Background Pseudotumors are sterile inflammatory lesions found in the soft tissues surrounding metal-on-metal (MOM) and metal-on-polyethylene hip arthroplasties. In patients with MOM hip arthroplasties, pseudotumors are thought to represent an adverse reaction to metal wear debris. However, the pathogenesis of these lesions remains unclear. Currently, there is inconsistent evidence regarding the influence of adverse cup position and increased wear in the formation of pseudotumors. Questions/purposes We therefore determined whether pseudotumor formation was associated with (1) adverse cup position, (2) raised metal ion levels, and (3) increased wear rates of the retrieved components. Methods We retrospectively reviewed all 352 patients for whom we had retrieved specimens from revisions of a current-generation MOM hip prosthesis between February 2008 and September 2010; of these, 105 met our inclusion criteria. We used multivariate logistic regression analysis to compare acetabular orientation, metal ion levels before revision, and component wear rates between patients with (n = 72) and without (n = 33) pseudotumors, according to findings on metal artifact reduction sequence MRI. Results The proportion of patients demonstrating evidence of a pseudotumor in well-positioned hips was similar to those with adverse cup positions (67% and 66%, respectively). Patients revised with pseudotumors had similar whole-blood metal ion levels and component wear rates to those who were not revised. Conclusions Pseudotumors were not associated with increased wear or metal ion levels, suggesting patient susceptibility is likely to be more important.

Tailgut cysts are an uncommon yet important cause of chronic perianal sepsis. Suspicion should be raised in a patient, usually female, presenting with a history of unsuccessful procedures. Diagnosis can be made by clinical assessment and MRI. Complete excision usually resolves the problem.

Insufficient version has been demonstrated to be a significant factor in increasing metal-on-metal cup wear. Another implication is the impingement of the psoas tendon at the anatomical depression on the anterior acetabular rim, called the psoas valley. It is not known whether the psoas valley has any anatomical significance when measuring native version. The effect of this landmark on the measurement of acetabular version has not been assessed using 3D CT.
Sixty five high resolution CT scans of non-diseased hips (performed for colonography) were used to measure the anatomical version angles of the bony acetabular rim. Our new method, using the psoas valley, was compared to the reference method, which used the full 320° of the acetabular rim. The measurement of acetabular version was highly reproducible between the methods. Both methods measured the angle of version over a wide range: 5° to 35° for males and 10° to 40° for females. There were no statistically significant differences between genders (p = 0.3670). The Bland-Altman 1.96 SD lower and upper limits of agreement between the two methods were +4.6° and -4.3°, respectively. Intra-observer and inter-observer reliability were high for the new method. This adds to our understanding of native bony anatomy, and specifically provides a landmark that 3D CT has demonstrated to be potentially useful in assessing native version.

Through a trainee research collaborative, we have studied the changes in practice of 12 T&O departments across the East of England over the first four weeks of the UK lockdown and COVID-19 pandemic, comparing to activity levels with the corresponding period in 2019. We focused on changes in T&O practice, training and redeployment of Trainees. Units differ considerably in several aspects of practice. We found a 97% reduction in elective operating, 64% reduction in elective outpatient activity and 37% reduction in operative trauma. 58% of trainees continued working in T&O clinics, with an average of 6 operative cases over this period. Our modelling suggests that the impact on training will persist; counter-measures must be incorporated into central recovery planning.

We present a case of a 74-year-old man who, while in intensive treatment unit for an upper gastrointestinal bleed, decompensated cardiac failure and concurrent pneumonia, was found to have a large right hydronephrotic pelvic kidney and bladder within the hernia. After discharge, he was medically optimised for 7 months before undergoing an elective open mesh repair of his hernia. During the procedure, drainage of a large hydrocoele was performed to facilitate reduction of the hernia. Postoperatively, he underwent ureteric stenting due to a persistent hydronephrosis with impairment of his renal function. He subsequently made a good recovery and was discharged home with outpatient follow-up planned.