Both Bone Forearm Fracture with Complex DRUJ Dislocation: What Are the Odds?

Background Distal radioulnar joint (DRUJ) dislocation can occur as an isolated injury or in association with fracture radius (Galeazzi fracture-dislocation), Essex-Lopresti lesion or, rarely, with fracture of both radius and ulna (termed "Galeazzi type fracture"). DRUJ dislocations can be simple or complex. While simple DRUJ dislocation can be reduced by closed methods once the associated fractures are fixed anatomically, complex dislocation does not reduce by closed means. A complex DRUJ dislocation occurring in a both bone forearm fracture is an extremely unusual pattern of injury. Case Description We describe the clinical presentation, intraop findings, management, and follow-up of two such cases of both bone forearm fracture with complex DRUJ dislocation. In both the cases, the ulnar head was found to be buttonholed through extensor retinaculum between the extensor tendons. Open reduction had to be done via dorsal approach. Timely intervention allowed good results in both the patients. Literature Review Several authors have reported simple DRUJ dislocations in both bone forearm fractures; however, we could come across only three cases of complex DRUJ dislocation in a both bone forearm fracture. A summary of various series and reports on these injuries is presented. Case Relevance Through this case report, we want to highlight this unusual association and emphasize on sequence of fixation, so that this perilous injury pattern is not missed, and favorable outcomes could be obtained through appropriate and timely intervention.

Rare Combination of Distal Tibial Physeal Injury (Salter-Harris Type IV) with Sagittal Plane Fracture of Talus Body: A Case Report.

Introduction: Distal tibial physeal fractures and talus fractures are rare injuries in children and adolescents. Even rare is a combination of these two fractures. Axial compression is an accepted mechanism of injury in talus fractures with position of foot at the point of impact determining the extended patterns. A concomitant medial malleolus fracture suggests a supinated foot at the time of impact. Case Presentation: We report a case of a 13-year-old girl child who sustained a Type IV Salter-Harris injury of distal tibial physis along with a displaced vertical (sagittal) type fracture of the talus body. The uniqueness in our case was that the talar body fracture was a vertical type and that too displaced in the same line along with medial malleolus fragment. Open reduction of both the fractures was done through anteromedial approach followed by minimal fixation with K-wires. Good results were observed at 1 year following the surgery. Conclusion: Injuries of this nature are very uncommon and even more unusual in pediatric age group. This case report emphasizes the importance of having a high suspicion of uncommon fracture patterns in pediatric age group. Early and prompt diagnosis should be made using CT/MRI as a lot of these injuries may go unnoticed on plain radiographs.

Desmoplastic Fibroma of Radius Managed with Non-Vascularised Fibular Autograft - A Case Report.

Desmoplastic fibromas of bone are extremely rare, slow growing, locally invasive, benign primary bone tumours, bearing close resemblance to the extra-abdominal desmoid tumours of soft tissue. They typically occur in patients around 30 years of age, and most commonly affect the mandible, pelvis and meta-diaphyseal region of long bones. En bloc or wide resection has typically been the treatment of choice to avoid recurrence, however, recent reports support curettage with bone grafting and adjuvant therapy to minimise functional loss. We report a 9-year-old child with a desmoplastic fibroma of right radius. This is an unusual age group for this bone tumor. The tumor was managed with en bloc resection and reconstruction with a non-vascularised fibula autograft. The patient had good functional outcome and no recurrence at 1-year follow-up. Level of Evidence: Level V (Therapeutic).

Minimally Invasive Treatment for Nonunion in an Unusual Pattern of Neuropathic Calcaneal Fracture: A Case Report.

Neuropathic arthropathy is the painless destruction of weight-bearing bones and joints that is caused by a neurosensory deficit. Minimally displaced neuropathic fractures may be managed non-operatively. However, larger displacements often require surgical fixation. Nonunion is a rare entity in calcaneal fractures, and its occurrence in a neuropathic setting is an even rarer scenario. An unusual clinical scenario means there is a paucity of literature to guide the optimum treatment. Here we describe a patient with neuropathic arthropathy due to meningomyelocele in childhood, presenting with neuropathic nonunion of the calcaneum, managed with a minimally invasive surgical approach using an arthroscopic burr and fixation with percutaneous screws. Despite the high risk of complications in the operative treatment of neuropathic fractures, good functional results and successful limb salvage may be achieved with minimally invasive techniques.

