Efficacy and safety of point-of-care ultrasound-guided intra-articular corticosteroid joint injections in patients with haemophilic arthropathy.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Intra-articular corticosteroid injections are standard of care for managing joint pain secondary to osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis but are rarely used in haemophilic arthropathy. We have introduced and evaluated the efficacy and safety of ultrasound-guided corticosteroid injections for pain relief in patients with haemophilic arthropathy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Ultrasound-guided intra-articular injections performed on haemophilia patients at UCSD between March 2012 and January 2016 were analysed. Needle placement and injection (40 mg triamcinolone; 3-5 mL lidocaine) were performed with musculoskeletal ultrasound and Power Doppler. Analysis included patient demographics, joint-specific parameters such as tissue hypervascularity and effusions, pain relief, and procedure-associated complications. RESULTS: Forty-five injections (14 ankles, 13 elbows, 18 knees) were administered in 25 patients. Advanced arthropathy with hypervascularity and/or effusions was present in 91% and 61% of joints, respectively. Ninety-one per cent of injections resulted in pain relief which was significant in 84% (>30% reduction). Median pain score was reduced from 7 of 10 to 1 of 10 (P < 0.001), usually within 24 h. Median duration of pain relief was 8 weeks (range 1-16 weeks). Haemophilia B patients experienced longer periods of relief, and high Pettersson scores were associated with shorter duration of relief. There were no procedure-associated complications. Repeat ultrasound of eight joints within 4 weeks of injection demonstrated nearly complete resolution of hypervascularity. CONCLUSIONS: Point-of-care ultrasound enabled intra-articular corticosteroid injections that provided highly effective, safe, and relatively long-lasting pain relief in haemophilic arthropathy. This approach should be used to improve pain management in haemophilic arthropathy.

Basal thumb metacarpal osteotomy for trapeziometacarpal osteoarthritis.

PURPOSE: To review the subjective and functional results of basal thumb metacarpal osteotomy for the treatment of trapeziometacarpal osteoarthritis. METHODS: Between July 1993 and November 1998, 35 thumb osteotomies without internal fixation were performed on 33 patients in the Christchurch Hospital, New Zealand. Records of 28 thumbs (13 right and 15 left) of 26 patients (17 women and 9 men) were available for review. Patients were reviewed using strength testing and the Michigan Hand Outcomes Questionnaire. RESULTS: The mean age of the 26 patients was 54 years (range, 30-69 years). Of the 28 thumbs, 22 (21 patients) had good or excellent results, 2 fair, one poor. The remaining 3 thumbs (3 patients) required further revision and were classified as failures. The mean follow-up period of the 25 thumbs (24 patients) not requiring revision was 34 months (range, 12-73 months). Good thumb motion was present in all hands with no trapeziometacarpal instability seen. Compared with the normative data, the strengths of key pinch, pulp pinch, and tripod pinch of our patients were significantly lower (22-32% lower), but not the grip strength. Michigan Hand Outcomes Questionnaire scores increased 28 (range, 1-56) points after surgery, with significant improvement especially in pain (+44 points), activities of daily living (one-handed tasks, +41 points), and satisfaction (+35 points). CONCLUSION: Basal thumb metacarpal osteotomy is a straightforward, conservative procedure that should be considered for grades II and III trapeziometacarpal osteoarthritis.

Acute bone-marrow oedema in cyclosporin-treated renal transplant recipients.

Transient musculoskeletal pain may occur in renal transplant patients on cyclosporin (CyA). Of 28 consecutive patients transplanted in this unit between 20 January 1995 and 2 May 1996, eight (two published elsewhere) developed this problem. Before transplantation, three of the patients had received prednisone intermittently or continuously for 15, 5 and 2 years, for asthma, crescentic GN and SLE, respectively. All patients had normal hand radiographs prior to transplantation. Five developed acute rejection following transplantation requiring treatment with methylprednisolone; one also required OKT3 (7 days). Weight-bearing joints of the lower limbs became affected at 3-40 weeks (mean 14) following transplantation. MRI changes (T1-, T2-weighted and STIR images) were consistent with acute bone-marrow oedema. Bone scintigrams showed enhanced tracer uptake in affected joints. A spontaneous complete remission occurred in five patients within 4-16 weeks, and this was supported by serial imaging. The other patient underwent core decompression of the femoral heads with relief of symptoms, but MRI showed bilateral avascular necrosis (AVN) of the femoral heads. MRI proved useful in detecting acute bone-marrow oedema and its possible progression to AVN. The former may be either a distinct entity or a forerunner of AVN.

