We undertook a retrospective study investigating the accuracy and safety of percutaneous pedicle screws placed under fluoroscopic guidance in the lumbosacral junction and lumbar spine. The CT scans of patients were chosen from two centres: European patients from University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Germany, and Asian patients from the University of Malaya, Malaysia. Screw perforations were classified into grades 0, 1, 2 and 3. A total of 880 percutaneous pedicle screws from 203 patients were analysed: 614 screws from 144 European patients and 266 screws from 59 Asian patients. The mean age of the patients was 58.8 years (16 to 91) and there were 103 men and 100 women. The total rate of perforation was 9.9% (87 screws) with 7.4% grade 1, 2.0% grade 2 and 0.5% grade 3 perforations. The rate of perforation in Europeans was 10.4% and in Asians was 8.6%, with no significant difference between the two (p = 0.42). The rate of perforation was the highest in S1 (19.4%) followed by L5 (14.9%). The accuracy and safety of percutaneous pedicle screw placement are comparable to those cited in the literature for the open method of pedicle screw placement. Greater caution must be taken during the insertion of L5 and S1 percutaneous pedicle screws owing to their more angulated pedicles, the anatomical variations in their vertebral bodies and the morphology of the spinal canal at this location.

Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2015; 97-B:1111–17.

Percutaneous placement of pedicle screws is a well-established technique, however, no studies have compared percutaneous and open placement of screws in the thoracic spine. The aim of this cadaveric study was to compare the accuracy and safety of these techniques at the thoracic spinal level. A total of 288 screws were inserted in 16 (eight cadavers, 144 screws in percutaneous and eight cadavers, 144 screws in open). Pedicle perforations and fractures were documented subsequent to wide laminectomy followed by skeletalisation of the vertebrae. The perforations were classified as grade 0: no perforation, grade 1: < 2 mm perforation, grade 2: 2 mm to 4 mm perforation and grade 3: > 4 mm perforation. In the percutaneous group, the perforation rate was 11.1% with 15 (10.4%) grade 1 and one (0.7%) grade 2 perforations. In the open group, the perforation rate was 8.3% (12 screws) and all were grade 1. This difference was not significant (p = 0.45). There were 19 (13.2%) pedicle fractures in the percutaneous group and 21 (14.6%) in the open group (p = 0.73). In summary, the safety of percutaneous fluoroscopy-guided pedicle screw placement in the thoracic spine between T4 and T12 is similar to that of the conventional open technique.

Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2015;97-B:1555–61.

Aims. We compared the accuracy, operating time and radiation exposure of the introduction of iliosacral screws using O-arm/Stealth Navigation and standard fluoroscopy. Materials and Methods. Iliosacral screws were introduced percutaneously into the first sacral body (S1) of ten human cadavers, four men and six women. The mean age was 77 years (58 to 85). Screws were introduced using a standard technique into the left side of S1 using C-Arm fluoroscopy and then into the right side using O-Arm/Stealth Navigation. The radiation was measured on the surgeon by dosimeters placed under a lead thyroid shield and apron, on a finger, a hat and on the cadavers. Results. There were no neuroforaminal breaches in either group. The set-up time for the O-Arm was significantly longer than for the C-Arm, while total time for placement of the screws was significantly shorter for the O-Arm than for the C-Arm (p = 0.001). The mean absorbed radiation dose during fluoroscopy was 1063 mRad (432.5 mRad to 4150 mRad). No radiation was detected on the surgeon during fluoroscopy, or when he left the room during the use of the O-Arm. The mean radiation detected on the cadavers was significantly higher in the O-Arm group (2710 mRem standard deviation (. sd. ) 1922) than during fluoroscopy (11.9 mRem . sd 14.8). (p < 0.01). Conclusion. O-Arm/Stealth Navigation allows for faster percutaneous placement of iliosacral screws in a radiation-free environment for surgeons, albeit with the same accuracy and significantly more radiation exposure to cadavers, when compared with standard fluoroscopy. Take home message: Placement of iliosacral screws with O-Arm/Stealth Navigation can be performed safely and effectively. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2016;98-B:696–702

