Malaysian Orthopaedic Journal最新文献

Introduction: To investigate the use of a tubular retractor to provide access to the craniovertebral junction (CVJ) sparing the soft palate with the aim of reducing complications associated with traditional transoral approach but yet allowing adequate decompression of the CVJ.

Materials and methods: Twelve consecutive patients with severe myelopathy (JOA-score less than 11) from ventral CVJ compression were operated between 2014-2020 using a tubular retractor assisted transoral decompression.

Results: All patients improved neurologically statistically (p=0.02). There were no posterior pharynx wound infections or rhinolalia. There was one case with incomplete removal of the lateral wall of odontoid and one incidental durotomy.

Conclusions: A Tubular retractor provides adequate access for decompression of the ventral compression of CVJ. As the tubular retractor pushed away the uvula, soft palate and pillars of the tonsils as it docked on the posterior pharyngeal wall, the traditional complications associated with traditional transoral procedures is completely avoided.

Pyomyositis which is also known as myositis tropicans is a rare condition where there is bacterial infection of the skeletal muscle. Its manifestation includes pain and tenderness of the affected muscle and general infective symptoms. It commonly occurs in immunocompromised individuals and patients with previous history of trauma to the affected muscle. We report a case of a 16-year-old boy with history of underlying bronchial asthma who presented with multiple abscesses. He underwent multiple operations to drain the infection and targeted antibiotic therapy subsequently. Despite undergoing surgical debridement, drainage and antibiotic treatment, he was still having repeated bouts of fever and his inflammatory markers were not reducing. He was then diagnosed with concurrent pulmonary tuberculosis infection which subjected him to an immunosuppressed state thus arising to the condition of pyomyositis and unresolving fever. The patient then made prompt improvement when the underlying cause of immunosuppression; pulmonary tuberculosis was treated as well.

Introduction: Infected diabetic foot ulcers may lead to serious complications if not recognised in the early stage. Diagnosis of infection is particularly challenging at that stage; thus, a sensitive inflammatory biomarker may be helpful. We aimed to evaluate the role of procalcitonin (PCT) as an early biomarker for infected diabetic foot ulcers (IDFU).

Materials and method: This cross-sectional study was conducted at Klinik Rawatan Keluarga (KRK), Orthopedic clinic and wards in Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) from May 2020 to December 2020. A total of 264 participants were recruited and divided into three groups: 50 diabetic patients with no ulcers (control), 107 patients with non-infected diabetic foot ulcers (NIDFU), and 107 patients with infected diabetic foot ulcers (IDFU). The level of PCT was taken for all patients. Total white count (TWC) and C-reactive protein (CRP) were taken only for IDFU patients. Diagnosis of infection was based on the Infectious Disease Society of America-International Working Group of Diabetic Foot (IDSA-IMWGDF), and the severity of infection was graded according to the Wagner Classification.

Results: The level of PCT was higher in IDFU than in NIDFU and diabetic patient, with a median (IQR) of 0.355 (0.63) ng/mL, 0.077 (0.15) ng/mL and 0.028 (0.02) ng/mL, respectively. PCT and CRP showed moderate positive correlations in IDFU patients (p<0.001). The sensitivity and specificity were 63.6% and 83.2%, respectively, at the best cut-off at 0.25 ng/mL.

Conclusion: PCT is a valuable biomarker for the diagnosis of infection; however, it adds little value in the early diagnosis of IDFU in view of its low sensitivity.

Introduction: Open tendoachilles injuries are rare and associated with significant soft tissues complications. The objective of the present study was to assess the clinical outcome and safety of a simple and minimally invasive technique, with a goal to assess if it may help minimise flap and wound related complications in open tendoachilles injuries.

Materials and methods: This prospective study of four years duration included 20 patients with open tendoachilles injuries managed with a simple minimally invasive tunnel technique. The primary outcome variable was occurrence of a major soft tissue complication. The secondary outcome variables included functional outcome measured using AOFAS Ankle hind foot score, re-rupture of tendoachilles and need for revision surgery.

