Above-knee Amputation Research Articles

318. Deferring Amputation in Diabetic Foot Osteomyelitis: Doing more Harm than Good?

BackgroundDiabetic foot osteomyelitis (DFO) is a leading cause of below knee amputation (BKA). Even when medical treatment is deemed unlikely to succeed, patients with DFO are often resistant to amputation.MethodsAn observational cohort analysis was done on patients with DFO at Michigan Medicine who were evaluated by podiatry and recommended BKA from Oct 2015 - Jun 2019. Primary outcome was mortality after BKA recommendation. Secondary outcomes were healing of affected limb, rate of BKA or above knee amputation (AKA) and total antibiotic days in the 6 months following. All intravenous antibiotics and oral courses of linezolid and fluoroquinolones were captured.ResultsOf 44 patients with DFO, 18 chose BKA, 26 chose medical management with wound care. Mean age of the cohort was 61, 68% male, 80% white with a median Charlson Comorbidity Index of 6 (IQR 4,7). The two groups were similar with regards to demographics and comorbid conditions. Those who chose medical management did so because their infection was non-life-threatening and they desired to avoid amputation.One-year mortality was greater in patients who were medically managed compared to those who had BKA (23.1% vs 0%, OR 11.7, 95% CI 0.6–222.9). Considering only the 33 patients who were followed for at least 2 years, 2-year mortality was also greater in the medically managed group compared to the BKA group (38.5% vs 5.6%, OR 10.6, 95% CI 1.2–92.7, Figure 1). Fewer patients in the medical management group had complete healing of their wound/stump compared to the BKA group (46.2% vs 88.9%, OR 9.3, 95% CI 1.8–49.1). In the medically managed group, 18 (69%) patients went on to require BKA or AKA at a median of 76.5 days compared to 2 (11%) in the BKA group who required AKA at 1 and 11 days following recommendation. Median antibiotic days were significantly greater in the medically managed group compared to the BKA group (55 IQR 42,78 vs 17 IQR 10,37, p=0.0017). ConclusionIn this cohort of DFO patients where BKA was recommended, medical management was associated with increased mortality, poor healing of the affected limb, and excess antibiotic exposure compared to BKA. These findings are particularly notable as case mix and severity of illness were similar between the two groups. This study can be used to inform providers and patients in cases where BKA is recommended.Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures

325. Invasive and Non-Invasive Osteomyelitis Caused by Group B Streptococcus Infection Among Veterans

BackgroundEpidemiological studies that assess invasive Group B Streptococcus (GBS) infections may not capture cases of osteomyelitis diagnosed using non-invasive cultures in combination with imaging, laboratory tests, and clinical assessment. Here, we compare GBS osteomyelitis among individuals diagnosed using invasive and non-invasive cultures.MethodsUsing the Veterans Health Administration corporate data warehouse, we studied a national retrospective cohort review of Veterans diagnosed with GBS osteomyelitis between 2008 – 2017. Invasive cases were defined as an International Classification of Disease (ICD) code for osteomyelitis accompanied by a blood or bone culture positive for GBS within 2 weeks. Non-invasive cases were defined as an ICD code for osteomyelitis and a non-invasive culture positive for GBS from a concordant site within 2 weeks. We compared demographics, comorbid conditions, mortality, and time to below- or above-knee amputation among patients with invasive and non-invasive GBS osteomyelitis.ResultsWe identified 1167 cases of invasive osteomyelitis among 1077 patients and 692 cases of non-invasive osteomyelitis among 644 patients. Most patients were male (98%) with an average age of 63.2 years (± standard deviation (SD) 10.1 years). The Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) was similar among patients with invasive and non-invasive disease (3.85 ± SD 2.3 and 3.83 ± SD2.4, respectively). Among those with lower extremity osteomyelitis, 11% of invasive cases had an amputation at 30 days while 2% of non-invasive cases had an amputation in the same time frame (Figure 1). Mortality was similar among those with invasive and non-invasive GBS osteomyelitis at 30-days (1% and 1%, respectively) and at 1-year (11% and 9%, respectively) (Figure 2).Figure 1: Time to Amputation Figure 2: Survival ConclusionOver 1/3 of the cases of osteomyelitis caused by GBS do not meet the case definition for invasive disease. Whether diagnosed using invasive or non-invasive microbiological cultures, survival outcomes for people with GBS osteomyelitis were similar. These findings suggest that non-invasive GBS osteomyelitis is as clinically important as invasive GBS osteomyelitis and that the rates of GBS osteomyelitis may be higher than previously reported.Disclosures Federico Perez, MD, MS, Accelerate (Research Grant or Support)Merck (Research Grant or Support)Pfizer (Research Grant or Support) Robin Jump, MD, PhD, Accelerate (Grant/Research Support)Merck (Grant/Research Support)Pfizer (Grant/Research Support, Advisor or Review Panel member)Roche (Advisor or Review Panel member)

