Thirty years' experience of excision of the trapezium for osteoarthritis of the trapeziometacarpal joint has shown that this simple operation is entirely satisfactory

1. Fifty-eight adult patients who had been treated for radial head fractures by excision of the head of the radius have been reviewed at periods varying between two and nineteen years after operation. 2. Symptoms referable to the inferior radio-ulnar joint were present in half of the patients and the mechanisms of the disorder in these patients are discussed in the light of a radiographic study. 3. We feel it justifiable to conclude from our observations that this complication of surgical treatment of radial head fractures deserves greater attention than has been given to it in the past, and that it is of sufficient importance to be taken into consideration when planning the management of these fractures, especially the less severe injuries. 4. Prosthetic replacement of the proximal end of the radius is the logical and, indeed, the only way in which the distal radio-ulnar joint subluxation can be avoided, but no clearly defined indications for the routine use of a prosthesis as a primary procedure can be suggested on the basis of this investigation

The experiments were performed to answer three main questions. These and our answers may be summarised as follows. What is the precise mechanism of healing of a raw bony surface in a joint? What cells are involved? Where do they originate?—In all the implant experiments and in the control series the fundamental mechanism of healing was similar. 1. A massive proliferation of fibroblasts occurred from the cut periosteum, from the cut joint capsule, and to a lesser extent from the medullary canal. 2. Fibroblasts grew centripetally in the first few weeks after operation, attempting to form a "fibroblast cap" to the cut bone end. 3. Fibroblasts of this cap near the cut bone spicules metamorphosed to become prechondroblasts, chondroblasts laying down cartilage matrix, and hypertrophied (alkaline phosphatase-secreting) chondrocytes lying in a calcified matrix. 4. This calcified cartilage matrix was invaded by dilated capillaries probably bearing osteoblasts which laid down perivascular (endochondral) bone. 5. Some of the cells of projecting bone spicules died and their matrix was eroded in the presence of many osteoclasts. 6. In the control experiments of simple excision of the radial head new bone was produced at the periphery only by processes (3) and (4). This sealed off the underlying peripheral cortical bone from the superficially placed peripheral articular surface of fibrocartilage. At about a year from operation the central portion of the articular surface was still formed of bare bone, or of bone spicules covered by a thin layer of irregularly arranged collagen fibres. The opposite capitular articular cartilage was badly eroded. Does the introduction of a dead cartilage implant over the raw bone end affect in any way the final constitution of the new articular surface?—In the implant experiments the new bone produced by processes (3) and (4) formed, after about a year, a complete cortical plate which entirely sealed off the cut end of the radius and left a superficially placed articular covering of smooth fibrocartilage, closely resembling a normal joint surface. The opposite capitular articular surface was normal. What is the final fate of such an implant?—Whale cartilage implants underwent replacement by fibroblasts and collagen fibres, and took about nine months to disappear. The cartilage of fixed autotransplants and homotransplants underwent similar gradual replacement, and took about the same time in each case. The dead bone, implanted in association with the cartilage in both cases, acted as a nidus for hyaline cartilage production by chondrocytes derived from fibroblasts. This cartilage underwent endochondral ossification. This observation suggests that induction by non-cellular osseous material is a factor in chondrification and ossification. All the implants functioned as temporary articular menisci or in some cases as temporary radial articular surfaces. They were always replaced by a permanent fibrocartilaginous meniscus, or a fibrocartilaginous articular surface. An implant did, in fact, always act as a temporary protecting cap and mould for the subjacent growth offibroblasts which was necessary for the production of a satisfactory new joint surface

Excision of the lunate was performed for 18 patients with Kienbock's disease; 14 were followed up for an average of almost 12 years. Carpal collapse progressed with time, but rearrangement of the remaining carpal bones preserved a satisfactory range of movement and grip strength. Degenerative changes were not severe. All the patients had relief of pain, were able to carry out their normal activities, and all but two could perform strenuous activities

