Flexor hallucis longus (FHL) tendon transfer is a well-recognized
technique in the treatment of the neglected tendo Achillis (TA)
rupture. We report a retrospective review of 20/32 patients who had undergone
transtendinous FHL transfer between 2003 and 2011 for chronic TA
rupture. Their mean age at the time of surgery was 53 years (22
to 83). The mean time from rupture to surgery was seven months (1
to 36). The mean postoperative follow-up was 73 months (29 to 120).
Six patients experienced postoperative wound complications.Aims
Patients and Methods
Displaced fractures of the lateral condyle of the humerus are
frequently managed surgically with the aim of avoiding nonunion,
malunion, disturbances of growth and later arthritis. The ideal
method of fixation is however not known, and treatment varies between
surgeons and hospitals. The aim of this study was to compare the
outcome of two well-established forms of surgical treatment, Kirschner
wire (K-wire) and screw fixation. A retrospective cohort study of children who underwent surgical
treatment for a fracture of the lateral condyle of the humerus between
January 2005 and December 2014 at two centres was undertaken. Pre,
intraoperative and postoperative characteristics were evaluated. A total of 336 children were included in the study. Their mean
age at the time of injury was 5.8 years (0 to 15) with a male:female
patient ratio of 3:2. A total of 243 (72%) had a Milch II fracture
and the fracture was displaced by > 2 mm in 228 (68%). In all, 235
patients underwent K-wire fixation and 101 had screw fixation. Aims
Patients and Methods
The aim of this study was to report the clinical, functional
and radiological outcomes of children and adolescents with tibial
fractures treated using the Ilizarov method. Between 2013 and 2016 a total of 74 children with 75 tibial fractures
underwent treatment at our major trauma centre using an Ilizarov
frame. Demographic and clinical information from a prospective database
was supplemented by routine functional and psychological assessment
and a retrospective review of the notes and radiographs.Aims
Patients and Methods
Hindfoot arthrodesis with retrograde intramedullary nailing has
been described as a surgical strategy to reconstruct deformities
of the ankle and hindfoot in patients with Charcot arthropathy.
This study presents case series of Charcot arthropathy patients
treated with two different retrograde intramedullary straight compression
nails in order to reconstruct the hindfoot and assess the results
over a mid-term follow-up. We performed a retrospective analysis of 18 consecutive patients
and 19 operated feet with Charcot arthropathy who underwent a hindfoot
arthrodesis using a retrograde intramedullary compression nail.
Patients were ten men and eight women with a mean age of 63.43 years
(38.5 to 79.8). We report the rate of limb salvage, complications requiring
additional surgery, and fusion rate in both groups. The mean duration
of follow-up was 46.36 months (37 to 70).Aims
Patients and Methods
The aims of this study were to compare the efficacy and safety
of intra-articular and intravenous (IV) tranexamic acid (TXA) in
controlling perioperative blood loss in total knee arthroplasty
(TKA) using a randomized, double-blinded equivalence trial. A total of 182 patients aged between 45 and 75 years undergoing
unilateral TKA at a tertiary centre were randomized to receive TXA,
either 1.5 g intra-articularly after closure of the wound (n = 91)
or two doses of 10 mg/kg IV (n = 91). The primary outcome measure
was the reduction in the level of haemoglobin (Hb) in the blood
on the fifth postoperative day. Secondary outcome measures were
the total, visible, and hidden blood losses (TBL, VBL, HBL). We
assumed equivalence of the primary outcome in both routes with a
margin of ± 0.35gm/dl. Block randomization using computer-generated
random numbers was used. The patients and the assessor of outcome were
blinded.Aims
Patients and Methods
The purpose of this prospective study was to evaluate the outcomes
of coccygectomy for patients with chronic coccydynia. Between 2007 and 2011, 98 patients underwent coccygectomy for
chronic coccydynia. The patients were aged >
18 years, had coccygeal
pain, local tenderness and a radiological abnormality, and had failed
conservative management. Outcome measures were the Short Form 36
(SF-36), the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) and a visual analogue
scale (VAS) for pain. Secondary analysis compared the pre-operative
features and the outcomes of patients with successful and failed
treatment, two years post-operatively. The threshold for success
was based on a minimum clinically important difference (MCID) on
the ODI of 20 points. All other patients, including those lost to
follow-up, were classified as failures.Aims
Patients and Methods
Tissue responses to debris formed by abrasion of polymethylmethacrylate
(PMMA) spacers at two-stage revision arthroplasty for prosthetic
joint infection are not well described. We hypothesised that PMMA
debris induces immunomodulation in periprosthetic tissues. Samples of tissue were taken during 35 two-stage revision arthroplasties
(nine total hip and 26 total knee arthroplasties) in patients whose
mean age was 67 years (44 to 85). Fourier transform infrared microscopy
was used to confirm the presence of PMMA particles. Histomorphometry
was performed using Sudan Red and Haematoxylin-Eosin staining.
