Conducting orthopaedic practical examination during the Covid-19 pandemic

BACKGROUND

As the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic is expected to stay for a longer time, educational activities including residency training have gradually resumed with the aid of virtual tools. In addition to continuing the residency education during COVID-19, it is also important to conduct their examination so that the graduations of final year residents are not delayed. The conventional exam pattern involved clinical case presentations and required resident interaction with a number of patients. However, in view of the COVID-19 pandemic we conducted a "zero-patient contact virtual practical exit examination" for orthopaedic residents.

METHODS

In order to replicate the conventional exam case-scenarios, clinical cases were prepared in a digital presentation format. The candidate used N-95 facemasks and gloves, and adequate social distancing was maintained in the examination area. We also designed a 10- item questionnaire aimed at assessing the quality and satisfaction with the exam pattern.

RESULTS

The mean score for overall satisfaction with the virtual pattern was 4.5 (out of 5) in examiner group while it was 4.1 in examinee group. Higher scores were also reported for questions related to safety of the exam, relevance and quality of the virtual cases, etc. The mean total feedback score for the examiner and examinee group was 48 and 43.4 respectively (out of 50).

CONCLUSION

Orthopaedic residency end-of-training examinations can be successfully conducted during the COVID pandemic, and we hope our experience will be helpful to other residency programs.

Orthopaedic resident management during the COVID-19 pandemic - AIIMS model

The novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has had a tremendous impact on various health sectors including residency training programs. The suspension of non-essential health services at many hospitals has led to an increase in the workload for residents in emergency department while there was a sharp decline in the workload of residents in departments like Orthopaedics. In this brief report, we discuss the strategy employed at our institution to effectively redistribute our residents to manage the pandemic, and the measures taken to promote resident training and welfare.

Salmonella typhimurium infection in total knee arthroplasty: A case report with review of literature

Salmonella enterica serotype Typhimurium is a rare cause of prosthetic joint infection (PJI). The recognized predisposing risk factors for Salmonella septic arthritis include diabetes mellitus, renal failure, human immunodeficiency virus infection and chronic corticosteroid use. We describe a case of PJI of the knee in a 74-year-old lady who was on antitubercular treatment. The patient presented with discharging sinus and raised inflammatory markers. She was successfully treated by the removal of prosthesis and debridement followed by ciprofloxacin therapy for 6 weeks. This case report highlights the potential virulence of Salmonella in immunocompromised patient with a joint prosthesis. Continuous monitoring and close collaboration of microbiologists and orthopedicians helped obtain the resolution of infection in our patient.

Neglected medial swivel talonavicular dislocation treated with arthrodesis: A case report and literature review

Talonavicular dislocation is a rare injury. It usually occurs in conjunction with a variety of midfoot and hindfoot injuries. Isolated medial or lateral talonavicular dislocations without disruption of subtalar joint are known as medial or lateral swivel dislocations respectively, both being extremely rare. We describe a case of neglected medial swivel dislocation with articular impaction injury of talar head, which was managed with open reduction and arthrodesis with two 4 mm cannulated cancellous screws. At 6 months follow-up, patient was pain free and walking full weight bearing. All movements were painless and there was no footwear related problems. Radiographs showed sound arthrodesis of talonavicular joint. Although a rare injury, good results can be obtained by prompt recognition and treatment. In neglected cases, arthrodesis of the talonavicular joint is a viable option, especially if articular injury is present.

