J Am Acad Orthop Sur
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J Am Acad Orthop Sur · Jun 2012
ReviewThe spine-injured patient: initial assessment and emergency treatment.
Failure to recognize spinal column or spinal cord injuries, or improper treatment of them, can have catastrophic and often irreversible neurologic consequences. Although the initial assessment is often shared with emergency care personnel, an orthopaedic surgeon's perspective can elevate the priority of spinal care to the level that is warranted. An accurate early appraisal, including complete neurologic assessment, is critical. ⋯ Increased vigilance is required in patients with underlying ankylosing spinal conditions. The use of CT in the symptomatic patient is established, but the use of cervical MRI in the obtunded individual is contentious. By informing decisions around appropriate preliminary treatment, particularly for persons with neurologic deficits or those at high risk for developing neurologic impairment, long-term outcomes can be optimized.
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No standard criteria exist for diagnosing fracture nonunion, and studies suggest that assessment of fracture healing varies among orthopaedic surgeons. This variability can be problematic in both clinical and orthopaedic trauma research settings. An understanding of risk factors for nonunion and of diagnostic tests used to assess fracture healing can facilitate a systematic approach to evaluation and management. ⋯ Comprehensive evaluation includes an assessment of the patient's symptoms, signs, and immune and endocrine status as well as the biologic capacity of the fracture, presence of infection, and quality of reduction and fixation. Diagnostic tests include plain radiography, CT, ultrasonography, fluoroscopy, bone scan, MRI, and several laboratory tests, including assays for bone turnover markers in the peripheral circulation. A systematic approach to evaluating fracture union can help surgeons determine the timing and nature of interventions.
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J Am Acad Orthop Sur · Mar 2012
The impact of the Spine Patient Outcomes Research Trial (SPORT) results on orthopaedic practice.
The benefits of spinal surgery for relief of low back and leg pain in patients with degenerative spinal disorders have long been debated. The Spine Patient Outcomes Research Trial (SPORT) was designed to address the need for high-quality, prospectively collected data in support of such interventions. SPORT was intended to provide an evidential basis for spinal surgery in appropriate patients, as well as comparative and cost-effectiveness data. ⋯ Still, the treatment effect of surgery for intervertebral disk herniation was less than that seen in patients who underwent surgical versus nonsurgical treatment of degenerative spondylolisthesis and lumbar spinal stenosis. Across SPORT, more significant degrees of improvement with surgery were noted in chronic conditions of lumbar spinal stenosis and lumbar spinal stenosis with spondylolisthesis. In addition, no catastrophic progressions to neurologic deficit occurred as a result of watchful waiting.
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J Am Acad Orthop Sur · Jan 2012
ReviewVariations in sacral morphology and implications for iliosacral screw fixation.
Posterior pelvic percutaneous fixation following either closed or open reduction is a popular procedure. Knowledge of the posterior pelvic anatomy, its variations, and related imaging is critical to performing reproducibly safe surgery. ⋯ Other characteristics include the presence of mammillary bodies (ie, underdeveloped transverse processes) at the sacral mid-alar area, anterior upper sacral foramina that are not circular, residual upper sacral disks, an acute alar slope oriented from cranial-posterior-central to caudal-anterior-lateral on the outlet and lateral views of the sacrum, a tongue-in-groove sacroiliac joint surface visualized on CT, and cortical indentation of the anterior ala on the inlet radiographic view. The surgeon must be knowledgeable about individual patient anatomy to ensure safe iliosacral screw placement.