Trochleoplasty Provides Good Outcomes for Recurrent Patellofemoral Dislocations with No Clear Superiority across Different Techniques.

Background: Literature is sparse on outcome comparisons between different trochleoplasty techniques in the treatment of patella instability. To date, it is unclear whether there is a technique that offers superior outcomes. This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to compare and evaluate the outcomes of trochleoplasty techniques in the treatment of patellofemoral instability in trochlea dysplasia to establish whether there is an ideal choice of trochleoplasty technique for superior outcomes. Methods: 21 studies involving 880 knees were included. The mean age of the patients was 21.7 years (range 8-49 years). Mean follow-up timeframe of 43.5 months (range 8.8-100 months). Clinical outcomes assessed included rates of recurrence of patellofemoral dislocation, patient satisfaction, Kujala score, International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) score, Tegner score, and Lysholm score. Egger's test showed no publication bias across all outcomes assessed. Results: Favourable results were seen across all outcomes assessed and patient satisfaction. Improvements were seen with Kujala, IKDC, and Lysholm scores. Tegner scores showed good return to function. Post-operative dislocation and complication rates were low across the different techniques. Meta-regression for Kujala and IKDC scores showed good outcomes regardless of trochleoplasty technique used (Kujala, p = 0.549, relative risk 492.06; IKDC, p = 0.193, RR 0.001). The exact risk that trochleoplasty poses to the cartilage remains uncertain, as no study had a conservatively managed arm for comparison. Conclusions: Trochleoplasty yielded good outcomes irrespective of technique used with no clear superiority demonstrated in any technique in terms of outcome scores, satisfaction, post-operative dislocation rates or complications.

Understanding the Pathophysiology of L5-S1 Loss of Lordosis and Retrolisthesis: An EOS Study of Lumbopelvic Movement Between Standing and Slump Sitting Postures.

OBJECTIVE: To understand the pathophysiology of L5-S1 loss of lordosis and retrolisthesis by comparing 2 commonly assumed physiological weight-bearing postures. METHODS: This was a prospective comparative study of whole-body standing and slump sitting EOS radiographs in clinic patients presenting with back pain or lower limb radicular pain. Patients with prior spinal intervention, malignancy, trauma, inflammatory diseases, transitional lumbosacral vertebra, pregnancy, and L5-S1 retrolisthesis or spondylolisthesis from nondegenerative causes were excluded. C7 sagittal vertical axis, global cervical angle, global thoracic angle, global lumbar angle, thoracolumbar angle, T1-slope, pelvic incidence, pelvic tilt, sacral slope, L5-S1 angle, L5-S1 vertebral translation, L5-S1 disc height, and presence of L4-5 vertebral translation were measured. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify predictors of L5-S1 lordosis loss and retrolisthesis. RESULTS: L5-S1 loss of lumbar lordosis (7.02 ± 9.90°, P < 0.001), retrolisthesis (0.07 ± 0.411 cm, P < 0.001), and loss of disc height (0.10 ± 0.23 cm, P < 0.001) occurred when changing from standing to slump sitting along with other sagittal profile changes (P < 0.001). Taller L5-S1 disc height (odds ratio [OR] 2.57, P = 0.04), larger lumbar range-of-motion change (OR 3.82, P = 0.012), lower sacral slope on sitting (OR 2.50, P = 0.043), and presence of L4-5 spondylolisthesis (OR 2.75, P = 0.032) were predictive of larger L5-S1 lordosis loss (>7°) on multivariate analysis, while larger lumbar range-of-motion change (OR 2.21, P = 0.050) and presence of L4-5 spondylolisthesis (OR 3.08, P = 0.023) were predictive of greater L5-S1 retrolisthesis (>0.07 cm). CONCLUSIONS: Degenerative L5-S1 loss of lordosis and retrolisthesis likely result from long-standing lower lumbar spine bending forces against the posterior ligamentous complex with slump sitting, predisposed by a negatively sloped sacrum and increased lumbar flexibility.