Results: None of the patients in the present series developed a serious soft tissue complication. Based upon the AOFAS hind foot scoring system, good to excellent outcome was achieved in 19 (95%) patients. All the patients were able to perform tip toe walking at six months post-surgery. None of the patients had a re-rupture of the tendoachilles and no patient needed a revision surgery. The complications encountered include thickening of the tendon at the repair site (15%), superficial wound infection (5%), stitch granuloma (5%) and hypertrophic scar (5%).

Conclusion: This technique seems to be promising in reducing the soft tissue complications associated with the surgical management of open tendoachilles injuries. Most patients had a good final clinical outcome. The technique is safe, simple and reproducible. However, further randomised control studies with a larger sample size assessing the technique are recommended.

Introduction: Compartment syndrome complicating intramedullary nailing of closed tibia fractures has been described as early as the 1980s, but currently remains less described in literature compared to compartment syndrome directly following trauma. This study aims to review this potentially disabling complication and highlight the importance of timely diagnosis and management of compartment syndrome following fracture fixation, not just after fracture itself, via a review of three cases.

Material and methods: A retrospective study of a series of three cases was conducted. The type of fracture, wait time to fixation, surgery duration, reaming, size of nail implant used, tourniquet time, and surgical technique were recorded. Time to diagnosis of compartment syndrome, compartment pressure if available, extent of muscle necrosis, reconstructive procedures performed, and post-operative complications were analysed.

Results: The three cases following high-energy trauma from road traffic accidents presented from January to May 2010. Compartment syndrome was diagnosed clinically for all cases, between one to six days post-operatively and supported by elevated compartment pressure measurements in two of the three cases.

Conclusion: This study advocates thorough clinical monitoring and maintaining strong clinical suspicion of compartment syndrome in patients even after intramedullary nail fixation of tibial shaft fractures to achieve timely limb-salvaging intervention. While intercompartmental pressure can be used to aid in diagnosis, we do not advise using it in isolation to diagnose compartment syndrome. Tendon transfer improves functional mobility and provides a good result in patients with severe muscle damage, while skin grafting sufficient in patients with minimal muscle damage.

Introduction: The infrapatellar branch of saphenous nerve (IPBSN) has anatomic variations and prone to injury during surgery around the medial side of the knee. High tibial osteotomy is one of the procedures that may be risky to the IPBSN. This research was aimed to establish which skin incision (vertical vs oblique) is less likely to damage to the IPBSN and also to study the anatomy of the IPBSN, with the institutional review board reference (No. LH611054, date 10/1/2020). The primary outcomes are aimed to establish which skin incision (vertical vs oblique) is less damaging to the IPBSN. The secondary outcome is to study about the anatomy of the IPBSN.

Materials and methods: Twenty-two fresh cadavers (forty-four knees) were dissected by randomisation under the block of four technique, and two different incisions were performed for each knee. Exploration was performed from the skin incision to the IPBSN around the incision zone. If the discontinuity of the nerve was found, it was classified as IPBSN injury. The anatomic measurement was performed. The IPBSN injury between two groups were analysed with the chi-square test.

Results: The risk of IPBSN injury in the oblique group was 2 from 22 knees (9.1%), and 12 knees from 22 knees (54.5%) in the vertical group (P=0.001). Most common number of branch(es) found, is one branch, the horizontal distance ranged from 2.6cm to 8.5cm (average 5.7±1.6), the vertical distance ranged from 4.4cm to 12.6cm (average 7.6±1.9) and the declination angle ranged from 6° to 87° (average 34.7±24.3).

Conclusion: The risk of the IPBSN injury in oblique skin incision may be less than the vertical incision in the medial opening wedge HTO.

A 55-year-old women was diagnosed with Baker's cyst and underwent open Baker's cyst excision. She had developed acute pulmonary embolism in the post-operative period. Our case report is to emphasise the sub-clinical concomitant deep vein thrombosis with Baker's cyst. Such a fatal complication has not been reported in literature and preventive measures of pre-operative venous Doppler and post-operative thrombo-prophylaxis can prevent them.

