Evaluation of outcome of proximal femur locking compression plate (PFLCP) in unstable proximal femur fractures.

INTRODUCTION: Pertrochanteric fractures are most frequent factures of the proximal femur, accounts for nearly 50% of all proximal femur fractures and are most devastating and also a major cause of disability in elderly. The aim and objective of this study was to evaluate the role of proximal femoral locking compression plate in unstable proximal femur fractures. MATERIAL AND METHOD: A total of 20 cases were included in our study (M:F - 16:4), who suffered proximal femur fracture due to various modalities and all of them were operated using proximal femoral locking compression plate. This proximal femoral fractures included unstable - intertrochanteric with subtrochanteric extension and subtrochanteric with intertrochanteric extensions as well as one case with intertrochanteric, subtrochanteric and neck of femur fracture. Patients were followed up regularly and minimum follow-up period was 12 months. Patients were given physiotherapy and partial weight bearing was started after 6 weeks postoperatively or after union was achieved. The outcome was evaluated as per Harris Hip Score and radiological union. RESULT: Among 20 cases with average age of 55.3 ± 17.9 years, treated with PF-LCP, the average time of union 18.75 ± 3.67 weeks was achieved. We got 10 excellent, 3 good, 3 fair and 4 poor result with average Harris Hip Score of 80.2 ± 28.54 with 65% good to excellent result with average Post-operative Neck Shaft Angle of 124.150 ± 17.880 and with 45% rate of complication which included four cases of superficial infection and two cases of deep infection and late complications like four cases of non-union, deformity - three cases of coxa vara and 2 cases of coxa valga, with patients having more than one complication in them. CONCLUSION: PF-LCP is not recommended as a definitive implant but can be used as an alternative for the treatment of unstable proximal femoral fractures when there is no option available for other routinely used implants. Despite of its complications, PF-LCP is used where all implants fail.

Aneurysmal Bone Cyst of the Proximal Femur and Its Management - A Case Report.

Aneurysmal bone cyst (ABC) is a benign, expansile, non-neoplastic lesion of the bone, characterized by channels of blood and spaces that are separated by fibrous septae. Giant ABC is an uncommon condition and can be difficult to handle because of the destructive effect of the cyst on the bones and the compressive effect on the nearby structures, especially in weight-bearing bones of the body. We report a case of a giant aneurysmal bone cyst in the proximal femur of a six-year-old child, which was treated with a sclerosing agent and ender's nail fixation first. There was recurrence after 13 months. It was then curetted out extensively, the cavity was filled with bone graft, and fixation with a dynamic hip screw (DHS) was done. At 19 months follow-up, the lesion had subsided and patient was walking pain-free without any deformity. We suggest this method of treatment to be worthwhile for ABC at this site and at this age.

Giant Cell Tumour of Proximal Phalanx of Ring Finger: Case Report and Review of Literature.

Giant cell tumour (GCT) of bone arising from a phalanx of a finger is extremely rare. Only two percent of all reported GCTs are found in the hand, which show a higher rate of recurrence as compared to those occurring at a more proximal location. Here we report a rare case of giant cell tumour of proximal phalanx of the ring finger in a 20-year-old male, which was treated with extended curettage and bone grafting. After two years of follow-up, the patient was asymptomatic with complete functional recovery and no signs of recurrence.

First Carpo-metacarpal Joint Arthritis: Interpositional Arthroplasty using Trapezium.

Thumb pain secondary to arthritis at the basal joint of the thumb is a common condition, especially in women, and can be quite disabling. An accurate diagnosis can be readily made from the history and examination. Reconstructive procedures for each stage of the disease are aimed at relieving pain and restoring thumb motion and strength. There are a number of methods available to treat this condition both conservatively and surgically with variable success rates. We present a case of a middle-aged female with first carpo-metacarpal (CMC) joint arthritis in whom we have tried a new technique in which the trapezium is excised, crushed, put in a sponge covering and then inserted back in the void created after excision. At the one-year follow-up, the patient was pain-free and had full range of thumb movement.

Pigmented Villonodular Synovitis of the Knee Joint: A Case Report.

Pigmented villonodular synovitis (PVNS) is a rare, benign, but potentially locally aggressive and recurrent condition characterized by synovial proliferation and hemosiderin deposition inside the joints, tendon sheaths, and bursae. It usually affects the large joints such as hip, knee, and ankle. We report a case of PVNS of the knee joint in a young female which was treated by subtotal synovectomy alone without the use of adjuvants. At the 14-month follow-up, the patient was pain free and had no signs of disease recurrence.

Chondromyxoid Fibroma: A Rare Case Report and Review of Literature.

