Aims The aim of this study was to compare the ability of tantalum, 3D porous titanium, antibiotic-loaded bone cement, and smooth titanium alloy to inhibit staphylococci in an in vitro environment, based on the evaluation of the zone of inhibition (ZOI). The hypothesis was that there would be no significant difference in the inhibition of methicillin-sensitive or methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA/MRSA) between the two groups. Methods A total of 30 beads made of three different materials (tantalum/3D porous titanium and smooth titanium alloy) were bathed for one hour in a solution of 1 g vancomycin in 20 ml of sterile water for injection (bath concentration: 50 mg/mL). Ten 1 cm3 cylinders of antibiotic-loaded cement were also created by mixing standard surgical cement with 1 g of vancomycin in standardized sterile moulds. The cylinders were then placed on agar plates inoculated with MSSA and MRSA. The ZOIs were measured each day and the cylinders were transferred onto a new inoculated plate. Results For MSSA and MRSA, no inhibitory effect was found in the control group, and antibiotic-loaded smooth titanium alloy beads showed a short inhibitory effect until day 2. For MSSA, both tantalum and 3D porous titanium beads showed significantly larger mean ZOIs than cement beads (all p < 0.01) each day until day 7 for tantalum and until day 3 for 3D porous titanium. After six days, antibiotic-loaded cement had significantly larger mean ZOIs than the 3D porous titanium (p = 0.027), but no significant difference was found with tantalum (p = 0.082). For MRSA, both tantalum and 3D porous titanium beads had significantly larger mean ZOIs than antibiotic-loaded cement each day until day 6 for tantalum (all p < 0.01) and until day 3 for 3D porous titanium (all p < 0.04). Antibiotic-loaded cement had significantly larger mean ZOIs than tantalum and 3D porous titanium from day 7 to 9 (all p < 0.042). Conclusion These results show that porous metal implants can deliver local antibiotics over slightly varying time frames based on in vitro analysis. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2020;102-B(6 Supple A):158–162.
Antibiotic-loaded tantalum may serve as an antimicrobial delivery agent
Aims The aims of this study were to compare the mean duration of antibiotic release and the mean zone of inhibition between vancomycin-loaded porous tantalum cylinders and antibiotic-loaded bone cement at intervals, and to evaluate potential intrinsic antimicrobial properties of tantalum in an in vitro medium environment against methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA). Materials and Methods Ten porous tantalum cylinders and ten cylinders of cement were used. The tantalum cylinders were impregnated with vancomycin, which was also added during preparation of the cylinders of cement. The cylinders were then placed on agar plates inoculated with MSSA. The diameter of the inhibition zone was measured each day, and the cylinders were transferred to a new inoculated plate. Inhibition zones were measured with a Vernier caliper and using an automated computed evaluation, and the intra- and interobserver reproducibility were measured. The mean inhibition zones between the two groups were compared with Wilcoxon’s test. Results MSSA was inhibited for 12 days by the tantalum cylinders and for nine days by the cement cylinders. At day one, the mean zone of inhibition was 28.6 mm for the tantalum and 19.8 mm for the cement group (p < 0.001). At day ten, the mean zone of inhibition was 3.8 mm for the tantalum and 0 mm for the cement group (p < 0.001). The porous tantalum cylinders soaked only with phosphate buffered solution showed no zone of inhibition. Conclusion Compared with cement, tantalum could release antibiotics for longer. Further studies should assess the advantages of using antibiotic-loaded porous tantalum implants at revision arthroplasty. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2019;101-B:848–851.