Intramedullary nailing confers an increased risk of medial migration compared to dynamic hip screw fixation in unstable intertrochanteric hip fractures.

INTRODUCTION: Medial migration of the femoral neck element (FNE) superomedially against gravity with respect to the intramedullary component of the cephalomedullary nail is a complication increasingly recognized to cause femoral head cut-out in intramedullary nailing of pertrochanteric hip fractures. Although cut-outs are common to both intra- and extramedullary fixation, especially in unstable pertrochanteric hip fractures, FNE medial migration in sliding hip screws continues to remain sparse despite increased awareness of the phenomenon. This study aims to investigate whether intramedullary nailing is biomechanically predisposed to FNE medial migration compared to extramedullary fixation with sliding hip screws to account for the discrepancy in reported FNE medial migration rates. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twelve fourth-generation synthetic femurs (Sawbones) with unstable intertrochanteric fractures were divided into 2 groups (n=6 per group). Fracture fixation was performed using the Proximal Femoral Nail Antirotation (PFNA, Synthes) (n=6) in the first group, and the Dynamic Hip Screw (DHS, Synthes) (n=6) in the second group. Both groups were subjected to bidirectional cyclic loading (600N compression loading, 120N tensile loading) at 2 Hz for 5000 cycles. The medial migration distance (MMD) was recorded at the end of the testing cycles. RESULTS: The mean MMD in the PFNA group was 4.56mm (SD 0.69mm) with consistent reproduction of medial migration across all constructs tested. This was significantly more compared to the MMD of 1.17mm (SD 0.69mm) in the DHS group (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: Intramedullary nailing of unstable intertrochanteric hip fractures is inherently predisposed to FNE medial migration making it more susceptible to consequent cut-out compared to fixation with the DHS.

Results of Hallux Valgus Surgery in Diabetic Patients With Good Glycemic Control.

BACKGROUND: Literature is sparse on whether diabetes affects outcomes of hallux valgus surgery. With the rising global prevalence of diabetes and diabetes being an independent predictor of poorer outcomes, particularly in foot and ankle surgery, we aimed to investigate the impact of diabetes on the outcomes of hallux valgus surgery. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective comparative cohort study of prospectively collected registry data of 951 feet in 721 patients who underwent surgery for symptomatic hallux valgus between 2007 and 2015 at our institution. All patients with diabetes were identified and matched with patients without diabetes for age, sex, and body mass index in a 1:2 ratio to construct the matched cohorts for analysis. Glycemic control in the diabetic cohort was assessed using preoperative HbA1c. The primary outcome measure was complication rates. Secondary outcomes were (1) deformity correction using the hallux valgus and intermetatarsal angles; (2) patient-reported outcomes using visual analog scale (VAS) for pain, Short Form-36 (SF-36) Physical and Mental Health subscales, and American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society (AOFAS) scores; (3) patient satisfaction; and (4) reoperation rates up to 2 years postoperatively. Forty diabetic patients were identified and matched to 80 nondiabetic patients. Although matching was only performed for age, sex, and body mass index, the diabetic and the nondiabetic cohorts were also similar in hallux valgus severity, preoperative scores, and types of procedures performed. RESULTS: The mean preoperative HbA1c in our diabetic cohort was 7.1%. Both the diabetic and nondiabetic cohorts showed excellent AOFAS and VAS scores with no differences in degree of deformity correction, complication profiles, reoperation rates, outcome scores, and satisfaction at both 6 months and 2 years postoperatively. CONCLUSION: We believe stringent patient selection was key to reduced complication rates and good outcomes in diabetic patients. Well-selected diabetic patients remain suitable candidates for hallux valgus surgery. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III, retrospective comparative study.

Computed tomography-based diagnosis of occult fragility hip fractures offer shorter waiting times with no inadvertent missed diagnosis.

