Computed tomography of the normal patellofemoral joint.

Radiographic assessment of the patellofemoral joint (PFJ) is problematic because conventional views are cumbersome, difficult to standardize, and not reliable for displaying this joint with flexion of the knee less than about 30 degrees. We used computed tomography (CT) to obtain conveniently a direct transaxial view of the PFJ in ten normal human volunteers at different 0 degree, 20 degrees, and 45 degrees of knee flexion and during both contraction and relaxation of the quadriceps muscle. From the CT images we measured femoral trochlear angle, patellar centralization, femoral trochlear depth, and patella tilt angle. In full extension, with the quadriceps muscle relaxed, 19 of 20 knees showed the patella well centered in the femoral trochlear groove. The tilt and centralization of the patella were largely unchanged at 20 and 45 degrees of knee flexion with quadriceps contraction. CT appears to be an optimal method of studying the PFJ. The normal relationships described in this report can be the basis for evaluating patients with known or suspicious history of recurrent subluxation or dislocation of the patella.

Wound infections in patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty. Ultraviolet light for the control of airborne bacteria.

Ultraviolet (UV) irradiation (1,537 A) during total hip arthroplasty will effectively reduce risk of airborne bacterial contamination of the operative field. An air sampling study at the operative site compared 28 total hip arthroplasties with UV lights on and 19 operations with UV lights off. The use of UV irradiation significantly reduced the average number of airborne bacteria over the operative site, although the results indicate that the number of airborne bacteria collected at the operative site in each conventional operating room without UV irradiation was quite low. Data confirmed the fact that airborne bacteria are a reflection of operating room personnel and their activities. With UV light, the rate of infection from possible airborne sources was 0.15% for 1,322 total hip patients. Thus, emphasis is now placed on those causes of infection that are not airborne.

Postoperative intervertebral disc space infection.

Intervertebral disc space infection is an uncommon, but serious, complication of disc surgery. By a retrospective chart review, we identified 27 patients at our institution who had a postoperative disc space infection; 14 were diagnosed and treated within the last 5 years. The characteristic symptoms were severe spinal pain and limited spinal mobility beginning 7 to 30 days postoperatively. The key physical findings were paravertebral muscle spasm and marked mechanical signs. The key laboratory findings were an elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate and a mildly elevated white blood cell count. The diagnosis was based on the clinical presentation and early radiographic changes in the vertebral bodies adjacent to the involved disc, especially irregularities of the cortical margins seen best by tomography. Definitive bacteriological diagnosis by Craig needle biopsy was attempted in 14 patients; 7 had positive cultures and all yielded a Staphylococcus species. The usual treatment consisted of the administration of antistaphylococcal antibiotics and immobilization of the spine with a spica cast, a plastic body jacket, or complete bedrest. The final radiographic findings showed bony fusion or bridging in 19 patients, and 25 patients had a pain-free recovery after 1 to 9 months. There was 1 recurrent infection, and 3 patients eventually required an anterior discectomy and fusion. Based on a review of our own cases and those reported in the literature, we stress the importance of spinal tomography in establishing the diagnosis of postoperative disc space infection at a relatively early stage in a patient who is suspected of having this condition on the basis of typical symptoms and signs combined with an elevated sedimentation rate.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Nerve transposition for the restoration of elbow flexion following brachial plexus avulsion injuries.

Despite technical advances, the ability to restore motor function following a brachial plexus avulsion is limited. Twenty patients who suffered the loss of elbow flexion following a brachial plexus avulsion injury underwent a neurotization procedure in an attempt to restore that lost function. Of 16 patients who underwent intercostal to musculocutaneous nerve anastomosis, seven obtained good elbow flexion. Four patients who no longer had a viable biceps brachialis muscle underwent an anastomosis between transposed intercostal nerves and a free vascularized gracilis muscle grafted to the position of the biceps. Two of these patients obtained good elbow flexion. Although synkinesis between the biceps brachialis and the inspiratory muscles can be demonstrated during coughing and deep inspiration, the patients learn to flex their reinnervated biceps brachialis muscle and maintain flexion independent of respiration.

Restoration of strong opposition after median-nerve or brachial plexus paralysis.

In hands in which the superficial flexors of the fingers and thenar muscles of opposition are denervated, usually as the result of high median-nerve or brachial plexus injury, thumb opposition can be restored by transfer of the superficial flexor of the ring finger to the thumb through a dynamic pulley made from the distal segment of flexor carpi ulnaris which is attached to the proximal segment of flexor carpi ulnaris to the transferred paralyzed superficial ring-finger flexor tendon. Of sixteen patients treated by this method, twelve had good or satisfactory results; one had a poor result; and three were lost to follow-up.

The effects of intravenous regional guanethidine and reserpine. A controlled study.

We investigated the effects of intravenous regional injection of guanethidine and reserpine in a prospective, randomized, double-blind study of seven volunteers. The sympatholytic activities of these drugs were assessed separately for cholinergic and adrenergic function. Cold challenge was employed to magnify the effect on digital temperatures and alterations in pulse-volume. Only guanethidine significantly increased temperature (p less than 0.025) after cold challenge, this effect lasting for three days. No anticholinergic effect was found. Intravenous regional guanethidine may be useful in the treatment of vasospastic disorders and as prophylaxis for surgically treated patients in whom this complication may be expected to occur.

