The functional and radiographic outcomes following distal radius fracture treatment in a cast for 4 and 6 weeks in the elderly: A randomized trial.

BACKGROUND: The optimal duration of cast immobilization following distal radius fractures (DRFs) in elderly patients has not been established. OBJECTIVES: To assess the functional and radiological parameters following DRF treatment in elderly patients using 2 different periods of cast immobilization. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We assessed 50 patients (33 women and 17 men). The mean age at the beginning of treatment was 71 years. The mean duration of follow-up was 1 year and 3 months. One subgroup (n = 26) included patients treated with a cast for 4 weeks, whereas the other subgroup (n = 24) included patients treated with a cast for 6 weeks. The following measures were assessed: union rate, radial inclination, volar tilt, radial height, Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) pain score, Mayo Wrist Score, and VAS activity score. RESULTS: The mean volar tilt was 9.13° in the group treated with a cast for 4 weeks and 3.29° in the group treated with a cast for 6 weeks (p = 0.043). There were no differences between the groups in terms of any other functional or radiological parameters. CONCLUSION: The VAS pain score, Mayo Wrist Score and VAS activity score were similar between the 2 study groups. The greatest volar tilt angle was observed after 6 weeks of cast immobilization. The study groups showed no significant differences in terms of radial inclination, union rate, radial height, or bone union. A period of 4 weeks of cast treatment was sufficient for elderly patients with DRFs.

Segmentation of Glottal Images from High-Speed Videoendoscopy Optimized by Synchronous Acoustic Recordings.

Laryngeal high-speed videoendoscopy (LHSV) is an imaging technique offering novel visualization quality of the vibratory activity of the vocal folds. However, in most image analysis methods, the interaction of the medical personnel and access to ground truth annotations are required to achieve accurate detection of vocal folds edges. In our fully automatic method, we combine video and acoustic data that are synchronously recorded during the laryngeal endoscopy. We show that the image segmentation algorithm of the glottal area can be optimized by matching the Fourier spectra of the pre-processed video and the spectra of the acoustic recording during the phonation of sustained vowel /i:/. We verify our method on a set of LHSV recordings taken from subjects with normophonic voice and patients with voice disorders due to glottal insufficiency. We show that the computed geometric indices of the glottal area make it possible to discriminate between normal and pathologic voices. The median of the Open Quotient and Minimal Relative Glottal Area values for healthy subjects were 0.69 and 0.06, respectively, while for dysphonic subjects were 1 and 0.35, respectively. We also validate these results using independent phoniatrician experts.

The Epidemiology of Hip and Knee Primary and Revision Arthroplasties during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to provide a comprehensive assessment of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the epidemiology of primary and revision arthroplasties of the hip and knee joint. METHODS: This study compared the data on knee and hip arthroplasty procedures from 2 hospitals (primary and revision) conducted in two periods: the period of the COVID-19 pandemic in Poland (from 4 March 2020 to 15 October 2020) and the corresponding period prior to the pandemic (from 4 March 2019 to 15 October 2019). We compared the epidemiological data, demographic data, and hospital stay duration data from these two periods. RESULTS: Our analysis demonstrated that the total number of hip arthroplasties conducted in 2020 decreased by 26% in comparison with 2019. In the case of knee arthroplasties, the total number of procedures in the evaluated period in 2020 decreased by 44%. Our study also showed that the mean time of hospital stay for orthopedic patients following hip or knee arthroplasty was 22.87% shorter. The female-to-male patient ratio decreased between the analyzed periods, and this was 22.96% lower during the pandemic. CONCLUSION: The COVID-19 pandemic in these two hospitals in Poland led to reduced numbers of hip and knee replacement procedures, shorter hospital stays, and a decreased female-to-male patient ratio. The mean age of patients undergoing hip or knee arthroplasty remained unchanged during the national lockdown with respect to the pre-pandemic figure.

Quantitative assessment of videolaryngostroboscopic images in patients with glottic pathologies.

INTRODUCTION: Digital imaging techniques enable exploration of novel visualization modalities of the vocal folds during phonation and definition of parameters, facilitating more precise diagnosis of voice disorders. AIM: Application of computer vision algorithms for analysis of videolaryngostroboscopic (VLS) images aimed at qualitative and quantitative description of phonatory vibrations. MATERIALS AND METHODS: VLS examinations were conducted for 45 females, including 15 subjects with vocal nodules, 15 subjects with glottal incompetence, and 15 normophonic females. The recorded VLS images were preprocessed, the glottis area was segmented out, and the glottal cycles were identified. The glottovibrograms were built, and then the glottal area waveforms (GAW) were quantitatively described by computing the following parameters: open quotient (OQ), closing quotient (CQ), speed quotient (SQ), minimal relative glottal area (MRGA), and a new parameter termed closure difference index (CDI). RESULTS: Profiles of the glottal widths assessed along the glottal length differentiated the study groups (P < 0.001). Moreover, it was shown that the OQ, CQ, CDI, and MRGA indices can be considered as viable parameters for quantifying kinematics of the vocal folds for normophonic subjects and patients with diagnosed vocal nodules and glottal incompetence (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Computer image processing and analysis methods applied to videolaryngostroboscopic images allow for their quantitative assessment. Computation of the size-related and time-related parameters characterizing glottic pathologies is of interest for evidence-based voice diagnostics. Results of the performed ROC curve analysis suggest that the evaluated parameters can distinguish patients with voice disorders from normophonic subjects.