Monoarthritis of the Elbow Revealing Osteoid Osteoma: A Case Report and Literature Review

Osteoid osteoma is a rare benign osteoblastic tumor that mainly occurs in the extra-articular segments of lower limb long bones. The elbow is an exceptional location for osteoid osteoma. The diagnosis is usually delayed since the elbow is a rare site for this tumor and unspecific clinical signs, such monoarthritis, may mimic other more common conditions. We report the case of a 16-year-old girl who presented with chronic monoarthritis of the elbow which was treated falsely as tuberculous arthritis and monoarticular rheumatoid involvement. The laboratory tests were negative. Computed tomography scan and magnetic resonance imaging showed the focal nidus at the coronoid process of the ulna with mild synovitis. The diagnosis of osteoid osteoma was not made until the disease had been progressing for eighteen months and the elbow had already become stiff. Arthroscopic excision of the lesion was performed, and histopathology of the nidus was consistent with osteoid osteoma. Since then, the patient has been pain-free with an improved elbow range of motion.

Arthroscopic Management for Bipartite Patella: A Systematic Review

Background: Bipartite patella is a rare congenital condition that becomes painful following direct trauma or an overuse injury. If it remains painful despite nonoperative treatment, surgery may be warranted. The current gold standard is open fragment excision or lateral release; however, arthroscopic management is also possible. Purpose: To investigate the safety and efficacy of arthroscopic treatment of painful bipartite patella. Study Design: Systematic review; Level of evidence, 4. Methods: Using Medline and Embase, we systematically reviewed the literature as of March 8, 2020, using the subject headings “bipartite patella” and “arthroscopy” and related key terms. All levels of evidence involving human studies in English were included. Articles were excluded if only the abstract was published or the study was related to nonsurgical treatment or nonrelated diagnoses. Data related to journal/article information, demographic/clinical data, arthroscopic technique, length of follow-up, treatment outcomes, and complications were extracted. Results: Eleven articles with 43 patients were included in the review. Most patients (n = 34; 79%) underwent arthroscopic lateral release, while 16% (n = 7) had arthroscopic excision of the accessory fragment and 5% (n = 2) had arthroscopic excision and release. All patients except for one, who experienced postoperative trauma, were pain-free after arthroscopic treatment and were able to return to sports after a mean 2.6 months. Conclusion: This review demonstrated that arthroscopic management of painful bipartite patella is a safe and effective alternative to open surgical excision or release. However, all articles were case studies or small case series, owing to the rarity of the condition. In the future, higher-level studies comparing arthroscopic techniques and postoperative rehabilitation programs should be performed.

Immobilization of the Wrist After Dorsal Wrist Ganglion Excision: A Systematic Review and Survey of Current Practice

Background Postoperative care after dorsal wrist ganglion (DWG) excision is highly varied. The effect of immobilization of the wrist on patient outcomes has not yet been examined. Methods A systematic review of the literature was performed to determine whether wrist immobilization after DWG surgical excision is beneficial. A survey of hand surgeons in Canada was performed to sample existing practice variations in current immobilization protocols after DWG excision. Results A systematic review yielded 11 studies that rigidly immobilized the wrist (n = 5 open excision, n = 5 arthroscopic excision, n = 1 open or arthroscopic excision), 10 studies that used dressings to partially limit wrist motion (n = 5 open, n = 5 arthroscopic), 1 study (open) that did either of the above, and 2 studies (arthroscopic) that did not restrict wrist motion postoperatively. This ranged from 48 hours to 2 weeks in open DWG excision and 5 days to 3 weeks in arthroscopic DWG excision. The survey of Canadian hand surgeons had a similarly divided result of those who chose to immobilize the wrist fully (41%), partially (14%), or not at all (55%). Most surgeons surveyed who immobilized the wrist postoperatively did so for 1 to 2 weeks. Conclusion The systematic review and survey of Canadian hand surgeons reveal that hand surgeons are divided regarding the need to immobilize the wrist after DWG excision. In terms of functional outcome, there is no compelling data to suggest 1 strategy is superior. The time frame for immobilization when undertaken was short at 2 weeks or less. The systematic review is registered in the PROSPERO database (PROSPERO 2016:CRD42016050877).