PURPOSE: Surgical delay due to the wait for advanced cross-sectional imaging in occult fragility hip fracture management is not well studied. Our study aims to investigate computed tomography (CT) as an alternative to the gold standard magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in occult hip fracture workup to decrease surgical delay. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective review of all CTs and MRIs performed between 2015 and 2017 for patients with clinically suspected fragility hip fractures and negative plain radiographs to investigate surgical delay resulting from the wait for advanced imaging and representations due to missed fractures. RESULTS: A total of 243 scans (42 CTs and 201 MRIs) were performed for occult hip fracture workup over the study timeframe, of which 49 patients (20%) had occult hip fractures [CT: 6 (14%), MRI: 43 (21%), p = 0.296)]. There were no readmissions for fracture in the 12 months following a negative scan. The CT group had shorter waiting times (CT: 29 ± 24 h, MRI: 44 ± 32 h, p = 0.004) without significantly reducing surgical delay (CT: 82 ± 36 h, MRI: 128 ± 58 h, p = 0.196). The MRI group had a higher number of patients with a cancer history (p = 0.036), reflective of the practice for workup of possible metastases as a secondary intention. CONCLUSION: Advanced cross-sectional imaging wait times in occult hip fracture workup contribute significantly to surgical delay. Modern CT techniques are not inferior to MRI in detecting occult fractures and may be a suitable alternative in the absence of a cancer history if MRI cannot be obtained in a timely fashion or is contraindicated. Clinicians should utilize the more readily available imaging modality to reduce surgical delay.

Effect of Severity of Deformity on Clinical Outcomes of Scarf Osteotomies.

BACKGROUND: Literature is sparse on whether severity of hallux valgus affects outcomes of surgery. We thus aimed to evaluate the impact of hallux valgus severity on the clinical outcomes of surgery. METHODS: 83 consecutive scarf osteotomies performed by a single surgeon for symptomatic hallux valgus between 2007 and 2011 were divided into 3 groups (mild, moderate, and severe) based on severity of their preoperative hallux valgus using the hallux valgus and intermetatarsal angles. Outcomes were assessed using the visual analog scale (VAS) for pain, 36-Item Short Form Health Survey physical functioning (SFPF) and mental health (SFMH) subscales, and American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society (AOFAS) ankle-hindfoot scores. These were assessed preoperatively and at 6 months and 2 years postoperatively. Patient satisfaction was assessed at 6 months and 2 years postoperatively. Eleven (13.2%), 54 (65.1%), and 18 (21.7%) feet were in the mild, moderate, and severe groups, respectively. RESULTS: There was no difference in preoperative VAS, SFPF, SFMH and AOFAS scores between the groups except for AOFAS scores for the second toe, which were poorer with increasing hallux valgus. Postoperatively, there was improvement across all outcome scores. VAS and AOFAS showed excellent scores, and patient satisfaction was high across all 3 groups (88.9%, 89.4%, and 86.7%). The severe group had slightly lower SFPF scores at 6 months (mild, 81.1; moderate, 84.0; severe, 74.3; P = .031) and 2 years postoperatively (mild, 93.4; moderate, 89.7; severe, 76.4; P = .005), and slightly poorer second toe scores for VAS (mild, 0.0; moderate, 0.1; severe, 1.2; P = .017) and AOFAS (mild, 94.7; moderate, 93.5; severe, 83.4; P = .043) at 2 years postoperatively. All other scores including patient satisfaction showed no between-group differences. Complication and revision rates between the groups were similar. CONCLUSION: Surgery for symptomatic hallux valgus lead to excellent outcomes and high patient satisfaction regardless of severity of deformity. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III, comparative series.

Diabetes mellitus does not negatively impact outcomes and satisfaction following unicompartmental knee arthroplasty in well-controlled disease.