Unilateral above-knee amputees achieve symmetric mediolateral ground reaction impulse in walking using an asymmetric gait strategy

The ability to sustain steady straight-ahead walking is one goal of gait rehabilitation for individuals with unilateral above-knee (UAK) amputation. Despite the morphological and musculoskeletal asymmetry resulting from unilateral limb loss, the mediolateral ground-reaction-impulse (GRI) should be counterbalanced between the affected and unaffected limbs during straight-ahead walking. Therefore, we investigated the strategies of mediolateral ground-reaction-force (GRF) generation adopted by UAK prosthesis users walking along a straight path. GRFs of 15 participants with UAK amputation were measured during straight-ahead walking. Then, the mediolateral GRI, stance time, and mean mediolateral GRF during the stance phase of the affected and unaffected limbs were compared. To better understand the GRF generation strategy, statistical-parametric-mapping (SPM) was applied to assess the phase-dependent difference of the mediolateral GRFs between two limbs. The results showed that UAK prosthesis users can achieve symmetric mediolateral GRI during straight-ahead walking by adopting an asymmetric gait strategy: shorter stance time and higher mean mediolateral GRF over the stance phase for the affected than for the unaffected limb. In addition, the analysis using SPM revealed that the affected limb generates a higher mean medial GRF component than the unaffected limb, especially during the single-support phase. Thus, a higher medial GRF during the single-support phase of the affected limb may allow UAK prosthesis users to achieve mediolateral GRI that are similar to those of the unaffected limb. Further insights on these mechanics may serve as guidelines on the improved design of prosthetic devices and the rehabilitation needs of UAK prosthesis users.

Agonist-antagonist Myoneural Interfaces in Above-knee Amputation Preserve Distal Joint Function and Perception.

Agonist-antagonist Myoneural Interfaces in Above-knee Amputation Preserve Distal Joint Function and Perception.

Machine Learning Analysis of Multispectral Imaging and Clinical Risk Factors to Predict Amputation Wound Healing

Machine Learning Analysis of Multispectral Imaging and Clinical Risk Factors to Predict Amputation Wound Healing

Role of disarticulation and guillotine amputation of the shin in the lower limb ischemic gangrene surgical treatment strategy

Ischemic foot gangrene is one of the most common reasons of nontraumatic low limb amputations all over the world. Objective: to analyze the clinical effectiveness of an individual treatment strategy application for patients with absolute indications for high limb amputation, aimed to reduce amputation level, the number of postoperative complications and mortality. Materials and methods. This article presents the results of comparative clinical trial executing a lower-extremity amputation in 992 patients with ischemic gangrene. Applied in this study strategy of surgical treatment included usual below-knee, above-knee amputations and guillotine amputations in the lower third of the shin also the shin exarticulation without wound plastic. Guillotine amputations was used as an intermediate stage of treatment in cases where due to the severe general condition of patients to perform a classic myoplastic amputation with stump formation was impossible, since it is accompanied by a very high risk of postoperative complications and mortality. Results. Using guillotine amputations and shin exarticulation as the first stage of complex surgical strategy aimed to rapid elimination of the purulent focus with minimal risks and the speedy stabilization of the patients general condition, emaciated and weakened by developing gangrene, led to reduce general lethality by 17.1 % and increased the quantity of below-knee amputations by 23.0 % compared with the comparison group. Conclusion. Patients with ischemic gangrene require the development of an individual strategy for surgical treatment (taking into account the severity of the patients general condition, the prevalence of the purulent-necrotic process in the lower limb, the nature and degree of peripheral macroangiopathy), which can reliably and significantly reduce the number of amputations at the hip level (by 46.2%), as well as reduce mortality after high amputations of the lower extremities (by 17.1%) in an emergency city hospital. We consider it extremely important to reduce the number of primary amputations at the hip level!

