Abstract

Summary

Macroscopic grading, histologic grading, morphometry, mineral analysis, and mechanical testing were performed to better understand the changes that occur in the cartilage, calcified cartilage, and subchondral bone in early osteoarthritis.

Background

A wide array of measures has been developed to assess the role of psychological factors in the development and persistence of pain. Yet there is likely to be considerable conceptual overlap between such measures, and consequently a lack of clarity about the importance of psychological factors.

Background

People with back pain often experience long-term pain with recurrences and fluctuations. However, few studies have considered which factors predict long-term outcomes.

Purpose: To evaluate whether the presence of leg pain influences healthcare use and work disability in patients with low back pain (LBP).

Methods: Prospective cohort study of primary care consulters with LBP in North Staffordshire and Cheshire. Patients completed questionnaires at baseline and 12 months, collecting data on back pain, work and healthcare utilisation. At baseline, patients were classified as reporting

LBP only,

Results: 456 patients had complete data and were included in this analysis. At baseline, 191 (42%) reported LBP only, 116 (25%) leg pain above the knee and 149 (33%) leg pain below the knee. In comparison to those with LBP only, patients reporting leg pain below knee were more likely to be referred to secondary care (46% vs 17%, p< 0.01), to re-consult their GP (68% vs 43%, p< 0.01) and to receive physiotherapy (40% vs 21%, p< 0.01) in the 12 months after baseline. At 12 months, those with leg pain below knee were less likely to be employed (67% vs 81%, p=0.01) than patients with LBP alone, more likely to have time off work (55% vs 31%, p< 0.01) or be on reduced work duties.

Conclusions: Self-reported leg pain is common. These patients access significantly more healthcare and are more likely to be off work over 12 months. This highlights the need for early identification of patients with concurrent leg pain and appropriate targeting of interventions to reduce work disability.

Conflicts of Interest: None

Funding source: Arthritis Research Campaign

Objectives: Evaluation of patients satisfaction, radiological and functional outcome in patients with trapeziometacarpal osteoarthritis after trapeziectomy with a extensor carpi radialis longus suspension.

Material and Methods: Between November 1997 and Dezember 2003, 44 patients (34 female, 10 male, average age 60 years, range 46 to 73 years) underwent trapeziectomy with extensor carpi radialis longus suspension at our institution. In 37 patients clinical and radiological outcome could be assessed after an average follow up of 7 years (range 5 to 10 years). 7 patients were lost to follow up. Preoperative range of motion, pain intensity (VAS) function and radiographs were evaluated. Postoperative patients satisfaction, using the DASH score functional and radiological outcome was determined.

Results: The average patients satisfaction was 27.8 points (range 0 – 70). Pain intensity improved from pre-operative VAS 8.5 (range 6.3 – 10) to postoperative 1.9 (range 1.2 to 4). 92 % of patients would again choose this surgical procedure. Duration of pain anamnesis was 24 months or longer in 64% of patients. After 3 months full pain relief and usage property was achieved in 62% of patients.

A free opposition was possible in 76%, radial abduction of 40° was possible in 24%, of 30–40° in 38% and of 20–30° in 35% of patients. Palmar abduction of more than 40° was possible in 68% and 30 – 40° in 32% of patients. Grip strength deteriorated in 49%, in 16% there was no difference and improved in 35% compared to the other hand. The average trapezium space lost 18% of its height compared with preoperative values.

Conclusion: Trapeziectomy with extensor carpe radialis longus suspension shows good results regarding pain relief but remarkable deterioration of strength.

Introduction: Guidelines for the management of LBP recommend diagnostic triage where most cases are classified ‘non-specific’, although studies have suggested this term is unsatisfactory to patients and practitioners. We aimed to describe the explanations for LBP used by general practitioners (GPs) and physiotherapists (PTs) in the UK.

Methods: Content analysis of an open question in a cross-sectional survey of GPs and PTs, based on a vignette of a patient with non-specific LBP. Respondents provided their explanation for the patient’s LBP in the language they would use with the patient. A coding schedule was developed (AB and NF) and applied to all data (AB).