Seronegative Lupus- A Wolf in Sheep’s Skin

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic inflammatory multisystem autoimmune disease. Most of the SLE cases are seropositive, but rare (5%) seronegative SLE cases can also present with complications. Hepatic involvement SLE is multifactorial like hepatotoxic drugs, steatohepatitis, viral hepatitis and Autoimmune Hepatitis (AIH). However, the differentiation between lupus-related hepatitis and AIH remains a challenge to the clinician because of many similar features. It is very difficult to differentiate whether hepatitis is due to autoimmune involvement or purely lupus related on the basis of clinical and biochemical parameters. The patient must fulfill ACR criteria for SLE and International Autoimmune Hepatitis Group (IAIHG) criteria for AIH. Histological diagnosis is considered to be definative in differentiating SLE-related hepatitis and AIH. The cardiac manifestations of SLE are multiple with pericardial disease being the most common. While pericardial effusion is rarely haemodynamically significant, the occurrence of subsequent constrictive pericarditis is even less frequent with only occasional reports in the literature. Authors described a case of a 17-year-old female with Antinuclear Antibody (ANA) negative active SLE (seronegative) with AIH and constrictive pericarditis. The patient responded well to the conservative management initially but later developed drug induced myelosuppression and bilateral pneumonia and succumbed.

Proximal femoral fracture in ankylosed hip treated with primary total hip arthroplasty: Technical tips with report of two cases

Proximal femoral fracture in an ankylosed hip is a challenging condition. There is no consensus on fixation method for these fractures. In addition, despite union the best outcome possible is the restoration of the pre morbid status. We report two different presentations of proximal femoral fracture in ankylosed hip that were successfully treated with primary total hip arthroplasty. We also discuss the surgical principles, technique and advantages of doing primary total hip arthroplasty in such cases.

Total Hip Arthroplasty with Modular Stem for Dysplastic Hips in South Asian Population

BACKGROUND

Optimum component positioning and orientation is required to optimize the functional result during total hip arthroplasty for dysplastic hips.

METHODS

Sixty-two patients (66 hips) including 33 males and 29 females underwent total hip arthroplasty using modular stem prosthesis at an average age of 40.6 years (range 17 to 49 years). Nineteen hips were classified as Type I, 24 hips as Type II, 13 hips as Type III and 10 hips as Type IV dysplastic hips according to Crowe's classification. Eighteen hips (27.2%) underwent sub trochanteric osteotomy and 23 hips (34.8%) required adductor tenotomy at the time of surgery.

RESULTS

Sixty-one patients (65 hips) were available for the latest follow up. The median follow-up was 57.4 months (range12 to 100 months). The mean Harris Hip Score was 90.6 (range 72 to 96), which was significant improvement from the preoperative Score of 44.8 (range 38 to 62). The clinical outcome was graded as excellent in 39, good in 13, fair in 7 patients and poor in 2 patients respectively. Only one hip (1.5%) had underwent revision surgery for the stem at 18 months following the index surgery. Postoperative dislocation following a fall was seen in one hip of a female patient who was operated on both sides. The radiographs revealed that all the remaining 65 hips had stable femoral component and the osteotomy sites were healed. The Kaplan-Meier survivorship with revision as endpoint (including open reduction for dislocation) was found to be 96.4% at 100 months (95% Confidence Interval; 86.3-99.1).

CONCLUSION

This study in South-Asian patients using the modular stem strengthened the premise that cementless modular total hip arthroplasty provides a satisfactory outcome in treating secondary osteoarthritis due to dysplastic hips.

Fatal Cobalt Cardiomyopathy Following Revision Total Hip Arthroplasty - A Brief Report with Review of Literature

Ceramic bearing surfaces are being increasingly used in young patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty. However, failures have been reported including fractures even with the newer third generation ceramics. The recommended treatment for fracture of ceramic bearing surfaces is complete synovectomy and revision total hip arthroplasty. However, disappointing results have also been reported with this approach. The residual ceramic particles may lead to complications. We report a fatal case of cobalt toxicity leading to cardiomyopathy secondary to the catastrophic failure of a Cobalt-Chrome femoral head, which followed the revision of a fractured ceramic-on-ceramic total hip arthroplasty.

Acute total hip arthroplasty in acetabular fractures using modern porous metal cup

PURPOSE

The aim of this study was to report the clinical and radiological outcome of using the modern porous metal cup in patients undergoing acute total hip arthroplasty (THA) for selected subset of acetabular fractures.