Chronic infections and ulceration around the tendo Achillis are difficult to manage. Split-skin grafts do not survive even on healthy exposed tendon. Refractory cases may require plastic surgical intervention with the use of free flaps. Patients with significant vascular disease are not suitable for such techniques. Flexor hallucis longus tendon transfer is an established treatment for chronic ruptures of the tendo Achillis. We report the successful treatment of an infected tendo Achillis with excision and reconstruction with flexor hallucis longus transfer. The muscle belly of this tendon allowed later skin grafting while the tendon transfer provided good functional recovery

The operative technique and result of treatment of traumatic radio-ulnar synostosis in two patients are described. In both, the treatment was excision of the cross-union and interposition of a free non-vascularised fat transplant. The functional result was excellent, and there was no evidence of regrowth of the synostosis at two and three years respectively

Despite widespread use of gentamicin beads in the treatment of chronic infections of bone and soft tissue, no serious complications have been reported. This report describes a rupture of the femoral vein which occurred during the attempted removal of a chain of beads after radical excision of a chronically discharging Girdlestone arthroplasty. The patient later had a disarticulation at the hip. In the light of our experience with this and other cases we offer some suggestions as to the positioning of gentamicin beads, as well as the timing and method of their extraction

Rhomboid flaps were used rather than rotation flaps for skin cover after excision of mucous cysts of the finger in six patients. The rhomboid flap is a safe, reliable technique which is more easily taught and applied than the rotation flap

We report two patients, each with a giant-cell tumour of the distal radius treated by curettage and bone grafting. Local recurrence of the tumour occurred in the autograft and in the adjacent soft tissues in both patients, and was successfully treated by local excision; one patient also had radiation therapy. Both remain well 20 years and five years later

In 1957 Somerville and Scott presented their principles of management for the older child with congenital hip dislocation. They advocated preliminary traction followed, in those hips which remained dislocated, by excision of the limbus and subsequent derotation varus osteotomy of the femur. As alternative regimes are advocated it becomes increasingly important to subject each method to detailed long-term review. One hundred and forty-seven hips in 121 patients aged between 12 months and three years and treated by the standard Somerville and Scott regime have been reviewed. The age at review ranged from 16 to 31 years. The recall rate was 91 per cent. Each patient was seen regularly in a special clinic where detailed notes, radiographs and records were available. The results have been assessed clinically and radiographically by modifications of Severin's criteria to enable comparisons to be made with other published series. Attention has been focused on the good and the bad prognostic factors and on the long-term complications. The most worrying feature has been the premature onset of degenerative arthritis even in hips which seemed to have been satisfactorily reduced

Aims

The purpose of this study was to investigate the potential for achieving local and systemic control after local recurrence of a chondrosarcoma of bone

Aims

We report a prospective cohort study of the midterm results of surgical dislocation of the hip (according to Ganz) to perform resection of osteochondromas involving the femoral neck in patients with multiple hereditary exostoses (MHE).

Primary giant-cell tumour of soft tissue arising in the ligamentum teres has not been previously described. We report a case of such a tumour in a 46-year-old woman. The lesion was only detected at the time of hip arthroscopy despite pre-operative MRI being performed. It was successfully excised arthroscopically with resolution of the symptoms.

Patellectomy is at present the best operation for recurrent dislocation, not only because the immediate result is excellent, but because it avoids the later arthritis which must inevitably arise if a patella so damaged is retained.

We have reviewed 15 patients with infected total knee replacements after removal of the prosthesis, rigorous debridement, antibiotic irrigation, and prolonged systemic antibiotics. Infection was permanently eradicated in all patients; they were left with a functioning limb, on which they could walk with either a caliper (8 patients), a simple splint (3), crutches, or sticks. Three were disappointed because of residual pain. We believe that, if exchange arthroplasty is inappropriate, this procedure is preferable to arthrodesis or amputation for persistent and disabling infection, particularly where constrained artificial joints have been used.