A Novel Local Cancellous Autograft Source for Anterior Cervical Discectomy With Fusion

Study Design: Case series. Objectives: Successful clinical outcome scores following anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) have been correlated with high fusion rate. Published fusion rates using iliac crest bone graft (ICBG) have been shown to be as high as 100% for single-level fusions in some studies; however, there is potential associated morbidity with ICBG harvest. This technical description and preliminary case series assessed the clinical efficacy and results of a novel grafting technique for ACDF. Methods: Twelve patients underwent novel grafting technique for ACDF in which autograft was procured from the cervical vertebra adjacent to the operative disk. Patients were followed for 2 years using visual analogue pain scale (VAS) and radiological assessment of fusion. Results: Patients experienced clinically meaningful reduction of radicular symptoms in the affected arm(s) with an average preoperative VAS score of 5.0 ± 0.8 and an average 2-year postoperative score of 1.108 ± 0.475 ( P = .0013). Patients also experienced significant resolution of neck pain with an average preoperative VAS score of 7.1 ± 0.5 and average 2-year postoperative score of 2.708 ± 0.861 ( P = .0018). All patients achieved solid fusion by 1 year. There were no major or minor complications noted during follow-up. Conclusions: This procedure allows for both autograft harvest and cervical decompression to be performed through a single incision. In this series, this technique eliminated the morbidity associated with autograft harvest from the iliac crest while achieving high fusion rates and without additional technique-related complications.

Quality of Life after Bilateral and Contralateral Prophylactic Mastectomy with Implant Reconstruction

Background: Prophylactic mastectomy is an effective approach to breast cancer risk reduction in patients at high risk. Further studies using standardized measures for quality of life are needed to better understand the effect of prophylactic mastectomy on individual patients and, thereby, allow for better patient counseling and selection. Methods: In this prospective study patients undergoing bilateral mastectomy were asked to complete the BREAST-Q questionnaire before and 1 year after surgery. All patients underwent bilateral mastectomy with implant-based breast reconstruction. Patient- and surgery-related information was collected in a database. Results: In total, 48 patients underwent bilateral skin-sparing mastectomy. Of these, 29 (60.4%) suffered from breast cancer. A 2-stage reconstruction with intermediate expander implantation was conducted in 19 (39.6%) patients. All patients completed the BREAST-Q questionnaire. The domain “psychosocial well-being” was significantly improved from a mean score of 74.98 preoperatively to a postoperative score of 81.56 (p = 0.021). In contrast, the domain “physical well-being” dropped –8.38 points on average to a postoperative score of 74.96 (p < 0.001). Interestingly, patients with the lowest preoperative score in the domain “satisfaction with breast” showed the greatest increase after surgery (50.31 vs. 67.25, p < 0.001). On the contrary, patients with the highest preoperative values experienced the strongest decrease in satisfaction (91.60 vs. 75.27, p = 0.012). Conclusion: Implant-based prophylactic mastectomy leads to good quality-of-life results in patients at high risk for breast cancer. Especially, patients with a low preoperative satisfaction with their breasts have a significantly higher chance of experiencing substantial improvements in their quality of life.

Outcomes of Endoscopic Treatment for Plantar Fasciitis: A Systematic Review

Category: Arthroscopy, Hindfoot Introduction/Purpose: Open plantar fascia release is an established surgical treatment for plantar fasciitis traditionally. However, it has long recovery period and complications with conflicting late results. Recently, endoscopic plantar fascia release has gained popularity, providing good outcomes with early return to activity. However, there is still a paucity of overall clinical data regarding outcomes and complication rates following endoscopic procedure for the treatment of plantar fasciitis. The purpose of the current study was to systematically review the outcomes of endoscopic plantar fascia release in the treatment of plantar fasciitis. Methods: A systematic review was preformed using, MEDLINE, EMBASE and Cochrane library databases based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Studies included were evaluated with regards to level of evidence (LOE) and quality of evidence (QOE) using the Coleman methodological score. Clinical outcomes and complications were also evaluated. Results: Twenty-one studies including 601 feet were included in this systematic review. The mean patient age was 48.5±5.2 years, and the mean follow-up time was 26.9±22.7 months. Sixteen studies used the AOFAS score for clinical outcome measure. The mean preoperative AOFAS score was 52.3±24.1 and the postoperative score was 88.8±4.1. The VAS score was utilized in 10 studies. The mean preoperative score was 7.8±0.8 and the postoperative score was 1.8±0.7. In total 111 of 601 (18.7%) patients had complications. The most common complication was recurrence of pain with 45 patients (7.5%). Twenty-two patients (3.7%) experienced paraesthesia and numbnesss. Seventeen patients (2.8%) required subsequent operations including gastrocnemius release, hematoma drainage, and baxter nerve release. Conclusion: The current systematic review demonstrates that overall there were good clinical and functional outcomes following endoscopic procedure for the treatment of plantar fasciitis. However, there was a relatively high complication rate (18.7%) associated with the endoscopic procedures. Due to the low level of evidence and poor qualities of evidence, further well designed studies are necessary to determine the clinical outcomes and complications of endoscopic plantar fasciotomy.

