Common conditions of the trunk Flashcards
What is costochondritis?
Inflammatory process of 1 or more costochondral cartilages that causes localised tenderness and pain in the anterior chest wall
What is the most common gender and age for costochondritis?
F>M 2:1
Less than 50 years
What is the aetiology of costochondritis?
No cause can be identified in many cases
There may be a history of trauma or mechanical overloading (strenuous exercise, recent URTI)
Rheumatological conditions
What are the risk factors for costochondritis?
Cartilage is irritated or torn leading to inflammation and pain
Direct trauma, aggressive exercise (straining joint)
Upper respiratory tract infections with cough
What is the pathophysiology of costochondritis?
Poorly understood
Inflammatory process of costochondral or costosternal joints
Most common sites: 2nd to 5th costochondral junctions
What is tietze syndrome?
Often confused with costochondritis
Rare condition associated woith a visible, painful enlargement of the costochondral junction
-70% cases: occurs in CC junction of a single rib
What are the clinical features of costochondritis?
-90% patients have multiple painful joints
Pain is mild to moderate
Aggravated by breathing, physical activity or a specific position
Palpation of affected joints elicits tenderness
+/- radiation along chest, abdomen or to back
Not usually accompanied by swelling
What is the aetiology of rib fractures?
Trauma
-Direct blow to ribcage
Pathological
-Osteoporosis
Stress fractures
-Due to excessive muscle traction at rib attachments
Sports: rowing (excessive action of serratus anterior), golfers, fast bowlers, baseball pitchers
What are the clinical features of rib fractures?
History
-Trauma
-Health status
Pain – aggravated by deep inspiration or coughing
Localised tenderness
+/- bruising (direct blow)
Damage to underlying viscera
Splenic rupture (can be life threatening)
Traumatic pneumothorax (breach of pleura)
What are sternoclavicular joint sprains?
Traumatic and non-traumatic injuries to the SC joint
What structures are involved in sternoclavicular joint sprains?
Sc joint involves and articular disc, clavicle, sternum, costal cartilage, costoclavicular ligament
What is associated with traumatic SC joitn sprains?
Associated with high-energy impact
1. Sprain with no joint laxity
2. Subluxation
3. Complete disruption of SC and CC ligs with instability. Anterior dislocation more common than posterior dislocation
What is associated with non-traumatic SC joint sprains?
Most commonly degeneration: SCJ OA is seen in 50-90% adults over 60
Infection: septic arthritis – staphylococcus aureus is the most common organism
Rheumatological: rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, reactive arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease
What are the clinical features of SC joint sprains?
History (trauma, health status)
Localised pain: aggravated by movement of the SC
Palpable tenderness +/- laxity
+/- soft tissue swelling, deformity/defect
Degeneration: stiffness, crepitus
Infection & rheumatological
What are CT/CV joint sprains?
Dysfunction of the costotrans-verse and costo-vertebral joints of the spine
What is the aetiology of CT/CV joint sprains?
Mechanical joint sprains
Degenerative change (OA)
Inflammatory spondylo-arthopathies
e.g. anklylosing spondylitis
What is the pathophysiology of CT/CV joint sparins?
Underlying pathological process will depend on cause
Acute mechanical joint injury: inflammatory cascade
What are the clinical features of CT/CV joint sprains?
Localised tenderness (3-4cm lateral to the midline)
Restricted ROM or “catching” sensation
Often evident on deep inspiration and Tx AROM
Hypertonicity of paraspinal muscles
What are the clinical findings of CT/CV joint sprains?
Movement of rib provokes pain at CV/CT joint and will simultaneous reproduce the referred pain
What is scheuermann’s disease?
Disorder of calcification of vertebral epiphysis characterised by notching and wedging of the vertebral end-plates and abnormal kyphotic spinal curvature
Diagnosis usually made by xray
What is the common gender and age for scheuermann’s?
M>F 2:1
12-17 years
What are the risk factors for scheuermann’s?
Poorly understood
Hereditary?
Left-handedness shows increased correlation
Possible prior back trauma
Abnormal end plate ossification
Disproportionate vertebral body growth
What is the pathophysiology of scheuermann’s?
Trauma to endplate (thinning) arrests growth
Malnutrition (vit A, fluoride)
Aseptic necrosis, osteoporosis