Rehabilitation of the lower-extremity war-injured at the center for the intrepid.

The Center for the Intrepid (CFI) is a unique facility among the three amputee care centers that comprise the Armed Forces Amputee Care Program. The mission of the CFI is threefold: (1) to provide the best possible patient care to the severely war-wounded, (2) to educate providers in the most advanced methods of rehabilitation for the severely wounded, and (3) to perform research to improve the care of these war-wounded patients. The center's program is based on three critical factors: (1) concentration of similarly injured patients as a cohort, (2) a multidisciplinary approach to patient care, and (3) the concentration of subspecialty skills that ensures the best possible care at an institutional level. The center's active training program benefits professional and ancillary personnel from military community hospitals that may subsequently treat the center's patients as they transition back to duty or retirement. The center's research may ultimately be generalized to amputees of various ages and etiologies, with the goal of returning these patients to productive, fulfilling lives.

Clinical usefulness and safety of routine intraoperative angiography for patients and personnel.

OBJECTIVE: The routine use of intraoperative angiography (IA) is still surrounded by controversy. We prospectively performed IAs in consecutive patients undergoing surgery for aneurysms, arteriovenous malformations, and dural arteriovenous fistulae. We calculated the percentage of identified residual pathologies, the cases requiring further surgical intervention, and the complication rates associated with the procedure. We also recorded radiation dose received by personnel during IA for comparison with elective procedures. If our review supported the routine use of IA, recommendations should be tempered by radiation dose to personnel regarding whether or not annual exposure would go beyond recommended limits and whether or not radiation doses indicate a need for specialized operating rooms. METHODS: Two hundred and four consecutive IAs were performed on 191 patients over a 2-year period. Angiographic findings were reviewed retrospectively and noted for additional interventions. Complications related to IA were recorded. Radiation doses received by personnel and fluoroscopy times were compiled from 18 IAs. Mean dose/minutes in intraoperative procedures was compared with mean dose/minutes of a separate cohort of 15 elective angiograms (Student's t test). RESULTS: Twenty-three percent of IAs revealed relevant findings. Clip repositioning or additional clip placement was performed in 8% of the patients. Resection of residual arteriovenous malformations or additional surgery for residual arteriovenous shunting in dural arteriovenous fistulae was performed in 2% of the patients. Fewer than 1% of the patients received intra-arterial verapamil or topical papaverine. The complication rate was less than 1%. The mean dose per procedure for physicians was 1.018 microsieverts (uSv) versus 0.988 uSv for technicians (P = 0.94). The mean effective dose/minutes in the angiogram suite was 0.9209 uSv/minute versus 1.213 uSv/minute in the operating room (P = 0.33). CONCLUSION: IA identifies a significant number of pertinent findings during open neurovascular surgery, half of which require additional intervention. It is associated with a low complication rate. Radiation dose received by personnel per procedure is negligible. IA radiation dose is not different from dose in the angiogram suite; thus, specialized operating rooms may not be necessary. These data support routine intraoperative angiography in open surgeries for neurovascular disorders.

Heterotopic ossification following traumatic and combat-related amputations. Prevalence, risk factors, and preliminary results of excision.