Does Positioning of Cervical Disc Arthroplasty Implant Affect Postoperative Outcome

INTRODUCTION Cervical disc arthroplasty (CDA) is a surgical option for patients with cervical radiculopathy symptoms that have failed conservative management. CDA has a lower incidence of adjacent segment disease as well as reoperation rates. Proper surgical technique is critical for success of CDA surgery. The aim of this study was to investigate whether implant positioning has an impact on the outcomes of CDA surgery. METHODS Following local Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval, a retrospective study was conducted on consecutive patients undergoing CDA with the Mobi-C implant (Zimmer Biomet, IN) between January 2016 and December 2018. Immediately postoperative lateral and AP radiographs were assessed by 3 spine surgeons for implant positioning. Our scoring criteria included rotational, sagittal, and coronal placement as well as size matching. AP and lateral radiographs were scored independently and the overall postoperative score was calculated as the sum of the 2 scores. The overall postoperative score was correlated with 5 patient reported outcomes measures (PROMS); Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) arm, VAS neck, Neck Disability Index (NDI), and Short Form 12 Physical health (SF12-P) and mental health (SF12-M). RESULTS Radiographs of 85 patients, and 110 levels, that underwent CDA were assessed. Of those, 41 patients were excluded from the PROMS analysis due to inadequate follow-up. Inter-rater reliability for radiographic assessment was good to excellent. Mean follow-up was 8 mo and ranged from 6 to 24 mo. The overall implant positioning scores showed strong correlation with NDI and SF12-P outcomes measures at latest follow up (P = .007, P = .028, respectively). CONCLUSION Proper implant sizing and implant rotational and translational positioning have a significant impact on functional and disability outcomes of patients undergoing CDA surgery. Further research is warranted to investigate other parameters that affect the outcomes of CDA surgery.

Effects of sevoflurane and desflurane on early cognitive changes after thyroid surgery: interim results

The study is being conducted at the 1st Department of Anaesthesiology, the Centre of Abdominal Surgery, the Centre of Anaesthesiology, Intensive Care and Pain Management of Vilnius University Hospital Santaros Klinikos. Background. These are primary results of a randomized double-blinded study comparing postoperative changes in cognitive functions and the effect of desflurane and sevoflurane on these changes. Materials and methods. The study includes patients of ≥40 years of age undergoing elective thyroid surgery under general anaesthesia. Patients were randomly allocated to either sevoflurane or desflurane group. Cognitive testing (memory, attention, and reasoning tasks) was performed a day before surgery and repeated 24 hours postoperatively. A decrease of 20% in the postoperative score was considered as postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD). Results. At present 38 patients are included in the study. Median decrease in the postoperative score was 2.7% (IQR 16.7). The incidence of POCD was 2.6%. Significantly decreased memory scores were observed in 15.8% of patients. Both study groups were comparable based on demography, duration of anaesthesia, intraoperative opioids, postoperative pain, and satisfaction. No difference was found in the cognitive score comparing sevoflurane and desflurane groups, except for memory tasks where the sevoflurane group performed worse (p = 0.01). The age or the duration of anaesthesia did not affect postoperative scores. Postoperative satisfaction negatively correlated with the memory score (r = –0.35, p = 0.03). Postoperative satisfaction correlated with the reasoning score (r = –0.55; p < 0.01) and the total score (r = –0.42; p = 0.03) in the sevoflurane group. Likewise, temperature in the sevoflurane group correlated with the memory score (r = –0.58; p = 0.02). Conclusions. The desflurane group performs better in memory tasks, but no such advantage is found in the total cognitive score. In contrast to the age or anaesthesia duration, intraoperative temperature and postoperative satisfaction may affect postoperative cognitive performance.

A comparison study of insertion of spreader graft in the convex side in patients with deviated nose undergoing open septorhinoplasty

Background: Correction of a crooked or deviated nose is a major challenge for rhinoplasty surgeons. In the present study we proposed to compare the aesthetic and functional results of unilateral grafting using spreader grafts on the convex side of the nasal deviation with those used on the concave side. Methods: In this study, the technique and aesthetic and functional outcomes of the correction of crooked noses with spreader graft placement at either convex or concave side of the nasal deviation are presented. Results: Unilateral spreader graft was used in 66 patients with C-type deviated nose. At the discretion of the rhinoplasty surgeon, the spreader graft was placed in the convex side of the nasal deviation in 33 patients (group A) and in the concave side of the nasal deviation in the remaining 33 patients (group B). During an average following-up period of 18 months (ranged from 8 to 36 months), there were no complications, infection, or graft extrusions. Functional evaluation was performed using a visual analog scale before and 4 months after surgery. Patients were asked to score their nasal breathing on a scale from 0 to 10. In group A (convex group), the mean preoperative score was 6.32+/-1.02 (ranging from 2 to 8), and the mean postoperative score was 2.03+/-1.01 (ranging from 0 to 4). In group B (concave group), the mean preoperative score was 6.76+/-1.10 (ranging from 2 to 8), and the mean postoperative score was 3.67+/-1.80 (ranging from 2 to 7). Patients with spreader graft at the convex side showed higher increase in angle measurements as compared to the patients with spreader graft in the concave side. Moreover, patients with spreader graft at the convex side were more likely to have excellent or good surgical outcomes (according to the degree of correction in the angle of deviation) as compared to patients with spreader graft in the concave side. Conclusion: The use of the spreader graft is a safe and effective method for correction of crooked noses. We showed that speeder graft at the convex side of C-type nose deformity provided better aesthetic and functional results as compared to the placement of the speeder graft in the concave side of the nasal deformity.

