Quality of Life from Return to Work and Sport Activities to Sexual Dysfunction after Surgical Treatment of Pelvic Ring Fractures.

BACKGROUND: Pelvic ring fractures are life-threatening injuries that have a severe impact on patients' lives. The aim of this clinical study was to evaluate the outcome of surgical treatment in terms of Quality of Life (QoL), return to work, functional results and sport activities, and post-operative sexual dysfunction. METHODS: A retrospective study with patients retrieved from a Level 1 Trauma Center was performed. Minimum patient follow-up was 12 months: QoL was evaluated with the SF-12 (Short Form Survey) questionnaire, return to work with the Workplace Activity Limitation Survey (WALS), functional outcomes and sport activities with the Harris Hip Score and Tegner activity score, respectively, and sexual function damage with a 0-10 NRS. RESULTS: Seventy-six patients (41 males and 35 females) were enrolled, with a mean age at surgery of 56.4 years (18-89 years). Overall, their quality of life remained significantly affected, with male patients reporting worse WALS outcomes (p = 0.036), sexual damage (p = 0.001), and SF-12 Bodily Pain (p = 0.046) than females. In particular, 70.7% of men and 45.7% of women reported sexual limitations, and only 53.7% returned to their job, with 35.2% losing their job as a consequence of the pelvic ring disruption. CONCLUSIONS: An important deterioration in general health state, return to work, and sexual function was documented in patients treated surgically for pelvic trauma, especially in male patients. There are disabling secondary sequels at all levels beyond the mere functional scores, and both patients and clinicians should be aware and have the correct expectations.

Quality of life from return to work and sports activities to sexual dysfunction after surgical treatment of acetabular fractures.

INTRODUCTION: To evaluate the outcomes of patients treated for acetabular fractures in terms of Quality of Life (QoL), return to work, functional outcome, sports activities, and post-operative sexual dysfunction. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The database of a level 1 trauma center was used to investigate the results of patients treated for acetabular fractures from 2010 to 2020. The minimum patient follow-up was 12 months. QoL was evaluated with the SF-12 questionnaire, return to work with the Workplace Activity Limitation Survey (WALS), functional outcomes and sports activities with Harris Hip Score (HHS) and Tegner activity scores, respectively, and the sexual function damage with a 0-10 NRS. RESULTS: Sixty-five patients (44 men, 21 women) were enrolled, mean age at surgery of 53.4 years (20-85 years). The HHS and Tegner scores were 79.0 ± 19.4 and 2.6 ± 1.5, respectively, and 18.5% of patients underwent THA after 21.3 ± 28.6 months. QoL evaluated with the SF-12 showed the worst results in terms of Bodily Pain and Role Physical; 35.4% of the patients who were working before the trauma lost their job, and one third was affected at sex functional level. Sex was found to influence significantly both Harris Hip Score (p < 0.05) and Tegner activity score (p < 0.05), with men reporting better scores. On the other hand, men presented a higher impact in terms of job loss and sexual dysfunction. CONCLUSION: Acetabular fractures affect patients' life as a whole, beyond the mere functional outcomes, often leading to a high rate of job loss and a significant probability of sexual functional worsening, especially for men. A significant number of patients also underwent THA at an early follow-up. Further efforts should aim at optimizing the surgical management, to improve functionality and the entire QoL sphere of patients affected by acetabular fractures.

Simultaneous Propionibacterium avidum and Propionibacterium acnes Chronic Periprosthetic Hip Joint Infection: A Case Report.

Prosthetic hip joint replacement is considered the operation of the 20th century because of its wide diffusion and good outcome. More than 1 million prostheses are implanted worldwide annually. Although hip arthroplasty is considered a safe procedure, different complications can occur in relation with surgery. Periprosthesic joint infection is the most feared for its morbidity for the patients, and for the economic costs it generates. Most surgical site infections after hip arthroplasty are related to frequent germs as Staphylococci or Enterobacteriaceae, while Propionibacterium infections are more rare and often challenging in diagnosis and therapy. We report a case of a 77-year-old diabetic overweight male patient who developed a periprosthetic hip infection due to P. avidum and P. acnes after a mini-invasive direct anterior approach. To our knowledge, this represents the first case of chronic periprosthetic hip joint co-infection.

Direct anterior versus posterolateral approach for bipolar hip hemiarthroplasty in femoral neck fractures: a prospective randomised study.

