Effectiveness of Proximal Femur Nail in the Management of Unstable Per-Trochanteric Fractures: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Background  Intertrochanteric (IT) fractures in the elderly demand surgical intervention for optimal recovery. While dynamic hip screw (DHS) is standard for stable fractures, its use in unstable cases is debated. Proximal femur nail (PFN) addresses unstable per-trochanteric fractures, boasting biomechanical advantages. Many studies favor PFN over DHS, despite concerns like screw migration. In resource-constrained developing nations, the choice of implant is pivotal. This research assesses proximal femur nailing outcomes for unstable fractures, providing insights for regional orthopedic protocols and contributing to tailored treatment guidelines in contexts with limited resources. Objective To assess the clinical and radiological outcomes in patients undergoing proximal femur nailing for unstable per-trochanteric fractures. Material and Methods This retrospective single-arm cohort study was conducted from January 2020 to July 2022. All the consecutive patients who underwent PFN for unstable per-trochanteric fractures were included in this study. Harris Hip Score (HHS) and ambulation status were recorded to evaluate functional outcomes. In contrast, the radiological outcome was assessed by calculating Radiographic Union Score for Hip (RUSH) scores at six weeks, three months, and six months post-operatively. Results  A total of 48 patients were included in this study with equal gender distribution and a mean age of 66 years. The functional outcome was recorded with 2.1% (1), 33.3% (16), and 50% (24) of patients achieving full weight bearing (FWB) without pain at six weeks, three months, and six months respectively while 14.6% (7) of the patients never achieved FWB. The radiological outcome was assessed by calculating RUSH score with 6.3% (3), 43.8% (21), and 50% (24) of the patients achieving complete union at the end of six weeks, three months, and six months respectively. One patient (2.1%) experienced malunion. Conclusion PFN remains an optimal treatment modality for the fixation of unstable per-trochanteric fractures yielding promising functional and radiological outcomes.

Rate and Predictors of Patient Satisfaction After Total Joint Arthroplasty: A Cross-Sectional Study in a Low-to-Middle-Income Country.

Objective This study aimed to assess the rate of patient satisfaction after primary total joint arthroplasty (TJA) using a validated satisfaction measure. Materials and methods A cross-sectional study was conducted, including all patients who underwent primary TJA between December 2021 and February 2023. The age of the study population was found to range from 23 to 86 years. Patient satisfaction was assessed using a validated tool comprising four questions and a quality of life (QoL) question. Results A total of 197 patients were included, with a mean age of 60.9 ± 12.7 years. Total knee replacement (TKR) was performed in 124 patients (62.9%), and total hip replacement (THR) in 73 patients (37.1%). The mean patient satisfaction score was 86.6 ± 14.4 out of a maximum of 100. A significant negative correlation was observed between the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) and the overall satisfaction score (p-value = 0.029). The majority of the patients (52.3%, n = 103) answered that their QoL had greatly improved, and a similar level of improvement was noted in elderly vs. adult patients (p-value = 0.17). A significantly higher proportion of male patients reported improvement more than they ever expected compared to female patients, the majority of whom reported their QoL was greatly improved (p-value = 0.025). Conclusion Total joint arthroplasty has been shown to achieve good patient satisfaction and an improvement in QoL. However, an increased comorbidity index and female gender were identified as factors for reduced satisfaction. Hence, it is recommended to consider these factors and counsel patients accordingly based on local patient data.

Modified Frailty Index as a Predictor of Adverse Outcomes in Elective Primary Hip and Knee Replacement Surgery Patients at a Tertiary Care Hospital in Pakistan: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Objective The objective was to evaluate the modified frailty index as a predictor of early (within 30 days) postoperative complications in total joint arthroplasty patients, in a low middle-income country. Material and methods A cross-sectional study was carried out which included patients with ages ranging from 23 to 86 years, who underwent elective primary Total Hip or Knee Arthroplasties (TKA or THA) between December 2021 and February 2023. Modified frailty index (mFI-5) was calculated and 30-day morbidity and mortality were recorded. Post-operative complications were categorized as either surgical or medical and recorded. Results A total of 175 patients were included, amongst whom the majority were females (68.6%, n=120) and the mean age was 60.5 ± 13.2 years. 85 patients (48.6%) had a mFI-5 score of one while 48 patients (27.4%) had a score of two. Superficial surgical site infection was the most common complication overall in 6 patients (3.4%); however, no case of prosthetic joint infection was noted. Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) was the most common medical complication (1.7%, n=3). 5 patients (2.9%) required re-admission and two mortalities were recorded within the 30-day interval. A significant association was noted between post-operative surgical complications and mFI-5 score (p-value = < 0.001), with the risk of complications increasing with a higher mFI-5 score. Smoking was noted to be a risk factor for post-operative medical complications as well as 30-day mortality. Conclusion The current study shows that the mFI-5 index can effectively be used as a predictor of postoperative complications in the South Asian region such as Pakistan. This should be calculated routinely and can be used as a tool for pre-operative assessment and counseling.

