We studied, retrospectively, 131 patients who had undergone an open operation for the carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) in 229 hands. The symptoms were present on both sides in 59% of patients when first seen. Neurophysiological impairment of the median nerve was observed in 66% of the asymptomatic hands, and 73% of patients in this group developed symptoms of CTS after the opposite side had been operated on. Follow-up of patients with unilateral CTS showed that the subsequent development of disease in the unaffected hand is very common. We conclude that CTS is a bilateral disorder and that it becomes more evident as time passes. There is a correlation between the duration of symptoms and bilateral occurrence

1. Mucopolysaccharides were analysed in the urine of thirteen patients with Morquio's syndrome aged between three and fifty-nine years and of fourteen controls of comparable ages. 2. There were no significant qualitative or quantitative differences between patients and controls. 3. The clinical and radiological findings suggested that these patients did not have the "Morquio-Ullrich" form of the disease, which appears on retrospective assessment of case reports to be more uniform and less diffuse than the Morquio-Brailsford form which may include a number of possibly unrelated diseases. 4. Keratosulphate has so far been demonstrated in the urine only of patients with the "Morquio-Ullrich" form of the disease, although the mucopolysaccharide excretion has been investigated in only a few patients with the Morquio-Brailsford form. The normal mucopolysaccharide excretion of the present series of patients suggests that a normal mucopolysaccharide excretion distinguishes the Morquio-Brailsford from the Morquio-Ullrich form, the latter having a number of features overlapping with Hurler's disease, where large amounts of mucopolysaccharide other than keratosulphate are excreted. 5. Both qualitative and quantitative analysis of urinary mucopolysaccharide are thus necessary to distinguish between Hurler's disease, the Morquio-Ullrich form and the Morquio-Brailsford's form of Morquio's syndrome

We studied 58 women of employable age with the carpal tunnel syndrome in order to determine whether the histological appearances of the carpal tunnel, tenosynovium and flexor retinaculum are influenced by work practices. Age, body mass index and the duration of symptoms did not correlate with the extent of oedema or fibrosis within the tenosynovium. The incidence of abnormality on histological examination of the tenosynovium was the same in employed and unemployed patients (p = 1.0), and was not influenced by the level of repetition (p = 0.89) or force (p = 0.29) of work. Myxoid degeneration within the flexor retinaculum was, however, more common in women undertaking ‘high-force’ work. Apart from this finding, the results suggest that work practices do not affect tenosynovial thickening, fibrosis or oedema in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome

The association between vitamin-D-resistant rickets and linear sebaceous naevus syndrome is extremely rare. Only eight cases have been described in the English literature and in none were the skeletal aspects addressed. We present three new cases and describe the musculoskeletal features. The details and outcome of surgery for correction of the deformities are discussed. The disturbances of metabolism of vitamin D and the effects of pharmacological treatment are also described

We report a case in which compartment syndrome and tourniquet paralysis occurred simultaneously. This is a previously unreported combination which presents a diagnostic problem. We recommend that electrophysiological studies and continuous monitoring of compartment pressures should be used to minimise morbidity in high-risk cases

1. A case of Behçet's syndrome in which the main complaint was severe pain in the manubrio-sternal joint is described. Arthrodesis relieved the pain. 2. Histological material from a mouth ulcer and from the manubrio-sternal joint showed non-specific inflammatory changes but failed to throw light on the etiology

The Gorham-Stout Syndrome (Gorham’s massive osteolysis) is a rare condition in which spontaneous, progressive resorption of bone occurs. The aetiology is poorly understood. We report six cases of the condition and present evidence that osteolysis is due to an increased number of stimulated osteoclasts. This suggests that early potent antiresorptive therapy such as with calcitonin or bisphosphonates may prevent local progressive osteolysis

Two cases are reported of the late diagnosis of compartment syndrome secondary to alcohol and drug overdose. Surgical decompression at two and a half days and at six days, respectively, produced worthwhile recovery. Other reports are reviewed and a case is made for the value of decompression even when performed late, and for delayed and minimal excision of apparently necrotic muscle

