Aims

The aims of this study were: firstly, to investigate the influence of the thickness of cartilage at the sigmoid notch on the inclination of the distal radioulnar joint (DRUJ), and secondly, to compare the sensitivity and specificity of MRI with plain radiographs for the assessment of the inclination of the articular surface of the DRUJ in the coronal plane.

1. Idiopathic necrosis of the femoral head is generally considered to be a rare disease but it appears to be rather frequent in France in view of the fact that 139 cases were recorded in the orthopaedic clinic of Hôpital Cochin between 1959 and 1963. Ninety cases treated by operation have been analysed in this paper. Men are nearly exclusively affected between the ages of eighteen and seventy, with the highest incidence between thirty and fifty years of age. Both hips are affected in 52 per cent of cases. 2. The etiology is unknown, but steroid therapy was noted in 36 per cent of the cases and some history of slight injury in 30 per cent. The sudden onset of pain in half the cases suggests the obliteration of one of the blood vessels supplying the femoral head. 3. Radiographs are often normal at the time of onset of the symptoms but later they show increased density of the head localised to the antero-superior aspect, and later still collapse of this weight-bearing region. The extent of the lesion appears to be determined from the very beginning rather than to be progressive. The superior joint space is never reduced and may in fact be widened. 4. Pathological examination of the head and neck confirms necrosis of the cancellous bone and the integrity of the overlying cartilage, but shows deep to the necrotic region a highly reactive zone characterised by hypervascularity and raised metabolism. These features have been demonstrated by injection of the blood vessels and also by the uptake of phosphorus 32 and by the succino-deshydrogenase test. 5. In six cases microscopic vascular lesions were found in the antero-lateral pedicle of the femoral head. 6. The high degree of activity of the tissue deep to the necrotic zone gives some hope for revascularisation of the necrotic segment. For this reason protection from pressure may be the way to prevent dramatic collapse of the head. Rest, medical treatment and freedom from weight bearing, however, do not achieve adequate protection. Varus or rotation osteotomy of the femoral neck not only gives relief from pain but appears to prevent collapse of the femoral head. 7. When destruction of the head has already taken place good results may be expected from the insertion of a metallic prosthesis, provided the acetabulum is sound. The results are less favourable when the acetabulum has been altered by secondary arthritic change, and arthrodesis may have to be considered if the disease is unilateral or when a prosthesis has been successfully inserted on the other side

A review of the pathology, mechanism, and operative treatment of recurrent dislocation of the shoulder, based on an analysis of 180 cases, with 159 operations, is presented. From this analysis the following conclusions have been made and appear to be substantiated:. 1. The pathology comprises two important elements: (a) anterior detachment of the glenoid labrum from the bone margin of the glenoid, associated with some degree of stripping of the anterior part of the capsule from the front of the neck of the scapula, found in 87 per cent. of cases examined adequately at operation; (b) defect or flattening of the posterolateral aspect of the articular surface of the head of the humerus which engages with the glenoid cavity when the arm is in external rotation and abduction; this defect is demonstrated most readily in antero-posterior radiographs taken with the humerus in 60 to 70 degrees of internal rotation and was shown to be present in 82 per cent. of cases which had been subjected to adequate radiographic examination. 2. The frequency of the humeral head defect has been under-estimated in the past, because of the difficulty of demonstrating it, particularly when the defect is small. 3. Either type of lesion alone may predispose to recurrence of the dislocation. 4. Both types of lesion are often present in the same shoulder. When this is the case the tendency to redislocation is great. 5. The initial dislocation, which results in the development of one or both these persistent structural abnormalities, may be due to very different types of injury, the commonest of which is a fall on the outstretched hand. The factor common to all these injuries is a resultant force acting on the humeral head in the direction of the anterior glenoid margin. 6. In the treatment of recurrent dislocation of the shoulder joint the Nicola operation is unreliable, and it may be associated with a recurrence rate as high as 36 per cent. It is believed that continued instability after this operation is usually due to the presence of a defect of the humeral head. 7. Operative treatment should aim at repairing, or nullifying, the effects of both types of lesion. For anterior detachment of the labrum this involves either suturing the labrum back to the glenoid margin, or constructing some form of anterior buttress, fibrous or bony: for humeral head defects it necessitates some procedure designed to limit external rotation, thus preventing the defect from coming into engagement with the glenoid cavity. Such limitation of external rotation does not constitute a significant disability

