Extreme hypofractionated stereotactic radiotherapy for elderly prostate cancer patients: side effects preliminary analysis of a phase II trial.

PURPOSE: Aim of this study is to evaluate safety and efficacy of SBRT in elderly patients affected by localized prostate cancer (PC). MATERIAL AND METHODS: Men aged 70 years or older were enrolled and analyzed. The SBRT schedule was 35 Gy in 5 fractions administered in 1-2 weeks. According to risk group, androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) was prescribed. Urinary symptoms were evaluated at baseline using the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS). Genitourinary (GU) and gastrointestinal (GI) toxicities were assessed at the end of treatment, 2 weeks after SBRT and during follow-up using the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE). PSA values were recorded before treatment and during follow-up as biochemical response criteria. RESULTS: Between 07/2019 and 09/2021, 111 patients were enrolled. Median age was 77 years. At the end of treatment, no acute GU/GI toxicities ≥ G2 were observed. At 2-3 weeks after treatment, 3 patients reported G2 GU toxicity, while 14 patients referred G2 GI toxicity. During the last follow up, 26 and 2 patients reported, respectively, G1 and G2 GU toxicity, while 22 and 1 cases described, respectively, G1 and G2 GI toxicity. No late toxicities ≥ G3 were recorded. GU toxicity is related to absence of urethra sparing, increasing PTV volume, Dmax PTV and IPSS; GI toxicity is related to RT schedule (each other day is better than consecutive day), Dmax rectum and IPSS, At a median follow-up of 24 months, excellent biochemical disease control was achieved in all cases with median PSA of 0.5 ng/ml. CONCLUSION: SBRT in elderly patients affected by PC is feasible and well tolerated with excellent biochemical disease control. Longer follow-up is needed to assess late toxicity profile and long-term clinical outcome.

Stress fracture of the ulna in an elite ice dancer.

Stress fracture of the ulna is a rare overuse injury often arising from repetitive excessive forearm rotation. Here we report the first case of ulnar stress fracture in a female ice dancer. Diagnosis was made by history and physical examination, with the aid of imaging studies (plain x-ray, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging), and biomechanical analysis of forearm pronation and supination. Following identification and modification of the causal technical element, the ice dancer was able to continue training and competing without cessation of activity. Treatment was with a 30-day course of capacitively coupled bone stimulation to promote fracture healing, confirmed on radiography and magnetic resonance imaging. Such injuries to ice dancers may be prevented at the planning stage of technical elements in the dance program if coaches place more attention on the potentially deleterious effects of difficult positions the lifted dancer must sustain to reward points on the technical elements score. Key pointsThe technical elements in ice dancing can overload joints and bones due to the positions held by the skaters.To project a competition program as much as possible safe regarding overuse injury prevention an accurate knowledge of physiological parameters of the ice dancer and of ISU rules is necessary.

Improving Quality Assurance in a Radiation Oncology Using ARIA Visual Care Path.

PURPOSE: Errors and incidents may occur at any point within radiotherapy (RT). The aim of the present retrospective analysis is to evaluate the impact of a customized ARIA Visual Care Path (VCP) on quality assurance (QA) for the RT process. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The ARIA VCP was implemented in June 2019. The following tasks were customized and independently verified (by independent checks from radiation oncologists, medical physics, and radiation therapists): simulation, treatment planning, treatment start verification, and treatment completion. A retrospective analysis of 105 random and unselected patients was performed, and 945 tasks were reviewed. Patients' reports were categorized based on treatment years period: 2019-2020 (A); 2021 (B); and 2022-2023 (C). The QA metrics included data for timeliness of task completion and data for minor and major incidents. The major incidents were defined as incorrect prescriptions of RT dose, the use of different immobilization systems during RT compared to the simulation, the absence of surface-guided RT data for patients' positioning, incorrect dosimetric QA for treatment plans, and failure to complete RT as originally planned. A sample size of approximately 100 was able to obtain an upper limit of 95% confidence interval below 5-10% in the case of zero or one major incident. RESULTS: From June 2019 to December 2023, 5300 patients were treated in our RT department, an average of 1300 patients per year. For the purpose of this analysis, one hundred and five patients were chosen for the study and were subsequently evaluated. All RT staff achieved a 100% compliance rate in the ARIA VCP timely completion. A total of 36 patients were treated in Period A, 34 in Period B, and 35 in Period C. No major incidents were identified, demonstrating a major incident rate of 0.0% (95% CI 0.0-3.5%). A total of 26 out of 945 analyzed tasks (3.8%) were reported as minor incidents: absence of positioning photo in 32 cases, lack of patients' photo, and absence of plan documents in 4 cases. When comparing periods, incidents were statistically less frequent in Period C. CONCLUSIONS: Although the present analysis has some limitations, its outcomes demonstrated that software for the RT workflow, which is fully integrated with both the record-and-verify and treatment planning systems, can effectively manage the patient's care path. Implementing the ARIA VCP improved the efficiency of the RT care path workflow, reducing the risk of major and minor incidents.

