Purpose There is a paucity of literature defining the minimal clinically important difference (MCID) for the Knee Society Scores (KSS) after total knee arthroplasty (TKA), and no data on the substantial clinical benefit (SCB) for KSS have been reported. The purpose of this study was to determine MCID and SCB for the KSS in patients with primary TKA. Methods The median age of patients was 71.6 (range 50-88) years, and 60.3% were females 507 patients with TKA were prospectively enrolled. Patients completed the KSS before surgery and at second postoperative year. The MCID values of the KSS were estimated using anchor-based method, distribution-based method and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis with calculation of the area under curve (AUC). SCB was estimated using ROC. ResultsThe MCID for KSS-knee score was 7.2 points by the anchor-based method, 7.2 by the distribution-based method, and using a ROC analysis the cutoff point was 8.9 points with an AUC of 0.75. For KSS-function score, the MCID values were 9.7, 6.3, and 10.3 (AUC 0.71), respectively. SCB values were 39.7 points (AUC 0.74) for the KSS-knee score, and 38.6 (AUC 0.76) for the KSS-function score. Logistic regression showed age and Charlson index to negatively affect the changes in KSS. Conclusion Different methods for MCID calculation lead to different results. With the use of ROC curve analysis, patients with an improvement of at least 9 points for KSS-knee and 10 points for KSS-function scores experience a clinically important change, whereas those who have at least an improvement of 40 points for KSS-knee and 39 points for KSS-function scores experience a substantial clinical benefit. These findings can ensure clinical improvement from the patient's perspective and also aid in interpreting results from clinical studies. Level of evidence III.

No abstract

Cementless total knee arthroplasty was found to be a reliable option in younger patients with osteoarthritis. Although the revision rate and survival were similar in both groups, better clinical outcomes were obtained with cementless tibial components.

IV.

This study suggests that waiting time for hip fracture surgery more than two days was not associated with higher complication or mortality rate if waiting was to stabilize patients with active comorbidities at admission, compared to stable patients at admission with early surgery. Although early surgery within two days from admission is desirable for stable patients at admission, in patients with complex comorbidities, the surgery should be performed once they are optimized. However, the patients with delayed surgery for organizational reasons had a significant higher rate of post-operative complications and one year mortality compared to the other two groups.

II.

Therapeutic study, Level I.

Background: There is controversy about the benefit of arthroscopic partial meniscectomy (APM) for degenerative lesions in middle-aged patients. Purpose: To compare satisfaction with APM between middle-aged patients with no or mild knee osteoarthritis (OA) and a degenerative meniscal tear and those with a traumatic tear. Study Design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2. Methods: A comparative prospective study at 5 years of middle-aged patients (45-60 years old) with no or mild OA undergoing APM for degenerative (n = 115) or traumatic (n = 143) tears was conducted. Patient satisfaction was measured by a 5-point Likert scale and functional outcomes by the Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC). Univariate and multivariate regression analyses were used to identify factors correlating with patient-reported satisfaction at 5 years postoperatively. Results: Baseline patient characteristics were not different between groups. At the 5-year evaluation, the satisfaction rate in the traumatic and degenerative groups was 68.5% versus 71.3%, respectively ( P = .365). Patient satisfaction was significantly associated with functional outcomes ( r = 0.69; P = .024). In the degenerative group, 43 patients (37.4%) had OA progression to Kellgren-Lawrence (K-L) grade 2 or 3, but only 24 patients (20.8%) had a symptomatic knee at final follow-up. Multivariate regression analysis for patient dissatisfaction at 5-year follow-up showed the following significant independent factors: female sex (odds ratio [OR], 1.6 [95% CI, 1.1-2.3]; P = .018), body mass index >30 kg/m2 (OR, 2.6 [95% CI, 1.7-4.9]; P = .035), lateral meniscal tears (OR, 0.6 [95% CI, 0.1-0.9]; P = .039), and OA progression to K-L grade ≥2 at final follow-up (OR, 1.4 [95% CI, 1.2-2.6]; P = .014). At the final evaluation, there were no significant differences between groups in pain scores ( P = .648), WOMAC scores ( P = .083), or KOOS-4 scores ( P = .187). Likewise, there were no significant differences in the KOOS subscores for Pain ( P = .144), Symptoms ( P = .097), or Sports/Recreation ( P = .150). Although the degenerative group had significantly higher subscores for Activities of Daily Living ( P = .001) and Quality of Life ( P = .004), the differences were considered not clinically meaningful. Conclusion: There were no meaningful differences in patient satisfaction or clinical outcomes between patients with traumatic and degenerative tears and no or mild OA. Predictors of dissatisfaction with APM were female sex, obesity, and lateral meniscal tears. Our findings suggested that APM was an effective medium-term option to relieve pain and recover function in middle-aged patients with degenerative meniscal tears, without obvious OA, and with failed prior physical therapy.