Faculty Bibliography

Joint and soft tissue injections may be the only way to differentiate various arthritic disorders, accurately identify a septic joint, and apply focused treatment. Certain considerations can make these injections safer and more effective. This article reviews the principles of diagnostic and therapeutic use of joint and soft tissue injections and makes specific recommendations for common injection sites. Also described are appropriate aseptic techniques for aspirating and injecting joints, bursae, and soft tissue, as well as the judicious use of corticosteroid injections in this age group

There is general agreement that the implant of choice for intertrochanteric fractures is the sliding hip screw (SHS). However, considerable differences of opinion exist as to which plate angle--varying from 130 to 150 degrees--is preferred. Thus far there has been no cadaver-based biomechanical analysis of this problem. To examine these questions, we determined the effect of plate angle on plate strain and proximal medial femoral strain distribution in cadaver femurs fixed with 130, 135, 140, 145, and 150 degrees SHS after experimentally produced stable and unstable intertrochanteric fractures. Twenty-four fresh adult cadaver femurs were assigned randomly to either the 130, 135, 140, 145, or 150 degrees SHS group. Each femur was radiographed and bone mineral density was determined by dual-photon absorptiometry. Multiple-strain gauges were affixed to the femur, with specific focus on the proximal femur and plate. Femurs were loaded at 25 degrees adduction in increments of 70 N from 0 to 1,800 N in a servohydraulic testing machine. Femurs were tested in a progressive manner: (a) intact femur; (b) intact femur with SHS inserted; (c) a stable two-part intertrochanteric fracture reduced with SHS; (d) a four-part fracture with the posteromedial fragment (PMF) reduced anatomically by a lag screw; (e) the same fracture with the PMF rotated 180 degrees and held in place by a lag screw to approximate a 'near-anatomic' reduction; and (f) the same fracture with the PMF discarded. Screw sliding measurements were determined at regular intervals throughout each test.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

A synovial hemangioma in the knee joint of a 33-year old woman was diagnosed and removed arthroscopically. Preoperatively, this rare benign soft tissue lesion had caused recurrent swelling of the knee along with persistent pain and occasional buckling. Two years after surgery, the patient has a painless range of motion with no evidence of recurrence

Adhesion formation associated with tendon surgery is a widespread problem in which a healing tendon becomes adherent via scar tissue to surrounding structures such as bone, muscle, skin, tendon sheath, or other tendons. A model is described in which adhesions were generated reproducibly between the plantaris and Achilles tendons of the rabbit using a partial tenotomy, a Bunnel suture, and immobilization. Using this model, the effect of an absorbable barrier, INTERCEED (TC7), on adhesion formation was investigated. This material, which is a fabric comprised of oxidized regenerated cellulose, was found to diminish significantly the extent and severity of intertendinous adhesions, assessed both mechanically and histologically. No evidence of a foreign body reaction was observed

An unusual case of bilateral posterior fracture-dislocation of the hip (Pipkin Type IV) occurred in a 63-year-old man with Paget's disease of the pelvis. Other injuries included a displaced humeral shaft fracture and patellar ligament disruption. Bilateral cemented total hip arthroplasty was performed to avoid the need for prolonged immobilization. Postoperative low-dose irradiation was used because of the risk of heterotopic ossification

Infection following total knee arthroplasty can be one of the most challenging problems in orthopaedic surgery. This article discusses the pertinent clinical factors to be considered and the treatment options in the management of patients with infection following total knee replacement