CD-68, CD-20, CD-11(c), CD-3 and IL-17 antibodies were used to immunophenotype
the inflammatory cells. All slides were scored semi-quantitatively
using the modified Willert scoring system.Aims
Patients and Methods
External fixation is widely used in orthopaedic
and trauma surgery. Infections around pin or wire sites, which are usually
localised, non-invasive, and are easily managed, are common. Occasionally,
more serious invasive complications such as necrotising fasciitis
(NF) and toxic shock syndrome (TSS) may occur. We retrospectively reviewed all patients who underwent external
fixation between 1997 and 2012 in our limb lengthening and reconstruction
programme. A total of eight patients (seven female and one male)
with a mean age of 20 years (5 to 45) in which pin/wire track infections
became limb- or life-threatening were identified. Of these, four
were due to TSS and four to NF. Their management is described. A
satisfactory outcome was obtained with early diagnosis and aggressive
medical and surgical treatment. Clinicians caring for patients who have external fixation and
in whom infection has developed should be aware of the possibility
of these more serious complications. Early diagnosis and aggressive
treatment are required in order to obtain a satisfactory outcome. Cite this article:
Little information is available about several
important aspects of the treatment of melioidosis osteomyelitis
and septic arthritis. We undertook a retrospective review of 50 patients with these
conditions in an attempt to determine the effect of location of
the disease, type of surgical intervention and duration of antibiotic
treatment on outcome, particularly complications and relapse. We found that there was a 27.5% risk of osteomyelitis of the
adjacent bone in patients with septic arthritis in the lower limb.
Patients with septic arthritis and osteomyelitis of an adjacent
bone were in hospital significantly longer (p = 0.001), needed more
operations (p = 0.031) and had a significantly higher rate of complications
and re-presentation (p = 0.048). More than half the patients (61%), most particularly those with
multifocal bone and joint involvement, and those with septic arthritis
and osteomyelitis of an adjacent bone who were treated operatively,
needed more visits to theatre. Cite this article:
This is a prospective randomised controlled trial comparing the
functional outcomes of plate fixation and elastic stable intramedullary
nailing (ESIN) of completely displaced mid-shaft fractures of the
clavicle in the active adult population. We prospectively recruited 123 patients and randomised them to
either plate fixation or ESIN. Patients completed the Quick Disabilities
of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) score at one to six weeks post-operatively.
