Bisphosphonate-induced atypical femoral fracture in tandem: long-term follow-up is warranted.

Summary: Although bisphosphonates (BPs) are mainly used for the treatment of osteoporosis and are generally safe, long-term use and more dosage as utilised in malignant conditions may be associated with the rare adverse event of an atypical femoral fracture (AFF). Occasionally, the risk of developing an AFF persists long after BPs are withdrawn. A 39-year-old woman who underwent chemotherapy and an autologous stem cell transplantation for multiple myeloma presented to us with history of pain in the left thigh. She had received multiple doses of oral and parenteral BPs for about 10 years in view of the underlying myeloma with osteoporosis. Her investigations showed a suppressed CTX of 192 pg/mL, and radiograph of pelvis displayed thickened cortices with beaking of the left femoral shaft, which was suggestive of an AFF. Following discontinuation of BPs, she underwent prophylactic intra-medullary nailing with which her symptoms improved. Five years later, she presented with similar complaints on the right side. Investigations showed that her bone turnover continued to be suppressed with Cross linked C- Telopeptide of type 1 collagen (CTX) of 165 pg/mL and an X-ray done showed AFF on the right side despite being off BPs. A second intra-medullary nailing was done and on follow-up, she has been symptom-free and independent in her daily activities. Discontinuation of BPs may not prevent the incident second AFF and, therefore, thus warranting long-term follow-up. Learning points: Regular screening and follow-up of patients who receive long-term bisphosphonate (BP) therapy should be done. Discontinuation of BPs does not preclude the possibility of repeated occurrence of a second AFF. Long-term BP therapy warrants regular monitoring and follow-up should an AFF occur.

Multiple High-Energy Open Injuries in the Same Limb: Comparison of Outcomes Between Salvage and Amputation Groups.

AIM: To analyze the functional outcomes between limb salvage and amputation patients who had multiple open injuries in the same lower limb. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This observational study analyzed 21 patients who were admitted with multiple open injuries in the same lower limb between January 2012 and December 2015 in our unit. Twelve patients underwent limb salvage and nine patients underwent amputation. The total number of surgeries, duration of hospital stays, ICU admission, complications, time to return to work and costs of inpatient treatment were analyzed. The functional outcome was assessed by using the lower extremity functional scale (LEFS) in both groups, SF-12 score was done for both groups and amputation specific scoring was done by using locomotors capabilities index (LCI). RESULTS: The LEFS was lower in salvage group than amputation group. The SF-12 score was close to normal population in the amputation group and was higher than salvage group. The duration of hospital stays, total number of surgeries and the costs of inpatient admission were higher in salvage group. The time to return to work was earlier in amputation group. Sixty-seven percentage of patients in the salvage group developed complications. CONCLUSION: The functional outcome and SF-12 score was better in amputation group. Patients who had amputation returned to work earlier, had smaller number of secondary hospitalization and has less complications and incurred less expenditure for treatment. The treatment decision should be periodically reviewed when an initial choice of salvage is made. Amputation must be looked at as a treatment for early rehabilitation.

The radial nerve at revision/redo surgery - using the lower lateral cutaneous nerve to prevent a postoperative radial nerve deficit.

Background: The posterior approach to the humeral shaft is commonly used for surgical procedures on the humeral shaft. We present our experiences using the modification of the surgical exposure described by Gerwin M. which we have found useful at the time of revision surgery. Methods: Between 2014 and 2019, six patients who underwent a revision surgical procedure for a nonunion of the humeral shaft where a prior surgical procedure was performed through a posterior incision were included. The approach used a modification of the posterior approach described by Gerwin M. where the lower lateral cutaneous nerve branch of the radial nerve is used to identify trace, mobilize, retract, and protect the radial nerve to achieve adequate exposure of the humeral shaft. Results and Discussion: None of the patients had a postoperative nerve deficit.Adequate exposure to aid hardware removal, osteosynthesis, and bone grafting was achieved in all patients. Conclusion: The modification of the posterior approach described by Gerwin M. is useful at the time of revision or redo surgery on the humeral shaft where other bony and soft tissue landmarks are altered to prevent an iatrogenic injury to the radial nerve while providing adequate exposure to treat a nonunion.

Complex post traumatic foot deformities - Outcomes after corrective surgery.

INTRODUCTION: Complex posttraumatic foot deformity results in painful foot, altered gait and affects cosmesis. We did a retrospective study on 16 patients to analyse the etiology, types of foot deformity and their outcomes after corrective surgery. METHODS: This retrospective study was done on a consecutive series of patients who underwent corrective surgery for complex post-traumatic foot and ankle deformities. There were 16 patients with 18 foot deformities. The duration of deformity, soft tissues, radiographic changes and measurements, type and anatomic localisation of the deformity determined the surgery needed to correct the deformity. RESULTS: Among the 18 foot injuries, 16 were open injuries. Among the type of foot deformity, isolated equinus deformity was seen in 12 feet followed by equinovarus and equinocavovarus in three feet each. Seven patients needed modified footwear. None of the patients required walking aid for ambulation at the end of one year follow up. CONCLUSION: To conclude, soft tissue injuries were the most common cause of posttraumatic foot deformities compared to bony injuries. Equinus deformity was the commonest deformity. Fifteen patients returned to their preinjury work status.

