BackgroundOpen reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) with plates and screws is one of the treatment options for clavicle fractures. However, an additional operation for implant removal after union of the fracture is commonly performed due to a high incidence of hardware irritation. Despite union of the fracture, a subsequent refracture might occur after removal of the implant which requires additional surgeries for fixation. This study aims to determine the risk factors associated with refracture of the clavicle after hardware removal.MethodsWe retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 278 patients that were diagnosed with a midshaft clavicle fracture (male 190; female 88) that had (1) undergone ORIF of the clavicle with plates and (2) received a second operation for removal of hardware after solid union of the fracture between 2010 and 2017. Their mean age was 40.1 ± 15.1 years, and mean interval from fixation to plate removal was 12.5 ± 7.5 months. The patients were then divided into two groups based on the presence of refracture (n = 20) or without refracture (n = 258). We analyzed patient demographics, interval between fixation and implant removal, fracture classification (AO/OTA, Robinson), fixation device, whether wires or interfragmentary screws were used, clavicular length, and bone diameter at the fracture site.ResultsThe overall refracture rate was 7.2%, and the mean interval between plate removal and refracture was 23.9 days. A multivariate analysis showed that female (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 4.74; 95% CI 1.6–14.1) and body mass index [BMI] (for every 1-unit decrease, aOR 1.25; 95% CI 1.06–1.48) were risk factors for refracture. In women, BMI was the only risk factor. The optimal BMI cutoff value was 22.73. In a female patient with a lower BMI, the refracture rate was 29.8%.ConclusionsThere are no significant radiographic parameters associated with refracture. Routine plate removal in a female patient with a low BMI after bony union of a midshaft clavicle fracture is not recommended because of a high refracture rate.

Aims The aims of this study were to validate the outcome of total elbow arthroplasty (TEA) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and to identify factors that affect the outcome. Methods We searched PubMed, MEDLINE, Cochrane Reviews, and Embase from between January 2003 and March 2019. The primary aim was to determine the implant failure rate, the mode of failure, and risk factors predisposing to failure. A secondary aim was to identify the overall complication rate, associated risk factors, and clinical performance. A meta-regression analysis was completed to identify the association between each parameter with the outcome. Results A total of 38 studies including 2,118 TEAs were included in the study. The mean follow-up was 80.9 months (8.2 to 156). The implant failure and complication rates were 16.1% (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.128 to 0.200) and 24.5% (95% CI 0.203 to 0.293), respectively. Aseptic loosening was the most common mode of failure (9.5%; 95% CI 0.071 to 0.124). The mean postoperative ranges of motion (ROMs) were: flexion 131.5° (124.2° to 138.8°), extension 29.3° (26.8° to 31.9°), pronation 74.0° (67.8° to 80.2°), and supination 72.5° (69.5° to 75.5°), and the mean postoperative Mayo Elbow Performance Score (MEPS) was 89.3 (95% CI 86.9 to 91.6). The meta-regression analysis identified that younger patients and implants with an unlinked design correlated with higher failure rates. Younger patients were associated with increased complications, while female patients and an unlinked prosthesis were associated with aseptic loosening. Conclusion TEA continues to provide satisfactory results for patients with RA. However, it is associated with a substantially higher implant failure and complication rates compared with hip and knee arthroplasties. The patient’s age, sex, and whether cemented fixation and unlinked prosthesis were used can influence the outcome. Level of Evidence: Therapeutic Level IV. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2020;102-B(8):967–980.

