Currents of plate osteosynthesis in osteoporotic bone.

Osteoporotic fractures are becoming more prevalent with ageing of populations worldwide. Inadequate fixation or prolonged immobilization after non-surgical care leads to serious life-threatening events, poor functional results and lifelong disability. Thus, a stable internal fixation and rapid initiation of rehabilitation are required for faster return of function. Conventional internal fixation attempts to achieve the exact anatomy, often with extended soft-tissue stripping and compression of the periosteum, causing disturbance of the metaphyseal and comminuted fracture's bone blood supply. This technique relies on frictional forces between bone and plate. Osteoporotic bone might not be able to generate enough torque with the screw to securely fix the plate to bone. Thus, this surgical management have resulted in increased incidence of poor results in elderly, osteoporotic patients. The newly developed locked internal fixators, locking compression plates and less invasive stabilization system, consist of plate and screw systems where the screws are locked in the plate, minimizing the compressive forces exerted between plate and bone. Thus, the plate does not need to compress the bone nor requires precise anatomical contouring of a plate disturbing the periosteal blood supply. These fixators allowed the development of the minimal invasive percutaneous osteosynthesis. Nowadays, locking plates are the fixation method of choice for osteoporotic, diaphyseal or metaphyseal, severely comminuted fractures.

Congenital variations of the upper cervical spine and their importance in preoperative diagnosis. A case report and a review of the literature.

Several variations of the bony and vascular anatomy around the first and second cervical vertebrae have been reported. Failure to recognise these variations can complicate operations on the upper cervical spine. We present a patient with recent onset of cervical myelopathy due to stenosis at the C3-4 level. Preoperative evaluation identified Klippel-Feil syndrome with cervical fusion of C2-3, aplasia of posterior arch of C1, anomalous vertebral artery course and a "ponticulus posticus" of C2. The combination of these variations in a Klippel-Feil syndrome patient has never been reported. Thus, we recommend a thorough preoperative imaging evaluation, with CT scan and CT angiography or DSA, in addition to plain radiographs. This evaluation is imperative, before a cervical spine surgery, allowing a better understanding of the anatomy, in order to minimise the risks of misplacement of cervical instrumentation especially in such patients.

Lumbar synovial cysts.

Synovial spinal cysts are typically found in the lumbar spine, most often at the L4-L5 level. Magnetic resonance imaging is the diagnostic imaging of choice in the workup of suspected synovial cysts. This study consisted of 24 patients with lumbar synovial cysts treated by cyst excision and nerve root decompression through partial or complete facetectomy and primary posterolateral fusion. The most common location of the cysts was the L4-L5 segment. Synovial tissue was found in histological sections of 18 cysts. At a mean follow-up of 12 (range, 8 to 24) months, 20 patients (83%) had excellent or good results; two patients (8.3%) had fair and two patients (8.3%) had poor improvement. Operative complications included dural tear in two patients and postoperative wound dehiscence in one patient, which were treated accordingly. To eliminate the risk of recurrence synovial cyst excision through partial or complete facetectomy is required. In addition, since synovial cysts reflect disruption of the facet joint and some degree of instability, primary spinal fusion is recommended.

Finite element method in internal and hybrid external fixation of tibial condylar fractures: a comparative application study.

The treatment of tibial condylar fractures requires the preparation of personalized treatment, customized to the needs of the patient, that will take into consideration his or her personal activities. The purpose of the present study was (1) the development, by using the finite elements method, of a 3-dimensional, highly discrete, simulation model of the knee-tibia, (2) the creation of 6 types of fractures in this model according to Schatzker's classification, (3) the insertion of materials for internal and hybrid external fixation, (4) the recording of the model's biomechanical behavior during the load, and (5) the discovery of findings regarding the stability of the internal and hybrid external treatment methods. The results from the resolution procedure showed that the values of maximum displacements in every fracture type except type III were reduced in the models with internal fixation. This means decreased stiffness and therefore diminished stability of the hybrid external-bone complex in these types of fractures. Internal fixation provides postoperative stability, a basic precondition for accelerated fracture healing.

Functional outcome and complications using the intramedullary hip screw for intertrochanteric fractures.

