Lewallen, David G.

Background: The optimal strategy to address osseous deficiencies of the patella during revision total knee arthroplasty (TKA) remains controversial. One possible solution is a cemented biconvex patellar component used such that the non-articular convexity both improves fixation and makes up for bone loss. The aim of this study was to determine the outcomes of the use of biconvex patellar components in a large series of revision TKAs. Methods: From 1996 to 2014, 262 revision TKAs were performed at a single institution using a biconvex patellar component. Implant survivorship, clinical and radiographic results, and complications were assessed. The mean patient age at the TKA revision was 69 years, and 53% of the patients were female. The mean follow-up was 7 years. Results: The 10-year survivorship free of revision of the biconvex patellar component due to aseptic loosening was 96%. The 10-year survivorship free of any revision of the biconvex patellar component was 87%. The 10-year survivorship free of any rerevision and free of any reoperation was 75% and 70%, respectively. The mean Knee Society Score (KSS) improved from 45.4 before the index revision to 67.7 after it. The mean residual composite thickness seen on the most recent radiographs was 18.1 mm. In addition to the complications leading to revision, the most common complications were periprosthetic patellar fracture (6%), of which 3 required revision; superficial wound infection (6%) requiring antibiotic therapy only or irrigation and debridement; and arthrofibrosis (3%). Conclusions: In this cohort of 262 revision TKAs, biconvex patellar components used to treat marked patellar bone loss demonstrated excellent durability with a 10-year survivorship free of patellar rerevision due to aseptic loosening of 96%. The biconvex patellar components were reliable as evidenced by substantial improvements in clinical outcomes scores and a low risk of complications. Level of Evidence: Therapeutic Level IV . See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

AimsHip reconstruction after resection of a periacetabular chondrosarcoma is complex and associated with a high rate of complications. Previous reports have compared no reconstruction with historical techniques that are no longer used. The aim of this study was to compare the results of tantalum acetabular reconstruction to both historical techniques and no reconstruction.MethodsWe reviewed 66 patients (45 males and 21 females) with a mean age of 53 years (24 to 81) who had undergone acetabular resection for chondrosarcoma. A total of 36 patients (54%) underwent acetabular reconstruction, most commonly with a saddle prosthesis (n = 13; 36%) or a tantalum total hip arthroplasty (THA) (n = 10; 28%). Mean follow-up was nine years (SD 4).ResultsThere was no difference in the mean age (p = 0.63), sex (p = 0.110), tumour volume (p = 0.646), or type of resection carried out (p > 0.05) between patients with and without reconstruction. Of the original 66 patients, 61 (92%) were ambulant at final follow-up. There was no difference in the proportion of patients who could walk in the reconstruction and 'no reconstruction' groups (p = 0.649). There was no difference in the mean Musculoskeletal Tumor Society (MSTS) score between patients who were reconstructed and those who were not (61% vs 56%; p = 0.378). Patients with a tantalum THA had a significantly (p = 0.015) higher mean MSTS score (78%) than those who were reconstructed with a saddle prosthesis (47%) or who had not been reconstructed (56%). Patients who had undergone reconstruction were more likely to have complications (81% vs 53%; p = 0.033).ConclusionReconstruction after resection of the acetabulum is technically demanding. In selected cases, reconstruction is of benefit, especially when reconstruction is by tantalum THA; however, the follow-up for these patients remains mid-term. When not feasible, patients with no reconstruction have an acceptable functional outcome. Level of Evidence: Level III Therapeutic. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2021;103-B(2):391–397.