Extracorporeal irradiation: biological reconstruction following tumor resection with a large bone defect

Reconstruction of massive segmental bone defects is a crucial point of limb salvage surgeries after malignant bone tumor resections. Megaendoprostheses implantation is a commonly used method for adult patients, but hardly usable for children below 12 years old, because of the small size of the host bone and multiple mechanic complications. Extracorporeal irradiation and allograft reimplantation (ECRT, ECI) are promising methods for these young children for limb salvage, reducing the number of prostheses revisions, reoperations. In Hungary, we performed limb salvage surgery for malignant bone tumor in 12 cases in children under 12 years old, using extracorporeally irradiated autografts as biological reconstruction. All cases were primary bone tumors (Ewing's sarcoma: 7, osteosarcoma: 4, chondrosarcoma: 1). The average age of our patients was 9 (3-12) years, the average follow-up was 32.5 (2-73) months. At follow-up, we performed physical examination, X-ray, and other imaging methods if they were necessary. Our results were compared to international publications. We observed no local recurrence, but in one case we had to perform above-knee amputation, due to a skip metastasis in the proximal tibia. The complication rates were similar to those reported in other papers. Septic complications were treated in two cases (16.7%). Total union of the resection lines was observed at 3-9 months in 60% of all cases. Reoperations were performed due to nonunion, or allograft fracture/partly desorganization in 3 cases, twice with new allograft, and with prostheses in one case. The subjective opinion of our patients is positive, they walk with full weightbearing, some of them do even light sporting activities. We found extracorporeal irradiation a useful and safe method for children under 12 years old for biological reconstruction after malignant bone tumor resection. Complication rate stays under the rate of growing prostheses complications, in optimal cases further radical, and extensive surgeries may be avoided. In the case of major complications, megaendoprostheses implantation later on is still an option as salvage procedure with limb salvage. Orv Hetil. 2020; 161(45): 1914-1919.

Life Accomplishment, Social Functioning and Participation of South-Eastern Nigerians with Lower Limb Amputation

Purpose: For a better understanding of the possible impact of impairments and disabilities on the life of individuals with lower limb amputation,it is important to explore the levels of Life Accomplishment (LA), Social Functioning and Participation (SFP) among them.The present study, set in South-Eastern Nigeria, aimed to study these levels and the influence of selected clinical and demographic variables on these constructs. Method: This cross-sectional survey involved 60 individuals with lower limb amputation (46 unilateral, 14 bilateral) recruited from all the five South-Eastern Nigerian States. The Social Functioning Questionnaire (SFQ), Participation Scale and Life Habit Questionnaire were used for measuring levels of social functioning, social participation and life accomplishment, respectively. Data was analysed using descriptive statistics of frequency count, percentages, mean and standard deviation. Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis tests were used to test the hypotheses. Alpha level was set at 0.05. Results: Most of the participants (51.7%-58.3%) had low levels of social functioning across SFQ domains. Most of them (61.7%) had severe participation restrictions, and they all had reduced life accomplishments. Participants with bilateral amputation had poorer levels of social functioning (P Conclusion and Implications: Low social functioning, severe participation restrictions, and reduced life accomplishments were prevalent among individuals with lower limb amputation, particularly amongthose with bilateral and above-knee amputations. There is a need to routinely evaluate the studied constructs among individuals with lower limb amputation. The provision of prosthetic aids may help to improve their levels of life accomplishment, social functioning and participation.

