitis, nonunion, plate fracture, screw loosening, and dehiscences with subsequent infections., Conclusions: Mandibles with a height of 10 mm or less, as measured at the symphysis, are at risk of fractures and associated complications. The provision of proper informed consent regarding the advantages and disadvantages of placing implants in thin mandibles is essential.

Demographic changes and rising numbers of implanted prostheses accompanied by increasing demands on mobility and activities of the elderly will lead to an increasing number of periprosthetic fractures in the future. Poor bone quality, geriatric comorbidities and multiple prostheses result in an increased risk for this type of fracture in the old patient. Management of these patients is challenging and demanding and needs an interdisciplinary approach. The present work describes the different aspects of periprosthetic fractures in the geriatric patient with regard to epidemiology, risk factors, prevention and treatment options.

We report on 13 cases of periprosthetic stress fracture at the sleeve/stem junction using the Sivash-Range of Motion femoral prosthesis. Radioisotope bone scans confirmed the incidence of fracture, and review of the lateral radiographs revealed anteromedial notching of the distal sleeve on the metaphyseal throat of the femur. Treatment in all cases was expectant with full resolution of symptoms. However, there were 3 cases of recurrence, 1 of which needed revision to a more distally loading stem. This is a rare complication when using this prosthesis, but we recommend a slight alteration of the entry point for the femoral reamer when using this stem and advise nonsurgical management if it occurs, as the natural history is for the condition to settle., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

We identified 128 revision total hip arthroplasties from 1993 to 2005 involving a well-fixed Harris-Galante Porous (HGP)-I or HGP-II acetabular component with minimum 2-year post-revision follow-up. Three treatment cohorts were identified. Of the hips that underwent modular liner exchange at revision, 14 hips (25%) required re-revision of the acetabular component, 8 for liner dislodgement, 3 for osteolysis and poly-wear, 2 for dislocation, and 1 for aseptic loosening. Of the hips that underwent revision of the well-fixed shell, 4 (15%) required subsequent re-revision of the acetabular component; 2 for dislocation and 2 for aseptic loosening. Six hips (27%) in the cemented liner group were re-revised; 4 for dislocation and 2 for loosening. Complete revision of a well-fixed HGP acetabular component is more reliable than liner exchange or liner cementation., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Periprosthetic fractures are fractures that occur in association with an orthopaedic implant, most often used for joint arthroplasty or fracture fixation. They are associated with significant morbidity and increased mortality in some cases. The incidence of periprosthetic fractures appears to be increasing as a result of increasing patient longevity, more demanding activity levels that persist into advanced age for some patients, and as a result of the increasing rate of revision arthroplasty which accompanies increasing patient longevity. Implant, surgeon, and patient factors all contribute to the risk of periprosthetic fracture. In this review, we intend to discuss current trends in periprosthetic fractures and risk factors associated with their development in the joint arthroplasty and fracture patient.

The use of computer navigation is becoming a well-recognized technical alternative to conventional total knee arthroplasty (TKA). However, computer navigation has a substantial learning curve and the use of commercially available navigation systems increases surgical time. In addition, the potential risks associated with the navigation TKA, such as, registration errors, notching of the anterior femoral cortex, oversizing of the femoral component, and overresection must be taken into consideration. On the other hand, conventional techniques are familiar and intuitive to most practicing surgeons, and thus, are easier to perform and are less prone to anterior notching and femoral component oversizing. However, conventional techniques have greater risks of inaccurate and inconsistent component alignment than computer navigation. This paper describes a novel technique that combines computer navigation and conventional TKA.

A total of 146 patients were identified from a prospective database of all hip fractures over a 10-year period at a United Kingdom teaching hospital. The financial costs were calculated and analysed and then compared with the money recovered through the tariff produced by Payment by Results.A total of 62% of the study group were female; mean age of 79 years; mean length of stay of 39 days.Fractures occurred around total hip replacement (THR) in 63 cases, revision THR in 27 cases and hemiarthroplasty in 56 cases. Fixation of the fracture was performed in 61 cases, revision arthroplasty in 62 cases and 23 were treated non-operatively.The mean cost of treatment was £23,469 per patient (range £615–£223,000; median £18,031). Ward costs were responsible for 80.3%, theatre costs 5.7%, implants 6.7% and investigations 7.3%. The difference in cost was statistically significant when further surgery was required (p = 0.01) and length of stay was greater than 30 days (p < 0.0001), and when compared with the money recovered by the Trust(mean £3702; p < 0.0001). These results reveal the significant economic impact of treating this group of patients at specialist centres., (2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Rectangular cementless femur shaft prostheses have a higher primary stability than round shafts. A novel rectangular humeral shaft design was tested with two questions: does the rectangular design cause a higher fracture risk during implantation than round designs, and does it increase the torsional stiffness?, Materials and Methods: Two series with six paired human humeri (total 24) were tested on one side with the rectangular shaft and on the contralateral side with a round shaft. In the first series, the shaft implantation was carried out with a constant speed of 100 mm/min and the maximum force was measured when the fracture occurred. In the second series, the implants were preloaded with 50 N and then rotated at 2° per second with monitoring of the torsional torque., Results: The maximum force at fracture showed no significant difference for the two designs (p = 0.34). Higher age and low bone density reduced the force required for fracture. The rectangular shaft showed significant higher torsional moments (p < 0.05)., Conclusions: In biomechanical testing, the rectangular shaft had a significantly higher primary torsional stability than the round shaft without a higher risk of fracture during cementless implantation. Fracture risk and torsional stability are influenced by age and bone density.