INTRODUCTION: Femoral neck fractures are a major problem in orthopaedic practice, having a huge impact on society, and involving a large number of elderly patients for whom early recovery is paramount. Thus, the aim of this study was to compare 2 surgical approaches, direct anterior (DA group) versus posterolateral (PL group), used for bipolar hip hemiarthroplasty (BHA) with femoral neck fractures in order to assess pain recovery after surgery. Our hypothesis was that early pain recovery would be faster in the DA group. METHODS: 100 patients were randomised to surgery using either a DA group or PL group approach, and were then followed up for 6 months. Surgical time, intra- and postoperative complications were recorded for each patient. The main outcome, pain, was recorded using an NRS scale at 3 days, 1, 3 and 6 months after surgery. At the same time, patient status was evaluated using Activities of Daily Living and Cumulated Ambulation Score scales. RESULTS: Surgical time was longer in the DA group (p < 0.0001). Pain perception at 3 days and at 1 month after surgery was significantly lower in DA group patients (p < 0.0001). The results of the other scales were comparable in the 2 groups (at 3 days, 1 and 3 months after surgery). DISCUSSION: The DA approach offers a significant advantage in terms of pain perception up to 1 month after the operation. Early recovery in terms of pain perception is an important finding. Future studies should explore whether this early pain reduction could translate into a faster rehabilitation programme for an earlier recovery of full function.Clinical trial registration: Protocol 423/CE; Study n. CE 41/15.

Failure of dual radius hydroxyapatite-coated acetabular cups.

INTRODUCTION: Many kind of hydroxyapatite-coated cups were used, with favorable results in short term studies; it was supposed that its use could improve osteointegration of the cup, enhancing thus stability and survivorship. The purpose of this study is to analyze the long term behavior of the hemispheric HA coated, Dual Radius Osteonics cup and to discuss the way of failure through the exam of the revised components and of both periacetabular and osteolysis tissue. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between 1994 and 1997, at the Department of Orthopedic Sciences of the Insubria University, using the posterolateral approach, were implanted 276 Dual Radius Osteonics in 256 patients, with mean age of 63 years. RESULTS: At a mean follow-up of 10 years (range 8-12 years), 183 cups in 165 patients, were available for clinical and radiographical evaluation. 22 Cups among the 183 were revised (11%). The cause of revision was aseptic loosening in 17 cases, septic loosening in one case, periprosthetic fracture in another case, osteolysis and polyethylene wear in two cases and, finally, recurrent dislocations in the last one. In the remaining patients, mean HHS increased from a preoperative value of 50.15 to a postoperative value of 92.69. The mean polyethylene wear was 1.25 mm (min. 0.08, max 3.9 mm), with a mean annual wear of 0.17 mm. The mean acetabular migration on the two axis was 1.6 mm and 1.8 mm. Peri-acetabular osteolysis were recorded in 89% of the implants (163 cases). The cumulative survivorship (revision as endpoint) at the time was 88,9%. CONCLUSION: Our study confirms the bad behavior of this type of cup probably related to the design, to the method of HA fixation. The observations carried out on the revised cup confirm these hypotheses but did not clarify if the third body wear could be a further problem. Another interesting aspect is the high incidence of osteolysis, which are often asymptomatic becoming a problem for the surgeon as the patient refuses the possibility of a revision.

Viscosidad sanguínea en cardiopatia isquémica / Blood viscosity in ischemic heart diseases

Mediante viscosímetro capilar medimos la viscosidad sanguínea (VS) arterial y venosa a 25 pacientes con diagnóstico de cardiopatía isquémicca, diez de los cuales presentaban angina de pecho inestable (AI) y 15 infarto del miocardio en evolución (IME). El grupo control constó de 100 individuos normales a los que se les midió a VS obteniendo como valor normale el de 2.70 ñ 0.10 centipoises. En el grupo de pacientes con AI se obtuvo un valor medio de la VS de 4.03 ñ 1.4 centipoises y para el grupo de pacientes con IME este fué de 3.65 ñ 1.20 centipoises. Correlacionamos estadísticamente la VS obtenida en ambos grupos de pacientes con los valores de la biometría hemática, glicemia, colesterol, los factores de riesgo coronario y el número de vasos coronarios afectados. Los niveles de la VS tanto arterial como venosa se encontraron elevados en ambos grupos de pacientes en comparación con el grupo control; se muestra la correlación de la VS con las mediciones de laboratorio antes mencionadas. Se concluye que la VS tanto arterial como venosa se encuentra elevada en pacientes con cardiopatía isquémica, independientemente de la elevación del hematocrito. Esto denota que otros factores que intervienen en la VS como son la viscosidad plasmatica y la agregación plaquetaria podrían estar determinado la elevación de la VS en éste grupo de pacientes