Effects of Amputation Level on Hospital Costs and Length of Hospital Stay in Diabetic Foot Disease

Aim: Diabetic foot disease (DFD) is a serious complication of diabetes mellitus and also represents a considerable financial burden to society. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effects of amputation level on hospital costs and length of hospital stay in patients with DFD who were treated with major amputations. Materials and Methods: Data of 72 patients who were hospitalized and underwent major amputations after a DFD diagnosis at our hospital between 2010 and 2017 were reviewed retrospectively. According to the level of amputation performed, three patient groups were identified: below-knee amputation (BKA) group, above-knee amputation (AKA) group, and two-stage (first BKA and then AKA) amputation (TSA) group. Data on hospital costs and length of hospital stay were reviewed. Hospital costs were evaluated under four categories: drug costs, resource/material costs, examination/treatment costs, and total costs. Results were compared with Kruskal–Wallis one-way analysis of variance. Results: The BKA, AKA, and TSA groups consisted of 50 (25 males, 25 females), 11 (10, 1), and 11 (9, 2) patients, with a median patient age of 66, 64, and 66 years, respectively. For the BKA, AKA, and TSA groups, the median drug cost was $1,058, $1,072, and $2,240, the median resource/material cost was $223, $405, and $1,349, the median examination/treatment cost was $2,628, $2,405, and $3,587, the median total cost was $4,612, $5,832, and $6,848, and the median length of hospital stay was 35 days, 33 days, and 63 days, respectively. In terms of all cost categories and length of hospital stay, no statistically significant difference was found between the three groups (p>0.05). Discussion and Conclusion: In DFD patients treated with major amputations, amputation level does not appear to make a significant difference in the amount of hospital costs and length of hospital stay.

Analysis of routine blood markers for predicting amputation/re-amputation risk in diabetic foot.

Diabetic foot is challenging progressive disease which requires multisystemic control. Neuropathy, arteriopathy, and cellular responses should treated collaboratively. Despite all medical advances, diabetic foot can highly resulted with amputation and also re‐amputation can be required because of failed wound healing. In this study, we aimed to investigate the relation between blood parameters and amputation events. Diabetic 323 patients include to the study who referred to orthopaedic clinic for amputation. Amputation levels (amputation levels phalanx, metatarsal, lisfranc, syme, below knee, knee‐disarticulation, above‐knee amputation) and re‐amputations recorded and compared with routine blood parameters. Re‐amputation was observed at 69 patients. The significant difference detected between lower albumin, higher HbA1c, higher CRP levels (P < 0.05) in regards to gross amputation levels, and increased wound depth. Furthermore, lower albumin levels and higher levels of WBC, HbA1c, CRP, and Creatinine were detected in re‐amputation levels. Especially, HbA1c, CRP, and Creatinine levels were found as upper bound of reference line for re‐amputation. The statistically optimal HbA1c cutoff point for diabetes was ≥7.05%, with a sensitivity of 86% and a specificity of 59%. In according to our results, simple blood parameters can be useful for observing the progress of amputation in diabetic foot. Particularly, lower albumin, and higher HbA1c, CRP, and Creatinine levels detected as related with poor prognosis. Besides, screening of HbA1c level seems to be highly sensitive for detecting of re‐amputation possibility.

