Total joint arthroplasty is one of the most common and most successful orthopaedic procedures. Infection after total joint arthroplasty is a devastating problem that expends patient, surgeon, and hospital resources, and it substantially decreases the chances of a successful patient outcome. Postoperative infection affects approximately 1% to 7% of all total joint arthroplasties, at a cost of approximately $50,000 per infection. Decreasing postoperative periprosthetic joint infection is of the utmost importance for the total joint arthroplasty surgeon. Preoperative, perioperative, intraoperative, and postoperative measures to minimize infection and optimize patient outcomes in total joint arthroplasty are discussed. Preoperative measures include management of patients colonized by Staphylococcus aureus, nutritional optimization, and management of medical comorbidities. Perioperative measures include skin preparation and prophylactic antibiotics. Intraoperative measures include body exhaust suits, laminar flow, ultraviolet light, operating-room traffic control, surgical suite enclosures, anesthesia-related considerations, and antibiotic-loaded bone cement. Postoperative measures include continued antibiotic prophylaxis, blood transfusions, hematoma formation and wound drainage, duration of hospital stay, and antibiotic prophylaxis for future invasive procedures.

The WOMAC and KOOS scores are poor indicators of tibiofemoral cartilage loss, with only the KOOS symptom and knee pain score being weakly correlated. Osteoarthritis is a multifactorial process and the need to treat patients based off their symptoms and rely on radiographs as confirmatory modalities, and not diagnostic modalities, when talking about OA and medical intervention.

Burn injuries involving the joints around the lower extremity often lead to debilitating postburn contractures that frequently compromise extremity functions. Treatment of such injuries, especially involving the ankle and foot area, is very challenging. Conservative management has limited efficiency in correcting the deformities, whereas open surgical treatment is often coupled with high complication rates because of poor soft-tissue coverage and poor vascularity around the burnt areas. The use of the Ilizarov fixator has the advantage of tackling these deformities without the need for extensive open surgical procedures, which will minimize complications and recurrences. The authors present a series of three patients, two adults and one pediatric patient, who were treated successfully with minimally invasive surgery and soft-tissue distraction with the Ilizarov apparatus.

Background: Outcomes following meniscal allograft transplantation (MAT) are an evolving topic. Purpose: To review clinical outcomes in younger, previously active patients who underwent an isolated MAT or MAT plus any osteotomy. Concurrent surgeries, complications, and graft survivorship are presented. Study Design: Case series; Level of evidence, 4. Methods: Inclusion criteria included having undergone MAT with a minimum of 1 year of follow-up with at least 1 of the following patient-reported outcome (PRO) measures collected pre- and postoperatively: visual analog scale for pain, Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS), the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index, the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey, and overall satisfaction. From patient records, we recorded descriptive data, side (medial/lateral), previous or concurrent procedures, perioperative complications, revisions, and conversion to arthroplasty. Two-factor analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to test for differences in age and body mass index (BMI). A 2 × 2 chi-square test was used to determine if the spectrum of procedures performed on our study’s patient group was representative of the entire population. PRO results were analyzed using a multivariate ANOVA. Results: From a total of 91 eligible patients, 61 (63 knees) met our inclusion criteria. Mean presurgery age was 25.5 ± 9.2 years, and mean BMI was 26.7 (range, 18.5-38.4). At follow-up (mean, 4.8 years; range, 1.0-13.6 years) overall PROs were statistically and clinically improved at final follow-up ( P ≤ .003); effect sizes were moderate and large. KOOS Pain and KOOS Activities of Daily Living showed some main or interaction effects that were trivial or small. Patient satisfaction with the treatment was ≥7 out of 10 in 85% of patients. A minimum of 1 subsequent surgery for various concerns was necessary in 23% of the 93 knees. Graft survival in the included patients was 100%. Conclusion: Complications (conditions requiring at least 1 subsequent surgery) affected about one-quarter of the patients who underwent MAT. Nevertheless, MAT seemed to provide our patients with adequate pain relief and improved function.

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