Tourniquet and tranexamic acid use in total knee arthroplasty.

Background: There is no consensus on how tourniquet and tranexamic acid (TXA) use in total knee arthroplasty (TKA) affect blood transfusion rates and total blood loss. We compared outcome measures and transfusion rates after TKA, with and without the use of tourniquet and TXA.

Methods: A retrospective study of 477 consecutive patients undergoing primary TKA between 2008 and 2013 was performed.

Calculating the hip center of rotation using contralateral pelvic anatomy.

Failure to place an artificial hip in the optimal center of rotation results in poor hip function and costly complications. The aim of this study was to develop robust methodology to estimate hip center of rotation (hCoR) from preoperative computed tomography (CT) scans, using contralateral anatomy, in patients with unilateral diseased hips. Ten patients (five male, five female) with normal pelvic anatomy, and one patient with a unilateral dysplastic acetabulum were recruited from the London Implant Retrieval center image bank.

Non-union of an undisplaced radial styloid fracture in a heavy smoker: revisiting the association of smoking and bone healing.

Isolated radial styloid fractures occur relatively infrequently, with non-union of such fractures, especially when undisplaced, being highly unusual. Smoking of tobacco, a common habit which is decreasing in prevalence in the developed world, has been proven to exert many adverse effects on tissue healing including bone union. We present a case of non-union of an undisplaced radial styloid fracture in the dominant hand of a young and healthy heavy smoker, emphasising the negative impact of tobacco smoke and its association with bone repair.