[First degree open, proximal and distal fractures of the lower arm with scapholunate ligament rupture. Case report of severe extremity trauma]. / Erstgradig offene, proximale und distale Unterarmfraktur mit skapholunärer Bandruptur. Kasuistik eines schweren Extremitätentraumas.

The combination of proximal and distal radius and ulna fractures with scapholunate ligament injury is extremely rare and this type of injury may potentially only be possible in osteoporotic bone. In this case report this rare injury is discussed, a possible therapy regime is presented and a typical postoperative complication is shown.

[Ultrasonic and radiographic quantification of palmar angulation in metacarpal IV and V neck fractures]. / Sonografische und röntgenologische Quantifizierung der Palmarabkippung von subkapitalen Frakturen der Metakarpalia IV und V.

PURPOSE/BACKGROUND: Therapy of metacarpal neck fractures depending on radiographically measured palmar angulation is discussed controversially in the literature. Some authors describe normal hand function of malunited metacarpal neck fractures with a palmar angulation up to 70°; others define 30° as the uppermost limit to maintain normal hand function. However, the methods of measuring palmar angulation are not clearly defined. Here, we present a new method to measure palmar angulation using ultrasound. The aim of this prospective study is to compare the radiographic methods of measuring palmar angulation with the ultrasound method. PATIENTS/MATERIAL AND METHOD: 20 patients with a neck fracture of the metacarpals IV or V were treated either conservatively or operatively. 2 weeks after trauma or operation, an x-ray was performed. 2 examiners measured the palmar angulation on the oblique and lateral projections using 2 different methods (medullary canal and dorsal cortex methods). At the same time, the 2 examiners performed measurements of palmar angulation using ultrasound. The measurements obtained with the different methods as well as by the 2 examiners at 2 different terms were compared. Intra- and interobserver reliability of each method was calculated, and for the ultrasound method a test for accuracy of the measured angles was performed. RESULTS: Depending on the method of radiographic measurement and different x-ray projections, an average of up to 20.3° higher angles were determined as compared with the ultrasound method. The average deviation in angles measured within and between the 2 examiners was lower for the ultrasound method than for the radiographic methods, corresponding to a higher degree of intra- and interobserver reliability. CONCLUSION: The ultrasound method for measuring palmar angulation in metacarpal neck fractures is simple, and appears to be more precise in comparison to radiographic methods. An exactly lateral projection of the fractured metacarpal bone can be imaged without superposition and exposure to radiation. The question arises whether previous studies that suggested normal hand function with palmar angulation up to 70° might have been based on too high angle-readings due to the use of radiographic methods.

A case of Maffucci syndrome.

The Maffucci syndrome consists of a combination of multiple enchondromas and haemangiomas. It appears in the first two decades of life, with no family history. In this case we are reporting about a 26-year-old female who had suffered from multiple enchondromas since the age of two. At the age of nine, the patient presented with additional haemangiomas, which facilitated making proper diagnosis. She now presents with a massive lesion of her left upper extremity. The patient had initially rejected operative treatment when the disease was at early stages. At later stages, a more complex reconstruction of the hand would have been necessary to secure hand function. This procedure that sometimes induces a risk related to potential necessity of blood transfusion was rejected by the patient for religious reasons. Amputation of the extremity was therefore the last resort procedure.

Effects of treatment of malignancy-associated hypercalcemia on serum parathyroid hormone-related protein.

Parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHrP) is the primary mediator of hypercalcemia in patients with malignancy-associated hypercalcemia. We conducted this study to examine the effects of treatment with a bisphosphonate on serum PTHrP. We analyzed 41 episodes of hypercalcemia occurring in 38 patients: 22 patients received alendronate, and 16 were treated with pamidronate. At baseline, 29 patients had an increased serum PTHrP (group I) and 9 had low or undetectable levels (group II). The two groups did not differ significantly in baseline hypercalcemia (3.26 versus 3.41 mM) or the response of serum calcium to therapy. Serum calcium was normalized in 88% of group I and 70% of group II patients. Lowering of the mean calcium level was not associated with a change in the level of PTHrP in group I patients (40.2 versus 36.7 pgEq/ml) or group II patients. We also analyzed data on serum PTH and 1,25-(OH)2D in 20 of the patients. Serum PTH rose with treatment in group I patients (9.7-40.2 pg/ml, p < 0.05), as did the serum 1,25-(OH)2D (19.1-32.4 pg/ml, p < 0.001). Similarly, treatment of group II patients was associated with an increase in serum PTH (9.8-37.2 pg/ml) and serum 1,25-(OH)2D (22.9-40.2 pg/ml). The individual increases in 1,25-(OH)2D levels associated with therapy could not be predicted from the level of PTHrP or the changes in levels of serum calcium or PTH. Our data show that effective treatment of malignancy-associated hypercalcemia is not associated with a consistent change in serum levels of PTHrP. Therapy is associated with a variable increase in the serum levels of PTH and 1,25-(OH)2D.

Comparison of a rapid (2-h) versus a slow (24-h) infusion of alendronate in the treatment of hypercalcemia of malignancy.

Alendronate (aminohydroxybutylidene bisphosphonate) is a potent inhibitor of bone resorption but the role of the duration of intravenous infusion in its efficacy profile is unclear. In a two-centre, parallel, randomized, double-blind study, 20 patients with tumoral hypercalcemia received a single 10-mg i.v. infusion over either 2 h (group A, n = 10) or 24 h (group B, n = 10). Recurrences (n = 6) were retreated using the same regimen. Pretreatment plasma calcium (Ca) was 3.32 +/- 0.08 mM (mean +/- SEM) for all patients. Treatment A and B were associated with similar temporal profiles for onset, time to reach normocalcemia, (6 vs 5 days), nadir (day 6: 2.45 +/- 0.06 vs 2.43 +/- 0.08 mM) and time to relapse (day 21). Normocalcemia (2.15-2.55 mM) was achieved in seven (A) and nine (B) patients with other cases being partial responders (Ca: 2.65-2.76 mM). A significant decrease of urinary calcium and hydroxyproline excretion and a significant increase of PTH accompanied Ca normalization in both groups. Ca response was 50% lower on 2nd treatment with alendronate. Both treatments were well tolerated with transient mild fever being the most common adverse experience. In conclusion, whether infused over 2 or over 24 h, a single dose of 10 mg alendronate led to normalization of tumoral hypercalcemia in a large majority of cases.