Total knee arthroplasty in patients with Ranawat type-II valgus arthritic knee with a marked coronal femoral bowing deformity: comparison between computer-assisted surgery and intra-articular resection.

BACKGROUND: Proper limb and component alignments as well as soft tissue balance are vital for the longevity and optimal long-term outcomes of total knee arthroplasty (TKA). This procedure is technically demanding in patients with Ranawat type-II valgus arthritic knees with marked coronal femoral bowing. Computer-assisted surgery (CAS) and intra-articular bone resection with TKA are the treatments of choice for patients with ipsilateral extra-articular deformity. In theory, both CAS and intra-articular bone resection are beneficial in Ranawat type-II valgus arthritic knees with marked coronal femoral bowing deformity, but the literature on this topic is sparse. We compared the benefits of using these two techniques for TKA under this circumstance. METHODS: Patients who had Ranawat type-II valgus arthritic knees and marked coronal femoral bowing deformity and had undergone TKA at our hospital between 2005 and 2013 were enrolled in this retrospective study. Patients treated with CAS were assigned to the CAS-TKA group; patients treated with intra-articular bone resection were assigned to the Bone-Resect-TKA group. Radiographic parameters and clinical outcomes (International Knee Society (IKS) scores and patellar scores) in both groups were compared. RESULTS: Forty-seven patients (50 knees) met the inclusion criteria: 22 knees in the CAS-TKA group and 28 knees in the Bone-Resect-TKA group. Lateral retinaculum release was significantly (P = 0.008) higher in the Bone-Resect-TKA group. The joint-line was significantly properly restored in the CAS-TKA group (P = 0.011). The reconstructed mechanical axis was significantly (P = 0.012) closer to normal in the CAS-TKA group than in the Bone-Resect-TKA group. For component alignment, the femoral valgus and femoral flexion angles were significantly better in the CAS-TKA group (P = 0.002 and P = 0.006, respectively), but not the tibial valgus, tibial flexion, or patellar tilting angles. IKS scores and patellar scores were not significantly different between groups at a mean follow-up of 60.2 months. CONCLUSIONS: CAS-TKA was effective for obtaining proper alignment and joint-line restoration in patients with Ranawat type-II valgus arthritic knees and marked coronal femoral bowing deformity, but not for yielding better clinical outcomes. Additional large-scale prospective randomized cohort studies with long-term follow-ups are necessary to make evidence-based recommendations.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and the risk of a second hip fracture: a propensity-score matching study.

BACKGROUND: Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are frequently prescribed for elderly patients, particularly after a hip fracture. However, we are not clear about the effect of NSAIDs on the risk of a second hip fracture because of confounding factors. METHODS: This was a Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database-based study using propensity-score matching (PSM) to control for confounding. Enrollees were selected from patients with a hip fracture during 1996-2004 and followed longitudinally until December 2009. After PSM for comorbidities and bisphosphonate therapy, 94 patients with a second hip fracture were assigned to the Cases group and 461 without it to the Controls group. The target drugs are NSAIDs; paracetamol and dexamethasone are used for comparison. RESULTS: The correlation between the mean daily-dose (MDD) ratios of NSAIDs and the probability values of the current statistical tests were highly negative (Pearson's r = -0.920, P = 0.003), which indicated that the higher the MDD ratios, the greater the risks of a second hip fracture. A Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed a time-dependent trend of increasing risk of a second hip fracture in patients taking NSAIDs (P < 0.001). Moreover, patients ≥ 60 years old had a higher risk of a second hip fracture than did those <60 and taking the NSAIDs diclofenac (P = 0.016) and celecoxib (P = 0.003) and the corticosteroid dexamethasone (P = 0.018), but not those taking analgesic paracetamol (P = 0.074). CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that taking NSAIDs after a fragility hip fracture dose- and time-dependently significantly increases the risk of a second hip fracture, especially in elderly patients. To lower the risk of a second hip fracture, any underlying causes for excessively using NSAIDs should be treated and thus fewer NSAIDs prescribed after a first hip fracture.

