Letters to the editors

SCOPUS: le.j

Complications associated with operative fixation of acute midshaft clavicle fractures

The aim of this study was to review the complication rate and profile associated with surgical fixation of acute midshaft clavicle fracture in a large cohort of patients treated in a level I trauma centre.Patients and methods: We identified all patients who underwent surgical treatment of acute midshaft clavicle fracture between 2002 and 2010. The study group consisted of 138 fractures (134 patients). There were 107 males (78%) and 31 females (22%) and median age of 35 years (IQR 24-45). The most common mechanism of injury was a road traffic accident (78%). Sixty percent (n = 83) had an injury severity score of ≥ 15 indicating major trauma. The most common fracture type (75%) was simple or wedge comminuted (2B1) according to the Edinburgh classification. The median interval between the injury and operation was 3 days (IQR 1-6). Plate fixation was performed in 110 fractures (80%) and intramedullary fixation was performed in 28 fractures (20%). There were 85 males and 25 females in the plate fixation group with median age of 35 years (IQR: 25-45) There were 22 males and 6 females in intramedullary fixation group with median age of 31 years (IQR 24-42 years). Statistical analysis was performed using Independent sample t-test, Mann-Whitney test, and Chi-square test. Significant P-value was < 0.05.Results: The overall incidence of complication was 14.5% (n = 20). The overall nonunion rate 6%. Post operative wound infection occurred in 3.6% of cases. The incidence of complication associated with plate fixation was 10% (11 of 110 cases) compared to 32% associated with intramedullary fixation (9 of 28 cases) (P = 0.003). Thirty five percent of complications were related to inadequate surgical technique and potentially avoidable. Symptomatic hardware requiring removal occurred in 23% (n = 31) of patients. Symptomatic metalware was more frequent after plate fixation compared to intramedullary fixation (26% vs 7%, P = 0.03).Conclusions: Intramedullary fixation of midshaft clavicle fracture is associated with higher incidence of complications. Plate fixation is associated with a higher rate of symptomatic metalware requiring removal compared to intramedullary fixation. Approximately one in three complications may be avoided by attention to adequate surgical technique.

Additional weekend therapy may reduce length of rehabilitation stay after stroke: a meta-analysis of individual patient data

QUESTIONS: Among people receiving inpatient rehabilitation after stroke, does additional weekend physiotherapy and/or occupational therapy reduce the length of rehabilitation hospital stay compared to those who receive a weekday-only service, and does this change after controlling for individual factors? Does additional weekend therapy improve the ability to walk and perform activities of daily living, measured at discharge? Does additional weekend therapy improve health-related quality of life, measured 6 months after discharge from rehabilitation? Which individual, clinical and hospital characteristics are associated with shorter length of rehabilitation hospital stay? DESIGN: This study pooled individual data from two randomised, controlled trials (n=350) using an individual patient data meta-analysis and multivariate regression. PARTICIPANTS: People with stroke admitted to inpatient rehabilitation facilities. INTERVENTION: Additional weekend therapy (physiotherapy and/or occupational therapy) compared to usual care (5 days/week therapy). OUTCOME MEASURES: Length of rehabilitation hospital stay, independence in activities of daily living measured with the Functional Independence Measure, walking speed and health-related quality of life. RESULTS: Participants who received weekend therapy had a shorter length of rehabilitation hospital stay. In the un-adjusted analysis, this was not statistically significant (MD -5.7 days, 95% CI -13.0 to 1.5). Controlling for hospital site, age, walking speed and Functional Independence Measure score on admission, receiving weekend therapy was significantly associated with a shorter length of rehabilitation hospital stay (β=7.5, 95% CI 1.7 to 13.4, p=0.001). There were no significant between-group differences in Functional Independence Measure scores (MD 1.9 points, 95% CI -2.8 to 6.6), walking speed (MD 0.06 m/second, 95% CI -0.15 to 0.04) or health-related quality of life (SMD -0.04, 95% CI -0.26 to 0.19) at discharge. DISCUSSION: Modest evidence indicates that additional weekend therapy might reduce rehabilitation hospital length of stay.