Vancomycin elution kinetics from porous tantalum metal
Abstract: We previously compared the 15-year survivorship of total knee arthroplasty (TKA) implants that were mechanically aligned (0° ± 3° relative to the mechanical axis) compared with those that were outside that range and considered outliers. The original publication included 398 TKAs (292 in the aligned group and 106 in the outlier group) performed from 1985 to 1990. At the time of follow-up in the previous study, 138 patients (155 TKAs) had died and 59 knees had been revised. Since that publication, 49 additional patients (87 knees) have died. At 20 years, 57 (19.5%) of the 292 knees in the mechanically aligned group had been revised compared with 16 (15.1%) of the 106 knees in the outlier group (p = 0.97). Postoperative alignment within 0° ± 3° of the mechanical axis did not provide a functional advantage at 1, 5, 10, 15, and/or 20 years postoperatively as demonstrated by the Knee Society scores being similar between the groups (p ≥ 0.2 at all intervals). At 20 years, we once again did not find that neutral mechanical alignment provided better implant survivorship than that found in the outlier group. Level of Evidence: Therapeutic Level III . See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
Anatomical Findings in Patients Undergoing Total Hip Arthroplasty for Idiopathic Femoral Head Osteonecrosis
Background: Osteonecrosis of the femoral head has a host of etiologies. However, in 30% of the cases, no underlying etiology is identified and the process is considered “idiopathic.” Our hypothesis was that osseous anatomical abnormalities might be frequently found in patients with femoral head osteonecrosis. Methods: A retrospective, 1:2 matched, case-control study was undertaken to compare ninety patients with idiopathic osteonecrosis who had undergone lower-limb computed tomography (CT) prior to undergoing total hip arthroplasty with 180 control patients matched for age, sex, and body mass index (BMI) who had undergone lower-limb computed tomography scanning at our radiology department for any reason except articular or bone disease. Preoperative CT scans were performed for all patients to evaluate femoral offset, femoral neck-shaft angle, femoral neck version, femoral head diameter, acetabular coverage estimated with use of the lateral center-edge angle, acetabular version, and acetabular diameter. The mean age was forty-five years, 69% of the patients were men, and the mean BMI was 26 kg/m 2 . Results: Anatomical “abnormalities” associated with osteonecrosis were determined to be a femoral neck-shaft angle of <129° (likelihood ratio [LR] = 3.6), femoral neck version of >17° (LR = 3.8), a lateral center-edge angle of <32° (LR = 5.7), and acetabular version of <19° (LR = 1.38). A combination of three of the four anatomical “abnormalities” was found in 73% of the patients with osteonecrosis but only 11% of the control cases (LR = 6). Conclusions: This 1:2 matched, anatomical study suggests that acetabular and femoral anatomical factors, in isolation or combination, can be found in a large percentage of cases of “idiopathic” osteonecrosis. Clinical Relevance: In this study, isolated or combined abnormalities of the hip were observed in the group of patients with osteonecrosis. Those elements may help surgeons to understand the process underlying idiopathic osteonecrosis and thus require further investigation.
Long-term results of compartmental arthroplasties of the knee
Partial knee arthroplasty (PKA), either medial or lateral unicompartmental knee artroplasty (UKA) or patellofemoral arthroplasty (PFA) are a good option in suitable patients and have the advantages of reduced operative trauma, preservation of both cruciate ligaments and bone stock, and restoration of normal kinematics within the knee joint. However, questions remain concerning long-term survival. The goal of this review article was to present the long-term results of medial and lateral UKA, PFA and combined compartmental arthroplasty for multicompartmental disease. Medium- and long-term studies suggest reasonable outcomes at ten years with survival greater than 95% in UKA performed for medial osteoarthritis or osteonecrosis, and similarly for lateral UKA, particularly when fixed-bearing implants are used. Disappointing long-term outcomes have been observed with the first generation of patellofemoral implants, as well as early Bi-Uni (ie, combined medial and lateral UKA) or Bicompartmental (combined UKA and PFA) implants due to design and fixation issues. Promising short- and med-term results with the newer generations of PFAs and bicompartmental arthroplasties will require long-term confirmation.Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2015;97-B(10 Suppl A):9–15.
Substantial healthcare resources have been devoted to computer navigation and patient-specific instrumentation systems that improve the reproducibility with which neutral mechanical alignment can be achieved following total knee replacement (TKR). This choice of alignment is based on the long-held tenet that the alignment of the limb post-operatively should be within 3° of a neutral mechanical axis. Several recent studies have demonstrated no significant difference in survivorship when comparing well aligned versus malaligned TKRs. Our aim was to review the anatomical alignment of the knee, the historical and contemporary data on a neutral mechanical axis in TKR, and the feasibility of kinematically-aligned TKRs. Review of the literature suggests that a neutral mechanical axis remains the optimal guide to alignment. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2014;96-B:857–62.