Objective: The aim of this study is to evaluate the clinical outcomes that resulted from the use of a new proposed VTE risk stratification protocol for selecting a suitable extended VTE prophylaxis for post TKR surgery patients administered in conjunction with patient education programs.
Method: A randomized controlled trial was conducted in two medical centers in Saudi Arabia. A total of 242 patients were enrolled in the study, 121 patients in each group. The experimental group (A) was assessed by using the proposed VTE risk stratification protocol and also took part in patient education programs about TKR and its complications. The control group (B) was assessed by using the 2005 Caprini risk assessment tool and no education programs were given to this group. Both groups were followed for 35 days post operation.
Results: The mean age of the participants was 65.86 (SD 8.67) and the majority of them were female 137 (56.6%). The mean body mass index of the study sample was 32.46 (SD 5.51). There were no significant differences between the two groups except for surgery type; the proportion of bilateral TKR in group A was higher than in group B (69/121 (28.5%) vs. 40/121(16.5%), p<0.05). There were no confirmed pulmonary embolism cases in the study sample and diagnosis of deep-vein thrombosis was confirmed in 12/242 (5.0%) of patients: 1/121 (0.8%) in group A and 11/121 (9.1%) in group B (p<0.05). The readmission rate for all patients was 2.5% (6/242), all of whom were in group B (p<0.05).
Conclusion: The proposed VTE risk stratification protocol that was applied in conjunction with patient education programs reduced VTE complications and readmission events, post TKR surgery. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov: Identifier: NCT04031859.
OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the utilization of coxibs and traditional nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (tNSAIDs) indicated for postoperative orthopaedic pain control using defined daily dose (DDD) and ratio of use density to use rate (UD/UR).
METHOD: A retrospective drug utilization review (DUR) of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) at an inpatient department of a private teaching hospital in Seremban, Malaysia was conducted. Patients' demographic characteristics, medications prescribed, clinical lab results, visual analogue scale (VAS) pain scores and length of hospital stay were documented. Orthopaedic surgeries, namely arthroscopy, reconstructive, and fracture fixation, were included. Stratified random sampling was used to select patients. Data were collected through patients' medical records. The DDD per 100 admissions and the indicator UD/UR were calculated with the World Health Organization's DDD as a benchmark. The inclusion criteria were patients undergoing orthopaedic surgery prescribed with coxibs (celecoxib capsules, etoricoxib tablets, parecoxib injections) and tNSAIDs (dexketoprofen injections, diclofenac sodium tablets). Data were analysed descriptively. This research was approved by the academic institution and the hospital research ethics committee.
RESULT: A total of 195 records of patients who received NSAIDs were randomly selected among 1169 cases. In term of the types of orthopaedic surgery, the ratio of included records for arthroscopy:fracture fixation:reconstructive surgery was 55.4:35.9:8.7. Most of the inpatients had low rates of common comorbidities such as cardiovascular disease as supported by their baseline parameters. The majority were not prescribed with other concomitant prescriptions that could cause drug interaction (74.9%), or gastroprotective agents (77.4%). Overall, DDDs per 100 admissions for all NSAIDs were less than 100, except for parecoxib injections (389.23). The UD/UR for all NSAIDs were less than 100, except for etoricoxib tablets (105.75) and parecoxib injections (108.00).
DISCUSSION: As per guidelines, the majority (96.9%) received other analgesics to ensure a multimodal approach was carried out to control pain. From the UD/UR results, the arthroscopy surgery was probably the most appropriate in terms of NSAID utilization.
CONCLUSION: The prescribing pattern of NSAIDs except parecoxib was appropriate based on adverse effect and concurrent medication profile. The findings of this DUR provide insight for a low-risk patient population at a private specialized teaching hospital on the recommended use of NSAIDs for postoperative orthopaedic pain control.
Methods: Various themes are used to develop integrated curriculum which are basic medical science, simulation skills, clinical science, personality development, research, entrepreneurship and pre specialization. Each theme is subdivided, termed a module and its contents primarily focus on particular aspect.
Results: Knowledge, skill and attitude, embodied in themes or modules, are planted in specific way that they have horizontal as well as vertical integration. There is no boundary of various traditional disciplines in template of five years curriculum. For example, diagnosis is a theme which carries contents from medicine, surgery, orthopedics etc.
Conclusion: The blueprint introduced in this paper would help medical educators to draft integrated medical curricula for those institutions which intend to switch their medical programs from traditional to integrated one.
Materials and Methods: This retrospective telephonic structured interview-based study was carried out on all orthopaedic patients taking DAMA during a one-year period from July 2016 to June 2017. They were telephonically interviewed with a structured questionnaire. Hospital and ED records were analysed for demographic as well as temporal characteristics.
Results: A total of 68 orthopaedic patients walked out of casualty against medical advice out of a total 775 (8.77%) orthopaedic patients presenting during the period as against 6.4% overall rate of DAMA for all specialties. The main reasons for DAMA were financial unaffordability of treatment (36.7%), preference for another orthopaedic surgeon (22%) and on advice of the patient's General Practitioner (16.1%).
Conclusion: Unaffordability of treatment is a significant cause for walkouts amongst orthopaedic patients. Private hospitals need to recognise and implement processes by which these patients can be treated at affordable costs and with coverage either by medical insurance or robust charity programs. Patient education and awareness are important to encourage them to have insurance coverage.