Background: Periprosthetic joint infections (PJIs) following total hip arthroplasty (THA) and total knee arthroplasty (TKA) are associated with substantial morbidity. A better understanding of the costs of PJI treatment can inform prevention, treatment, and reimbursement strategies. The purpose of the present study was to describe direct inpatient medical costs associated with the treatment of hip and knee PJI. Methods: At a single tertiary care institution, 176 hips and 266 knees that underwent 2-stage revisions for the treatment of PJI from 2009 to 2015 were compared with 1,611 hips and 1,276 knees that underwent revisions for aseptic indications. In addition, 84 hips and 137 knees that underwent irrigation and debridement (I&D) with partial component exchange were compared with 39 hips and 138 knees that underwent partial component exchange for aseptic indications. Line-item details of services billed during hospitalization were retrieved, and standardized direct medical costs were calculated in 2018 inflation-adjusted dollars. Results: The mean direct medical cost of 2-stage revision THA performed for the treatment of PJI was significantly higher than that of aseptic revision THA ($58,369 compared with $22,846, p < 0.001). Similarly, the cost of 2-stage revision TKA performed for the treatment of PJI was significantly higher than that of aseptic revision TKA ($56,900 compared with $24,630, p < 0.001). Even when the total costs of aseptic revisions were doubled for a representative comparison with 2-stage procedures, the costs of PJI procedures were 15% to 28% higher than those of the doubled costs of aseptic revisions (p < 0.001). The mean direct medical cost of I&D procedures for PJI was about twofold higher than of partial component exchange for aseptic indications. Conclusions: The direct medical costs of operative treatment of PJI following THA and TKA are twofold higher than the costs of similar aseptic revisions. The high economic burden of PJI warrants efforts to reduce the incidence of PJI. Reimbursement schemes should account for the high costs of treating PJI in order to ensure sustainable patient care. Level of Evidence: Economic Level IV . See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Background: Treatment of severe patellar bone loss during revision total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is difficult. Patellar bone-grafting is a simple procedure that can improve patient outcomes following revision TKA. Description: The patient is prepared and draped in the usual sterile fashion. The previous longitudinal knee incision is utilized for exposure. Scar tissue is excised from the medial gutter. However, tissue in the lateral gutter is largely maintained. An assessment of the surrounding quadriceps and patellar scar tissue ensues. This tissue can be utilized to create an envelope for holding the bone graft in place. If insufficient tissue is present, fascia from the iliotibial band or vastus medialis, allograft fascia, or synthetics can be used. A careful assessment of component fixation and rotation is critical to the success of patellar bone-grafting. Component revision for aseptic loosening or malrotation should be performed in the usual fashion. During component revision, it is recommended to preserve any additional bone as autograft for the patellar bone-grafting procedure. Common sites of autograft harvest include the femoral box cut and proximal tibial resection. The patella is then addressed by carefully removing the previous implant to avoid additional bone loss. This step is performed with a combination of an oscillating saw, osteotomes, and high-speed burr. The retropatellar bone is then prepared by debriding excess soft tissue, cysts, or cement. A high-speed burr is then utilized to produce a punctate bleeding surface for bone-graft incorporation. The harvested tissue is closed around the perimeter of the patella with use of interrupted nonabsorbable sutures, leaving a window to pack in the bone graft. The bone graft (allograft and autograft) is morselized and place through the window. The optimal patellar thickness is variable. After packing the bone graft through the soft-tissue window, the thickness is measured with a caliper. It is recommended to acquire a thickness of >20 mm because bone-graft resorption and remodeling occur with knee range of motion. The remaining soft-tissue window is closed with use of nonabsorbable sutures. The knee is cycled through a range of motion to ensure optimal patellofemoral tracking. If necessary, a lateral release or medial soft-tissue advancement can be performed to ensure patellofemoral tracking is adequate. Finally, the wound is irrigated and closed in layers. Alternatives: Nonsurgical: Surgical: Gull-wing osteotomy Patellar resurfacing with biconvex patella Bulk allograft reconstruction Partial or complete patellectomy Patelloplasty Interpositional arthroplasty Tantalum metal-backed reconstruction Rationale: There is a myriad of surgical options for severe patellar bone loss following TKA. Patellar bone-grafting is simple, reproducible, and relatively cost-effective 1,2 , and avoids the need for the amount of bone for reconstruction that may be required for metal-backed or biconvex patellar implants 3,4 . The procedure allows for the restoration of the quadriceps lever arm, which may not be restored with other techniques, such as gull-wing osteotomy or patellectomy 5 . Patellar bone-grafting avoids the cost and risks of disease transmission associated with allograft reconstruction 6 . Finally, the procedure provides excellent long-term survivorship and patient-reported outcomes. Expected Outcomes: Following this procedure, patients should experience a reduction in knee pain and improved patient-reported outcomes 2,6 , with a prior study showing that the percentage of patients reporting anterior knee pain decreased from 51% to 27% following patellar bone-grafting. Patients also demonstrated an improvement in knee range of motion, with a mean increase in knee flexion of 7 o and knee extension of 2 o1 . Complications related to this procedure are minimal. Bone stock restoration can be utilized for patellar resurfacing in the future 1 . Radiographically, patellar bone resorption, loss of patellar height, and patellar remodeling do occur; however, despite these radiographic changes, Knee Society scores increased from 50 to 85 at the time of the latest follow-up. Important Tips:

Background: The cementation of a new liner into a well-fixed acetabular component is common during revision total hip arthroplasty (THA) for many indications, but most commonly for lack of a modern, compatible, highly cross-linked polyethylene (HXLPE) liner. However, little is known about the intermediate-term to long-term durability of this strategy. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the implant survivorship, risk of complications, clinical outcomes, and radiographic results of cementing a new HXLPE liner into a well-fixed acetabular component. Methods: We retrospectively identified 323 revision THAs in which a nonconstrained HXLPE liner was cemented into a well-fixed acetabular component. The mean age at the time of the revision THA was 63 years, and 50% of patients were female. The most common indications for revision THA were polyethylene wear and osteolysis (48%), aseptic femoral loosening (35%), and hip instability (8%). The mean follow-up was 9 years. Results: Polyethylene liner failure occurred in 11 cases (3%). In all cases, the cemented liner dissociated from the acetabular component. At 10 years, the survivorship free from any revision was 80% (95% confidence interval [CI], 75% to 84%) and the survivorship free from any reoperation was 77% (95% CI, 72% to 82%). The most common reason for re-revision was dislocation (45% of reoperations). A dislocation occurred in 17% of cases. Hips that underwent revision for instability were significantly more likely to dislocate compared with hips that underwent revision for liner wear (hazard ratio [HR], 2.3 [95% CI, 1.2 to 4.5]; p = 0.02). Elevated rim or face-changing liners were significantly more likely to dissociate than flat liners (HR, 9.0 [95% CI, 1.2 to 70.6]; p = 0.04). Conclusions: Cementation of a nonconstrained HXLPE liner into a well-fixed acetabular component during revision THA provided durable fixation with only a small number of failures at the cement interface (3%). Instability after this procedure remains a concern, but this is multifactorial in nature. These data support the continued use of this technique, when necessary, during revision THA. Level of Evidence: Therapeutic Level IV . See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Abstract Background Prosthetic joint infection (PJI) is a potentially limb-threatening complication of total knee arthroplasty. Phage therapy is a promising strategy to manage such infections including those involving antibiotic-resistant microbes, and to target microbial biofilms. Experience with phage therapy for infections associated with retained hardware is limited. A 62-year-old diabetic man with a history of right total knee arthroplasty 11 years prior who had suffered multiple episodes of prosthetic knee infection despite numerous surgeries and prolonged courses of antibiotics, with progressive clinical worsening and development of severe allergies to antibiotics, had been offered limb amputation for persistent right prosthetic knee infection due to Klebsiella pneumoniae complex. Intravenous phage therapy was initiated as a limb-salvaging intervention. Methods The patient received 40 intravenous doses of a single phage (KpJH46Φ2) targeting his bacterial isolate, alongside continued minocycline (which he had been receiving when he developed increasing pain, swelling, and erythema prior to initiation of phage therapy). Serial cytokine and biomarker measurements were performed before, during, and after treatment. The in vitro anti-biofilm activity of KpJH46Φ2, minocycline and the combination thereof was evaluated against a preformed biofilm of the patient’s isolate and determined by safranin staining. Results Phage therapy resulted in resolution of local symptoms and signs of infection and recovery of function. The patient did not experience treatment-related adverse effects and remained asymptomatic 34 weeks after completing treatment while still receiving minocycline. A trend in biofilm biomass reduction was noted 22 hours after exposure to KpJH46Φ2 (P = .063). The addition of phage was associated with a satisfactory outcome in this case of intractable biofilm-associated prosthetic knee infection. Pending further studies to assess its efficacy and safety, phage therapy holds promise for treatment of device-associated infections.

Aims Metaphyseal cones with cemented stems are frequently used in revision total knee arthroplasty (TKA). However, if the diaphysis has been previously violated, the resultant sclerotic canal can impair cemented stem fixation, which is vital for bone ingrowth into the cone, and long-term fixation. We report the outcomes of our solution to this problem, in which impaction grafting and a cemented stem in the diaphysis is combined with an uncemented metaphyseal cone, for revision TKA in patients with severely compromised bone. Methods A metaphyseal cone was combined with diaphyseal impaction grafting and cemented stems for 35 revision TKAs. There were two patients with follow-up of less than two years who were excluded, leaving 33 procedures in 32 patients in the study. The mean age of the patients at the time of revision TKA was 67 years (32 to 87); 20 (60%) were male. Patients had undergone a mean of four (1 to 13) previous knee arthroplasty procedures. The indications for revision were aseptic loosening (80%) and two-stage reimplantation for prosthetic joint infection (PJI; 20%). The mean follow-up was four years (2 to 11). Results Survival free from revision of the cone/impaction grafting construct due to aseptic loosening was 100% at five years. Survival free from any revision of the construct and free from any reoperation were 92% and 73% at five years, respectively. A total of six patients (six TKAs, 17%) required a further revision, four for infection or wound issues, and two for periprosthetic fracture. Radiologically, one unrevised TKA had evidence of loosening which was asymptomatic. In all unrevised TKAs the impacted diaphyseal bone graft appeared to be incorporated radiologically. Conclusion When presented with a sclerotic diaphysis and substantial metaphyseal bone loss, this technique combining diaphyseal impaction grafting with a metaphyseal cone provided near universal success in relation to implant fixation. Moreover, radiographs revealed incorporation of the bone graft and biological fixation of the cone. While long-term follow-up will be important, this technique provides an excellent option for the management of complex revision TKAs. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2020;102-B(6 Supple A):116–122.