Results and complications of bilateral limb lengthening in achondroplasia: a retrospective analysis.

Background: Achondroplasia is one of the main causes of disharmonic dwarfism. Patients with achondroplasia might have physical and psychological limitations due to their disproportionate stature. Surgical limb lengthening is the only practical option available to achieve a stature comparable to normal population range. The purpose of this study is to analyze results and complications of our lengthening protocol. Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on 33 patients with achondroplasia (21 females and 12 males) undergoing simultaneous bilateral tibia or femur lengthening in four surgical stages from 2017 to 2021 (46 lengthening procedures, with a total of 56 tibias and 36 femurs). For each patient, patients' characteristics and antero-posterior and lateral radiographs were obtained. The following parameters were analyzed: duration of lengthening with external fixator, amount of lengthening, complications or events that influenced outcomes and the healing index (HI). Results: The average tibial and femoral gain was 7.9 cm and 6.9 cm, respectively. The tibiae achieved better results than the femurs (p = 0.005). Nineteen complications were reported for 92 segments (20.7%), and the variables influencing complications were: step (p = 0.002) and fixation duration (p = 0.061). Conclusions: Bilateral parallel lower limb lengthening in four surgical steps may be a viable technique in patients with achondroplasia.

Septic arthritis in the pediatric hip joint: a systematic review of diagnosis, management, and outcomes.

Septic arthritis of the pediatric hip joint (SAH) is a rare but serious orthopedic emergency requiring immediate diagnosis and management. Delayed recognition can lead to severe complications, emphasizing the need for timely intervention. This systematic review aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of SAH in the pediatric population, focusing on its diagnosis, management, and outcomes. The review included 11 studies involving 391 patients with SAH, aged between three months and 12 years. Staphylococcus aureus was identified as the most common causative pathogen, with increasing cases of methicillin-resistant strains. Diagnosis is challenging due to nonspecific clinical presentations, necessitating validated criteria and a multidisciplinary approach. Ultrasound emerged as a valuable tool for early detection, and MRI was used in challenging cases. Treatment options include hip aspiration, arthrotomy, and arthroscopy, often combined with appropriate antibiotic therapy. Success rates were comparable among different surgical procedures. Early intervention is vital for optimal outcomes. However, the review highlights the need for standardized protocols and further prospective studies to address limitations and improve understanding and management of SAH in the pediatric hip joint.

Role of the prophylactic fixation of contralateral unaffected hip in paediatric unilateral slipped capital femoral epiphysis: a systematic review.

The aim of this systematic review is to assess the role of the prophylactic fixation of contralateral unaffected hip in unilateral slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE) in children, focusing on the possible complications of this surgical procedure. A systematic review of medical literature was conducted, according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic review and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) statement, to analyse the complications of prophylactic contralateral hip fixation in unilateral paediatric SCFE. We registered the complications reported in the included studies, scoring their severity according to the orthopaedic adaptation of Clavien-Dindo classification. From 1695 studies primarily identified, 14 studies were finally included: 1 prospective cohort study, 4 retrospective case-control studies and 9 retrospective case series, with a total of 811 children diagnosed with unilateral SCFE and treated on the unaffected contralateral hip. Grade IV complications were very rare (0.37%), while the rate of grade III events was 8%. No death was recorded. The most frequent complication was unplanned further surgery (6.29%) that was an epiphyseal refixation, owing to the physiologic growth of the proximal femur, in 42 cases. Cannulated screws fixation showed to have a lower major complication rate than pinning with K-wires, 5.37% vs 17.95%. The prophylactic fixation of contralateral unaffected hip in paediatric unilateral SCFE is a safe procedure. Although a benefit-cost analysis on this topic has not been published yet, considering the low rate of complications, prophylactic hip fixation is a viable option for patients presenting with unilateral SCFE, to prevent the occurrence of severe hip deformity and avoid future invasive surgeries.

