Patellofemoral joint arthroplasty: patient selection,surgical technique and outcomes

Isolated patellofemoral arthritis is an increasingly recognized entity, and is usually associated with previous patellofemoral dysplasia or instability. Patellofemoral arthroplasty (PFA) has evolved significantly in recent years, both in terms of implant design and importantly in the understanding of appropriate patient selection. This review outlines the indications and investigations for PFA, provides a brief history of the development of contemporary implants, and presents the clinical outcomes for the prostheses most commonly used in the UK. In addition, it provides a detailed surgical technique for implantation of an onlay implant, with tips on how to optimize patellofemoral biomechanics and thus achieve a consistently good outcome.     

Effectiveness of a hospital-wide selective screening programme for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) carriers at hospital admission to prevent hospital-acquired MRSA infections

Screening of potential MRSA-positive patients at hospital admission is recommended in German and international guidelines. This policy has been shown to be effective in reducing the frequency of nosocomial MRSA transmissions in the event of an outbreak, but the influence of screening on reducing hospital-acquired MRSA infections in a hospital setting where MRSA is endemic is not yet well-documented. This study describes the effect of hospital-wide screening of defined risk groups in a 700-bed acute care hospital during a period of 19 months. In a cohort study with a 19-month control period, the frequencies of hospital-acquired MRSA infections were compared with and without screening. In the control period, there were 119 MRSA-positive patients, of whom 48 had a hospital-acquired MRSA infection. On the basis of this frequency, a predicted total of 73.2 hospital-acquired MRSA infections was calculated for the screening period, but only 52% of the expected number (38 hospital-acquired MRSA infections) were observed, i.e., 48% of the predicted number of hospital-acquired MRSA infections were prevented by the screening programme. The screening programme was performed with minimal effort and can therefore be recommended as an effective measure to help prevent hospital-acquired MRSA infections.