The action of fast bowling in the game of cricket is known to cause injuries to the lumbar spine. We studied a group of 16- to 18-year-old fast bowlers, selected for special training in Western Australia. All 24 had MR scans of the spine, 22 had radiographs and
We report a case of systemic intraosseous lipomatosis involving the proximal femur, both ends of the tibia, and the tarsal and metatarsal bones. The lesions progressed during a five-year follow-up with a pathological fracture of the tibial plateau.
Hip arthrography was performed in 19 patients in the initial stage of Perthes' disease. Sphericity and subluxation were measured and it was found that subluxation was independent of the femoral head deformity. We therefore tried to identify the cause of early subluxation: in seven patients a swollen ligamentum teres was thought to be responsible, and was associated with medial pooling of the contrast medium. A swollen ligamentum teres was seen in another seven cases; the other five arthrograms were normal. These findings were further clarified by enhanced
Our previous reports on the pathological anatomy and operative treatment of intra-articular fractures of the calcaneum failed to take account of the fracture pattern anterior to the posterior facet of the subtalar joint. We have reviewed our experience of 63 operative cases and have studied fractures with axial and coronal
We reviewed radiographs and
We examined the pathogenesis of Schmorl’s nodes, correlating the histological findings from 12 lumbar vertebrae with the corresponding conventional radiographs, tomographs, MR images and
Lumbar spondylolysis can heal with conservative treatment, but few attempts have been made to identify factors which may affect union of the defects in the pars. We have evaluated, retrospectively, the effects of prognostic variables on bony union of pars defects in 134 young patients less than 18 years of age with 239 defects of the pars who had been treated conservatively. All patients were evaluated by
Magnetic resonance imaging was performed on 28 patients with suspected calcaneal tendon injury prior to treatment. None of the patients were involved in competitive sports. All underwent clinical examination, some had had ultrasound or
We have studied 34 consecutive patients receiving Cotrel- Dubousset instrumentation for a single and flexible thoracic scoliotic curve, evaluating the rib hump deformity from a single
Various techniques have been used for the fixation of the posterior pelvis, each with disadvantages specific to the technique. In this study, a new protocol involving the placement of posterior pelvic screws in the CT suite is described and evaluated. A total of 66 patients with unstable pelvic ring injuries was stabilised under local anaesthesia with sedation. The mean length of time for the procedure was 26 minutes per screw. There were no technical difficulties or misplaced screws and no cases of infection or nonunion. All patients stated that they would choose to have the
Degenerative spondylolisthesis is four times more common in women than in men. Although this gender difference has long been recognised there has been no explanation for it. We have examined the radiographs and
Hip rotation in extension and flexion was studied in 23 patients with idiopathic intoeing gait. In extension all the hips had markedly increased medial rotation and limited lateral rotation, fulfilling the criteria of excessive femoral anteversion. In flexion, however, rotation varied widely; in one group of patients medial rotation remained greater than lateral, but in the second group lateral rotation was equal to or greater than medial.
We have reviewed 11 patients with idiopathic transient osteoporosis of the hip; the six who were women all developed the condition during pregnancy. Both simultaneous and sequential bilateral involvement were seen, but biochemical studies were consistently normal and one synovial biopsy showed only non-specific inflammation. Radioisotope bone scans and
Computerised tomography (CT) was performed in 30 patients with herniated lumbar discs; this was done both before chemonucleolysis and three months after. In 20 of the 28 patients who were CT positive, the compression produced by the herniated disc was eliminated or reduced. Twenty-three of the 28 patients developed diffuse bulging of the annulus. There was good correlation between the clinical results at three months and the alteration in compression as shown by the
Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) and circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) are used for prognostication and monitoring in patients with carcinomas, but their utility is unclear in sarcomas. The objectives of this pilot study were to explore the prognostic significance of cfDNA and investigate whether tumour-specific alterations can be detected in the circulation of sarcoma patients. Matched tumour and blood were collected from 64 sarcoma patients (n = 70 samples) prior to resection of the primary tumour (n = 57) or disease recurrence (n = 7). DNA was isolated from plasma, quantified, and analyzed for cfDNA. A subset of cases (n = 6) underwent whole exome sequencing to identify tumour-specific alterations used to detect ctDNA using digital droplet polymerase chain reaction (ddPCR).Aims
Methods
We have studied the radiographic and CT features of 120 displaced intra-articular fractures of the calcaneum in order to define the pathological anatomy. In 96% of cases, the
A new technique for the transthoracic removal of a prolapsed intervertebral disc in the mid or lower thoracic spine is described. Investigations before operation include thoracic myelography, selective spinal angiography and
The aim of this study was to compare the clinical outcomes of robotic arm-assisted bi-unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (bi-UKA) with conventional mechanically aligned total knee arthroplasty (TKA) during the first six weeks and at one year postoperatively. A per protocol analysis of 76 patients, 43 of whom underwent TKA and 34 of whom underwent bi-UKA, was performed from a prospective, single-centre, randomized controlled trial. Diaries kept by the patients recorded pain, function, and the use of analgesics daily throughout the first week and weekly between the second and sixth weeks. Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) were compared preoperatively, and at three months and one year postoperatively. Data were also compared longitudinally and a subgroup analysis was conducted, stratified by preoperative PROM status.Aims
Methods
Computer-assisted frameless stereotactic image guidance allows precise preoperative planning and intraoperative localisation of the image. It has been developed and tested in the laboratory. We evaluated the efficacy, clinical results and complications of placement of a pedicle screw in the lumbar spine using this technique. A total of 62 patients (28 men, 34 women) had lumbar decompression and spinal fusion with segmental pedicle screws. Postoperative