Introduction: Anatomical femoral tunnel placement is critical for anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR). Tunnel placement may vary with different surgical techniques. The aim of this study was to compare the accuracy of femoral tunnel placement between the Anteromedial (AM) and Anterolateral (AL) visualisation portals on post-operative CT scans among a cohort of ACLR patients.

Materials and methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted from January 2018 to March 2020 after obtaining ethics clearance. Patients who went for arthroscopic ACLR in our institute were divided into an AM (group 1) and an AL (group 2) based on the visualisation portal for creating the femoral tunnel and a 3D CT scan was done. The femoral tunnel position was calculated in deep to shallow and high to low direction using the Bernard Hertel grid. Femoral tunnel angle was measured in the 2D coronal image. Statistical analysis was done with the data collected.

Results: Fifty patients with an average age of 26.36 (18-55) years ±7.216 SD were enrolled in the study. In this study, the AM technique was significantly more accurate (p<0.01) than the AL technique in terms of femoral tunnel angle. Furthermore, the deep to the shallow position was significantly (p= 0.018) closer to normative values, as determined by the chi-square test. The chances of error in tunnel angle in femoral condyle are 2.6 times greater in the AL technique (minimal clinical difference).

Conclusion: To conclude, in ACLR the anteromedial visualisation portal can facilitate accurate femoral tunnel placement compared to the anterolateral visualisation portal.

Introduction: A posterior horn medial meniscus (PHMM) tear subjects the knee to pathological stresses, especially in the setting of a deficient anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). These PHMM tears have to be surgically addressed, however they remain a diagnostic challenge. Hence, this study aims to evaluate the wave sign as an arthroscopic diagnostic aid for the PHMM tear which may be occult.

Materials and methods: This is a retrospective study of 61 consecutive patients (62 ACL-deficient knees) who underwent arthroscopic primary ACL reconstruction between September 2017 and August 2018. We defined PHMM tears as tears located in the posterior one-third of the medial meniscus. Root tears and ramp lesions were included in our analysis. The arthroscopic findings were recorded after a comprehensive arthroscopic survey.

Results: In the sample of ACL-deficient knees, 44 (71.0%) had a concomitant medial meniscus tear. The most common location for the tear was in the posterior horn (81.8%). There were seven occult PHMM tears, not described by the radiologist or identified by the operating surgeon on the pre-operative magnetic resonance imaging. The wave sign was identified in 10 (16.1%) knees, all confirming the presence of the PHMM tear. A positive correlation was found between the presence of the wave sign and the PHMM tear.

Conclusions: The wave sign has a statistically significant but weak positive correlation with the presence of the PHMM. We view the wave sign as a valuable arthroscopic cue to rule-in the presence of the PHMM tear in the ACL-deficient knee.

Introduction: Accurate diagnosis of undisplaced periprosthetic femoral fracture (PFF) after hip arthroplasty is crucial, as overlooked PFF may affect its treatment and prognosis. The undisplaced PFF is often difficult to distinguish from radiolucent lines of nutrient artery canal (NAC) of the femur present on post-operative radiographs. We aimed to identify the radiographic features of NAC to distinguish them from PFFs.

Materials and methods: In this retrospective radiological study, a total of 242 cases in 215 patients with hip arthroplasty were analysed using pre-operative and post-operative anteroposterior (AP) and translateral (TL) radiographs. Interobserver agreement of the measurements was assessed by two independent experienced orthopaedic surgeons. The kappa value ranged from 0.83 to 0.87, indicating strong agreement according to the Landis and Koch criteria.

Results: The NACs were found pre-operatively in 94 (39.8%) cases on AP views and in 122 cases (50.4%) on TL views. The radiolucent lines were observed post-operatively in 42 (17.4%) on AP views and 122 (50.4%) on the TL views. three cases (1.2%) had a fracture around the stem that were detected on radiographs. One case with PFF presented simultaneously with NAC on the immediate post-operative radiographs. All patients were treated by conservative measures, and the radiolucent lines did not appear on follow-up radiographs.

Conclusion: It is not easy to differentiate undisplaced PFFs that can occur after hip arthroplasty operation from NACs. However, accurate diagnosis is possible through careful observation and comparison of pre-operative and post-operative radiologic images.