Effect of the COVID-19 Outbreak on Pediatric Patients' Admissions to the Emergency Department in an Italian Orthopedic Trauma Hub.

BACKGROUND: The rapid diffusion of Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Northern Italy led the Italian government to dictate a national lockdown from 12 March 2020 to 5 May 2020. The aim of this observational cohort study is to analyze the differences in the number of pediatric patients' admission to the Emergency Room (ER) and in the type and causes of injury. METHODS: The pediatric population during the pandemic was compared to a similar group of patients admitted to the ER in 2019. Sex, age, triage color-code at admission, cause of trauma and presence of symptoms related to COVID-19 infection, discharge diagnosis and discharge modes were investigated. RESULTS: The lockdown period led to a reduction of 87.0% in ER admissions with a particular decrease in patients older than 12 years old. Moreover, a trend towards more severe codes and an increase in home-related injuries were observed during the pandemic, whereas the diagnosis of fracture was less frequent in the pre-pandemic group (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: A significant decrease in the ER attendances was reported during the lockdown. A shift in the cause and type of injury was observed; only the most serious traumas sought medical care with a higher percentage of severe triage codes and fractures.

Brain Linac-Based Radiation Therapy: "Test Drive" of New Immobilization Solution and Surface Guided Radiation Therapy.

AIM: To test inter-fraction reproducibility, intrafraction stability, technician aspects, and patient/physician's comfort of a dedicated immobilization solution for Brain Linac-based radiation therapy (RT). METHODS: A pitch-enabled head positioner with an open-face mask were used and, to evaluate inter- and intrafraction variations, 1-3 Cone-Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) were performed. Surface Guided Radiation Therapy (SGRT) was used to evaluate intrafraction variations at 3 time points: initial (i), final (f), and monitoring (m) (before, end, and during RT). Data regarding technician mask aspect were collected. RESULTS: Between October 2019 and April 2020, 69 patients with brain disease were treated: 45 received stereotactic RT and 24 conventional RT; 556 treatment sessions and 863 CBCT's were performed. Inter-fraction CBCT mean values were longitudinally 0.9 mm, laterally 0.8 mm, vertically 1.1 mm, roll 0.58°, pitch 0.59°, yaw 0.67°. Intrafraction CBCT mean values were longitudinally 0.3 mm, laterally 0.3 mm, vertically 0.4 mm, roll 0.22°, pitch 0.33°, yaw 0.24°. SGRT intrafraction mean values were: i_, m_, f_ longitudinally 0.09 mm, 0.45 mm, 0.31 mm; i_, m_, f_ laterally 0.07 mm, 0.36 mm, 0.20 mm; i_, m_, f_ vertically 0.06 mm, 0.31 mm, 0.22 mm; i_, m_, f_ roll 0.025°, 0.208°, 0.118°; i_, m_, f_ pitch 0.036°, 0.307°, 0.194°; i_, m_, f_ yaw 0.039°, 0.274°, 0.189°. CONCLUSIONS: This immobilization solution is reproducible and stable. Combining CBCT and SGRT data confirm that 1 mm CTV-PTV margin for Linac-based SRT was adequate. Using open-face mask and SGRT, for conventional RT, radiological imaging could be omitted.

Medium-term outcomes of total hip arthroplasty in juvenile patients.

