MSK Flashcards
In what percentage of cases does mechanical back pain come on suddenly?
60%
What are the differential diagnoses for back pain?
Mechanical back pain Osteoarthritis of the spine Prolapsed intervertebral disc Spinal stenosis Spondylolisthesis Discitis Inflammatory causes Malignancy Fracture Referred from abomen/hip/pelvis/SI joints
What are the investigations for mechanical back pain?
No investigations unless suspecting a different differential diagnosis.
Which investigations would you carry out in patients with prolonged symptoms or red flag signs?
FBC with differential WCC ESR LFTs Bone profile Myeloma screen CRP
What is the management of mechanical back pain?
Promote patient education
Good early symptomatic control using simple analgesia
Early return to normal activities
Self referral to physiotherapists
What is the common aetiology of nerve root impingement?
Degenerative disc disease.
Intervertebral disc herniation.
What are the common levels for intervertebral dic herniation to occur at?
L4/5
L5/S1
Describe the process of disc herniation.
Nucleus pulpous prolapses out via a defect in the degenerative annulus fibrous. This compresses the adjacent nerve root or the exiting nerve root, depending on location of disc herniation.
What are the clinical features of nerve root impingement?
Radicular pain passes below the knee and follows the dermatome of the involved nerve root.
Leg pain often equal or worse in severity than the back pain.
Which clinical tests can be used to examine for nerve root impingement?
Straight leg raise
Lasegue sign
How is nerve root impingement diagnosed?
MRI
What are the indications for MRI in back pain?
Patients who present with radicular pain >6 weeks.
Patients who develop neurological deficit.
Bilateral lower limb deficit or peroneal symptoms.
What is the management for nerve root impingement?
Non-surgical: Physiotherapy Analgesics Muscle relaxants (short course initially) Alternative therapies (e.g. acupuncture)
What are the indications for surgical intervention in nerve root impingement?
Absolute:
Cauda equina syndrome
Progressive neurological deficit.
Relative indications:
Intractable radicular pain
Neurologic deficit that does not improve despite conservative measures
Recurrent sciatica following a successful trial of conservative measures.
What are the red flags of back pain?
Age <18 or >50 at onset of non-mechanical pain.
Bilateral radicular leg pain
Limb weakness
Alternation of bladder and/or bowel function
Peri-anal numbness
History of cancer
Constitutional symptoms or weight loss
Trauma
Thoracic pain
History of immuno-compromise or prolonged steroid use.
What are the clinical features of cauda equina syndrome?
Bilateral paresthesia
Bilateral muscle weakness
Saddle parasthesia
Bladder and bowel dysfunction
What are the red flags for cauda equina syndrome in a history?
Back pain with uni/bilateral sciatica Lower limb weakness Altered perianal sensation Faecal incontinence Acute urinary retention/incontinence.
What are the red flags for cauda equina syndrome on examination?
Limb weakness
Other neurological deficit/gait disturbance
Hyper-reflexia, clonus, up going plantars
Urine retention
DRE: saddle anaesthesia
DRE: loss of anal tone
What are the investigations for cauda equina syndrome?
PR exam recording sensation and anal tone
Bladder scan pre and post void to assess for bladder emptying
Urgent MRI
Refer to neurosurgeons if MRI not immediately available.
What is the management for cauda equina syndrome?
Emergency surgical decompression
What are the MRI findings in a patient with cauda equina syndrome?
Complete obliteration of the spinal canal space.
Compression of cauda equina.
What is discitis?
An infection of the disc space
What is vertebral osteomyelitis?
An infection of the vertebral body.
What are the risk factors for developing discitis or vertebral osteomyelitis?
IV drug use
Sepsis from another source
Post spinal surgery
Which organisms are most commonly associated with discitis and osteomyelitis?
Staphylococci and streptococci.
Streptococci and haemophilus in children.
Tuberculosis should also be considered.
What is the clinical presentation of discitis and vertebral osteomyelitis?
