Acta orthopaedica Scandinavica
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8 subjects with a variety of orthopedic implants were examined by the security staff at an international airport using arch and hand-held metal detectors. None of the subjects caused activation of the alarm on the arch, although the presence of metal was registered in 2 at a level below the alarm threshold. The hand-held detectors alarmed over the larger superficial implants. A substantial tissue screening effect was noted.
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A complex hand injury with scaphotrapezial dislocation and dislocation of the trapezoid, third, fourth, and fifth carpometacarpal joints occurred when a motorcyclist was involved in a road accident. The extent of the injury was initially overlooked. Combined injuries of the carpus and carpometacarpal joints can easily be missed at radiographic examination. The true lateral radiograph of the wrist is necessary in the diagnosis of complex wrist injuries.
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We report a follow-up of 35 children, on average 17 years after they had intervertebral discitis. 15 patients still complained of backache. Flexion of the low back was normal in 32 patients, while extension was markedly restricted in 30. 26 patients had a block vertebra, and 28 patients had narrowing of the vertebral canal. Mode of treatment did not appear to affect the outcome.
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In a prospective study, 25 displaced ankle fractures were treated with one or two biodegradable rods (Biofix), sizes 3.2 or 4.5 mm. In 2 cases the medial malleolus fractured during drilling. At the 1-year follow-up of 22 cases, the following complications had occurred: sinus formation in 1 case and osteolysis corresponding to the fracture line and/or drill channels in 9 cases, 2 of whom had symptoms. 2 patients had been reoperated on, one for pseudarthrosis and another for secondary fracture displacement. Because of the high complication rate and the unknown importance of osteolysis formation, we cannot recommend biodegradable fixation with rods of 3.2 or 4.5 mm length as a supplement to the treatment of displaced ankle fractures, particularly of medial fractures.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Effects of desmopressin on blood loss in hip arthroplasty. Controlled study in 50 patients.
50 patients undergoing elective total hip replacement under epidural anesthesia and dextran infusion were given two doses of the vasopressin analogue desmopressin 0.3 micrograms/kg BW or placebo in a double-blinded randomized prospective study. Intraoperative blood loss and drainage loss did not differ significantly between groups, but desmopressin reduced the mean total blood loss (calculated from hemoglobin decrease and blood transfusions) by 310 mL (P less than 0.05).