Mind the Anterior Tibial Tendon in Oblique Distal Third Tibial Fractures with Anterior Inferior Proximal Spike: A Case Report.

CASE: An oblique fracture of the distal third of the tibia, treated nonoperatively in a 14-year-old adolescent boy, did not unite because of ensnarement of the anterior tibial tendon (ATT) around an anterior inferior bony spike from the proximal tibial fragment. Computed tomography scan with 3-dimensional volume rendering aided in preoperative diagnosis. Surgical extraction of the tendon from within the fracture site and internal fixation led to successful union and full painless function. CONCLUSION: Beware of possible ATT entrapment as a cause of irreducibility of oblique distal third tibial fractures with an anterior inferior bony spike of the proximal fragment.

Mechanical and Anatomical Alignment Guide Techniques Are Superior to Freehand in Achieving Target Orientation of an Acetabular Component.

BACKGROUND: Achieving accurate and consistent acetabular component orientation remains a major challenge in total hip arthroplasty. METHODS: We used a pelvic model to compare freehand techniques vs mechanical and anatomical alignment guides in achieving a target operative inclination (OI) and operative anteversion (OA). Thirty subjects comprising consultant orthopedic surgeons, orthopedic trainees, and nonsurgical staff positioned an acetabular component in a pelvic model using 3 different methods for guiding inclination and another 3 for guiding version. RESULTS: Using either a standard mechanical alignment guide (MAG) or a spirit level MAG technique eliminated outliers from target OI, while the freehand method resulted in 46.7% of measurements outside the OI target range. The spirit level MAG technique significantly outperformed the standard MAG technique in median unsigned deviation from target OI (0.8° vs 2.1°, P < .001). Either method of referencing the transverse acetabular ligament for version yielded lower deviations from target OA than the freehand method and fewer outliers from the ±5° target range. Surgical experience was not a significant factor for accurately achieving target OI and OA. CONCLUSIONS: Even in an idealized in vitro model, a wide range of OI and OA is seen with the freehand technique of cup placement by subjects of all levels of surgical experience. Using either a standard MAG or a spirit level MAG reduces deviations in target OI, with the spirit level MAG method yielding the best accuracy. Using the transverse acetabular ligament to guide cup anteversion yields more accurate OA.

No difference in gait kinematics or kinetics between limbs in bilateral total hip replacement patients at long-term follow-up.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies report that gait parameters of patients following total hip replacement improve from pre-operative levels, although in most cases do not reach those of normal subjects. However, studies are generally of unilateral total hip replacement patients at short-term follow-up. There have been no reports of 3D gait kinematics and kinetics in patients with bilateral total hip replacements at long-term follow-up. The aim of this study was to compare temporospatial parameters and 3D lower limb gait kinematics and kinetics at long-term follow-up between limbs and against controls for patients who have undergone staged bilateral total hip replacement. METHODS: 3D gait analysis was performed on 13 patients who had undergone bilateral total hip replacement, at an average follow-up of 10.1 (first hip) and 9.3 years (second hip), and a normal elderly control group comprising 10 subjects. FINDINGS: Knee flexion/extension range of motion was marginally greater in Hip 2 (p = 0.049) compared to Hip 1 by 3.2°. There were no other significant differences in temporospatial parameters or a range of lower limb kinematics or kinetics between the first and second operated hip. Multiple gait parameters were significantly worse for both hips compared to age-matched normal individuals. INTERPRETATION: Although symmetrical biomechanical recovery was achieved, significant gait deficiencies remain in both hips compared to normal controls. These deficits may provide targets for enhanced rehabilitation programs.

Perthes Disease: The Quality and Reliability of Information on the Internet.