Chondromyxoid fibroma (CMF) is one of the rarest benign tumors of cartilaginous origin. It accounts for less than 0.5% of bone tumors and less than two percent of benign bone tumors. It is composed of a mixture of chondroid, myxoid, and fibrous tissues. The diagnosis of CMF depends upon its characteristic histological appearance like a lobular pattern with stellate-shaped cells in a myxoid or chondroid background. We present a case of juxtacortical CMF in a 15-year-old male involving the proximal end of the tibia, which was treated with en bloc excision and bone grafting with excellent results on final follow-up.

A Case of Distal Femur Medial Condyle Hoffa Type II(C) Fracture Treated with Headless Screws.

Coronal plane fractures of the distal femur are less frequent compared to sagittal plane fractures. They were described by Hoffa in 1904 and are known as Hoffa fractures (AO type B3). They are isolated fractures of the femoral condyle and rare in occurrence. The objective in the treatment of these fractures is to achieve anatomical reduction of the articular surface and a stable fixation to prevent joint damage in future and prevent post-traumatic arthritis of the joint. We report the case of a young male patient who had a rare type of medial Hoffa fracture which was treated by open reduction and internal fixation using headless Herbert screws using a posterior approach. The fracture was united in eight weeks, and the patient had a full range of knee movement. We advocate this approach and modality of treatment for Hoffa type II(C) fractures.

Reconstruction of the Odontoid Process by a Tricortical Iliac Crest Graft in a Case of Tuberculosis of C1, C2, and C3 Vertebrae.

Tuberculosis (TB) is an emerging disease which affects about one-third of the world's population, especially in developing countries. TB of the spine is the most common type of skeletal TB. Cervical spine TB is rare, constituting 2-3% of all cases of spinal TB. We would like to present an unusual case of tuberculosis of the C1, C2, and C3 vertebrae with neurological deficit and its difficult management. A new method of treatment was done for this patient, which included reconstruction of the odontoid process using a tricortical iliac crest graft that was fixed with an anterior cervical plate. On follow-up, there was good incorporation of the graft. The neurological condition of the patient improved and was normal with partial restriction of neck movements. We suggest this technique to be worthwhile for treatment of this disease at this location.

Acute Bilateral Traumatic Achilles Tendon Rupture - A Rare Presentation.

The Achilles tendon is the strongest tendon in the body, which is commonly ruptured in male athletes. Bilateral rupture of the Achilles tendon is a rare condition with very few reported cases in the literature. It poses a challenge in management, and hence, we report a case with traumatic bilateral Achilles tendon rupture in a young male patient and its management. One side was treated conservatively as the rupture was partial and the other side, which had a complete tear, was operated. At nine months follow-up, the patient has had a satisfactory result and is now bearing full weight without any problems. We suggest this method of treatment to be worthwhile for this unusual entity.

A Rare Presentation of Ganglion Cyst of the Elbow.

INTRODUCTION: Ganglion cysts are benign soft tissue swellings commonly found in the wrist. The presence of these cysts in the elbow is uncommon, and few case reports have been reported for this condition at this location. These lesions can compress on the neighbouring structures or cause restriction of the joint movement. The awareness of this entity is a must, to arrive at an early diagnosis. MATERIALS AND METHOD: We report a patient with swelling in the anterolateral aspect of the elbow which had been causing intermittent pain for the last 13 months. The MRI revealed a fluid-filled cystic swelling which was communicating with the radio-capitellar joint. RESULTS: The lesion was excised in toto, using anterolateral approach for the elbow, and sent for histopathological examination which confirmed the diagnosis of a ganglion cyst. CONCLUSION: Thus, due to the infrequent presentation, an awareness of this condition is necessary to prevent a delay in diagnosis and its subsequent management.

A Rare Giant Cell Tumor of the Distal Fibula and its Management.

Giant Cell Tumour (GCT) of the distal fibula is extremely rare and poses challenges in the surgical management. Wide excision or intralesional curettage, along with adjuvant chemical cauterisation can prevent the recurrence of GCT. The excised bone gap needs reconstruction using tricortical iliac autograft and supportive plate fixation. In addition to wide excision, preservation of ankle mortise is advisable in locally aggressive and large lesions of the distal fibula. We report a GCT of the distal fibula in a young female patient. As part of the treatment, en bloc resection, chemical cauterisation with phenol, and distal fibula reconstruction with a tricortical iliac crest bone graft was done. Eighteen months after the treatment, the patient has no recurrence and her ankle is stable with full range of movement. We suggest this method to be worthwhile for the treatment of this uncommon lesion in quantifying recurrence and functional outcome.