PATIENT AND METHODS

Eighteen patients with acetabular fracture underwent acute THA with modern porous metal cup from a single manufacturer. Fifteen males and three females with a mean age of 46.4 years (range 21-57 years) were ambispectively followed up for a minimum period of 48 months. All patients were evaluated clinically with Harris Hip Scores (HHS) and radiographically with serial X-rays.

RESULTS

No patient was lost to follow-up. The HHS was excellent in nine patients, good in six patients, fair in two patients, and poor in one patient. All the fractures were united and the cups were well integrated. There was no lucent line seen in any acetabular zones on the X-rays. One patient had infection, which resolved with debridement. There was one dislocation following fall, which was reduced by closed means and remained stable. One of the two patients with heterotopic ossification had restricted movement of hip but not restricting the activities of daily living. No failures of acetabular component were seen in the study.

CONCLUSION

The current study showed that the modern porous metal cup provides sufficient primary stability and appear suitable for primary THA in acute acetabular fractures at mid-term follow-up: (i) In selected fractures, acute THA can be extended to young adult patients as well. (ii) Modern porous metal cup may provide sufficient stability with or without additional fixation required.

Cup-Cage Construct Using Porous Cup with Burch-Schneider Cage in the Management of Complex Acetabular Fractures

Purpose

Cup-cage construct technique was developed to address the massive acetabular defects during revision hip arthroplasty. Indications have extended to complex acetabular fractures with pelvic discontinuity necessitating acute total hip arthroplasty. However, its use is constrained in low socioeconomic countries due to non-availability of the original cages from Trabecular Metal Acetabular Revision System and high cost. We used a novel technique using the less expensive Burch-Schneider (BS) cage and Trabecular Metal Revision Shell (TMRS) to address the problem.

Materials and Methods

We reviewed a consecutive series of 8 cases of acetabular fractures reconstructed using a ‘cup-cage construct’ technique using a BS cage along with a TMRS. The mean age of the patients was 61.4 years. Patients were followed up for a mean period of 50.5 months (24 to 72 months). The patients were assessed clinically with Harris Hip Score and radiologically with serial X-rays.

Results

All the patients were available at the latest follow up. The mean Harris Hip Score was 87.2. There was no radiological evidence of failure. One patient had dislocation two months following the surgery, which was treated by closed reduction and hip abduction brace. One patient developed an infection at 3 weeks necessitating debridement. The same patient had sciatic nerve palsy that recovered after 4 months.

Conclusion

This novel technique of the cup-cage construct seems to provide a stable construct at short to midterm follow-up. However, a long-term follow up would be required.

Mycobacterium abscessus Periprosthetic joint infection following bilateral Total Knee arthroplasty

Periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) can be protracted, incapacitating, needing multiple interventions and could even lead to mortality. Early post-operative PJI has been ascribed to peri-operative introduction of highly virulent bacteria, while delayed post-operative to low-virulence bacteria. Non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) do not figure in the usual list of etiological agents. We report a case of difficult diagnosis of bilateral PJI caused by Mycobacterium abscessus, following bilateral total knee arthroplasty in an elderly male, but treated successfully despite prolonged infection. M. abscessus complex comprises a group of rapidly growing, multidrug-resistant NTM, capable of forming biofilms on prostheses, responsible for wide spectrum of hospital acquired infections. M. abscessus as a cause of PJI is not reported widely. There are a few cases described in literature worldwide. There are no policy guidelines available for treating such cases. High clinical suspicion, with a concerted effort to grow and identify the causal pathogen is important. Standard anti-tubercular therapy is not recommended for treatment due to inherent resistance. Complete excision of infected tissues and removal of prosthesis along with prolonged combination antimicrobial regimen is the treatment of choice.