We prospectively studied 110 consecutive patients with intertrochanteric hip fractures treated with the 130 degree angle, 10-mm short IMHS intramedullary hip screw (IMHS, Smith & Nephew, Richards, Memphis, TN). Surgery was performed within 36 hours from admission; all patients were mobilized immediately postoperatively. Fracture union, pre- and post-operative mobility status and complications were evaluated. Eighty patients were included in the postoperative evaluation for a mean followup of 14 (range, 9 to 25) months. Mortality was 19%. Union occurred in 79 fractures within 6 months from surgery; there was one case of screw cut-out and one case of deep venous thrombosis. Periprosthetic femoral shaft fractures were not observed. At the latest examination, the mean mobility score decreased from 8.4 +/- 1.6 to 7.1 +/- 2.1 (p = 0.0001); 26 patients (32%) fully achieved the preoperative mobility score and 54 patients (68%) achieved more than 90% of the preoperative mobility score. The IMHS intramedullary hip screw represents a reliable method for the treatment of patients with intertrochanteric hip fractures, and provides for early mobilization and rehabilitation of the patients with acceptable complications.

A nonphosphaturic mesenchymal tumor mixed connective tissue variant of the sacrum.

Tumor-induced or oncogenic osteomalacia is a rare paraneoplastic syndrome characterized by overproduction of fibroblast growth factor-23 as a phosphaturic agent and renal phosphate wasting. A range of predominantly mesenchymal neoplasms have been associated with tumor-induced osteomalacia and classified as phosphaturic mesenchymal tumor mixed connective tissues. However, phosphaturic mesenchymal tumor mixed connective tissues could be nonphosphaturic in the first stage of the disease, either because the tumors are resected early in the clinical course or because the patient's osteomalacia was attributed to another cause. This article presents a case of a 42-year-old woman with a 2-year history of low back and right leg pain. Laboratory examinations including serum and urine calcium and phosphorous were within normal values. Imaging of the lumbar spine and pelvis showed an osteolytic lesion occupying the right sacral wing. Histology was unclear. Reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction analysis for fibroblast growth factor-23 was positive and confirmed the diagnosis of phosphaturic mesenchymal tumor mixed connective tissues. Preoperative selective arterial embolization and complete intralesional excision, bone grafting, and instrumented fusion from L4 to L5 to the iliac wings bilaterally was performed. Postoperative recovery was uneventful. Neurological deficits were not observed. A lumbopelvic corset was applied for 3 months. At 12 months, the patient was asymptomatic. Serum and urine values of calcium and phosphorous were normal throughout the follow-up evaluation.

Juxta-articular osteoid osteoma of the talar neck: a case report.

Juxta-articular osteoid osteomas of the ankle are rare and tend to have an atypical presentation. Because of the proximity to the joint, patients experience symptoms that may delay or mislead the diagnosis. This article presents a 33-year-old man with juxta-articular osteoid osteoma of the talar neck. The correct diagnosis was delayed for 2 years; the patient was initially misdiagnosed and treated for ankle sprain and anterior ankle impingement. Surgical excision of the lesion was performed with excellent results. Juxta-articular osteoid osteomas should be considered in the differential diagnosis of persistent ankle pain in teenagers and young adults who do not respond to treatment directed at more common conditions.

Thoracolumbar burst fractures: a systematic review of management.

The management of thoracolumbar burst fractures remains challenging. Ideally, it should effectively correct the deformity, induce neurological recovery, allow early mobilization and return to work, and be associated with minimal risk of complication. This article reviews the related studies reporting their clinical data for the management of thoracolumbar burst fractures, discusses the most suitable approach in cases such as these, highlights specific treatment recommendations, and proposes a treatment algorithm. Using PubMed and Scopus databases to search the term thoracolumbar burst fractures, abstracts and original articles in English investigating the treatment of thoracolumbar burst fractures were searched and analyzed.

Selective percutaneous myofascial lengthening of the lower extremities in children with spastic cerebral palsy.