BACKGROUND: Research has shown that up to 89% of parents used the Internet to seek health information regarding their child's medical condition. Much of the information on the Internet is valuable; however, the quality of health information is variable and unregulated. The aim of this study was to evaluate the quality and content of information about Perthes disease on the Internet using recognized scoring systems, identification of quality markers, and describe a novel specific score. METHODS: We searched the top 3 search engines (Google, Yahoo!, and Bing) for the following keywords: "Perthes disease." Forty-five unique Web sites were identified. The Web sites were then categorized by type and assessed using the DISCERN score, the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) benchmark criteria, and a novel Perthes-specific Content score. The presence of the Health On the Net (HON) code, a reported quality assurance marker, was noted. RESULTS: Of the Web sites analyzed, the Majority were Governmental and Nonprofit Organizations (NPO) (37.8%), followed by commercial Web sites (22.2%). Only 6 of the Web sites were HONcode certified. The mean DISCERN score was 53.1 (SD=9.0). The Governmental and NPO Web sites had the highest overall DISCERN scores followed closely by Physician Web sites. The mean JAMA benchmark criteria score was 2.1 (SD=1.2). Nine Web sites had maximal scores and the Academic Web sites had the highest overall JAMA benchmark scores. DISCERN scores, JAMA benchmark scores, and Perthes-specific Content scores were all greater for Web sites that bore the HONcode seal. CONCLUSIONS: The quality of information available online regarding Perthes disease is of variable quality. Governmental and NPO Web sites predominate and also provide higher quality content. The HONcode seal is a reliable indicator of Web site quality. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Physicians should recommend the HONcode seal to their patients as a reliable indicator of Web site quality or, better yet, refer patients to sites they have personally reviewed. Supplying parents with a guide to health information on the Internet will help exclude Web sites as sources of misinformation.

One week with the experts: a short course improves musculoskeletal undergraduate medical education.

BACKGROUND: Musculoskeletal problems constitute a considerable workload across all medical and surgical disciplines. There is a mismatch between the burden of musculoskeletal medicine seen by non-orthopaedists clinically and the amount of time afforded it in undergraduate training. Recent initiatives to address this include the United States Bone and Joint Decade and curricular innovations that demonstrate a benefit from improved instruction. Such curricular interventions are usually situated within a wider program reform and last a short time. Gaining institutional support and securing curricular time are challenging. This article shows the positive evaluation of a brief, intense course on musculoskeletal medicine. METHODS: A one-week course was offered to 154 medical students. The study took place in Ireland, where the student body comprises a mix of graduate students and undergraduate students, who enter medical school directly from second-level education. This course comprised brief didactic talks, case-based small group work, and physical examination skills demonstration. Attitudes toward musculoskeletal medicine prior to the course were elicited. The course was evaluated using pre-course and post-course standardized cognitive tests. Long-term retention was evaluated by end-of-year extended matching questions and an objective standardized clinical examination station. The test results between undergraduate and graduate students and student rating of musculoskeletal medicine as important or less important were compared. RESULTS: Complete data were available for 125 students (81%). Seventy-four percent of students rated musculoskeletal medicine to be of major or critical importance to their career. There was a significant difference (p < 0.001, r = 0.678) in the mean score of the standardized cognitive test between the pre-course test and the post-course test; the mean performance score (and standard deviation) was 48.2% ± 14.2% (range, 17% to 79%), with a pass rate of 3.3%, for the pre-course test and 75.3% ± 15.02% (range, 32% to 100%), with a pass rate of 61%, for the post-course test. At the end of the year, 69.9% of students passed the extended matching questions and 96.7% passed an objective standardized clinical examination station. Graduate students performed better on the post-course standardized cognitive test score (p < 0.001) and objective standardized clinical examination (p < 0.05). Students who rated musculoskeletal medicine as important did not perform better than those who rated it as less important (p = 0.334). CONCLUSIONS: We report a favorable evaluation of a short, intense course on musculoskeletal medicine and suggest that the introduction of basic concepts of musculoskeletal medicine is feasible within established curricula.

Surfing for hip replacements: has the "internet tidal wave" led to better quality information.

This study aimed to determine the quality of information available on the internet regarding Total Hip Replacement (THR). The unique websites identified were categorised by type and assessed using the DISCERN score, the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) benchmark criteria, and a novel (THR)-specific content score. The presence of the Health On the Net (HON) code, a reported quality assurance marker, was noted. Commercial websites predominate. Governmental & Non-Profit Organizations websites attained the highest DISCERN score. Sites that bore the HONcode seal obtained significantly higher DISCERN and THR content scores than those without the certification. Physicians should recommend the HONcode seal to their patients as a reliable indicator of website quality or, better yet, refer patients to sites they have personally reviewed.