Recurrent dislocation of the patella treated by the modified Roux-Goldthwait procedure. A prospective study of forty-seven knees.

We studied the results in forty-seven knees in thirty-seven patients - ten male and twenty-seven female - who had recurrent dislocation of the patella and were treated by a modified Roux-Goldthwait procedure (lateral retinacular release, medial transfer of the lateral patellar tendon without advancement, plication of the medial retinaculum, and advancement of the vastus medialis). Ten of the female patients had bilateral dislocation. The results were analyzed after follow-ups ranging from 3.0 to 16.3 years (average, 5.8 years). The study confirmed that a tangential radiograph of the patellofemoral joint, made with the knee in 20 degrees of flexion, is reliable in determining patellar displacement. The results were excellent in twelve knees, good in thirty-one, fair in one, and poor in three. The fair and poor ratings were due to pain caused by severe chondromalacia patellae. The patient with a fair result had had recurrent dislocations after the Roux-Goldthwait procedure due to a very lax synovial and capsular sac. Reoperation with tightening of the sac medially and laterally eliminated hypermobility of the patella in this patient and established straight patellar tracking. There was one serious complication, a large subcutaneous hematoma with necrosis of a skin flap. The patients with mild chondromalacia improved and showed no progressive patellofemoral arthritis after simple realignment, while those with severe chondromalacia were not improved by shaving, drilling, and realignment. Preliminary results indicated that a modified Maquet procedure, in addition to realignment, may be indicated for patients with severe chondromalacia. This study demonstrated that the modified Roux-Goldthwait procedure, without advancement of the tibial attachment of the patellar ligament, can stabilize the patella without increasing patellofemoral compression. The procedure does not relieve the symptoms of severe chondromalacia of the patella but realignment is the first step in treatment of any form of patellofemoral arthrosis.

Severe open subtalar dislocations. Long-term results.

Fifteen adolescents and adults were assessed an average of eighteen years after a type-III open subtalar dislocation. There were ten lateral and five medial dislocations. Associated injuries included ten injuries of the tibial nerve, seven of which were complicated by causalgia; five ruptures of the posterior tibial tendon; five lacerations of the posterior tibial artery; twelve articular fractures involving the subtalar joint; three articular fractures of the talonavicular joint; three fractures of the talar dome; and three malleolar fractures. Osteonecrosis of the body of the talus was found in five of the fifteen patients. It was treated with a triple arthrodesis in all five patients, one of whom had a subsequent conversion to a pantalar arthrodesis. Subtalar arthrodesis was done, because of post-traumatic osteoarthrosis, in two other patients. On functional assessment at the long-term follow-up examination, all patients reported some pain in the ankle, nine had difficulty climbing stairs, fourteen had difficulty walking on uneven surfaces, and eleven wore modified shoes. The patients who had had a tarsal arthrodesis returned to their pre-injury occupation or to a less strenuous job. Four patients who had persistent causalgia did not return to work. We concluded that open subtalar dislocation is a distinctly severe injury and that only fair functional and poor anatomical results can be expected in most patients.

Simultaneous and staged bilateral total knee arthroplasty.

Bilateral total knee arthroplasties were performed in twenty-six patients with severe rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. Twelve had simultaneous operations bilaterally and fourteen had separate, staged procedures. The improvement in the two groups of patients was statistically comparable to the relief of pain and the over-all restoration of function. There were no intraoperative complications. The postoperative morbidity was minimum and was not predominant in either group. Costs were greatly increased with the staged procedure.

Long-term pain control by direct peripheral-nerve stimulation.

In 1970, we began implanting electrodes for prolonged stimulation of injured peripheral nerves to reduce chronic pain. Thirty-eight peripheral nerves in thirty-five patients have been stimulated with electrodes for a period ranging from four to nine years. Nineteen electrode systems were implanted in the upper extremity (eleven on the median nerve, six on the ulnar nerve, one on the median and ulnar nerves, and one on the median and radial nerves), with successful relief of pain in 52..6 per cent of the patients. Sixteen stimulators have been implanted on the sciatic nerve with a success rate for pain relief of 31 per cent. Failures in the lower extremity were found primarily in lesions of the posterior tibial nerve at the ankle. We speculate that the stress of weight-bearing and the anatomical position of the posterior tibial nerve may partially account for this rate of failure. Use of the electrode-implant systems required careful preoperative assessment by an experienced team, meticulous technique, and a mechanical system that tolerates stress. The location and characteristics of the lesion affect the response to electrical stimulation.

Magnetic resonance imaging of traumatic knee articular cartilage injuries.