Results: Survey response was 22% (n=446) for GPs and 55% for PTs (n=1091, 580 had seen a patient with LBP in the preceding 6 months were analysed). Responses to the open question were provided by 430 GPs and 560 PTs. Both professions used predominantly biomedical explanations (68% GPs, 51% PTs) such as tissue labels (e.g. ‘muscle’, ’disc’), ‘degeneration’ and ‘wear and tear’. PTs often gave lifestyle factors as reasons for LBP, with ‘work’ (19% PTs) and ‘posture’ (26% PTs) the most common. Only 2.8% of GPs and 6.4% of PTs would explain that the cause of LBP is unknown and use of the term ‘non-specific LBP’ was rare (0.9% GPs, 1.6% PTs).

Conclusion: Explanations for LBP used by GPs and PTs remain predominantly biomedical. The term ‘non-specific LBP’ is used very rarely. Further research needs to investigate appropriate language that explains non-specific LBP that is acceptable to both practitioners and patients.

Introduction: Previous studies have shown that advice given to patients with low back pain (LBP) by health care practitioners (HCPs) such as physiotherapists (PTs) and general practitioners (GPs) is not in line with guidelines about encouraging early return to work. The aim of this study was to describe the attitudes, beliefs and reported practice behaviour of UK GPs and PTs about LBP and to explore associations between these.

Methods: A national cross-sectional survey of GPs and PTs (n=4000), including an attitudes measure, the Pain Attitudes and Beliefs Scale (PABS.PT), which measures ‘biomedical and behavioural orientations of HCPs. A vignette describing a patient with non-specific LBP, who had a four-week absence from work, was used to capture reported clinical management. This presentation will focus on the findings about work advice.

Results: Response rates were 22% (n=446) for GPs and 55% (n=1091) for PTs. Almost one third of GPs (32%) and one in four PTs (25%) reported that they would advise the vignette patient to remain off work. The HCPs advising the vignette patient to remain off work had significantly higher biomedical (F_1,988=78.85, p< 0.001) and lower behavioural (F_1,981=31.89, p< 0.001) scores on the PABS.PT than those suggesting a return to work.

Conclusion: An association between attitudes and reported practice behaviour was apparent, with HCPs operating within a predominantly biomedical framework being more likely to advise a patient with back pain to stay off work. Further research should explore how HCPs’ attitudes might be changed and whether this results in changes in work recommendations.

Reconstruction acetabular surgery with bone stock loss is still a difficult and challenging problem for the orthopaedic surgeon.

The goals of acetabular revision are: stable bone coverage that can support the new acetabular component, restoration of the anatomy and bone stock for future revisions, equalization of leg length and restoration of the centre of hip motion. These goals are difficult to achieve when the pelvic defect is particularly severe.

We examine the case of a female 73 years old who underwent a third revision arthroplasty of the hip joint because of extensive bony defect of the acetabular cavity (massive protrusio defect-type III –D’Antonio- combined segmental/cavitary acetabular defect).

The femoral component which was revised in a previous operation with a mega stem (type Kotz), was radiologically stable and symptomless.

Preoperative radiological assessment was performed using standard radiographic views, Judet views and CT scan.

The surgical approach that we used was a slight modification of the previous incision achieving a better visualization of the entire acetabulum and iliac wing. The loose acetabular cup as well as soft tissue and debris were removed from the acetabulum. The large acetabular defect was filled with a massive allograft (tibial plateau) properly cut and shaped. The stability of the allograft was achieved fixing the allograft to the iliac bone with screws. A large amount of particulate allograft bone was placed in the depths of the acetabular defect restoring a proper level of the acetabular floor. Then a Burke-Schneider cage was firmly seated and fixed with screws in the prepared acetabular bed. A polyethylene cup was cemented into the acetabular shell. The superior part of the Kotz femoral prosthesis was also revised with a new one.

Postoperatively we din not have any complications, the graft incorporation was successful with a satisfactory functional result.

We believe that the use of structural allograft bone is essential for the reconstruction of large segmentalace-tabular defects. The results however are less predictable because of important technical difficulties and sometimes serious complications occur.

This paper reports on the results of intramedullary nailing in open tibial fractures.