BACKGROUND: Unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA) has gained popularity in recent years in view of its minimally invasive nature and proven benefits over the traditional total knee arthroplasty (TKA) in terms of superior knee range of motion and kinametics, faster recovery, lower blood loss, shorter hospital stay and ease of revision with the preservation of bone stock.With the increasing incidence of diabetes mellitus (DM) worldwide and an increased risk of deep infection, wound complications and early failure previously shown in diabetic patients undergoing TKA, it is prudent that we establish the impact of DM on the outcomes and complications of UKA given that there is little on the topic in the current literature.This is especially significant in Asia as Asia is home to more than 60% of the world's population of diabetic patients with estimates of more than 200 million people having the condition. Type 2 DM in particular, is an increasing epidemic with projections to increase by more than 150% between year 2000 and 2035.The purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of diabetes mellitus on the outcomes and satisfaction of UKA at 2 years postoperatively. We hypothesize that diabetes mellitus does not affect the outcomes and satisfaction following UKA in Asians at 2 years postoperatively. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective review of prospectively collected registry data of 1075 UKAs performed in a multiethnic Asian population between 2006 and 2013 at our institution. Outcomes assessed included flexion range, Knee Society Score (KSS), Oxford Knee Score (OKS), Short-Form 36 (SF-36) and satisfaction scores.All patients with DM were identified and matched with patients without DM for age, gender and body mass index. Outcomes, satisfaction, complication and revision rates were then compared between the two groups up to 2 years postoperatively. Preoperative HbA1c was used to assess the patients' blood glucose control in the DM group. RESULTS: A total of 104 patients (9.7%) had DM, close to the national prevalence (11.3%). At 2 years postoperatively, DM patients had better improvement in their SF-36 Mental Component Score (MCS) (p = 0.015) despite poorer preoperative scores (DM group = 70 ±â€¯23, non-DM group = 77 ±â€¯17, p = 0.013), and were in 1° more varus (p = 0.005) when compared to patients without DM.There was no significant difference in the proportion of patients achieving the minimal clinically important difference for knee-specific outcomes (DM:90%, non-DM:96%) or the satisfaction rates between the groups (DM:92%, non-DM:94%). Complication rates were similar (DM:5.8%, non-DM:4.8%). There were no venous thromboembolic events, deaths or revisions during the follow-up period in both groups. The mean preoperative HbA1c in our DM group was 6.6%. CONCLUSION: In this matched-pair study of diabetic versus non-diabetic patients undergoing surgery for UKA, DM does not have a clinically significant negative impact on the outcomes and satisfaction following UKA in patients with well-controlled disease.

Arthroscopic debridement of the degenerative knee - Is there still a role?

OBJECTIVES: The role of arthroscopic debridement in the painful degenerative knee is controversial. Studies have shown that arthroscopic surgery for knee osteoarthritis provides no additional benefit to optimized physical and medical therapy. There are however, limited studies on the management of the subgroup of significantly symptomatic patients who remain refractory to maximal conservative treatment and are poor candidates for knee replacement surgery.We propose that with careful patient selection, arthroscopic debridement can provide good symptomatic relief with sustained benefits in the degenerative knee. METHODS: We performed a retrospective, single-surgeon study of 180 consecutive knee arthroscopies performed in 169 patients, aged 40 years and above, who had mechanical symptoms affecting their daily lives and underwent arthroscopic debridement after failure of a minimum 2 months of optimized medical and physical therapy. Severity of the knee osteoarthritis on plain radiographs was assessed using the Kellgren-Lawrence classification.Functional and satisfaction scores were assessed using Oxford Knee Score, Koos Knee Survey, Short Form-36, Numeric Pain Rating Scale, and questions adapted from the North American Spine Society Questionnaire. RESULTS: Excellent functional outcomes and patient satisfaction were reported in the majority of patients over the follow-up timeframe of 2-8 years. The mean pre-operative Kellgren-Lawrence score was 2.02 (SD 0.580). Significant improvements compared to pre-operative scores were seen across all scoring systems tested. 90% of patients reported good to excellent results. CONCLUSION: Arthroscopic knee debridement can provide good symptomatic relief and sustained benefits in significantly symptomatic patients with early degenerative knees who have failed conservative management. This is most useful in patients with mechanical symptoms secondary to degenerative meniscal tears or chondral flaps, and those with symptomatic patellofemoral osteoarthritis.

