A comparison of blood loss and the need for transfusion following primary total knee replacement with or without the use of a tourniquet

Background: Primary total knee replacement (TKR) has traditionally been carried out with the use of a tourniquet. More recent trends towards performing the surgery without a tourniquet have had some support in the literature and may improve patient recovery.Methods: A retrospective cohort of 198 consecutive primary TKRs from our institution were identified and analysed, 52 used a tourniquet and 146 did not. All TKRs also utilised a standardised interventions protocol including withholding of anticoagulants and antiplatelet medications, topical adrenaline injection, and both IV and topical tranexamic acid. Outcomes measured were estimated intra-operative blood loss, overall blood loss through comparison of pre and post-operative haemoglobin laboratory values, and the need for post-operative blood transfusion.Results: Analysis demonstrated a statistically significant reduction in estimated intra-operative blood loss when a tourniquet was used (p<0.001). However, overall blood loss indicated by the haemoglobin drop after surgery was not significantly affected by tourniquet use (p=0.342). Transfusion requirements were also similar among the groups (4.8% vs. 5.8%) and no tendency was suggested towards an increased rate of transfusion in the non-tourniquet group.Conclusions: Our study shows that although estimated intra-operative blood loss is increased without a tourniquet, total blood loss as measured by haemoglobin levels is no different for primary TKRs that use a tourniquet and those that do not. Furthermore there is no difference in post-operative blood transfusion rates. It is our hope that this study will add to the body of evidence for surgeons to consider no longer using a tourniquet for primary TKR

Blood loss following medial unicondylar knee replacements without a tourniquet: is there a need to group and save?

Background: There are current trends towards not using a tourniquet in total knee replacement (TKR), but there is nothing published on what the effects of not using a tourniquet on unicondylar knee replacements (UKR) may be in terms of blood loss.Methods: A retrospective case series of 36 consecutive UKR from our institution were analysed. All procedures were carried out without a tourniquet and also utilised a standardised interventions protocol including withholding of anticoagulants and antiplatelet medications, administration of periarticular local anaesthetic and adrenaline injection, and both IV and topical tranexamic acid. Outcomes measured were estimated intra-operative blood loss, overall blood loss through comparison of pre and post-operative haemoglobin laboratory values, and the need for post-operative blood transfusion.Results: Most patients (61.1%) experienced an estimated intra-operative blood loss of less than100 mls. There was a mean haemoglobin drop of 16.1 g/l (range 1–26, SD ±5.9), with a mean post operatively haemoglobin level of 125.1 g/l (range 107-142, SD ±8.7). No patients required a blood transfusion.Conclusions: A low level of blood loss is encountered when UKR is undertaken without a tourniquet and with our standard interventions to reduce bleeding. The level of post-operative haemoglobin and absence of requirement for blood transfusion suggests that this operation can be undertaken without the need for a group and save. It is our hope that surgeons will be encouraged to perform this procedure without a tourniquet and benefit from the cost-saving opportunity of not performing a group and save

Advances and innovations in total hip arthroplasty.

Total hip arthroplasty (THA) has been quoted as one of the most successful and cost-effective procedures in Orthopaedics. The last decade has seen an exponential rise in the number of THAs performed globally and a sharp increase in the percentage of young patients hoping to improve their quality of life and return to physically demanding activities. Hence, it is imperative to review the various applications of technology in total hip arthroplasty for improving outcomes. The development of state-of-the-art robotic technology has enabled more reproducible and accurate acetabular positioning, while long-term data are needed to assess its cost-effectiveness. This opinion piece aims to outline and present the advances and innovations in total hip arthroplasty, from virtual reality and three-dimensional printing to patient-specific instrumentation and dual mobility bearings. This illustrates and reflects the debate that will be at the centre of hip surgery for the next decade

