There have been a few reports of patients with
a combination of lumbar and thoracic spinal stenosis. We describe six
patients who suffered unexpected acute neurological deterioration
at a mean of 7.8 days (6 to 10) after lumbar decompressive surgery.
Five had progressive weakness and one had recurrent pain in the
lower limbs. There was incomplete recovery following subsequent
thoracic decompressive surgery. The neurological presentation can be confusing. Patients with
compressive myelopathy due to lower thoracic lesions, especially
epiconus lesions (T10 to T12/L1 disc level), present with similar
symptoms to those with lumbar radiculopathy or cauda equina lesions.
Despite the rarity of this condition we advise that patients who
undergo lumbar decompressive surgery for stenosis should have sagittal
whole spine MRI studies pre-operatively to exclude proximal neurological
compression. Cite this article:
The April 2012 Trauma Roundup360 looks at fibula-pro-tibia plating, galeazzi fractures, distal radial fractures in the over 65s, transverse sacral fractures, acute dislocation of the knee, posterior malleolar fractures, immobilising the broken scaphoid, the terrible triad, lower limb amputation after trauma, and whiplash injuries
Instability in flexion after total knee replacement
(TKR) typically occurs as a result of mismatched flexion and extension
gaps. The goals of this study were to identify factors leading to
instability in flexion, the degree of correction, determined radiologically,
required at revision surgery, and the subsequent clinical outcomes.
Between 2000 and 2010, 60 TKRs in 60 patients underwent revision
for instability in flexion associated with well-fixed components.
There were 33 women (55%) and 27 men (45%); their mean age was 65
years (43 to 82). Radiological measurements and the Knee Society
score (KSS) were used to assess outcome after revision surgery.
The mean follow-up was 3.6 years (2 to 9.8). Decreased condylar
offset (p <
0.001), distalisation of the joint line (p <
0.001)
and increased posterior tibial slope (p <
0.001) contributed
to instability in flexion and required correction at revision to regain
stability. The combined mean correction of posterior condylar offset
and joint line resection was 9.5 mm, and a mean of 5° of posterior
tibial slope was removed. At the most recent follow-up, there was
a significant improvement in the mean KSS for the knee and function
(both p <
0.001), no patient reported instability and no patient
underwent further surgery for instability. The following step-wise approach is recommended: reduction of
tibial slope, correction of malalignment, and improvement of condylar
offset. Additional joint line elevation is needed if the above steps
do not equalise the flexion and extension gaps. Cite this article:
The December 2014 Oncology Roundup360 looks at: metaphyseal and diaphyseal osteosarcoma subtly different beasts; sports and endoprosthetic reconstruction of the knee; is curettage without tissue diagnosis sensible in cartilaginous tumours?; autoclaved autograft in bone tumour reconstruction; vascularised graft a step too far in bone defects?; interdigitated neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy in high-grade sarcoma; predicting life expectancy in patients with painful metastasis; and osteolytic lesions of the hands and feet.
We present the results of 13 patients who suffered severe injuries to the lower leg. Five sustained a traumatic amputation and eight a Gustilo-Anderson type IIIC open fracture. All were treated with debridement, acute shortening and stabilisation of the fracture and vascular reconstruction. Further treatment involved restoration of tibial length by callus distraction through the distal or proximal metaphysis, which was commenced soon after the soft tissues had healed (n = 8) or delayed until union of the fracture (n = 5). All patients were male with a mean age of 28.4 years (17 to 44), and had sustained injury to the leg only. Chen grade II functional status was achieved in all patients. Although the number of patients treated with each strategy was limited, there was no obvious disadvantage in the early lengthening programme, which was completed more quickly.
Rupture of the tendo Achillis is a common injury
with a rising incidence. Traditionally the key question following
this injury has been whether or not to operate. However a contemporary
Cochrane review highlighted that the method of rehabilitation may
also have an important contribution to the outcome. Since this review,
various early weight-bearing rehabilitation protocols have been
described. Currently evidence points to the use of early functional
rehabilitation, regardless of operative or non-operative management.
