title: The influence of ambient theater temperature on cement setting time.
abstract: We have prospectively recorded ambient operating theater temperature from 186 total knee arthroplasties and the time taken for the cement to set at implantation. The majority of cases used Antibiotic Simplex cement (n = 131), and the rest, Simplex with tobramycin (n = 55). Set time was defined as when a no. 15 scalpel could not indent the cement surface at either the femoral or tibial interface. There was a reasonable negative correlation between temperature and setting time (Antibiotic Simplex: Pearson correlation coefficient, R = -0.674; Simplex with tobramycin: R = -0.655). There was also a considerable variation of setting time at any given theater temperature. There is an inverse relationship between ambient theater temperature and the setting time for Simplex cement, and surgeons should be aware that the setting time can vary considerably. Their operative protocol should take this into account.
authors.affiliation: Department of Trauma and Orthopaedics, Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust, Cosham, Postmouth, UK.
authors.forename: Andrew J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Langdown
authors.forename: Nicholas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.forename: Jason
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Auld
authors.forename: William R
authors.initials: WR
authors.lastname: Walsh
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Walker
authors.forename: Warwick J M
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Bruce
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D019645:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee; D001843:Bone Cements; D002484:Cementation / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008768:Methylmethacrylates; D009873:Operating Rooms; D011137:Polystyrenes; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013696:Temperature; D014031:Tobramycin / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D001843:Bone Cements; D008768:Methylmethacrylates; D011137:Polystyrenes; C032043:styrene-methylmethacrylate copolymer; D014031:Tobramycin