The Journal of arthroplasty
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Review Meta Analysis
Persistent Pulmonary Embolism Rates Following Total Knee Arthroplasty Even With Prophylactic Anticoagulants.
Symptomatic pulmonary embolism (PE), a significant and life-threatening complication following total knee arthroplasty (TKA), has been described as a "never event." Despite a number of advancements in care, PE continues to occur following TKA. This study evaluates symptomatic PE rates over time in TKA patients enrolled in multicenter randomized clinical trials assessing the efficacy of venous thromboembolism prophylaxis regimens. ⋯ Over a 14-year period, the symptomatic PE rate after TKA was relatively constant even when patients received potent anticoagulation. These results suggest that some patients may have a genetic predisposition to develop a PE and more effective risk stratification protocols need to be developed to make sure patients receive appropriate anticoagulation.
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Comparative Study
Birmingham Hip Resurfacing vs Total Hip Arthroplasty: A Matched-Pair Comparison of Clinical Outcomes.
Birmingham hip resurfacing (BHR) has proven to be a good alternative for younger patients with osteoarthritis. Some have asserted that BHR may yield outcomes which are superior to total hip arthroplasty (THA), and that some studies which failed to show a difference were plagued by ceiling effects and lack of sensitivity of outcome measures. The purpose of this study is to compare outcomes of BHR and THA using the "Forgotten Joint" Score-12 (FJS), a more sensitive score with lesser vulnerability to the ceiling effect. ⋯ BHR offers excellent results in young patients that are comparable to THA. As no clinical difference could be shown between BHR and THA, even with the use of the FJS, the choice between BHR and THA should not be based solely on any expectation that either yields superior clinical outcomes compared to the other at short-term follow-up.
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Arthroscopic knee surgery frequently precedes total knee arthroplasty (TKA). There have been mixed data on the effect of prior arthroscopic surgery on results of TKA. The purpose of this study was to compare the 10-year Knee Society Score (KSS), survivorship, and complications of TKA in a cohort of patients who had a previous knee arthroscopy to a control cohort. ⋯ There were no significant differences between both groups. These data are reassuring and valuable in an era in which many candidates for TKA will have had previous arthroscopic knee surgery.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Local Efficacy of Periarticular Morphine Injection in Simultaneous Bilateral Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Prospective, Randomized, Double-Blind Trial.
The periarticular multimodal cocktail injection including morphine is currently commonly used to reduce postoperative pain following total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Despite its analgesic effect, it frequently causes nausea, which is an adverse effect of opioids. It is inconclusive whether the intraoperative injection of periarticular morphine is effective peripherally. The aim of this study was to assess whether the addition of morphine to unilateral periarticular knee injections improves postoperative pain, range of motion, and swelling in patients undergoing simultaneous bilateral TKA. ⋯ Adding morphine to periarticular injections is ineffective locally for relieving pain, reducing swelling, and improving the postoperative ROM.
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Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is globally endemic and is a leading cause of surgical site infection (SSI). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the incidence of SSI in MRSA carriers undergoing elective hip or knee arthroplasty, who had confirmed eradication and to compare it with incidence of SSI in non-MRSA carriers. ⋯ In spite of a selective treatment program for carriers and confirmed eradication, there is still a significantly increased risk of SSI in MRSA-colonized patients undergoing hip or knee arthroplasties.