Staging Bilateral Total Knee Arthroplasties Reduces Alignment Outliers

BackgroundPatients frequently present with bilateral symptomatic knee osteoarthritis and request simultaneous total knee arthroplasties (TKAs). Technical differences between simultaneous and staged TKAs could affect clinical and radiographic outcomes. We hypothesized that staged TKAs would have fewer mechanical alignment outliers than simultaneous TKAs.MethodsWe reviewed 87 simultaneous and 72 staged TKAs with at least 2 years of follow-up. Radiographic assessment was done using standing long leg and lateral radiographs of the knee. Coronal and sagittal measurements were performed by 4 blinded observers on 2 separate occasions with an intraobserver agreement of 0.95 and interobserver of 0.92.ResultsThe first simultaneous knee had no difference in the probability of establishing the mechanical axis outside 3° of neutral (45%) compared to the first staged knee (54%, P = .337). However, the second simultaneous knee (49%) was more likely to establish the axis outside mechanical neutral compared to the second staged knee (28%; odds ratio 2.54, confidence interval 1.31-4.94, P = .006). There was an increased risk of deep venous thrombosis with staged TKA (odds ratio 2.96, confidence interval 1.28-6.84, P = .011), but other perioperative complication rates were not significantly different. There were no clinically significant differences in range of motion or Knee Society Score.ConclusionThere is a significantly increased risk of establishing the second knee outside mechanical neutral during a simultaneous TKA compared to staged bilateral TKAs, possibly related to a number of surgeon-related and system-related factors. The impact on clinical outcomes and radiographic loosening may become significant in long-term follow-up.     

TKA Sagittal Alignment with Navigation Systems and Conventional Techniques Vary Only a Few Degrees

Navigation systems have been developed to achieve more reliable prosthetic alignment in TKAs. However, the component alignment in the sagittal plane is reportedly less reliable than in the coronal plane even with navigation systems. We measured and compared sagittal prosthetic alignments for TKAs with the conventional technique and three navigation approaches to establish reference frames, using radiographs of the entire lower extremity while standing. The sagittal alignments simulated on the radiographs with the conventional technique and navigation systems differed by a mean of 2° to 4°. Use of navigation systems resulted in a mean of 1° to 4° hyperextension between the femoral and tibial components and use of the conventional technique resulted in a mean of 1° flexion. Use of different reference points on the distal femoral condyle for the navigation systems resulted in differences of as much as 3° alignment in the sagittal plane. Although optimal prosthetic alignment for TKA in the sagittal plane is unknown, surgeons and technicians using navigation systems should be aware of this difference in the sagittal plane and the risk of hyperextension between the femoral and tibial components, which might be associated with osteolysis and anterior post-cam impingement. Each author certifies that he or she has no commercial associations (eg, consultancies, stock ownership, equity interest, patent/licensing arrangements, etc) that might pose a conflict of interest in connection with the submitted article. Each author certifies that his or her institution has approved the human protocol for this investigation, that all investigations were conducted in conformity with ethical principles of research, and that informed consent for participation in the study was obtained.     

Improved Accuracy of Alignment With Patient-specific Positioning Guides Compared With Manual Instrumentation in TKA

Background  

Coronal malalignment occurs frequently in TKA and may affect implant durability and knee function. Designed to improve alignment accuracy and precision, the patient-specific positioning guide is predicated on restoration of the overall mechanical axis and is a multifaceted new tool in achieving traditional goals of TKA.     

Fast-track Surgery Improves Postoperative Recovery in Patients with Gastric Cancer: A Randomized Comparison with Conventional Postoperative Care

Background

Fast-track surgery is a new, promising comprehensive program for surgical patients and is beneficial to recovery. Prospective randomized, controlled clinical trials involving fast-track surgery for gastric cancer are lacking.

Patient and methods

Ninety-two patients with gastric cancer were randomly divided into a fast-track surgery group (n?=?45) and conventional surgery group (n?=?47). We compared outcomes (duration of postoperative stay in hospital, fever, and flatus, complications, and medical costs); postoperative serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-6, and C-reactive protein; and resting energy expenditure between two groups.

Results

Compared with the conventional surgery group, the fast-track surgery group had no more complications (P?>?0.05) with a significantly shorter duration of fever, flatus, and hospital stay, and less medical costs as well as a higher quality of life score on hospital discharge (all P?<?0.05). With a significantly lower resting energy expenditure (days?1 and 3) postoperatively (P?<?0.05), the fast-track surgery group showed a lower serum level of tumor necrosis factor-α (days?1 and 3), interleukin-6 (days?1 and 3), and C-reactive protein (days?1, 3, and 7) than the conventional surgery group (all P?<?0.05).