Background: Many surgeons are reluctant to use a constrained liner at the time of acetabular component revision because of concerns that doing so might result in early acetabular component loosening related to high bone-implant interface stresses transmitted from the constrained liner. We hypothesized that, with appropriate initial implant stabilization using highly porous acetabular components with robust supplemental screw fixation, constrained liners could be safely used at the time of acetabular revision. Methods: We retrospectively identified 148 revision total hip arthroplasties (THAs) in which a constrained liner of 1 design was cemented into a newly placed highly porous acetabular component fixed with supplemental screws (mean, 5 screws). The mean age at the time of revision THA was 69 years, and 68% of the patients were female. The most common indications for revision were 2-stage reimplantation (33%), recurrent dislocation (30%), and aseptic loosening of the acetabular component (22%) or both the acetabular and femoral components (9%). The mean duration of follow-up was 7 years. Results: There were no failures at the bone-implant interface. No cases of acetabular metal shell loosening were identified on radiographic analysis. The 10-year survival rates with acetabular revision and any reoperation as the end points were 75% and 67%, respectively. Overall, 33 hips (22%) required revision or reoperation because of infection or wound complications (n = 12), dislocation or mechanical failure of the constrained liner (n = 11), periprosthetic femoral fracture (n = 4), femoral loosening (n = 3), or other reasons (n = 3). The 10-year survival rate with re-revision for instability as the end point was 88% overall, which was similar to the 85% 10-year survival rate with re-revision for instability as the end point among hips that were specifically revised because of instability during index revision THA (p = 0.9). Conclusions: Implanting a constrained liner at the time of acetabular revision in high-risk patients resulted in no cases of aseptic metal acetabular component loosening in this large series. This finding is likely related to the fact that a highly porous acetabular component was utilized with robust supplemental screw fixation in each case. Such information is valuable as these data favor a paradigm shift when compared with some traditionally held tenets. Level of Evidence: Therapeutic Level IV . See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Background: The periacetabular region is a common location for metastatic disease. Although large lytic acetabular defects are commonly treated with a hip arthroplasty with a cemented component according to a Harrington-style reconstruction, the use of highly porous uncemented tantalum acetabular components has been described. Currently, there are no direct comparisons of these reconstructive techniques. The purpose of this study was to compare the outcomes of the Harrington technique and tantalum acetabular component reconstruction for periacetabular metastases. Methods: From 2 tertiary sarcoma centers, we retrospectively reviewed 115 patients (70 female and 45 male) with an acetabular metastatic defect who had been treated between 2002 and 2015 with a total hip arthroplasty using either the cemented Harrington technique (78 patients) or a tantalum acetabular reconstruction (37 patients). The mean patient age was 61 years, and the most common Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group status was 3 (39 patients). The mean follow-up for surviving patients was 4 years. Results: An additional surgical procedure was performed in 24 patients (21%). Harrington-style reconstructions were more likely to require a reoperation compared with tantalum reconstructions (hazard ratio [HR], 4.59; p = 0.003). The acetabular component was revised in 13 patients (11%); 5 patients (4%) underwent revisions that were due to loosening of the acetabular component. The 10-year cumulative incidence of revision of the acetabular component for loosening was 9.6% in the Harrington group and 0% in the tantalum group (p = 0.09). The mean Harris hip score significantly improved following reconstruction (31 to 67 points; p < 0.001), with no significant difference (p = 0.29) between groups. Conclusions: In patients with periacetabular metastatic disease treated with total hip arthroplasty, an acetabular reconstruction strategy utilizing highly porous tantalum acetabular components and augments successfully provided patients with a more durable construct with fewer complications compared with the cemented Harrington-style technique. Levels of Evidence: Therapeutic Level III . See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.