Children with spastic cerebral palsy commonly acquire lower extremity musculoskeletal deformities that at some point may need surgical correction. The authors present 58 children with spastic cerebral palsy who underwent selective percutaneous myofascial lengthening of the hip adductor group and the medial or the lateral hamstrings. All the patients were spastic diplegic, hemiplegic, or quadriplegic. The indications for surgery were a primary contracture that interfered with the patients' walking or sitting ability or joint subluxation. Gross motor ability and gross motor function of the children were evaluated using the gross motor function classification system (GMFCS) and the gross motor function measure (GMFM), respectively. The mean time of the surgical procedure was 14 minutes (range, 1 to 27 minutes). All patients were discharged from the hospital setting the same day after the operation. There were no infections, overlengthening, nerve palsies, or vascular complications. Three patients required repeat procedures for relapsed hamstring and adductor contractures at 8, 14, and 16 months postoperatively. At 2 years after the initial operation, all the children improved on their previous functional level; 34 children improved by one GMFCS level, and 5 children improved by two GMFCS levels. The overall improvement in mean GMFM scores was from 71.19 to 83.19.

Combination of the AO-Magerl and load-sharing classifications for the management of thoracolumbar burst fractures.

The AO-Magerl classification is widely accepted for the appropriate management of patients with thoracolumbar burst fractures; however, it fails to assess the ability of the injured spine to withstand compressive loading and cannot predict instrumentation failure after short-segment posterior fixation. The load-sharing classification depends on the degree of comminution and apposition of bony fragments.We retrospectively classified according to both classifications 100 consecutive patients with 1-level thoracolumbar burst fractures treated nonoperatively or operatively within a 7-year period. Sixty neurologically intact patients (60%) were treated nonoperatively, 15 (15%) had short posterior instrumentation, 15 (15%) had short anterior instrumentation, and 10 (10%) had combined short posterior instrumentation and anterior strut grafting. Twenty-five of the 40 (60%) surgically treated patients had neurological impairment on admission. Clinical outcome was assessed using a pain and working ability scale. Mean follow-up was 52 months (range, 24-70 months). Function was satisfactory in 55 (92%) nonoperatively treated patients and in 33 (83%) surgically treated patients. Neurological improvement by American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) grade was observed in patients with incomplete paraplegia (70% of neurologically impaired patients) who were treated operatively.The combination of AO-Magerl and load-sharing classifications provides for accurate selection of treatment, surgical approach, and length of instrumentation, and can guide the decision for additional anterior surgery.

Posterior decompression and stabilization, and surgical vertebroplasty with the vertebral body stenting for metastatic vertebral and epidural cauda equina compression.

We present the technique of combined posterior decompression and spinal instrumentation, and surgical (open) vertebroplasty using a novel system called vertebral body stenting (VBS) during a single session in a patient with metastatic vertebral and epidural cauda equina compression.

The first sport injuries in the history of medicine.

Medical science is as old as human history and the need for disease treatment. Archivists, researchers and historians are collaborating in the project to preserve the documentary inheritance and make the medical science useful to the public. This research aims to identify and analyze the first registered sport injuries in the history of medicine. After a review of the literature, the Homeric epics, the texts of the first historical period of ancient Greece, were identified and analyzed as the texts which contain the first sport injuries in world history.

10-year evaluation of the cementless low-contact- stress rotating-platform total knee arthroplasty.

We present the clinical and radiographic outcomes of the cementless low-contact-stress (LCS) rotating-platform total knee arthroplasty. Overall, 423 prostheses were implanted in 393 consecutive patients (30 patients had bilateral total knee replacement) for primary varus gonarthrosis (381 patients) and rheumatoid arthritis (12 patients). There were 81 men and 312 women with a mean age of 73 years (range, 58-85 years). Patella replacement was not performed in any case. Clinical and radiographic evaluation was performed using the Knee Society Score (KSS) and the Knee Society Assessment Form, respectively. The mean follow-up was 10 years (range, 5-15 years). Three patients were lost to follow-up. Survival of the prostheses was 98% at 10 years; three prostheses required revision for deep infection, bearing dislocation, and periprosthetic fracture. The mean KSS improved significantly, from 42 and 44 points preoperatively to 90 and 79 points, respectively, at the latest evaluation (P < 0.001); results were excellent in 278 cases, good in 106, fair in 27, and poor in nine. Radiolucent lines were observed in 80 cases; revision arthroplasty was not performed in any of these cases. Complications included deep infection in one patient, bearing dislocation in one, skin necrosis in four, and a supracondylar fracture in one. The cementless LCS rotating-platform total knee arthroplasty is associated with excellent mid- and long-term results for patients with osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis of the knee.