We studied 20 patients (18 men, 2 women) with open fractures of the tibia diaphysis treated with intramedullary nailing between 1998–2002. The mean age at surgery was 29 years (range 18–57 years). Fractures were the result of motor vehicle accidents (12 cases), car accidents (4 cases), or falling from a height (4 cases).

We treated 5 type É, 11 type ÉÉ and 4 type ÉÉÉÁ fractures (Gustilo classification). Patients were operated within the first 8 hours after injury. The mean follow-up was 22 months.

The treatment protocol included extensive and thorough cleansing of the wound and aggressive debridement, intramedullary nailing and wound closed primarily, when possible, and somministration of parenteral prophylactic antibiotics. The mean hospital stay was 6 days, and the mean time of healing was 25 weeks. The protocol management included also early postoperative mobilization of the knee and of the ankle joint and toe touch weight bearing till the second post-op day.

Complications in this group included 3 infections, in one case we had to perform an osteotomy of the fibula and bone grafting because of delated healing and in 2 cases we had to remove failed screws.

In the last follow-up examination, the range of motion of the knee and ankle joints was quite normal in the majority of the patients.

Success rate in this study compares favourably with other groups of patients treated with “less aggressive” methods.

The overall complication rate (including infection) was not higher in the open fractures treated with nailing compared with other operative methods. This technique allowed early mobilization on a partial weight-bearing regimen and rapid recovery. There were few re-operations only. These results suggested that intramedullary-nailing technique is at least as effective, if not more so, than external fixation for the treatment of open fractures of the tibia, since the method has been found to be safe, and complication rate is acceptable.

We present the long-term results of a single institute’s experience of the Mann 3 in 1 procedure. This prospective study initially selected 36 feet (25 patients) with severe hallux valgus, classified by a HV angle < 40° or IM angle> 15°, for the Mann 3 in 1 procedure. Preoperative and postoperative standing radiographs were taken to calculate the correction of the deformity, and a postoperative subjective questionnaire was completed which was based on the assessment criteria suggested by the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society in 1984. The initial follow-up was completed at up to one year.

The original cohort of patients was contacted again at 10 years (range 9–11 years) to repeat the same questionnaire and radiographs. In total 19 patients (27 feet) were contactable with an average age of 51 years (range 34–74). The questionnaire revealed one patient unable to perform the same occupation and three patients unable to perform the same activities due to ongoig problems with the operated feet. Thirteen patients had to wear modified footwear but only 2 required specially made shoes. Sixteen of the nineteen (84%) were pleased or satisfied with pain relief and appearance following the procedure, with 14 stating that they would undergo the procedure again given the same circumstance and 5 patients that would not. The complications included 8 patients requiring screw removal, 2 patients with metatarsalgia, one patient undergoing multiple further corrective procedures and one requiring a second ray amputation for osteomyelitis.

Sixteen patients (23 feet) were available for repeat radiographic assessment. This revealed that there had been some recurrence of the deformity with the initial correction of the HV angle being a mean of 40° (range 36–51°) to 15° (9–23°) at up to one year and 23° (0–52°) at ten years. Similarly with the mean IM angle initially corrected from 18° (15–25°) to 8.5°(6–12°), being 14° (7–20°) at ten years.

In conclusion, despite some recurrence of the deformity on x-ray the subjective satisfaction with this procedure is good. Care should be taken in patient selection but the Mann 3 in 1 appears to be a good procedure for the correction of severe Hallux Valgus.

Purpose

To evaluate patient satisfaction and expectations of surgery following forefoot arthroplasty.

Methods

Between October 1993 and June 1999, forefoot arthroplasty (Kate/Kessel/Kay procedure) was performed or directly supervised by the senior author (D. McBride) in a cohort of 55 patients. All had inflammatory arthritis and had failed non-operative management. The clinical result was assessed using a self-administered patient satisfaction questionnaire. The questionnaire asked patients to rate their level of satisfaction in terms of pain relief, wound healing, stiffness and appearance. The patients expectations from the surgery in terms of their level of disability and the achievement of the operation in addition to their pain experience following their operation was assessed.