We report two cases of bilateral chronic exertional compartment syndrome (CCS) in the forearmand hand. Measurement of the intramuscular pressure was useful for diagnosis. These two cases illustrate that bilateral CCS should be suspected in patients complaining of bilateral exercise-induced pain in the anconeus muscle, the forearms, the thenar and hypothenar regions and in the first dorsal interosseous muscle. Fasciotomy relieved the pain in both cases

Impingement syndrome in the shoulder has generally been considered to be a clinical condition of mechanical origin. However, anomalies exist between the pathology in the subacromial space and the degree of pain experienced. These may be explained by variations in the processing of nociceptive inputs between different patients. We investigated the evidence for augmented pain transmission (central sensitisation) in patients with impingement, and the relationship between pre-operative central sensitisation and the outcomes following arthroscopic subacromial decompression. We recruited 17 patients with unilateral impingement of the shoulder and 17 age- and gender-matched controls, all of whom underwent quantitative sensory testing to detect thresholds for mechanical stimuli, distinctions between sharp and blunt punctate stimuli, and heat pain. Additionally Oxford shoulder scores to assess pain and function, and PainDETECT questionnaires to identify ‘neuropathic’ and referred symptoms were completed. Patients completed these questionnaires pre-operatively and three months post-operatively. A significant proportion of patients awaiting subacromial decompression had referred pain radiating down the arm and had significant hyperalgesia to punctate stimulus of the skin compared with controls (unpaired t-test, p < 0.0001). These are felt to represent peripheral manifestations of augmented central pain processing (central sensitisation). The presence of either hyperalgesia or referred pain pre-operatively resulted in a significantly worse outcome from decompression three months after surgery (unpaired t-test, p = 0.04 and p = 0.005, respectively). These observations confirm the presence of central sensitisation in a proportion of patients with shoulder pain associated with impingement. Also, if patients had relatively high levels of central sensitisation pre-operatively, as indicated by higher levels of punctate hyperalgesia and/or referred pain, the outcome three months after subacromial decompression was significantly worse

A patient with Rubinstein-Taybi syndrome complicated by tetraplegia secondary to cervical spondylolisthesis is reported. The abnormalities presenting in this condition are reviewed

Five patients suffered injuries around the wrist complicated by acute tunnel syndrome. Pain associated with median nerve paraesthesia or hypo-aesthesia are indications for urgent treatment; in four patients where operation was delayed, the outcome was poor

Tricho-rhino-phalangeal syndrome is probably not so much uncommon as unrecognised. Its significance to orthopaedic surgeons, apart from the functionally unimportant minor finger deformities, lies in its mimicking both Perthes' disease and diaphyseal aclasis. The 14 cases analysed in this paper illustrate the wide range of clinical variation

We studied 32 patients with central cord syndrome who were managed conservatively. Six were under 50 years of age (group 1), 16 between 50 and 70 years (group 2) and ten over 70 years (group 3). At the time of discharge all patients in group 1 could walk independently and had good bladder control compared with 11 (69%) and 14 (88%) in group 2 and four (40%) and two (20%) in group 3, respectively. At follow-up after a mean of 8.6 years (4 to 15), ten patients had died leaving 22 in the study. All those in group 1 were alive, could walk independently and had bladder control. In group 2, 13 were alive of whom ten (77%) could walk independently and nine (69%) had bladder control. In group 3 only three were alive of whom only one was independent and none had bladder control. Function at discharge as measured by the ASIA motor scoring system was usually maintained or improved at follow-up, but patients over 70 years of age at injury did poorly

1. The term "observation hip" refers to a form of hip disease affecting children and adolescents, the most significant features being the transient nature of the symptoms and the absence of a bony or cartilaginous lesion on radiographic examination. 2. With a view to determining the possible sequelae of the disorder, twenty-three patients aged between two and fifteen years at the onset of the condition were studied fifteen to thirty years later. 3. Varying degrees of coxa magna, osteoarthritis or simple broadening of the femoral neck in the "observed" hip joint were found in the radiographs of twelve of the twenty-three patients studied. 4. This analysis suggests that the " observation hip" syndrome is the result ofan inflammatory process ofthejoint due to varied etiology, whether from injury or infection. The developmental and degenerative changes which may occur are a consequence of hypervascularisation of the bone. Thus changes may develop without necessarily producing the epiphysial necrosis characteristic of the first stage of ischaemia in Legg-Calvé-Perthes' disease. 5. The persistence of this stage of hypervascularity, and therefore the possible outcome of the transient synovitis, may be conditioned by the age at onset of the pathological process, the severity of the condition, and the duration of the symptoms and signs

