Acta orthopaedica Scandinavica
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Twenty-two patients suffering from progressive kyphosis due to ankylosing spondylitis underwent one or more lumbar osteotomies during 1957-1983. The primary thoracic kyphosis was 80 degrees (45 degrees-155 degrees). The mean correction obtained by one level osteotomy was 44 degrees (30 degrees-60 degrees). ⋯ The use of internal fixation reduced the loss of correction from 9 degrees to 1 degree, also allowing ambulatory after-care and a shorter period of immobilization in plaster or jackets. We had no fatal and relatively few non-fatal complications; three cases of retrograde ejaculation were observed however. All the patients reported subjective respiratory improvement.
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A seven-year-old boy fell against a blackthorn bush and found that thorns had penetrated the skin over the left knee. Aseptic synovitis developed with repeated febrile episodes. With the suspicion of septic arthritis, the patient was treated with antibiotics on repeated occasions, two negative joint aspirations and a knee joint exploration were performed. Three months after the injury the correct diagnosis was made at a second arthrotomy when an intra-articular thorn was removed and synovectomy carried out, after which healing was uneventful.