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Orthopaedic Proceedings
Vol. 99-B, Issue SUPP_9 | Pages 97 - 97
1 May 2017
Elbashir M Angadi D Latimer M
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Background

The pattern of appearance of secondary ossification centers in the elbow has been based on historical studies and is popularly referred to with the mnemonic CRITOL. However the six secondary ossification centers can be variable in their presentation and pose a challenge in assessment of children with elbow injuries. Furthermore limited studies available in the current literature have reported an aberration to the sequence of appearance especially with the ossification centers of trochlea and olecranon.

Aims

The aim of the study was to evaluate the relative sequence of appearance of secondary ossification centers for the trochlea and olecranon.


Orthopaedic Proceedings
Vol. 98-B, Issue SUPP_15 | Pages 13 - 13
1 Sep 2016
Mitchell P Viswanath A Obi N Ahmed S Latimer M
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The aim of this study was determine if the detection of pathology in children with a limp can be optimised by screening with blood tests for raised inflammatory markers.

The entry criteria for the study were children (0–15 years) presenting to our hospital Emergency Department from 2012–2015 with a non-traumatic limp or pseudoparalysis of a limb, and no sign of fracture or malignancy on plain radiographs. ESR and CRP blood tests were performed along with other standard investigations. Children with ESR or CRP over 10 underwent MRI scan of their area of pain or tendernesss, with those under 7 years old having general anaesthetic. MRI provided the diagnosis in cases of osteomyelitis, pyomyositis, fasciitis, cellulitis, discitis, as well as non-infective conditions such as malignancy and fracture not visible on plain radiographs. Where a joint effusion was present, the diagnosis of septic arthritis was made from organisms cultured following surgical drainage, or high white cell count in joint fluid if no organisms were cultured. The study was completed once data from 100 consecutive children was available.

64% of children had an infective cause for their symptoms (osteomyelitis, septic arthritis, pyomyositis, fasciitis, cellulitis or discitis). A further 11% had positive findings on MRI from non-infective causes (juvenile idiopathic arthritis, cancer, or occult fracture). The remaining 25% had either a normal scan, or transient synovitis. ESR was a more sensitive marker than CRP, since ESR was raised in 97% of those with abnormal scans, but CRP in only 70%. There were no complications from any of the GA MRI scans. Conclusion: This shows that MRI imaging of all children with a limp and either raised ESR or CRP is a sensitive method to minimise the chance of missing important pathology in this group, and is not wasteful of MRI resources.


Orthopaedic Proceedings
Vol. 95-B, Issue SUPP_26 | Pages 13 - 13
1 Jun 2013
Spurrier E Latimer M
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Bone cement reaches high temperatures while polymerising. Bone has been shown to be sensitive to thermal injury with osteonecrosis reported after one minute at 47°C. Necrosis during cementing might compromise the bone-cement interface. Some surgeons fill the joint cavity with irrigation fluid to provide a heatsink during cementing, but this has not been supported by research.

We used a model acetabulum in a bovine humerus to allow measurement of bone temperatures in cementing. Models were prepared with a 50mm diameter acetabulum and three temperature probe holes. Four warmed models were cemented with Palacos RG using a standard mixing system and a 10mm UMHWPE disc to represent an acetabular component. Two of the acetabular models were filled with room temperature water to provide a heatsink. An electronic probe measured temperature at 5 second intervals from the moment of cementing.

In the models with no heatsink, peak temperature was 40.3°C. The highest temperature rise was 7.5°C. In the models with a heatsink, there was a mean fall of 4.4°C.

These results suggest that using a heatsink while cementing prostheses may reduce the peak bone temperature.


Orthopaedic Proceedings
Vol. 84-B, Issue SUPP_III | Pages 332 - 332
1 Nov 2002
Laing RJ Haden N Latimer M Seeley. HM
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Objective: Anterior cervical discectomy (ACD) has been established for 40 years. Most surgeons introduce an interbody spacer despite randomised evidence, which suggests this is unnecessary. Surgeons are concerned about the effects of discectomy on cervical spine alignment causing neck pain and accelerated degenerative changes at adjacent levels. In this study we have investigated the relationships between pre-operative disc height, post-operative radiological changes and clinical outcome following ACD.

Design: Prospective cohort study of patients undergoing ACD

Subjects: Seventy-three patients undergoing ACD for the treatment of cervical myelopathy or radiculopathy. Minimum follow up one year.

Outcome measures: SF 36, Neck Disability Index, visual analogue scores for neck and arm pain, cervical spine alignment, segmental kyphosis, and disc height.

Results: Greater pre-op disc height predicts greater post op percentage loss of disc height but does not correlate with poor outcome (p> 0.05 all measures). Post- op X-rays revealed disturbed alignment in 54% of patients. Analysis of clinical outcome showed no statistical differences in any of the clinical outcome measures between patients with and without radiological abnormalities (p> 0.05) SF 36 scores were significantly worse than population controls in patients with and without radiological abnormalities.

Conclusions: Large discs collapse more than small discs but this does not compromise outcome. Radiological changes occurred in a significant number of patients in this cohort. These abnormalities do not appear to influence clinical outcome at 12–24 months. The study continues and will report outcomes at five years.