Results

Median time to follow-up was 41 months (range seven to seventy-seven). Forty-three of the 55 patients returned the completed questionnaire. The median age at operation of the respondents was 59 years (range 42 to 69) compared with 49 years (range 44 to 63) for the non-respondents. Of the 43 respondents, 30 were female and 13 male.

In terms of their expectations of the surgery, 20 (47%) stated that the operation had achieved what they had expected while 10 (23%) considered the operation to have achieved more than they had expected. The level of disability following their operation was as expected in 21 (49%), more than expected in 11 (26%) and less than expected in four (9%). 23 (55%) noted no change to their walking capacity while it had increased in 11 (26%) and decreased in eight (19%). There were two wound haematomas, five superficial wound infections and three cases of delayed wound healing which extended the post-operative hospital stay. Seventy-nine percent of patients however reported complete satisfaction with their wound healing. In those patients that had reported having had pain (n=31) at some time following their operation, two (7%) had experienced it for less than seven days, four (13%) for between one and four weeks, one (3%) for between one and three months and 23 (77%) for more than three months.

Conclusions

Overall patients were generally satisfied with their operation in terms of pain relief, wound healing and appearance. Additionally, in the majority of patients, the achievements of the procedure and the associated disability were as expected. Previous authors have outlined the various surgical factors, which are said to lead to a good outcome. Whilst it is important to bear these factors in mind we have found that some of our patients appeared to have a good result when these criteria were not met. While other patients meeting these criteria were not necessarily satisfied. This suggests areas for further research.

We performed a prospective randomised controlled trial of a new mechanical method of prophylaxis for venous thrombo-embolism in 60 patients undergoing knee replacement surgery. The method uses the A-V Impulse System to produce cyclical compression of the venous reservoir of the foot. The overall incidence of deep-vein thrombosis was 68.7% in patients receiving no prophylaxis and 50% in those using the device. The difference was not significant. There was, however, a reduction of the extent of thrombosis in the treated group. There were 13 major calf-vein thrombi and six proximal-vein thrombi in the control group compared with only five major calf-vein thrombi in the treated group. This difference was significant (p = 0.014). No patient developed clinical features of a pulmonary embolism.

The incidence of venous thromboembolism after elective knee surgery has previously been studied almost exclusively in patients receiving total knee replacements, in whom the risk of a deep vein thrombosis is approximately 60%. We report the results of ipsilateral ascending venography in 312 patients undergoing a wide variety of elective knee operations under tourniquet ischaemia, none of whom received any specific prophylaxis against thromboembolism. Total knee replacement was confirmed to carry a high risk with ipsilateral deep vein thrombosis in 56.4% and symptomatic pulmonary embolism in 1.9%. By contrast, arthroscopy was associated with a low incidence of venous thrombosis (4.2%). Meniscectomy, arthrotomy, patellectomy, synovectomy and arthrodesis were all high-risk procedures, particularly in patients over 40 years of age, and were associated with deep vein thrombosis rates of 25% to 67%. On the basis of these findings, we advise prophylaxis against venous thromboembolism in all patients over 40 years of age undergoing elective knee surgery other than arthroscopy.

A prospective study involving 500 consecutive patients undergoing hip replacement was performed to find out whether a combination of heparin and dihydroergotamine was effective in preventing postoperative fatal and non-fatal emboli. Deep-vein thrombosis was demonstrated in 131 cases (26.2%), in 99 of whom thrombi were confined to the ipsilateral (operated) limb and in 13 to the contralateral limb; 19 patients developed bilateral thrombi. Nine patients (1.8%) died during the first four weeks after operation, before they were discharged from hospital; in one, major emboli were demonstrated in the right pulmonary artery. Three of the 500 patients developed non-fatal pulmonary emboli. Excessive bleeding occurred in 21 (4.2%) and in 19 of these prophylaxis was discontinued. Wound haematomas developed in 25 patients (5.0%); only six required evacuation but in none of these six did deep infection occur while in hospital; in three patients, however, the wound haematoma prolonged the stay in hospital. Thus the combination of heparin and dihydroergotamine proved an effective prophylaxis against pulmonary embolism in patients undergoing total hip replacement. The risk of bleeding complications is wholly acceptable when balanced against the advantages of the therapy.