Aims

After the initial correction of congenital talipes equinovarus (CTEV) using the Ponseti method, a subsequent dynamic deformity is often managed by transfer of the tendon of tibialis anterior (TATT) to the lateral cuneiform. Many surgeons believe the lateral cuneiform should be ossified before surgery is undertaken. This study quantifies the ossification process of the lateral cuneiform in children with CTEV between one and three years of age.

Objectives

Bisphosphonates are widely used as first-line treatment for primary and secondary prevention of fragility fractures. Whilst they have proved effective in this role, there is growing concern over their long-term use, with much evidence linking bisphosphonate-related suppression of bone remodelling to an increased risk of atypical subtrochanteric fractures of the femur (AFFs). The objective of this article is to review this evidence, while presenting the current available strategies for the management of AFFs.

Aims

Ceramic-on-ceramic (CoC) bearings in total hip arthroplasty (THA) are commonly used, but concerns exist regarding ceramic fracture. This study aims to report the risk of revision for fracture of modern CoC bearings and identify factors that might influence this risk, using data from the National Joint Registry (NJR) for England, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man.

Aims

The aim of this study was to compare the outcome of revision total knee arthroplasty (TKA) with and without proximalisation of the tibial tubercle in patients with a failed primary TKA who have pseudo patella baja.

Aims

Femoral impaction bone grafting was first developed in 1987 using morselised cancellous bone graft impacted into the femoral canal in combination with a cemented, tapered, polished stem. We describe the evolution of this technique and instrumentation since that time.

Aims

Promising medium-term results from total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA) have been reported for the treatment of primary osteoarthritis in young and middle-aged patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the long-term functional and radiological outcome of TSA in the middle-aged patient.

The etiological factors concerned in paralytic scoliosis are complex. Four main types of paralytic scoliosis can be recognised. 1. The general C-curve due to the body's anatomical attempt to shift its centre of gravity towards the weaker side. Vertebral rotation is not usually marked. This type usually occurs when patients with relatively slight paralysis have been allowed up too early ; it does not usually progress to severe deformity but may occasionally do so, gradually changing into Type 2. This type usually responds well to a period of rest and muscle redevelopment in recumbency. It also responds favourably to correction and fusion because correction is easy and there is little tendency to deterioration. Many of the "successes" of correction and fusion are in this class—almost equal success would often have been gained without "correction." The spine is slightly, but not very, unstable and a relatively localised fusion will give the little extra support that is needed. 2. The "general collapse" type of curve due to extensive spinal weakness. This is the type in which simple head suspension produces marked correction. Rotation is moderate. Provided the patient's general condition is satisfactory extensive spinal fusion is usually the best treatment and produces gratifying improvement. 3. The primary lumbar curve due to a combination of pelvic obliquity, extraspinal imbalance and imbalance of the deep rotator muscles. Rotation is usually marked. Treatment must include the correction of all these factors. In mild cases correction of the pelvic obliquity is enough, but in marked cases the spine must also be corrected. The disability from a lumbar paralytic scoliosis is much greater than that from a lumbar idiopathic scoliosis of the same degree; so correction is necessary in this type. Correction in a Risser-type jacket is often inadequate and recourse to operative correction is usually required. 4. The primary thoracic curve—often associated with weakness of the scapular muscles. The indications for and methods of treatment are practically the same as in primary idiopathic thoracic curves. These curves tend to be progressive and uncompensated. Although the most popular treatment is correction and fusion, wedge osteotomy of the spine gives better correction in intractable cases. The main need is for further investigation into the etiology of paralytic scoliosis so that adequate preventive measures may be undertaken at an early stage. It is essential that every child who contracts poliomyelitis should have his back muscles examined before he gets up. If there is any suggestion of scoliosis further investigations including radiography and electromyography are essential

Aims

Minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (MITLIF) has been well validated in overweight and obese patients who are consequently subject to a higher radiation exposure. This prospective multicentre study aimed to investigate the efficacy of a novel lumbar localisation system for MITLIF in overweight patients.