The Effects of Dorsal Cortical Comminution on Radiographic Results following Percutaneous Pinning for Extra-Articular Colles' Fracture.

A number of studies have demonstrated that dorsal cortical comminution (DCC) can predict redisplacement after nonoperative treatment of Colles' fractures; however, the effects of a DCC defect on radiographic outcomes following percutaneous pinning for dorsally displaced extraarticular Colles' fractures are unclear. We, therefore, performed a retrospective study on 85 patients who sustained such fractures treated with percutaneous pinning within 2006-2009. The main outcome measures included four radiographic parameters, including radial height, radial inclination, radial tilt, and ulnar variance. The radiological results showed that all fractures after percutaneous pinning followed the same time series changes and patterns of fracture collapse regardless of the presence of a DCC defect. The use of the pinning construct is to provide support for static loading but not for dynamic loading. Although the final radiographic outcomes were classified as acceptable in fractures with and without DCC, we recommend that a different approach in the management of displaced Colles' fractures might be necessary in consideration of increasing patient expectations of health care.

Monomicrobial Necrotizing Fasciitis Caused by Aeromonas hydrophila and Klebsiella pneumoniae.

OBJECTIVE: To compare specific characteristics and clinical outcomes of monomicrobial necrotizing fasciitis caused by Aeromonashydrophila and Klebsiella pneumoniae. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Cases of monomicrobial necrotizing fasciitis caused by A. hydrophila (n = 11) and K. pneumoniae (n = 7) over an 8-year period were retrospectively reviewed. Differences in mortality, patient characteristics, clinical presentations, and laboratory data were compared between the A. hydrophila and the K. pneumoniae groups. RESULTS: The clinical signs and symptoms at the time of presentation did not differ significantly (p > 0.05) between the two groups. The A. hydrophila group had a significantly shorter interval between contact and admission (1.55 ± 0.52 vs. 5.14 ± 2.12 days, p < 0.001) and significant lower total white blood cell counts (10,245 ± 5,828 vs. 19,014 ± 11,370 cells/mm(3), p < 0.045) than the K. pneumoniae group in the emergency room. Hepatic dysfunction was associated with mortality in patients with A. hydrophila infection, while diabetes mellitus was associated with mortality in patients with K. pneumoniae infection. Overall, 5 (45.5%) patients in the A. hydrophila group and 3 (42.8%) in the K. pneumoniae group died. CONCLUSION: The initial clinical course of A. hydrophila monomicrobial necrotizing fasciitis was characterized by more rapidly progressive disease than that of the K. pneumoniae infection. Patients with hepatic dysfunction and necrotizing fasciitis should be suspected of having A. hydrophila infection, and diabetic patients with necrotizing fasciitis should be suspected of having K. pneumoniae infection initially.

Medial calcar support and radiographic outcomes of plate fixation for proximal humeral fractures.

Plate fixation remains one of the most popular surgical procedures for treating proximal humeral fractures (PHFx); however, substantial rates of complications have been reported in the literature. The objectives of the study were to examine how medial calcar support (MCS) affects the radiographic outcomes and to determine the prognostic factors predicting treatment failure. We performed a retrospective cohort study of 89 adult patients who had PHFx and were treated with plate fixation at our institution in 2007-2011. The enrolled patients were separated into two groups according to disruption of medial calcar. Our results revealed an increased rate of poor radiographic outcomes in patients with disrupted medial calcar. Osteonecrosis of the humeral head and redisplacement were the two radiographic outcomes which had a positive causality with disruption of medial calcar (P = 0.008 and 0.050, resp.). Deficient medial calcar, inadequate reduction, diabetes mellitus, chronic kidney disease, and chronic liver disease were all significant predictors for the development of osteonecrosis in patients after PHFx surgery. Inadequate reduction was also a predictor for redisplacement. We confirmed that the restoration of medial calcar as well as comorbid conditions plays key roles in treatment of patients having PHFx with disrupted medial calcar.

