1. New and Updated Cochrane Systematic Reviews:

For the full text of the Cochrane Systematic Reviews please click on the title. We have included the Author’s Conclusion so you can speedily see if a therapy change is indicated. Author’s Conclusions are taken directly from the Cochrane Website and represent the work of the author.

1) Bisphosphonates for osteoporosis in primary biliary cirrhosis

Author’s conclusions: We did not find evidence to support or refute the use of bisphosphonates for patients with primary biliary cirrhosis. The data seem to indicate a possible positive intervention effect of bisphosphonates on decreasing urinary amino telopeptides of collagen I concentration compared with placebo or no intervention with no risk of random error. There is need for more randomised clinical trials assessing the effects of bisphosphonates for osteoporosis on patient-relevant outcomes in primary biliary cirrhosis.

Rudic JS, Giljaca V, Krstic MN, Bjelakovic G, Gluud C. Bisphosphonates for osteoporosis in primary biliary cirrhosis. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2011, Issue 12.

2) Hormone replacement for osteoporosis in women with primary biliary cirrhosis

Author’s conclusions: We did not find evidence to support the use of hormone replacement for women with primary biliary cirrhosis. It seems that hormone replacement is connected with a significant increase in the occurrence of adverse events.

Rudic JS, Poropat G, Krstic MN, Bjelakovic G, Gluud C. Hormone replacement for osteoporosis in women with primary biliary cirrhosis. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2011, Issue 12.

3) Pharmacologic interventions for treating phantom limb pain

Author’s conclusions: The short- and long-term effectiveness of opioids, NMDA receptor antagonists, anticonvulsants, antidepressants, calcitonins, and anaesthetics for clinically relevant outcomes that include pain, function, mood, sleep, quality of life, satisfaction and adverse effects remains unclear. Morphine, gabapentin and ketamine demonstrate trends towards short-term analgesic efficacy. Memantine and amitriptyline were ineffective for PLP. Results, however, are to be interpreted with caution as these were based mostly on a small number of studies with limited sample sizes that varied considerably and also lacked long-term efficacy and safety outcomes. The direction of efficacy of calcitonin, anaesthetics and dextromethorphan need further clarification. Larger and more rigorous randomised controlled trials are needed to make stronger recommendations about which medications would be useful for clinical practice.

Alviar MJM, Hale T, Dungca M. Pharmacologic interventions for treating phantom limb pain. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2011, Issue 12.

2. NICE Guidance:

There were no new guidelines published for Musculoskeletal for November/December 2011.

3. Systematic Reviews:

For abstracts of the reviews below please click on the titles. There may be a link to full text in the top right hand corner of the webpage. You may have to log in using your NHS Athens username and password, if you don’t have one go to Register for Athens and register for free.

If full text is not available then please contact us to request a copy. This is a free service but you will need to complete our Article Request Form. Or you may email us directly quoting the number(s) of the articles you would like.

4) Autologous chondrocyte implantation for the treatment of cartilage lesions of the knee: a systematic review of randomized studies

5) Comparative systematic review of the open dislocation, mini-open, and arthroscopic surgeries for femoroacetabular impingement

4. Economic Evaluations:

For abstracts of the economic evaluations below please click on the titles. There may be a link to full text in the top right hand corner of the webpage. You may have to log in using your NHS Athens username and password, if you don’t have one go to Register for Athens and register for free.

6) The economic effect of screening orthopedic surgery patients preoperatively for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus

7) Cost-effectiveness analyses of elective orthopaedic surgical procedures in patients with inflammatory arthropathies

8) Cost-effectiveness of anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: a preliminary comparison of single-bundle and double-bundle techniques

9) Cost-effectiveness of a Staphylococcus aureus screening and decolonization program for high-risk orthopedic patients

5. Other relevant articles:

For abstracts of the articles below please click on the titles. There may be a link to full text in the top right hand corner of the webpage. You may have to log in using your NHS Athens username and password, if you don’t have one go to Register for Athens and register for free.

