Frozen shoulder is a common, painful condition that results in impairment of function. Corticosteroid injections are commonly used for frozen shoulder and can be given as glenohumeral joint (GHJ) injection or suprascapular nerve block (SSNB). Both injection types have been shown to significantly improve shoulder pain and range of motion. It is not currently known which is superior in terms of relieving patients’ symptoms. This is the protocol for a randomized clinical trial to investigate the clinical effectiveness of corticosteroid injection given as either a GHJ injection or SSNB. The Therapeutic Injections For Frozen Shoulder (TIFFS) study is a single centre, parallel, two-arm, randomized clinical trial. Participants will be allocated on a 1:1 basis to either a GHJ corticosteroid injection or SSNB. Participants in both trial arms will then receive physiotherapy as normal for frozen shoulder. The primary analysis will compare the Oxford Shoulder Score (OSS) at three months after injection. Secondary outcomes include OSS at six and 12 months, range of shoulder movement at three months, and Numeric Pain Rating Scale, abbreviated Disabilities of Arm, Shoulder and Hand score, and EuroQol five-level five-dimension health index at three months, six months, and one year after injection. A minimum of 40 patients will be recruited to obtain 80% power to detect a minimally important difference of ten points on the OSS between the groups at three months after injection. The study is registered under ClinicalTrials.gov with the identifier NCT04965376.Aims
Methods
The use of reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (RSA) is becoming increasingly common in the treatment of rotator cuff arthropathy. Standard RSA technique involves medialising the centre of rotation (COR) maximising the deltoid lever arm and compensating for rotator cuff deficiency. However reported complications include scapular notching, prosthetic loosening and loss of shoulder contour. As a result the use of Bony Increased Offset Reverse Shoulder Arthroplasty (BIO-RSA) has been gaining in popularity. The BIO-RSA is reported to avoid these complications by lateralising the COR using a modified base plate, longer central post and augmentation with cancellous bone graft harvested from the patients humeral head. This study aims to compare the outcome in terms of analgesic effect, function and satisfaction, in patients treated with standard RSA and BIO-RSA.Introduction
Objectives
The aim of this study is to evaluate the long-term outcome after posterior spinal stabilization surgery for the management of de novo non-tuberculous bacterial spinal infection. Patients presenting to a single tertiary referral spinal centre between August 2011 and June 2014 were included in the study. 21 patients with nontuberculous bacterial infection were identified and included in the study. All patients were managed surgically with posterior stabilisation, with or without neural decompression, without debridement of the infected tissue. Neurological state was assessed using the frankel grading system before and after urgery. Long-term follow-up data was collected using SpineTango COMI questionnaires and Euro Qol EQ-5D system with a mean follow-up duration of 20 months postoperatively. The mean improvement in neurological deficits was 0.92 Frankel grade (range 0–4). At final followup, at a mean of 20 months, mean COMI score was 4.59, average VAS for back pain was 4.28. These symptoms were having no effect or only minor effect on the work or usual activities in 52%. 38% of patients reported a good quality of life. The average EQ-5D value was 0.569. There were no problems with mobility in 44% of patients. In 72% there were no problems with self-care.Back ground:
Method and Result:
Previous studies have stated that presence of concomitant back pain has a negative effect on the outcome of lumbar decompression/microdiscectomy but none have actually defined what level of back pain should be considered as significant. This is a study of consecutive patients who underwent a primary single level lumbar micro decompression /microdiscectomy performed by thirty nine surgeons at a single tertiary spinal centre between August 2011 and December 2014. The aim was to determine the differential effect of the intensity of back pain and leg pain as a predictor of outcome. Data was prospectively collected using SpineTango COMI questionnaires pre-operatively and at 3 months postoperatively. 995 patients who had a complete dataset were included in the analysis. Multivariate regression analysis and ROC curves were used to evaluate factors associated with poor outcome. At 3 months follow up 72.16% of patients were satisfied with the outcome of surgery. The VAS for low back pain was a significant predictor of poor outcome. Of patients with a VAS of 6 or more 34% had a poor outcome following surgery while of patients with a VAS of less than 6, 17% had a poor outcome at three months.Back ground:
Method and Result:
The Department of Health determined that, from April 2011, Trusts would not be paid for emergency readmissions within 30 days of discharge. The purpose of our project was to identify factors associated with such readmissions and implement plans for improvement. A literature search was performed to assess current practice. The case notes of all readmissions were then obtained and analysed. Following consultation on the results, procedures were developed and implemented to ensure that readmissions were correctly defined and avoided where appropriate. The orthopaedic department infrastructure was altered and staff briefed and trained to accommodate the changes.Introduction
Methods
Femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) may be a predisposing factor in progression of osteoarthritis. The use of hip arthroscopy is in its infancy with very few studies currently reported. Early reports show favourable results for treatment of young patients with FAI. This prospective study over a larger age spectrum represents a significant addition to this expanding field of minimally invasive surgery. Over a twenty-two month period all patients undergoing interventional hip arthroscopy were recorded on a prospective database. Patient demographics, diagnosis, operative intervention and complications were noted. Patients were scored pre-operatively and postoperatively at 6 months and 1 year using the McCarthy score.Background
Methods
The position of the gastrocnemius tendon relative to the calcaneus and fibular head distance may be different in children with cerebral palsy (CP) when compared to normal children. However, no such data is available. Usually, palpation of the muscle bellies or previous experience of the operating surgeon is employed to place the surgical incision. Inaccurate localisation may cause incorrect incision and a risk of iatrogenic damage to the vital structures (i.e. sural nerve). The aim of our study is to compare gastrocnemius muscle length in-vivo between paretic and unaffected children and suggest a formula to localise muscle-tendon junction. Ten children with di/hemiplegia (seven females and three males; mean age 8y 7mo, range 2–14y) were recruited. None of them had received any conventional medical treatment. An equal number of age/sex matched, typically developing children (mean age 9y 1mo, range 4–14y) were recruited. Participants lay prone on an examination plinth with their feet hanging from its edge. Sagittal-plane ultrasound scanning of the gastrocnemius muscle at rest was performed to measure the length of gastrocnemius bellies. We also measured the heights, lower leg lengths, thigh lengths and leg lengths. At similar age, the lower leg lengths in CP patients were shorter than normal children. Similarly, gastrocnemius medial (GM) muscles were shorter in CP children when compared to similar aged normal children. In CP children, the GM muscle and lower leg ratio ranges between 35 to 50% with an average ratio of 45%. When compared to leg length, the ratio is 22%. Using these figures we created a formula that may be used clinically to identify the tendon for open or endoscopic lengthening and also to make simple and accurate localisation of GM-tendon junction for surgical access. This minimizes the risk of iatrogenic neurovascular injuries and decreases the length of the surgical incision.
