Girdlestones excision arthroplasty: current update.

Girdlestones procedure has become a salvage operation reserved for patients with significant co-morbidities. Recent literature addresses this infrequently used intervention inadequately. This observational study aims to update current literature and review the modern role of this intervention in orthopaedic practice.

Use of the WHO surgical safety checklist in trauma and orthopaedic patients.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends routine use of a surgical safety checklist prior to all surgical operations. The aim of this study was to prospectively audit checklist use in orthopaedic patients before and after implementation of an educational programme designed to increase use and correlate this with early complications, mortality and staff perceptions. Data was collected on 480 patients before the educational program and 485 patients after.

Unconstrained knee arthroplasty after patellectomy.

The authors report seven cases of unconstrained knee arthroplasty with excision of both cruciate ligaments, after previous patellectomy. Six of these seven cases were completely painfree and function was satisfactory in all cases. The reasons for previously reported pain and instability after total unconstrained knee arthroplasty with excision of the cruciate ligaments and a previous patellectomy are discussed.

Homograft bone in revision acetabular arthroplasty. A clinical and radiographic study.

Thirty-seven patients with extensive acetabular defects due to loose implants had revisions with uncemented components, the acetabulum being augmented with homograft bone. In six of these, a histological study of graft incorporation was made. At a mean follow-up of 1.

Range of movement poor index of hip function.

Conventional systems of assessing the hip before and after surgery use the range of movement as an indicator of functional results. We found that the range of movement, defined as the flexion arc or the total range, is a poor indicator of function as measured by ability to reach the feet. A different and more direct basis for assessing function is proposed.

Metacarpo-phalangeal joint replacement with a new prosthesis: description and preliminary results of treatment with the Helal flap joint.

A new prosthesis for the metcarpo-phalangeal joint is presented. Its advantageous design features and the early results following its use suggest that it is of value in treating the painful, stiff and ulnar deviated metacarpo-phalangeal joint in the rheumatoid hand.

Presence of macrophages at the bone-cement interface of stable hip arthroplasty components.

The bone cement interface of four clinically stable hip-joint prosthetic components was examined histologically for the presence of macrophages using routine staining and a histochemical technique for acid phosphatase. Macrophages were found in the absence of wear debris in all four cases. Because these cells are capable of bone resorption, their presence at a well-fixed interface must give cause for concern.

The arthrogram in diagnosis of meniscal lesions in the fourth decade of life.

Forty-nine patients older than 35 years of age (mean, 45 years) undergoing arthrotomy for clinically diagnosed meniscal tears had preoperative double-contrast arthrograms. Fifty of 53 meniscii were visualized as torn and treated by surgical excision. At the time of operation the incidence of transverse tears was high (34%).

British contribution to knee arthroplasty.

British surgeons and engineers contributed various types of knee prostheses, including hinged, unconstrained, and semiconstrained prostheses, in the development of total knee arthroplasty. Methods of implant fixation, the place of stems, pegs, the use of special instrumentation, and alignment procedures ensure both intrinsic and extrinsic prosthetic stability.

Observations on the current and future surgical management of hydatid disease affecting the vertebrae.

Five cases of hydatid disease affecting the vertebrae are described. Clinical features, radiologic appearance, and poor prognosis are emphasized. Four patients had some degree of neurologic deficit at the time of presentation and in three cases there was an increasing kyphosis.

Preliminary observations on epiphyseal growth rate in congenital pseudarthrosis of tibia after free vascularized fibular graft.

Observations were made on the growth rate of proximal and distal tibial epiphyseal growth plates in three children treated by free vascularized fibular grafts for congenital pseudarthrosis of the tibia. Postoperative measurements show that the distal tibial epiphysis can grow faster than the proximal epiphysis; the successful transfer of vascularized fibula may increase blood supply to the distal tibial epiphyseal plate, thus stimulating its growth.

Knee arthroplasty at the London Hospital. 1975-1984.

In the past ten years, three related prostheses (Freeman-Swanson, ICLH, Freeman-Samuelson) have been used at the London Hospital. The new findings reported in this article are the result of cementless fixation of the ICLH prosthesis has not deteriorated with time; the patellofemoral complications and postoperative limitation of movement seen with the ICLH prosthesis has been resolved by the Freeman-Samuelson design; and cementless press-fit fixation of all three components of the Freeman-Samuelson design resulted in a 1.6% (tibial) revision rate in the first four years.

Salivary beta-thromboglobulin: a possible marker for deep vein thrombosis following elective hip surgery.

The concentration of the platelet specific protein B-thromboglobulin, (BTG) was measured in salivary samples obtained pre and postoperatively from 30 patients without evidence of renal disease and having total hip replacement arthroplasty. When postoperative deep-vein thrombosis (DVT) was detected using percutaneous ascending phlebography there was total correlation with elevated salivary BTG levels taking 0.33 micrograms/1 or greater on 2 consecutive occasions or more as indicating a deep venous thrombus.

Adamantinoma associated with fibrous dysplasia.

Three cases of adamantinoma of the tibia, seen in one hospital over a period of 7 years, are described. They illustrate the difficulty in differentiating this lesion from fibrous dysplasia on radiographic and histological grounds. Thermography may help in the differential diagnosis.

Results of surgical treatment of patellar fractures.

Sixty-four patellar fractures treated either by internal fixation or by patellectomy were reviewed retrospectively from 3.5 to 10.1 years (average 6.

Free vascularised fibular graft in the treatment of congenital pseudarthrosis of the tibia.

Five cases of congenital pseudarthrosis of the tibia successfully treated by a free vascularised fibular graft are described. Follow-up ranged from 5 to 34 months with a mean of 17.5 months.

Entrapment of the superficial peroneal nerve. Three case reports.

Entrapment of the superficial peroneal nerve is an unusual cause of pain in the ankle and foot. In such cases decompression of the nerve at the point of exit from the deep fascia will produce a good result. Three cases are described.

Metastatic carcinoma presenting as a pulp space infection.

A metastasis in a terminal phalanx which presented with the clinical features of a pulp space infection is described. The primary was a carcinoma of the esophagus.