The purpose of this study was to assess the sensitivity of magnetic resonance imaging in determining the presence of articular cartilage injuries of the knee with arthroscopy as the standard for comparison. Forty-nine articular cartilage lesions were documented in 28 knees (27 patients) by arthroscopy. There were 22 men and 5 women with an average age of 29 years. Multiplanar magnetic resonance imaging was performed with spin echo and gradient-refocused acquisition in a steady state pulse technique. All of the knees had magnetic resonance imaging done within 4 weeks prior to arthroscopy. The magnetic resonance images were interpreted before arthroscopy and interpreted again after the results of arthroscopy were known to better define the potential learning curve for evaluating chondral lesions and to identify the technical limits of the existing imaging protocol/software. For full-thickness articular cartilage lesions, the prearthroscopy sensitivity of magnetic resonance imaging was 41% (12/29) and the postarthroscopy sensitivity was 83% (24/29). For partial-thickness chondral injury, the prearthroscopy sensitivity of magnetic resonance imaging was 15% (3/20) and the postarthroscopy sensitivity was 55% (11/20). The presence of an intraarticular effusion assisted the detection of chondral lesions because of an "arthrogram" effect. As a noninvasive method of evaluating articular cartilage and despite experienced interpretation and the benefit of retrospective analysis, both the prearthroscopy and the postarthroscopy sensitivity of magnetic resonance imaging was low using the imaging parameters described. Injury to articular cartilage is a frequent cause of knee pain and knee surgery; it is important to note at this time that magnetic resonance imaging cannot reliably exclude the presence of an articular cartilage injury.

Replacement of the lateral malleolus of the ankle joint with a reversed proximal fibular bone graft.

Infrequently, prior reports have described the use of the ipsilateral proximal fibula to replace an absent distal fibula caused by either trauma, infection, or resection for tumor. This is a 27-year follow-up of a 12-year-old patient who lost the distal 7.5 cm of her fibula secondary to trauma. The soft tissue defect was replaced early by an abdominal flap and the bone defect was eventually replaced with 7.5 cm of proximal fibula. The lateral ankle ligaments were reconstructed with the peroneus brevis, and the ankle joint has remained stable. Although traumatic arthrosis has progressed slowly, the patient at age 39 has a relatively painless, mobile ankle joint.

Open fractures of the extremities. The case for open treatment.

Meticulous care of open wounds in open fractures is essential to prevent development of infection. Wounds should be treated by early excision and early delayed or secondary closure. Primary closure is not necessarily beneficial and can actually increase the risk of infection. Culture for aerobic and anerobic organisms should be obtained at initial examination, and antibiotic treatment should be started before wound excision. The experience at Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, during the past 40 years has demonstrated that open treatment of open wounds is safe and highly successful in preventing gas gangrene and osteomyelitis.

Is the orthopedic generalist moving toward extinction?

Medical students are influenced in their career choice by many factors. By government mandate, 50% of medical students from each graduating class should select primary care as their career choice. Peers and mentors contribute additional influences. The student's personality, preference for living in a rural or urban community, and the possible educational and cultural opportunities for self and/or family in a particular community are also influential factors. The medical student choosing orthopedic surgery as a professional career faces competition; there are four applicants for each residency opening, and the number of orthopedic residents allowed for each program is being reduced. The current belief of policy-makers both outside and within orthopedics is that there are "too many specialists of all kinds." The present article examines the factors that influence the medical student's choice in career selection and shows the present trend of clinical practices.

Surgical reconstruction of the upper extremity in cerebral palsy.

This article discusses surgical treatment of the upper extremity in cerebral palsy. Such treatment should provide a balanced grasp and release, a reasonable range of pronation and supination of the forearm, and should maintain sufficient strength for hand function.

Strengthening of the partially paralyzed shoulder girdle by multiple muscle-tendon transfers.

Strength and stability of the shoulder girdle affect function of the entire upper extremity. Isolated muscle weakness may be compensated for by adjacent muscles; however, profound weakness of the deltoid muscle, for example, affects not only placement of the extremity, but also strength and endurance of the forearm and hand. Orthotic substitutes for weakened muscles are not successful. If the muscle weakness is nonprogressive and stable, then surgical treatment will improve glenohumeral stability, increase endurance, and provide more uniform strength for many activities of daily living.

External fixation in the management of severe musculoskeletal trauma.

External fixation was employed in 33 open extremity fractures in 29 patients. These high energy injuries were characterized by massive soft tissue injury, contamination, instability, comminution, and/or segmental bone loss. Initial management consisted of irrigation and debridement, and application of the external fixator. In an attempt to obtain limb salvage, 92 additional procedures were performed to attain soft tissue coverage and insure bony stability. Six patients required subsequent below knee amputation at the level of the fracture site. All other cases achieved soft tissue coverage, bone union and are ambulatory on functional extremities without orthotic aids. Complications relating to the fixator included pin tract infections in eight patients and refracture in three.External fixation has application in limb salvage in severe extremity injuries associated with massive skin or muscle damage, neurovascular injuries and segmental bone loss. The advantages of the technique include rigid stabilization of the fracture and surrounding soft tissues, unencumbered wound access, motion of contiguous joints and simplified nursing care, indexing terms: External fixation, open extremity fractures, and musculoskeletal trauma.