Blog

• Total Elbow Arthroplasty in Obese Patients

  Posted on: 07 May, 2018

  Source: The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery

  
  

  The prevalence of obesity in the United States has increased in recent decades. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of obesity in patients undergoing primary total elbow arthroplasty.

  From 1987 to 2006, 723 primary semiconstrained, linked total elbow arthroplasties were performed in 654 patients. The average patient age (and standard deviation) at the time of surgery was 62.3 ± 13.7 years, with 550 total elbow arthroplasties (76%) performed in women. Total elbow arthroplasties were used to treat inflammatory conditions in patients undergoing 378 total elbow arthroplasties (52%) and to treat acute traumatic or posttraumatic conditions in patients undergoing 310 total elbow arthroplasties (43%). Patients were classified as non-obese (having a body mass index of <30 kg/m2) in 564 total elbow arthroplasties (78%) and as obese (having a body mass index of ≥30 kg/m2) in 159 total elbow arthroplasties (22%). The median duration of follow-up was 5.8 years (range, zero to twenty-five years). Survivorship of total elbow arthroplasty was estimated with use of the Kaplan-Meier method.

  Read more

• What’s New in Orthopaedic Trauma

  Posted on: 07 May, 2018

  Source: The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery

  This update presents a synopsis of the most clinically relevant high-quality studies related to orthopaedic trauma from the past twelve months. Key methods (♦), results (➢), and take-home points (✶) for these studies are presented.

  Read more

• Hand Function in Adults with Radial Longitudinal Deficiency

  Posted on: 07 May, 2018

  Source: The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery

  
  

  Functional impairment in individuals with radial longitudinal deficiency can be influenced by several factors, including a short and bowed forearm, radial deviation of the wrist, a non-functional or absent thumb, limited finger motion, and impaired grip strength, but their relationship with activity and participation in adults with radial deficiency is not known.

  Read more

• Lack of Benefit of Physical Therapy on Function Following Supracondylar Humeral Fracture

  Posted on: 07 May, 2018

  Source: The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery

  The goal of the study was to evaluate the efficacy of physical therapy in restoring function and mobility after a pediatric supracondylar humeral fracture.

  The study included sixty-one patients from five to twelve years of age with a supracondylar humeral fracture that was treated with casting or with closed reduction and pinning followed by casting. Patients were randomized to receive either no further treatment (no-PT group) or six sessions of a standardized hospital-based physical therapy program (PT group). The ASK-p (Activities Scale for Kids-performance version) and self-assessments of activity were used to assess function at one, nine, fifteen, and twenty-seven weeks after injury.

  Read more

• Comparison of Compression Screw and Perpendicular Clamp in Ulnar Shortening Osteotomy

  Posted on: 07 May, 2018

  Source: Journal of Hand Surgery

  Methods

  Fourteen fresh-frozen cadaveric human forearms were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 groups. Group I (n = 7) underwent USO according to the traditional AO plate fixation technique using a screw placed eccentrically in an oblong hole to generate compression at the osteotomy site. Group II (n = 7) underwent USO with a commercially available USO plating system using a clamp placed perpendicular to the osteotomy site to generate compression. Both techniques involved a 2-mm resection osteotomy performed with cutting jigs to minimize variability and an interfragmentary lag screw to augment compression.

  Read more