Zeitschrift für Orthopädie und Unfallchirurgie
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Background Multiple myeloma is a haematological blood cancer of the bone marrow and is classified by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as a plasma cell neoplasm. In multiple myeloma, normal plasma cells transform into malignant myeloma cells and produce large quantities of an abnormal immunoglobulin called monoclonal protein or M protein. This ultimately causes multiple myeloma symptoms such as bone damage or kidney problems. ⋯ Supportive drugs such as bisphosphonates but also radiation therapy and orthopaedic surgery may be required in order to manage complications of the disease as well as side effects of treatment. Conclusion Current studies show promising results in the treatment of multiple myeloma, due to new agents such as immunomodulatory drugs, proteasome inhibitors and antibodies, which may improve prognosis and survival rate among myeloma patients in the future. However treatment algorithms have become more complex and expensive.
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Background Advanced soft tissue or osteosarcoma is often associated with lung metastases. Curative pulmonary metastasectomy is appropriate for patients with successfully resected primary cancer who show no evidence of extrapulmonary metastases, with proven functional operability and completely resectable metastases. Material and Methods Systematic literature research and qualitative analysis of studies on patients undergoing lung metastasectomy after resection of primary sarcoma published since 01.01.2010. ⋯ Re-metastasectomy might result in a favourable outcome in selected cases. Conclusion Pulmonary metastasectomy should be considered as treatment of choice in selected patients with isolated lung metastases from osteosarcoma. Optimal indication might lead to an advantage in patients with metastasectomy of isolated lung metastases from soft tissue.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study
[Clinical-practical Examination in Orthopaedic Teaching: Who is the "Ideal" Examiner?]
Background Medical curricula require an increasing amount of integrated clinical practical skills education. German medical faculties are increasingly implementing the OSCE (objective structured clinical examination) to test students' practical as well as communication skills. Teaching and assessment tools for practical skills include simulators and simulated patient scenarios, where peer-assisted teaching (PAT) is applied. ⋯ Conclusion The analysis shows only one significant evaluation difference between the two assessors, with the PAT student tutor's evaluation being stricter. The authors conclude that a point difference of 0.8 out of 25 in the average overall evaluation and an interrater reliability of 0.95 in an orthopaedic OSCE station examining practical skills as well as communication skills justifies employing PAT student tutors as assessors in this context. The obligatory requirements for this are a detailed PAT student tutor training, the development of a well-structured and valid checklist, as well as continuous quality assurance of the overall OSCE.
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Introduction Because of recent increases in life expectancy, lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) has become one of the most common degenerative changes in the spine. In patients not responding to conservative therapy, microsurgical decompression is the gold standard of operative treatment for degenerative LSS. The goal of the current study is to evaluate quality of life after microsurgical decompression for LSS, using data from the DWG Register (previously Spine Tango). ⋯ Conclusion Our study shows that LSS patients without previous surgery and neurologic deficits can expect significant pain relief and improved quality of life already six weeks after undergoing stabilizing decompression. There was an increase in positive postoperative effects over 12 months. The DWG Register provides a standardized and validated means to compare non-operative and operative treatments of the spine over the long term.
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In numerous legal areas, expert assessments are needed to clarify the causality of herniated discs: Was the damage caused by an accident? The literature mentions specific requirements regarding the trauma mechanism as well as temporal criteria, which prescribe the causality test. These are essentially high-energy traumas with immediate functional impairments. ⋯ Since the legal requirements of the causality test differ in civil and social law, legal norms need to be taken into account. We present a test scheme that supports the assessment process through entry, implementation and decision-making levels.