Bulletin of the Hospital for Joint Disease (2013)
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Bull Hosp Jt Dis (2013) · Jan 2014
ReviewOpen knee joint injuries--an evidence-based approach to management.
Open knee joint injuries are potentially devastating injuries if not properly diagnosed and treated. Current diagnostic techniques, such as the saline load test (SLT), are based on outdated literature. Diagnosis of traumatic arthrotomies via the presence of intra-articular air on computed tomography (CT) scan has recently been shown to be 100% sensitive and specific to detect these injuries. ⋯ Antibiotic therapy following I&D of an open knee joint injury includes 24 to 48 hours of intravenous antibiotics. Oral antibiotic therapy can be administered afterwards for 3 to 5 days if the original injury was grossly contaminated. Ultimately, a unified management algorithm for open knee joint injuries based on current literature should be followed to ensure appropriate diagnosis and treatment of this potentially devastating injury.
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Bull Hosp Jt Dis (2013) · Jan 2014
ReviewUltrasound guidance for intra-articular knee and shoulder injections: a review.
Intra-articular injections have traditionally been performed "blind," guided only by anatomic palpation. Many may be placed inaccurately, and the use of imaging may significantly improve injection accuracy. This review analyzed the impact of ultrasound-guidance on injection accuracy and clinical efficacy in the knee and shoulder joints. ⋯ Shoulder injections into the glenohumeral and acromioclavicular joints showed modest benefit in cadaver studies, but improved accuracy has not been demonstrated in clinical studies. Insufficient data was available to show any effect in the subacromial bursa. Preliminary efficacy research shows that that ultrasound guidance may modestly improve the subjective pain relief and functional improvement provided by these injections.
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Bull Hosp Jt Dis (2013) · Jan 2014
ReviewTotal ankle replacement--evolution of the technology and future applications.
Total ankle arthroplasty was developed to reduce pain and retain motion of the ankle joint in patients with osteoarthritis much like its total hip and knee counterparts. Orthopaedic surgeons are well equipped to evaluate and treat patients with end-stage hip or knee arthritis; however, the management of patients with ankle arthritis represents a challenge to both general orthopaedic surgeons and to the foot and ankle surgeons to whom these patients are often referred. Although techniques for both hip and knee arthroplasty have evolved to provide long-term pain relief and functional improvement, neither ankle arthrodesis nor arthroplasty has demonstrated comparably favorable outcomes in long-term follow-up studies. ⋯ While arthrodesis is still considered the "gold standard" for treatment of end-stage ankle arthritis, progression of adjacent joint arthrosis and diminished gait efficiency has led to a resurgence of interest in ankle arthroplasty. Long-term outcome studies for total ankle replacement found excellent or good results in 82% of patients who received a newer generation ankle device compared with 72% if undergoing ankle fusion. Continued long-term follow-up studies are necessary, but total ankle arthroplasty has become a viable option for surgical treatment of ankle arthritis.
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Peripheral nerve injuries of the lower extremity (LE) are frequently encountered in orthopaedic practice. They can be traumatic or iatrogenic. ⋯ This paper reviews and discusses the basic anatomy and physiology of nerve injury and the current literature on the incidence, pathogenesis, diagnosis, management and outcomes of sciatic, femoral, peroneal, and tibial nerve injuries. The purpose of this review is to suggest a protocol for evaluation and management of LE nerve injuries.
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Bull Hosp Jt Dis (2013) · Jan 2014
ReviewBiologic augmentation in rotator cuff repair--should we do it, who should get it, and has it worked?
Rotator cuff tears are a common pathologic entity, and rotator cuff repairs are a frequently performed procedure. Given the high rate of structural failure of repair, biological augmentation of repairs is increasingly important. Biological augmentation primarily enhances the healing response and secondarily provides a mechanical bridge for tension free repair. ⋯ Methods of augmentation come in many different forms and can be categorized by cell type and mechanism of delivery. Cell types include individual growth factors, stem cells, or a combination of both. Vehicles range from in situ delivery, such as microfracture, direct injection, or scaffold materials that are biologic or synthetic.