Total Hip Arthroplasty in Ankylosing Spondylitis With Extension Contracture of Hips

BACKGROUND

Despite significant pain relief following total hip arthroplasty (THA) in patients with ankylosing spondylitis, a small subset of patients presenting with extra-articular extension contracture of hips remains unsatisfied.

METHODS

We retrospectively evaluated the patients with ankylosing spondylitis who underwent simultaneous bilateral THA and had extensor tightness of both hips preoperatively. They were managed with modified Z-plasty of iliotibial band. Patients with windswept deformity, commonly seen in bilateral hip arthritis caused by ankylosing spondylitis, were excluded.

RESULTS

Between July 2011 and June 2015, out of 148 patients with bilateral hip involvement, 10 patients (20 hips) had extension contracture of both hips that was addressed during surgery. All patients were followed up for a minimum of 2 years. They could sit comfortably on a chair of height 18 inches with hips and knees flexed to at least 90°. The mean postoperative sum range of motion was 144.6° with an average hip flexion of 95° (range, 90°-105°). None of them had recurrence of extension contracture. There was significant improvement in range of motion and hence ambulation and function. No radiolucent lines exceeding 2 mm were seen in any of the zones around either of the components as evaluated in latest X-rays.

CONCLUSION

Extension contracture of hip although rare is a noticeable problem and needs to be addressed during THA. Modified Z-plasty technique of iliotibial band is a reliable method in managing these patients.

Morvan's syndrome-is a pathogen behind the curtain?

Morvan's syndrome is a rare syndrome of likely autoimmune etiology characterized by peripheral nerve hyperexcitability, dysautonomia, insomnia, and fluctuating delirium with prominent hallucinations. Since its first mention in 1890, less than 100 cases have been described in literature. The largest existing review includes details of 29 cases. This case series describes 4 cases (M = 4) of Morvan's syndrome which presented between May and November 2017 to a single tertiary care referral teaching hospital in north India. All the four patients manifested behavioral abnormalities, sleep disturbances, hallucinations, autonomic dysfunction, and clinical signs of peripheral nerve hyperexcitability, mostly as myokymia. Two of the patients had Anti-CASPR2 (contactin-associated protein 2) antibodies. Three of them had electromyography features of peripheral nerve hyperexcitability and only one had elevated cerebrospinal fluid protein level. We hypothesize that Morvan's syndrome and other less characterized autoimmune encephalitis/peripheral nervous system syndromes may have infectious triggers. A possible viral trigger may result in generation of autoantibodies which result in the typical manifestations. We base these hypotheses on the finding of four cases of an orphan disease within a short period of time in a limited geographical distribution.

Results of trabecular metal augments in Paprosky IIIA and IIIB defects

Aims

The advent of trabecular metal (TM) augments has revolutionized the management of severe bone defects during acetabular reconstruction. The purpose of this study was to evaluate patients undergoing revision total hip arthroplasty (THA) with the use of TM augments for reconstruction of Paprosky IIIA and IIIB defects.

Patients and Methods

A retrospective study was conducted at four centres between August 2008 and January 2015. Patients treated with TM augments and TM shell for a Paprosky grade IIIA or IIIB defect, in the absence of pelvic discontinuity, and who underwent revision hip arthroplasty with the use of TM augments were included in the study. A total of 41 patients with minimum follow-up of two years were included and evaluated using intention-to-treat analysis.

Results

There were 36 (87.8%) patients with a Paprosky IIIA defect and five (12.2%) patients with a Paprosky IIIB defect. The mean age was 56.7 years (28 to 94). There were 21 (51.2%) women and 20 (48.8%) men. The mean follow-up was 39.4 months (12 to 96). One (2%) patient died after eight years. No failures were noted in the series. The mean survivorship was 100% at the time of latest follow-up.

Conclusion

The results of this multicentre study showed encouraging short- and mid-term results for the use of TM augments in the management of Paprosky grade IIIA and IIIB defects. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2018;100-B:903–8.