Pigmented villonodular synovitis: MRI characteristics.

The magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans of 26 patients with histopathologically proven pigmented villonodular synovitis (PVNS), involving joints but excluding tendon sheaths, were reviewed retrospectively. The purpose of this study is to define the spectrum and frequency of MRI characteristics for PVNS using conventional spin echo (in two cases before and after intravenous administration of gadopentate dimeglumine) and also gradient echo techniques. A cystic variety is presented, the MRI appearances of which have not been found in a review of the literature.

Imaging in bone lengthening. A review.

Limb lengthening using callotasis needs careful preoperative planning and great care during the lengthening period. The most common method used to monitor limb lengthening is plain radiography, but the time of frame removal is still left to the judgment of the surgeon. This paper reviews some of the methods used experimentally and clinically to monitor the process, outlining their possible advantages and disadvantages for application in routine clinical practice. Considering availability, cost, and safety, an imaging protocol could involve preoperative assessment with computed tomography scan; immediate postoperative anteroposterior (AP) and lateral radiographs; weekly ultrasound scanning for the 1st 8 weeks; and monthly AP and lateral radiographs during the lengthening phase and if there is any clinical suspicion of complication during the consolidation phase. If available, dual energy bone densitometry can be performed every 2 to 4 weeks from 8 weeks, until removal of the fixator.

Radiographic features of limb lengthening in children.

We report our experience in radiographic imaging in limb lengthening procedures using callotasis for limb lengthening discrepancy with the Orthofix dynamic monoaxial external fixator. Seventeen patients (average age at operation 10.8 years) completed 22 bone segments (7 femora, 11 tibiae, 4 ulnae) lengthening procedures. The average time for formation of good medullary bridging was over 6 months. The commonest radiographic abnormality was a periosteal reaction around the pin sites seen in 14 patients, while evidence of pin loosening was present in 10. All patients with pin loosening also showed periosteal reaction which pre-dated the loosening in 5 of 12 patients by an average of 47 days. Angulation was detected in 9 patients in the a.p. plane, and in 6 in the lateral plane. Six patients developed a ragged radiolucent region through the newly forming bone at an average of 95 days from the corticotomy but with uneventful healing.

Ultrasonographic appearance of regenerate bone in limb lengthening.

The appearance of regenerate bone during the process of limb lengthening using a mono-axial device was studied using radiographs and ultrasound scanning in nine patients. The corticotomy site initially appeared as a sonolucent area. Poorly organized echogenic foci were detectable 2 weeks after the distraction was begun. After 4 weeks, these areas became aligned. At 7-8 weeks, a clear impression of a new cortical margin was seen. The formation of a medullary canal started at this point, progressing to a radiographically evident canal. Ultrasound scanning can reduce considerably exposure to ionising radiation in patients undergoing limb lengthening. Accurate measurements are possible in the early stages, and ossification can be monitored. Axial deviation can be seen but not evaluated. The maturity of the regenerate bone still has to be assessed clinically.

The most advantageous timing of external ureteric compression during intravenous urography.

The objective of this study was to ascertain the most advantageous time during an intravenous urogram to apply external ureteric compression to gain the greatest calyceal distension. This was a prospective randomized trial of 60 patients, divided into three equal groups with compression applied immediately after injection, at 5 minutes and after the 5 minutes film had been viewed. Patients with the usual criteria for avoiding compression were excluded. A statistically significant improvement in calyceal distension occurred when compression was applied at 5 minutes compared with that applied after the 5 minute film had been viewed. No improvement was seen when the compression was applied immediately after injection. We recommend that external ureteric compression should be applied immediately after the 5 minute film.