Risk factors for a false negative Ortolani and Barlow examination in developmental dysplasia of the hip.

INTRODUCTION: Although universal screening by neonatal clinical examination with Ortolani and Barlow manoeuvres is widely adopted, its role as a sole screening tool is controversial due to its poor sensitivity and failure in identifying hip joints that eventually require surgical intervention. HYPOTHESIS: This study aims to identify risk factors for a false negative Ortolani and Barlow examination in neonatal screening for DDH. The hypothesis is that risk factors for developmental dysplasia of the hips could similarly be risk factors for a false negative Ortolani and Barlow examination. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In the 14-year retrospective cohort study, all newborn infants born in a single institution from 1st January 1999 to 31st December 2013 were screened clinically with the Ortolani/Barlow manoeuvre by a neonatologist. Infants with positive risk factors, despite a normal clinical examination, were then scheduled for bilateral hip ultrasound in the first three months of life and evaluated according to the Graf's method, Harcke's method of dynamic ultrasound screening and Terjesen's method of evaluation for femoral head coverage. RESULTS: A total of 164 infants with normal Ortolani and Barlow examinations were scheduled for bilateral hip ultrasound due to the presence of risk factors. Amongst these, 32 (19.5%) infants were evaluated to have an abnormal hip on ultrasound. Breech position was the only statistically significant risk factor for a false negative Ortolani/Barlow examination (14/34, 41.2% vs. 18/112, 13.8%; p<0.001). DISCUSSION: Sonographic hip examinations are recommended for all infants with breech presentation even if they have a normal Ortolani and Barlow examination. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III; case-control study.

Outcomes of operatively treated calcaneal tuberosity avulsion fractures.

BACKGROUND: Calcaneal tuberosity avulsion fractures are uncommon but when present should be treated emergently due to the high risk of skin compromise. Multiple fixation techniques have been reported in the literature but there are little data regarding the ideal fixation construct and outcomes. We aimed to characterize the clinical presentation, focussing on soft tissue compromise and outcomes of operatively treated calcaneal tuberosity avulsion fractures with its associated complications. METHODS: A retrospective review of all surgically treated calcaneus fracture in our institution from Jun 2008 to Jun 2017 was done. We reviewed patients' demographics, types of avulsion fracture, presence of preoperative skin compromise, age of fracture, time to operation, types of fixation construct, postoperative weight bearing regime, union rates, complications and revision surgeries if present. RESULTS: We found 9 patients from our database who met the inclusion criteria. They had an average age of 55.6 (range: 43 - 90) years with 5 (55.6%) of them aged 60 years and older. Seven (77.8%) patients were female. Four out of 9 patients (44.4%) presented with soft tissue compromise (3 cases of skin tenting and 1 case of blistering). None of them required soft tissue reconstructive surgery for skin defects postoperatively. However, 2 patients (22.2%) had wound complications after surgery requiring prolonged wound care for up to 4 months. There were 2 patients with fixation failure whereby both were allowed weight bearing prematurely. All of them were able to ambulate independently at their last review. CONCLUSION: Calcaneal tuberosity avulsion fractures have a high prevalence of soft tissue compromise and warrant early attention. This condition should be treated as both a bony and soft tissue injury rather than just a bony fracture alone. Management of this injury should take into account fracture reduction and stable fixation with neutralization of the Achilles tendon forces.

Epidemiology of Neck Pain and Its Impact on Quality-of-Life-A Population-Based, Cross Sectional Study in Singapore.

STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional, epidemiological study. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to describe the prevalence, risk factors, disability, and quality of life (QoL) burden of neck pain. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Neck pain is an increasingly common symptom that results in significant disability and loss of QoL to the individual, and imposes a considerable economic burden to developed countries. METHODS: A cross-sectional, questionnaire-based study was conducted via multistage random sampling of public households in Singapore on individuals aged 21 and older. Questionnaires were administered face-to-face by trained interviewers. Data analyzed included the prevalence and characteristics of neck pain, its relationship with sociodemographic factors, and its association on QoL and disability via validated questionnaires: EQ5D questionnaire and Neck Disability Index (NDI), respectively. RESULTS: A total of 626 individuals with a median age of 52.0 years (interquartile range 37.0-67.0), and even sex distribution of males (54.0%) and females (46.0%) were included in this study. A total of 144 individuals reported neck pain over the past 6 months, giving a 6-month period prevalence of 23.0%. Among them, nine (6.3%) had chronic, whereas 12 (8.3%) had severe neck pain. Female sex was the only significant risk factor for neck pain on multivariate analysis, with a risk ratio of 1.34 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.00-1.80, P = 0.049). Individuals with neck pain had mean raw NDI scores of 4.91 ± 6.25, with higher disability seen with increasing pain duration and intensity (P < 0.001 and P = 0.002 respectively). Compared to individuals without neck pain, those with neck pain had poorer QoL with lower EQ5D-Index scores (0.84 ± 0.25 vs. 0.93 ±â€Š0.15; 95% CI 0.046-0.132, P < 0.001) and EQ5D-VAS scores (68.76 ±â€Š14.59 vs. 73.86 ±â€Š13.64; 95% CI 2.510-7.697, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Our findings show that neck pain is a prevalent condition with chronicity and severity of symptoms associated with reduced QoL and increased disability. Population sample health scores can serve as potential reference targets in disease management and aid national health care policy-making.Level of Evidence: 3.

Audit and Comparison Between Radiographic Markers of Gaze Direction Using EOS Imaging - An Essential Step to Streamline Existing Methods.

