BackgroundProphylactic pinning of the uninvolved side after unilateral slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE) is controversial. The alpha angle, a measurement of femoral head-neck aspherity, was proposed as a predictor of progression of contralateral SCFE with a treatment threshold of greater than 50.5°. The aim of this study was to evaluate its validity in our cohort of patients.MethodsA retrospective review of a 10-year series of patients who presented with unilateral SCFE was conducted. Minimum follow-up duration to identify contralateral progression was 18 months. Age, sex, ethnicity, and endocrinopathies were noted. Alpha angle measurements of the unaffected hip were performed by two independent observers. The average values of measurements were used for analysis. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to identify predictors of contralateral progression. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was generated.ResultsThere were 43 patients with unilateral SCFE. Seven patients (16.3%) developed contralateral SCFE. There were 31 males (72.1%) and 12 females (27.9%). The mean duration from index surgery to contralateral fixation was 43.9 weeks (range, 16.2 to 77 weeks). The mean alpha angle was significantly higher in the patients with contralateral progression (mean, 50.7°; standard deviation [SD], 5.4°; range, 43.8° to 58.5°) than in the patients without progression (mean, 43.0°; SD, 4.2°; range, 33.0° to 52.5°; p < 0.001). The alpha angle was also identified as a statistically significant predictor of contralateral progression on multivariate analysis (p = 0.02). The intraclass correlation coefficient for interobserver reliability was moderately strong at 0.76 (95% confidence interval, 0.55 to 0.87). The area under the ROC curve was 0.88. The treatment threshold of 50.5° had a sensitivity of 0.43, specificity of 0.94, and number needed to treat (NNT) of 2.7. The ideal treatment threshold derived from the ROC curve was 49.0°, which had a sensitivity of 0.71, specificity of 0.89, and an NNT of 1.7.ConclusionsAlpha angle is a potential predictor of contralateral hip involvement in children with SCFE who may benefit from prophylactic hip fixation. Results from our series suggest a treatment threshold be 49.0°. However, given the limited sample size and moderately strong interobserver reliability, larger studies are needed to validate our findings.
Background
Various surface coatings have been developed over the past decades to enhance fixation of cementless total knee arthroplasty (TKA). BIOFOAM® (MicroPort Orthopedics Inc., Arlington, TN, USA) is a novel cancellous titanium surface coating intended to increase both initial and long-term fixation. The purpose of this study was to investigate the early functional and radiographic outcomes of this coating used in a TKA application.Materials and methodsOne hundred and four (104) primary TKAs in 85 subjects using BIOFOAM-coated tibial components were prospectively enrolled at four centers. Subjects were evaluated using Knee Society Scores and radiographic analysis at a minimum follow-up of 24 months.ResultsKnee Society Scores and flexion were all significantly improved at final follow-up compared to baseline. Radiographic analyses were satisfactory, with no progressive radiolucencies and only a single subject presenting with a radiolucency surrounding a tibial component. There were two revisions in the cohort: one for instability following a ruptured lateral collateral ligament and one for recurrent tibial insert dislocation.ConclusionsThis is the first study to report clinical outcomes associated with the BIOFOAM coating used in a cementless TKA application. Early functional scores and radiographic analyses are promising, but further investigations are needed to confirm long-term clinical success with these components.
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