Inferior vena cava filter placement in orthopedic surgery.

Inferior vena cava (IVC) filters were developed for the treatment of venous thromboembolism but in high-risk patients are often used for prophylaxis instead. In the study reported here, we reviewed all the orthopedic surgery cases in which IVC filters were used at our institution in 2005. Charts were analyzed and patients contacted by telephone for long-term follow-up.

Instability after reverse total shoulder replacement.

Background: Despite advances in technique and implant design, instability after reverse total shoulder arthroplasty remains a challenging postoperative complication.

Materials And Methods: We examined our institutions' first 57 reverse total shoulder arthroplasties performed during a 3-year period (2004-2006). There were 9 cases of instability, all occurring within the first 6 months after surgery.

Failure mechanisms and closed reduction of a constrained tripolar acetabular liner.

Unlike traditional bipolar constrained liners, the Osteonics Omnifit constrained acetabular insert is a tripolar device, consisting of an inner bipolar bearing articulating within an outer, true liner. Every reported failure of the Omnifit tripolar implant has been by failure at the shell-bone interface (Type I failure), failure at the shell-liner interface (Type II failure), or failure of the locking mechanism resulting in dislocation of the bipolar-liner interface (Type III failure). In this report we present two cases of failure of the Omnifit tripolar at the bipolar-femoral head interface.

Outcomes of combined arthroscopic rotator cuff and labral repair.

Background: Rotator cuff tears, Bankart lesions, and superior labral anterior posterior lesions commonly occur in isolation, but there is a subgroup of patients who experience combined injuries. Prior studies have excluded such patients as confounding groups.

Hypothesis: In patients with combined lesions of the labrum and rotator cuff, arthroscopic repair of both lesions will restore range of motion and stability and provide good clinical results.

Case report: Echinococcus disease of the bone presenting as a femoral shaft nonunion.

Osseous hydatidosis (Echinococcus infection) is a rare parasitic bone infection that poses challenges in diagnosis and treatment. We present a novel case of osseous hydatidosis of the femoral shaft that was diagnosed at the time of surgery for a recalcitrant femoral shaft nonunion. We know of no reports of osseous hydatidosis presenting as a femoral shaft nonunion.