Frequency of angular malalignment after intramedullary nailing for femur shaft fractures - A cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the frequency of angular malalignment of femur in patients undergoing Intra Medullary nailing for femur shaft fracture by measuring axis on immediate postoperative plain radiographs. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted at the Section of Orthopaedics, Department of Surgery, Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi from 1st January 2019 till 30th June 2019. All patients between the ages of 15 to 80 years who underwent IM nailing for femur shaft fractures were included. Angulation was measured on immediate post-operative X-ray films and an angle of ≥5° on AP and/or lateral views was defined as malalignment. RESULTS: A total of 65 patients were enrolled in the study with a mean age of 39.9 ± 16.5 years. Majority of the patients,49 (75.4) were males and road traffic accidents were found to be the most common mechanism of injury. Malalignment after surgery was encountered in 6(9.2%) patients. Proximal femur fractures were noted to be significantly associated with malalignment with a p-value of 0.014. CONCLUSIONS: This shows that frequency rate of malalignment after IM nail for femoral shaft fractures in a developing country like Pakistan is comparable to internationally reported literature and proximal femur fracture is a risk factor for malalignment.

Treatment and recurrence of giant cell tumors of bone - A retrospective cohort from a developing country.

INTRODUCTION: GCT is a benign primary bone tumor which is known to cause local recurrence as well as distant metastases. The standard care of treatment of GCT in our institution is the extended intralesional curettage followed by the use bone cement and either phenol or alcohol as adjunct therapy. This offers preservation of joint closest to tumor and decreased risk of recurrence compared to curettage alone. Therefore, the objective of this study was to assess the recurrence of GCT of the bone and time of recurrence-free survival after primary surgery (curettage with adjunct therapy) and determine the influence of factors like site of tumor involvement and demographic factors on the risk of recurrence. METHODS: Non-funded, non-commercial single group retrospective cohort study was conducted at a tertiary care university hospital. Total of 44 patients treated for primary GCT of the bone between 1995 and 2015 at our institution were included. Medical record files were reviewed for demographic characteristics, intra-operative findings and post-operative follow-up. Risk factors for recurrence and mean recurrence free survival was calculated using appropriate statistical analysis. RESULTS: Proximal tibia was the most commonly involved bone followed by distal femur, while intralesional curettage with either phenol or alcohol as adjunct was the most common primary treatment. Mean follow-up period for all patients was 52.1 ±â€¯43.9 months. Out of the 46 tumors operated primarily at our institution, recurrence developed in eight (17.4%) cases. Extra-compartmental spread of tumor and tumor grade were identified to have a significant association with recurrence (P = 0.013 and 0.043 respectively). Estimated recurrence free survival at 2 and 5 - year interval was 0.85 and 0.83 respectively. CONCLUSION: Extra-compartmental extension of tumor and a higher-grade lesion is significantly associated with development of recurrence in cases of GCT of bone.

Workplace violence against doctors involved in clinical care at a tertiary care hospital in Pakistan.

A study was conducted to determine perceptions, attitudes and experience of workplace violence among residents and faculty at a tertiary care centre in Karachi, Pakistan. An anonymous, electronic, self-administered questionnaire was circulated among all residents and faculty members working at Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi. A standard questionnaire was devised and used, and workplace violence and its types were defined as per World Health Organization (WHO) definitions. An overall response rate of 44.9% was achieved. A total of 53.4% of the respondents reported being victims of some form of workplace violence with verbal abuse being the most prevalent (41.6%) followed by bullying and threat. Most frequent perpetrators were found to be faculty members followed by patients or their attendants. Specialty of respondents was found to be significantly associated with verbal abuse and significantly more females were subjected to sexual harassment, while ethnicity was found to be significantly associated with racial harassment. The results correspond to previously available literature, while they also highlight some findings unique to our culture. We suggest that measures should be taken as per WHO and Joint Commission International Accreditation ( J CIA) recommendations to prevent workplace violence across the country.