Mortality and Conversion Rate to Below Knee or Above Knee Amputation Following Transmetatarsal Amputation

Category:Midfoot/Forefoot; Diabetes; OtherIntroduction/Purpose:Non-traumatic lower extremity amputations (LEA), especially those performed in dysvascular and diabetic patients, are known to have poor long-term prognosis. Perioperative mortality has been reported at between 4 and 10%, and the 1 and 5 year mortality rates range between 22-33% and 39-69%, respectively. While poor outcomes in these patients have been described, there is no consensus as to the predictors of mortality. The purpose of the study is to determine the percentage of patients who had a complication following transmetatarsal amputation (TMA) and identify associated risk factors for complications and mortality.Methods:We queried our institution’s administrative database to identify 247 TMA procedures performed in 229 patients between January, 2002 and December, 2016. Electronic health records were reviewed to document complications defined as reoperation, amputation and mortality. Mortality was also verified using the National Death Index. Additionally, we recorded risk factors including diabetes, A1c level, end stage renal disease (ESRD), cardiovascular disease (CVD), peripheral vascular disease (PVD), history of revascularization, contralateral amputation, and neuropathy. The majority of the study patients were males (157, 69%) and the average age was 57 years (range 24-91). The median BMI was 28 (range 16-58) and 29% of the study patients were obese with a BMI ≥ 30. Fishers Exact tests were used to compare categorical variables. Kruskal-Wallis and Independent T-tests were used to compare numeric data. All data were analyzed using SAS/STAT software version 9.4 (Carey, NC) and a 0.05 level of significance was defined apriori.Results:The conversion rate to below (BKA) or above knee amputation (AKA) was 26% (64 of 247). Males (p=.0274), diabetics (p=.0139), patients in ESRD (p=.019), and patients with a history of CVD (p=.0247) or perioperative revascularization (p=.022) were more likely to undergo further amputation following an index TMA. BMI was significantly higher in patients requiring BKA/AKA (p=.0305). There were no significant differences in age (p=.2723) or A1c levels (p=.4219). The overall mortality rate was 35% (84 of 229). Diabetes (p=.0272), ESRD (p=.0031), history of CVD (p<.0001) or PVD (p=.0179) were all significantly associated with mortality. Patients who died were significantly older (p=.0006) and had significantly higher A1c levels (p=.0373). BMI was not significantly associated with mortality. Twenty-two patients who had 23 further amputations subsequently died.Conclusion:In our series of patients undergoing TMA, 26% underwent further amputation and 35% of patients died. Conversion rate to BKA or AKA occurred at a high rate regardless of preoperative revascularization or the use of tendo-achilles or gastrocnemius lengthening procedures. Male sex, diabetes, ESRD, history of CVD or revascularization are significant risk factors for further amputation. ESRD, diabetes, history of CVD or PVD, older age and higher A1c levels are significant risk factors for mortality. These data provide useful insight into risk factors to be emphasized when counseling patients and their families to establish realistic postoperative expectations.

Do Pre-Operative Transcutaneous Oxygen Perfusion Measurements Predict Atraumatic Major Lower Extremity Amputation Wound Healing?

Category:OtherIntroduction/Purpose:Determining appropriate amputation level is a challenging task requiring clinical, laboratory, and imaging data. However, there is no validated consensus on the method with the most prognostic accuracy. Transcutaneous oxygen perfusion measurement (TcPO2) is a noninvasive means of measuring tissue oxygenation. A TcPO2 > 30-40mm Hg is widely cited as a positive predictor of post-operative wound healing, but its validity has not been well defined. We hypothesized that TcPO2 levels positively correlate with the success of amputation wound healing. Additionally, we secondarily investigated the correlation between other preoperative demographics and clinical variables and their impact on post-operative amputation wound healing.Methods:A retrospective chart review was performed on patients who underwent lower extremity above, through, or below knee amputations at a single institution with documented preoperative TcPO2 values between January 1, 2012 and December 1, 2018 and a minimum 30 days post-operative clinical follow up. Amputations performed for oncologic pathology, infected arthroplasty, osteomyelitis and traumatic amputations were excluded in order to isolate TcPO2 as a decision-making test for amputation level. This yielded one hundred and forty-one total amputations. Of these ninety-three were below knee amputations (BKA), six through knee amputations, and forty-two above knee amputations (AKA). Chi-square and t-tests were used to compare successful and failed amputations where appropriate.Results:Eighty-six of the amputations were successful and fifty-five failed, as defined by post-operative wound dehiscence or infection. Of these, thirty-seven were BKAs, four were through knee amputations and fourteen were AKAs. There was a significant difference in preoperative TcPO2 levels between the successful and failure groups at 46.2 and 38.3 respectively (p = 0.02). A TcPO2 of 30-40mm Hg had a success rate of 68.8%, and a TcPO2 < 20mm Hg a success rate of 18.2%. A receiver operating characteristic curve for TcPO2 levels predicting amputation success elucidated that with an area under the curve of 0.53 for the AKA cohort and 0.61 for the BKA cohort, the diagnostic ability is far from prognostic.Conclusion:Our results provide new insight into the predictive accuracy of preoperative TcPO2 levels. There is not a linear association between TcPO2 and success rate. A TcPO2 < 20mm Hg has a high positive predictive value for failure, but higher TcPO2 levels are not 100% predictive of amputation wound healing as reported by prior studies. Multiple factors should be considered when selecting amputation level.