Volar Dislocation of Trapezoid with Coronal Fracture - A Case Report and Review of Literature.

Volar dislocation of the trapezoid is a rare injury and is easily missed. It is more common to have a dorsal dislocation of trapezoid or multiple carpometacarpal joint dislocations. The rare nature of the injury also means that there is little guidance in literature regarding optimal treatment. We are reporting the presentation, management and a 3-year follow-up of this rare injury in a 19-year-old male. Level of Evidence: Level V (Therapeutic).

Z-Corrective Osteotomy in Malunited Extra-Articular Fractures of Distal Radius.

PURPOSE: We sought to assess clinical, radiological, and functional outcomes following treatment of extra-articular malunions of the distal radius using a multiplanar z-corrective osteotomy. METHODS: Fifteen patients with extra-articular distal radius malunions (13 dorsal and 2 volar) underwent z-corrective osteotomy and volar plate fixation without bone grafting. Correction and maintenance of each deformity was evaluated in terms of various radiographic indices (radial height; volar and radial tilt); osteotomy union; pain (visual analog scale); grip strength; range of motion; Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand scores; and Mayo wrist scores. RESULTS: The mean follow-up was 16.4 months. The mean radial height was corrected from -1.3 mm to 4.9 mm. The mean ulnar variance improved from 4.3 mm to -0.4 mm. The sagittal radial tilt and radial inclination were restored from a mean of -17.9° (dorsal) to 3.3° (volar) and from 12.0° to 17.2°, respectively. The Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand and Mayo wrist scores improved from means of 36 and 56 preoperatively to 24.8 and 73.3, respectively, at 6 months and further to 20.6 and 77.6, respectively, at the last follow-up. There were no nonunions or tendon-related problems. The mean pain score decreased from 4.1 preoperatively to 1.0 at 6 months and 0.8 at the last follow-up. The mean grip strength improved from 5.6 kg preoperatively to 15.6 kg at 6 months and 19.7 kg at the last follow-up. There was a statistically significant improvement in range of motion at the wrist. CONCLUSIONS: The z-osteotomy provides correction of deformity in all 3 planes, along with restoration of radial height. It also maintains a broad area of bone contact between the 2 osteotomized bone fragments, facilitating bony union and eliminating the need for bone grafting. TYPE OF STUDY/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic IV.

Osteoblastoma of the Distal Radius.

Osteoblastomas are rare, benign, bone-forming neoplasms that represent less than 1% of all bone tumors and occur mostly in people aged 10 to 30 years. In long bones, the metadiaphyseal region tends to be most commonly affected. However, to the best of our knowledge, only 11 cases have been reported to occur in the distal radius. We present the clinical, radiological, and histopathological findings of an osteoblastoma of the right distal radius in a 42-year-old woman for whom an open excisional biopsy with nidus removal comprised the treatment and produced a good outcome.

Salter-Harris I Injury of the Proximal Tibial Physis with Vascular Compromise: A Case Report and Review of Literature.

INTRODUCTION: Physeal injuries of proximal tibia are uncommon and constitute only 1% of all physeal injuries. Major vessel injuries are also rare in children and occur in 0.6% trauma cases, out of which, injuries of popliteal artery comprise only 5%. The combination of these is an extremely rare injury pattern but is potentially limb threatening. Most of the cases of physeal injuries of proximal tibia along with popliteal artery compromise, reported in the literature include Salter Harris (SH) type II, III, and IV patterns (type II being most common) with pure type I being extremely rare. CASE REPORT: We describe a rare posteriorly displaced pure SH I injury of proximal tibial physis with compromised vascularity of the limb. Immediate closed reduction and stabilization with Kirschner wires (K-wires) restored the vascularity of the limb and the patient went on to have a good functional recovery at the last follow-up of 1 year. CONCLUSION: Vascular injuries occurring in SH 1 proximal tibial physeal fractures are often overlooked or missed due to the relatively benign appearance of slip with no sharp fragments to injure major vessels. Close monitoring of neurovascular status and a low threshold for fixation, for example, with K-wires, are important to prevent limb threatening ischemia in these relatively simple appearing injuries.