However, there is no consensus on which exact functional rehabilitation
protocol should be used. Future research should be directed towards
improving our understanding of how the different rehabilitative
components interact in the tendo Achillis as it heals.
Although gradual bone transport may permit the
restoration of large-diameter bones, complications are common owing
to the long duration of external fixation. In order to reduce such
complications, a new technique of bone transport involving the use
of an external fixator and a locking plate was devised for segmental
tibial bone defects. A total of ten patients (nine men, one woman) with a mean age
at operation of 40.4 years (16 to 64) underwent distraction osteogenesis
with a locking plate to treat previously infected post-traumatic
segmental tibial defects. The locking plate was fixed percutaneously
to bridge proximal and distal segments, and was followed by external fixation.
After docking, percutaneous screws were fixed at the transported
segment through plate holes. At the same time, bone grafting was
performed at the docking site with the external fixator removed. The mean defect size was 5.9 cm (3.8 to 9.3) and mean external
fixation index was
13.4 days/cm (11.8 to 19.5). In all cases, primary union of the
docking site and distraction callus was achieved, with an excellent
bony result. There was no recurrence of deep infection or osteomyelitis,
and with the exception of one patient with a pre-existing peroneal
nerve injury, all achieved an excellent or good functional result. With short external fixation times and low complication rates,
bone transport with a locking plate could be recommended for patients
with segmental tibial defects. Cite this article:
Cancellous allograft bone chips are commonly
used in the reconstruction of defects in bone after removal of benign tumours.
We investigated the MRI features of grafted bone chips and their
change over time, and compared them with those with recurrent tumour.
We retrospectively reviewed 66 post-operative MRIs from 34 patients
who had undergone curettage and grafting with cancellous bone chips
to fill the defect after excision of a tumour. All grafts showed
consistent features at least six months after grafting: homogeneous
intermediate or low signal intensities with or without scattered
hyperintense foci (speckled hyperintensities) on T1 images; high
signal intensities with scattered hypointense foci (speckled hypointensities)
on T2 images, and peripheral rim enhancement with or without central
heterogeneous enhancements on enhanced images. Incorporation of
the graft occurred from the periphery to the centre, and was completed
within three years. Recurrent lesions consistently showed the same signal
intensities as those of pre-operative MRIs of the primary lesions.
There were four misdiagnoses, three of which were chondroid tumours. We identified typical MRI features and clarified the incorporation
process of grafted cancellous allograft bone chips. The most important
characteristics of recurrent tumours were that they showed the same
signal intensities as the primary tumours. It might sometimes be
difficult to differentiate grafted cancellous allograft bone chips
from a recurrent chondroid tumour. Cite this article:
We undertook a randomised clinical trial to compare
treatment times and failure rates between above- and below-knee
Ponseti casting groups. Eligible children with idiopathic clubfoot,
treated using the Ponseti method, were randomised to either below-
or above-knee plaster of Paris casting. Outcome measures were total
treatment time and the occurrence of failure, defined as two slippages
or a treatment time above eight weeks. A total of 26 children (33 feet) were entered into the trial.
The above-knee group comprised 17 feet in 13 children (ten boys
and three girls, median age 13 days (1 to 40)) and the below-knee
group comprised 16 feet in 13 children (ten boys and three girls,
median age 13 days (5 to 20)). Because of six failures (37.5%) in
the below-knee group, the trial was stopped early for ethical reasons.