Conclusions

Fast-track surgery can lessen postoperative stress reactions and accelerate rehabilitation for patients with gastric cancer.     

Postoperative Evaluation of Pylorus-Preserving Procedures Compared with Conventional Distal Gastrectomy for Early Gastric Cancer

We evaluated postoperative function in 98 patients who underwent surgery for early gastric cancer between 1995 and 1998 to compare the results of pylorus-preserving procedures to those of conventional distal gastrectomy with Billroth I (B-I). The pylorus-preserving procedures included endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR), performed in 12 patients; local resection (Local), performed in 14 patients; segmental resection (Seg), performed in 8 patients; and pylorus-preserving gastrectomy (PPG), performed in 19 patients. B-I was performed in 45 patients. The nutritional status and serum albumin (Alb) levels after PPG, the hemoglobin (Hb) levels after EMR, Local, and PPG, and the present/preoperative body weight ratios after EMR, Local, Seg, and PPG were superior to those after B-I. The time before oral intake was recommenced after EMR and Local, the volume of oral intake tolerated after EMR, Local, Seg, and PPG, and the postoperative hospital stay after EMR were all superior to those after B-I. Moreover, significantly fewer patients suffered reflux symptoms after EMR, Local, and PPG, abdominal fullness after EMR, and early dumping syndrome after EMR, Local, and PPG than after B-I. There was also less evidence of gastritis after EMR, Local, and PPG, and of bile reflux after EMR, Local, and PPG, than after B-I. These findings indicate that pylorus-preserving procedures may result in a better postoperative quality of life for selected patients with early gastric cancer. Received: September 28, 2000 / Accepted: March 6, 2001     

Propofol Anesthesia Compared to Awake Reduces Infarct Size in Rats

Background: Propofol has not been studied directly in animals subject to cerebral ischemia in the conscious state. Strokes are usually induced in animals while they are anesthetized, making it difficult to eliminate anesthetic interactions as a complicating factor. Therefore, to compare the neuroprotective effects of propofol to the unanesthetized state, experiments were performed using a model that induces a stroke in the conscious rat.

Methods: Cerebral ischemia was induced in awake Wistar rats by a local intracerebral injection of the potent vasoconstrictor endothelin. Four days before the strokes were induced, a guide cannula was implanted for the injection of endothelin. On the day of the experiment, endothelin (6.0 pmol in 3 [mu]l) was injected into the striatum. Propofol (25 or 15 mg [middle dot] kg-1 [middle dot] h-1) or intralipid (vehicle) were infused for 4 h starting immediately after the endothelin injection. In another series, the propofol infusion was begun 1 h after the endothelin injection and continued for 4 h. Three days later, the animals were killed, and the brains were sectioned and stained.

Results: The propofol group (25 mg [middle dot] kg-1 [middle dot] h-1) had a significantly reduced infarct size (0.7 +/- 0.21 mm3, first 4 h; 0.27 +/- 0.07 mm3, started 1 h after initiation of infarct) compared with the intralipid controls (3.40 +/- 0.53 mm3). To exclude a direct interaction between propofol and endothelin, in thiobutabarbital anesthetized rats, endothelin-induced cerebral vasoconstriction was examined using videomicroscopy, with or without propofol. Propofol had no effect on the magnitude or time course of the endothelin-induced vasoconstriction.     

Harmonic Scalpel Compared to Conventional Hemostasis in Thyroid Surgery

The aim of this study was to determine whether conventional hemostasis (CH) or the harmonic scalpel (HS) results in shorter operative times for thyroidectomy and to evaluate the incidence of postoperative complications with each approach. In this study, 85 consecutive patients undergone open thyroidectomy were randomized into two groups: group CH (conventional hemostasis with classic technique of tying and knots, resorbable ligature, bipolar diathermy) and group HS (harmonic scalpel). Demographics, pathological characteristics, thyroid size, operative time, blood loss, and complications using the Student’s t-test and χ²-test. The two groups were similar regarding age and sex. There were no intraoperative complications. There was no difference between the two techniques regarding the amount of blood loss for different procedures. No significant differences were found between the two groups concerning mean thyroid weight and mean hospital stay (2.2 days in HS vs. 3.7 in CH; P > 0.05). The mean operative time was significantly shorter in the HS group (47.2 min vs. 79.2 min; P < 0.001). Two (4.7 %) transient recurrent laryngeal nerve palsies were observed in the CH group and no one (0 %) in the HS group. No patient developed permanent palsy. Postoperative transient hypocalcemia occurred more frequently in the CH group (21/43, 48 % vs. 7/42, 16 %). In patients undergoing thyroidectomy, HS is a reliable and safe tool. Comparing with CH techniques, its use reduces operative times, postoperative pain, drainage volume, and transient hypocalcemia.     

