An appropriate positioning of a total knee replacement (TKR) is a prerequisite for a good functional outcome and a prolonged survival (1). Navigation systems may facilitate the proper positioning of the implants (2). Patient specific templates have been developed to achieve at least the same accuracy than conventional instruments at a lower cost (3). The learning curve of such systems has not y...

BACKGROUND Capturing dimensions of physical activity relevant to patients may provide a unique perspective for clinical studies of chronically ill patients. However, the quality of the development of existing instruments is uncertain. The aim of this systematic review was to assess the development process of patient-reported outcome (PRO) instruments including their initial validation to measur...

Primary bone sarcomas are rare tumors and surgical resection in combination with chemo radiation therapy is the mainstay of treatment. Some specific anatomical sites still represent a reconstructive challenge due to their complex three-dimensional anatomy. In recent years, patient instruments along 3D printing technology has come innovative techniques orthopaedic oncology. We retrospectively re...

BACKGROUND Quality of life instruments provide information that traditional outcome measures used in studies of multiple sclerosis do not. It is unclear if longer, disease-specific instruments provide more useful information than shorter, more general instruments, or whether patients prefer one type to another. METHODS We conducted a cross-sectional study of quality of life in a multiple scle...

BACKGROUND Restoring function and alignment when treating knee arthritis with a total knee arthroplasty (TKA) in patients who have an extra-articular deformity (EAD) from a malunion or with retained femoral hardware is a challenge. The normal anatomical landmarks are hard to find and difficult to use to obtain correct alignment. The procedure will be further challenged by angular deformity of t...

Patient based measures of outcome are assuming an increasing importance in the evaluation of therapeutic intervention. A classic, theoretical example of the importance of this approach involves the reporting of trials evaluating surgical procedures for benign prostatic obstruction. High quality studies might report significant improvements in appropriate outcome measures, such as the urinary fl...

We assessed how point-of-care testing (POCT), diagnostic testing at or near the site of patient care, can optimize diagnosis, triage, and patient monitoring during disasters. We surveyed 4 primary care units (PCUs) and 10 hospitals in provinces hit hardest by the tsunami in Thailand and 22 hospitals in Katrina-affected areas. We assessed POCT, critical care testing, critical values notification...