The efficacy of patellar denervation with electrocautery after total knee replacement: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Robotic total knee arthroplasty for moderate to high-grade valgus knee deformity: technique and outcomes

INTRODUCTION

Although the surgical techniques and functional outcomes of conventional total knee arthroplasty (TKA) are well-established, there is limited data available on robotic arm-assisted TKA (RATKA) in the context of valgus knee arthroplasty. The purpose of this study is to assess the efficacy of RATKA in the correction of moderate to severe valgus knee deformities using minimally constrained implants and to evaluate the short-term functional outcomes associated with this technique.

METHODS

This prospective study was conducted on patients with moderate to severe grade valgus knee deformity who underwent RATKA from August 1, 2020 to May 31, 2022. Of 873 primary RATKA cases, 48 cases had valgus knee deformities. Among these, 27 had grade 2-3 valgus with intact medial collateral ligament (MCL), two had grade 3 valgus with incompetent MCL, 14 had grade 1 valgus, and five had post-traumatic valgus deformities. Over a two-year follow-up period, functional outcomes were assessed using the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) and Knee Society Score (KSS), and complications were documented; however, radiological outcomes were not analyzed.

RESULTS

Among 27 patients with Grade 2-3 valgus, the final cohort included 21 patients (24 knees). The mean age was 58.33 ± 9.63 years and 70.8% were female. Ten (41.7%) patients had rheumatoid arthritis and 14 (58.3%) had degenerative osteoarthritis (OA). The median surgical time was 68.00 (13.00) minutes, and the median blood loss was 478.45 (176.25) mL. The valgus grade was reduced from a baseline value of 22.43 ± 7.05 degrees to 5.26 ± 1.53 degrees at 6 weeks. The WOMAC scores improved from 67.58 ± 7.27 at baseline to 1.38 ± 0.57 in the second year post-operatively. Similarly, the KSS scores improved from 26.67 ± 10.34 at baseline to 181.96 ± 7.20 in the second year. One patient sustained a Type II supracondylar femur fracture after a fall, managed with distal femur arthroplasty, while another had delayed tibia pin tract healing, treated with antibiotics and dressings.

CONCLUSION

RATKA facilitates precise correction of moderate to severe valgus deformity through enhanced surgical planning and execution, achieving adequate functional outcomes with minimal complications through the application of functional alignment philosophy.

Does Patellar Denervation with Electrocautery Benefits for Total Knee Arthroplasty without Patellar Resurfacing: A Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trails

To investigate the effects of patellar denervation (PD) and non-patellar denervation (NPD) after primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA) without patellar resurfacing, this study conducted systematic electronic searches in November 2023 using PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane, and Scopus, adhering to Cochrane Collaboration recommendations. Only randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were included. Additionally, a manual search was performed to identify potentially eligible studies from the reference lists of review articles. Two researchers independently conducted literature reviews, data extraction, and risk of bias assessments. The outcome analysis encompassed the incidence of anterior knee pain (AKP), visual analogue scale (VAS), range of motion (ROM), American Knee Society Score (KSS), Oxford Knee Score (OKS), patellar score (PS), complications, and reoperations. Meta-analysis was executed using RevMan 5.3 software. To enhance the credibility of the study, TSA v0.9 software was utilized to perform power analysis on the overall efficacy of primary and secondary outcomes. Twelve studies involving 1745 patients (1587 knees) were included, with 852 undergoing PD and 893 undergoing NPD. Results indicated a superior reduction in AKP incidence in the PD group compared to the NPD group. Statistically significant differences were observed between PD and NPD in KSS, OKS, and PS. However, the upper limit of the 95% confidence interval for each outcome fell below the minimal clinically important difference (MCID). No significant differences were found in VAS and ROM between PD and NPD. Additionally, PD was not associated with an increased incidence of complications or reoperations. Within 12 months and beyond, PD was proven to be a beneficial intervention in reducing AKP following TKA without patellar resurfacing, achieved without an increase in complications or reoperations. Regarding KSS, OKS, and PS, the minimal advantage achievable through PD may not be clinically significant.

Effect of Oral Tranexamic Acid on the Blood Transfusion Rate and the Incidence of Deep Vein Thromboembolism in Patients after TKA

Purpose

To explore the effect of oral tranexamic acid treatment on the blood transfusion rate and the incidence of deep vein thromboembolism after total knee arthroplasty (TKA).

Methods

90 patients undergoing TKA admitted to First People's Hospital of Changshu City from January 2019 to January 2020 were selected and randomized into the control group and the experimental group accordingly (45 cases in each group). The control group intravenously received 20 mL/kg tranexamic acid before the incision was closed. The experimental group was given 1 g of tranexamic acid orally before anesthesia, 6 h and 12 h after the operation.

Results

The experimental group witnessed better perioperative indexes in relation to the control group. The experimental group displayed better postoperative coagulation function indexes as compared to the control group (P < 0.05). Remarkably lower postoperative vascular endothelial function indexes in the experimental group than in the control group were observed. The experimental group experienced a markedly lower incidence of deep vein thromboembolism in comparison with the control group (P < 0.05). The postoperative knee society score (KSS) score of the experimental group was significantly higher than that of the control group. A significantly higher postoperative modified rivermead mobility index (MRMI) score was yielded in the experimental group in contrast to the control group (P < 0.05). The experimental group obtained lower numerical rating scale (NRS) scores at T2 and T3 as compared to the control group.

Conclusion

Oral tranexamic acid is a suitable alternative for patients undergoing TKA in terms of reducing the blood transfusion rate, relieving pain, and accelerating the recovery of the patient's limbs.