Prognosis of Fibrolamellar Carcinoma Compared to Non-cirrhotic Conventional Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Background

Fibrolamellar carcinoma (FLC) and conventional hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) share the same American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) staging. The worse survival with HCC is attributed to the underlying cirrhosis.The aim of this study was to compare stage-matched prognosis after resection of FLC and non-cirrhotic HCC.

Methods

Outcomes after resection of 65 consecutive patients with FLC and 158 non-cirrhotic patients with HCC were compared. Patients were staged according to the 7th edition AJCC staging.

Results

The AJCC stage distributions for FLC and HCC demonstrated a predominance of stage IV disease in FLC and stage I in HCC (FLC stage I—23 %, II—15 %, III—15 %, IV—46 % vs. HCC stage I—42 %, II—32 %, III—20 %, IV—6 %, p?<?0.001). Among stage IV FLC patients, 81 % had isolated nodal metastases, which did not affect overall survival (OS) or recurrence-free survival (RFS). In FLC, OS was significantly affected by the number of tumors and vascular invasion (p?<?0.05). Recurrent disease developed in 56 (86 %) FLC patients and was treated with repeat surgical resection in 25 (45 %) patients. Vascular invasion was associated with recurrent FLC, with 3-year RFS rates of 9 % and 35 %, with and without vascular invasion (p?=?0.034). With respect to RFS, the AJCC staging did not stratify FLC patients, compared to non-cirrhotic HCC.

Conclusions

When compared to non-cirrhotic HCC, patients with FLC are not adequately stratified by AJCC staging with respect to RFS. Our results support classifying lymph node metastases in FLC as regional disease, rather than systemic disease. Important prognostic factors in FLC are the number of tumors and vascular invasion.

     

Tranexamic Acid Reduces Bleeding After Cardiopulmonary Bypass When Compared to Epsilon Aminocaproic Acid and Placebo

A bstract Perioperative bleeding following coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is associated with increased blood product usage. Although aprotonin is effective in reducing perioperative blood loss, excessive cost prohibits routine utilization. Epsilon aminocaproic acid (EACA) and tranexamic acid (TA) are inexpensive antifibrinolytic agents, which, when give prophylactically, may reduce blood loss. The present study was undertaken to compare the efficacy of TA and EACA in reducing perioperative blood loss. Methods : The study population consisted of first-time CABG patients. Patients were allocated in a prospective double-blind fashion: (1) group EACA (loading dose 150 mg/kg, continuous infusion 10 mg/kg per hour for 6 hours, N = 20); (2) group TA (loading dose 15 mg/kg, continuous infusion 1 mg/kg per hour for 6 hours, N = 20); (3) control group (infusion of normal saline for 6 hours, N = 19). Results : Treatment groups were similar preoperatively. No significant difference in intraoperative blood loss or perioperative use of blood products was noted. D-dimer concentration was elevated in the control group compared to the EACA and TA groups (p < 0.05). Group TA had less postoperative blood loss than the EACA and control groups at 6 and 12 hours postoperatively (p < 0.05). TA had reduced total blood loss (600 ± 49 mL) postoperatively compared to EACA (961 ± 148 mL) and control (1060 ± 127mL, p < 0.05). Conclusion : TA and EACA effectively inhibited fibrinolytic activity intraoperatively and throughout the first 24 hours postoperatively. TA was more effective in reducing blood loss postoperatively following CABG. This suggests that TA may be beneficial as an effective and inexpensive antifibrinolytic in first-time CABG patients.     

Accelerometer-Based and Computer-Assisted Navigation in Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Reduction in Mechanical Axis Outliers Does Not Lead to Improvement in Functional Outcomes or Quality of Life When Compared to Conventional Total Knee Arthroplasty

Background

Accelerometer-based navigation (ABN) is a novel navigation system that attempts to combine the accuracy of computer-assisted surgery (CAS) with the familiarity of conventional instrumentation (CON). No studies have compared the clinical outcomes of this new technology with existing techniques to date.