Addressing obesity in the management of knee and hip osteoarthritis - weighing in from an economic perspective

BACKGROUND: Obesity is one of the only modifiable risk factors for both incidence and progression of Osteoarthritis (OA). So there is increasing interest from a public health perspective in addressing obesity in the management of OA. While evidence of the efficacy of intereventions designed to address obesity in OA populations continues to grow, little is known about their economic credentials. The aim of this study is to conduct a scoping review of: (i) the published economic evidence assessing the economic impact of obesity in OA populations; (ii) economic evaluations of interventions designed to explicitly address obesity in the prevention and management of OA in order to determine which represent value for money. Besides describing the current state of the literature, the study highlights research gaps and identifies future research priorities.

METHODS: In July 2014, a search of the peer reviewed literature, published in English, was undertaken for the period January 1975 - July 2014 using Medline Complete (Ebscohost), Embase, Econlit, Global Health, Health Economics Evaluation Database (HEED), all Cochrane Library databases as well as the grey literature using Google and reference lists of relevant studies. A combination of key search terms was used to identify papers assessing the economic impact of obesity in OA or economic evaluations conducted to assess the efficiency of obesity interventions for the prevention or management of OA.

RESULTS: 14 studes were identified; 13 were cost burden studies assessing the impact of obesity as a predictor for higher costs in Total Joint Arthroplasty (TJA) patients and one a cost-effectiveness study of an intervention designed to address obesity in the managment of mild to moderate OA patients.

CONCLUSION: The majority of the economic studies conducted are cost burden studies. While there is some evidence of the association between severe obesity and excess hospital costs for TJA patients, heterogeneity in studies precludes definitive statements about the strength of the association. With only one economic evaluation to inform policy and practice, there is a need for future research into the cost-effectiveness of obesity interventions designed both for prevention or management of OA along the disease spectrum and over the life course.

Recidiva do tratamento ortodôntico por respiração bucal

A respiração bucal é altamente comprometedora no que respeita correto crescimento e desenvolvimento das estruturas craniofaciais, podendo provocar uma série de desvios e alterações, nomeadamente alterações dentofaciais de carácter ortodôntico. O presente trabalho visa a elaboração de uma revisão bibliográfica sobre a recidiva ortodôntica em sujeitos com respiração bucal, dando especial atenção às características clínicas que permitem a identificação do respirador oral, por forma a contribuir para um diagnóstico mais atempado e, consequentemente, para uma maior eficácia do tratamento. Com base numa pesquisa efetuada em 5 bases de dados e com a utilização das palavras chave, foi feito um levantamento bibliográfico da literatura considerada relevante para a temática em estudo e uma seleção da mesma, de acordo com o seu nível de evidência cientifica. A respiração bucal é um dos múltiplos fatores etiológicos de instabilidade dentária que está na origem da recidiva ortodôntica, pelo que é necessária uma intervenção adequada e eficaz com o intuito de minimizar as consequências decorrentes da respiração bucal, antes de qualquer procedimento ortodôntico. O tratamento deve ser multidisciplinar, com associação de várias áreas, entre elas a Ortodontia, a terapia miofuncional, a otorrinolaringologia, e a ortopedia funcional dos maxilares e o diagnóstico precoce é de relevada importância para o sucesso do mesmo.

Biocompatible and biodegradable Mg/Mg composite foam for bone tissue engineering.