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study on prospectively implemented EOS protocol. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to audit and compare existing radiological definitions of gaze direction-chin brow vertical angle (CBVA), McGregor slope (McGS), slope of line of sight (SLS), orbital-internal occipital protuberance (OIOP) slope angle, and Tangent to the hard palate (THP) in a neutral, healthy, and asymptomatic cohort. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: The ability to accurately define direction of gaze is the first step when striving for horizontal gaze restoration in any affected individual with rigid sagittal deformity. Yet, the radiological definition of gaze direction remains poorly standardized. METHODS: Hundred healthy subjects who could achieve horizontal gaze underwent whole-body standing EOS radiographs taken under a strictly standardized protocol. Radiographic measurements of global spinal sagittal parameters and surrogate measures of horizontal gaze were analyzed and compared. RESULTS: The mean age was 45 ±â€Š15.9 years, with a balanced male-to-female-ratio. Their C7 SVA was -7.7 mm ±â€Š24.8 mm, PI was 51.0o ±â€Š11.4o, PI-LL was -0.9o ±â€Š13.0o and T1-slope was 21.2o ±â€Š9.2o. Measured horizontal gaze parameters were as follows: CBVA (1.07o ±â€Š5.48o), McGS (-3.23o ±â€Š5.63o), SLS (0.45o ±â€Š5.34o), OIOP (5.03o ±â€Š4.66o), THP (-0.17o ±â€Š6.27o). CBVA correlated strongly with McGS (r = 0.679, P < 0.001), SLS (r = 0.592, P < 0.001), OIOP (r = 0.697, P < 0.001), and THP (r = -0.504, P < 0.001). OIOP had the lowest variance amongst all parameters and showed less variability compared to CBVA (SD 4.66 Var 21.69 vs. SD 5.48 Var 30.08, P = .012). Multivariate analysis showed that C2-7 angle was the only parameter found to be associated with OIOP values (P = 0.006). CONCLUSION: OIOP is the least variable, and most robust radiological method in determining gaze direction. It uses easily recognizable anatomical landmarks and an angular criterion, which makes it advantageous both with x-rays or slot scanners.Level of Evidence: 3.

Epidemiology of Distal Radius Fixations and Functional Outcomes in the Superelderly Population.

Background: Superelderly patients (defined as 80 years old and older) account for 18% of all distal radius fractures in our institution and this number is increasing with the ageing population. When faced with the option of surgery, patients in this age group have concerns with regards to the long term outcomes including functional outcomes and the time to fracture union. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the functional outcomes in this specific population. Methods: Patient selection for surgery was determined by the fracture stability, the patient's premorbid function and underlying comorbidities. Post operatively, the time to fracture union after surgical fixation, surgical complications and patients' functional outcome scores were recorded. The method of anaesthesia and any anaesthesia-related complications were also included. Results: There were 76 superelderly patients who underwent surgical fixation of their distal radius fractures identified from our institution's prospective database from 2009 to 2016. Overall there were good functional outcome scores. The DASH scores at 3 months and 6 months were 17 and 10 respectively. Furthermore, the mean time to fracture union in our population was 47 days (approximately 7 weeks). There were only 2 post-operative surgical complications but no anaesthesia-related complications. Conclusions: Surgical fixation of distal radius fractures in appropriately selected patients in the superelderly population yields good functional outcomes.

Subclassification of Bethesda Atypical and Follicular Neoplasm Categories According to Nuclear and Architectural Atypia Improves Discrimination of Thyroid Malignancy Risk.

BACKGROUND: Although The Bethesda System for Reporting Thyroid Cytopathology has provided clinicians with a standardized classification scheme for the diagnosis of thyroid fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) specimens, the indeterminate categories of Bethesda III (B3)-atypia of undetermined significance/follicular lesion of undetermined significance (AUS/FLUS)-and Bethesda IV (B4)-follicular neoplasm/suspicious for follicular neoplasm (FN/SFN)-continue to pose challenges with regards to ideal diagnostic and therapeutic management. Having previously demonstrated the presence of nuclear atypia as a high-risk subgroup in B3, the objective of this study was to evaluate the malignancy rates in the B4 subgroup with nuclear atypia. METHODS: A retrospective review of all thyroid FNACs diagnosed as B4 (FN/SFN) between 2008 and 2015 was conducted at a tertiary referral center in Singapore. Data on patient demographics, sonographic features, and final histological diagnosis were collected. This was compared to data from a previous analysis on all nodules diagnosed as B3 (AUS/FLUS) over a similar period. RESULTS: A total of 137/309 (44.3%) and 88/111 (79.3%) FNACs diagnosed as B3 and B4, respectively, underwent surgical excision yielding final histopathological diagnoses. The malignancy rate of B4 was 31/88 (35.2%) compared to B3, which was 37/137 (27.0%). Subclassification based on the presence of architectural versus nuclear atypia showed significantly higher malignancy rates in B4 nodules with nuclear atypia (21.8% vs. 57.6%; p < 0.01). These findings corroborate previous results within the B3 category (malignancy rate of 14.7% vs. 36.8%; p < 0.01). The only sonographic features predictive of malignancy were the presence of macrocalcifications in B4 compared to irregularity of margins in B3. CONCLUSION: The presence of nuclear atypia identifies subgroups with significant differential malignancy risks within both the B3 and B4 categories. This supports the notion that subclassification is a useful risk stratification tool that can guide diagnostic and therapeutic management of indeterminate thyroid nodules with heterogenous risk profiles.