Epidemiology of major lower extremity amputations in individuals with diabetes in Austria, 2014–2017: A retrospective analysis of health insurance database

AimsTo describe the incidence, mortality, and trend of major lower extremity amputations (LEA) and to assess risk factors of all-cause mortality after major LEA in individuals with diabetes. MethodsProcedure codes of major LEA were extracted from the Austrian Health Insurance database (N = 507,180) during 2014–2017 to estimate crude and age-standardized rates per 100,000 population. Short- (30-day, 90-day) and long-term (1-year, 5-year) all-cause mortality after major LEA was estimated from the date of amputation till the date of death. ResultsThe age-standardized rate of major LEA was 6.44 with an insignificant annual change of 3% (p = 0.825) from 2014 to 2017. Cumulative 30-day mortality was 13.5%, 90-day 22.0%, 1-year 34.4%, and 5-year 66.7%. Age, male sex, above-knee amputation, Charlson index, and heart failure were significantly associated with both short- and long-term mortality. Cancer, dementia, heart failure, peripheral vascular disease, and renal disease were associated with long-term mortality. ConclusionsThe rate of major LEA in individuals with diabetes remained stable during 2014–2017 in Austria. Short- and long-term mortality rates were considerably high after major LEA. Old age, male sex, above-knee amputations, and Charlson Index were significant predictors of both short- and long-term mortality and comorbidities were significant predictors of long-term mortality only.

Targeted muscle reinnervation at the time of amputation in the management of complex regional pain syndrome of the lower extremity.

Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is a chronic, posttraumatic condition defined by severe pain and sensorimotor dysfunction. In cases of severe CRPS, patients request amputation, which may cause phantom limb pain (PLP) and residual limb pain (RLP). Targeted muscle reinnervation (TMR) reduces the risk of PLP and RLP. This report describes the use of TMR at the time of amputation in a series of patients with CRPS. Four patients (ages 38-71 years) underwent TMR at the time of amputation for CRPS between April 2018 and January 2019. Three patients had a history of trauma and surgery to the affected limb. All patients attempted pharmacologic and interventional treatments for 1-7 years before requesting amputation. Three patients underwent below-knee amputations (BKA) and one had an above-knee amputation (AKA). Target muscles included the soleus, gastrocnemius, and flexor hallucis longus (BKA), and semitendinosus, biceps femoris, and vastus medialis (AKA). Postoperative phantom and residual limb pain symptoms were collected via a telephone survey adapted from the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS). There were no complications related to the TMR procedure. Average follow-up time was 12.75 months. Patients reported varied outcomes: two had RLP and PLP, one had RLP only, and one had PLP only. All patients reported successful prosthetic use. TMR may be performed at the time of amputation for CRPS. Further study is necessary to determine the effect of TMR on pain, pain medication use, prosthesis use, and other domains of function.

