The NORSe: changing the way we communicate.

Introduction Rapid, reliable and efficient communication in healthcare systems with finite resources promises to improve patient care. Telephone engagement has effectively monopolised the referral process in the acute setting. Hence, traditional inter-hospital referral networks are potentially time consuming, not expeditious and frustrating. There is often no comprehensive documented communication record or audit trail. Social media, however, suggest that instantaneous, secure and dependable exchanges of information can occur via alternative conduits, potentially transforming the acute clinical referral system. The National On-Call Referral System (NORSe) was established in 2010 as an alternative referral paradigm. We explore the literature evidence surrounding the clinical impact of the NORSe referral system and analogous models. Early evidence suggests that NORSe may minimise delays in obtaining specialist advice and management, particularly in the acute setting. It enables the specialist to receive and address a large number of fact intense referrals that would otherwise be unpalatable and unmanageable. We summarise recent developments with the NORSe and give an overview of its clinical applications and links with clinical governance. NORSe and similar models promise to change the way we communicate as doctors, making the process more efficient, with a robust audit trail facilitating service appraisal and training.

New anti-resorptives and antibody mediated anti-resorptive therapy.

UNLABELLED: The ageing population and an increase in both the incidence and prevalence of cancer pose a healthcare challenge, some of which is borne by the orthopaedic community in the form of osteoporotic fractures and metastatic bone disease. In recent years there has been an increasing understanding of the pathways involved in bone metabolism relevant to osteoporosis and metastases in bone. Newer therapies may aid the management of these problems. One group of drugs, the antibody mediated anti-resorptive therapies (AMARTs) use antibodies to block bone resorption pathways. This review seeks to present a synopsis of the guidelines, pharmacology and potential pathophysiology of AMARTs and other new anti-resorptive drugs. We evaluate the literature relating to AMARTs and new anti-resorptives with special attention on those approved for use in clinical practice. Denosumab, a monoclonal antibody against Receptor Activator for Nuclear Factor Kappa-B Ligand. It is the first AMART approved by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence and the US Food and Drug Administration. Other novel anti-resorptives awaiting approval for clinical use include Odanacatib. Denosumab is indicated for the treatment of osteoporosis and prevention of the complications of bone metastases. Recent evidence suggests, however, that denosumab may have an adverse event profile similar to bisphosphonates, including atypical femoral fractures. It is, therefore, essential that orthopaedic surgeons are conversant with these medications and their safe usage. TAKE HOME MESSAGE: Denosumab has important orthopaedic indications and has been shown to significantly reduce patient morbidity in osteoporosis and metastatic bone disease.

Serum lactate as a marker of mortality in patients with hip fracture: A prospective study.

Outcomes from patients suffering hip fracture remain poor, with 9% mortality at 30 days and 35% at 1 year. Despite robust guidelines these mortality rates have undergone little change. Admission serum lactate in patients with sepsis or suffering general trauma has been shown to be an indicator of adverse clinical outcomes. We investigated whether venous lactate can predict mortality for hip fracture patients. Over a 12-month period the admission venous lactate of all patients presenting to our institution with hip fractures was prospectively collated. Demographic and patient survivorship data were also prospectively recorded. Multivariate binary logistic regression and Cox proportional hazards ratio analysis was used to evaluate the relationship between admission venous lactate and 30-day mortality and early survivorship, whilst adjusting for age and gender. 770 patients were included in the study. The mean age was 80 years. The overall 30-day mortality for this cohort was 9.5%. Admission venous lactate was associated with early death. A 1mmol/L increase in venous lactate resulted in a 1.9 (95% CI 1.5-2.3 p<0.0001) fold increase in the odds of 30-day mortality and a 1.4 (95% CI: 1.2-1.6 p<0.0001) factor increase in the risk of death at any time after hip fracture. Admission venous lactate remained a predictor of mortality despite adjustment for patients American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) grade. Those with an admission serum lactate of 3mmol/L or greater were particularly at risk. This cohort had a 30-day mortality odds that was 5-fold higher than those whose level was less than 3mmol/L (p<0.0001) and at any-time risk of death that was 1.9 times higher (p<0.0001). Those with a level of less than 3mmol/L had a 30-day mortality of 6.8%. For those with an admission venous lactate of 3mmol/L or greater this was four times higher at 28%. The difference was statistically significant (p<0.0001). Elevated admission venous lactate following hip fracture is a predictor of early death. Venous lactate may be useful as a prognostic indicator or risk stratifier in patients with proximal femoral fractures.