The rate of failure was significantly higher in the below-knee group
(p = 0.039). The median treatment times of six weeks in the below-knee
and four weeks in the above-knee group differed significantly (p
= 0.01). This study demonstrates that the use of a below-knee plaster
of Paris cast in conjunction with the Ponseti technique leads to
unacceptably high failure rates and significantly longer treatment
times. Therefore, this technique is not recommended. Cite this article:
Total knee replacement (TKR) smart tibial trials
have load-bearing sensors which will show quantitative compartment
pressure values and femoral-tibial tracking patterns. Without smart
trials, surgeons rely on feel and visual estimation of imbalance
to determine if the knee is optimally balanced. Corrective soft-tissue
releases are performed with minimal feedback as to what and how
much should be released. The smart tibial trials demonstrate graphically
where and how much imbalance is present, so that incremental releases
can be performed. The smart tibial trials now also incorporate accelerometers
which demonstrate the axial alignment. This now allows the surgeon
the option to perform a slight recut of the tibia or femur to provide
soft-tissue balance without performing soft-tissue releases. Using
a smart tibial trial to assist with soft-tissue releases or bone
re-cuts, improved patient outcomes have been demonstrated at one
year in a multicentre study of 135 patients (135 knees). Cite this article:
This study sought to determine the medium-term
patient-reported and radiographic outcomes in patients undergoing
surgery for hallux valgus. A total of 118 patients (162 feet) underwent
surgery for hallux valgus between January 2008 and June 2009. The
Manchester-Oxford Foot Questionnaire (MOXFQ), a validated tool for
the assessment of outcome after surgery for hallux valgus, was used
and patient satisfaction was sought. The medical records and radiographs
were reviewed retrospectively. At a mean of 5.2 years (4.7 to 6.0)
post-operatively, the median combined MOXFQ score was 7.8 (IQR:0
to 32.8). The median domain scores for pain, walking/standing, and social
interaction were 10 (IQR: 0 to 45), 0 (IQR: 0 to 32.1) and 6.3 (IQR:
0 to 25) respectively. A total of 119 procedures (73.9%, in 90 patients)
were reported as satisfactory but only 53 feet (32.7%, in 43 patients)
were completely asymptomatic. The mean (SD) correction of hallux
valgus, intermetatarsal, and distal metatarsal articular angles was
18.5° (8.8°), 5.7° (3.3°), and 16.6° (8.8°), respectively. Multivariable
regression analysis identified that an American Association of Anesthesiologists
grade of >
1 (Incident Rate Ratio (IRR) = 1.67, p-value = 0.011)
and recurrent deformity (IRR = 1.77, p-value = 0.003) were associated
with significantly worse MOXFQ scores. No correlation was found
between the severity of deformity, the type, or degree of surgical
correction and the outcome. When using a validated outcome score
for the assessment of outcome after surgery for hallux valgus, the
long-term results are worse than expected when compared with the
short- and mid-term outcomes, with 25.9% of patients dissatisfied
at a mean follow-up of 5.2 years. Cite this article:
Ensuring correct rotation of the femoral component
is a challenging aspect of patellofemoral replacement surgery. Rotation
equal to the epicondylar axis or marginally more external rotation
is acceptable. Internal rotation is associated with poor outcomes.
This paper comprises two studies evaluating the use of the medial
malleolus as a landmark to guide rotation. We used 100 lower-leg anteroposterior radiographs to evaluate
the reliability of the medial malleolus as a landmark. Assessment
was made of the angle between the tibial shaft and a line from the
intramedullary rod entry site to the medial malleolus. The femoral
cut was made in ten cadaver knees using the inferior tip of the
medial malleolus as a landmark for rotation. Rotation of the cut
relative to the anatomical epicondylar axis was assessed using CT.
The study of radiographs found the position of the medial malleolus
relative to the tibial axis is consistent. Using the inferior tip
of the medial malleolus in the cadaver study produced a mean external
rotation of 1.6° (0.1° to 3.7°) from the anatomical epicondylar
axis. Using the inferior tip of the medial malleolus to guide the
femoral cutting jig avoids internal rotation and introduces an acceptable
amount of external rotation of the femoral component.
To assess the sustainability of our institutional
bone bank, we calculated the final product cost of fresh-frozen femoral
head allografts and compared these costs with the use of commercial
alternatives. Between 2007 and 2010 all quantifiable costs associated
with allograft donor screening, harvesting, storage, and administration
of femoral head allografts retrieved from patients undergoing elective
hip replacement were analysed. From 290 femoral head allografts harvested and stored as full
(complete) head specimens or as two halves, 101 had to be withdrawn.
In total, 104 full and 75 half heads were implanted in 152 recipients.
