Aims

We introduced a self-care pathway for minimally displaced distal radius fractures, which involved the patient being discharged from a Virtual Fracture Clinic (VFC) without a physical review and being provided with written instructions on how to remove their own cast or splint at home, plus advice on exercises and return to function.

Arthroscopic lavage is commonly used in the management of mild to moderate arthritis of the knee. In the last few years the use of Hyaluronic Acid and its derivatives has become popular in the management of this same group of patients. The study was set up to establish whether Synvisc (HylanGF-20) produced equivalent or improved symptomatic relief when compared to arthroscopic lavage.

A prospective randomised trial. Fifty patients with knee OA were randomly allocated to either the arthroscopic lavage or Synvisc group. All patients were assessed prior to treatment using the WOMAC knee evaluation questionnaire, and further assessments were made at 6 weeks, 3 months, 6 months and one year post treatment.

The Synvisc group showed greater and more consistent improvement in WOMAC scores than the lavage group at all assessments post treatment. The difference between the treatment groups was statistically significant at 6 months (p< 0. 05) and at 1 Year (p=0. 0018).

We conclude that a course of Synvisc injections can be administered on an out-patient basis and is a safer, more cost-effective and more reliable treatment for Knee OA compared to arthroscopic lavage.

Purpose: The purpose of this prospective study is to evaluate the benefits of this treatment for discogenic back pain.

Method: Thirty-four patients with chronic discogenic back pain underwent this therapy. All the patients had a failed trial of conservative treatment. Patients with a positive provocative discogram were selected for intra-discal electrothermal therapy (IDET). The outcome is assessed using a SF 36 questionnaire filled in pre-procedure and then at three, six, twelve and eighteen months and two years post-operatively.

Results: The mean age group of the patients was 37 years (range 15–58 years). All the patients had a minimum follow up of 12 months (range 6–2 years). Out of the 34 patients 5(14%) had no improvement and had to undergo an interbody fusion following IDET. No patient developed any neurological complications. At a minimum of one year follow-up 56% patients had improvement in physical function scores and 52% had improvement in pain scores as per the SF 36.

Conclusion: Thus IDET appears to be an effective procedure in the short-term relief of discogenic back pain in patients who otherwise might be candidates for fusion.