Recommencement of Denosumab for Unresectable Giant Cell Tumor of the Cervical Spine: A Case Report.

STUDY DESIGN: A case report. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to highlight that rapid progression or recurrence of giant cell tumor of the bone (GCTB) can still occur with cessation of Denosumab in the management of unresectable GCTB even in cases with prior demonstration of excellent response to treatment and stable disease over a protracted length of surveillance despite dose reduction. The close proximity of unresectable GCTB to vital structures makes it prudent that we monitor these patients closely given its locally aggressive nature. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Cervical spine GCTB is extremely rare. Unresectable GCTB has historically been a challenge to treat due to the lack of prospective, randomized clinical trials to guide treatment. Radiotherapy has fallen out of favor due to the risk of malignant transformation, especially as most GCTB patients are young.In recent years, improved understanding of the receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand (RANKL) in the pathophysiology of GCTB has led to the use of Denosumab in patients with recurrent/unresectable/metastatic GCTB and in patients whom surgical resection carries a high morbidity. To date, the optimal dosage and duration of therapy in the treatment of GCTB is unknown. METHODS: We report a case of cervical spine GCTB in a 53-year-old male with positive surgical margins managed with Denosumab. RESULTS: This is the first reported case of a cervical spine GCTB managed with Denosumab showing excellent response to treatment, recurrence of disease post cessation of Denosumab despite earlier satisfactory disease control and stabilization achieved even with dose reduction, and again an excellent response with recommencement of the drug. CONCLUSION: Denosumab is an excellent option in patients with unresectable GCTB or when surgery will result in excessive morbidity. However, further studies are required to determine optimal dosing, treatment duration, side effect profile, and whether Denosumab is truly able to achieve partial or complete disease remission in the long run. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4.

Group B Streptococcal Prosthetic Knee Joint Infection Linked to the Consumption of Raw Fish.

INTRODUCTION: Group B Streptococcal (GBS) prosthetic joint infections (PJI) are rare, accounting for only 4.6-6% of primary and revision total knee replacements (TKRs). In 2015, there was an outbreak of GBS infections in Singapore with an association confirmed between consumption of Chinese-style raw fish dishes (snakehead fish, Asian bighead carp) and GBS infection, Type III GBS ST283 strain, affecting more than 200 patients in Singapore. This outbreak is the largest of its kind in the world and also the first time that foodborne transmission of GBS has been proven. We present the first reported case in the literature of a confirmed PJI in a TKR related to foodborne transmission of GBS through consumption of raw fish (Snakehead fish). CASE REPORT: Our patient is a 66-year-old Chinese female admitted with a 24-h history of acute right knee pain and swelling with associated fever in the context of consuming raw fish porridge 3 days before the onset of her symptoms. She had a TKR performed in the same knee 7 years before this presentation. Her GBS PJI was confirmed on both blood and intraoperative tissue/fluid cultures during the outbreak of GBS infections in Singapore. This was managed with debridement, polyethylene liner change, retention of metal prosthesis, and culture-directed antibiotics with good outcomes. CONCLUSION: Snakehead fish is a popular dish in the Asian community as a traditional remedy to promote wound healing after surgery. Our paper highlights the link between raw fish consumption and invasive GBS causing PJIs. This can occur in healthy adults, even in the absence of gastrointestinal symptoms, despite being a foodborne transmission. Our paper also highlights that GBS PJIs can be managed with debridement, antibiotic therapy, and implant retention with good outcomes in the setting of acute hematogenous infection. We recommend the inclusion of raw fish consumption on history taking in the workup of suspected PJIs and counseling patients preoperatively on the risk of GBS PJIs with the consumption of raw fish dishes (snakehead fish and Asian bighead carp) to mitigate unnecessary PJI risk.

Subtalar arthroscopy and fluoroscopy in percutaneous fixation of intra-articular calcaneal fractures.