Materials and Methods: The study was conducted from 2018 to 2020 at a tertiary care teaching hospital. A total of 86 patients were treated with NPWT and their results were assessed for various parameters like reduction in wound size, discharge, infection, etc. We included patients with acute traumatic wounds as well as chronic infected wounds, and placed them in three treatment groups to receive either conventional NPWT, Indigenous NPWT and lastly NPWT with supplement TPOT.
Results: We observed a significant reduction of wound size, discharge and infection control in all three groups. The efficacy of indigenous NPWT is at par with conventional NPWT. Only six patients who had several comorbidities required flap coverage while in another four patients we could not achieve desired result due to technical limitations.
Conclusion: Indigenous NPWT with added TPOT is a very potent and cost effective method to control infection and rapid management of severe trauma seen in orthopaedic practice. It also decreases the dependency on plastic surgeons for management of such wounds.
Material and Methods: Twenty patients with Freiburg's infraction were admitted at our hospital over a period of six years. Patients with a normal plantar contour of the metatarsal head were included. All patients underwent a dorsal closing wedge osteotomy of the metatarsal.
Results: The mean Leeds Movement Performance Index (LMPI) score was 84 (range 70-86). The mean metatarsal shortening was 2mm. the passive flexion restriction was 16° and extension restriction was 10°. Also, a strong negative correlation was found between Smillie classification and American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Score (AOFAS) final score (r's = -0.85, P < .001).
Conclusion: The dorsal closing wedge osteotomy is an efficient and reproducible method for the management of Freiburg's infraction.
Material and methods: This prospective cohort study was conducted on 68 patients who underwent surgical management for an unstable ankle injury. Demographic details, fracture type and associated medical comorbidities were recorded. Pre-operative radiographic assessment was done for all patients. At the end of one year follow-up, clinical (American Orthopaedic foot and ankle society-AOFAS and Olerud-Molander ankle - OMAS) scores and radiological parameters were assessed and analysed.
Results: Fracture dislocation (0.008), diabetes mellitus (0.017), level of alchohol consumption (0.008) and pre-operative talocrural angle (TCA) > 100° (0.03) were significant predictors of poor outcomes as per AOFAS. Fracture dislocation (0.029), diabetes mellitus (0.004), pre-operative TCA > 100° (0.009), female gender (0.001), age more than 60 years (0.002) and open injuries (0.034) had significantly poor outcome as per OMAS. Other parameters (smoking, hypertension, classification, syndesmotic injury, medial clear space and tibiofibular overlap) did not affect the outcome significantly.
Conclusion: Our study showed that poor outcome predictors in unstable ankle fractures are age >60 years, female gender, diabetes mellitus, alcohol consumption, fracture dislocation, open fractures and pre-op TCA >100°.
Materials and Methods: This is a retrospective study of 179 patients who underwent cementless bipolar hemiarthroplasty during the 2011-2019 period at an orthopaedic and traumatology hospital. Data on the patient's demography, pre-operative American Society Anaesthesiologist (ASA) score, body mass index (BMI), canal flare index (CFI), Dorr classification, and stem alignment were obtained. The primary outcomes were post-operative femoral stem subsidence, post-operative pain, and functional outcome using Harris Hip Score (HHS). Statistical analysis was conducted to identify risk factors associated with the primary outcome.
Results: The mean femoral stem subsidence was 2.16 ±3.4 mm. The mean post-operative Visual Analog Score (VAS) on follow-up was 1.38 ± 1. Mean HHS on follow-up was 85.28±10.3. American Society Anaesthesiologist score 3 (p = 0.011, OR = 2.77) and varus alignment (p=0.039, OR = 6.963) were related to worse stem subsidence. Otherwise, neutral alignment (p = 0.045 and OR = 0.405) gave protection against femoral stem subsidence. The female gender (p = 0.014, OR 2.53) was associated with postoperative pain onset. Neutral alignment had significant relationship with functional outcomes (p = 0.01; OR 0.33).
Conclusion: A higher ASA score and varus stem alignment were related to a higher risk of femoral stem subsidence. Meanwhile, neutral stem alignment had a protective effect on the femoral stem subsidence and outcome.
Material and method: This study surveyed 303 orthopaedic surgeons from all over Pakistan. The survey had 30 questions targeting the setup of outpatient, emergency and operation services in orthopaedic departments of different hospitals in Pakistan.
Result: A total of 302 surgeons were included from 53 cities all over Pakistan. Between 35-48% of the respondents reported lack of availability of standard operating procedures in OPD, ER and in OT. Majority of the respondents noted that their OPD and surgical practice had been affected to some degree and 69% of the surgeons were only doing trauma surgery. This trend was higher in younger consultants of less than 45 years of age (p<0.001). Almost two-third of the surgeons, mostly senior (p=0.03) were using surgical masks as the only protective measure during various practices of OPD, ER and OT, while most of the setups were not assessing patients even for signs and symptoms of COVID. Almost 89% of the orthopaedic community is facing definite to mild stress during this pandemic and this has significantly affected the senior surgeons (p=0.01).
Conclusion: Our study highlighted that COVID-19 has resulted in marked changes to the practices of the majority of Pakistani orthopaedic surgeons. Despite a sharp upsurge in the number of cases and mortality due to COVID-19, guidelines were still lacking at most of the settings and a substantial percentage of the orthopaedic community were not following adequate safety measures while attending to patients.