In this article, a concise review of the current literature on metal-on-metal hip resurfacing (MoMHR) is given. In contrast to conventional total hip arthroplasty, older age, female sex and small femoral head sizes predispose to failure. Neck fracture and metal wear-related complications account for the most frequent reasons for re-operations. Although the long-term consequences of metal ion release remain unknown, the increasing prevalence of soft tissue related problems with potentially devastating functional consequences in this younger patient group are of concern. Outcome after revision for metal wear related failure of MoMHR is poor. In our opinion, patients with this device should be managed in dedicated centers with facilities for data collection and monitoring. The majority of proposed advantages of MoMHR cannot be supported by the published evidence.

Peri-prosthetic fracture after joint replacement in the lower limb is associated with significant morbidity. The primary aim of this study was to investigate the incidence of peri-prosthetic fracture after total hip replacement (THR) and total knee replacement (TKR) over a ten-year period using a population-based linked dataset. Between 1 April 1997 and 31 March 2008, 52,136 primary THRs, 8726 revision THRs, 44,511 primary TKRs, and 3222 revision TKRs were performed. Five years post-operatively, the rate of fracture was 0.9% after primary THR, 4.2% after revision THR, 0.6% after primary TKR and 1.7% after revision TKR. Comparison of survival analysis for all primary and revision arthroplasties showed peri-prosthetic fractures were more likely in females, patients aged > 70 and after revision arthroplasty. Female patients aged > 70 should be warned of a significantly increased risk of peri-prosthetic fracture after hip or knee replacement. The use of adjuvant medical treatment to reduce the effect of peri-prosthetic osteoporosis may be a direction of research for these patients.

Hypothesis: Delayed surgical treatment of unstable distal clavicle fractures is associated with a higher complication rate., Materials and Methods: Between 1998 and 2008, a retrospective study of 38 patients (average age, 42.9 year) with Neer type II clavicular fractures was performed. Fractures were treated with a hook-plate (22 patients) or with superior locked plate with suture augmentation (16 patients). Patients were divided into acute (27 patients) or delayed (11 patients) treatment groups based on the timing of surgical intervention before or after 4 weeks. All had clinical and radiographic follow-up for 1 year or until fracture union., Results: Union was achieved in 36 of 38 patients (94.7%). The acute treatment group had an average American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons score of 77.9 compared with 65.0 in the delayed group. Six complications occurred (15.8%) including 2 infections (5.3%), 1 hardware failure (2.6%), and 3 peri-implant fractures (7.9%). The complication rate was 36.4% in the delayed group vs 7.4% in the acutely treated group (P = .047)., Discussion: A high rate of union was observed in all cases regardless of timing or method of fixation. Despite a high rate of union, the results of treatment in the delayed group were more problematic. Patients treated with a hook-plate in a delayed fashion had more complications than those treated in an acute fashion (P = .039). Peri-implant fractures occurred only in patients treated with hook-plates., Conclusion: Surgical timing played a critical role in the outcome and complication rate in treatment of unstable distal third clavicle fractures., (Copyright © 2010. Published by Mosby, Inc.)

Background: Many contour designs have been developed to improve the femoral stem in cementless total hip arthroplasty., Aims: To assess the initial interfacial micromotion and stress distribution., Methods: The prosthesis-bone interfacial micromotions and stress distributions of four commonly used femoral stems were assessed by finite element simulation: Alloclassic, Ribbed Anatomic, VerSys, and Secur-Fit. The proximal interfacial micromotions and stress distributions were calculated under the loading conditions of stair climbing. Three-dimensional micromotions were calculated in three proximal sections distal to the osteotomy level with 400 mm between each section. Medial, anterior, lateral and posterior points in each section were selected for calculations., Results: The micromotions were <100 microm at all the selected points. Significant stress was detected along the sharp corners and ribs of the Alloclassic and Ribbed Anatomic stems, respectively., Conclusions: Significant stresses are associated with the stems with sharp edges.

Two consecutive series of hip arthroplasties with closely similar anatomic uncemented femoral implants [207 Profile (DePuy) and 171 Image (Smith&Nephew) stems] were compared with regard to postoperative femoral fractures. All arthroplasties were performed by senior staff surgeons, mainly on patients below 65 years of age. In the Image group the occurrence rate of postoperative periprosthetic femoral fractures was higher (9.36%) compared to the Profile group (2.99%) and fractures occurred earlier (1.69 y vs. 8.84 y). The bulkier proximal part, the thinner cylindrical distal two thirds and the larger offset probably resulted in less rotational stability and increased proximal torsional load transfer during activities of daily living. This resulted in femoral fractures after minor trauma, without osteolysis. This study emphasizes the need for close follow-up when introducing new implants, even if they rely on known principles and feature only minor changes from proven concepts.