Utility of telephone consultations during COVID-19 and beyond: a study of orthopedic spinal patients.

Background: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, hospital clinic lists have abruptly shifted towards remote appointments via telephone. This study investigated the views and experiences of telephone consultations in a population of orthopedic spinal patients.

Methods: A 10-item telephone questionnaire was completed by 202 orthopedic spinal patients.

Atlantoaxial rotatory subluxation as a cause of torticollis in a 5-year-old girl.

Many patients present to the emergency department complaining of a sore or stiff neck and lateral flexion of the neck with contralateral rotation. Under the pressure of the breaching time and busy shifts some of the patients are discharged to the care of their general practitioners without adequate investigations. While most of the cases are due to benign causes, torticollis can be due to many congenital and acquired pathologies, some of which may need further investigation and urgent management.

Sagittal endplate morphology of the lower lumbar spine.

Summary Of Background Data: The sagittal profile of lumbar endplates is discrepant from current simplified disc replacement and fusion device design. Endplate concavity is symmetrical in the coronal plane but shows considerable variability in the sagittal plane, which may lead to implant-endplate mismatch.

Objective: The aim of this investigation is to provide further analysis of the sagittal endplate morphology of the mid to lower lumbar spine study (L3–S1), thereby identifying the presence of common endplate shape patterns across these levels and providing morphological reference values complementing the findings of previous studies.

Spondylodiscitis due to Prevotella associated with ovarian mass--a rare case report and review of literature.

Background: Spondylodiscitis is commonly caused by aerobic bacteria. Of all the spinal infections, anaerobic organisms account for less than 3% and are usually seen in postoperative patients.

Case Description: We report a rare case of spontaneous onset of spondylodiscitis caused by anaerobe Prevotella that led to the diagnosis of serous cystadenofibroma of the ovaries.

Extra-articular fixation for treatment of Lisfranc injury.

Lisfranc injuries are not very common. Surgical options available for treatment of Lisfranc injuries have produced chronic pain and disability due to the damage to the articular surface, leading to early arthritis. We describe the technique of extra-articular fixation using dorsal plates for Lisfranc injury, avoiding any damage to the articular surface.

Infection rate of percutaneous Kirschner wire fixation for distal radius fractures.

Purpose: To review the infection rate in 43 patients who underwent percutaneous Kirschner wire fixation for distal radius fractures.

Methods: Records of 13 men and 30 women aged 25 to 86 (mean, 49) years who underwent closed reduction and percutaneous Kirschner wire fixation for unstable distal radius fractures were reviewed. Each fracture was fixed with 2 to 3 wires of 1.

Impact of reinfusion drains on hemoglobin level in total knee arthroplasty.

We conducted this study to determine the effect of reinfusion drains on the difference in hemoglobin (Hb) levels before and after total knee arthroplasty. Of the 158 patients who underwent total knee arthroplasty on one side, 74 had autologous blood transfusion through reinfusion drains (group 1); the other 84 did not have autologous blood transfusion, but ordinary suction drains were used to drain the wound during the immediate postoperative period (group 2). Mean preoperative Hb levels were 13.

Transsacral screw fixation for high-grade spondylolisthesis.

Background Context: Symptomatic high-grade spondylolisthesis (Meyerding III-V) is usually treated by surgery. Recent literature shows that in situ fusion is better than reduction of the slip and fusion in high-grade spondylolisthesis. Furthermore, the outcome is improved if circumferential fusion is performed in severe spondylolisthesis.

Recurrence of kyphosis and its functional implications after surgical stabilization of dorsolumbar unstable burst fractures.

Background Context: Treatment of unstable burst fractures in the dorsolumbar spine still remains controversial. Surgical stabilization has been aimed to prevent long-term back pain and progression of deformity.

Purpose: This study was aimed to analyze the degree of loss of correction of the angle of kyphosis with pedicle screw instrumentation in place and the components responsible for the recurrence of kyphosis after surgical stabilization of dorsolumbar A3 fractures and to assess the return of functional capacity in these patients.

Radiographic assessment of sternal notch level and its significance in approaching the upper thoracic spine.

