Objective

Recently, the short stem, taken on preservation of the femoral bone, is available on total hip arthroplasty and on femoral head prosthetic replacement. The handling of the short stem is easier than that of standard stem on implantation of femur. However, it would be difficult to make the direction of stem axis straight in femoral marrow cavity. Actually we experienced that the lateral cortical bone of the proximal femur was ground unevenly on rasping for implantation of the short stem. The aim of this study was to identify the efficacy of dulled rasp on implanting the short stem.

Background

Previously, the Coonrad-Morrey elbow system has typically been performed using linked-type total elbow arthroplasty (TEA) implants. However, this implant have been reported to be associated with some problems, such as wearing down, loosening, the complexity of the necessary surgical techniques and inappropriate implant size for Asian people.

The Discovery elbow system (Biomet Inc., Warsaw, US) has recently been developed and it has many advantages when compared to Coonrad-Morrey implant, but the treatment outcome for this system is unclear in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Atlanto-axial subluxation (AAS) presents with marked frequency among patients with instability in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. This study investigated the morphology of the atlanto-occipital joint (AOJ) in AAS patients due to RA using computed tomography, and examined the relationship between its morphology and other radiographic results

Twenty-six consecutive patients with AAS due to RA treated by surgery were reviewed. In all patients, the AOJ was morphologically evaluated using sagittal reconstruction view on computed tomography before surgery. Moreover, the ADI value was investigated at the neutral position, and atlanto-axial angle (AAA) at the neutral and maximal flexion position in preoperative lateral cradiographs. The morphology of the AOJ was classified into three types as follows: a normal type which showed a maintenance of the joint space, a narrow type which showed a disappearance of the joint space and a fused type which showed the fusion of the AOJ.

The pre-operative CT image of the AOJ demonstrated a normal type bilaterally in six cases (Group A). In 15 cases (Group B), CT image demonstrated narrowing on at least one side of the AOJ. In five cases (Group C), CT images demonstrated fusion on at least one side of the AOJ. The average ADI value at the flexion position was 10.7 mm in Group A, 11.7 mm in Group B, and 12.6 mm in Group C. There was no significant difference among those groups. The average ADI value at the neutral position before surgery was 2.8 mm in Group A, 5.9 mm in Group B, and 10.4 mm in Group C. There was no significant difference between Group A and B, and Group B and C; however, there was a significant difference between Group A and C (p < 0.004). The average AAA value was 25.3 degrees in Group A, 19.3 degrees in Group B and 3.4 degrees in Group C. There was no significant difference between Group A and B; however, there was a significant difference between Group A and C (p < 0.002), and Group B and C (p < 0.007).

This study showed that fusion or ankylosis of the AOJ induced an enlargement of the ADI and anterior inclination of the atlas in the neutral position—despite the fact that normal findings of AOJ showed a slight displacement of the atlas to axis in RA patients showing AAS involvement.

Between 1978 and 1999, surgical treatment for talocalcaneal coalitions which failed to respond to any conservative treatment was performed. Materials consisted of 46 patients (50 feet), including 26 males (29 feet) and 20 females (21 feet). The patients’ age at the time of operation ranged from 8 to 66 years (average, 22.5 years). Major symptoms included local pain (43 feet), tumor (19 feet), numbness of the plantar side (17 feet), peroneal muscle spasm (13 feet), and varus instability of the ankle (3 feet). Major signs included limited motion of the subtalar joint (50 feet), palpation of tumor (34 feet), sensory disturbance of the plantar side (14 feet), peroneal spastic flat foot (3 feet), and limited dorsiflexion of the ankle due to contracture of the gastrocnemius muscle (2 feet). The regions of the coalitions included middle type (36 feet), posterior type (9 feet), and diffuse type (3 feet). The coalitions were all incomplete unions, that is to say fibrous or cartilaginous unions.

Surgical treatments were as follows: coalitions were excised and subtalar joints were mobilized in 31, resections alone were carried out on 16, and 3 feet underwent arthrodesis of the subtalar joint. Results of surgical treatments were evaluated using our own clinical scoring system. 28 feet were excellent, 13 were good, 8 were fair, and one foot was poor.

In principle, the purpose of surgical treatment of these coalitions involved excising the tumor to release the plantar nerve from compression and resection the coalition to gain physiological subtalar motion. However, patients experiencing osteoarthrotic changes and whose coalitions occupy most of the subtalar joint should undergo an arthrodesis of the subtalar joint.

Purpose: In recent years, many reports have described spontaneous resorption of lumbar disc herniation evaluated with Gd-enhanced MRI. We also found retrospectively that sequestrated lumbar disc herniation with Gd-enhanced MRI would disappear, and that patient with this type of lumbar disc herniation would improve clinically. But there is a question that Gd-enhanced MRI is really needed to speculate the prognosis of sequestrated lumbar disc herniation. The purpose of this study is to clarify the prognostic value of Gd-enhanced MRI for sequestrated lumber disc herniation.

Materials and methods: Since Nov. 1995, 22 patients of sequestrated lumber disc herniation were treated non-operatively under the speculation of getting good clinical result prospectively. From Nov. 1995 to Oct. 1997, 9 patients with sequestrated lumbar disc herniation with ring-enhancement on Gd-enhanced MRI were treated non-operatively (Group A). From Nov. 1997 to July 2000, 13 patients with sequestrated lumbar disc herniation were treated non-operatively without Gd-enhanced MRI examination (Group B). Clinical results and the last MRI findings of Group A were compared with that of Group B.

Results: In Group A, all cases were treated non-operatively and all of them improved clinically within a month of the first MRI examinations. Mean period of NSAID administration was 37 days (range 14–67 days), and the last MRI examinations revealed that the herniated masses disappeared in 5 cases and that the size of herniations diminished in 4 cases. All of 9 cases obtained good clinical results. In Group B, all cases were treated non-operatively but one, whose clinical symptoms were not improved within a month of the first MRI examination. Mean period of NSAID administration was 38 days (range 7–110 days), and the last MRI examinations revealed that the herniated masses disappeared in 5 cases and that the size of herniations diminished in 5 cases. Remaining 2 cases, the second MRI was not examined for some reasons. All of 12 cases obtained good clinical results. There were no differences between Group A and Group B by means of clinical results.

Conclusions: Gd-enhanced MRI is not needed to speculate the prognosis of sequestrated lumbar disc herniation. In the case of sequestrated lumbar disc herniation, good clinical result could be obtained without Gd-enhanced MRI examination at the first MRI examination.