This thesis focuses on studying solid and porous Magnesium-composite structures. Magnesium is attracting increasing interest as promising biodegradable material for medical applications; however, suffering from low mechanical properties. This thesis suggests the manufacturing and application of a new approach that is high str

Primary Joint Arthroplasty Surgery: Is the Risk of Major Bleeding Higher in Elderly Patients? A Retrospective Cohort Study

Increased risk of bleeding after major orthopedic surgery (MOS) has been widely documented in general population. However, this complication has not been studied in elderly patients. The purpose of this study is to determine whether the risk of major bleeding after MOS is higher in elderly patients, compared with those operated at a younger age. Methods: This retrospective cohort study included total hip and total knee arthroplasty patients operated during 5 consecutive years. The main outcome was the occurrence of major bleeding. Patients with other causes of bleeding were excluded. Relative risks (RRs) and confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated, anda multivariate analysis was performed. Results: A total of 1048 patients were included, 56% of patients were hip arthroplasties. At the time of surgery, 553 (53%) patients were older than 70 years. Patients aged >70 years showed an increased risk of major bleeding (RR: 2.42 [95% CI: 1.54-3.81]). For hip arthroplasty, the RR of bleeding was 2.61 (95%CI: 1.50-4.53) and 2.25 (95% CI: 1.03-4.94) for knee arthroplasty. After multivariate analysis, age was found to be independently associated with higher risk of major bleeding. Conclusion: According to European Medicines Agency criteria, patients aged 70 years are at a higher risk of major bleeding after MOS, result of a higher frequency of blood transfusions in this group of patients. Standardized protocols for blood transfusion in these patients are still required.

Cordectomía por sustracción pedicular en la columna dorsal y lumbar en fracturas traumáticas: experiencia en el hospital universitario mayor Mederi y revisión sistemática de la literatura

Objetivo: Presentar la experiencia con la técnica de corpectomia por sustracción pedicular en fracturas traumática a nivel de la columna dorsal y Lumbar en el Hospital Universitario Mayor en Bogotá y hacer una revisión sistemática de la literatura de esta técnica quirúrgica. Material y métodos: Se realizó un análisis retrospectivo de las historias clínicas de pacientes que consultaron al servicio de neurocirugía entre los años 2013 y 2015 con fracturas traumáticas a nivel de la columna dorsal y lumbosacra. Se realizó un análisis de déficit neurológico pre y posoperatorio por medio de la Clasificación neurológica estándar de lesión medular (ASIA), al igual que tiempos de cirugía, sangrado intraoperatorio y complicaciones. A su vez se realiza una revisión sistemática de la literatura sobre esta técnica quirúrgica. Resultados: El total de pacientes que se sometieron a cirugía fue de 32, de los cuales el tiempo quirúrgico promedio fue de 396 min, se obtuvo un ASIA prequirúrgico B: 50% C: 47% y E: 3%. El ASIA post operatorio fue de B: 9% C: 47% D: 38% E: 6%. Se obtuvo una mejoría del déficit neurológico en el 75% los pacientes intervenidos. El promedio de sangrado fue de 1,223 cc. Se tuvieron 4 complicaciones, 2 hematomas en lecho quirúrgico que requirió re intervención y dos fistulas de líquido cefalorraquídeo las cuales se manejaron con vendaje compresivo y reposo absoluto. Conclusiones: La corpectomia por sustracción pedicular requiere de un adecuado entrenamiento y un grupo multidisciplinario dentro de los que se incluye neuroanestesiologo, a su vez de neurocirujanos entrenados en columna. Este abordaje presenta grandes beneficios como disminución de tiempos quirúrgicos, disminución de sangrado intraoperatorio y disminución de morbilidad entre otras.

Luxación esternoclavicular posterior

Paciente masculino de 24 años, ingresa a urgencias por trauma contundente en clavícula derecha durante accidente de tránsito. Presenta dolor en articulación esternoclavicular que se exacerba con la movilización del hombro y disfagia. Al examen físico, leve depresión del extremo medial de la clavícula y limitación de los arcos de movimiento del hombro. Las imágenes confirmaron el diagnostico de LEC posterior. El paciente fue llevado a cirugía para reducción y cerclaje, sin complicaciones.