BackgroundAdolescent idiopathic scoliosis, in which obvious curves are visible in radiographic images, is also seen in combination with lumps in the back. These lumps contribute to inclination, which can be measured by a scoliometer. To the authors’ knowledge, there are no previous formulas combining thoracic and lumbar scoliometer values simultaneously to predict thoracic and lumbar Cobb angles, respectively. This study aimed to create more accurate two-parameter mathematical formulas for predicting thoracic and lumbar Cobb angles.MethodsBetween Dec. 2012 and Jan. 2013, patients diagnosed with idiopathic scoliosis in an outpatient clinic were enrolled. The maximal trunk rotations at the thoracic and lumbar regions were recorded with a scoliometer. Right asymmetry hump was deemed positive (+), and left asymmetry hump was deemed negative (−). The Cobb angles were measured with a Picture Archiving and Communication System. Statistical analysis included Pearson’s correlation coefficient, multivariate regression and Bland–Atman analysis.ResultsOne-hundred and one patients were enrolled in our study. The average thoracic curve (TC) was 23.3 ± 1.8°, while the average lumbar curve (LC) was − 23.3 ± 1.4°. The thoracic inclination (TI) and lumbar inclination (LI) were 4.5 ± 0.7 and − 5.9 ± 0.6, respectively. The one-parameter formula for the thoracic curve was TC = 2.0 TI + 14.3 (r = 0.813); for the lumbar curve, it was LC = 0.9 LI − 16.9 (r = 0.409). By multivariate regression, the two-parameter formulas for the thoracic and lumbar curves were TC = 2.6 TI − 1.4 LI (r = 0.931) and LC = − 1.5 TI + 2.0 LI (r = 0.874), respectively. The two-parameter formulas were more accurate than the one-parameter formulas.ConclusionsBased on the results of these two-parameter formulas for thoracic and lumbar curves, the Cobb angles can be predicted more accurately by the readings of the scoliometer. Physicians and other healthcare practitioners can thus evaluate patients with scoliosis more precisely than before with a scoliometer.

AimsThe aim of this meta-analysis was to compare the outcome of total elbow arthroplasty (TEA) undertaken for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with TEA performed for post-traumatic conditions with regard to implant failure, functional outcome, and perioperative complications.Materials and MethodsWe completed a comprehensive literature search on PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and the Cochrane Library and conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis. Nine cohort studies investigated the outcome of TEA between RA and post-traumatic conditions. The preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analysis (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA)) guidelines and Newcastle-Ottawa scale were applied to assess the quality of the included studies. We assessed three major outcome domains: implant failures (including aseptic loosening, septic loosening, bushing wear, axle failure, component disassembly, or component fracture); functional outcomes (including arc of range of movement, Mayo Elbow Performance Score (MEPS), and the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) questionnaire), and perioperative complications (including deep infection, intraoperative fracture, postoperative fracture, and ulnar neuropathy).ResultsThis study included a total of 679 TEAs for RA (n = 482) or post-traumatic conditions (n = 197). After exclusion, all of the TEAs included in this meta-analysis were cemented with linked components. Our analysis demonstrated that the RA group was associated with a higher risk of septic loosening after TEA (odds ratio (OR) 3.96, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.11 to 14.12), while there was an increased risk of bushing wear, axle failure, component disassembly, or component fracture in the post-traumatic group (OR 4.72, 95% CI 2.37 to 9.35). A higher MEPS (standardized mean difference 0.634, 95% CI 0.379 to 0.890) was found in the RA group. There were no significant differences in arc of range of movement, DASH questionnaire, and risk of aseptic loosening, deep infection, perioperative fracture, or ulnar neuropathy.ConclusionThe aetiology of TEA surgery appears to have an impact on the outcome in terms of specific modes of implant failures. RA patients might have a better functional outcome after TEA surgery.Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2019;101-B:1489–1497