Unusual Pattern of Traumatic Anterolisthesis at Multiple Levels (L3,4,5 Over S1) Because of Pedicle Avulsion: A Case Report.

CASE: Multilevel lumbar spondylolistheses have been reported, but only secondary to degenerative processes. We describe a case where grade 4 anterolisthesis occurred (L3,4,5 over S1) because of multiple level traumatic pedicle avulsion rather than facetal/pars interarticularis/posterior ligamentous complex disruption in a 42-year-old man who presented with paraparesis after a fall from height. Decompression was performed at the L5 level, and pedicle screw fixation was performed at L3, L5, and S1 levels. CONCLUSION: Although such an injury pattern seems catastrophic, it is deemed relatively stable because of the intact posterior ligamentous complex. Restoration of anatomy with stabilization allowed early mobility and satisfactory neurological recovery.

Giant Cell Tumor of the Ring Finger Distal Phalanx.

Giant cell tumor (GCT) is a benign but locally aggressive neoplasm generally located in the epiphysis and metaphysis of the long bones. Its occurrence in the bones of the hand is rare. Giant cell tumors occurring in the hand account for only 2% of all the GCTs reported. The epimetaphyseal region of short long bones is a common site of GCTs in the hand; however, a phalangeal GCT originating in the distal phalanx is extremely rare. We present the clinical, radiological and histopathological findings of a case of GCT of the distal phalanx of the left ring finger presenting with a fungating mass and treated with en bloc resection by disarticulation of the distal interphalangeal joint.

Determination of outcomes of complex upper end tibial fractures in squatting and cross leg sitting South Asian population.

INTRODUCTION: Treatment of complex upper end tibial fractures has always been a challenge to orthopaedic surgeons. Though the roentgenogram results are satisfactory, the clinical and functional outcomes especially in terms of squatting/cross-leg sitting after long term follow-up are little known. Hence, we have done this study with a primary aim to assess the clinico-radiological and functional outcomes after operative fixation (mostly by locking plates) in complex upper end tibial fractures and a secondary aim to analyze correlation between functional outcome scores/range of motion (ROM) and the ability to squat & sit cross-legged in post-operative period. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This prospective study included a total of 33 patients who were mainly treated with locking plates. In the follow-up, patients were assessed clinico-radiologically and outcome measurements were determined using the Tegner-Lysholm (T-L) Knee Score. Patients were categorized according to their ability to squat/sit cross-legged and a subgroup analysis was performed by comparing mean ROM and T-L score in each group. RESULTS: Majority of patients were in young and adult age group with a male to female ratio of 4.5:1. The average age was 42.39 ±14.64 years. Road traffic accident was the most common mode of injury. Average time interval between injury and surgery was 5.8±4.4 days. All the fractures united by 5-9 months. Mean ROM and T-L score at last follow-up were 120.94°±13.63° and 88.12±7.24 respectively. Average shortening, varus and valgus deformity were 0.43±0.09 cm, 2.12°±0.62° and 1.06°±0.45° respectively. 14 patients (42.42%) were able to squat and 15 (45.45%) were able to sit cross-legged postoperatively. Upon subgroup analysis, difference of mean ROM in those who could squat/sit cross-legged was found statistically significant (p≤0.05), however the difference in mean functional scores was not significant (p≥0.05). CONCLUSION: Complex upper tibial fractures are a difficult entity to deal with. Anatomical locking plates take care of the alignment, articular congruity as well as ligamentous balancing thus giving good mid-term outcomes after ORIF/MIPO. However, applicability of the present functional outcome scores in assessing squatting/cross leg sitting remains doubtful. More weightage needs to be given to these activities to evaluate the outcome in South Asian population.

Management of Orthopaedic Accidental Emergencies Amidst COVID-19 Pandemic: Our Experience in Preparing to Live with Corona.