Is there an association between body temperature and serum lactate levels in hip fracture patients?

Introduction Hyperlactataemia is associated with adverse outcomes in trauma cases. It is thought to be the result of anaerobic respiration during hypoperfusion. This produces much less energy than complete aerobic glycolysis. Low body temperature in the injured patient carries an equally poor prognosis. Significant amounts of energy are expended in maintaining euthermia. Consequently, there may be a link between lactate levels and dysthermia. Hyperlactataemia may be indicative of inefficient energy production and therefore insufficient energy to maintain euthermia. Alternatively, significant amounts of available oxygen may be sequestered in thermoregulation, resulting in anaerobic respiration and lactate production. Our study investigated whether there is an association between lactate levels and admission body temperature in hip fracture patients. Furthermore, it looked at whether there is a difference in the mean lactate levels between hip fracture patients with low (<36.5°C), normal (36.5-37.5°C) and high (>37.5°C) body temperature on admission, and for patients who have low body temperature, whether there is a progressive rise in serum lactate levels as body temperature falls. Methods The admission temperature and serum lactate of 1,162 patients presenting with hip fracture were recorded. Patients were divided into the euthermic (body temperature 36.5-37.5°C), the pyrexial (>37.5°C) and those with low body temperature (<36.5°C). Admission lactate and body temperature were compared. Results There was a significant difference in age between the three body temperature groups (p=0.007). The pyrexial cohort was younger than the low body temperature group (mean: 78 vs 82 years). Those with low body temperature had a higher mean lactate level than the euthermic (2.2mmol/l vs 2.0mmol/l, p=0.03). However, there was no progressive rise in serum lactate level as admission temperature fell. Conclusions The findings suggest that in hip fracture patients, the body attempts initially to maintain euthermia, incurring an oxygen debt. This would explain the difference in lactate level between the low body temperature and euthermic cohorts. The fact that there is no correlation with the degree of temperature depression and lactate levels indicates that the body does not fuel thermohomeostasis indefinitely with oxygen. Instead, in part, it abandons thermoregulatory mechanisms. Consequently, in this population, active rewarming may be indicated rather than depending on patients' own thermogenic ability.

Common contra-indications and interactions of drugs in orthopaedic practice.

Drug therapy forms an integral part of the management of many orthopaedic conditions. However, many medicines can produce serious adverse reactions if prescribed inappropriately, either alone or in combination with other drugs. Often these hazards are not appreciated. In response to this, the European Union recently issued legislation regarding safety measures which member states must adopt to minimise the risk of errors of medication. In March 2014 the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency and NHS England released a Patient Safety Alert initiative focussed on errors of medication. There have been similar initiatives in the United States under the auspices of The National Coordinating Council for Medication Error and The Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. These initiatives have highlighted the importance of informing and educating clinicians. Here, we discuss common drug interactions and contra-indications in orthopaedic practice. This is germane to safe and effective clinical care.