Necrotizing fasciitis and sepsis caused by Vibrio vulnificus and Klebsiella pneumoniae in diabetic patients.

BACKGROUND: Vibrio vulnificus related necrotizing fasciitis is a fatal, rapidly progressive soft-tissue infection. Necrotizing fasciitis caused by Klebsiella pneumoniae is rare, which is indistinguishable from V. vulnificus infection in the emergency room. The purpose of this study was to compare the clinical characteristics and outcome between these two pathogens in diabetic patients. METHODS: Thirty diabetic patients were retrospectively reviewed over an 8-year period. Necrotizing fasciitis caused by V. vulnificus was found in 19 patients and by K. pneumoniae in 11 patients. The demographic, clinical, and laboratory characteristics, and the outcome between diabetic patients with V. vulnificus and K. pneumoniae infections were compared. RESULTS: Two patients in the V. vulnificus group (10.5%) and three patients in the K. pneumoniae group (27.3%) died. Fourteen patients in the V. vulnificus group (73.6%) had a history of exposure to seawater or raw seafood, and eight patients in the K. pneumoniae group (72.8%) had abrasions or chronic ulcers over the site of infection. We found that the time interval between onset of illness and presentation to the hospital was significantly shorter in the V. vulnificus group than in the K. pneumoniae group (2.47 days vs. 5.45 days, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The exposure history and the time from exposure to hospital presentation with severe sepsis syndromes should alert clinicians to distinguish between necrotizing soft-tissue infections with V. vulnificus (contact with seawater or raw seafood) and K. pneumoniae (abrasions or chronic ulcers) in diabetic patients. Infection with V. vulnificus progresses more rapidly than infection with K. pneumoniae during the initial clinical course.

Risk analysis for second hip fracture in patients after hip fracture surgery: a nationwide population-based study.

OBJECTIVES: The current treatment program for fragility hip fractures (HFx) emphasizes a combination of early surgery, rehabilitation, and tertiary prevention strategy for osteoporosis; however, the effect is unclear and little information is available on the risk factors predicting the occurrence of a second hip fracture (SHFx). The aim of this study was to explore the incidence, risk factors, and subsequent mortality of SHFx in patients after their first hip fracture surgery (HFxS). DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: We performed a nationwide population-based longitudinal observational study using the National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD) of Taiwan with a logistic regression model analysis. Of 87,415 patients undergoing HFxS during the period 2004 to 2007, we identified 8027 patients who had sustained an SHFx for analyses. MEASUREMENTS: Data collected included patient characteristics (demographics, comorbidities, and concurrent medication use), incidence and hazard ratios of SHFx after HFxS, and subsequent age-specific mortality. RESULTS: The overall incidence of SHFx was 9.18% and the age-specific mortality was increased 1.6- to 2.2-fold in patients with SHFx compared with those without after HFxS in this 7-year longitudinal study. The identified risk factors included age (AOR = 1.84, 95% CI: 1.24-2.89), female gender (AOR = 1.12, 95% CI: 1.03-2.30), obesity (AOR = 2.89, 95% CI: 1.81-3.01), diabetes (AOR = 3.85, 95% CI: 2.54-4.05), arterial hypertension (AOR = 2.45, 95% CI: 1.83-2.62), hyperlipidemia (AOR = 2.77, 95% CI: 1.27-3.19), stroke/TIA (AOR = 2.85, 95% CI: 2.20-3.23), blindness/low vision (AOR = 3.09, 95% CI: 2.54-3.73), and prolonged use of analgesics and anti-inflammatory medications (all AOR ≥ 3.05, all P values ≤.012). Bisphosphonate therapy after HFxS had a significant negative risk association with the development of an SHFx (20.8% vs 32.3%, P = .023; AOR = 2.24, 95% CI: 1.38-2.90). CONCLUSION: We concluded that the occurrence of an SHFx and subsequent mortality in patients after HFxS is rather high. An understanding of the risk factors predicting the occurrence of an SHFx provides a valuable basis to improve health care for geriatric populations.