BACKGROUND: Although infrequently reported in amputees previously, heterotopic ossification has proven to be a common and problematic clinical entity in our recent experience in the treatment of traumatic and combat-related amputations related to Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. The purpose of the present study was to report the prevalence of and risk factors for heterotopic ossification following trauma-related amputation as well as the preliminary results of operative excision. METHODS: We identified 330 patients with a total of 373 traumatic and combat-related amputations who had been managed at our centers between September 11, 2001 and November 30, 2005. We reviewed the medical records and radiographs of 187 patients with 213 amputations who had adequate radiographic follow-up. Additional analysis was performed for twenty-four patients with twenty-five limbs that required excision of symptomatic lesions. The mechanism and zone of injury, amputation level, timing of excision, use of prophylaxis against recurrence, and other confounding variables were examined. Outcomes were assessed by determining clinical and radiographic recurrence rates, perioperative complications, preoperative and follow-up pain medication requirements, and the ability to be fit with a functional prosthesis. RESULTS: Heterotopic ossification was present in 134 (63%) of 213 residual limbs, with twenty-five lesions requiring excision. A final amputation level within the zone of injury was a risk factor for both the development and the grade of heterotopic ossification (p < 0.05). A blast mechanism was predictive of occurrence (p < 0.05) but did not correlate with grade. All patients who had been managed with excision were tolerating the prosthetic limb at an average of twelve months of follow-up. Twenty-three limbs demonstrated no evidence of recurrence, and two limbs had development of clinically asymptomatic, radiographically minimal recurrences. Six patients experienced wound-related complications that required reoperation, and two patients required subsequent minor revision surgery. There was a significant decrease in the use of pain medication following surgery (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Heterotopic ossification following trauma-related amputation is more common than the literature would suggest, particularly following amputations that are performed within the initial zone of injury and those that are due to blast injuries. Many patients are asymptomatic or can be successfully managed with modification of the prosthesis. For patients with refractory symptoms, surgical excision is associated with low recurrence rates and decreased medication requirements, with acceptable complication rates.

The United States Armed Forces Amputee Patient Care Program.

United States military amputees are treated at either Walter Reed Army Medical Center (Washington, DC) or Brooke Army Medical Center (Fort Sam Houston, TX). At each center, a multidisciplinary team from more than a dozen specialties works together to address the psychological, social, vocational, and spiritual needs of our soldiers, marines, sailors, and airmen, as well as their physical rehabilitation. Excellent outcomes are being achieved with the current practices of the Armed Forces Amputee Care Program, but a great deal of evidence-based research must be done to determine the optimal time to close the wound, the etiology of heterotopic ossification in blast injury, the factors determining optimal socket design, and the best sequence and timing for introduction of different prosthetic technologies in the rehabilitation process.

Heterotopic ossification in the residual limbs of traumatic and combat-related amputees.

Reports on the occurrence and treatment of heterotopic ossification in amputees are rare. Heterotopic ossification in the residual limbs of amputees may cause pain and skin breakdown and complicate or prevent optimal prosthetic fitting and utilization. Basic science research has shed light on the cellular and molecular basis for this disease process, but many questions remain unanswered. The recent experience of the military amputee centers with traumatic and combat-related amputations has demonstrated a surprisingly high prevalence of heterotopic ossification in residual limbs. Primary prophylactic regimens, such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and local irradiation, which have proved to be effective in preventing and limiting heterotopic ossification in other patient populations, have not been studied in amputees and generally are not feasible in the setting of acute traumatic amputation. When nonsurgical measures such as activity and repeated prosthetic modifications fail to provide relief, surgical excision has provided good early clinical results, with low rates of recurrence and acceptable complication rates in military amputees.

Intradural cranial congenital dermal sinuses: diagnosis and management.

OBJECTIVE: The congenital dermal sinus (CDS) is a benign tumor-like entity that has unique anatomical and clinical features. We retrospectively examined our data to determine factors associated with adverse outcomes for cranial-based dermal sinuses. METHODS: We retrospectively examined our data obtained from patients presenting between 1975 and 2002. Sixty-seven patients with a CDS were found. Of these, 20 cases of a cranial CDS were identified, 15 of which had evidence of an intradural component. RESULTS: Surgical treatment of congenital dermal sinuses was accompanied with, in general, excellent results. Poor outcomes were most strongly associated with delays in diagnosis. The most common complications were infection at the surgical site (five patients) and hydrocephalus necessitating ventriculoperitoneal shunt placement (two patients). Permanent neurological deficits were rare. CONCLUSION: Cranial CDSs are unusual lesions found in children. A majority of these lesions may penetrate the dura and lead to significant complications if not promptly identified and treated in an appropriate and timely fashion.