Influence of coincident distal radius fracture in patients with hip fracture: single-centre series and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Hip and wrist fractures are the most common orthopaedic injuries. Combined hip and distal radius fractures are an important clinical and public health problem, since mobilisation and rehabilitation is challenging and likely to be prolonged in this setting. Few studies have explored the influence of an associated wrist fracture in patients with hip fracture. We present the largest series of patients with concomitant hip and wrist fractures. We perform the first meta-analysis of the literature on patients with concurrent hip and wrist fractures. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In this single-centre retrospective study we compared 88 consecutive patients with simultaneous hip and wrist fractures with 772 consecutive patients who suffered isolated hip fractures. RESULTS: Patients with the combined fracture were of a similar age compared to those with isolated hip fracture. There were a significantly higher proportion of women in the cohort with both hip and wrist fractures (female:male ratio of 9:1 versus 4:1 p < 0.0001). The combination fracture group had a greater length of hospitalisation (18 vs 13 days p < 0.0001). The survivorship of both groups was not significantly different even after adjustment for age and gender. Meta-analysis of the literature showed female preponderance, increased length of stay but no significant difference in survival in patients with concomitant hip and wrist fractures. CONCLUSION: The combination fracture occurs much more commonly in women and patients require a greater length of hospitalisation. The patients who sustained simultaneous hip and wrist fractures experienced no statistically significant difference in survivorship when compared to those who suffer isolated hip fractures. This is not withstanding the presence of two fractures. This difference in mortality did not reach statistical significance. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III (retrospective comparative study).

Peri-operative mortality after hemiarthroplasty for fracture of the hip: does cement make a difference?

We aimed to determine whether cemented hemiarthroplasty is associated with a higher post-operative mortality and rate of re-operation when compared with uncemented hemiarthroplasty. Data on 19 669 patients, who were treated with a hemiarthroplasty following a fracture of the hip in a nine-year period from 2002 to 2011, were extracted from NHS Scotland's acute admission database (Scottish Morbidity Record, SMR01). We investigated the rate of mortality at day 0, 1, 7, 30, 120 and one-year post-operatively using 12 case-mix variables to determine the independent effect of the method of fixation. At day 0, those with a cemented hemiarthroplasty had a higher rate of mortality (p < 0.001) compared with those with an uncemented hemiarthroplasty, equivalent to one extra death per 424 procedures. By day one this had become one extra death per 338 procedures. Increasing age and the five-year co-morbidity score were noted as independent risk factors. By day seven, the cumulative rate of mortality was less for cemented hemiarthroplasty though this did not reach significance until day 120. The rate of re-operation was significantly higher for uncemented hemiarthroplasty. Despite adjusting for 12 confounding variables, these only accounted for 15% of the observed variability. The debate about the choice of the method of fixation for a hemiarthroplasty with respect to the rate of mortality or the risk of re-operation may be largely superfluous. Our results suggest that uncemented hemiarthroplasties may have a role to play in elderly patients with significant co-morbid disease.

Association of ABO blood group with fracture pattern and mortality in hip fracture patients.

INTRODUCTION: The mechanism of falling has been proposed as the exclusive explanation for hip fracture pattern. Evidence exists that other genetic factors also influence proximal femoral fracture configuration. The ABO blood group serotype has been associated with other pathologies but any role in hip fracture has yet to be definitively characterised. METHODS: Our National Hip Fracture Database was interrogated over a four-year period. All patients had their blood group retrieved, and this was compared with hip fracture pattern and mortality rates. Confounding factors were accounted for using logistic regression and the Cox proportional hazards model. RESULTS: A total of 2,987 consecutive patients presented to our institution. Those with blood group A were significantly more likely to sustain intracapsular fractures than 'non-A' individuals (p=0.009). The blood group distribution of patients with intracapsular fractures was identical to that of the national population of England. However, blood group A was less common in patients with intertrochanteric fractures than in the general population (p=0.0002). Even after correction for age and sex, blood group A was associated with a decrease in the odds of suffering an intertrochanteric fracture to 80% (p=0.002). Blood group A had inferior survivorship correcting for age, sex and hip fracture pattern (hazard ratio: 1.14, p=0.035). This may be due to associated increased prevalence of co-morbid disease in this cohort. CONCLUSIONS: Blood group is an independent predictor of hip fracture pattern, with group A patients more likely to sustain an intracapsular fracture and non-A individuals more likely to sustain an intertrochanteric fracture. The determinants of fracture pattern are likely to be related to complex interactions at a molecular level based on genetic susceptibility. The mechanism of fall may not be the only aetiological determinant of proximal femoral fracture configuration.