Early Results of Oxford Mobile Bearing Medial Unicompartmental Knee Replacement (UKR) with the Microplasty Instrumentation: An Indian Experience

BACKGROUND

Oxford medial unicompartmental knee replacement (UKR) is indicated in patients with anteromedial osteoarthritis (AMOA) of the knee. Microplasty (MP) instrumentation was introduced in 2012 as an improvement over phase 3 instrumentation. Advantages of this instrumentation include conservative tibial cut, decreased tibial re-cut rate and improved component alignment. We report the results of UKR with the new instrumentation in a consecutive series with a minimum follow-up of 2 years.

METHODS

A prospective study of 115 cemented medial Oxford UKRs implanted in 89 patients was done. Post-operative alignment of the tibial and femoral components was analysed. Patient reported outcome measures were recorded using Oxford Knee Score (OKS) and the American Knee Society Score (KSS). Tegner Activity Scale (TAS) was used to record the activity level.

RESULTS

115 consecutive medial Oxford UKRs were studied. All patients were followed up annually in this prospective ethically approved study. The mean follow-up was 36 months and the minimum follow-up was 25 months. No patient died and none were lost to follow-up. At the final follow-up, the average OKS of the cohort was 39.5 (SD: 5.7). 91.2 % of the patients had good or excellent OKS with only 3.5 % reporting poor OKS. The overall limb alignment was 4.8⁰ varus (0 - 14⁰ varus). Tibia was recut in 5.2 % of cases. Median bearing size was 3 (range: 3 to 6). There was one case of bearing dislocation and one case of aseptic tibial loosening.

CONCLUSION

This is the first study to report results of MP instrumentation at a minimum follow-up of 2 years. Our study indicates that the new instrumentation results in reliable and accurate implantation of femoral and tibial components in majority of the cases, with a decrease in number of alignment outliers, and also a reduced rate of bearing dislocation.

Simultaneous Quadruple Joint Replacement (QJR) in Disabling Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis - a Case Report with Review of Literature

We wish to present a case of 47-year-old patient with Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis and ankylosis of both hips and both knees treated by bilateral hip and knee arthroplasty in a single anaesthesia i.e. Quadruple joint replacement in single sitting. He was back on his feet from his bed-ridden state within the fortnight following surgery. He has been followed up for four years and has been performing his activities of daily living independently. We discuss the preoperative planning, surgical details and post-operative rehabilitation and unique challenges pertaining to this case.

Total hip arthroplasty in Hurler syndrome - 8 years follow up - A case report with review of literature

Life expectancy in Hurler syndrome is significantly improved by enzyme therapy with bone marrow transplantation. However, the deterioration of skeletal abnormalities persists. Hip dysplasia is a common presentation which may progress to significant hip arthritis requiring total hip arthroplasty at later stage. We report a long-term outcome of cementless total hip arthroplasty in a patient with Hurler syndrome who was successfully treated with bone marrow transplant.

Combination drug chemotherapy and massive skeletal allograft in the management of hydatid disease of femur

Hydatid disease of long bone is a rare presentation. Chemotherapy and surgery constitute the standard treatment of choice. Non-union of a pathological fracture of femur particularly due to hydatid disease has been known to be resistant to treatment. These resistant cases require combination drug chemotherapy and excision of the lesion. Reconstruction of a large skeletal defect following resection of the lesion poses a challenge to the orthopaedic surgeons. We discuss the staged treatment of hydatid disease of shaft of femur with resection and cement spacer application followed by reconstruction using massive skeletal allograft under cover of combination drug chemotherapy.

