Introduction

Pes cavovarus is a foot deformity that can be idiopathic (I-PC) or acquired secondary to other pathology. Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT) is the most common adult cause for acquired pes cavovarus deformity (CMT-PC). The foot morphology of these distinct patient groups has not been previously investigated. The aim of this study was to assess if morphological differences exist between CMT-PC, I-PC and normal feet (controls) using weightbearing computed tomography (WBCT).

Background: The best treatment for displaced distal radius fracture is still debated. The aim of our study is to use the PRWE and Euroqol questionnaires to look at patients function at a minimum of 1 year following distal radius fracture.

Method: 32 consecutive patients with a Colles-type fracture were treated surgically. 16 were treated with K wires and 16 underwent an open reduction and internal fixation. At a minimum of one year the PRWE and Euroqol questionnaires were filled in.

Results: Intra articular and extra articular fractures were equally distributed between the 2 groups. The Euroqol the EQVAS and PRWE scores showed no statistical difference between the 2 groups (respectively p=0.7 CI 95% -0.23 to 0.17; p=0.05 CI -30 to 0.6 and p=0.5 CI 95% -18 to 9.4).

Conclusion: Using PRWE and Euroqol, there is no short term functional difference between patients treated with closed reduction and percutaneous wire fixation or open reduction and internal fixation following a distal radius fracture.

Many knee surgeons flex the knee and sometimes also extend the hip before inflating a tourniquet on the thigh. This practice stems from the belief that these manoeuvres prevent excessive strain on the quadriceps during surgery, the assumption being that movement of the muscle is restricted by an inflated tourniquet. We therefore examined, using ultrasound, the movement of the quadriceps muscle above and below the tourniquet before and after inflation.

We applied a tourniquet of standard size to the thigh of five volunteers for approximately five minutes. A bubble of air was injected into the quadriceps muscle above the tourniquet and was the proximal point of reference. The musculotendinous junction was the distal point. The movement of the reference point was measured by ultrasound before and after inflation of the tourniquet. Each measurement was repeated with either the knee flexed and the hip extended, or the hip flexed and the knee extended. The mean and standard deviation were recorded.

Before inflation the mean amount of passive movement was 1.1 ± 0.13 cm proximal and 4.0 ± 0.08 cm distal to the tourniquet, with a range of movement of the knee of 0° to 137° (6.7°). After inflation the mean passive movement was 1.0 ± 0.07 cm proximal and 4.0 ± 0.08 cm distal to the tourniquet with a range of 0° to 132° (± 7.6°).

The ultrasound findings therefore have shown no evidence of restriction of the quadriceps muscle by an inflated tourniquet.