They were followed up at six weeks, three and six months and one
year with radiographs, and their clinical outcome was assessed using
both the DASH and the Constant Score.Aims
Patients and Methods
Intercalary allografts following resection of a primary diaphyseal
tumour have high rates of complications and failures. At our institution
intercalary allografts are augmented with intramedullary cement
and fixed using compression plating. Our aim was to evaluate their
long-term outcomes. A total of 46 patients underwent reconstruction with an intercalary
allograft between 1989 and 2014. The patients had a mean age of
32.8 years (14 to 77). The most common diagnoses were osteosarcoma
(n = 16) and chondrosarcoma (n = 9). The location of the tumours
was in the femur in 21, the tibia in 16 and the humerus in nine. Function
was assessed using the Musculoskeletal Tumor Society (MSTS) scoring
system and the Toronto Extremity Salvage Score (TESS). The survival
of the graft and the overall survival were assessed using the Kaplan-Meier method.Aims
Patients and Methods
The aim of this study was to compare the biomechanical stability and clinical outcome of external fixator combined with limited internal fixation (EFLIF) and open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) in treating Sanders type 2 calcaneal fractures. Two types of fixation systems were selected for finite element analysis and a dual cohort study. Two fixation systems were simulated to fix the fracture in a finite element model. The relative displacement and stress distribution were analysed and compared. A total of 71 consecutive patients with closed Sanders type 2 calcaneal fractures were enrolled and divided into two groups according to the treatment to which they chose: the EFLIF group and the ORIF group. The radiological and clinical outcomes were evaluated and compared.Objectives
Methods
The December 2015 Research Roundup360 looks at: Biomarkers in periprosthetic joint infection; HbA1c and complications in arthroplasty; Getting to the bottom of biofilms; Effective antibiosis for biofilms; Stem cells and avascular necrosis; Predicting LOS in total joint arthroplasty; Long-term antibiotics reduce recurrence in periprosthetic infection
To examine the rates of hamstring graft salvage with arthroscopic
debridement of infected anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction
as reported in the literature and discuss functional outcomes. A search was performed without language restriction on PubMed,
EMBASE, Ovid, CINAHL and Cochrane Register of Controlled Trials
(CENTRAL) databases from their inception to April 2015. We identified
147 infected hamstring grafts across 16 included studies. Meta-analysis
was performed using a random-effects model to estimate the overall
graft salvage rate, incorporating two different definitions of graft
salvage.Aims
Materials and Methods
To investigate the outcomes of treatment of streptococcal periprosthetic
joint infection (PJI) involving total knee and hip arthroplasties. Streptococcal PJI episodes which occurred between January 2009
and December 2015 were identified from clinical databases. Presentation
and clinical outcomes for 30 streptococcal PJIs in 30 patients (12
hip and 18 knee arthroplasties) following treatment were evaluated
from the medical notes and at review. The Kaplan-Meier survival method
was used to estimate the probability of infection-free survival.
The influence of the biofilm active antibiotic rifampin was also
assessed.Aims
Patients and Methods
To present our experience of using a combination of intra-articular
osteotomy and external fixation to treat different deformities of
the knee. A total of six patients with a mean age of 26.5 years (15 to
50) with an abnormal hemi-joint line convergence angle (HJLCA) and
mechanical axis deviation (MAD) were included. Elevation of a tibial
hemiplateau or femoral condylar advancement was performed and limb
lengthening with correction of residual deformity using a circular
or monolateral Ilizarov frame.Aims
Patients and Methods
Following the introduction of national standards in 2009, most
major paediatric trauma is now triaged to specialist units offering
combined orthopaedic and plastic surgical expertise. We investigated
the management of open tibia fractures at a paediatric trauma centre,
primarily reporting the risk of infection and rate of union. A retrospective review was performed on 61 children who between
2007 and 2015 presented with an open tibia fracture. Their mean
age was nine years (2 to 16) and the median follow-up was ten months
(interquartile range 5 to 18). Management involved IV antibiotics,
early debridement and combined treatment of the skeletal and soft-tissue injuries
in line with standards proposed by the British Orthopaedic Association.Aims
Patients and Methods
Knee joint distraction (KJD) is a relatively new, knee-joint
preserving procedure with the goal of delaying total knee arthroplasty
(TKA) in young and middle-aged patients. We present a randomised
controlled trial comparing the two. The 60 patients ≤ 65 years with end-stage knee osteoarthritis
were randomised to either KJD (n = 20) or TKA (n = 40). Outcomes
were assessed at baseline, three, six, nine, and 12 months. In the
KJD group, the joint space width (JSW) was radiologically assessed,
representing a surrogate marker of cartilage thickness.Aims
Patients and Methods
The aims of this retrospective study were to report the feasibility
of using 3D-printing technology for patients with a pelvic tumour
who underwent reconstruction. A total of 35 patients underwent resection of a pelvic tumour
and reconstruction using 3D-printed endoprostheses between September
2013 and December 2015. According to Enneking’s classification of
bone defects, there were three Type I lesions, 12 Type II+III lesions,
five Type I+II lesions, two Type I+II+III lesions, ten type I+II+IV
lesions and three type I+II+III+IV lesions. A total of three patients
underwent reconstruction using an iliac prosthesis, 12 using a standard
hemipelvic prosthesis and 20 using a screw-rod connected hemipelvic
prosthesis.Aims
Patients and Methods