The cisterna chyli in orthopaedic surgery.

The cisterna chyli is normally hidden in prevertebral tissue and rarely encountered by orthopaedic surgeons. However, hyperextension injury and anterior surgical approach to the spine can result in injury and the complication of chylothorax. Prevention of postoperative chylothorax is mainly through awareness of normal anatomic distribution.

Radiographic determination of lordosis and kyphosis in normal and scoliotic children.

We conducted a radiographic retrospective study in children to determine spinal lordosis and kyphosis. A total of 218 lateral standing full-length radiographs were studied: 104 normal and 114 scoliotic patients. Normal X-ray films were defined as those obtained for suspected disorder (e.

The white blood cell scan in orthopedics.

A new nuclear scanning technique was found more specific for bone, joint, and soft tissue infections than any previously described scanning technique. The leukocyte scan, whereby a patient's own cells are labeled with a radioactive tagging agent (111In oxine), can distinguish an active infectious process from other pain-inducing conditions. Ninety-seven 111In labeled autologous leukocyte scans were performed in 88 patients.