METHODS: This is a prospective observational study involving patients from the orthopaedic oncology unit who were undergoing surgery. They were assessed with Patient Generated Subjective Global Assessment (PG-SGA), Malnutrition Screening Tool (MST) and 3-minute Nutritional Screening (3MinNS) questionnaires. Anthropometric data such as body mass index, mid upper arm circumference (MUAC) and blood parameters such as serum albumin, total lymphocyte count and haemoglobin were also investigated. Patients were then followed up for 3 months. Post-operative complications were divided into infectious and non-infectious groups. Length of stay and unplanned readmission were also documented.
RESULTS: Prevalence of malnutrition ranged from 13.3% to 45.8% under different nutritional assessment methods. Patients who were determined as malnourished were significantly associated with both infectious and non-infectious post-operative complications ( p < 0.001). PG-SGA and 3MinNS values were also significant in univariate and multivariate analysis, respectively. Low serum albumin (<35 g/L) was associated with post-operative infectious complications, especially surgical site infection ( p < 0.001), prolonged hospital stay ( p = 0.009) and unplanned readmission ( p = 0.017). 3MinNS and Charlson Comorbidity Index were predictive of non-infectious complications, whereas serum albumin and the presence of metastasis were predictive of infectious complications.
CONCLUSION: This pilot study of patients with soft tissue and bone sarcoma of upper and lower limbs showed that malnutrition is a significant independent factor related to infectious and non-infectious complications which leads to unplanned readmission and prolonged length of stay. Periodic screening using the PG-SGA or 3MinNS questionnaires, MUAC and evaluation of serum albumin levels is recommended during clinic session and pre-surgery assessment rounds to identify those predisposed to malnutrition and help in reducing incidence of post-operative complications.
MATERIALS AND METHODS:: Vancomycin-impregnated polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) specimen was hand prepared in varying concentrations (1-4 g). The authors tested three-point bending strength to determine 'maximum bending load' and stiffness and its antibacterial activity by looking into the zone of inhibition on methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus-impregnated agar plate. These were compared with the industrial preblended Simplex™ P with 1 g tobramycin.
RESULTS:: This study exhibited that vancomycin-PMMA disk that contained higher concentration of antibiotics had significantly higher antibacterial activity. The control group (plain cement) and industrial PMMA with preblended antibiotic (tobramycin) showed stable mechanical strength, while the hand-mixed antibiotic cement (HMAC) had variable mechanical strength varying on the concentration of antibiotics used.
CONCLUSION:: It was effectively concluded that HMAC is advantageous as a cement spacer; however, it is not recommended for primary arthroplasty and second-stage revision arthroplasty. The recommended maximum concentration of vancomycin based on this study is 2 g/pack (40 g) of cement. Industrial preblended antibiotic cement is superior to hand-mixed cement.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty surviving patients with expandable endoprosthesis from 2006 till 2015 were scored using Musculoskeletal Tumour Society (MSTS) outcomes instrument and reviewed retrospectively for range of motion of respected joints, limb length discrepancy, number of surgeries performed, complications and oncological outcomes. Patients with less than 2 years of follow-up were excluded from this study.
RESULTS: Forty-five percentage patients reached skeletal maturity with initial growing endoprosthesis and 25% of patients were revised to adult modular prosthesis. One hundred fifty-seven surgeries were performed over the 9-year period. The average MSTS score was 90.83%. The mortality rate was 10% within 5 years due to advanced disease. Infection and implant failure rate was 15% each. The event-free survival was 50% and overall survival rate was 90%.
CONCLUSION: There is no single best option for reconstruction in skeletally immature. This study demonstrates a favourable functional and survival outcome of paediatric patients with expandable endoprosthesis. The excellent MSTS functional scores reflect that patients were satisfied and adjusted well to activities of daily living following surgery despite the complications.
METHODS: PMMA pellets were prepared with three separate concentrations of each of the two antibiotics tested. They were tested to determine the effect of increasing concentration of antibiotics on the biomechanical properties of PMMA and antibiotic activity by measuring the zone of inhibition and broth elution assay.
