The Gibson and Piggott osteotomy for adult hallux valgus.

BACKGROUND: The Gibson and Piggott procedure for hallux valgus is based on sound surgical principles addressing the basic pathologies of this disorder. However, this procedure has not been studied extensively in the literature in comparison to the Mitchell and Chevron osteotomies. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We report a prospective study conducted on 50 adult feet with hallux valgus. The Gibson and Piggot osteotomy was done on all the feet. RESULTS: We obtained 76% excellent and 18% good results with this procedure. CONCLUSION: The results bear out the fact that this procedure is a useful procedure for the management of this disorder.

Unstable metacarpal and phalangeal fractures: treatment by internal fixation using AO mini-fragment plates and screws.

BACKGROUND: Accurate open reduction and internal fixation for metacarpal and phalangeal fractures of the hand is required in less than 5% of the patients; otherwise, closed treatment techniques offer satisfactory results in most of these cases as these fractures are stable either before or after closed reduction. AO mini-fragment screws and plates, when used in properly selected cases, can provide rigid fixation, allowing early mobilization of joints and hence good functional results while avoiding problems associated with protruding K-wires and immobilization. The advantages of such internal fixation urged us to undertake such a study in our state where such hand injuries are commonly seen. METHODS: Forty patients with 42 unstable metacarpal and phalangeal fractures were treated with open reduction and internal fixation using AO mini-fragment screws and plates over a period of three years in a prospective manner. RESULTS: The overall results were good in 78.5% of cases, fair in 19% of cases and poor in 2.5% of cases, as judged according to the criteria of the American Society for Surgery of the Hand. CONCLUSION: This technique is a reasonable option for treating unstable metacarpal and phalangeal fractures as it provides a highly rigid fixation, which is sufficient to allow early mobilization of the adjacent joints, thus helping to achieve good functional results.

Osteoblastoma of body of the talus--Report of a rare case with atypical radiological features.

Osteoblastoma is a benign bone tumour found commonly in the spine and long tubular bones. Involvement of the talus is uncommon, and when present, is found in the neck of the talus. Osteoblastoma of the body of talus is a very rare entity. We report a young male, presenting as chronic ankle pain, with a radiolucent lesion with a thick periosteal shell in the body of the talus. Analysis of clinical, radiological and histological findings confirmed the diagnosis of osteoblastoma. The case is reported for the rarity of the site and atypical radiological features that osteoblastoma can present with.

External fixation of "intertrochanteric" fractures.

In developing countries, due to limited availability of modern anesthesia and overcrowding of the hospitals with patients who need surgery, high-risk patients with "intertrochanteric" fractures remain unsuita ble for open reduction and internal fixation.The aim of this study was to analyze the results of external fixation of "intertrochanteric" fractures in high-risk geriatric patients in a developing country.The results of 62 ambulatory high-risk geriatric patients with a mean age of 70 years (range 58-90 years) with "intertrochanteric" fractures, in whom external fixation was performed, are reported.Eight patients died during follow-up due to medical causes unrelated to the surgical procedure. So only 54 patients were available for final assessment. Procedure is simple, performed under local anesthesia, requires less time for surgery and is associated with less blood loss. Good fixation and early ambulation was achieved in most of the patients. Average time to union was 14 weeks. Thirty-one patients developed superficial pin tract infection and 28 patients had average shortening of 15 mm due to impaction and varus angulation. Functional outcome was assessed using Judet's point system. Good to excellent results were achieved in 44 patients.This study demonstrated that external fixation of "intertrochantric" fractures performed under local anesthesia offers significant advantage in ambulatory high-risk geriatric patients especially in a developing country.