Fever
Generally unwell
Back pain (unrelenting)
Late cases may present with spinal deformity.
What are the investigations for suspected discitis and osteomyelitis?
WCC ESR CRP X-rays - deformity MRI - increased signal in the intervertebral disc or bone/ collection/associated epidural abscess.
What is the management of discitis and vertebral osteomyelitis?
CT guided biopsy
Appropriate IV antibiotics (minimum 6 weeks)
Surgical treatment occasionally required - stabilisation, draining a large abscess.
What is the clinical presentation of spinal tumours?
Pain
Neurological deficit
Ask about red flag symptoms
What is the investigation of suspected spinal tumours?
MRI whole spine
Bone scans
Serum calcium
Do isolated anterior column fractures tend to be stable or unstable?
Stable
Do both column (burst fractures) or associated ligament injuries tend to be stable or unstable?
Unstable
What might clinical examination reveal in spinal injuries?
Bony midline tenderness
Clinical deformity or palpable step
Boggy swelling or bruising
Neurological compromise.
What are two features of spinal shock?
Bradycardia
Hypotension
How are spinal injuries diagnosed?
Plain radiographs:
C-spine - AP/lateral view/peg view
Thoracic and lumbar spine - AP and lateral
CT - high energy injuries, more than one column involvement, inadequate plain films, spinal cord involvement or suspected ligamentous injury.
MRI - investigation of choice when assessing for ligament or spinal cord injuries.
What is the treatment for spinal injuries?
Stable injuries:
Cervical - cervical collar, analgesia
Thoracic and lumbar - early mobilisation, bracing for symptomatic relief.
Unstable:
Cervical - HALO jacket, cervical collar, ORIF
Thoracic and lumbar - ORIF, bracing (extended application), bed rest in medically unfit patients.
What is scoliosis?
Lateral deviation or rotational deformity of the spine
What are the clinical features of scoliosis?
Noticed deformity such as: Rib hump Asymmetrical shoulder height Limb length inequality Chest expansion may be affected in severe deformities
What is the treatment for scoliosis?
Mild curves - conservative treatment, occassionally bracing if risk of progression of curve identified.
Moderate/severe curves - surgical correction more commonly needed to prevent curve progression, or correct deformity that is compromising cardio respiratory function.
Give a differential diagnosis for shoulder pain.
Subacromial impingement
Rotator cuff tears
Dislocation
Arthritis
What is subacromial imipingement?
Inflammation of the subacromial bursa due to abutment betwen greater tuberosity/RC and the acromioin/coraco-acromial liagement/acromioclavicular joint
Which conditions are associated with subacromial impingement?
Hook-shaped acromion
Greater tuberosity fracture malunion
Shoulder instability
What is the presentation of subacromial impingement?
Insidious onset shoulder pain
Exacerbated by overhead activities
+/- night pain
What are the physical exams for shoulder impingement?
Painful arc test
Neer impingement sign
Hawkins test
What might be seen on x-rays of somebody with shoulder impingement?
Type 3 hooked acromion
ACJ osteoarthritis
Sclerosis/cystic changes in greater tuberosity
What is the non-operative treatment for shoulder impingement?
Physiotherapy
NSAIDs
Subacromial corticosteroid injections
What is the operative treatment for shoulder impingement?
Arthroscopic subacromial decompression + acromiplasty
What are the risk factors for a rotator cuff tear?
Age
Smoking
Hypercholesterolemia
Thyroid disease
What are the mechanisms of a rotator cuff tear?
Chronic degenerative tear
Acute traumatic avulsion
What are the symptoms of a rotator cuff tear?
Pain - acute or insidious onset, in deltoid region, worse with overhead activities +/- night pain
Weakness: loss of active ROM
What is the special test to check for a supraspinatous tear?
Jobe’s test (empty can test)
What is the special test to check for an infraspinatous tear?
External rotation lag
What is the special test to check for a teres minor tear?
Hornblower sign
What is the special test to check for a subscapularis tear?
Lift-off test and belly press test.
