Introduction: Achilles tendinopathy (AT) is the most common over use syndrome of the lower limb. One of the simple operations performed for this condition is “Multiple longitudinal tenotomies”. This can be performed by either percutaneous or open methods. We compared the outcome of percutaneous versus open method of multiple longitudinal tenotomies for this condition.

Methods and materials: It is a retrospective study of patients operated for AT in our hospital from 1997 to 2008. Total of 43 patients. Twenty had percutaneous and 23 had open tenotomies. All of them had a trial of non-operative treatment prior to surgery, in the form of analgesia, physiotherapy, heel inserts, and ultrasound therapy. Data was collected from patient records and by telephonic questionnaire of the patients. Data collected includes pre and postoperative pain scores on a scale of 0–10, duration of symptoms, patient satisfaction scores (0–10) and complications. This questionnaire also included limitation to walk, run, going up/down the stairs, work and sporting activities.

Results: In the percutaneous group the mean pre and postoperative pain scores were 8.79 and 2.07 (p value 0.000). In the open group the values were 8.65 and 1.75 (p value 0.000). The mean satisfaction scores in the percutaneous and open groups were 8.25 (range 3–10) and 8.14(range2–10) respectively. The patient satisfaction scores were not significantly different between the two groups (p value 0.942). In the percutaneous group there was one recurrence and in one patient there was no symptomatic relief. In the open group there were 2 superficial infections, which settled with antibiotics and a wound breakdown, which in addition required debridement and eventually healed by secondary intension.

Conclusions: Both percutaneous and open methods of longitudinal tenotomies resulted in significant symptomatic relief and good patient satisfaction scores. Although the outcomes of both groups were comparable the percutanous method has an added advantage of less complications and simplicity of the procedure.

Aim: Retrospective analysis of paediatric supracondylar fractures treated by various closed and open methods of management and study co-relation between type of treatment and outcome.

Method: Retrospective review of children with displaced supracodylar fractures of humerus consecutively treated between January 1999 and December 2003. We included all the patients (63 children) admitted to hospital and had closed or open surgical procedure. Medical records and radiographs were reviewed to identify type of management, pre or postoperative complications, including loss of fracture reduction, infection, loss of motion of elbow and the need for additional surgery. 13 cases were excluded as insufficient records available and patients have either moved from area or treated on injury on holidays.

Results: In this study 70% of children were less than 8 year old. Except for one all the patients had extension type of injury and 58% of total cases had Gartland type III fracture configuration. 38% of patients were treated with closed reduction and immobilisation, 24% had closed reduction and percutaneus k-wires fixation and remaining had open reduction and internal fixation. All the patients underwent procedure with in 12 hrs of admission to hospital. Six patients had pre-operative neuro-vascular compromise and all of these patients recovered completely post-operatively. Loss of position was noted in 20% of children who had only manipulation and required re-manipulation and stabilisation with percutaneus k-wire fixation. All percutaneus fixations were with two lateral entry pin fixation and Open reduction were fixed with cross pin fixation. There was no clinically evident hyperextension or loss of motion but one patient (Gartland type III) who was treated with MUA and immobilisation required corrective osteotomy for cubitus varus. One patient had pin track infection but there was no iatrogenic nerve palsy.

Conclusion: Lateral entry pin fixation is very safe mode of fixation for percutaneus treatment and gives excellent results. Treatment with Manipulation and immobilisation for Gartland type III fractures does not give satisfactory results. We suspect early treatment of these fractures reduces comorbidity and early complications.

Bone samples from the iliac crest of patients with no signs of bone disorder were treated with collagenase to remove the collagen component and so allow detailed observation of the mineral hydroxyapatite. Both polished and unpolished surfaces were studied in the scanning electron microscope and they showed that the mineral component of bone is composed of small rounded units about 10 nm across which are fused together to form larger spheroidal units roughly 100 nm in diameter. In the unpolished surfaces these 100 nm units are seen to aggregate to form columns approximately parallel to their neighbours and with numerous interconnections forming a continuous mineral phase. The polished sections also show the hydroxyapatite as a continuous phase of contiguous spheroids and the holes from which the collagen fibres were removed are clearly revealed. Lamellations in the surface are interpreted as resulting from adjacent layers of collagen fibres having orientations approximately perpendicular to each other.

Twenty-three of 46 patients, aged 56 to 95 years, with fracture of the femoral neck (FNF) completed the first trial of 10 months treatment with oral sodium fluoride 60 mg and calcium 1800 mg on alternate days and 1 micrograms of vitamin D1 daily. Pre-treatment and post-treatment biopsy specimens and microradiographs of the iliac crest and metacarpal and spinal radiographs were evaluated together with biopsy material from seven untreated age-matched controls with FNF. In 17 patients the treatment improved the amount and quality of trabecular bone. Cortical thickness increased in nine patients and there were no losses of amount or mineralisation. The treatment was well tolerated by most patients and there were no major side-effects or signs of bone demineralisation. The study also revealed an unexpected rapid post-fracture deterioration of bone tissue in untreated FNF patients; thus there is an increased risk of further fractures which calls for the use of an effective treatment to increase bone mass.

We have studied the natural history of spontaneous dislocation of the hip in cerebral palsy, with particular reference to the pattern of neurological involvement. In patients with bilateral hemiplegia and severe involvement of the upper limbs the incidence of dislocation was very high (59%), while in those with diplegia and little involvement of the upper limbs, only 6.5% were affected. There was no evidence of dysplasia or instability of the hip in any of the patients with unilateral hemiplegia. A strong correlation was found between the stability of the hip and the patients' ability to walk. These findings have a bearing on clinical surveillance and also on the indications for prophylactic surgery.

Ruptures of the calcaneal tendon which present late may be repaired using carbon fibre to induce a neotendon. The operative technique is described and the results of five cases reviewed. The average muscle power obtained was 88% of normal, and the thickness of the neotendon was 148% of that of the normal side. It would appear that this tendon formation in man is comparable to that previously described in sheep.

The scalpel blades used during 187 operations were cultured. At each procedure the knife used to incise the skin was discarded immediately and a fresh knife was used to complete the operation. The results showed that there was no difference in the bacterial growth between the two knives. From these results it would appear that the practice of changing blades after incising the skin is an unnecessary precaution in the prevention of bacterial contamination of clean wounds.