Cutpoints for mild, moderate and severe pain in patients with osteoarthritis of the hip or knee ready for joint replacement surgery.

Background: Cutpoints (CPs) for mild, moderate and severe pain are established and used primarily in cancer pain. In this study, we wanted to determine the optimal CPs for mild, moderate, and severe pain in joint replacement surgery candidates with osteoarthritis (OA) of the hip or knee, and to validate the different CPs.

Methods: Patients (n = 353) completed the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI), the WOMAC Arthritis Index, and the SF-36 health status measure.

Evaluation of a femoral stem with reduced stiffness. A randomized study with use of radiostereometry and bone densitometry.

Background: Femoral stems with reduced stiffness were introduced in total hip arthroplasty to facilitate proximal load transfer and thereby reduce periprosthetic bone loss. Poor fixation and unacceptably high revision rates turned out to be a major problem with these prostheses. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the early performance of a low-modulus stem (one that is less stiff) with the potential to address the problem of fixation by the use of a surface coating.

[Interdisciplinary working teams--better for both the patients and the staff].

Background: Patients in Norwegian hospitals often feel that they do not know which specialist is responsible for their treatment. We report on a reorganisation carried out in the orthopaedic department at Buskerud county hospital in 1997-98.

Material And Methods: Staff members are allocated to five groups, each responsible for 12-15 beds and including one or two specialists, one or two residents, nurses, physiotherapists and secretaries.