The success of virtual clinics during COVID-19: A closed loop audit of the British orthopaedic association (BOAST) guidelines of outpatient orthopaedic fracture management.

COVID-19 has had profound management implications for orthopaedic management due to balancing patient outcomes with clinical safety and limited resources. The BOAST guidelines on outpatient orthopaedic fracture management took a pragmatic approach. At Great Western Hospital, Swindon, a closed loop audit was performed looking at a selection of these guidelines, to assess if our initial changes were sufficient and what could be improved. METHOD: An audit was designed around fracture immobilisation, type of initial fracture clinic assessment, default virtual follow up clinic and late imaging. Interventions were implemented and re-audited. RESULTS: Initially 223 patients were identified over 4 weeks. Of these, 100% had removable casts and 99% did not have late imaging. 96% of patients were initially assessed virtually or had initial orthopaedic approval to be seen in face to face clinic. 97% had virtual follow up or had documented reasons why not. The 26 patients who were initially seen face to face were put through a simulated virtual fracture clinic. 22 appointments and 13 Xray attendances could have been avoided. We implemented a change of requiring all patients to be assessed at consultant level before having a face to face appointment. The re-audit showed over 99% achievement in all areas. CONCLUSION: Virtual fracture clinics, both triaging new patients and follow-up clinics have dramatically changed our outpatient management, helping the most appropriate patients to be seen face to face. Despite their limitations, they have been well tolerated by patients and improved patient safety and treatment.

Patient care modifications and hospital regulations during the COVID-19 crisis created inequality and functional hazard for patients with orthopaedic trauma.

PURPOSE: The COVID pandemic has decreased orthopaedic fracture operative intervention and follow-up and increased the use of virtual telemedicine clinics. We assessed the implications of this management on future orthopaedic practice. We also surveyed patient satisfaction of our virtual fracture follow-up clinics. METHOD: We prospectively analysed 154 patients during two weeks of 'lockdown' assessing their management. We surveyed 100 virtual fracture clinic follow-up patients for satisfaction, time off work and travel. RESULTS: Forty-nine percent of patients had decisions affected by COVID. Twelve percent of patients were discharged at diagnosis having potentially unstable fractures. These were all upper limb fractures which may go onto mal-union. Twenty-nine percent of patients were discharged who would have normally had clinal or radiological follow-up. No patients had any long-term union follow-up. Virtual telemedicine clinics have been incredibly successful. The average satisfaction was 4.8/5. In only 6% of cases, the clinician felt a further face-to-face evaluation was required. Eighty-nine percent of patients would have chosen virtual follow-up under normal conditions. CONCLUSION: Lessons for the future include potentially large numbers of upper limb mal-unions which may be symptomatic. The non-union rate is likely to be the same, but these patients are unknown due to lack of late imaging. Telemedicine certainly has a role in future orthopaedic management as it is well tolerated and efficient and provides economic and environmental benefits to both clinicians and patients.

Cementless surface replacement hemiarthroplasty for primary glenohumeral osteoarthritis: results of over 5-year follow-up in patients with or without rotator cuff deficiency.

BACKGROUND: Cementless surface replacement hemiarthroplasty (CSRHA) is an established treatment for glenohumeral osteoarthritis; however, studies evaluating its role in arthritis with rotator cuff deficiency are limited. This study reviews the outcomes of CSRHA for glenohumeral osteoarthritis with and without rotator cuff tears. METHODS: 41 CSRHA (Mark III Copeland prosthesis) were performed for glenohumeral osteoarthritis with intact rotator cuffs (n = 21) and cuff-deficient shoulders (n = 20). Patients were assessed using Oxford and Constant questionnaires, patient satisfaction, range of motion measurements and by radiography. RESULTS: Mean age and follow-up were 75 years and 5.1 years, respectively. Functional gains were significantly higher in patients with intact rotator cuffs compared to cuff-deficient shoulders, with Oxford Shoulder Score improving from 18 to 37.5 and 15 to 27 and forward flexion improved from 60° to 126° and 44° to 77° in each group, respectively. Two patients with deficient cuffs had deficient subscapularis tendons; one of which was dislocated anteriorly. CONCLUSIONS: CSRHA provides significant improvements in pain and function in patients with glenohumeral osteoarthritis. In patients with deficient cuffs, functional gains are limited, and should be considered in low-demand patients where pain is the primary problem. Caution should be taken in patients with a deficient subscapularis as a result of the risk of dislocation.

Dupuytren's disease in a child: a case report.

Dupuytren's disease commonly affects men over the age of 40 years. It is very rare to find it in the paediatric age group. We describe a case of histologically proven Dupuytren's disease in a 10-year-old boy who presented with a nodule in his palm. Dupuytren's disease should be considered in the differential diagnosis of a nodule in hand or contracture of a finger joint in the paediatric age group.