We reviewed a consecutive series of 527 uninfected hip replacements in patients resident in the UK which had been implanted from 1981 to 1993. All had the same basic design of femoral prosthesis, but four fixation techniques had been used: two press-fit, one HA-coated and one cemented. Review and radiography were planned prospectively. For assessment the components were retrospectively placed into two groups: those which had failed from two years onwards by aseptic femoral loosening and those in which the femoral component had survived without revision or recommendation for revision. All available radiographs in both groups were measured to determine vertical migration and examined by two observers to agree the presence of radiolucent lines (RLLs), lytic lesions, resorption of the neck, proximal osteopenia and distal intramedullary and distal subperiosteal formation of new bone. We then related the presence or absence of these features and the rate of migration at two years to the outcome with regard to aseptic loosening and determined the predictive value of each of these variables. Migration of ≥2 mm at two years, the presence of an RLL of 2 mm occupying one-third of any one zone, and subperiosteal formation of new bone at the tip of the stem were predictors of aseptic loosening after two years. There were too few lytic lesions to assess at two years, but at five years a lytic lesion ≥2 mm also predicted failure. We discuss the use of these variables as predictors of femoral aseptic loosening for groups of hips and for individual hips. We conclude that if a group of about 50 total hip replacements, perhaps with a new design of femoral stem, were studied in this way at two years, a mean migration of < 0.4 mm and an incidence of < 10% of RLLs of 2 mm in any one zone would predict 95% survival at ten years. For an individual prosthesis, migration of < 2 mm and the absence of an RLL of ≤2 mm at two years predict a 6% chance of revision over approximately ten years. If either 2 mm of migration or an RLL of 2 mm is present, the chances of revision rise to 27%, and if both radiological signs are present they are 50%. If at five years a lytic lesion has developed, whatever the situation at two years, there is approximately a 50% chance of failure in the following five years. Our findings suggest that replacements using a limited number of any new design of femoral prosthesis should be screened radiologically at two years before they are generally introduced. We also suggest that radiographs of individual patients at two years and perhaps at five years should be studied to help to decide whether or not the patient should remain under close review or be discharged from specialist follow-up

Aims

We present a minimum 20-year follow-up study of 382 cemented Exeter Universal total hip arthroplasties (350 patients) operated on at a mean age of 66.3 years (17 to 94).

Valgus knee deformity can present a number of unique surgical challenges for the total knee arthroplasty (TKA) surgeon. Understanding the typical patterns of bone and soft-tissue pathology in the valgus arthritic knee is critical for appropriate surgical planning. This review aims to provide the knee arthroplasty surgeon with an understanding of surgical management strategies for the treatment of valgus knee arthritis.

Lateral femoral and tibial deficiencies, contracted lateral soft tissues, attenuated medial soft tissues, and multiplanar deformities may all be present in the valgus arthritic knee. A number of classifications have been reported in order to guide surgical management, and a variety of surgical strategies have been described with satisfactory clinical results. Depending on the severity of the deformity, a variety of TKA implant designs may be appropriate for use.

Regardless of an operating surgeon’s preferred surgical strategy, adherence to a step-wise approach to deformity correction is advised.

Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2017;99-B(1 Supple A):60–4.

Objectives

We have previously investigated an association between the genome copy number variation (CNV) and acetabular dysplasia (AD). Hip osteoarthritis is associated with a genetic polymorphism in the aspartic acid repeat in the N-terminal region of the asporin (ASPN) gene; therefore, the present study aimed to investigate whether the CNV of ASPN is involved in the pathogenesis of AD.

Aims

Several studies have reported the safety and efficacy of subcapital re-alignment for patients with slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE) using surgical dislocation of the hip and an extended retinacular flap. Instability of the hip and dislocation as a consequence of this surgery has only recently gained attention. We discuss this problem with some illustrative cases.