Fifteen patients with identical symptoms of pain and tenderness at the tip of the greater trochanter are reviewed. Diagnosis by the referring doctor was usually osteoarthritis of the hip or sciatica, but localised tenderness and pain on resisted abduction were the only clinical signs. Radiographs were usually normal. Most cases were relieved by one or more local steroid injections. This disorder has much in common with tennis elbow, golfer's elbow, coccydynia and policeman's heel. We suggest that all these conditions may be traction syndromes

Ten patients with multiple non-ossifying fibromata are reported. All had associated extraskeletal congenital anomalies such as cafe-au-lait spots, mental retardation, hypogonadism or cryptorchidism, ocular anomalies or cardiovascular malformations. The radiographic picture and the distribution of the skeletal lesions are characteristic and constant. There are lucent areas in the shaft with a sclerotic margin; these areas narrow the medullary canal or may completely fill it. It is suggested that these features characterise a new malformation syndrome, possibly allied to neurofibromatosis. After skeletal maturation is complete, the skeletal lesions may (like non-ossifying fibromata) regress and undergo spontaneous healing

To establish the value of median nerve compression with wrist flexion as a provocative test for carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), we performed a prospective study of 64 patients (95 hands) with CTS confirmed by electrodiagnostic studies and 50 normal subjects (96 hands). We recorded results for the common provocative tests (Tinel’s percussion test, Phalen’s wrist flexion test and the carpal compression test) and the new test which combines wrist flexion with median nerve compression. Using a receiver operator characteristic curve (ROC) technique, we found that the optimal cut-off time for the wrist-flexion and median-nerve compression test was 20 s, giving a sensitivity of 82% and a specificity of 99%. These results were significantly better than for Phalen’s wrist flexion test (61% and 83%, respectively) and for the sensitivity of Tinel’s test (74%). The positive predictive values of the wrist flexion and median-nerve compression test, which is more important clinically, were 99%, 95% and 81% at population prevalences of 50%, 20% and 5%, respectively. These were significantly better than those of the three other provocative tests at each prevalence. Electrodiagnostic studies have significant false-positive and false-negative rates in CTS, and therefore provocative tests remain important in its diagnosis. We have shown that wrist flexion combined with the median-nerve compression test at 20 s, is significantly better than the other methods, and may thus be clinically useful

Seven patients treated in infancy by a lumbar theco-peritoneal shunt for idiopathic communicating hydrocephalus presented later in childhood after developing a characteristic orthopaedic syndrome. This included a severe, rigid and progressive lumbar hyperlordosis, severe bilateral restriction of straight leg raising and abnormalities of stance and gait. Four of the patients, who had severe hyperlordotic curves of over 90 degrees, required operations to correct their extreme deformity. The recommended method of correction is a three-stage procedure: first, anterior wedge resection osteotomies at several levels in the lumbar spine, then a period of "90-90" femoral traction, and finally a posterior fusion and stabilisation using Harrington instrumentation. The results were good, with few complications

We examined seven patients with tarsal tunnel syndrome in one foot caused by talocalcaneal coalition and a ganglion. We excised the coalition and the ganglion in six of them. All the patients had pain, sensory disturbance in the sole, and a positive Tinel’s sign. Older patients with a long history showed atrophy and weakness of the plantar muscles. Talocalcaneal coalition can be diagnosed on a plain lateral radiograph and an anteroposterior radiograph externally rotated 20°, and confirmed by CT. MRI is also useful for diagnosis. The coalitions were medial, and the ganglion had developed from the incomplete part of the coalition; it was multilocular in some patients. After resection, there was early pain relief but sensory disturbances and Tinel’s sign persisted. The postoperative results were excellent in one patient, good in four and fair in one