[What do orthopedic and trauma surgeons expect from radiologists when interpreting imaging of the elbow?] / Was erwarten Orthopäden und Unfallchirurgen vom Radiologen bei der Beurteilung der Bildgebung des Ellenbogens?

CLINICAL ISSUE: The elbow is a complex joint with a multitude of acute and chronic pathologies. In addition to the clinical examination, radiological diagnostics play a decisive role in the further therapeutic management. DIAGNOSTIC WORK-UP/PERFORMANCE: While acute traumatic injuries often present with obvious structural changes and the need for rapid treatment decisions, chronic processes can present with less evident alterations. Especially in these cases there is a need for clear communication between the treating physician and the radiologist with respect to managing optimal imaging as the basis for a certain diagnosis and therefore optimal treatment. Basic prerequisites on both sides are detailed knowledge of all elbow pathologies, classifications and the spectrum of radiological diagnostic imaging. ACHIEVEMENTS/PRACTICAL RECOMMENDATIONS: From the point of view of orthopedic surgeons the radiologist is responsible for the correct performance and interpretation of the necessary imaging procedures. The aim of this article is to give an overview of important aspects in the imaging of typical orthopedic/traumatic pathologies.

Pregnancy-associated osteoporosis with eight fractures in the vertebral column treated with kyphoplasty and bracing: a case report.

Pregnancy-associated osteoporosis is a rare condition, which imposes multiple symptoms in the musculoskeletal system. Common complaints announced by patients are severe pain in the lower back, hips and the joints of the lower extremities with a reduced and less mobility status in general. Most of the patients' problems occur in the last trimester of pregnancy or postpartum and are often not diagnosed as side effects of osteoporosis but as problems associated with pregnancy. Although vertebral fractures are rare complications of pregnancy-associated osteoporosis, they should be always considered in women presenting with an acute pain syndrome in peripregnancy period. This case presents a 40-year-old primagravid woman who developed pain in hips and severe pain in the lower back causing an immobilization diagnosed with a pregnancy-associated osteoporosis with eight compression fractures in the thoracic and lumbar spine. Because of sagittal imbalance of the spine, she was treated with kyphoplasty at the four lumbar fractures and with bracing for the upper, thoracic ones, additional to the conservative anti-osteoporotic therapy. The authors discuss pregnancy-associated osteoporosis and its clinical presentation, as well as the indications of kyphoplasty, spinal alignment and the risk of single conservative treatment.