Topical Tranexamic Acid Reduces Postoperative Blood Loss in Primary Total Hip and Knee Arthroplasty.

CONTEXT: The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of topical pre-closure application of tranexamic acid (TXA) to reduce postoperative blood loss and blood transfusion rates in primary total hip and knee arthroplasty (THA and TKA) in a private, high-volume orthopedic specialty hospital setting. METHODS: This was a retrospective study examining 140 consecutive patients undergoing primary hip or knee arthroplasty at the sample setting by a single surgeon. The first 70 patients did not receive topical TXA (2 gm./20ml.), the final 70 did receive topical TXA. We compared the postoperative hemoglobin levels of both sample subgroups at postoperative days 1, 2, and 3. RESULTS: Overall, the postoperative hemoglobin levels were significantly higher in the TXA group on postoperative days 1, 2, and 3 (p < 0.05). When patients who underwent THA (n = 70) were investigated separately, the hemoglobin levels were significantly higher on postoperative days 1, 2, and 3 in the group that received TXA. In the TKA group (n = 70), there was not a significantly higher hemoglobin level in patients who received TXA. There were no blood transfusions in the entire study cohort. Possibly due to the more restrictive transfusion criteria employed in this study, the total estimated prospective cost savings from use of TXA was calculated at about $116 per patient. CONCLUSIONS: Based on these results from a high volume orthopedic specialty hospital, pre-closure topical TXA application may prove effective in reducing postoperative blood loss for some patients but have a relatively small impact on cost outcomes.

Cultural Biases in Current Medical Practices with a Specific Attention to Orthopedic Surgery: a Review.

Due to the increasing diversity within the United States population, there is an ever-increasing need for increased education on cultural literacy and tolerance in medical schools and residency programs. The purpose of this article was to review how a person's culture can play a substantive role in effecting and influencing (1) medical diagnosis, (2) patient and health provider medical decision-making, (3) the patient's perception of disease, and (4) the doctor-patient relationships. Many of the decisions we make as orthopedic surgeons must account for the patient's cultural needs, as much of our work impacts patients' daily activities and function. When considering the patient's perception of disease, validated tools have been developed, such as the Patient-Specific Index, which can be used to assess the feelings, goals, and expectations of patients. Cultural competency should be a part of curricula at every level of medical education.

Use of modular large femoral heads without liners in hip arthroplasty.

The use of large-diameter femoral heads in total hip arthroplasty appears to reduce the risk for dislocation, and potentially improve articular wear. Moreover, large-diameter total hip femoral heads have been determined to increase range of motion. The purpose of this study was to report our experiences with this new device. In our patient cohort, many patients have done extremely well in the short-term with this new device, and it seems these patients function better than those with a standard total hip arthroplasty. The patients who experience less pain are able to return to full activities postoperatively. The preliminary results of this study are encouraging, and large femoral head prosthesis appears to be a great choice for orthopaedic surgeons in primary total hip arthroplasty.

Hip resurfacing arthroplasty.

Hip resurfacing arthroplasty is a type of hip replacement that involves capping the femoral head and preserving bone of the proximal femur. Metal-on-metal surface replacements have been manufactured since the early 1990s. Recent studies indicate excellent clinical results with low failure rates at 1- to 5-year follow-up. Although these early results are encouraging, resurfacing devices must be used with caution because less is known about their long-term safety and efficacy. The best candidates for resurfacing are patients younger than age 60 years with good bone stock. The surgical approach is similar to that for standard total hip replacements, but with slightly more dissection because the femoral head must be preserved and displaced to visualize the acetabulum. To reduce complications, resurfacing arthroplasty should be performed by surgeons who have received training specifically in this technique.

Use of constrained acetabular liners in total hip arthroplasty.

The use of constrained acetabular liners is indicated when soft-tissue tensioning techniques such as femoral neck lengthening, component repositioning, and use of lateralized acetabular liner are ineffective. It is most commonly used as a salvage procedure in revision situations. However, a locking acetabular insert may be used for primary THAs in patients with joint or soft-tissue laxity, neuromuscular disease, or intraoperative instability. In addition to the described commercially available liners, several manufacturers will provide customized components on request.

Core decompression of the femoral head for osteonecrosis using percutaneous multiple small-diameter drilling.

Osteonecrosis is a disease with a wide ranging etiology and poorly understood pathogenesis seen commonly in young patients. Core decompression has historically been used in patients with small-sized or medium-sized precollapse lesions in an attempt to forestall disease progression. Typically, an 8-10 mm wide cannula trephine is used to do this procedure. The authors report on a new technique using multiple small drillings with a 3-mm Steinman pin to effectuate the core decompression. In this report, there were 32 of 45 hips (71%; 35 patients) with a successful clinical result at a mean followup of 2 years (range, 20-39 months). Twenty four of 30 Stage I hips (80%; 23 patients) had successful outcomes compared with 8 of 15 Stage II hips (57%; 12 patients) with no surgical complications occurring with this technique. This procedure is technically straightforward and led to minimal morbidity with no surgical complications. It may be effective in delaying the need for total hip arthroplasty in young patients with early (precollapse) stages of femoral head osteonecrosis.

The incorporation of morselized bone grafts in cementless acetabular revisions.