BACKGROUND: Juvenile hip osteoarthritis is often the end result of congenital conditions or acquired hip ailments occurred during the paediatric age. This study evaluated the middle term results of total hip arthroplasty for end-stage juvenile hip osteoarthritis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data on a cohort of 10 consecutive patients (12 hips), aged between 14 and 20 at operation, who underwent cementless total hip arthroplasty for end-stage juvenile secondary hip osteoarthritis in two orthopaedic tertiary referral centres between 2009 and 2018. RESULTS: Juvenile hip osteoarthritis occurred as a consequence of developmental dysplasia of the hip, Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease, femoral head necrosis or slipped capital femoral epiphysis. All patients showed a significant improvement in Harris Hip Score (p < 0.01) at 3.3 years average follow-up (range 0.7-10.1 years). CONCLUSION: The management of juvenile hip osteoarthritis following developmental dysplasia of the hip, Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease, femoral head necrosis or slipped capital femoral epiphysis is still challenging. Careful preoperative planning is essential to achieve good outcomes and improve the Harris Hip Score in these young patients. Total hip arthroplasty is a suitable option for end-stage secondary juvenile hip osteoarthritis, when proximal femoral osteotomies and conservative treatments fail to improve patients' symptoms and quality of life. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: IV.

Plaster cast treatment for distal forearm fractures in children: which index best predicts the loss of reduction?

Several radiological indices were introduced to evaluate cast adequacy for paediatric distal forearm fractures: cast, gap, padding, Canterbury (reflecting the cast shape and the amount of padding) and three-point indices, and second metacarpal-radius angle (measuring cast ulnar-moulding). The aim of this study is to define which index is most reliable in assessing cast adequacy and predicting redisplacements. Hundred twenty-four consecutive patients (age 5-18) affected by distal both-bone forearm or radius fractures treated with casting were included. These indices and the displacement angles were calculated on the initial radiograph after reduction. Radiographs at 7 and 30 days were taken to assess if the loss of reduction occurred, and measure the displacement deltas (displacement angle at day 30 - displacement angle at day 0). Student's t-test, Chi-square test and Pearson's correlation were used for the statistical analysis. High padding (P = 0.034), Canterbury (P = 0.002) and Cast (P < 0.001) indices showed an association with redisplacements in distal forearm fractures. Both-bone forearm fractures have a higher risk of loss of reduction than radius fractures [odds ratio (OR = 4.99, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 2.21-11.3, P < 0.001]. A higher displacement delta in antero-posterior (Pearson's r = 0.418, P = 0.037) and lateral (P = 0.045) views for both-bone fractures showed an association with a high gap Index. Regarding radius fractures, a high cast index is associated with a higher displacement delta in antero-posterior (P = 0.035). The three-point index and the second metacarpal-radius angle did not show any association with the redisplacement risk. Cast oval moulding without excessive padding may prevent redisplacements in paediatric distal forearm fractures, while casts ulnar-moulding does not.

Prevalence and Associated Factors of Sever's Disease in an Athletic Population.

BACKGROUND: Sever's disease is a common cause of pain in growing kids. Many papers reported in the literature discuss this pathologic condition, but no consensus regarding its etiology has been found among researchers. The aim of the present study was to describe the epidemiologic profile and associated factors of 430 athletic children in a population-based sample of soccer (29.5%), basketball (48.1%), and volleyball (22.3%) players aged 6 to 14 years. METHODS: Every athlete was evaluated through physical examination, the Foot Posture Index (FPI), the Oxford Ankle Foot Questionnaire, and a custom-made sports questionnaire. RESULTS: These data show that body mass index, sex, terrain type, sports discipline, and FPI should not be considered as risk factors for calcaneal apophysitis, whereas a significantly higher risk has been found in younger individuals (P < .01), in those with fewer training sessions per week (P = .02), and in those with shorter training sessions (P < .01). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of Sever's disease in the athletic children evaluated in the present study was higher in younger and less active patients, whereas no differences were registered by sex, FPI, body mass index, terrain type, or sports discipline.

Epilepsy and intrathecal baclofen therapy in children with cerebral palsy.

The objective of this study was to analyze the relationship between epilepsy and intrathecal baclofen by investigating a consecutive sample of 150 children with cerebral palsy or spasticity of cerebral origin who underwent intrathecal baclofen. The medical charts of the 150 children were retrospectively reviewed. A series of 100 children with cerebral palsy, operated on other procedures, was reviewed as a control group. Forty percent of the 150 children had epilepsy before intrathecal baclofen pump implantation; 13.3% had a decrease in seizure frequency after intrathecal baclofen, while two children worsened and one child had seizures ex novo. We conclude that in children with spasticity of cerebral origin, intrathecal baclofen does not seem to aggravate or induce seizure activity.