The Role of Highly Selective Implant Retention in the Infected Hip Arthroplasty.

Background: There is debate around how to treat patients with periprosthetic joint infection of the hip. When there is an ingrown component on one side of the arthroplasty and a loose component on the other, treatment is typically revision of the entire construct. There is an argument to retain an ingrown implant in instances in which removal would result in severe bone damage.

Patient satisfaction with postoperative follow-up by a hand therapist.

Purpose: There has been a move to reduce and, indeed, stop postoperative appointments for uncomplicated surgical procedures within the National Health Service. The purpose of this study was to measure patient satisfaction with postoperative follow-up conducted by a hand therapist, with no routine postoperative follow-up by the surgeon.

Methods: A total of 124 patients were recruited over two years.

Trochanteric fixation using a third-generation cable device--minimum follow-up of 3 years.

Third-generation trochanteric fixation cable systems are designed to overcome implant breakage, nonunion, and bony escape. The study prospectively assessed the functional and radiologic outcomes using such an implant. Forty-seven trochanteric fixations in 46 patients were performed over 4 years at 2 institutions using the Accord Cable Plate system (Smith and Nephew, Memphis, Tenn).

Gluteus medius tears: an under-diagnosed pathology.

Tears of the gluteus medius tendon contribute to greater trochanteric pain syndrome, but they are often overlooked as a cause of lateral hip pain and tenderness. This review presents the relevant anatomy, pathophysiology, diagnostic workup, differential diagnosis and management of these tears.

The accuracy of primary care teams in diagnosing disorders of the shoulder.

Objective: The aim of this retrospective, observational study was to determine the accuracy of diagnoses given by a multitude of primary care services to patients referred to an orthopaedic upper limb surgeon with a focus towards shoulder pathology.

Methods: Records of all patients referred to a single upper limb surgeon over a 1-year period were reviewed. The diagnosis in the primary care setting was compared with the initial working diagnosis in the specialist clinic and against the final diagnosis following specialist investigation/intervention.

Inter- and intra-observer variation in classification systems for impending fractures of bone metastases.

Background: The study was designed to assess the reproducibility and reliability of Mirels' scoring system and the conventional scoring system for impending pathological fractures. The results of both classification systems influence the choice of therapeutic procedures offered to these patients.

Methods: Eight independent observers (four orthopaedic surgeons and four radiologists with varying clinical experience) scored blinded plain radiographs from 47 patients with bone metastases.

Should warfarin be routinely prescribed for the first three months after a bioprosthetic valve replacement?

A best evidence topic in cardiac surgery was written according to a structured protocol. The question addressed was whether warfarin should be routinely prescribed for the first three months after a bioprosthetic valve replacement either for the aortic or mitral position. Altogether 620 papers were identified using the below-mentioned search.