The treatment of large osteolytic lesions is a challenge during acetabular revisions. Periprosthetic bone loss can compromise the stability of new implants. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the 5- to 10-year clinical and radiographic results of morselized bone grafting for acetabular osteolysis during cementless acetabular revisions. Ninety-nine patients (108 hips) who had an acetabular revision hip arthroplasty for osteolysis were retrospectively reviewed. There were 44 men and 55 women who had a mean age of 66 years. At the index revision, the acetabular defects were debrided of granulomatous tissue and packed tightly with morselized cancellous femoral head allograft. All the revision acetabular components were implanted using cementless fixation. At a mean followup of 85 months (range, 60-118 months), the results of 103 of 108 hips (95%) were clinically and radiographically successful. The mean preoperative Harris hip score was 37 points, which improved to a mean of 91 points at the last followup. All cavitary defects had complete radiographic incorporation of the bone grafts except for two lesions. The results of this study indicate that morselized bone graft incorporates into cementless acetabular revisions. This treatment method provided a stable reconstruction in 98% of patients at a mean of 7 years followup.

Total knee arthroplasty in obese patients: a comparison with a matched control group.

Thirty knees in 27 obese patients were matched to 30 knees in 27 nonobese patients, with both cohorts followed for a mean of approximately 15 years. Nine of 30 obese knees were revised, whereas 3 of 30 nonobese knees were revised, with Knee Society objective scores being higher in the nonobese group. There were more polyethylene insert revisions in the nonobese group, which may have been accounted for by a trend of higher activity levels in this group. The authors concluded that at long-term follow-up, although not statistically significant, there was a trend for obesity to influence the rate of aseptic loosening. This may occur because of increasing stress at the bone-prosthesis interface, whereas increased activity levels in the nonobese patients may adversely affect the longevity of the polyethylene insert.

The outcome of total knee arthroplasty in obese patients.

BACKGROUND: Evidence linking increased body weight to osteoarthritis of the knee and the high prevalence of obesity underscore the importance of defining the outcome of total knee arthroplasty in obese patients. The purpose of this study was to compare the clinical and radiographic results of total knee arthroplasties performed in obese patients with those of total knee arthroplasties performed in nonobese patients. METHODS: Clinical and radiographic data on seventy-eight total knee arthroplasties in sixty-eight obese patients were compared with data on a matched group of nonobese patients. The analysis was also performed after stratification of the obese group for the degree of obesity. All patients had the same prosthesis. The clinical data that were analyzed included the Knee Society objective and functional scores, patellofemoral symptoms, activity level, and complications. RESULTS: The percentage of knees with a Knee Society score of > or =80 points at an average of eighty months was 88% in the obese group, which was significantly lower than the 99% rate in the nonobese group at the same time. The morbidly obese subgroup had a significantly higher revision rate than did the nonobese group (p = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: The results of the present study suggest that any degree of obesity, defined as a body mass index of > or =30, has a negative effect on the outcome of total knee replacement.

The diagnosis and treatment of nontraumatic osteonecrosis of the femoral head.

Osteonecrosis of the femoral head is a potentially debilitating disease that frequently affects young patients in the third through fifth decades of life. If untreated, this disease will result in total destruction of the hip joint; therefore, early diagnosis and intervention are essential to optimize outcome. Although the etiology of osteonecrosis of the femoral head is poorly understood, awareness of well-established risk factors and associated disorders can assist in early detection and possible prevention of hip joint destruction. All patients with symptomatic hip disease should undergo standard radiographic evaluation; however, MRI remains the most sensitive diagnostic modality. Depending on the stage of the disease, options for treatment range from minimally invasive procedures such as core decompression to total joint arthroplasty.

Different surgical options for monocompartmental osteoarthritis of the knee: high tibial osteotomy versus unicompartmental knee arthroplasty versus total knee arthroplasty: indications, techniques, results, and controversies.

The decision of what procedure to perform for the treatment of monocompartmental osteoarthritis of the knee when nonsurgical treatment methods fail remains controversial. Recent advances using osteotomy, unicompartmental knee replacement, and total knee replacement have been reported. For example, there are new concepts for performing high tibial osteotomies rather than the traditional Coventry method. Many techniques now involve osteotomies below the tibial tubercle. Unicompartmental knee replacement can be done using a standard approach, but less invasive approaches exist, along with minimally invasive approaches for total knee replacement, rather than the standard large incision, that promote decreased soft-tissue destruction.

Use of cancellous bone chips and demineralized bone matrix in the treatment of acetabular osteolysis: preliminary 2-year follow-up.

Twenty patients (20 hips) who had cementless acetabular revision arthroplasty and were treated with cancellous bone chips mixed with demineralized bone matrix to fill the cavitary defects were studied. At 2-years' follow-up, the grafts were fully incorporated in 18 patients. In addition, the mean Harris Hip Score increased to 89 points from a mean preoperative score of 29 points for the surviving hips. These preliminary findings suggest that the prepackaged demineralized bone matrix and cancellous chips can provide acceptable radiographic and clinical results as an adjunct in the treatment of contained osteolytic acetabular defects.

Outcome of nonvascularized bone grafting for osteonecrosis of the femoral head.

Osteonecrosis is a disease with a wide-ranging etiology and poorly understood pathogenesis seen commonly in young patients. Various head-preserving procedures have been used for this disease to avert the need for total hip replacement. These include various vascularized and nonvascularized bone grafting procedures. We will describe the use of bone-grafting through a window at the femoral head-neck junction for the treatment of osteonecrosis of the femoral head. Bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)-enriched allograft was used to avoid donor site morbidity. Nineteen patients (21 hips) were followed up for a mean of 48 months (range, 36-55 months) after a bone grafting procedure in which the diseased bone was replaced by a bone graft substitute (combination of demineralized bone matrix, processed allograft bone chips, and a thermoplastic carrier). Eighteen of 21 hips (86%) were clinically successful at latest followup. Two of these patients have minimal radiographic progression (< 2 mm head collapse). This procedure is straightforward technically, led to low morbidity, and did not necessitate procurement of donor site bone graft. This procedure may be effective at avoiding or forestalling the need for total hip arthroplasty in young patients with early to intermediate stages of osteonecrosis of the femoral head.