The calculated final product costs were €1367 per full head. Compared
with the use of commercially available processed allografts, a saving
of at least €43 119 was realised over four-years (€10 780 per year)
resulting in a cost-effective intervention at our institution. Assuming
a price of between €1672 and €2149 per commercially purchased allograft,
breakeven analysis revealed that implanting between 34 and 63 allografts
per year equated to the total cost of bone banking. Cite this article:
The outcome of high tibial osteotomy (HTO) deteriorates
with time, and additional procedures may be required. The aim of
this study was to compare the clinical and radiological outcomes
between unicompartmental knee replacement (UKR) and total knee replacement
(TKR) after HTO as well as after primary UKR. A total of 63 patients (63
knees) were studied retrospectively and divided into three groups:
UKR after HTO (group A; n = 22), TKR after HTO (group B; n = 18)
and primary UKR (group C; n = 22). The Oxford knee score (OKS),
Knee Society score (KSS), hip–knee–ankle angles, mechanical axis
and patellar height were evaluated pre- and post-operatively. At
a mean of 64 months (19 to 180) post-operatively the mean OKS was
43.8 (33 to 49), 43.3 (30 to 48) and 42.5 (29 to 48) for groups
A, B and C, respectively (p = 0.73). The mean KSS knee score was
88.8 (54 to 100), 88.11 (51 to 100) and 85.3 (45 to 100) for groups
A, B and C, respectively (p = 0.65), and the mean KSS function score
was 85.0 (50 to 100) in group A, 85.8 (20 to 100) in group B and
79.3 (50 to 100) in group C (p = 0.48). Radiologically the results
were comparable for all groups except for patellar height, with
a higher incidence of patella infra following a previous HTO (p
= 0.02). Cite this article:
There are many reasons why a total knee replacement
(TKR) may fail and qualify for revision. Successful revision surgery
depends as much on accurate assessment of the problem TKR as it
does on revision implant design and surgical technique. Specific
modes of failure require specific surgical solutions. Causes of
failure are often presented as a list or catalogue, without a system
or process for making a decision. In addition, strict definitions
and consensus on modes of failure are lacking in published series
and registry data. How we approach the problem TKR is an essential
but neglected aspect of understanding knee replacement surgery.
It must be carried out systematically, comprehensively and efficiently.
Eight modes of failure are described: 1) sepsis; 2) extensor discontinuity;
3) stiffness; 4) tibial- femoral instability; 5) patellar tracking;
6) aseptic loosening and osteolysis; 7) periprosthetic fracture
and 8) component breakage. A ninth ‘category’, unexplained pain
is an indication for further investigation but not surgery. Cite this article:
Patient specific cutting guides generated by
preoperative Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) of the patient’s extremity
have been proposed as a method of improving the consistency of Total
Knee Arthroplasty (TKA) alignment and adding efficiency to the operative
procedure. The cost of this option was evaluated by quantifying the
savings from decreased operative time and instrument processing
costs compared to the additional cost of the MRI and the guide.
Coronal plane alignment was measured in an unselected consecutive
series of 200 TKAs, 100 with standard instrumentation and 100 with
custom cutting guides. While the cutting guides had significantly lower
total operative time and instrument processing time, the estimated
$322 savings was overwhelmed by the $1,500 additional cost of the
MRI and the cutting guide. All measures of coronal plane alignment
were equivalent between the two groups. The data does not currently
support the proposition that patient specific guides add value to
TKA.
We report the clinical outcome and findings at
second-look arthroscopy of 216 patients (mean age 25 years (11 to 58))
who underwent anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction or
augmentation. There were 73 single-bundle ACL augmentations (44
female, 29 male), 82 double-bundle ACL reconstructions (35 female,
47 male), and 61 single-bundle ACL reconstructions (34 female, 27
male). In 94 of the 216 patients, proprioceptive function of the knee
was evaluated before and 12 months after surgery using the threshold
to detect passive motion test. Second-look arthroscopy showed significantly better synovial
coverage of the graft in the augmentation group (good: 60 (82%),
fair: 10 (14%), poor: 3 (4%)) than in the other groups (p = 0.039).