In this retrospective study, we used anteroposterior plain radiographs of the neck to analyze sternal notch level in relation to the upper thoracic spine and to assess the usefulness of this relation in deciding how to approach the upper thoracic spine. We reviewed 53 patients' anteroposterior plain radiographs of the cervicothoracic spine and thoracic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans. On the plain radiographs, we drew a horizontal line joining the lower-fifth edge of the medial end of the 2 clavicles; on the midsagittal thoracic MRI scans, we drew a tangential line to the sternal notch.

Thoracic vertebral osteomyelitis secondary to chronic esophageal perforation.

Background Context: Osteomyelitis secondary to perforation of the esophagus is a rare condition. Thoracic osteomyelitis after chronic esophageal perforation has never been described in the literature.

Purpose: We report a case of vertebral osteomyelitis resulting from a chronic esophageal perforation.

An analysis of different types of surgical fixation for avulsion fractures of the anterior tibial spine.

This is a retrospective study of 25 patients, looking at the outcome of open reduction and fixation of displaced anterior tibial spine avulsion fractures with absorbable and non-absorbable materials. The mean period of follow-up was 44 months (range, 21 to 88 months). The results of surgery were assessed clinically and radiologically.

Total hip replacement for acute femoral neck fracture: a survey of National Joint Registries.

Joint registers audit the performance of different types of prosthesis. The data from these registers is invaluable, as the conclusions are evidence based and are not based on the results from a small clinical trial or a case series. The 3rd National Joint Registry Annual Clinical Report (2005) of England and Wales was compared with the latest available online report of other national joint registers, particularly with reference to the usage of total hip replacement performed for fracture of the neck of the femur.

Population norms for frequency doubling perimetry with uncorrected refractive error.

Purpose: To compare the effect of uncorrected refractive error on threshold estimation using frequency doubling perimetry (FDP) full-threshold N-30 with emmetropia among normal subjects.

Methods: One thousand two hundred ninety-nine subjects were enrolled from the Chennai Glaucoma Study, a population-based glaucoma prevalence study. Subjects underwent a comprehensive eye examination including the FDP full-threshold N-30 test.

The low anterior cervical approach to the upper thoracic vertebrae: a decision by preoperative MR imaging.

Purpose: Surgical approaches to the upper thoracic spine are fraught with many problems as they involve thoracotomy or sternotomy. We analyzed 102 midsagittal MRI scans to evaluate the level of the sternal notch in relation to the upper thoracic spine, so that if the tangential line through the upper part of the sternal notch passed below the level of the involved vertebra, we could surgically access the involved vertebra by the low anterior cervical approach, which is familiar to most spinal surgeons.

Materials And Methods: Between January and June 2002, 102 consecutive mid-sagittal T2 weighted MRI scans were evaluated.

Sequestrated lumbar intervertebral disc in the posterior epidural space: a report on two cases and review of the literature.

Background: Posterior epidural migration is an interesting but rare path taken by a prolapsed intervertebral disc fragment. There are only seven cases reported of a similar migration of the disc fragment in the lumbar spine.

Purpose: To diagnose the unusual presentation and interpretation of the sequestrated disc in the posterior epidural space.

Avulsion of anterior cruciate ligament from femoral condyle: an unusual case report and a review of the literature.

We report a rare case of avulsion of anterior cruciate ligament from the lateral femoral condyle and describe the arthroscopic management of such a case along with a review of the literature.

"Created" patella in total knee arthroplasty (TKA) after prior patellectomy.

Currently, total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is one of the most successful orthopaedic surgeries. However, the results are inferior in patients with previous patellectomy because of anteroposterior instability, residual pain, and loss of the mechanical advantage of the patella. The moment arm of the quadriceps can be restored by bone grafting the patellar tendon, and thus regaining the benefits of an intact patella that results in a better outcome after TKA.

Management of an unusual intra- and extra-capsular subcapital femoral neck fracture.

Femoral neck fractures are common in the elderly after low-energy falls. They are broadly grouped into either intracapsular or extracapsular fractures. We report an unusual subcapital femoral neck intra-extracapsular fracture and discuss the management of such a case with its inherent problems.

CT evaluation of the pattern of odontoid fractures in the elderly--relationship to upper cervical spine osteoarthritis.

Odontoid fractures are common in the elderly following minor falls. Almost all of them have osteoarthritis of the cervical spine below the axis vertebra. As a result, there is increased stress on the spared upper cervical spine, resulting in a higher incidence of injuries.