Successful ACL reconstruction with a variant of the pes anserinus.

An anatomical variant of the pes anserinus encountered during anterior cruciate ligament reconstructive surgery which has not been previously described is discussed. During routine harvesting, the sartorius fascia was incised and the semitendinosus and gracilis tendons were identified. At the distal portion, it was noted that each tendon gave off an additional tendinous slip. The slip from the semitendinosus tendon had attached to the gracilis tendon and vice versa, thereby creating a double pes anserinus. This variant was used to construct the graft, and at 1 year review the patient had returned to full sporting activities with no complications encountered.

Bilateral undisplaced insufficiency neck of femur fractures associated with short-term steroid use: a case report.

INTRODUCTION: We present an interesting and unusual case of a 61-year-old woman with bilateral, undisplaced, stress neck of femur fractures associated with short-term steroid use. Insufficiency fractures of the neck of femur without preceding trauma have been described in the literature, although bilateral involvement is infrequent. These fractures have been associated with strenuous exercise, seizures, renal osteodystrophy, fluoride treatment, long-term corticosteroid use, amenorrhoea, abnormal anatomy and osteomalacia due to nutritional and/or hormonal factors. CASE PRESENTATION: The case we present differs from other published reports, in that the patient's symptoms developed acutely after only a short course of steroids and with no associated trauma or strenuous exercise. It is also the only case described where no operative intervention was required. CONCLUSION: Our case reiterates the importance of considering insufficiency or stress fractures in high-risk patients who present with musculoskeletal pain. Institution of bone protection should also be considered in these patients. Morbidity related to delayed treatment has been well documented, so a high level of clinical suspicion is imperative.

Successful removal of a telephone cable, a foreign body through the urethra into the bladder: a case report.

The variety of foreign bodies inserted into or externally attached to the genitourinary tract defies imagination and includes all types of objects. The frequency of such cases renders these an important addition to the diseases of the genitourinary organs. The most common motive associated with the insertion of foreign bodies into the genitourinary tract is sexual or erotic in nature. In adults this is commonly caused by the insertion of objects used for masturbation and is frequently associated with mental health disorders. We report a case of insertion of telephone cable wire into the urethra. Our case highlights the importance of good history, clinical examination, relevant radiological investigation and simple measures to solve the problem.

Acute isolated acetabular fracture following a game of squash: a case report.

Although hip injuries do not account a large amount of the Sports Physician's workload they can result in significant morbidity. We present a case where an acetabular fracture was sustained in a relatively young female while playing squash without any history of fall or injury but was treated successfully non-operatively. Such patients who present with acute hip pain must not be dismissed as simply having a soft tissue injury.

A prospective randomized double-blind trial of the use of intrathecal fentanyl in patients undergoing lumbar spinal surgery.

STUDY DESIGN: A randomized, double-blind controlled study. OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy and safety of intrathecal fentanyl in the relief of postoperative pain in patients undergoing lumbar spinal surgery. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Fentanyl has been used as a spinal analgesic in surgery and obstetrics with several studies promoting its efficacy and safety. There is no evidence in the literature about intrathecal fentanyl in lumbar spinal surgery. Previous studies have looked at the use of intrathecal morphine and conclude that it is effective but also associated with respiratory depression. METHODS: Sixty patients undergoing posterior lumbar spine decompression with or without instrumented fusion were randomized to receive either 15 mug of fentanyl intrathecally under direct vision or nothing just before wound closure. After surgery, all patients received intravenous (IV) morphine via patient-controlled analgesia system (PCA) syringe driver. Outcome measures included visual analogue scores (VAS) for pain, time to first bolus of IV morphine PCA, and total amount of morphine PCA used. RESULTS: The patients who received fentanyl demonstrated a significant decrease in their mean pain VAS, an increase in the time to first PCA bolus, and a 41% reduction in the total PCA morphine received. No patients had respiratory compromise requiring treatment. There was no significant difference between the two groups with respect to age, gender, and case mix. CONCLUSION: Intrathecal fentanyl is effective at reducing pain and morphine PCA use after lumbar spinal surgery with minimal respiratory depression.