Evaluation of surgical outcomes of arthroscopic subtalar arthrodesis performed through two lateral portals

Objective: The purpose of this study is to present the surgical outcomes of twelve patients undergoing arthroscopic subtalar arthrodesis using two lateral portals (anterior and medial) in the sinus tarsi. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted with twelve patients (7 men and 5 women) with a mean age of 55.1 (36-74) years who underwent arthroscopic subtalar arthrodesis through the sinus tarsi between May 2015 and December 2016. The post-surgical follow-up was 12 months. Consolidation time and postoperative complications were evaluated, and a validated functional questionnaire from the American OrthopedicFoot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) and the visual analog scale (VAS) for pain were applied both before and after surgery. Results: The mean bone fusion time was 11.5 weeks. Bone consolidation was observed in all analyzed patients. Four patients developed late complications, three of which were related to screw positioning in the calcaneus, while one was related to residual hindfoot varus deformity. Screw-related complications are common with all subtalar arthrodesis techniques, and such complications are considered less relevant when evaluating the effectiveness of the presented technique. The mean preoperative AOFAS score was 42.3 (27-66) points, while the mean postoperative score was 83 (73-94) points. The mean preoperative VAS score for pain was 8.1 (5-10) points, and the mean postoperative score was 2.1 (0-5) points. The above data are similar to those reported in other published studies and reflect high bone consolidation rates. Conclusion: Arthroscopic subtalar arthrodesis through two lateral portals in the sinus tarsi is a safe and effective technique for the treatment of primary and secondary disorders of the subtalar joint. Correct positioning of screws and hindfoot alignment must be carefully ensured to avoid complications related to the synthesis material and hindfoot varus deformity. Level of Evidence IV; Therapeutic Studies; Case Series.

Clinical and functional outcome of total knee replacement in patients with osteoarthritis: a prospective study

<p class="abstract"><strong>Background:</strong> Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is now a reliable treatment for osteoarthritis. The aim of this study was to study the clinical and functional outcome of total knee arthroplasty using knee society score and to find association between knee functional score and knee clinical score.</p><p class="abstract"><strong>Methods:</strong> Present study was performed in 40 cases of knee patients at department of orthopedics, Gujarat Adani institute of osteoarthritis medical science, Bhuj, Kutch, Gujarat from January 2014 to February 2015. Those patients who underwent total knee arthroplasty were assessed clinically and functionally using knee society score.<strong></strong></p><p class="abstract"><strong>Results:</strong> The mean preoperative knee clinical score (KCS) was 49.40±13.79 which was increased to a postoperative score of 86.08±5.64 at the end of 6 month. Similarly the mean preoperative knee functional score (KFS) was 32.75±11.79 which was increased to a postoperative score of 84.43±9.59 at the end of 6 month. There was significant increase in KCS and KFC score during follow up at 1, 3 and 6 month interval. There was significant association between knee functional score and knee clinical score at every interval.</p><p><strong>Conclusions:</strong> Total knee arthroplasty improves the functional ability of the patient and the ability of the patient to get back to pre-disease state, which is to have a pain free mobile joint, as reflected by the improvement in the post-op knee clinical score and knee functional score.</p>

Haglund’s disease: surgical outcome of calcaneal osteotomy

<p class="abstract"><strong>Background:</strong> The aim of the present study was to assess the surgical outcome of Haglund’s disease by calcaneal osteotomy<span lang="EN-IN">.</span></p><p class="abstract"><strong>Methods:</strong> 23 cases of Haglund’s disease who failed to respond to conservative treatment were considered for surgery. Parallel pitch lines were drawn in the lateral view radiograph of the calcaneum and the bursal projection to be resected was assessed. All cases were surgically treated with calcaneal osteotomy through lateral approach and followed.<strong></strong></p><p class="abstract"><strong>Results:</strong> 23 cases of Haglund’s disease were treated with this procedure and 21 were available for follow up. The mean follow-up was 15 months. <span>The mean preoperative AOFAS score of 60.57 points (SD= 3.23) and postoperative score of 88.71 points (SD= 3.92) was obtained. </span>Three minor complications were noted<span lang="EN-IN">. </span></p><p class="abstract"><strong>Conclusions:</strong> The results of the current study suggest that calcaneal ostectomy produces outcomes that justify surgical intervention in cases of Haglund’s disease<span lang="EN-IN">.</span></p>