RESULTS: Ceftaroline PMMA at 3 wt%, three-point bending was 37.17 ± 0.51 N ( p < 0.001) and axial loading was 41.95 N ± 0.51 ( p < 0.001). At 5-wt% vancomycin-PMMA, three-point bending was 41.65 ± 0.79 N ( p = 0.02) and axial loading was 49.49 ± 2.21 N ( p = 0.01). Stiffness of ceftroline-loaded PMMA in low and medium concentration was significantly higher than the vancomycin. The zone of inhibition for ceftaroline was higher than vancomycin. Ceftaroline at 3 wt% eluted up to 6 weeks (0.3 ± 0.1 μg/ml) above the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and vancomycin at 2.5 wt% eluted up to 3 weeks, same as MIC, that is, 0.5 ± 0.0 μg/ml.
CONCLUSIONS: Ceftaroline, loaded at similar concentrations as vancomycin into PMMA, is a more potent alternative based on its more favourable bioactivity and elution properties, while having a lesser effect on the mechanical properties of the cement. The use of 3-wt% ceftaroline as antibiotic laden PMMA against MRSA is recommended. It should be noted that this was an in vitro study and to determine the clinical efficacy would need prospective, controlled and randomized studies.
METHOD: This is a retrospective survival analysis study of 128 patients treated at University Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC) from 1997 to 2011.
RESULTS: There were 80 (62.5%) male and 48 (37.5%) female patients with the median age being 15 (5-59). Majority had osteosarcoma of extremities (94.5%). More than 60% patients developed metastasis throughout the course of treatment with 39% presenting with lung metastasis. Osteoblastic osteosarcoma was the commonest subtype (65.6%). Of the 109 patients treated surgically, 84 patients (65.6%) underwent limb salvage surgery while the rest underwent amputation. Seventy-one per cent of patients completed treatment with local recurrence rate of 22.7%. The 5-year and 10-year survival rates were 56.31% (95% CI: 46.20, 65.24) and 22.33% (95% CI: 14.86, 30.76), respectively. The 5-year event-free survival was 52.94% (95% CI: 41.83, 62.87). In multivariate analysis, the independent prognostic factors were presence of metastasis and completion of treatment for both 5-year and 10-year overall survival. Good histological response was only significant for multivariate analysis at 5 years. Patients with metastasis had a hazard ratio of 20.4 at 5 years and 3.26 at 10 years.
CONCLUSION: Overall survival rate for osteosarcoma patients at our centre was comparably higher than other centres in the region. Two independent risk factors for survival are metastatic status and completion of treatment. A standardized chemotherapy regime is essential for long-term survival.
METHOD: We reviewed patients who underwent wide resection and non-vascularized fibular graft arthroplasty from 2007 to May 2014. The assessment was done with Musculoskeletal Tumour Society Score (MSTS), Toronto Extremities Scoring System (TESS) and Disability of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) scores. We also reviewed the radiographic results.
RESULTS: Fifteen patients were recruited, of whom 10 cases used ipsilateral fibular graft and five used contralateral non-vascularized fibular graft. The average duration of follow up was 6 years (3.25-9.92 years). The average grip strength was 48.1% compared to the non-operated hand. The average MSTS score was 78.4 %, TESS score was 84%, and DASH score was 25.2. The average time to radiological union was 12.5 weeks. 64% (29-78%) of the range of movement is preserved compared to the normal side. The complication rate was 20%.
CONCLUSION: Fibula autograft arthroplasty is a feasible method of reconstruction after distal radius resection with good functional outcomes.
METHOD: This is a retrospective analysis of 4997 patient records treated in the Orthopaedic Oncology Unit of University Malaya Medical Centre, Malaysia, between 1 January 2010 to 31 December 2020. Demographic data of 195 patients with foot tumours were analysed out of 4997 neoplasm patients.
