A limitation of finger extension resulting from scarring of the juncturae tendinum (JT) is a rare condition. We report a patient with limitation in active extension of the metacarpophalangeal joint (MCPJ) of the ring finger due to a scarred JT in a 37-year-old man. Surgical exploration showed a hard, fixed and scarred JT in the third intermetacarpal space. After resection of the scarred JT, the patient achieved full range of active extension of the ring finger MCPJ. Scarring of the JT may decrease excursion of the extensor digitorum communis and must be considered as one of the differentials in patients with limitation in MCPJ extension. Level of Evidence: Level V (Therapeutic).
We used three types of opponens hand orthoses for patients with median nerve palsy. Conventional short opponens hand orthosis is a static type and has some problems with ADL. Therefore, we made two new types of dynamic opponens hand othoses, and compared them to the conventional static device. One of the dynamic opponens hand othoses is a three jaw chuck pinch type and the other is glove type opponens othosis. Our results showed that the glove type opponens hand othosis was the most functionally useful.
Severe hip osteoarthritis is known to lead to secondary osteoarthritis of the knee joint. It is not clear whether contracture or a leg length discrepancy is more important in determining the knee alignment.In this study, 48 hips in 48 patients with a unilateral completely dislocated hip (Crowe IV) were recruited. The patients were divided into two groups (Crowe IVa and IVb). The Crowe IVa group had completely dislocation with psudo-articulation, and the Crowe IVb group had completely dislocation without psudo-articulation. The lower limb alignment was divided into three patterns according to the femorotibial angle; varus (≥176 degrees), neutral(170 to 175 degrees) and valgus(≤169 degrees).The combination of valgus alignment on the affected side and varus alignment on the unaffected side, so-called "windswept deformity" was observed in 12.5% of the patients; this included 18.2% and 7.7%, in the Crowe IVa and Crowe IVb groups, respectively. The valgus alignment on the unaffected side, namely "long leg arthropathy," was found to have occurred in 6.3% of the patients, including 13.6% of the patients in the Crowe IVa group; there were no cases of long "leg arthropathy" in the Crowe IVb group.The lower limb alignment on the unaffected side had a tendency to be varus in the Crowe IV patients. The "windswept deformity" was observed in each of the groups; however, "long leg arthropathy" was only found in the Crowe IVa group.
We reviewed the early clinical results of 4 distal tibial fractures using the minimally invasion plate osteosynthesis (MIPO) technique. The average age of the patients was 67.7 years. The mean follow-up period was 3.9 months. All fractures were extraarticular fracture of the distal tibia, and mean operating time was 54 minutes. Time to full weight-bearing was 7 to 8 weeks. Though the minimally invasive technique for plate osteosynthesis in the treatment of diatal tibial fracture is considered useful, the indicaton for using this technique must be evaluated carefully. The MIPO technique is considered a better choice for patients with severe general conditions, and fractures with little displacement.
Bacterial infection is a serious postoperative complication of joint replacement. To prevent infections related to implantation, we have developed a novel antibacterial coating with Ag-containing hydroxyapatite (Ag-HA). In the present study, we examined the antibacterial activity of Ag-HA implant coatings in the medullary cavity of rat tibiae. Forty 10-week-old rats received implantation of Ag-HA- or HA-coated titanium rods, then were inoculated with ∼1.0 × 10(2) colony-forming units of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Bacterial counts were calculated for rats euthanized at 24, 48, and 72 h postoperatively. Serum levels of Ag (in the Ag-HA group only) were calculated for rats euthanized at 24, 48, 72 h and 4 weeks. Radiographic evaluations of bone infection were also performed at 4 weeks. Tibiae from both groups showing infection were evaluated histologically. Significant differences in bacterial counts were seen at 24, 48, and 72 h. Mean concentrations of Ag in serum peaked about 48 h after implantation, then gradually decreased. Mean radiographic scores for infection were significantly lower with Ag-HA implants than with HA implants. Histological examination showed better results for abscesses, bone resorption, and destruction of cortical bone around Ag-HA-coated implants. These results indicate that Ag-HA coatings may help prevent surgical-site infections associated with joint replacement.