Factors Associated With Prolonged Length of Stay and Failed Lower Limb Prosthetic Fitting During Inpatient Rehabilitation

ObjectiveTo identify variables associated with rehabilitation length of stay (LOS) and prosthetic fitting success for people with lower limb amputation (LLA). DesignRetrospective analysis of clinically collected cohort. SettingCanadian inpatient rehabilitation hospital. ParticipantsConsecutive individuals with LLA (N=103) admitted for prosthetic fitting (mean age, 65.3±10.6y). InterventionsNot applicable. Main Outcome MeasuresIndependent variables included the Lower Limb Amputee Measurement Scale (LLAMS), which is a 31-question tool to predict LOS with items in medical, cognitive, social, physical, activities of daily living, and other subsections; admission FIM; age; sex; level of amputation (below- or above-knee); and time from surgery to admission. LOS was measured as days from admission to discharge. Successful prosthetic fitting was defined as the ability to use a prosthesis on discharge. ResultsThe mean LOS was 63.6 ± 33.3 days, and 21.4% of patients failed prosthetic fitting. Higher LLAMS, lower FIM, and above-knee amputation were significantly associated with longer LOS (P<.001, R2=0.36). Age, sex, and time from surgery were not significantly associated with LOS or prosthetic fitting. Higher LLAMS was significantly associated with unsuccessful prosthetic fitting (P=.032). Of the 31 items in the LLAMS, 5 were associated with prolonged LOS and 5 were associated with failed prosthetic fitting (P<.10). ConclusionsThe LLAMS, level of amputation, and admission FIM can be used to predict LOS in lower limb amputees admitted for prosthetic fitting. The LLAMS was weak in identifying patients who failed prosthetic fitting. Future research should consider shortening the LLAMS.

Military experience in the management of pelvic fractures from OIF/OEF

IntroductionPelvic fractures are a common occurrence in combat trauma. However, the fracture pattern and management within the most recent conflicts, i.e. Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF),...

Evaluation of Anatomic Relationship Between Sural Nerve and Instrumentation During Mini-Open Achilles Tendon Repair: A Cadaveric Study

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship of the sural nerve to the Arthrex Percutaneous Achilles Repair System (PARS) jig and repair sutures. We performed cadaveric dissection on 10 unpaired above-knee amputation specimens (6 were right legs and 4 were left legs). In all but 1 cadaver, all of the sutures either punctured the nerve or passed anterior to it. Only 1 cadaver had sutures that were posterior to the sural nerve. In all cases, removal of the jig pulled the sutures through the nerve and the nerve was completely free after locking the sutures, and the sural nerve was within 1 cm of the lateral aspect of the transverse incision made for insertion of the jig. This cadaveric study revealed a high rate of sural nerve puncture when passing needles across the Achilles tendon using a commercially available minimally invasive repair device. This finding should caution users of Arthrex PARS jig to be attentive to postoperative symptoms of nerve injury. Level of Evidence: Diagnostic Level IV. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Poor Outcome of Above-Knee Amputation after Septic Failure of Revision Total Knee Arthroplasty.

Persistent periprosthetic infection following total knee arthroplasty is one of the most dreaded complications of orthopaedic surgery. Treatment strategies include arthrodesis of the knee joint, stable fistula, long-lasting antibiotic therapy, or above-knee amputation. The advantage of amputation in comparison to other treatment options is the possible cure of infection, because the source of infection is removed and no foreign material left in situ. The aim of the study is to examine whether a septic amputation of the femur in case of persistent periprosthetic infection at the knee joint leads to the healing of the patient. Moreover, the physical and mental state should be evaluated. All patients with above-knee amputation because of periprosthetic joint infection after primary total knee arthroplasty between 2016 and 2018 were included in this retrospective study. A questionnaire with the clinical scores visual analog scale, modified Lysholm, Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index and 36-Item Short Form Survey has been designed. In addition, all characteristics and perioperative data were documented. Eleven patients were included in the study. One patient died after above-knee amputation; all other patients live with a marked impairment of quality of life but with absence of the infection of the leg. Two out of ten are able to walk regularly with an exoprosthesis with forearm crutches, 50% are in a wheelchair, while 30% are bedridden. Patients with above-knee amputation after persistent periprosthetic infections were free of infection and without signs of inflammation. However, this is associated with worse mobility and high mortality rate.