Megaprosthesis versus Allograft Prosthesis Composite for massive skeletal defects

Massive skeletal defects are encountered in the setting of tumors necessitating excision, failed total hip arthroplasty with periprosthetic bone loss, periprosthetic fracture, complex trauma, multiple failed osteosynthesis and infection. Reconstruction of the segmental defects poses a tremendous challenge to the orthopaedic surgeons. The goal of osseous reconstruction of these defects is to restore the bone length and function. Currently the most commonly employed methods for reconstruction are either a megaprosthesis or an Allograft Prosthesis Composite (APC). Megaprosthesis, initially created for the treatment in neoplastic pathologies are being used for the non-neoplastic pathologies as well. The longevity of these implants is an issue as majority of the patients receiving them are the survivors of oncologic issue or elderly population, both in which the life expectancy is limited. However, the early complications like instability, infection, prosthetic breakage and fixation failure have been extensively reported in several literatures. Moreover, the megaprostheses are non-biological options preventing secure fixation of the soft tissue around the implant. The Allograft Prosthesis Composites were introduced to overcome the complications of megaprosthesis. APC is made of a revision-type prosthesis cemented into the skeletal allograft to which the remaining soft tissue sleeve can be biologically fixed. APCs are preferred in young and low risk patients. Though the incidence of instability is relatively low with the composites as compared to the megaprosthesis, apart from infection, the newer complications pertaining to APCs are inevitable that includes non-union, allograft resorption, periprosthetic fracture and potential risk of disease transmission. The current review aims to give an overview on the treatment outcomes, complications and survival of both the megaprostheses and APCs at different anatomic sites in both the upper and lower limbs.

Staged Reimplantation of a Total Hip Prosthesis After Co-infection with Candida tropicalis and Staphylococcus haemolyticus: A Case Report

Fungal prosthetic joint infection is a rare complication in total joint arthroplasty. There are no established guidelines for management of these infections. We present a case of a 53-year-old male with a hip joint prosthesis co-infected with Candida tropicalis and Staphylococcus haemolyticus. A two-stage exchange arthroplasty was performed. The patient underwent implant removal, debridement, irrigation with saline solution and application of cement spacer impregnated with vancomycin followed by aggressive antimicrobial treatment in first stage. Complete eradication of infection was demonstrated by negative culture of sonicated cement spacer fluid and negative 16S rRNA and 18S rRNA gene PCR of sonicate fluid, synovial fluid and periprosthetic tissue samples. He underwent second-stage revision hip arthroplasty after 9 months of the first stage. At the latest follow-up, there was no evidence of recurrence of infection. This case illustrates the utility of sonication of biomaterials and molecular techniques for microbiological confirmation of absence of infection in staged surgeries which is required for a successful outcome.

Histopathological analysis of hysterectomy specimens: one year study

Backgound: The uterus is prone to develop several non-neoplastic and neoplastic conditions during the life time of a woman. The aim of this study is to study the histopathological features of varied uterine lesions, their profile and distribution of different lesions in relation of age.Materials and Methods: This is a histopathological database analysis of hysterectomy specimen of one year 2011/12 in Patan Hospital. The variables studied were age and histopathological diagnosis. SPSS version 16 was used as an analytical tool.Results: A total of 3576 histopathology samples were received in this period. There were 1173 gynaecology samples during this period out of which 22% (261 cases) were that of hysterectomy. Histopathology diagnosis showed Leiomyoma in 48.6% (127 cases), Adenomyosis was seen in 10.3% (27 cases), Endometrioid Adenocarcinoma was seen in 1.14% (3 cases).Conclusion: A large number of hysterectomy specimens had no significant findings. However, adenomyosis, leiomyomya and adenocarcinoma are also found which may be the cause of abnormal uterine bleeding. 

Tuberculous periprosthetic infection precipitated by infliximab therapy

Biological therapy with TNF-α inhibitors have been increasingly used in the treatment of inflammatory arthritis. Systemic tuberculosis infections are often known to occur following treatment with these biological agents. However, no case of periprosthetic tuberculous infection of the hip following this therapy has been reported. We report a case of a 45-year-old man who developed periprosthetic tuberculous infection soon after infliximab injection. We also discuss the need of pretreatment awareness, high index of suspicion, early diagnosis and management of such case.