Prevalence of deep vein thrombosis in patients with lower limb trauma.

INTRODUCTION: Venous thrombo-embolism (VTE), which consists of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism, is a potentially fatal condition. According to Western literature, DVT of lower limb veins is one of the most common complications following surgeries for lower limb. Few studies have been published from India on the subject and little is known about the true prevalence of the DVT and hence there are no clear guidelines regarding the prophylaxis for DVT for Indian patients. MATERIALS AND METHOD: We carried out a prospective study to determine the prevalence of DVT in 125 patients with lower limb trauma. All the patients underwent Colour Doppler pre-operatively, 4th post-operative day, at 3rd month post operatively and at 6th month post operatively only in patients who remained DVT positive at 3rd month post operatively, to see for the recanalisation. No mechanical or chemical form of DVT prophylaxis was used in DVT negative patients either pre-operatively or post-operatively. RESULTS: In our series of 125 patients, 107 were males and 18 females (M:F = 5.9:1). Majority of our DVT positive patients were above 60 years of age. Out of 47 patients with periacetabular fractures, 8.51% developed DVT. Out of 8 patients with floating knee injury, 25% developed DVT. Combination of risk factors rather than a single risk factor had played important role for development of DVT in our study. 6 patients were DVT positive (4.8%). Amongst them 3 (2.4%) had proximal DVT and 3 (2.4%) had distal DVT. There was single case of pulmonary embolism (PE).

Post-traumatic Arthritis of the Tarsometatarsal Joint Complex: A Case Report.

Tarsometatarsal (TMT) arthritis is characterized by instability and pain in the foot. The commonest cause is post-traumatic arthritis. A Lisfranc injury involves the articulation between the medial cuneiform and the base of the second metatarsal, which is considered a keystone to midfoot integrity. Neglected or undertreated injury to the Lisfranc joint complex leads to secondary arthritis and significant disability. We present a case of a young male patient with a two-year-old neglected Lisfranc joint injury and secondary osteoarthritis of the first, second, and fourth TMT joints, which we treated surgically with arthrodesis using screws, with a good functional outcome on final follow-up.

A Case of Koch's Spine Treated with Modified Transpedicular Vertebral Curettage and Posterior Fixation: A Novel Technique.

Tuberculosis (TB) is a chronic granulomatous infection caused by acid-fast mycobacterium tuberculosis bacilli. Spinal involvement occurs in less than one percent of TB. Spinal TB (Pott's disease) accounts for 50% of skeletal TB. Though it most commonly affects the thoracolumbar junction, it can occur at any level of the spine. Early diagnosis and treatment is mandatory in order to avoid neurological complications and spinal deformity. We report a case of a young female with tuberculosis of D12-L1 who was treated with posterior decompression using a modified transpedicular approach and posterior instrumentation with a successful outcome.

Analysis of outcome of avascular necrosis of femoral head treated by core decompression and bone grafting.

BACKGROUND: Femoral head is the most common bone affected by avascular necrosis. Core decompression procedure, when done in the initial stages, before collapse, may arrest or reverse the progress of avascular necrosis and thereby may preserve the normal femoral head. Hence, we have analysed the clinical, functional and radiological outcome of core decompression and bone grafting in patients with Osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH) upto stage IIB (Ficat & Arlet). MATERIALS AND METHOD: A study was undertaken at our institute from June 2010 to June 2013 wherein 20 patients (28 hips) of ONFH upto grade II B (Ficat & Arlet) were treated with core decompression and the outcomes were studied. Patients were subjected to core decompression of the affected hip. All the patients were operated in lateral position. In 26/28 hips, cancellous grafting was done after harvesting graft from the posterior iliac crest. In 2 patients cortical non-vascularised fibular graft was used. RESULTS: Functional outcome was assessed by Harris hip score, wherein 19 hips (67.85%) had good or excellent outcome; 1 hip (3.57%) had fair out come. However, 8 hips (28.57%) showed poor result. For stage I, 12/13 hips (92.3%) improved, whereas for Stage IIA, 6/11 hips (54.54%) showed improvement and for stage IIB, only 2/4 hips (50%) showed improvement. Less than 25% of the hips required a replacement or salvage procedure. Strict non weight bearing was complied by 23 hips (82.14%), whereas 5 hips (17.85%) were not compliant. If we exclude non compliant patients, our success rate was 92.3% for grade I, 100% for grade IIA and 50% for grade IIB. CONCLUSION: Core decompression and bone grafting provide satisfactory outcome when patients are carefully selected in early stages of the disease, before the stage of collapse.