What are the four muscles of the rotator cuff?
Supraspinatous
Infraspinatous
Teres minor
Subscapularis
Which forms of imaging can be used to look for a rotator cuff tear?
Ultrasound
MRI
What is the non-operative treatment for a rotator cuff tear?
Physiotherapy
NSAIDs
Subacromial corticosteroid injection
What is the operative treatment for a rotator cuff tear?
Rotator cuff repair (young, fit)
Rotator cuff debridement (elderly, irreparable tear)
Tendon transfer (young, fit, irreparable tear)
Reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (if massive tear with advanced arthritis)
What are the clinical features of a shoulder dislocation?
Severe shoulder pain
Inability to move the shoulder
Empty glenoid fossa: a palpable dent may be present at the point where the head of the humerus is supposed to lie.
The arm is typically in external rotation and slight abduction.
What are the complications associated with shoulder dislocation?
Damage to the axillary nerve - numbness over the lateral surface of the shoulder and loss of function of the deltoid muscle.
Injury to the brachial plexus, axillary artery/vein.
Avulsion fracture of greater or lesser tuberosities.
Recurrent shoulder instability
Rotator cuff injury
What is the treatment of a shoulder dislocation?
Emergent treatment:
Immobilisation of the joint with a sling
Analgesia
Conservative management: closed reduction
Surgical management: reduction of humeral head and repair of labrum.
What are the indications of surgical management of a shoulder dislocation?
Unsuccessful closed reduction
Displaced Bankart lesion
Recurrent shoulder dislocations
Young and active individuals may require early surgery to prevent recurrent dislocations in the future.
What is the definition of shoulder osteoarthritis?
Glenhumeral degenerative joint disease characterised by damage to the articular surfaces of the humeral head and/or glenoid.
What is the aetiology of shoulder osteoarthritis?
primary osteoarthritis Secondary arthritis: - post traumatic (fracture or dislocation) - inflammatory /crystalline arthritis - osteonecrosis - rotator cuff arthropathy
What are the symptoms of shoulder osteoarthritis?
Shoulder pain
Loss of range of motion - especially external rotation due to anterior capsule contraction
Pain at night
What will a physical exam of a patient with shoulder osteoarthritis show?
Decreased range of movement
Crepitus
Which x-ray views should be taken to look for shoulder osteoarthritis?
AP and lateral
What will x-ray of a patient with osteoarthritis show?
Joint space narrowing Subchondral sclerosis Subchondral cysts Osteophytes circumferentially at humeral head "goat's beard" Posterior glenoid wear
What is the non-operative treatment for shoulder osteoarthritis?
NSAIDs
Physiotherapy
Corticosteroid injections
What is the operative treatment for shoulder osteoarthritis?
Shoulder replacement
What is the differential diagnosis of shoulder pain?
Osteoarthritis Rheumatoid arthritis Tennis elbow Golfer's elbow Olecranon bursitis
What are the symptoms of elbow osteoarthritis?
Progressive painful movement.
Loss of terminal extension.
Painful locking or catching of elbow.
What can be found on examination in elbow osteoarthritis?
Reduce range of movement.
What can be seen on x-ray in elbow osteoarthritis?
Loss of joint space
Osteophytes
Subchondral sclerosis
Subchondral cysts
What are the two types of elbow osteoarthritis?
Primary
Post-traumatic
What is the non-operative treatment for elbow osteoarthritis?
NSAIDs
Cortisone injections
What is the operative treatment for elbow osteoarthritis?
Debridement: removal of osteophytes and capsular release
Arthroplasty
What can be found on physical examination in elbow rheumatoid arthritis?
Fixed flexion deformity and ligamentous incompetence
What can be seen on x-rays in rheumatoid arthritis of the elbow?
Periarticular erosions
Cystic changes
What is tennis elbow?
Overuse injury at origin of common extensor tendon leading to tendinosis and inflammation.
What are the symptoms of tennis elbow?
Pain with gripping
Resisted wrist extension
What can be found on examination in tennis elbow?