Introduction: With increasing prevalence of coronavirus cases (including among health care providers), the current advice for orthopaedic surgeons is to favor non-operative management of most injuries and reduce face-to-face follow-up. We present our experience in managing the patients at Government-run non-COVID-19 trauma center in Delhi in an algorithmic form. Our standard operating protocols were mainly based on recommendations of Indian Orthopaedic Association and targeted to provide healthcare at a minimum risk to the treating team as well as other patients admitted to the hospital. Methodology: We describe the inflow, in-hospital management and outflow of patients at our facility during the lockdown period and in the following unlock period (from 23 March to 8 July 2020). Those patients who had absolute indications for surgery were offered surgery, while conservative treatment was more favored in those with relative indications. We also highlight the changes incorporated in OT settings as well as in rehabilitative and follow-up period. Results: Following the described protocol helped us maintain a balance between the safety of patients and our front line workers which was evident by very low COVID-19-positive rate in admitted patients (4.22%) and health care providers (16.67%) in the above-mentioned time period. Conclusions: We need to be prepared to cohabitate with this deadly Novel Coronavirus and adapt our surgical practices according to the need of the hour by minimizing surgical indications and strengthening the training in conservative principles.

Unusual Occurrence of Tenosynovial Giant Cell Tumor in Hoffa's Fat Pad: A Potential Differential Diagnosis for Nontraumatic Knee Swelling and Pain.

A tenosynovial giant cell tumor (TGCT) is a benign lesion whose presence in Hoffa's pad has rarely been reported. This unique case report discusses a 33-year-old female patient who presented with swelling and pain in her left knee. Clinical and MRI findings were used to make the diagnosis, which was confirmed on a histopathological basis. The patient had a large tumor (5 × 3 × 3 cm) in Hoffa's fat pad, which was diagnosed as TGCT and managed with open resection due to its size. At follow-up after 20 months, the patient was asymptomatic, and there was no local recurrence of the tumor.

Kite String Injury Causing a Complete Tear of the Tendoachilles.

Kite flying is a common activity in many countries, particularly India. Fierce competition has led to the use of dangerous kite threads like manja (which is a cotton or nylon thread coated with powdered glass) to gain an edge over rivals. The sharp manja can not only cause linear abrasions or deep incised wounds among flyers but it can inflict equally serious injuries to onlookers or unwary pedestrians and two-wheeler riders on the street. Hand, throat, angle of mouth, nose, and feet are some common sites of injury. We report a case of a 62-year-old man who sustained a manja cut injury through the tendoachilles while walking on the roadside when his foot got entangled in the barely visible thin thread as a bicycle rushed past him. The wound was debrided and tendoachilles repaired using the Krackow technique. The patient had reasonable strength in plantar-flexion and good active range of motion at the ankle when last seen at the one-year follow-up. The aim of this article is to highlight the hazards of manja and the need to revisit and acknowledge the clinical, social, and administrative implications of this unusual but noteworthy mechanism of limb and life-threatening injury.

Neglected Two-Week-Old Unstable Fracture-Dislocation of the Hip in a 60 Years Old, Managed with Hip Preservation Surgery.

INTRODUCTION: Hip joint fracture-dislocations are rare injuries and usually result from high energy trauma. Femoral head fractures account for only 7-16% of all hip fracture-dislocations. There is always a controversy regarding optimal surgical treatment modality and approach for the treatment of Pipkin type IV fractures. In a 60 years old individual, various reports favor primary hip arthroplasty as compared to open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF). The posterior approach is preferred because it provides adequate exposure of the acetabular fracture and an opportunity for simultaneous repair of the femoral head and acetabular fractures. Another benefit is that anterior vascular supply to the femoral head and abductor function can be preserved. CASE REPORT: In this case report, we present a neglected 15 days old rare injury (Pipkin type IV femoral head fracture) in a 60 years old male patient that was given a trial of hip preservation surgery by ORIF through posterior (Kocher-Langenbeck) approach. CONCLUSION: A neglected case of Pipkin type IV injury with chances of avascular necrosis and arthritis can be given a trial of hip preservation surgery because in an Indian scenario sitting cross legged and squatting are indispensable activities of daily lifestyle and appropriate surgical technique, adequate exposure, anatomic reduction, and stable internal fixation of the fractures are critical to achieve satisfactory clinical results.