The Journal of bone and joint surgery. American volume
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J Bone Joint Surg Am · Oct 2006
The influence of cognitive function on outcome after a hip fracture.
Previous studies have indicated that patients with a hip fracture who have impaired cognitive function have an increased risk for complications, poor long-term outcome, and an increased mortality rate. An assessment of cognitive function is often lacking in nursing and medical records. We investigated whether an assessment of cognitive function obtained with use of a validated instrument would be a useful patient management adjunct. ⋯ The systematic use of the Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire upon admission to the orthopaedic ward identifies patients with a hip fracture who have severe cognitive dysfunction and effectively predicts their outcome with regard to the ability to walk, ability to perform the activities of daily living, and mortality, and it can be recommended for use in the care of elderly patients with a hip fracture.
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J Bone Joint Surg Am · Oct 2006
Comminuted radial head fractures treated with a modular metallic radial head arthroplasty. Study of outcomes.
Comminuted fractures of the radial head are challenging to treat with open reduction and internal fixation. Radial head arthroplasty is an alternative treatment with results that compare favorably with those reported after open reduction and internal fixation of similar fractures. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the two-year outcomes and the rate of recovery of a closely followed cohort of patients in whom an unreconstructible radial head fracture had been treated with a modular metallic prosthesis. ⋯ An arthroplasty with a modular metallic radial head is a safe and effective option for the treatment of unreconstructible radial head fractures associated with other elbow injuries. Recovery primarily occurs by six months, with minimal additional improvements over the next eighteen months.
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J Bone Joint Surg Am · Oct 2006
Are patients being transferred to level-I trauma centers for reasons other than medical necessity?
In the United States, the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act defines broad guidelines regarding interhospital transfer of patients who have sought care in the emergency department. However, patient transfers for nonmedical reasons are still considered a common practice. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the possible risk factors for hospital transfer in a population of patients unlikely to require transfer to a level-I center for medical reasons. ⋯ These results suggest the need for prospective studies to further investigate the relationships between hospital transfer and medical and nonmedical factors.
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J Bone Joint Surg Am · Oct 2006
Superior mesenteric artery syndrome following spinal deformity correction.
Superior mesenteric artery syndrome is a known complication associated with the correction of spinal deformity. Recent investigations of this disorder have focused on patient height and weight. We are not aware of any published study examining the degree of deformity, type of curve, or magnitude of correction, and to our knowledge all of the reported literature on this syndrome lacks control data. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between the correction of spinal deformity and the development of superior mesenteric artery syndrome in patients with scoliosis. Our hypothesis was that greater correction of spinal deformity would increase the risk of the development of superior mesenteric artery syndrome. ⋯ Preoperative identification of the risk factors described above in conjunction with preoperative nutritional maximization should be considered in order to limit the prevalence of superior mesenteric artery syndrome in patients undergoing surgical correction of spinal deformity.