Artificial intelligence in orthopaedic surgery

The use of artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly growing across many domains, of which the medical field is no exception. AI is an umbrella term defining the practical application of algorithms to generate useful output, without the need of human cognition. Owing to the expanding volume of patient information collected, known as ‘big data’, AI is showing promise as a useful tool in healthcare research and across all aspects of patient care pathways. Practical applications in orthopaedic surgery include: diagnostics, such as fracture recognition and tumour detection; predictive models of clinical and patient-reported outcome measures, such as calculating mortality rates and length of hospital stay; and real-time rehabilitation monitoring and surgical training. However, clinicians should remain cognizant of AI’s limitations, as the development of robust reporting and validation frameworks is of paramount importance to prevent avoidable errors and biases. The aim of this review article is to provide a comprehensive understanding of AI and its subfields, as well as to delineate its existing clinical applications in trauma and orthopaedic surgery. Furthermore, this narrative review expands upon the limitations of AI and future direction

Linking chondrocyte and synovial transcriptional profile to clinical phenotype in osteoarthritis.

OBJECTIVES: To determine how gene expression profiles in osteoarthritis joint tissues relate to patient phenotypes and whether molecular subtypes can be reproducibly captured by a molecular classification algorithm. METHODS: We analysed RNA sequencing data from cartilage and synovium in 113 osteoarthritis patients, applying unsupervised clustering and Multi-Omics Factor Analysis to characterise transcriptional profiles. We tested the association of the molecularly defined patient subgroups with clinical characteristics from electronic health records. RESULTS: We detected two patient subgroups in low-grade cartilage (showing no/minimal degeneration, cartilage normal/softening only), with differences associated with inflammation, extracellular matrix-related and cell adhesion pathways. The high-inflammation subgroup was associated with female sex (OR 4.12, p=0.0024) and prescription of proton pump inhibitors (OR 4.21, p=0.0040). We identified two independent patient subgroupings in osteoarthritis synovium: one related to inflammation and the other to extracellular matrix and cell adhesion processes. A seven-gene classifier including MMP13, APOD, MMP2, MMP1, CYTL1, IL6 and C15orf48 recapitulated the main axis of molecular heterogeneity in low-grade knee osteoarthritis cartilage (correlation ρ=-0.88, p<10-10) and was reproducible in an independent patient cohort (ρ=-0.85, p<10-10). CONCLUSIONS: These data support the reproducible stratification of osteoarthritis patients by molecular subtype and the exploration of new avenues for tailored treatments

Current and emerging osteoporosis pharmacotherapy for women: state of the art therapies for preventing bone loss.

INTRODUCTION: Pharmacological options to address the imbalance between bone resorption and accrual in osteoporosis include anti-resorptive and osteoanabolic agents. Unique biologic pathways such as the Wnt/β-catenin pathway have been targeted in the quest for new emerging therapeutic strategies. Areas covered: This review provides an overview of existing pharmacotherapy for osteoporosis in women and explore state-of-the-art and emerging therapies to prevent bone loss, with an emphasis on the mechanism of action, indications and side effects. Expert opinion: Bisphosphonates appear to be a reliable and cost-effective option, whereas denosumab has introduced a simpler dosing regimen and may achieve a linear increase in bone mineral density (BMD) with no plateau being observed, along with continuous anti-fracture efficacy. Abaloparatide, a parathyroid-hormone-related peptide (PTHrP)-analogue, approved by the FDA in April 2017, constitutes the first new anabolic osteoporosis drug in the US for nearly 15 years and has also proven its anti-fracture efficacy. Romosozumab, a sclerostin inhibitor, which induces bone formation and suppresses bone resorption, has also been developed and shown a significant reduction in fracture incidence; however, concerns have arisen with regard to increased cardiovascular risk

Reducing the environmental impact of surgery on a global scale: systematic review and co-prioritization with healthcare workers in 132 countries

Abstract Background Healthcare cannot achieve net-zero carbon without addressing operating theatres. The aim of this study was to prioritize feasible interventions to reduce the environmental impact of operating theatres. Methods This study adopted a four-phase Delphi consensus co-prioritization methodology. In phase 1, a systematic review of published interventions and global consultation of perioperative healthcare professionals were used to longlist interventions. In phase 2, iterative thematic analysis consolidated comparable interventions into a shortlist. In phase 3, the shortlist was co-prioritized based on patient and clinician views on acceptability, feasibility, and safety. In phase 4, ranked lists of interventions were presented by their relevance to high-income countries and low–middle-income countries. Results In phase 1, 43 interventions were identified, which had low uptake in practice according to 3042 professionals globally. In phase 2, a shortlist of 15 intervention domains was generated. In phase 3, interventions were deemed acceptable for more than 90 per cent of patients except for reducing general anaesthesia (84 per cent) and re-sterilization of ‘single-use’ consumables (86 per cent). In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for high-income countries were: introducing recycling; reducing use of anaesthetic gases; and appropriate clinical waste processing. In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for low–middle-income countries were: introducing reusable surgical devices; reducing use of consumables; and reducing the use of general anaesthesia. Conclusion This is a step toward environmentally sustainable operating environments with actionable interventions applicable to both high– and low–middle–income countries

