Introduction: The sensory loss and alteration of the shape of the foot make the foot liable to trauma and pressure, and subsequently cause more callus formation, blisters, and ulcers. Foot ulcers usually are liable to secondary infection as cellulitis or osteomyelitis, and may result in amputations. Foot ulcers are a major problem and a major cause of handicaps in leprosy patients. The current study is to present our clinical experience and evaluate the use of sural flap with posterior tibial neurovascular decompression (PTND) in recurrent foot ulcers in leprosy patients. Patient and methods: A total number of 9 patients were suffering from chronic sequelae of leprosy as recurrent foot ulcers. All the patients were reconstructed with the reverse sural artery fasciocutaneous flap with posterior tibial neurovascular decompression from September 2012 to August 2015. Six patients were male and three were female with a mean age of 39.8 years (range, 30-50 years). All the soft tissue defects were in the weight-bearing area of the inside of the foot. The flap sizes ranged from 15/4 to 18/6 cm. Mean follow-up period was 21.2 months (range, 35-2 months). Results: All the flaps healed uneventfully. There was no major complication as total flap necrosis. Only minor complications occurred which were treated without surgical intervention except in two patients who developed superficial necrosis of the skin paddle. Surgical debridement was done one week later. The flap was completely viable after surgery, and the contour of the foot was restored. We found that an improvement of sensation occurred in those patients in whom the anesthesia started one year ago or less and no sensory recovery in patient in whom the anesthesia had lasted for more than two years. Conclusion: The reverse sural artery flap with posterior tibial neurovascular decompression provides a reliable method for recurrent foot soft tissue reconstruction in leprosy patients with encouraging function and aesthetic outcomes. It is a quick and easy procedure.
The incidence of sternal wound infections (SWI) after coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG) as reported worldwide is low. However, it is associated with significant increase of postoperative mortality and treatment costs. The major risk factors discussed are diabetes mellitus and bilateral IMA harvesting of the internal mammary artery. This study analyses data of 590 patients receiving CABG concerning the risk factors for SWI. Sternal wound infections occur significantly more often in diabetic patients, one crucial and significant additional risk factor is obesity.
Introduction/background: The operative treatment of distal radius fractures has significantly increased after the introduction of locking plates. The aim of the present study was the evaluation of health-related quality of life, functional and radiological outcome of patients with distal radius fractures treated with the locking compression plate (LCP).
Materials and methods: In the present study 128 patients (130 fractures) that were operatively treated with the LCP (2.4 mm/3.5 mm, Synthes(®)) were retrospectively evaluated. Mean follow-up was 22.7 months (SD 10.6). The fractures were radiographically evaluated (radial inclination, palmar tilt, ulnar variance) pre-, postoperatively and at the last follow-up visit. Range of motion (ROM) was documented. Grip strength was assessed with the use of a JAMAR dynamometer. The score for disabilities of the arm, shoulder and hand (DASH) and the Gartland-Werley score (GWS) were evaluated. Health-associated quality of life was assessed with use of SF-36 Health Survey.
Results: Postoperative reduction was excellent; at the last follow-up visit only minimal reduction loss was observed. Except for pronation, a statistically significant decrease of ROM was present; in most cases that was not disturbing for the patients. The injured side achieved 83.9% of grip strength of the intact side. Mean DASH was 18.9 and mean GWS was 3.5. Health-associated quality of life was generally not compromised. However, limitations in ulnar abduction correlated with inferior quality of life. Fracture severity correlated with inferior quality of life, despite the absence of correlation with the functional and radiological outcome. Complication rate was low.
Conclusions: Fracture severity seems to affect ulnar abduction and therefore patient quality of life, despite almost anatomical reduction; the objective and subjective scores were in most cases excellent. Modern everyday activities, such as keyboard typing, could be associated with the present results.
Introduction: The optimal treatment concept for temporary abdominal closure (TAC) in critically ill visceral surgery patients with open abdomen (OA) continues to be unclear. The VACM (vacuum-assisted closure and mesh-mediated fascial traction) therapy seems to permit higher delayed primary fascial closure rates (FCR) than other TAC procedures.
Material and methods: Patients of our clinic (n=58) who were treated by application of a VAC/VACM treatment manual in the period from 2005 to 2008 were retrospectively analysed.
Results: The overall FCR of all patients was 48.3% (95% confidence interval: 34.95-61.78). An FCR of 61.3% was achieved in patients who had a vicryl mesh implanted at the fascial level (VACM therapy) in the course of treatment. Mortality among patients treated with VACM therapy was 45.2% (95% CI: 27.32-63.97).
Conclusions: The results of our own study confirm the results of previous studies which showed an acceptable FCR among non-trauma patients who were treated with VACM therapy. VACM therapy currently appears to be the treatment regime of choice for patients with OA requiring TAC.
Background: The OSCE (objective structured clinical examination) is composed of oral and practical examination in order to examine students' abilities to imply clinical examination techniques and to interact with patients. The examiners for this procedure can be either lecturers or peers. The aim of this work is to evaluate the peer-assisted teaching student tutors as examiners in an orthopedic surgery OSCE station.
Methods: We analyzed the OSCE data from 2013 to 2015. During this period over 300 medical students were examined each year. An evaluation was conducted at an orthopedic station and examined by peer students to assess the advantages and disadvantages of peer-assisted teaching student tutors as examiners.
Results: We have noticed that student peers are more flexible regarding their schedule and they have been well trained for OSCE. Concerning the economic aspects, student peers are clearly of major economic advantage. Disadvantages were not reported in our study probably because peers were well trained and the checklists are monitored regularly.
Conclusion: Student peers in OSCE are of major advantage due to their flexible time schedule and relatively low costs. They must be well trained and the checklists are to be monitored regularly. Our study shows that peer tutor examiners conducted the examination as competent as lecture examiners. However, legal restrictions on the employment of students should be considered.
Purpose: Zygomatic air cells (ZAC) are a variant of temporal bone pneumatization that needs no treatment. However, ZAC can have an impact on surgical procedures in the temporo-mandibular joint region. Recent reports suggest that computed tomography will disclose more ZAC than can be diagnosed on panoramic radiography. The aim of this study was to analyze ZAC prevalence on CT in a population that was not pre-selected by admission to a dental clinic. Furthermore, an extensive literature review was performed to assess the prevalence of ZAC and to address the impact of imaging technique on the definition of the item.
Material and methods: Digitalized cranial CTs of 2007 patients were retrospectively analyzed. The Frankfort horizontal was used to define a ZAC on sagittal CTs.
Results: In this study group, 806 were female (40.16%) and 1,201 were male (59.84%). Mean age was 49.96 years in the whole group (female: 55.83 years, male: 46.01 years). A ZAC was diagnosed in 152 patients (female: 66, male: 86). Unilateral ZAC surpasses bilateral findings (115 vs. 37 patients). ZAC were diagnosed in children 5 years of age and older. Sectional imaging techniques show a better visualization of the region of interest. However, presently an increase of ZAC prevalence attributable to imaging technique cannot conclusively be derived from the current literature. The normal finding of a ZAC on radiograms is a sharply defined homogenous transparent lesion restricted to the zygomatic process of the temporal bone that has no volume effect on the shape of the process.
Conclusion: ZAC is an anatomical variant of the temporal bone that has come into focus of maxillofacial radiology due to its noticeable aspect on panoramic radiograms. The harmless variant can be expected in about one in thirteen individuals undergoing facial radiology. Panoramic radiograms appear to be sufficient to present ZAC of relevant size. However, in preparation for surgical procedures affecting the articular eminence the application of sectional images is recommended.