Fracturas intraarticulares de radio distal: reducción bajo fluoroscopía versus asistencia artroscópica. Revisión sistemática / Distal radius intraarticular fractures: fluoroscopy reduction versus arthroscopic assistance. Systematic review

Resumen: Introducción: Las fracturas intraarticulares de radio distal son un desafío terapéutico para el cirujano ortopedista. Hay estudios que avalan el uso de la fluoroscopía y otros promueven la artroscopia. Con este trabajo intentamos resumir la evidencia, para determinar si la asistencia artroscópica aporta beneficios adicionales para evitar incongruencias articulares en comparación con los resultados obtenidos bajo asistencia fluoroscópica. Material y métodos: Búsqueda sistemática de estudios prospectivos, retrospectivos, de cohortes, seguimiento, ensayos clínicos en PubMed, MEDLINE, Scopus, Scielo, Embase, Google Scholar y otras fuentes nacionales, incluyendo como palabras clave los términos: intraarticular distal radius fracture, wrist arthroscopy, arthroscopy, fluoroscopy. Los valores medios y desvíos estándar para cada característica, obtenidos de los trabajos seleccionados fueron analizados usando estadística descriptiva y gráficos ilustrativos. Resultados: Fueron evaluados 463 pacientes (256 mujeres y 207 hombres), con una edad promedio de 48.29 años y rango de 39 a 64 años. Los dos tratamientos (A y F) fueron homogéneos en cuanto a la edad de los pacientes que reportan (p = 0.5820) y el tiempo de seguimiento promedio (p = 0.9597). Sólo la desviación cubital y el DASH, para las cuales el grupo de artroscopía tuvo mejor desempeño, en las variables restantes las diferencias no fueron significativas. Conclusión: La evidencia disponible hasta la fecha es controvertida y no permite hacer recomendaciones a favor o en contra de estas intervenciones, encontrando otros factores que podrían influir en la toma de decisiones.

Abstract: Introduction: Intraarticular distal radius fractures are a therapeutic challenge for the orthopedist surgeon there are studies that support the use of fluoroscopy, and others promote arthroscopy, with this work we try to summarize the evidence, to determine whether arthroscopic assistance provides additional benefits to avoid joint incongruities compared to results obtained under fluoroscopic assistance. Material and methods: Systematic search for prospective, retrospective, cohort, follow-up, clinical trials on PubMed, MEDLINE, Scopus, Scielo, Embase, Google Scholar and other national sources, including as keywords the terms: «intra-articular distal radius fracture¼, «wrist arthroscopy¼, «arthroscopy¼, «fluoroscopy¼. The average values and standard offsets for each characteristic, obtained from the selected works, were analyzed using descriptive statistics and illustrative graphs. Results: 463 patients (256 women and 207 men) were evaluated, with an average age of 48.29 years and range from 39 to 64 years. The two treatments (A and F) were homogeneous in terms of the age of the patients reporting (p = 0.5820) and the average follow-up time (p = 0.9597). Only the ulnar deviation and DASH score, for which the arthroscopy group performed best, in the remaining variables the differences were not significant. Conclusion: The evidence available to date is conflicting, and does not allow recommendations to be made for or against these interventions, finding other factors that could influence decision-making.

Balloon dilation of epidermolysis bullosa-related esophageal strictures: A report of two cases

Epidermolysis bullosa (EB) is a very rare inherited disease featured with skin blistering resulting from minor trauma. Sometimes the esophageal mucosa could also be involved, which leads to esophageal strictures. Here we report two cases of EB-related esophageal strictures who were successfully treated with esophageal balloon dilations. The two cases with EB had severe dysphagia. Clinical examination showed signs of malnutrition, skin blisters and loss of toenails due to EB. They underwent careful fluoroscopic balloon dilation with 10- and 16-mm-sized balloon catheters, respectively. They could ingest soft and some solid foods after the procedure and maintained during the 20 months and 16 months follow-up periods.

Endotracheal tuberculous stenosis: Ventilation rescue and bronchography guided stenting.

We present the case of a 16-year-old female patient who presented with dyspnoea, cough and noisy breathing that progressed further in hospital with the development of stridor and severe respiratory compromise requiring mechanical ventilatory support. Investigations were consistent with a diagnosis of endotracheal tuberculosis with tracheal and bronchial stenosis. Despite adequate anti-tuberculous therapy and ventilation the patient had high airway pressures, low tidal volumes and hypercapnia, which prevented weaning from mechanical ventilation. Balloon dilatation and stenting of the 4.5cm long, 2.3mm diameter stenotic tracheal segment was performed under radiological guidance. The patient was weaned successfully from the ventilator post-procedure. This report illustrates the successful management of an uncommon presentation of a common disease with modern endoscopic therapy.

CT-guided Stereotaxic Brain Tumor Biopsy

The authors have performed simple CT-guided free-hand tumor biopsy. CT images and C-arm fluroscopy were taken to determine the coordinates of the target point, which was the center of the tumorous CT findings. This CT-guide stereotaxic approach for biopsy of intracranial tumors have the following advantages: 1) The procedure is simple and safe. 2) The operation can be performed under local anesthesia. 3) The operation can be performed without stereotaxic frame. 4) Tissue biopsy was taken on various sites of tumors. The authors have performed 4 cases as follow: 3 cases of anaplastic astrocytoma, 1 case of metastatic tumor. Neither mortality nor morbidity was noted.