Orthopedics
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Fifteen patients with Neer type II distal clavicle fracture were treated surgically. Operative treatment included open reduction and fixation of the proximal clavicular fragment to the coracoid process using a 6.5-mm cancellous screw and repair of the coracoclavicular ligaments. Fracture union occurred at a mean of 7 weeks postoperatively without any serious complications. All patients returned to the pre-injury level of activity with no residual pain or dysfunction.
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Total hip or knee replacement patients who are overweight or obese often consider their disabling joint disease a cause for their increased weight. This prospective study investigated weight change in 100 patients after successful total joint replacement to determine whether surgical treatment of hip or knee arthritis leads to weight reduction. ⋯ Patients a with normal body mass index and obese patients did not lose weight, while overweight patients gained a significant amount of weight after surgery. These findings demonstrate successful treatment of lower-extremity arthritis does not lead to weight loss, and obesity should be treated as an independent disease that is not the result of inactivity from arthritis.
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Fractures of the scaphoid are the most common carpal bone fracture. With careful management, prognosis is excellent. Imaging is critical, not only for early diagnosis, but also for monitoring patients after initial treatment to detect unstable fractures, the common complications of nonunion and avascular necrosis, and the need for surgical treatment.