No abstract

The findings demonstrate that recovery is governed not solely by medical phenomena but also by psychological variables and suggest that modification of these variables may have an impact on recovery outcomes. Moreover, attention should be paid to the timing of such intervention and to the length of follow-up.

Background Notching of the anterior femoral cortex in distal femoral fractures following TKR has been observed clinically and studied biomechanically. It has been hypothesized that femoral notching weakens the cortex of the femur, which can predispose to femoral fractures in the early postoperative period. We examined the relationship between notching of the anterior femoral cortex during total knee replacement (TKR) and supracondylar fracture.Patients and methods Postoperative lateral radiographs of 200 TKRs were reviewed at an average of 9 (6–15) years postoperatively. 72 knees (41%) showed notching of the anterior femoral cortex. Notches were classified into 4 grades using the Tayside classification as follows. Grade I: violation of the outer table of the anterior femoral cortex; grade II: violation of the outer and the inner table of the anterior femoral cortex; grade III: violation up to 25% of the medullary canal (from the inner table to the center of the medullary canal); grade IV: violation up to 50% of the medullary canal (from the inner table to the center of the medullary canal) and unclassifiable.Results The interobserver variability of the classification system using Cohen's Kappa score was found to be substantially reliable. 3 of the 200 TKRs sustained later supracondylar fractures. One of these patients had grade II femoral notching and the other 2 showed no notching. The patient with femoral notching sustained a supracondylar fracture of the femur following a simple fall at home 9 years after TKR.Interpretation There is no relationship between minimal anterior femoral notching and supracondylar fracture of the femur in TKR.

Study objectives-To determine extent of change in psychological, functional, and social health after knee and hip joint replacement surgery using independent assessments. Design-Patients were recruited before surgery and interviewed preoperatively, three months after surgery, and nine months after surgery. Interviews were conducted in the patients' own homes. Setting-Two orthopaedic surgery units in Scotland. Participants-A consecutive sample of 107 patients with osteoarthritis having primary replacement of the knee or hip. Main outcome measures-Assessments of depression, anxiety, pain, functional activity, informal care, and formal service utilisation were made at three time points. Main results-Anxiety and pain were significantly reduced and functional activity levels significantly increased after surgery. While gains in anxiety and pain reduction occurred between the preoperative and three month assessments, gains in activity were made between the three month and nine month assessments. Although pain was reduced and activity increased, levels of depression were unchanged after surgery. Patients reported need for assistance with fewer activities after surgery, but increases in the use of formal services and increases in the number of hours per week of informal support received were observed at both three month and nine month follow up. Conclusions-The main benefit of joint replacement surgery is pain relief. Gains in functional activity, particularly mobility and leisure activities are made by many patients. Paradoxically, surgery for osteoarthritis seems to act as a "gateway" to increases in formal and informal community support, which are maintained into the longer term.

Summary In a series of 57 hemiplegic patients who subsequently fractured their hips, it was found that hip fracture occurred significantly more often on the hemiplegic side. Hip fracture was equally common in right- and left-sided hemiplegia, and often occurred within one year of the stroke. Two factors seem to be important in the genesis of hip fractures in hemiplegic patients: the tendency of stroke patients to fall to the affected side as a result of impaired locomotor function, and the development of disuse osteoporosis in the hemiplegic limb.