Time to debridement in open high-grade lower limb fractures and its effect on union and infections: A prospective study in a tropical setting.

PURPOSE: To prospectively evaluate whether time to debridement has any correlation with union, infection, and quality of life in high-grade lower limb fractures in a tropical setting. METHODS: A prospective cohort study was conducted at a tertiary care center in South India. Two hundred fifty-four adult skeletally mature patients with 301 grade 3 fractures involving the femur, tibia, or fibula were recruited. The cohort was empirically divided into two groups (early and late) based on the time to debridement (less than or more than 12 h from injury). OUTCOME: The primary outcome was nonunion. Secondary outcomes were deep infection rates and patients' quality of life. Short form-36 (SF-36) and short musculoskeletal functional assessment (SMFA) questionnaires were also used. Patients were followed up for 9 months. RESULTS: The follow-up rate was 93%. The late group had a significantly higher risk of nonunion (odds ratio(OR): 6.5, 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.82-14.95) and infections (OR: 6.05, 95% CI: 2.85-12.82). There was a 4% increase in the infection risk for each hour of delay for the initial 50 h (p < 0.0001). SF-36 and SMFA scores were superior in the early group (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: The study contradicts findings reported in the literature from the West. Our study was in agreement with our hypothesis and proved that debridement within 12 h resulted in significantly lower rates of nonunion and infections and an overall improved quality of life in high-grade open lower limb fractures in a developing country. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level II. TRIAL REGISTRATION: German Clinical Trials Register DRKS00015186.

Musculoskeletal oncogenic osteomalacia-An experience from a single centre in South India.

BACKGROUND: Oncogenic osteomalacia is an acquired form of hypophosphatemic osteomalacia where the tumour resection may lead to cure of the disease. Tumours originating from the musculoskeletal region form an important subgroup of oncogenic osteomalacia. METHODS: This was a retrospective study conducted at a tertiary care centre in south India where we analyzed the hospital records of all the patients with musculoskeletal oncogenic osteomalacia from January 2010-April 2016. RESULTS: A total number of 73 patients were diagnosed to have adult onset hypophosphatemic osteomalacia out of which 13 patients (M: F = 6:7; mean age: 45.38 ± 18.23 years) with musculoskeletal oncogenic osteomalacia were included in the study. Common presenting symptoms were bony pains, proximal myopathy and fractures. Mean duration of symptoms from the initial hospital visit was 58.46 ± 64.48 months. The initial mean fibroblast growth factor (FGF) 23 levels being 828.86 ± 113.22 RU/ml (Normal range: 22-91). Imaging modalities used for localization of the tumour: DOTATATE PET/CT (8 patients), FDG PET/CT (3 patients), 1 patient (Both DOTATATE PET/CT and FDG PET/CT) and whole body Tc 99 m Red blood cell (RBC) blood pool scintigraphy (2 patients). 9 patients underwent surgery and all achieved remission. 4 patients denied surgical consent. CONCLUSION: Musculoskeletal oncogenic osteomalacia is a major subgroup of oncogenic osteomalacia which need more extensive whole body imaging for the localization of the tumour. Surgical excision often leads to remission of the disease.

A pelvic pseudotumor in a nonhemophilic patient: an unusual presentation.

Hemophilic pseudotumor is a rare complication of hemophilia, occurring in 1 to 2 percent of individuals with severe factor VIII or factor IX deficiency. A 35-year-old male presented with a swelling in the right lower abdomen for 3 months. There was no history of trauma. Examination revealed a swelling over the right iliac fossa. Right hip showed 30° flexion deformity. Blood investigations like complete blood count, APTT, PT, bleeding and clotting time, and fibrinogen were all normal. Plain radiograph and MRI showed a lytic lesion in the right iliac wing. Excision biopsy of the swelling showed organized hematoma with a fibrous capsule suggestive of a pseudotumor. Further haematological workup like factors VIII and IX was normal. At 2 years follow-up, there was no recurrence. We report this case of pseudotumour in patient without any bleeding disorder. Such case has not been reported in literature to the best of our knowledge.

Experience of using local flaps to cover open lower limb injuries at an Indian trauma center.