RESULTS: There were 195 cases of foot tumours: 148 were benign, and 47 were malignant. 47 were bone tumours, 4 were metastases, and 144 were soft tissue tumours. Six patients succumbed to the disease, two cases of giant cell tumour (GCT) and one patient with synovial sarcoma had a recurrence. Treatment of foot tumours was wide resection in general. However, in metastasis cases, amputation was done. The majority of tumours were in the toes and dorsum of the foot. Soft tissue tumours of the foot occur in the elderly population in contrast to bone tumours, mainly in the second decade of life. The gender distribution was almost equal for foot tumours. Ganglion and Giant Cell Tumour of the bone are the commonest benign soft tissue and bone tumours. The most common malignant soft tissue and bone tumours are malignant melanoma and chondrosarcoma. The amputation rate is 5.64% the recurrence rate is 1.54%. Mortality rate is 3.08%. The MSTS score is 79%, and the TESS score is 76.23%.
CONCLUSION: Foot tumours are relatively rare, mostly originating from soft tissue and exhibiting a benign nature. Nonetheless, a noteworthy proportion-approximately a quarter of these tumours-demonstrate malignancy. The surgical interventions undertaken in managing these tumours and associated functional outcomes generally yield acceptable results.
RESULTS: Only 56 patients with distal radius fractures had concomitant ulna styloid fractures. The mean age was 32 years (range: 18-69; SD: ± 12.7). The majority were men. The mean time from injury was 18.7 months (range: 6-84; SD: ± 13.3). The most common was Frykman 2, followed by 6, type 8, and type 4. All were closed fractures; 60.7% were base, and 39.3% were tip fractures. 50% were treated with casting, 48.3% plating, and 1.8% external fixation. The mean period of casting was 7.67 weeks (range: 4-16; SD ± 3.1). The ulna styloid was united in 35.7%. There is no significant difference in the range of movement between those with ulna styloid union and non-union. The Ballottement test and Piano key sign was statistically insignificant between both groups. All the displacements were dorsal except in 1 case. The mean displacement of ulna styloid is 1.88mm (SD±1.08, Range: 0.20-4.60mm). The mean VAS score at rest and work is not statistically significant. The mean grip strength and functional score (DASH) are similar in both groups.
CONCLUSION: Ulna styloid fractures do not contribute to the DRUJ instability and the status of the union of the ulna styloid and the site of the ulna styloid fracture (tip or base) did not have a bearing on the range of movement and functional status of the affected wrist. Temporary DRUJ immobilization might allow TFCC recovery.
METHODS: Patients with midshaft clavicular fractures treated non-operatively between 16 and 50 years old with no prior AC joint problems were assessed. Demographics, hand dominance, type of occupation, and smoking status were documented. Functional scoring using DASH score, CM score, and radiological evaluation was done with special tests to diagnose AC joint arthrosis. Two or more positive special tests were considered significant for this study.
RESULTS: 101 patients were recruited, 83 male and 18 female patients. The average age of 34.7 ± 13.93 years. The average follow-up was 32.7 months (range: 24-75; SD ± 9.9 months). 48.5% were blue-collar workers, and 60.4% involved the dominant upper limb. 44.6% were cigarette smokers. There was 20 mm and more shortening in 21.8% of subjects. 40.6% had a significant special test, and 36.6% had radiological changes of AC joint osteoarthritis. Positive two or more special tests were significantly associated with radiological evidence of arthrosis (p = .00). The mean DASH score was 28.28 ± 17.4, and the mean CM score was 27.58 ± 14.34. Most have satisfactory to excellent scores. Hand dominance, smoking, and blue-collar work were significantly associated with poorer CM scores, and hand dominance was significant for Dash scores.
CONCLUSION: There is an equal distribution poor, satisfactory and excellent functional outcomes in patients with midshaft clavicle fractures treated non-operatively. The poor outcomes may be attributed to ACJ arthrosis. Hand dominance, smoking and blue-collar work affected the functional outcome. Shortening of the clavicle had no bearing on the clinical and radiological findings of osteoarthritis and functional scores. The presence of two or more positive special tests is an accurate predictor of AC joint arthritis.