Radiographic outcomes of percutaneous pinning for displaced extra-articular fractures of the distal radius: a time course study.

INTRODUCTION: Although not all malunited distal radius fractures are symptomatic, the goal of treatment for displaced extra-articular fractures of the distal radius should be to restore and to maintain the radial geometry until bone healing. However, the time course change after surgery for these fractures is unclear. METHODS: We, therefore, performed a retrospective cohort study on patients who sustained such fractures treated with percutaneous pinning. The main outcome measures in this study included four radiographic measurements: radial height, radial inclination, radial tilt, and ulnar variance. RESULTS: Assessment of the monthly changes in these measurements revealed that early fracture collapse with loss of the reduced radial tilt occurred. Besides, among the 4 measurements, the normal radial tilt was the most difficult to be achieved when repositioning and pinning the fractured fragments. CONCLUSIONS: Even though the modified Kapandji technique provided a superior ability to maintain the reduced position until bone healing over the Willenegger method, we recommended that refinement of surgical techniques and postoperative hand care program may be necessary to fulfill the treatment objectives of stable surgical fixation and early joint motion.

Quantification of sonographic echogenicity by the gray-level histogram in patients with supraspinatus tendinopathy.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to compare the gray-level value of the supraspinatus tendon of a painful shoulder with that of a normal shoulder measured by ultrasonography, and to investigate whether a low mean gray-level value of the supraspinatus tendon could indicate a partial-thickness or incomplete full-thickness tear. METHODS: Two hundred and ten patients had significant unilateral shoulder pain with the clinical suspicion of rotator cuff tendinopathy. They underwent bilateral shoulder ultrasonography, and the mean echogenicity of the histogram was calculated on the screen. The mean gray-level value of each patient's contralateral asymptomatic shoulder was compared with that of the painful shoulder. RESULTS: Based on the scan of transverse and longitudinal planes, a significant difference existed between the symptomatic shoulder and contralateral asymptomatic shoulder (p < 0.0001). The mean gray-level values of symptomatic shoulders showed no statistically significant difference between the patients who underwent surgery and the patients who underwent conservative treatment. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrated that the ultrasound gray-level histogram is a promising tool for detecting the hypoechogenic appearance of supraspinatus tendinopathy. A decrease in the mean gray-level value on the symptomatic shoulder may be used as an alternative sonographic indicator of rotator cuff partial-thickness tear or tendinopathy. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Diagnostic level III.

Microbiology and surgical indicators of necrotizing fasciitis in a tertiary hospital of southwest Taiwan.

BACKGROUND: Necrotizing fasciitis is a true surgical emergency. This study was undertaken to determine whether clinical indicators could be used to initiate early surgery, and to compare the characteristics observed on initial examination of necrotizing fasciitis in patients who died and those who survived. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 143 patients with surgically confirmed necrotizing fasciitis of the extremities over a period of 3.5 years at a tertiary hospital of southwest Taiwan. Differences in mortality, patient characteristics, laboratory findings, and hospital course were compared between patients who died and those who survived, and between patients with Gram-positive infections and those with Gram-negative infections. RESULTS: A patient with a fungal infection died. Nine of the 58 patients in the Gram-positive group (15.5%) and 12 of the 60 cases in the Gram-negative group (20%) died. Hence a total of 22 patients died, giving a mortality rate of 15.4%. Hypotension, lower counts of total and segmented leukocytes, higher counts of banded leukocytes, and lower levels of serum albumin were significantly associated with mortality. Monomicrobial infections had a stake of 70.6%, and Vibrio spp were the predominant causative agents (26.6%). CONCLUSIONS: Hypotensive shock, severe hypoalbuminemia, and increased counts of banded leukocytes can be considered the clinical and laboratory risk indicators to initiate early surgery and to predict mortality for all types of necrotizing fasciitis. The clinical characteristics of Gram-negative infections were more fulminant than those of Gram-positive infections.