We reviewed 36 consecutive patients with Monteggia fracture-dislocations of the forearm; 28 had been treated within 24 hours and 8 had been referred a week or more after the initial injury with persisting or recurrent dislocation of the proximal radio-ulnar joint after treatment elsewhere. We treated 15 of the 16 complete fractures and 3 of the 11 incomplete fractures of the ulna by operative fixation. All the early fractures and six of the eight late referrals had good or excellent results. The two poor results were in patients with malalignment and dislocation of the radial head persisting for at least two weeks before definitive treatment. A good outcome after a Monteggia injury in a child requires early diagnosis and prompt, stable, anatomical reduction of the ulnar fracture. In our experience, selective operative fixation of unstable fractures provides reliable reduction and causes few complications

We undertook a prospective study of 61 children in Malawi with septic arthritis of the shoulder. They were randomised into two groups, treated by aspiration (group 1, 31 patients) or arthrotomy (group 2, 30 patients). Both received antibiotics for six weeks. We studied the results of blood tests, microbiology, and the clinical and radiological outcome one year after diagnosis. Only one patient was sickle-cell positive and three were HIV-positive. Non-typhoidal Salmonella species accounted for 86% (19/22) of the positive joint cultures in group 1 and 73% (16/22) in group 2. Of the 33 radiographs available for review at follow-up at six months, 23 (70%) showed evidence of glenohumeral damage. There was no statistical difference in radiological outcome for the two groups. We devised and validated a scoring system, the Blantyre Septic Joint Score, for the assessment of joints based upon swelling, tenderness, function and range of movement. Despite the radiological changes only one of the 24 joints examined at one year had any deficit in these parameters. There was no statistical difference in the clinical outcome for the two treatment groups at any stage during the period of follow-up

Giant-cell tumour of the tendon sheath (GCT-TS) is a benign solitary tumour which usually arises in the limbs. It occurs most often in the hand where local recurrence after excision has been reported in up to 45% of cases. It is less common in the foot where the biological behaviour and risk of local recurrence have not been defined. We have studied 17 cases of GCT-TS of the foot and ankle in which treatment was by excision. Fifteen presented as a solitary, painless, slow-growing soft-tissue swelling. One lesion was associated with sensory deficit of a digital nerve and one with pain on walking. Thirteen cases originated from the periarticular tendon-sheath complex of the small joints of the toes and four from the capsule or long tendons of the ankle. A correct preoperative diagnosis was made in only three cases. MRI proved to be the most useful preoperative investigation as GCT-TS has a characteristic appearance which allows planned local excision to be carried out. None of the patients with histologically confirmed GCT-TS required further surgery. There was no local recurrence in 15 patients who were available for follow-up at a mean of 85 months

We report 22 patients (19 women and three men) of mean age 20.8 years who had painful snapping sensations in the groin. Most were able to reproduce the click by extending the affected hip from a flexed, abducted and externally rotated position and most were tender in the adductor triangle. Plain radiographs and an arthrogram were normal. A clinical diagnosis of subluxation of the iliopsoas tendon was made. Conservative management failed in 14 patients, two of whom had bilateral pain. All 14 had surgical release of the iliopsoas tendon through a medial approach. At follow-up (mean 17 months) the click had resolved in ten hips, was occasional but painless in five and unchanged in one. The syndrome of a painful 'snapping' psoas may result in disproportionately disabling symptoms. It may be diagnosed on clinical grounds and effectively treated, when severe, by release of the iliopsoas tendon

The systemic effects of diabetes mellitus are well recognised. The heart, kidney, central and peripheral nervous systems, and the distal parts of the limbs are often the site of end-organ damage resulting from ischaemia. Infarction of large muscle groups in the limb, not associated with gangrene, is uncommon. There have been few reported cases other than radiological descriptions of diabetic muscle infarcts. While previous reports have illustrated some of the clinical and radiological characteristics of this condition, the paucity of published cases makes it difficult to determine the most appropriate methods of diagnosis and treatment. During a five-year period we treated 14 patients with diabetes mellitus, aged from 32 to 59 years, who were referred to a musculoskeletal oncology service for suspected soft-tissue sarcoma, but were subsequently found to have a diabetic muscle infarct. Closed needle biopsy was performed in 13 without complications. In 12 patients, the symptoms resolved without surgical treatment

Aims

The purpose of this retrospective study was to evaluate the minimum five-year outcome of revision total hip arthroplasty (THA) using the Kerboull acetabular reinforcement device (KARD) in patients with Paprosky type III acetabular defects and destruction of the inferior margin of the acetabulum.