The mean side-to-side difference measured with a KT-2000 arthrometer
was 0.4 mm (-3.3 to 2.9) in the augmentation group, 0.9 mm (-3.2
to 3.5) in the double-bundle group, and 1.3 mm (-2.7 to 3.9) in
the single-bundle group: the result differed significantly between
the augmentation and single-bundle groups (p = 0 .013). No significant
difference in the Lysholm score or pivot-shift test was seen between
the three groups (p = 0.09 and 0.65, respectively). In patients
with good synovial coverage, three of the four measurements used
revealed significant improvement in proprioceptive function (p = 0.177,
0.020, 0.034, and 0.026). We conclude that ACL augmentation is a reasonable treatment option
for patients with favourable ACL remnants. Cite this article:
The use of recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (rhBMP-2) for the treatment of congenital pseudarthrosis of the tibia has been investigated in only one previous study, with promising results. The aim of this study was to determine whether rhBMP-2 might improve the outcome of this disorder. We reviewed the medical records of five patients with a mean age of 7.4 years (2.3 to 21) with congenital pseudarthrosis of the tibia who had been treated with rhBMP-2 and intramedullary rodding. Ilizarov external fixation was also used in four of these patients. Radiological union of the pseudarthrosis was evident in all of them at a mean of 3.5 months (3.2 to 4) post-operatively. The Ilizarov device was removed after a mean of 4.2 months (3.0 to 5.3). These results indicate that treatment of congenital pseudarthrosis of the tibia using rhBMP-2 in combination with intramedullary stabilisation and Ilizarov external fixation may improve the initial rate of union and reduce the time to union. Further studies with more patients and longer follow-up are necessary to determine whether this surgial procedure may significantly enhance the outcome of congenital pseudarthrosis of the tibia, considering the refracture rate (two of five patients) in this small case series.
The biomechanical function of the anteromedial
(AM) and posterolateral (PL) bundles of the anterior cruciate ligament
(ACL) remains controversial. Some studies report that the AM bundle
stabilises the knee joint in anteroposterior (AP) translation and
rotational movement (both internal and external) to the same extent
as the PL bundle. Others conclude that the PL bundle is more important
than the AM in controlling rotational movement. The objective of this randomised cohort study involving 60 patients
(39 men and 21 women) with a mean age of 32.9 years (18 to 53) was
to evaluate the function of the AM and the PL bundles of the ACL
in both AP and rotational movements of the knee joint after single-bundle
and double-bundle ACL reconstruction using a computer navigation
system. In the double-bundle group the patients were also randomised
to have the AM or the PL bundle tensioned first, with knee laxity
measured after each stage of reconstruction. All patients had isolated
complete ACL tears, and the presence of a meniscal injury was the
only supplementary pathology permitted for inclusion in the trial.
The KT-1000 arthrometer was used to apply a constant load to evaluate
the AP translation and the rolimeter was used to apply a constant
rotational force. For the single-bundle group deviation was measured
before and after ACL reconstruction. In the double-bundle group
deviation was measured for the ACL-deficient, AM- or PL-reconstructed
first conditions and for the total reconstruction. We found that the AM bundle in the double-bundle group controlled
rotation as much as the single-bundle technique, and to a greater
extent than the PL bundle in the double-bundle technique. The double-bundle
technique increases AP translation and rotational stability in internal
rotation more than the single-bundle technique.
We compared the complications and outcome of tibial lengthening using the Ilizarov method with and without the use of a supplementary intramedullary nail. In a retrospective case-matched series assembled from 176 patients with tibial lengthening, we matched 52 patients (26 pairs, group A with nail and group B without) according to the following criteria in order of importance: 1) difference in amount of lengthening (± 2 cm); 2) percentage difference in lengthening (± 5%); 3) difference in patient’s age (± seven years); 4) aetiology of the shortening, and 5) level of difficulty in obtaining the correction. The outcome was evaluated using the external fixator index, the healing index and an outcome score according to the criteria of Paley. It was found that some complications were specific to group A or B respectively, but others were common to both groups. The outcome was generally better in lengthenings with a nail, although there was a higher incidence of rectifiable equinus deformity in these patients.