Outcomes of Total Knee Arthroplasty with a Prior Contralateral Above-Knee Amputation: A Report of 10 Cases

BackgroundTotal knee arthroplasty (TKA) in the setting of a prior contralateral above-knee amputation (AKA) represents a rare scenario with limited reported outcomes. As such, it is difficult for surgeons to effectively counsel these patients relative to risks and expected outcomes after TKA. We report outcomes for a series of 10 such patients. MethodsWe retrospectively reviewed all patients at our institution from 2005 to 2018 who underwent a primary TKA and prior contralateral AKA and had a minimum 12-month follow-up. Data regarding complications, ambulatory status, reported pain, patient demographics, length of follow-up, and comorbidities were obtained. ResultsTen patients met criteria. Follow-up ranged from 1 to 8 years. Six reported no pain or improved pain with weight-bearing. Ambulatory status worsened for 5 patients, remained unchanged for 3, and improved for 2. Five patients had significant postoperative complications: infection requiring repeat surgery (3), quadriceps tendon rupture (1), and revision for implant failure and instability (1). Patients in this cohort had a median of 3 medical comorbidities known to affect postoperative outcomes and complication rates. ConclusionsWhile a contralateral AKA is not an absolute contraindication to TKA, these results should influence patient counseling. Most of our cohort benefited from improved pain, but only 2 of 10 had improved ambulation and half had significant complications. Medical comorbidities may have contributed to these complications. Surgeons contemplating TKA in this situation might consider modified postoperative recovery protocols and aggressive preoperative optimization of medical comorbidities to lower the risk of complication in this high-risk population.

Contemporary Outcomes of Peripheral Bypass Compared with Amputation in Octogenarians

Chronic limb threatening ischemia in octogenarians presents unique treatment challenges in patients with multiple comorbidities and variable functional status. Endovascular interventions offer a better risk profile; however, this is not always a feasible option for anatomic or disease-specific reasons. This study compares outcomes of peripheral bypass versus amputation in octogenarians. The American College of Surgeon's National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database was queried from 2013 to 2016 for patients >80 years undergoing femoral-popliteal bypass (FPB), femoral-tibial bypass, or popliteal-tibial bypass with vein or prosthetic graft versus above-knee amputation (AKA) or below-knee amputation. Patients presenting with systemic inflammatory response syndrome, sepsis, septic shock, or a leukocytosis >11,000 were excluded. Patient demographics, risk factors, and 30-day unadjusted outcomes were analyzed. Multivariate regression analysis was then performed to compare risk adjusted 30-day morbidity and mortality. The bypass group contained 2226 patients compared with 1253 patients in the amputation group. AKA represented 59.9% of the amputation group. The largest portion of bypasses were FPBs at 58.6%. Total preoperative functional dependence was 1.3% for bypass versus 18.2% for amputation (P-value, <0.01). Risk factors for amputation over bypass included age, minority race, American Society of Anesthesiologists class IV-V, diabetes, congestive heart failure, dialysis, preoperative open wound, facility of origin, and functional dependence. Unadjusted 30-day mortality was 3.6% for bypasses and 7.7% for amputations (P-value, <0.01), with an in-hospital mortality of 2.0% vs. 3.2% and a mortality after discharge of 1.6% vs. 4.5%, respectively (P-value <0.01). Unadjusted morbidity was not significantly different between the 2 groups (18.7% bypass vs. 17.8% amputation, P-value, 0.52). After multivariate risk adjustment, there was no statistically significant difference in mortality or morbidity between the groups. Contemporary risk-adjusted 30-day morbidity and mortality for bypass versus amputation in octogenarians show no significant difference. These data demonstrate that aggressive surgical limb salvage can be safe in well-selected patients in this age group.