The weekend effect: short-term mortality following admission with a hip fracture.

We retrospectively reviewed 2989 consecutive patients with a mean age of 81 (21 to 105) and a female to male ratio of 5:2 who were admitted to our hip fracture unit between July 2009 and February 2013. We compared weekday and weekend admission and weekday and weekend surgery 30-day mortality rates for hip fractures treated both surgically and conservatively. After adjusting for confounders, weekend admission was independently and significantly associated with a rise in 30-day mortality (odds ratio (OR) 1.4, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.02 to 1.9; p = 0.039) for patients undergoing hip fracture surgery. There was no increase in mortality associated with weekend surgery (OR 1.2, 95% CI 0.8 to 1.7; p = 0.39). All hip fracture patients, whether managed surgically or conservatively, were more likely to die as an inpatient when admitted at the weekend (OR 1.4, 95% CI 1.02 to 1.80; p = 0.032), despite our unit having a comparatively low overall inpatient mortality (8.7%). Hip fracture patients admitted over the weekend appear to have a greater risk of death despite having a consultant-led service.

Survival analysis of elderly patients with a fracture of the odontoid peg.

Fractures of the odontoid peg are common spinal injuries in the elderly. This study compares the survivorship of a cohort of elderly patients with an isolated fracture of the odontoid peg versus that of patients who have sustained a fracture of the hip or wrist. A six-year retrospective analysis was performed on all patients aged > 65 years who were admitted to our spinal unit with an isolated fracture of the odontoid peg. A Kaplan-Meier table was used to analyse survivorship from the date of fracture, which was compared with the survivorship of similar age-matched cohorts of 702 consecutive patients with a fracture of the hip and 221 consecutive patients with a fracture of the wrist. A total of 32 patients with an isolated odontoid fracture were identified. The rate of mortality was 37.5% (n = 12) at one year. The period of greatest mortality was within the first 12 weeks. Time made a lesser contribution from then to one year, and there was no impact of time on the rate of mortality thereafter. The rate of mortality at one year was 41.2% for male patients (7 of 17) compared with 33.3% for females (5 of 15). The rate of mortality at one year was 32% (225 of 702) for patients with a fracture of the hip and 4% (9 of 221) for those with a fracture of the wrist. There was no statistically significant difference in the rate of mortality following a hip fracture and an odontoid peg fracture (p = 0.95). However, the survivorship of the wrist fracture group was much better than that of the odontoid peg fracture group (p < 0.001). Thus, a fracture of the odontoid peg in the elderly is not a benign injury and is associated with a high rate of mortality, especially in the first three months after the injury.

Is cauda equina syndrome linked with obesity?

No previous studies have examined the physical characteristics of patients with cauda equina syndrome (CES). We compared the anthropometric features of patients who developed CES after a disc prolapse with those who did not but who had symptoms that required elective surgery. We recorded the age, gender, height, weight and body mass index (BMI) of 92 consecutive patients who underwent elective lumbar discectomy and 40 consecutive patients who underwent discectomy for CES. On univariate analysis, the mean BMI of the elective discectomy cohort (26.5 kg/m2 (16.6 to 41.7) was very similar to that of the age-matched national mean (27.6 kg/m2, p = 1.0). However, the mean BMI of the CES cohort (31.1 kg/m2 (21.0 to 54.9)) was significantly higher than both that of the elective group (p < 0.001) and the age-matched national mean (p < 0.001). A similar pattern was seen with the weight of the groups. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed, adjusted for age, gender, height, weight and BMI. Increasing BMI and weight were strongly associated with an increased risk of CES (odds ratio (OR) 1.17, p < 0.001; and OR 1.06, p < 0.001, respectively). However, increasing height was linked with a reduced risk of CES (OR 0.9, p < 0.01). The odds of developing CES were 3.7 times higher (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.2 to 7.8, p = 0.016) in the overweight and obese (as defined by the World Health Organization: BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2) than in those of ideal weight. Those with very large discs (obstructing > 75% of the spinal canal) had a larger BMI than those with small discs (obstructing < 25% of the canal; p < 0.01). We therefore conclude that increasing BMI is associated with CES.

