Total Joint Arthroplasty in a Pediatric Population

Patients who undergo a total knee arthroplasty (TKA) or total hip arthroplasty(THA) for non-solid tumor related reasons, are most often those children who developed osteonecrosis or avascular necrosis(AVN) as a side effect of their therapy for leukemia. Other patients undergo TKA or THA after degeneration of their joints secondary to trauma, infection, rheumatologic conditions, or congenital deformity. While not all cases of injury to the knee or hip result in the need for a joint replacement, the quality of life is believed to be improved in these children, as having a functioning joint without pain is believed to be better for the patients' quality of life than ambulating with a painful and/or partially necrotic joint.

Inclusion criteria

Populations 1,2,3

• Age between 10 years and 25 years
• Undergoing or have undergone total joint arthroplasty at Children's Hospital Colorado for non-solid tumor related reasons
• Treated at Children's Hospital Colorado by Dr. Nathan Donaldson, DO or Dr. Steven Thorpe, MD or previously by Travis Heare, MD

Exclusion criteria

Populations 1,2,3

• Subjects and/or parents not capable of completing basic questionnaires in English (HRQL data will not be collected from non-English speaking subjects because we do not have access to versions of these questionnaires that have been validated in languages other than English. These patients may be included at a later date when validated questionnaires are available).
• Subjects who underwent hemiarthroplasties, failed rotationplasty to arthroplasty conversions, or joint arthroplasty directly related to a tumor at the location of the joint
• Subjects diagnosed with mucopolysaccharidoses (MPS), pseudorheumatoid chondrodysplasia, or diastrophic dwarfism

Inclusion criteria

Population 4

• Age between 10 years and 25 years
• Treated at Children's Hospital Colorado by Dr. Nathan Donaldson, DO, or Dr. Steven Thorpe, MD or previously by Travis Heare, MD
• Symptomatic joint pain treated non-invasively via lifestyle modifications, over the counter or prescription pain medication, nerve blocks or steroid injections, and/or physical therapy
• Symptomatic joint pain treated via core decompression surgery at Children's Hospital Colorado by Dr. Nathan Donaldson, DO, or Dr. Steven Thorpe, MD, or previously by Travis Heare, MD

Exclusion criteria

Population 4

• Patients who underwent a joint arthroplasty directly related to a tumor at the location of the joint at Children's Hospital Colorado. Patients undergoing or have undergone total joint arthroplasty at Children's Hospital Colorado for non-solid tumor related reasons
• Subjects diagnosed with mucopolysaccharidoses (MPS), pseudorheumatoid chondrodysplasia, or diastrophic dwarfism