10) Pulsed electromagnetic field stimulation for acute tibial shaft fractures: a multicenter, double-blind, randomized trial

11) Management of congenital talipes equinovarus using the Ponseti method: a systematic review

12) Plating versus intramedullary pin or conservative treatment for midshaft fracture of clavicle: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

13) Thoracic spine thrust manipulation improves pain, range of motion, and self-reported function in patients with mechanical neck pain: a systematic review

14) Hydrocortisone reduces postoperative shivering following day care knee arthroscopy

15) Tibial fixation in anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: a prospective randomized study comparing metal interference screw and staples with a centrally placed polyethylene screw and sheath

16) Is intra-articular multimodal drug injection effective in pain management after total knee arthroplasty? A randomized, double-blinded, prospective study

17) High-flexion vs conventional prostheses total knee arthroplasty: a meta-analysis

18) Comparison of multi-drug injection versus placebo after hallux valgus surgery

19) Effect of 12 months of whole-body vibration therapy on bone density and structure in postmenopausal women: a randomized trial

20) Tranexamic acid reduces blood loss and blood transfusion after TKA: a prospective randomized controlled trial

21) Postoperative malrotation of humeral shaft fracture after plating compared with intramedullary nailing

22) Whole-body vibration therapy for osteoporosis: state of the science

23) Arthroscopic anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction with at least 2.5 years` follow-up comparing hamstring tendon autograft and irradiated allograft

24) Fluid lavage of open wounds (FLOW): a multicenter, blinded, factorial pilot trial comparing alternative irrigating solutions and pressures in patients with open fractures

25) Nonoperative treatment of proximal humerus fractures: a systematic review

26) Platelet-rich plasma versus autologous whole blood for the treatment of chronic lateral elbow epicondylitis: a randomized controlled clinical trial

27) Little clinical advantage of modified Watson-Jones approach over modified mini-incision direct lateral approach in primary total hip arthroplasty

28) Comparison of glenohumeral and subacromial steroid injection in primary frozen shoulder: a prospective, randomized short-term comparison study

29) Joint line position correlates with function after primary total knee replacement: a randomised controlled trial comparing conventional and computer-assisted surgery

30) Metal-backed versus all-polyethylene tibial components in primary total knee arthroplasty

31) External or internal fixation in the treatment of non-reducible distal radial fractures?

32) Cemented all-polyethylene and metal-backed polyethylene tibial components used for primary total knee arthroplasty: a systematic review of the literature and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials involving 1798 primary total knee implants

33) Disc height and motion patterns in the lumbar spine in patients operated with total disc replacement or fusion for discogenic back pain. Results from a randomized controlled trial

34) Hemiarthroplasty versus nonoperative treatment of displaced 4-part proximal humeral fractures in elderly patients: a randomized controlled trial

35) Nonoperative treatment for acute scaphoid fractures: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

36) The effect of weekly risedronate on periprosthetic bone resorption following total hip arthroplasty: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial

37) Hypesthesia after anterolateral versus midline skin incision in TKA: a randomized study

38) Comparison of bone mineral density changes around short, metaphyseal-fitting, and conventional cementless anatomical femoral components

39) Improved clinical outcomes after high-flexion total knee arthroplasty: a 5-year follow-up study

40) Are polyaxially locked screws advantageous in the plate osteosynthesis of proximal humeral fractures in the elderly? A prospective randomized clinical observational study

41) Intraarticular vs. extraarticular ropivacaine infusion following high-dose local infiltration analgesia after total knee arthroplasty

42) Evaluation of Analgesic Efficacy of Intra-Articular Bupivacaine, Bupivacaine Plus Fentanyl, and Bupivacaine Plus Tramadol After Arthroscopic Knee Surgery

43) Function after spinal treatment, exercise, and rehabilitation: cost-effectiveness analysis based on a randomized controlled trial

6. Latest Journal Table of Contents:

If you would like full text of any of the articles listed in the below journals then please contact us to request a copy. This is a free service but you will need to complete our Article Request Form. Or you may email us directly quoting the number(s) of the articles you would like.

44) Archives of Orthopaedic & Trauma Surgery

45) BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders

46) Current Orthopaedic Practice

47) International Journal Of Orthopaedic And Trauma Nursing

48) Journal of back and musculoskeletal rehabilitation

49) Journal of Orthopaedic Research

50) Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery and Research

51) Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons

52) Musculoskeletal Care

53) Musculoskeletal surgery

54) Orthopaedic Nursing