FRAX and the assessment of the risk of developing a fragility fracture.

Osteoporosis is common and the health and financial cost of fragility fractures is considerable. The burden of cardiovascular disease has been reduced dramatically by identifying and targeting those most at risk. A similar approach is potentially possible in the context of fragility fractures. The World Health Organization created and endorsed the use of FRAX, a fracture risk assessment tool, which uses selected risk factors to calculate a quantitative, patient-specific, ten-year risk of sustaining a fragility fracture. Treatment can thus be based on this as well as on measured bone mineral density. It may also be used to determine at-risk individuals, who should undergo bone densitometry. FRAX has been incorporated into the national osteoporosis guidelines of countries in the Americas, Europe, the Far East and Australasia. The United Kingdom National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence also advocates its use in their guidance on the assessment of the risk of fragility fracture, and it may become an important tool to combat the health challenges posed by fragility fractures.

The double-mobility acetabular component in revision total hip replacement: the United Kingdom experience.

We present our experience with a double-mobility acetabular component in 155 consecutive revision total hip replacements in 149 patients undertaken between 2005 and 2009, with particular emphasis on the incidence of further dislocation. The mean age of the patients was 77 years (42 to 89) with 59 males and 90 females. In all, five patients died and seven were lost to follow-up. Indications for revision were aseptic loosening in 113 hips, recurrent instability in 29, peri-prosthetic fracture in 11 and sepsis in two. The mean follow-up was 42 months (18 to 68). Three hips (2%) in three patients dislocated within six weeks of surgery; one of these dislocated again after one year. All three were managed successfully with closed reduction. Two of the three dislocations occurred in patients who had undergone revision for recurrent dislocation. All three were found at revision to have abductor deficiency. There were no dislocations in those revised for either aseptic loosening or sepsis. These results demonstrate a good mid-term outcome for this component. In the 29 patients revised for instability, only two had a further dislocation, both of which were managed by closed reduction.

Occupational radiation exposure and pregnancy in orthopaedics.

Radiological imaging is necessary in a wide variety of trauma and elective orthopaedic operations. The evolving orthopaedic workforce includes an increasing number of pregnant workers. Current legislation in the United Kingdom, Europe and United States allows them to choose their degree of participation, if any, with fluoroscopic procedures. For those who wish to engage in radiation-prone procedures, specific regulations apply to limit the radiation dose to the pregnant worker and unborn child. This paper considers those aspects of radiation protection, the potential effects of exposure to radiation in pregnancy and the dose of radiation from common orthopaedic procedures, which are important for safe clinical practice.

Simple whiplash?

We describe a case of type-I Arnold-Chiari malformation in a 27-year-old woman who presented on two separate occasions with an apparent whiplash injury. She developed debilitating symptoms after two apparently low velocity vehicle collisions. MRI revealed a type-I Arnold-Chiari malformation. She was referred for consideration of neurosurgical decompression. Type-I Arnold-Chiari malformation is the downward herniation of the cerebellar tonsils through the foramen magnum. It is usually asymptomatic but may present after apparently insignificant trauma with a wide range of possible symptoms. The protean nature of its presentation and the similarity of the symptoms to those of a whiplash injury mean that it is easily overlooked. It is, however, important that it is detected early.