Rivaroxaban has been recommended for routine use as a thromboprophylactic agent in patients undergoing lower-limb arthroplasty. However, trials supporting its use have not fully evaluated the risks of wound complications. This study of 1048 total hip/knee replacements records the rates of return to theatre and infection before and after the change from a low molecular weight heparin (tinzaparin) to rivaroxaban as the agent of chemical thromboprophylaxis in patients undergoing lower-limb arthroplasty. During a period of 13 months, 489 consecutive patients undergoing lower-limb arthroplasty received tinzaparin and the next 559 consecutive patients received rivaroxaban as thromboprophylaxis. Nine patients in the control (tinzaparin) group (1.8%, 95% confidence interval 0.9 to 3.5) returned to theatre with wound complications within 30 days, compared with 22 patients in the rivaroxaban group (3.94%, 95% confidence interval 2.6 to 5.9). This increase was statistically significant (p = 0.046). The proportion of patients who returned to theatre and became infected remained similar (p = 0.10). Our study demonstrates the need for further randomised controlled clinical trials to be conducted to assess the safety and efficacy of rivaroxaban in clinical practice, focusing on the surgical complications as well as the potential prevention of venous thromboembolism.
AimsA fracture of the hip is the most common serious orthopaedic
injury, and surgical site infection (SSI) is one of the most significant
complications, resulting in increased mortality, prolonged hospital
stay and often the need for further surgery. Our aim was to determine
whether high dose dual antibiotic impregnated bone cement decreases the
rate of infection.Patients and MethodsA quasi-randomised study of 848 patients with an intracapsular
fracture of the hip was conducted in one large teaching hospital
on two sites. All were treated with a hemiarthroplasty. A total
of 448 patients received low dose single-antibiotic impregnated
cement (control group) and 400 patients received high dose dual-antibiotic impregnated
cement (intervention group). The primary outcome measure was deep
SSI at one year after surgery.ResultsThe rate of deep SSI was 3.5% in the control group and 1.1% in
the intervention group
(p = 0.041; logistic regression adjusting for age and gender). The
overall rate of non-infective surgical complications did not differ
between the two groups (unadjusted chi-squared test; p > 0.999).ConclusionThe use of high dose dual-antibiotic impregnated cement in these
patients significantly reduces the rate of SSI compared with standard
low dose single antibiotic loaded bone cement.Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2016;98-B:1534–1541.
This trial provided no evidence that the use of triclosan-coated sutures at THA and TKA leads to a reduction in the rate of SSI. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2018;100-B:296-302.
Study design Systematic review. Objective To search and analyse randomised controlled trials (RCTs) published since the Cochrane review by Gibson and Waddell (2007) Results Four RCTs were identified. None of the studies found a significant difference in the ODI scores between study groups at any time point. Three studies compared MED to OD and one compared OD, MD, and MED. The largest study reported an increased number of severe complications in the MED group. Conclusions There is some evidence to suggest that MED performed by surgeons skilled in the technique in tertiary referral centres is as effective as OD.
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