"It's a precious gift, not to waste": is routine cross matching necessary in orthopedics surgery? Retrospective study of 699 patients in 9 different procedures.

BACKGROUND: Orthopedic surgeries are usually associated with excessive blood loss which leads surgeons to overestimate need for blood transfusions and over ordering of blood. The cross matched blood, when not used, leads to the wastage of blood bank resources in terms of time, money and manpower. The objective of this study was to investigate the compliance to previously proposed MSBOS and to provide updated recommendations for all orthopedic procedures. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted between 1st June 2015 and 31st May 2016. Patients admitted to the orthopedic surgery service for whom blood products were requested were included. Cross Match/Transfusion (CT) Ratio, Transfusion Index and Transfusion Probability were calculated. Values of < 2.5, > 0.5 and > 30% respectively, were taken as standards. Maximum Surgical Blood Ordering Schedule (MSBOS) was proposed based upon these calculations using Mead's criteria. RESULTS: Six hundred and ninety-nine patients were sampled after implementing exclusion criteria. The overall CT ratio was 4.87, transfusion index was 0.55 and transfusion probability was 25%. A compliance rate of 24.6% was observed with the reference CT ratio of 2.5. Highest CT ratio was calculated for arthroscopic procedures while tumor resection had the lowest ratio. Age, procedure performed, ASA status and use of tourniquet were found to be significantly associated with CT ratio being greater or less than 2.5. CONCLUSION: Results showed significant wastage of blood products and non-compliance with blood ordering guidelines. Hence there is need for large scale prospective studies to establish MSBOS and ensure its compliance.

Outcomes of internal hemipelvectomy for pelvic tumors: a developing country's prospective.

INTRODUCTION: Previously, external hemipelvectomy was the mainstay of treatment for pelvic tumors. However, with technological advancements, limb salvage procedures such as internal hemipelvectomy have emerged as a viable alternative. However, there is limited literature available on long-term outcomes and complications of internal hemipelvectomy, especially from developing countries. Therefore, the objective of this study was to share our experience of internal hemipelvectomy at a tertiary care center in a developing country. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective review was conducted in which all 24 patients undergoing internal hemipelvectomy from January 1, 2005 to December 31, 2015 at our institution were included. Medical record files were reviewed for intraoperative and early and late postoperative complications, and functional outcomes were assessed by contacting each patient on telephone. RESULTS: Ewing sarcoma was found to be the most common diagnosis, followed by osteosarcoma as the second most common. The mean follow-up period was 18.7±13.9 months. Intraoperatively there were 4 cases of iatrogenic neurovascular injury and 2 cases each of urinary tract injury and dural tear. Four patients developed early wound infections, 7 developed late wound infections, and 2 developed flap necrosis. Three patients developed recurrence, whereas 7 patients developed metastasis postoperatively. The mean survival was calculated to be 28 months and the mean Musculoskeletal Tumor Society score was 19.3±5.2. CONCLUSIONS: Outcomes and prevalence of complications shown in this study are comparable to those in the international literature, which suggests that hemipelvectomy is a viable option in developing countries also. However, more such studies are warranted to validate the findings and to identify the challenges and morbidities associated with hemipelvectomy in Asian and developing countries.

Outcome of Judet's quadricepsplasty for knee contractures and the effect of local infiltration of epinephrine on reducing blood loss.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of Judet's quadricepsplasty for treatment of knee contractures and to identify the effect of local infiltration of epinephrine on blood loss associated with this procedure. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted in which all cases of knee contractures managed with Judet's quadricepsplasty from 1st January 2009 to 31st December 2013 were included and were divided into two groups. The epinephrine group included patients who were infiltrated with diluted epinephrine (1:400,000) along with xylocaine, around the operative field 15 min prior to the incision time, while the control group did not receive any infiltration. Judet's outcome, blood loss, drop in hemoglobin and required blood transfusion were noted for all patients and compared between both groups. RESULTS: Most common preceding pathology identified for the development of knee contractures was periarticular fracture while ilizarov application was the most common etiology. Both groups were found similar in all preoperative characteristics except preoperative flexion contracture (p = 0.02). All functional outcome measures including Judet's outcome were similar in both groups. In contrast, duration of surgery (p = 0.01), blood loss (p = 0.02), drop in hemoglobin (p = 0.01) and number of transfusions (p = 0.03) were significantly reduced in epinephrine group. CONCLUSION: Judet's quadricepsplasty is a useful procedure to increase the range of motion of rigid knees and local infiltration of epinephrine is effective in decreasing the amount of subsequent blood loss and transfusion requirements.