Background The aims of this meta-analysis were to: (1) validate the outcome of modern dual mobility (DM) designs in patients who had undergone primary and revision total hip arthroplasty (THA) procedures and (2) to identify factors that affect the outcome. Methods We searched for studies that assessed the outcome of modern DM-THA in primary and revision procedures that were conducted between January, 2000 to August, 2020 on PubMed, MEDLINE, Cochrane Reviews and Embase. The pooled incidence of the most common failure modes and patient reported outcomes were evaluated in patients who have received: (1) primary THA, (2) revision THA for all causes or (3) for recurrent dislocation. A meta-regression analysis was performed for each parameter to determine the association with the outcome. The study design of each study was assessed for potential bias and flaws by using the quality assessment tool for case series studies. Results A total of 119 studies (N= 30016 DM-THAs) were included for analysis. The mean follow-up duration was 47.3 months. The overall implant failure rate was 4.2% (primary: 2.3%, revision for all causes: 5.5%, recurrent dislocation: 6.0%). The most common failure modes were aseptic loosening (primary: 0.9%, revision for all causes: 2.2%, recurrent dislocation: 2.4%), septic loosening (primary:0.8%, revision for all causes: 2.3%, recurrent dislocation: 2.5%), extra-articular dislocation (primary:0.6%, revision for all causes:1.3%, recurrent dislocation:2.5%), intra-prosthetic dislocation (primary:0.8%, revision for all causes:1.0%, recurrent dislocation:1.6%) and periprosthetic fracture (primary:0.9%, revision for all causes:0.9%, recurrent dislocation:1.3%). The multi-regression analysis identified younger age (β=-0.04, 95% CI -0.07 – -0.02) and female patients (β=3.34, 95% CI 0.91–5.78) were correlated with higher implant failure rate. Age, gender, posterolateral approach and body mass index (BMI) were not risk factors for extra-articular or intra-prosthetic dislocation in this cohort. The overall Harris hip score and Merle d’Aubigné score were 84.87 and 16.36, respectively. Level of evidence of this meta-analysis was IV. Conclusion Modern dual-mobility designs provide satisfactory mid-term implant survival and clinical performance. Younger age and female patients might impact the outcome after DM-THA. Future research directions should focus on, (1) long-term outcome of modern dual-mobility design, including specific concerns such as intra-prosthetic dislocation and elevated metal ion, and (2) cost-effectiveness analysis of dual-mobility implant as an alternative to conventional THA for patients who are at high risk of dislocation.

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Background: Several surgical techniques have been proposed for massive rotator cuff tears (MRCTs), but the failure rates remain high. The suture-spanning augmentation technique of single-row (SSA-SR) repair was shown to reduce failure rates in cadaveric studies, but the outcome in vivo remains unclear. Purpose: To determine if adding spanning sutures to SR repair during MRCT repairs can improve functional outcome and reduce failure rates. Study Design: Randomized controlled trial; Level of evidence, 2. Methods: The study included 71 patients with a diagnosed MRCT. The study group (n = 35) received SSA-SR repair. The control (n = 36) received SR repair. The American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) score, Constant score, UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles) score, and visual analog scale for pain were assessed preoperatively and 24 months postoperatively. Magnetic resonance imaging was arranged at 6 months postoperatively to evaluate the rotator cuff. Results: At 6 months postoperatively, the overall retear rate was 31.0%. The retear rate was lower in the SSA-SR group (14.3%) than in the SR group (47.2%, P = .002). At 24 months, the SSA-SR group had markedly improved ASES, Constant, and UCLA scores in comparison with the SR group ( P < .05). Within both groups, all scores had significant improvement as compared with the preoperative status ( P < .05). Conclusion: The SSA-SR repair technique showed improved functional and radiologic results. Based on the superior postoperative outcome of this technique, the SSA-SR repair technique can be a potential treatment option for MRCT repair. Registration: NCT03609164 (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier).

Background The choice of femur stems during the hip arthroplasty procedures for patients with treatment failure of intertrochanteric fractures (ITF) remains controversial. We aimed to compare the surgical complication and reoperation rates between cementless primary and revision stems in the early (≤3 months) and late (> 3 months) fixation failures of ITF. Methods This was a retrospective, cohort study conducted in a single, tertiary referral hospital of Taipei, Taiwan. We included hip arthroplasty procedures for failed ITF using cementless primary or revision stems. There were 40 and 35 patients who had early and late fixation failure of ITF, respectively. The patient demographics, time to fixation failure, surgical complications and medical complications were recorded for analysis. Results We included 75 patients that underwent hip arthroplasty procedure for failed ITF using cementless primary (n = 38) or revision (n = 37) stems. The mean age was 79.3 years and 56% of the patients were female. In the early fixation failure group, the complication rate was similar between the primary and revision stems (44% vs. 29%, p = 0.343). However, there was a trend toward a higher reoperation rate (31% vs. 8%, p = 0.061) of using the primary stem, compared with the revision stem. In the late fixation failure group, the rate of complication and reoperation was similar between the two stem types. Conclusion For early fixation failures of ITFs, we caution against the use of cementless primary stems due to a trend towards an increased risk of reoperations compared to the use of cementless revision stems. However, in late fixation failures of ITFs, there is a role for cementless primary stems. Level of evidence III, retrospective cohort study.