We measured polyethylene wear in 231 porous-coated uncemented acetabular cups. We divided the hips into two groups according to the fixation of the femoral component, by cementing (n = 97) or press-fit (n = 134). Follow-up was from three to five years. The patients in two sub-groups were matched for weight, diagnosis, sex, age and length of follow-up. The linear wear rate of cups articulated with uncemented femoral components (0.22 mm/year) was significantly higher than the wear rate (0.15 mm/year) of cups articulated within cemented femoral components (p < 0.05). These results can be compared with previously reported wear rates of 0.08 mm/year for cemented all-polyethylene cups and 0.11 mm/year for cemented metal-backed cups. The higher wear rates of uncemented arthroplasties could jeopardize the long-term results of this type of hip replacement

We examined 108 uncemented femoral stems with modular femoral heads which had been retrieved for reasons other than loosening. There were detectable amounts of wear and corrosion in 10 of 29 (34.5%) mixed-alloy components and 7 of 79 (9%) single-alloy components after a mean implantation time of 25 months. We found no correlation between the presence or extent of corrosion or surface damage and any of time in situ, initial diagnosis, reason for removal, age, or weight. Stems with wear and corrosion were less likely to show histological bony ingrowth. The interface between the head and stem of modular total hip components is a possible source of ion release and wear debris, but wear and corrosion were totally absent in most specimens. This suggests that this problem could be avoided, and that further research is required to develop manufacturing methods which would minimise such changes

We treated four patients with periacetabular malignant tumours by pelvic reconstruction with a free vascularised fibular graft after resection of the tumour. The mean follow-up period was 32 months (9 to 39). The diagnosis was chondrosarcoma in three patients and osteosarcoma in one. In two patients total resection of the hemipelvis was required and in the other two less, but still massive, resection was undertaken. All were treated with an immediate free vascularised fibular graft which included arthrodesis of the hip and reconstruction of the pelvic ring. One patient died. The other three have remained free from recurrence. Solid union of the graft was achieved between four and 14 months after surgery. Shortening of the involved limbs was less than 2 cm. The patients had no pain and were independent walkers without external support. Emotional acceptance was satisfactory. Our results suggest that reconstruction with the use of a free vascularised graft is an alternative to other types of reconstructive procedure after resection of periacetabular tumours

We have investigated whether patients with adolescent-onset idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) are more likely to have a low body-weight. Measurements of weight, height and body mass index (BMI) were made in 44 young women with AIS and compared with age- and gender-adjusted normative data. The body mass criteria of the International Classification of Diseases for eating disorders was used to determine how many patients were within the range considered to be ‘eating disordered’. Compared with the normative data, the AIS group did not differ significantly in terms of height, (p = 0.646), but they were significantly lighter (p < 0.001) and had significantly lower BMI scores (p < 0.001); 25% of the series had BMI scores which were within the range considered to be anorexic. The relationship between a diagnosis of AIS and low body-weight may indicate disordered eating and is thus a cause for concern, particularly in the light of the well-established relationship between eating psychopathology and osteoporosis. Aspects of organic health may need to be considered in addition to the cosmetic deformity

In a prospective study conducted between 1990 and 1997, 24 101 newborn infants were examined for neonatal instability of the hip and classified by the ethnic origin of their parents. In 63% their mother and father were of Swedish extraction and in 24% they were born in a foreign country. Those of foreign extraction were split into ethnic and geographical subgroups. Although the incidence of treated (dislocatable-unstable) hips was greater in Swedes (7.6‰), than in other geographical groups (5.8‰) it was not significantly different (p = 0.065). A total of 12.7‰ were referred from the neonatal ward to the orthopaedic clinic with suspected dislocatable or unstable hips; 6.8‰ were treated (5.4‰ dislocatable, 1.4‰ unstable), but 5.9‰ were not treated since their ultrasound examination was normal. Two hips were diagnosed late and one case of mild avascular necrosis was found. Examination by dynamic ultrasound decreased the number of treated cases by 5.9‰ but was not an absolute guarantee of diagnosis

Aims

The use of a noninvasive growing endoprosthesis in the management of primary bone tumours in children is well established. However, the efficacy of such a prosthesis in those requiring a revision procedure has yet to be established. The aim of this series was to present our results using extendable prostheses for the revision of previous endoprostheses.

