Quality of Life in Road Traffic Accident Survivors.

INTRODUCTION: The loss of quality of life is the major consequence following a non-fatal road traffic accident (RTA). Previous research regarding quality of life did not include uninjured RTA survivors. The research aim was thus to evaluate the quality of life of the RTA survivors regardless of whether or not they sustained injures, and to identify factors associated with decreased quality of life after the RTA. METHODS: A cohort of 200 RTA survivors with and without injuries was followed after experiencing an RTA. The quality of life and mental health outcomes were assessed 1 month following RTA. A vast range of sociodemographic, pre-RTA health-related, RTA related, RTA injury-related, compensation-related factors and mental health outcomes were investigated. RESULTS: Decreased quality of life following an RTA showed an association with the low socioeconomic status of the RTA victims, poor pre-RTA health, injury-related factors, compensation-related factors and psychological disorders after the RTA. CONCLUSIONS: Identifying predictors of decreased quality of life following an RTA will enable planning interventions targeting the most important factors that influence recovery of RTA victims. Assessing and recording of self-reported quality of life should be a part of the routine protocol in RTA survivors' health-care.

Protective Effect of Blepharospasm on the Anterior Segment of the Eye.

The aim of the study was to determine the role of blepharospasm as a protective factor for the anterior segment of the eye by comparing the degree of blepharospasm and changes of the anterior segment structures. The study included sixty female patients older than forty years with the clinical diagnosis of blepharospasm. They were divided into two groups; the first group consisted of patients with stage I and II of blepharospasm with dominant dry eye symptoms, and the second group consisted of patients with stage III and IV of blepharospasm who required interventional therapy (all patients in this study were treated with botulinum toxin type A). Staining of ocular surface with vital dyes such as fluorescein was used to determine ocular surface defects. Fluorescein stains the corneal epithelial defects, which were statistically less pronounced in the interventional group. In conclusion, comparison of the results between the two groups of patients may implicate that advanced blepharospasm has a protective effect on ocular surface.

Quality of Life in Patients Following Vertebroplasty.

AIM: To examine the quality of life in patients who underwent vertebroplasty treatment and compare it to the preoperative quality of life. STUDY DESIGN: The Cross-sectional study conducted at the Department of Orthopaedics, Clinical Hospital Centre Osijek. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The research included 50 patients under stationary treatment in hospital at the Department of Orthopaedics. The research instruments include a questionnaire containing demographic data and the standardised EuroQuol Research Foundation Questionnaire (EQ-5D-5L) consisting of five dimensions which include mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain level and anxiety. RESULTS: The average score of the current health status before surgery was 67.5 whereas post-operative health was rated 80 (p < 0.001). After the procedure, a significantly higher number of respondents reported greater mobility levels, and lower pain intensity; fewer respondents reported feeling anxious or depressed (p < 0.001), more respondents rated their self-care abilities higher (p = 0.003), and felt improvements when performing usual activities (p = 0.031). CONCLUSION: After the vertebroplasty, a significantly higher number of respondents reported higher levels of mobility, lower pain or discomfort levels, and a smaller number of respondents felt anxious or depressed, more respondents felt they can take better care of themselves, and are better at performing usual activities when compared to the preoperative status.

Sensitivity of Diagnostic Tests for Dry Eye in Patients with Blepharospasm.

The aim of the study was to evaluate diagnostic tests for keratoconjunctivitis sicca (Schirmer test, tear break-up time (TBUT) test, and corneal staining with fluorescein and lissamine green dye) in patients with blepharospasm. This prospective study included 60 female patients older than 40 with blepharospasm, divided into two groups according to clinical symptoms. For fluorescein test, the surface under the ROC curve was 1.0 with standard error (SE) 0 and 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 0.940-1.0; for Schirmer test, the surface under the ROC curve was 0.817 with SE 0.0555 and 95% CI 0.696-0.905; for lissamine green test, the surface under the ROC curve was 0.813 with SE 0.056 and 95% CI 0.691-0.902; and for TBUT test, the surface under the ROC curve was 0.772 with SE 0.061 and 95% CI 0.645-0.870. According to the results of ROC curve, which determines the sensitivity and specificity of normal values, comparison of diagnostic tests for keratoconjunctivitis sicca used in this study showed that fluorescein test had the best sensitivity and specificity. Schirmer test should be avoided in patients with blepharospasm because its results are influenced by frequent blinking and are not appropriate for study interpretation. Despite the pathologic values of TBUT test (numerically), this test is still acceptable for patients with blepharospasm because its interval takes more time than the interval between two blinks.

Histological analysis of cross-sectional area of quadruple hamstring tendons and patellar ligament samples in relation to age and gender.

