The Journal of bone and joint surgery. American volume
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J Bone Joint Surg Am · Jul 2000
Meta Analysis Comparative StudyA meta-analysis of thromboembolic prophylaxis following elective total hip arthroplasty.
Although several agents have been shown to reduce the risk of thromboembolic disease, there is no clear preference for thromboembolic prophylaxis in elective total hip arthroplasty. The purpose of this study was to define the efficacy and safety of the agents that are currently used for prophylaxis against deep venous thrombosis -- namely, low-molecular-weight heparin, warfarin, aspirin, low-dose heparin, and pneumatic compression. ⋯ The best prophylactic agent in terms of both efficacy and safety was warfarin, followed by pneumatic compression, and the least effective and safe was low-dose heparin. Warfarin provided the lowest risk of both proximal deep venous thrombosis and symptomatic pulmonary embolism. However, there were no identifiable significant differences in the rates of fatal pulmonary embolism or death among the agents. Significant risks of minor and major bleeding complications were observed with greater frequency with certain prophylactic agents, particularly low-molecular-weight heparin (minor bleeding) and low-dose heparin (both major and minor bleeding).
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J Bone Joint Surg Am · Jul 2000
Comparative StudyArthrodesis as an early alternative to nonoperative management of charcot arthropathy of the diabetic foot.
This study was performed to evaluate the use of arthrodesis of the tarsal-metatarsal area for the treatment of Eichenholtz stage-I Charcot arthropathy in patients with diabetes. Currently, the standard treatment of stage-I Charcot arthropathy is the application of a non-weight-bearing total-contact cast. Although this treatment can be effective for allowing a patient to walk without undergoing an operation, a nonunion or malunion may still result. The subsequent deformities may lead to complications, including ulceration of the foot and the need for operative intervention. Recently, a group of patients who had had early operative intervention for a variety of reasons provided us with the opportunity to objectively evaluate the effects of such treatment. This analysis provided valuable information about whether this treatment is a reasonable alternative to current nonoperative approaches. ⋯ To our knowledge, the present study is the first to demonstrate the potential for early operative treatment to restore anatomical alignment and improve function of diabetic patients with stage-I Charcot arthropathy.
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J Bone Joint Surg Am · Jul 2000
Comparative StudyArthroscopic treatment of anterior-inferior glenohumeral instability. Two to five-year follow-up.
Previous studies on arthroscopic treatment of anterior-inferior glenohumeral instability have focused on the repair of lesions of the anterior-inferior aspect of the labrum (Bankart lesions) and have demonstrated failure rates of as high as 50 percent. The current investigation supports the concept that anterior-inferior instability is associated with multiple lesions and that success rates can be increased by treating all of the lesions at the time of the operation. We present the results of arthroscopic treatment of anterior-inferior gleno-humeral instability after a minimum duration of followup of two years. ⋯ The results of the present study suggest that our technique of arthroscopic treatment of anterior-inferior glenohumeral instability is better than previous arthroscopic techniques and is equivalent to open repair. We believe that the improved rate of success demonstrated in the present study was the result of repair not only of the anterior-inferior (Bankart) lesion but also (where necessary) of inferior and superior labral tears. Additionally, soft-tissue tension within the capsule and ligaments was corrected with use of a suture technique but was supplemented by laser thermal capsulorrhaphy in forty-eight of the fifty-three shoulders. Rotator interval repair was considered a critical factor in fourteen of the fifty-three shoulders.
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J Bone Joint Surg Am · Jul 2000
Comparative StudyEfficacy of postoperative blood salvage following total hip arthroplasty in patients with and without deposited autologous units.
Patients undergoing total hip replacement routinely receive perioperative blood transfusions, increasing their risk of blood-borne disease, isoimmunization, anaphylactic reaction, and hemolytic reaction. The purpose of this retrospective, case-control study was to evaluate the effect of postoperative blood salvage on the need for allogeneic transfusion following total hip replacement. ⋯ Despite a limited sample size, the study results showed that postoperative blood salvage significantly reduced the risk of allogeneic transfusion among patients managed with total hip replacement, whether or not they had deposited autologous blood (p < 0.0001). With control for donated units, age, gender, preoperative hematocrit, intraoperative blood loss, and cementless technique, patients who were treated without postoperative blood salvage were approximately ten times more likely to require allogeneic transfusion than were patients who had a drain.