The Effect of Air Tourniquet on Interleukin-6 Levels in Total Knee Arthroplasty.

Background: Air tourniquet-induced skeletal muscle injury increases the concentrations of some cytokines such as interleukin-6 (IL-6) in plasma. However, the effect of an air tourniquet on the IL-6 concentrations after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is unclear. We therefore investigated the impact of tourniquet-induced ischemia and reperfusion injury in TKA using the IL-6 level as an index.

Lower Limbs Alignment in Patients with a Unilateral Completely Dislocated Hip.

Background: Severe hip osteoarthritis is known to lead to secondary osteoarthritis of the knee joint. It is not clear whether contracture or a leg length discrepancy is more important in determining the knee alignment.

Methods: In this study, 48 hips in 48 patients with a unilateral completely dislocated hip (Crowe IV) were recruited.

First Clinical Experience With Thermal-Sprayed Silver Oxide-Containing Hydroxyapatite Coating Implant.

Background: Prosthetic joint infection is a serious complication of implant therapy. To prevent prosthetic joint infection, we previously reported the features of silver oxide-containing hydroxyapatite (Ag-HA), which was prepared by mixing silver (a metal with antimicrobial activity) with HA. In this study, we evaluated the potential issues of total hip arthroplasty (THA) with an Ag-HA-coated implant.

Silver oxide-containing hydroxyapatite coating supports osteoblast function and enhances implant anchorage strength in rat femur.

Antibacterial silver with hydroxyapatite (Ag-HA) is a promising coating material for imparting antibacterial properties to implants. We previously reported that 3% (w/w) silver with HA (3% Ag-HA) has both antibacterial activity and osteoconductivity. In this study, we investigated the effects of Ag-HA on the in vitro osteoblast function and the in vivo anchorage strength and osteoconductivity of implants.

IgG-class anti-PF4/heparin antibodies and symptomatic DVT in orthopedic surgery patients receiving different anti-thromboembolic prophylaxis therapeutics.

Background: Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) is a thromboembolic complication that can occur with unfractionated heparin (UFH) or low molecular weight heparin (LMWH). Our objective was to determine and compare the incidence of IgG-class HIT antibodies in patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty (THA) or total knee arthroplasty (TKA) with different antithrombotic prophylaxis therapies and their contributions to the occurrence of venous thromboembolism (VTE).

Methods: A prospective observational study was performed for 374 Japanese patients undergoing THA or TKA to determine the incidence of VTE.

Serum concentrations of interleukin-6 in patients following unilateral versus bilateral total knee arthroplasty.

Background: Surgical stress is known to affect body temperature, white blood cell (WBC) count, C-reactive protein (CRP), and interleukin-6 (IL-6). The aim of the present study was to investigate which parameter is most suitable for quantitative analysis of surgical stress.

Methods: Unilateral total knee arthroplasty (U-TKA) and bilateral TKA (B-TKA) were selected for the subjects of this study because the B-TKA creates approximately double the surgical stress of the U-TKA.