We prospectively studied the use of intercostal EMG monitoring as an indicator of the accuracy of the placement of pedicle screws in the thoracic spine. We investigated 95 thoracic pedicles in 17 patients. Before insertion of the screw, the surgeon recorded his assessment of the integrity of the pedicle track. We then stimulated the track using a K-wire pedicle probe connected to a constant current stimulator. A compound muscle action potential (CMAP) was recorded from the appropriate intercostal or abdominal muscles. Postoperative CT was performed to establish the position of the screw. The stimulus intensity required to evoke a muscle response was correlated with the position of the screw on the CT scan. There were eight unrecognised breaches of the pedicle. Using 7.0 mA as a threshold, the sensitivity of EMG was 0.50 in detecting a breached pedicle and the specificity was 0.83. Thoracic pedicle screws were accurately placed in more than 90% of patients. EMG monitoring did not significantly improve the reliability of placement of the screw

Between December 2004 and June 2006, 136 patients (156 total hip replacements), were sent from the waiting list of the Cardiff Vale NHS Trust to the NHS Treatment Centre, Weston-super-Mare, in an attempt to reduce the waiting time for total hip replacement. Because of concerns about their outcome, each patient was contacted and invited to attend a review appointment with a consultant specialising in hip and revision hip replacement. A total of 98 patients (113 hips) were reviewed after a mean of 23 months (11 to 30). There were 104 cemented hips, seven hybrid and two cementless. An acetabular inclination of > 55° was seen in 18 (16%). Radiolucent lines around the acetabular component were seen in 76 (67%). The femoral component was in more than 4° of varus in 47 (42%). The medial floor had been breached in 13 (12%) and there was a leg-length discrepancy of more than 1 cm in ten (9%). There were three dislocations, one femoral fracture, one pulmonary embolus, one deep infection and two superficial wound infections. To date, 13% (15 hips) have been revised and a further 4% (five hips) await revision, mostly for a painful loose acetabular component. The revision rate far exceeds the 0.5% five-year failure rate reported in the Swedish Registry for the components used. This initiative and the consequent need for correction of the problems created, has significantly increased the workload of our unit

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The aim of this study was to assess the accuracy of pedicle screw placement, as well as intraoperative factors, radiation exposure, and complication rates in adult patients with degenerative disorders of the thoracic and lumbar spines who have undergone robotic-navigated spinal surgery using a contemporary system.

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In the UK, the agricultural, military, and construction sectors have stringent rules about the use of hearing protection due to the risk of noise-induced hearing loss. Orthopaedic staff may also be at risk due to the use of power tools. The UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE) have clear standards as to what are deemed acceptable occupational levels of noise on A-weighted and C-weighted scales. The aims of this review were to assess the current evidence on the testing of exposure to noise in orthopaedic operating theatres to see if it exceeds these regulations.

Conventional amputation prostheses rely on the attachment of the socket to the stump, which may lead to soft-tissue complications. Intraosseous transcutaneous amputation prostheses (ITAPs) allow direct loading of the skeleton, but their success is limited by infection resulting from breaching of the skin at the interface with the implant. Keratinocytes provide the skin’s primary barrier function, while hemidesmosomes mediate their attachment to natural ITAP analogues. Keratinocytes must attach directly to the surface of the implant. We have assessed the proliferation, morphology and attachment of keratinocytes to four titaniumalloy surfaces in order to determine the optimal topography in vitro. We used immunolocalisation of adhesion complex components, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy to assess cell parameters. We have shown that the proliferation, morphology and attachment of keratinocytes are affected by the surface topography of the biomaterials used to support their growth. Smoother surfaces improved adhesion. We postulate that a smooth topography at the point of epithelium-ITAP contact could increase attachment in vivo, producing an effective barrier of infection

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The aim of this study was to reassess the rate of neurological, psoas-related, and abdominal complications associated with L4-L5 lateral lumbar interbody fusion (LLIF) undertaken using a standardized preoperative assessment and surgical technique.

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The aim of this study was to examine the implant accuracy of custom-made partial pelvis replacements (PPRs) in revision total hip arthroplasty (rTHA). Custom-made implants offer an option to achieve a reconstruction in cases with severe acetabular bone loss. By analyzing implant deviation in CT and radiograph imaging and correlating early clinical complications, we aimed to optimize the usage of custom-made implants.

