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Purpose: The purpose of this randomised controlled trial was to assess the impact of skin incision location on the patients' ability to kneel. Methods: A total of 29 patients undergoing bilateral total knee arthroplasty (58 knees) were randomised to receive a lateral or midline incision, with the contralateral limb receiving the alternative option. Cruciate retaining implants were used in all cases by three experienced arthroplasty surgeons. The primary outcome measures assessed functional ability to kneel using an innovative five-point kneeling scale, preferred knee to kneel on and the area of cutaneous sensory loss around the incision at 6 weeks, 6 months and 12 months. Secondary outcome measures were the OKS, KOOS JR, FJS and EQ5D patient reported outcome measures (PROMS), length of surgical scar, overall knee preference and range of motion (ROM). Results: There were no significant differences between the two groups for any primary or secondary outcome measures. Flexion range however, had a significant positive correlation with kneeling score (r = 0.335, p = 0.010). The kneeling score increased at each time point after surgery and was significantly greater at 12 months than preoperatively (2.7 v 3.5, p = 0.015). The area of sensory loss lateral to the incision was significantly less at 6 and 12 months than at 6 weeks (43.6cm2 and 40.1cm2 v 84.1cm2, p < 0.0001). Conclusion: The ability to kneel following cruciate retaining total knee arthroplasty is not affected by the incision position but by time and flexion range. TKA improves the ability to kneel by 12 months post-surgery. Sensory loss lateral to the incision reduces with time. Level of evidence: Therapeutic Level 2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Recent studies have demonstrated that the administration of regional prophylactic antibiotics by intraosseous (IO) injection achieves tissue concentrations around the knee that are 10- to 15-fold higher than intravenous (IV) delivery of prophylactic antibiotics. It is currently unknown whether the use of regional prophylactic antibiotics for primary TKA would result in a lower risk of prosthetic joint infection (PJI).Questions/purposes: (1) Is IO injection of prophylactic antibiotics associated with a decreased risk of early (< 12 months) deep PJI compared with traditional IV prophylactic antibiotics? (2) What other patient factors are associated with an increased risk of early PJI after TKA, and do regional prophylactic antibiotics influence these risk factors? (3) Can IO antibiotics be administered to all patients, and what complications occurred from the delivery of IO prophylactic antibiotics?Methods: A retrospective comparative study of all primary TKAs (1909 TKAs) over a 5-year period (January 2013 to December 2017) was performed to determine the risk of early PJI. Three primary TKAs did not meet the study inclusion criteria and were excluded from the study, leaving a total of 1906 TKAs (725 IO, 1181 IV) for analysis at a minimum of 12 months after index procedure. Both cohorts exhibited similar ages, BMI, and American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) grades; however, a greater proportion of patients in the IO cohort were smokers (p = 0.01), while a greater proportion of patients were diabetic in the IV cohort (p = 0.006). The PJI risk between IO and IV delivery techniques was compared while adjusting for patient demographics and medical comorbidities. Complications related to IO delivery-inability to administer via IO technique, compartment syndrome, fat embolism, and red man syndrome with vancomycin use-were recorded.Results: The delivery of regional prophylactic antibiotics by the IO technique resulted in a lower PJI risk than IV prophylactic antibiotics (0.1% [1 of 725] compared with 1.4% [16 of 1181]; relative risk 0.10 [95% CI 0.01 to 0.77]; p = 0.03). BMI (β = -0.17; standard error = 0.08; p = 0.02), diabetes (β = -1.80; standard error = 0.75; p = 0.02), and renal failure (β = -2.37; standard error = 0.84; p = 0.01) were factors associated with of PJI, while smoking, sex, and ASA score were not contributing factors (p > 0.05). Although BMI, diabetes, and renal failure were identified as infection risk factors, the use of IO antibiotics in these patients did not result in a lower PJI risk compared with IV antibiotics (p > 0.05). IO antibiotics were able to be successfully administered to all patients in this cohort, and there were no complications related to the delivery of IO antibiotics.Conclusion: Surgeons should consider administering regional prophylactic antibiotics in primary TKA to reduce the risk of early PJI. Future randomized prospective clinical trials are needed to validate the efficacy of regional prophylactic antibiotics in reducing the PJI risk in primary TKA.Level Of Evidence: Level III, therapeutic study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Several studies have examined the effects of balance training in elderly individuals following total knee arthroplasty (TKA), although findings appear to be equivocal.Objectives: This systematic review and meta-analysis examined the effects of balance training on walking capacity, balance-specific performance and other functional outcome measures in elderly individuals following TKA.Methods: Data sources: Pubmed, PEDro, Cinahl, SportDiscus, Scopus. Eligibility criteria: Data were aggregated following the population-intervention-comparison-outcome (PICO) principles. Eligibility criteria included: (1) randomised controlled trials; (2) studies with comparative groups; (3) training interventions were incorporated post-TKA; and (4) outcome measures included walking capacity, balance-specific performance measures, subjective measures of physical function and pain and knee