Adapting hip arthroplasty practices during the COVID-19 pandemic: Assessing the impact of outpatient care sudden increase on early complications and clinical outcomes

International audienceIntroduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly affected access to timely care for patients with hip osteoarthritis requiring total hip replacement (THR). This study aimed to assess the changes in surgical activity, outpatient treatment, length of stay (LOS), discharge destinations, readmission rates, clinical outcomes, and patient satisfaction before and after the pandemic at our institution. Materials and methods: This retrospective study encompassed patients undergoing primary THR through the direct anterior approach at a single university hospital. Data on demographic characteristics, surgical technique, perioperative management, LOS, discharge destinations, complications, and clinical outcomes were collected. Furthermore, a comparative analysis between the pre-pandemic (2019) and post-pandemic (2022) periods was conducted. Results: There was a 14% increase in surgical activity post-pandemic, with 214 patients undergoing surgery in 2019 versus 284 in 2022. The percentage of patients managed as outpatients significantly increased from 0.5% in 2019 to 29.6% in 2022 (p < 0.001). LOS decreased from 2.7 ± 1 [0–8] days to 1.4 ± 1.1 [0–12] days (p < 0.001), and the rate of discharge to rehabilitation centres declined from 21.5% to 8.8% (p < 0.001). No significant increase in the readmission rates was observed (1.4% in both periods). At two months postoperatively, the mean HHS and satisfaction rates were comparable between the two groups (p = 1 and p = 0.73, respectively). Discussion: Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, surgical activity at our institution demonstrated an increase compared to the pre-pandemic levels by expanding outpatient care, reducing LOS, and increasing rates of home discharges. Importantly, these changes did not adversely affect rehospitalization rates or early clinical outcomes.Level of evidence: I

Better accuracy and implant survival in medial imageless robotic-assisted unicompartmental knee arthroplasty compared to conventional unicompartmental knee arthroplasty: two- to eleven-year follow-up of three hundred fifty-six consecutive knees

Purpose: Implant malpositioning, joint line (JL) lowering, and malalignment have been identified as risk factors for implant failure in unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA). The aims of this study were to compare the accuracy of implant positioning in robotic-assisted UKA versus conventional UKA in a large cohort and examine the correlation with implant survival at mid-term follow-up. Methods: This retrospective study included 356 medial UKAs from 2011 to 2019. The radiological measurements performed were coronal positioning of tibial implant according to Cartier angle (Δ Cartier), posterior tibial slope (PTS), residual hipknee-ankle (HKA), and JL restoration. Outliers were defined as follows: post-operative HKA 180°, Δ Cartier > 3° or 8°. The survival probability was reported at the last follow-up. Results Out of the 356 knees included, 159 underwent conventional UKA (44.5%) and 197 (55.5%) robotic-assisted UKA. The mean follow-up was 61.3 months ± 24.0. Robotic UKA was associated with better accuracy compared to conventional UKA in relation to HKA (67% vs 56%, p = 0.023), JL restoration (70% vs 44%, p < 0.0001), PTS (83% vs 55%, p < 0.0001), and tibial varus restoration (65% vs 55%, p = 0.049). Implant survival in the robotic group was found to be superior at the last follow-up (96.4% versus 87.3% at 9 years, p = 0.004). Conclusion Robotic assistance in patients undergoing medial UKA was associated with better accuracy compared to conventional UKA with respect to tibial implant positioning, post-operative limb alignment, and JL restoration. This was translated in improved survival at mid-term follow-up favouring the robotic group