Tuberculous osteomyelitis which does not involve a joint is uncommon and may fail to be diagnosed by an orthopaedic surgeon. We treated 28 lesions of tuberculous osteomyelitis in 25 patients between 1988 and 1995. The duration of symptoms was from two to 39 months, and most of our patients had been treated initially with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs which failed to provide relief. Bone pain which does not promptly respond to analgesic medication is often due to infection or neoplasia. In the early stages, when plain radiographs are normal, MRI or CT may help to localise lesions. On plain radiographs, more advanced lesions may mimic chronic pyogenic osteomyelitis, Brodie’s abscess, tumours or granulomatous lesions. Biopsy is mandatory to confirm the diagnosis, and antituberculous drugs are the mainstay of treatment. When operative findings at biopsy have the features of skeletal tuberculosis curettage of the affected bone may promote earlier healing

Split-thickness skin excision can be used as a one-stage procedure for the accurate diagnosis of flap viability and the immediate treatment of friction-avulsion injuries in severe open fractures. After cleaning the wound, the avulsed flap is temporarily sutured back to its original bed and a split thickness graft is taken from it and meshed to a 1:3 ratio. Surface dermal capillary bleeding then serves as an indicator of viability, clearly displaying a line for the excision of devascularized skin and correlating well with a concomitant fluorescein test. The wounds are re-opened and, after fixation of the fracture, the viable part of the flap is returned to its original bed and the remaining defects are covered with the meshed graft. We have treated 16 patients with extensive degloving injuries in this way, 15 needing only the single surgical procedure. All retained flaps survived, no other donor sites were needed and the split-thickness grafts took with 90% to 100% success

Torus (buckle) fractures of the distal radius are common in childhood. Based on the results of a postal questionnaire and a prospective, randomised trial, we describe a simple treatment for this injury, which saves both time and money. Over a six-month period, we randomised 201 consecutive patients with this injury to treatment with either a traditional forearm plaster-of-Paris cast or a ‘Futura-type’ wrist splint. All patients were treated for a period of three weeks, followed by clinical and radiological review. There was no difference in outcome between the two groups, and all patients had a good result. Only one patient did not tolerate the splint which was replaced by a cast. The questionnaire showed a marked variation in the way in which these injuries are treated with regard to the method and period of immobilisation, the number of follow-up visits and radiographs taken. We suggest that a ‘Futura-type’ wrist splint can be used to treat these fractures. The patient should be reviewed on the following day to confirm the diagnosis and to give appropriate advice. There is no evidence that further follow-up is required. This simple treatment has major benefits in terms of cost and reduction of the number of attendances

We have reviewed 32 patients with rheumatoid disease of the cervical spine who underwent a total of 40 operations aimed at correcting instability and improving any associated neurovascular deficit. Apart from four patients with intractable pain, the main indication for surgery was progressive neurological impairment. Of the 32 primary operations, 19 (60%) were successful; the remainder failed to achieve their objective and there were two deaths in the immediate postoperative period. Of eight secondary operations performed for recurrence of symptoms or failure to relieve cervical myelopathy, only four were successful. Of nine operations for bony decompression to relieve cord compression from irreducible subluxation, only four were successful. The overall results show a success rate of 57% and a failure rate of 35% with early operative mortality in 8%. Indications for operation are discussed and earlier diagnosis is considered to be the key to improved results

Objectives

Little is known about tissue changes underlying bone marrow lesions (BMLs) in non-weight-bearing joints with osteoarthritis (OA). Our aim was to characterize BMLs in OA of the hand using dynamic histomorphometry. We therefore quantified bone turnover and angiogenesis in subchondral bone at the base of the thumb, and compared the findings with control bone from hip OA.

Aims

The aim of this study was to compare the outcomes of surgery using growing rods in patients with severe versus moderate early-onset scoliosis (EOS).