BACKGROUND: Optimal care of open, high-velocity, lower limb injury requires surgical skills in debridement, skeletal stabilization, and in providing appropriate soft tissue cover. Timely coordination between orthopedic and plastic surgeons, though ideal, is often difficult. In our center, orthopedic surgeons undertake comprehensive treatment of open fractures including soft tissue cover. We reviewed the results of the local flaps of lower limb, done by orthopedic surgeons. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the results of the lower limb flaps done between January 2005 and December 2006. All flaps done at and below the level of knee were included. RESULTS: There were 105 patients with 120 flaps during this period. Two patients with two flaps were lost to follow-up. The average age was 32 years. Sixty-four patients had Type IIIB Gustilo and Anderson injuries. Thirty-nine patients had isolated soft tissue injuries. The indications for flaps were exposed bone, tendon, and joint in 45, 11, and 12, respectively, or a combination in 35 patients. The flaps done were 51 reverse sural artery, 35 gastrocnemius, 25 local fasciocutaneous, and seven foot flaps. The flap dimensions ranged from 2 × 2 to 30 × 15 cm. Ninety-three flaps (79%) healed primarily. Among 25 flaps (21%) with necrosis, 14 flaps required secondary split skin graft for healing, while the other nine flaps healed without further surgery. CONCLUSION: Appropriate soft tissue cover provided by orthopedic surgeons can help in providing independent, composite care of lower limb injuries.

Reconstruction of traumatic medial malleolus loss: A case report.

We describe the reconstruction of the medial malleolus in a severe open ankle injury with iliac crest bone graft and sural artery flap in a young adult. At two years follow-up he had a good outcome with a painless, stable ankle with nearly full plantarflexion but restricted dorsiflexion.

Malunited calcaneal fracture fragments causing tarsal tunnel syndrome: a rare cause.

This is a report of tarsal tunnel syndrome (TTS) due to a specific malunited calcaneal fracture fragment in a 46-year-old man. He was treated non-operatively for extra-articular calcaneal fracture. Four months later he presented with pain, tingling and hypoaesthesia over the medial aspect of the heel. He had a positive Tinel's sign and a positive dorsiflexion-eversion test. Radiography revealed malunited calcaneal fracture along medial wall producing bony prominence. The tarsal tunnel was surgically decompressed by excising the malunited fragments. The branches of the posterior tibial nerve were stretched over these fragments intra-operatively. There was symptomatic improvement with surgical excision of the fragment, however, the hypoesthesia did not resolve completely. Appropriate initial treatment will help to prevent this complication.

Reconstruction of open contaminated achilles tendon injuries with soft tissue loss.

BACKGROUND: Open achilles tendon injuries, present a complex problem to the treating surgeon especially if associated with tendon and soft tissue loss. We present eight such patients treated with tendon repair/reconstruction and reverse flow sural artery flap for soft tissue cover. PATIENTS: Eight patients (age, 12-64 years) with a spectrum of open tendo-achilles injuries of acute and chronic (infected), including loss of tendon of up to 10 cm, tendon defects with no distal attachment and one with partial loss of the calcaneum were treated between November 2005 and July 2006. Two of them had significant medical comorbid factors. The skin defect measured after debridement ranged from 6 x 5 cm to 15 x 10 cm. The tendon injuries were sutured directly when possible or sutured to bone if avulsed from the calcaneum. They were otherwise reconstructed using the central part of the proximal segment. A reverse sural artery was used to provide soft tissue cover. RESULTS: All flaps survived. All patients had a normal gait, were able to stand on tip toes, had active plantar flexion and had returned to their original occupation 4 months after reconstruction. They had full range of movement at the ankle. One diabetic patient had terminal necrosis of the flap that required a split skin graft. He developed a late infection which did not compromise the functional result. CONCLUSION: In the management of complex tendo-achilles injuries with tendon and soft tissue loss, radical debridement, single stage tendon reconstruction, and reverse flow sural artery flap gives good functional outcome. This gives consistent results across a spectrum of open tendo-achilles injury.

Childhood nonunion of ulna presenting with wrist deformity in an adult: a case report.

We describe an adult patient with traumatic, nonunion of ulna sustained at 11 years of age who presented with wrist deformity. The possible pathogenesis, differential diagnoses and its successful management are described. A 23-year- old right hand dominant male presented with a progressive wrist deformity of his right upper limb. At 11 years of age, he sustained an isolated open fracture of the right forearm. He had nonoperative treatment. He had 60 degrees of ulnar deviation at wrist. He had no pain in the wrist or elbow. He was able to do all activities using his right upper limb. Radiograph revealed a nonunion of ulna in mid-shaft. The radius was bowed. Radiographs at the time of injury revealed a displaced both bones forearm fracture in mid-shaft. He underwent open reduction, internal fixation of ulna with bone grafting and a corrective osteotomy of the radius. The contracted Extensor carpi ulnaris was Z lengthened. Seven months postoperative, both the nonunion of ulna and radius osteotomy were consolidated. The wrist had no deformity. He had returned to preoperative activity level. Though nonunion is rare in pediatric forearm fractures, asymmetric bone and soft tissue growth can lead to deformities even in the absence of physeal injury. In addition to the standard treatment of nonunion, maintenance of the relative lengths of radius and ulna is essential, to obtain optimum function.