Post-partum management of severe pubic diastasis.

INTRODUCTION: Pubic symphysis diastasis during pregnancy is a rare complication which can present as pain with ambulation, urinary dysfunction, and pelvic instability. A consensus treatment does not currently exist between surgical and conservative management. The authors present a case of severe pubic diastasis which was successfully treated using a conservative pelvic binder. CASE REPORT: A 31-year-old female presented with severe lower back pain following the uneventful delivery of her fourth child. On radiograph, a pubic symphysis diastasis of 5.5 cm was noted and she was subsequently fitted with a pelvic binder on post-partum day 3. She experienced a full range of motion and was pain free at six-week follow-up, with a diastasis of 2.1 cm present. At one year and three-month follow-up, the patient presented with a diastasis of 2.4 cm and continued to have full range of motion and mobility. CONCLUSION: This case contributes to the literature in showing that conservative treatment of pubic diastasis could be considered in cases where separation has exceeded normal physiologic limits.

The effects of various physical non-operative modalities on the pain in osteoarthritis of the knee.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of various non-operative modalities of treatment (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS); neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES); insoles and bracing) on the pain of osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee. We conducted a systematic review according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines to identify the therapeutic options which are commonly adopted for the management of osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee. The outcome measurement tools used in the different studies were the visual analogue scale and The Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index pain index: all pain scores were converted to a 100-point scale. A total of 30 studies met our inclusion criteria: 13 on insoles, seven on TENS, six on NMES, and four on bracing. The standardised mean difference (SMD) in pain after treatment with TENS was 1.796, which represented a significant reduction in pain. The significant overall effect estimate for NMES on pain was similar to that of TENS, with a SMD of 1.924. The overall effect estimate of insoles on pain was a SMD of 0.992. The overall effect of bracing showed a significant reduction in pain of 1.34. Overall, all four non-operative modalities of treatment were found to have a significant effect on the reduction of pain in OA of the knee. This study shows that non-operative physical modalities of treatment are of benefit when treating OA of the knee. However, much of the literature reviewed evaluates studies with follow-up of less than six months: future work should aim to evaluate patients with longer follow-up.

Life- and limb-threatening infections following the use of an external fixator.

External fixation is widely used in orthopaedic and trauma surgery. Infections around pin or wire sites, which are usually localised, non-invasive, and are easily managed, are common. Occasionally, more serious invasive complications such as necrotising fasciitis (NF) and toxic shock syndrome (TSS) may occur. We retrospectively reviewed all patients who underwent external fixation between 1997 and 2012 in our limb lengthening and reconstruction programme. A total of eight patients (seven female and one male) with a mean age of 20 years (5 to 45) in which pin/wire track infections became limb- or life-threatening were identified. Of these, four were due to TSS and four to NF. Their management is described. A satisfactory outcome was obtained with early diagnosis and aggressive medical and surgical treatment. Clinicians caring for patients who have external fixation and in whom infection has developed should be aware of the possibility of these more serious complications. Early diagnosis and aggressive treatment are required in order to obtain a satisfactory outcome.