range-of-motion. Participants: Elderly individuals (65 + years) who underwent total knee arthroplasty. Interventions: Balance interventions that consisted of balance exercises, which were compared to control interventions that did not involve balance exercises, or to a lesser extent. Participants also undertook usual physiotherapy care in conjunction with either the balance and/or control intervention. The intervention duration ranged from 4 to 32 weeks with outcome measures reported immediately following the intervention. Of these, four studies also reported follow-up measures ranging from 6 to 12 months post-interventions. Study appraisal: PEDro scale.Synthesis methods: Quantitative analysis was conducted by generating forest plots to report on standardised mean differences (SMD; i.e. effect size), test statistics for statistical significance (i.e. Z values) and inter-trial heterogeneity by inspecting I2. A meta-regression was also conducted to determine whether training duration predicted the magnitude of SMD.Results: Balance training exhibited significantly greater improvement in walking capacity (SMD = 0.57; Z = 6.30; P < 0.001; I2 = 35%), balance-specific performance measures (SMD = 1.19; Z = 7.33; P < 0.001; I2 = 0%) and subjective measures of physical function (SMD = 0.46; Z = 4.19; P < 0.001; I2 = 0%) compared to conventional training immediately post-intervention. However, there were no differences in subjective measures of pain (SMD = 0.77; Z = 1.63; P > 0.05; I2 = 95%) and knee range-of-motion (SMD = 0.05; Z = 0.39; P > 0.05; I2 = 1%) between interventions. At the 6- to 12-month follow-up period, improvement in combined measures of walking capacity and balance performance (SMD = 041; Z = 3.55; P < 0.001; I2 = 0%) were significantly greater for balance training compared to conventional training, although no differences were observed for subjective measures of physical function and pain (SMD = 0.26; Z = 2.09; P > 0.05; I2 = 0%). Finally, the training duration significantly predicted subjective measures of pain and physical function (r2 = 0.85; standardised β = 0.92; P < 0.001), although this was not observed for walking capacity and balance-specific performance measures (r2 = 0.02; standardised β = 0.13; P = 0.48).Limitations: A number of outcome measures indicated high inter-trial heterogeneity and only articles published in English were included.Conclusion: Balance training improved walking capacity, balance-specific performance and functional outcome measures for elderly individuals following TKA. These findings may improve clinical decision-making for appropriate post-TKA exercise prescription to minimise falls risks and optimise physical function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prosthetic joint infection after total knee arthroplasty is an infrequent, yet serious complication. Antimicrobial prophylaxis plays an important role in reducing the rate of surgical site infections. To be effective as an antimicrobial prophylaxis, the serum, tissue and bone concentrations of the antibiotic must be greater than the target organism's minimum inhibitory concentration. As antibiotic resistance increases current intravenous prophylactic dosing has been shown to be subtherapeutic for some patients. Intravenous regional administration and intraosseous regional administration of prophylactic antibiotics are novel methods used to increase the antibiotic tissue concentrations, which may enhance the efficacy of prophylactic antibiotics in total knee arthroplasty. Currently, literature has shown both intravenous regional administration and intraosseous regional administration to be safe and effective techniques. However, there is no clinical evidence to show that it results in a reduction of prosthetic joint infection rates. This study summarizes the current knowledge base on the use of regional administration of prophylactic antibiotics in total knee arthroplasty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Tranexamic acid (TXA) is commonly used in orthopedic surgery to reduce excessive bleeding and transfusion requirements. Our aim was to examine if TXA was required in all osteoarthritis patients undergoing TKA surgery, and its possible effects on systemic inflammation and coagulation properties. Methods: Twenty-three patients (Oxford Score 22–29) were recruited consecutively; 12 patients received TXA before (IV, 1.2 g/90 kg) and immediately after surgery (intra-articular, 1.4 g/90 kg). Inflammatory mediators and ROTEM parameters were measured in blood at baseline, after the first bone-cut, immediately after surgery, and postoperative days 1 and 2. Results: After the bone cut and surgery, TXA significantly increased MCP-1, TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 levels compared to non-TXA patients, which was further amplified postoperatively. During surgery, TXA significantly prolonged EXTEM clot times, indicating a thrombin-slowing effect, despite little or no change in clot amplitude or fibrinogen. TXA was associated with three- to fivefold increases in FIBTEM maximum lysis (ML), a finding counter to TXA's antifibrinolytic effect. Maximum lysis for extrinsic and intrinsic pathways was < 8%, indicating little or no hyperfibrinolysis. No significant differences were found in postoperative hemoglobin between the two groups. Conclusions: TXA was associated with increased systemic inflammation during surgery compared to non-TXA patients, with further amplification on postoperative days 1 and 2. On the basis of little or no change in viscoelastic clot strength, fibrinogen or clot lysis, there appeared to be no clinical justification for TXA in our group of patients. Larger prospective, randomized trials are required to investigate a possible proinflammatory effect in TKA patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]