INTRODUCTION: Percutaneous fixation of intra-articular calcaneal fractures is traditionally assisted only by intraoperative fluoroscopy. Previous studies have demonstrated that the additional use of subtalar arthroscopy in anatomical reduction of the posterior calcaneal facet of the subtalar joint for less complex calcaneal fractures yielded positive results up to 2-year follow-up. This study aims to investigate long-term outcomes of these patients using similar evaluation parameters. We hypothesized that this novel technique with dual-imaging can provide sustainable, long-term benefits with good functional outcomes and significant restoration of the Bohler's angle. METHODS: We performed a retrospective study of 15 Sanders II, AO-OTA 83-C2 intra-articular calcaneal fractures in 14 patients who underwent subtalar arthroscopy and fluoroscopy guided percutaneous fracture fixation with a minimum follow-up of 5 years. Outcome measures were assessed using the ankle and hindfoot NPRS, AOFAS ankle-hindfoot score, and SF-36 Physical Function subscale preoperatively and at 3 months, 6 months, 1 year, 2 years and 5-8 years postoperatively. The Bohler's angle was measured preoperatively, immediately postoperatively and at 5-8 years postoperatively. RESULTS: We report excellent functional outcomes in all scores as well as continued improvements in the majority of patients across all time points with minimal subsidence of the corrected Bohler's angle over our study time frame. CONCLUSION: Subtalar arthroscopy with intraoperative fluoroscopy in anatomical reduction of the posterior calcaneal facet of the subtalar joint is most useful in Sanders type II, AO-OTA 83-C2 fractures with excellent functional outcomes and good preservation of the corrected Bohler's angle on long-term follow-up.

Colonic phytobezoar as a rare cause of large bowel obstruction.

Bezoars are masses formed by the concretion of stomach contents or debris within the gastrointestinal tract. Bezoars are rare and account for only 0.4-4% of all cases of gastrointestinal obstruction and mainly occur in the stomach or small intestine. Intestinal obstruction caused by colonic bezoars is extremely rare. We report a case of a distal sigmoid obstruction caused by a phytobezoar in a 60-year-old man with no obvious precipitating causes. He presented to the emergency department acutely unwell and a subsequent abdominal CT scan showed a mass within the proximal sigmoid colon suspicious for a bezoar. He proceeded to have an urgent laparotomy and the obstructive intraluminal mass in the sigmoid colon was identified and manually broken down. Subsequent histopathological assessment reported amorphous material and plant cellular matter consistent with the diagnosis of a phytobezoar.

Dissociation between severity of takotsubo cardiomyopathy and presentation with shock or hypotension.

BACKGROUND: Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TTC) is increasingly well-recognized as a cause of chest-pain syndromes, especially in aging females. The most common complications of TTC occur in the first 24 hours post onset of symptoms and include shock and/or arrhythmias. HYPOTHESIS: We tested the hypothesis that the severity of early hypotension in TTC reflects the extent of myocardial involvement and dysfunction. METHODS: In 80 consecutive TTC patients, correlates of blood pressure on the day of admission were sought via univariate followed by multivariate analysis. RESULTS: Mean systolic blood pressure (SBP) on day 1 was 120 ± 24 (SD) mm Hg. During the first 3 days of admission, 39% of patients had SBP <90 mm Hg, and 9% died and/or required intra-aortic balloon pump insertion. The extent of release of N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide, with its potential correlate of associated vasodilator activity, varied inversely with pulmonary-artery saturation, a measure of cardiac output. However, there was no significant relationship between normetanephrine release and SBP. On multivariate analyses there was no significant relationship between SBP and (1) wall-motion score index (as an index of left-ventricular systolic dysfunction) or (2) T2 enhancement on cardiac magnetic resonance imaging and peak N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (as indices of myocardial inflammation). CONCLUSIONS: Although severe hypotension and shock occur commonly during acute stages of TTC, these complications are multifactorial in origin, probably representing a combination of impaired inotropic state and vasodilatation. Importantly, initial hypotension does not imply severe left ventricular inflammation or systolic dysfunction.