Accuracy of pedicle screw placement using intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring and computed tomography.

Fifty consecutive patients with posterior thoracolumbar spine fusion were included in a prospective study to determine the accuracy of intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring (IONM) for safe pedicle screw placement using postoperative computed tomography (CT). The patients were allocated into two equal groups. Pedicle screw placement was evaluated intraoperatively by using the image intensifier. In group A, the integrity of the pedicle wall was evaluated intraoperatively with monopolar stimulation of each screw head with a hand-held single-tip stimulator; the compound muscle action potentials were recorded. A constant current threshold of 7 mA was considered indicative of pedicle breach; < 7 mA was considered as direct contact with neural elements, and > 7mA was considered normal. In group B, pedicle screw placement was performed without IONM. Overall, 306 pedicle screws were inserted in both groups. Postoperatively, all patients underwent CT scans of the spine to evaluate pedicle screw placement. Intraoperatively, five screws in respective group A patients had to be repositioned after IONM (threshold of < 7 mA); in these patients, postoperative CT scans showed proper screw placement. Postoperative CT scans showed eight misdirected screws; two screws (1.26%) in group A patients and six screws (4%) in group B patients. Two screws were misdirected through the medial pedicle wall and six screws were misdirected through the lateral pedicle wall. Both medially misdirected screws were observed in group B patients (1.35%); these patients developed neurologic symptoms postoperatively and underwent revision surgery, with redirection of the misdirected screws and subsequent resolution of the neurologic symptoms. Two of the six laterally misdirected screws were observed in group A patients (1.26%); the remaining four laterally misdirected screws were observed in group B patients (2.7%). None of these patients had neurologic sequelae; no revision surgery was required. The cut-off value of 7 mA had a 98.73% (> 95%) positive predictive value for accurate pedicle screw placement.

Diving injuries of the cervical spine in amateur divers.

BACKGROUND CONTEXT: Diving injuries are the cause of potentially devastating trauma, primarily affecting the cervical spine. PURPOSE: Our purpose was to describe our experience with diving injuries treatment. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective review. PATIENT SAMPLE: Twenty patients with diving injuries. OUTCOME MEASURES: Using the American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) impairment scales as the primary outcome measure, the patients' neurological status before and after treatment was assessed. In this way we were able to draw conclusions about neurological improvement or deterioration in response to conservative or operative treatment. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 20 patients with diving injuries of the cervical spine who were admitted to our institute over a 34-year period from 1970 until 2004. RESULTS: The typical patient profile was of a young, healthy, athletic male who suffered an injury to the cervical spine after diving into shallow water. The number of cases corresponds to 2.6% of all admitted cervical spine injuries. All injures occurred between May and September. The most commonly fractured vertebrae were C5 and C6. Four patients were treated operatively and 16 conservatively. The indications for surgical treatment were posttraumatic instability and persistent neurological deficit. The mean follow-up of the patients was 17 years. Five patients died within the first month of their hospitalization and 1 patient died 1 year after his injury. Of the 14 patients who were available for follow-up 5 years past injury time, 6 improved neurologically and 8 remained unchanged in relation to their neurology upon admission. Of the 11 patients who were available for follow-up 10 years past injury time, 9 remained neurologically unchanged, 1 deteriorated, and 1 improved in relation to their neurology in the 5-year follow-up. CONCLUSION: Diving injuries of the cervical spine demonstrate high mortality and morbidity rates. Recovery depends on the severity of the initial neurological damage. Conservative treatment is justified in specific patients and can lead to improvement of the initial neurological deficit.

Complications after tibia plateau fracture surgery.

High-energy tibial plateau fractures are often the result of blunt trauma and are associated with severe soft-tissue injury. Fixation techniques demand considerable surgical skill and mature judgment. The available surgical options do not always guarantee a favourable outcome. Operative treatment includes internal and external fixation, hybrid fixation and arthroscopically assisted techniques. Operative management of high-energy fractures remains difficult and challenging and may be associated with serious complications, such as knee stiffness, ankylosis, deep infection, post-traumatic arthritis, malunion and nonunion. Prevention of the complications can optimise the clinical outcome in these patients.