Two incision mini open carpal tunnel release- a minimally invasive alternative to endoscopic release.

Surgical techniques for carpal tunnel release are constantly evolving to reduce complications. This retrospective study was planned to identify the outcome and complications associated with a new operating technique for release of carpal tunnel using two incisions. It was conducted at the Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, and comprised patients undergoing surgical release of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) between January 2011 and December 2014. Of the 54 patients,38(70.4%) cases were of right-sided CTS. The mean operating time was 12.5±4.9 minutes. Complete relief from symptoms was observed in all the patients and the only complication noted was superficial infection in 2(3.7%) patients.The outcomes and complications associated with this technique were comparable with other standard techniques. No major complication (e.g. neurovascular injury) was reported, which showed that this technique was safe and had no additional risks. Therefore, it can be used as an alternative to endoscopic release which is expensive and requires special training and equipment.

Improvement in quality of lifesix months after primary total hip arthroplasty in a Pakistani population.

This prospective, cohort study was carried out to assess the improvement in quality of life of patients undergoing elective primary total hip arthroplasty (THA). It was conducted at the orthopaedic department of the Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, from June 2014 to May 2015, and comprised patients who had undergone THA. A total of 89 patients having a mean age of 41.5±12.0 years with a baseline core outcomes measure index (COMI)-hip score of > 3.5 were included. A decrease in COMI-hip score by >3 points six months post-operatively was considered improvement in quality of life. Patient satisfaction with restriction to squatting was assessed separately. The mean reduction in COMI-hip was 4.9±1.3 with 83(93%) patients experiencing significant improvement in quality of life. Age >50 years and American Society of Anaesthesiologists (ASA) level >III was significantly associated with no improvement in quality of life. Most patients were satisfied with their disability to squat irrespective of COMI-hip score. THA was found to be associated with significant improvement in quality of life and COMI-hip score was applicable in our population despite its inability to assess disability with restriction in squatting.

Does tranexamic acid reduce blood transfusion following surgery for inter-trochanteric fracture? A randomized control trial.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the frequency of blood transfusion after surgery for fixation of inter-trochanteric fractures in patients given tranexamic acid versus placebo. METHODS: The randomised control trial was conducted at the Aga khan university hospital from May 1 to October 31, 2014, and comprised patients diagnosed with Inter-trochanteric fracture based on X-ray imaging. The patients were randomised into two equal groups based on a computer-generated random number table. The Intervention group received two doses of 10mg/kg body weight of tranexamic acid just before surgery and three hours later intravenously. The Control group received two doses of 10mg/kg body weight of normal saline at similar intervals. Numbers of blood transfusions required postoperatively were noted based on the postoperative haemoglobin readings. RESULTS: There were 100 patients who were divided into groups of 50(50%) each. Mean post-op haemoglobin for the intervention group was 10.2±2.4 g/dl and for the control group it was 8.9±2.4 g/dl (p=0.007). Nine (18%) patients in intervention group required blood transfusion compared to 21(42%) in control group (p=0.009). CONCLUSIONS: Administering tranexamic acid was a useful and safe option for reducing requirement of blood transfusion postoperatively after inter-trochanteric hip fractures.

Acute Generalized Exanthematous Pustulosis Induced by Erlotinib (Tarceva) with Superimposed Staphylococcus aureus Skin Infection in a Pancreatic Cancer Patient: A Case Report.

Acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis (AGEP) is a rare acute reaction that is drug induced in 90% of the cases and characterized by a widespread, sterile pustular rash. Erlotinib, a small-molecule EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor, has been approved by the FDA for patients with pancreatic cancer and non-small cell lung cancer. Skin rash is a well-known side effect related with all EGFR blocking agents. It has been suggested that rash could be used as a surrogate marker for response and possibly be associated with prolonged survival. We report a case of rare presentation of AGEP involving an adverse effect of erlotinib. The commonly reported adverse effects of erlotinib are mild skin eruptions. However, our case describes the rare presentation of AGEP induced by erlotinib. The estimated incidence rate of AGEP is approximately 1-5 cases per million/year.