AIMS: The middle of the patellar ligament and the quadruple hamstring tendons (gracilis and semitendinosus) are two types of graft predominantly used in anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. The aim of this study was to determine the morphometric characteristics of patellar ligament grafts and hamstring tendon grafts and to compare the results according to subject age and gender. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was conducted on a total of 120 samples: 40 of gracilis tendon, 40 of semitendinosus tendon and 40 of patellar ligament, distributed equally according to gender, age (50-75 years) and the side of the body from which the sample was harvested. RESULTS: Morphometric and histological analyses showed that patellar ligament samples had less cross-sectional area than quadruple tendon samples (49.29 mm(2) compared with 51.46 mm(2), respectively). Sexual dimorphism was noticed in distal cross-sections of gracilis tendons (p=0.09), cross-sections of quadruple tendons (p=0.07) and patellar ligament samples (p=0.01) because of different muscular build. CONCLUSIONS: All samples obtained from male subjects had larger cross-sectional areas compared with the samples taken from females. Furthermore, samples obtained from subjects aged 60 years or under had larger cross-sectional areas than samples obtained from subjects aged at least 61 years for all types of graft.

Analysis of biomechanical properties of patellar ligament graft and quadruple hamstring tendon graft.

INTRODUCTION: Two types of transplant are commonly used in the surgical management of anterior cruciate ligament lesions: the central part of the patellar ligament and quadruple tendons of the gracilis muscle and semitendinosus muscle. AIMS: The aim of this study was to determine the biomechanical characteristics of patellar ligament transplants and transplants of the quadruple tendons of the hamstring muscles under tensile force in the laboratory, and to compare the results in each group of samples. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study comprised 160 specimens: 40 specimens of gracilis muscle tendons, 40 of semitendinosus muscle tendons, 40 of quadruple tendons and 40 of the patellar ligament, approximately equally distributed according to sex, age (50-70 years) and the side of the body from which the specimen had been taken. RESULTS: The working curve analysis of the specimens under tensile load of a maximum force of 30N showed the least elongation (0.31%) in the quadruple tendon, followed by the gracilis muscle tendon (1.48%) and patellar ligament tendon (3.91%). CONCLUSIONS: The quadruple tendon specimen showed greater strength and higher elasticity compared with the patellar ligament specimen, which proved the starting hypothesis.

Chalazion management--surgical treatment versus triamcinolon application.

The aim of the study was to compare the length of treatment and efficiency of applied therapy in two groups of patients with chalazion who underwent surgical procedure or got triamcinolone application in chalazion. Our study included 30 patients with chalazions that persisted for about one month. All of them were resistant to applied topical antimicrobial therapy. These patients were devided in two groups. 15 patients underwent surgical procedure that included incision, excochleation and excision of the capsule of chalazion, while other 15 patients underwent triamcinolone aplication directly in chalazion (dosage of 2-4 mg). Patients were followed up a day after therapy, two weeks after therapy and one month after applied therapy. We found that chalazion treatment with triamcinolone application directly in the lesion was to be more comfortable for patients, took less time to treat and needed no additional topical antimicrobial therapy.

Results of the surgical reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament.

Results of the surgical reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), using as a graft fourfold hamstring tendons (gracilis and semitendinosus) and middle third of the patellar ligament, were compared. In all patients that were participating in this study clinical examination and magnetic resonance showed ACL rupture, and apart from the choice of the graft, surgical technique was identical. We evaluated 112 patients with implemented patellar ligament graft and fourfold hamstring tendons graft six months after the procedure. Both groups were similar according to age, sex, activity level, knee instability level and rehabilitation program. The results showed that there was no significant difference between groups regarding Lysholm Knee score, IKDC 2000 score, activity level, musculature hypotrophy, and knee joint stability 6 months after the surgery. Anterior knee pain incidence is significantly higher in the group with patellar ligament graft (44% vs. 21%). Both groups had a significant musculature hypotrophy of the upper leg of the knee joint that was surgically treated, six months after the procedure. Both grafts showed good subjective and objective results.

Functional status of hip joint after surgical and conservative treatment of acetabular fracture.

Both conservative and surgical treatment of acetabular fractures alter biomechanical conditions in the hip joint resulting in various degenerative changes in the acetabulum and the femur head. These changes may progress to secondary coxarthrosis, causing dysfunction of the hip joint. The aim of this paper is to compare the outcomes of both conservative and surgical treatments in different types of acetabular fractures, so that clear indications for either conservative or surgical treatment could be determined. This paper is based on retrospective study of 103 patients with acetabular fracture (21 surgically treated and 82 conservatively treated). In this study the incidence of particular types of acetabulum fractures, the treatment period, the incidence of complications and the functional status of the hip after the treatment were analyzed. In patients with anterior fracture surgical treatment lasted three times less than conservative treatment and resulted in far better functional status of the hip joint compared to conservatively treated patients. However, in patients with transverse fractures the functional status was better and the treatment period shorter after the conservative treatment. We believe that the present treatment indications should be corrected so that in anterior column fracture the surgical method should be preferred, whereas the transverse fracture should be treated conservatively. In other types of acetabular fracture, with the radiographic roof arc angle of 45 degrees or less, the surgical method should be preferred to conservative method.