Gel-based surgical preparation resulting in an operating room fire during a neurosurgical procedure: case report.

Despite general reports of fires in the operating room, those during neurosurgical procedures are rare. The most significant contributor to perioperative fires is excess oxygenation. The consideration of novel gel-based surgical preparation solutions as potential fuel sources should be included in the literature. Given the significant patient risk and legal ramifications of surgical fires, education regarding operating room fires and the potential for prevention and treatment is requisite. The authors describe the case of an 18-month-old girl who, while undergoing a resection of a right retroauricular scalp mass, suffered partial thickness bums as a result of the ignition of surgical preparation solution following the use of monopolar electrocautery.

Deep venous thrombosis in children and adolescents.

OBJECT: The objective of this retrospective review was to identify patients on the pediatric neurosurgical ward with deep venous thrombosis (DVT) to develop diagnostic and treatment-related guidelines. METHODS: The authors performed a retrospective chart review of all cases of DVT presenting to the Children's Hospital between March 1986 and February 1997. Of 32 patients identified, 14 were followed by the neurosurgical service. Current records were additionally evaluated to assess follow-up condition in the patients as well as outcome. Variables included diagnosis, race, age, follow-up duration, outcome, presenting signs/symptoms, involved vessel(s), concurrent disease, diagnostic modalities, and treatment. Patient age ranged from 1 to 16 years (mean 12.6 years, median 15 years). There were five girls and nine boys. Eight DVTs were right sided and six were left sided. Presenting symptoms included swelling of the affected extremity in 11 patients, pain in five, erythema in one, and cardiopulmonary arrest in two. Comorbidities included previous orthopedic procedures in three, brain tumors in two, and sepsis, fracture, pulmonary disease, preexisting coagulation disorders, and brain abscess in one patient each. Eight patients presented with a history of trauma. Two patients had undergone chemotherapy. Diagnostic studies included ultrasonography and venography in one, venography alone in two, computerized tomography (CT) scanning and venography in one, tagged red blood cell studies in one, ultrasonography and CT scanning in one, and ultrasonography alone in eight. In one patient an inferior vena cava filter was placed and one patient was treated with oral warfarin alone. One patient with a brain tumor died while hospitalized. In four patients there was evidence of rheumatological disease in the group of patients not treated neurosurgically. Two patients suffered recurrences during the follow-up period (mean 20 months) In the entire series of 32 patients there were five total deaths. Of these, two patients experienced six recurrences each, and one other patient suffered four recurrences. Of note, none of the recurrences was observed in patients with underlying coagulation disorders. CONCLUSIONS: Children with DVT can experience serious complications in the form of both morbidity and mortality. Although most thrombotic complications have been found in patients with femoral lines, prolonged treatment involving a central line has been found to be a significant predictor of DVT. Multiple treatment modalities currently exist for children with DVT. Low-molecular-weight heparin therapy has many benefits over unfractionated heparin agents and may be more appropriate for the prophylaxis or treatment of children and adolescents with DVT because of its acceptable safety and efficacy. Clinical data for neonates and young children remain incomplete.

Avulsion of the common hamstring tendon origin in an active duty airman.

Hamstring injuries are common in active athletic populations, such as military service members. Ruptures of the hamstring origin from the ischial tuberosity are rare injuries and missed if not considered in the differential diagnosis of ischial pain. Unlike other hamstring injuries, complete hamstring avulsions must be treated surgically. Results of untreated hamstring avulsions are poor. The purpose of this article is to describe the case of an active duty airman who presented for an unrelated complaint and was discovered to have a 5-week-old hamstring avulsion. Surgical repair of the hamstring avulsion 6 weeks after injury yielded an excellent result and return to full duty. Hamstring avulsions recognized early by history and physical examination and diagnostic imaging permits early and effective treatment. Early surgical repair of the tendon to bone can result in return to full duty.