The use of autograft bone is the best option when undertaking a procedure that requires bone graft because it is osteogenic, osteoconductive and osseo-inductive. Pain, morbidity and complications associated with harvesting iliac or non-iliac sites occur in between 6% and 30% of cases. An alternative source of graft with possibly a lower morbidity is the intramedullary canal. In this study, 28 patients undergoing 30 arthrodesis procedures on the hindfoot had a mean of 48 cm. 3 . (43 to 50) of bone harvested locally from the hindfoot or the tibial shaft by antegrade or retrograde reaming. No patient sustained a fracture of the calcaneum, talus or tibia. There was no morbidity except for one complication when the reamer breached the medial tibial cortex. This healed uneventfully. . This method of using the reamer–irrigator–aspirator system is an extension of the standard technique of intramedullary reaming of the lower limb: it produces good-quality bone graft with viable growth factors consistent with that of the iliac crest, and donor site morbidity is low. This is an efficient method of obtaining autologous bone for use in arthrodesis of the ankle or hindfoot

1. A case of spontaneous fracture of a first rib is described. 2. Its evolution from a previously intact rib through the stage of a "linear" crack to pseudarthrosis has been traced. 3. An older pseudarthrosis was present on the opposite side. 4. Alderson's observation is confirmed—that the breach in the rib is acquired. There is no need to suppose a developmental anomaly of ossification, even in a bilateral case

A modified form of the collateral operation originally described by Dillwyn Evans has been used in severe relapsed club feet to correct the sagittally breached or bean-shaped foot. Forty-five feet in 37 patients were followed up for an average of nine years and nine months. Previous operations had been performed on 42 feet. Thirty out of 45 feet were considered satisfactory at review when evaluated by a simple, functional system of scoring. The majority of the feet were stiff but relatively free of pain and able to fit into normal shoes. The collateral operation was considered successful in 42 feet if the patient's ability to take part in any desired sporting and recreational activities was taken as the criterion for success

1. Fifteen patients with spina bifida occulta are described in whom the fifth lumbar spinous process was pressing on the fibrous membrane that closes the spina bifida, or on the bony stumps of the defective lamina. 2. That this is a cause of low back pain, with or without pain referred to the lower limbs, is supported by the findings at operation and the results of treatment. 3. Eleven patients were treated by operation; in each the spinous process of the fifth lumbar vertebra pressed against the spina bifida, either directly or through the vestigial remnant of the first sacral spinous process. 4. In eight cases the fibrous membrane was adherent to the dura mater; in one case the nerve roots were adherent. 5. Excision of the fifth lumbar spinous process and the membrane across the breach of the spina bifida was an effective method of treatment

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This study estimated trends in incidence of open fractures and the adherence to clinical standards for open fracture care in England.

The treatment of osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) in children and adolescents is determined by the stability of the lesion and the state of the overlying cartilage. MRI has been advocated as an accurate way of assessing and staging such lesions. Our aim was to determine if MRI scans accurately predicted the subsequent arthroscopic findings in adolescents with OCD of the knee. Some authors have suggested that a high signal line behind a fragment on the T2-weighted image indicates the presence of synovial fluid and is a sign of an unstable lesion. More recent reports have suggested that this high signal line is due to the presence of vascular granulation tissue and may represent a healing reaction. We were able to improve the accuracy of MRI for staging the OCD lesion from 45% to 85% by interpreting the high signal T2 line as a predictor of instability only when it was accompanied by a breach in the cartilage on the T1-weighted image. We conclude that MRI can be used to stage OCD lesions accurately and that a high signal line behind the OCD fragment does not always indicate instability. We recommend the use of an MRI classification system which correlates with the arthroscopic findings

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The aim of this retrospective study was to compare the correction achieved using a convex pedicle screw technique and a low implant density achieved using periapical concave-sided screws and a high implant density. We hypothesized that there would be no difference in outcome between the two techniques.

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The use and variety of stemless humeral components in anatomical total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA) have proliferated since their advent in 2004. Early outcomes are reassuring but independent mid-term results are scarce. This independent study reports a consecutive series of 143 Eclipse stemless shoulder prostheses with a minimum five-year (5 to 10) follow-up.

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Deep surgical site infection (SSI) is common after lower limb fracture. We compared the diagnosis of deep SSI using alternative methods of data collection and examined the agreement of clinical photography and in-person clinical assessment by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) criteria after lower limb fracture surgery.