Cerebrovascular infarction following bilateral total knee arthroplasty and tranexamic acid administration.

Tranexamic acid has been shown to reduce perioperative blood loss without increasing the risk of venous thromboembolism after total knee replacement. However studies to date were designed to assess efficacy as the primary outcome and were not powered to assess safety. We report the case of a 65-year-old male with a previously undiagnosed patent foramen ovale who suffered pulmonary emboli and cerebrovascular infarction after synchronous bilateral total knee replacement during which tranexamic acid was administered intravenously.

Acute nontraumatic spinal intradural hematoma in a patient on warfarin.

BACKGROUND: Nontraumatic spinal intradural extramedullary hematomas are extremely rare. When they occur, they can rapidly lead to spinal cord or cauda equina compression and have devastating consequences. OBJECTIVE: The aim here was to report a case of this rare phenomenon and discuss the etiology, imaging, management, and outcome of intradural hematomas. CASE REPORT: We describe the case of a 76-year-old man on warfarin therapy who presented with severe lower back pain and flaccid paraparesis. Blood tests revealed an international normalized ratio of 6.0. A magnetic resonance imaging result suggested an intradural hematoma extending from L1 to L4 and compressing the spinal cord and cauda equina. Emergency surgical decompression revealed an extensive intradural extramedullary hematoma, which was evacuated. The patient showed only minor neurologic improvement 6 months postoperatively. CONCLUSIONS: Coagulopathy-induced spinal hemorrhage should be included in the differential diagnosis for patients presenting with signs of acute spinal cord compression.

Assessment of the quality and content of information on anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction on the internet.

The Internet has become a major source of health information for the public. However, there are concerns regarding the quality, accuracy, and currency of medical information available online. We assessed the quality of information about anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction on the first 60 websites returned by the 4 most popular search engines. Each site was categorized by type and assessed for quality and validity using the DISCERN score, the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) benchmark criteria, and a novel ACL reconstruction-specific content score. The presence of the Health On the Net Code (HONcode), a purported quality assurance marker, was noted. The quality of information on ACL reconstruction available online is variable, with many websites omitting basic information regarding treatment options, risks, and prognosis. Commercial websites predominate. Academic and allied health professional websites attained the highest DISCERN and JAMA benchmark scores, whereas physician sites achieved the highest content scores. Sites that bore the HONcode seal obtained higher DISCERN and ACL reconstruction content scores than those without this certification. The HONcode seal is a reliable indicator of website quality, and we can confidently advise our patients to search for this marker.

Effects of home-based resistance training and neuromuscular electrical stimulation in knee osteoarthritis: a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Quadriceps femoris muscle (QFM) weakness is a feature of knee osteoarthritis (OA) and exercise programs that strengthen this muscle group can improve function, disability and pain. Traditional supervised resistance exercise is however resource intensive and dependent on good adherence which can be challenging to achieve in patients with significant knee OA. Because of the limitations of traditional exercise programs, interest has been shown in the use of neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) to strengthen the QFM. We conducted a single-blind, prospective randomized controlled study to compare the effects of home-based resistance training (RT) and NMES on patients with moderate to severe knee OA. METHODS: 41 patients aged 55 to 75 years were randomised to 6 week programs of RT, NMES or a control group receiving standard care. The primary outcome was functional capacity measured using a walk test, stair climb test and chair rise test. Additional outcomes were self-reported disability, quadriceps strength and cross-sectional area. Outcomes were assessed pre- and post-intervention and at 6 weeks post-intervention (weeks 1, 8 and 14 respectively). RESULTS: There were similar, significant improvements in functional capacity for the RT and NMES groups at week 8 compared to week 1 (p ≤ 0.001) and compared to the control group (p < 0.005), and the improvements were maintained at week 14 (p ≤ 0.001). Cross sectional area of the QFM increased in both training groups (NMES: +5.4%; RT: +4.3%; p = 0.404). Adherence was 91% and 83% in the NMES and RT groups respectively (p = 0.324). CONCLUSIONS: Home-based NMES is an acceptable alternative to exercise therapy in the management of knee OA, producing similar improvements in functional capacity. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN85231954.