Point tenderness at ECRB origin (lateral epicondyle).
Resisted extension of long finger exacerbates pain.
What do x-rays show in tennis elbow?
Usually normal.
May be calcifications at extensor origin.
What is the non-operative treatment for tennis elbow?
NSAIDs
Physiotherapy
Corticosteroid injections
What is the operative treatment of tennis elbow?
Release and debridement of ECRB origin.
What is golfer’s elbow?
Overuse of flexor-pronator origin (medial epicondylitis).
What are the symptoms of golfer’s elbow?
Pain with gripping
Resisted wrist flexion.
What can be found on examination in golfer’s elbow?
Point tenderness just distal to medial epicondyle.
Test: pain with resisted forearm pronation and wrist flexion.
What can be seen on x-rays in a patient with golfer’s elbow?
Usually normal
May be calcifications at flexor origin.
Which other imaging (in addition to x-ray) may be used in a patient with golfer’s elbow?
MRI - to rule out ulnar collateral ligament injury in overhead throwers.
What is the non-operative treatment of golfer’s elbow?
NSAIDs
Physiotherapy
Bracing
Corticosteroid injections
What is the operative treatment in golfer’s elbow?
Debridement and reattachement of flexor-pronator origin
What causes olecranon bursitis?
Trauma Prolonged pressure Infection Rheumatoid arthritis Gout
What is the presentation of olecranon bursitis?
Swelling Pain Redness Warmth Fever and malaise if infective.
What are the investigations of olecranon bursitis?
FBC
Uric acid level
CRP
X-rays - radio-opaque foreign bodies, olecranon spur
Aseptic needle aspiration of bursa (gold standard for diagnosis of infection) - urgent gram stain, culture and sensitivity. Pathology for crystals.
What is the treatment for olecranon bursitis?
Non-infective: Ice, elevation, NSAIDs, treat the cause.
Infective: After aspiration start broad-spectrum antibiotics (covering S.aureus), oral or IV depending on severity of infection.
What is the treatment for recurrent bursitis?
Once the infection has settled and interval bursectomy can be considered.
What is the differential diagnosis of tingling fingers?
Peripheral nerve entrapment (carpal tunnel syndrome and cubital tunnel syndrome)
Central nerve entrapment
Peripheral neuropathy
What are the key features of peripheral nerve entrapment?
Pain/parasthesia in the distribution of the nerve.
Altered sensation in the distribution of the nerve.
Reduce muscle function supplied by the nerve.
What are the structures that pass through the carpal tunnel?
Median nerve
4 x flexor digitorum superficialis
4 x flexor digitorum profundus
flexor pollicis longus
Which conditions are associated with carpal tunnel syndrome?
Diabetes mellitus Hypothyroidism Rheumatoid arthritis Acromegaly Wrist fractures Pregnancy Use of heavy vibrating mechinery
What is the presentation of carpal tunnel syndrome?
Nocturnal waking with tingling (relieved by shaking hands/running under water/keeping dependant)
Altered/reduced sensation in median nerve distribution
Difficulty manipulating small objects
Clumsiness (dropping cups/mugs/loose change)
What are the clinical signs of carpal tunnel syndrome?
Altered sensation in median nerve distribution Ring finger splitting Reduced power of thumb abduction. Thenar muscle wasting Positive tinel's sign Positive phalen's test
What is the management of carpal tunnel syndrome?
Wrist splints Steroid injection Carpal tunnel decompression surgery - local anaesthetic with tourniquet - divide flexor retinaculum longitudinally.
Where is the cubital tunnel?
Behind medial epicondyle of the elbow.
What is the cubital tunnel formed by?
Cubital tunnel retinaculum.
Where does the ulna nerve travel between?
Between two heads of flexor carpi ulnaris under the cubital tunnel retinaculum.
What is the presentation of cubital tunnel syndrome?
Nocturanl waking with tingling (in ulnar nerve distribution).
Altered/reduced sensation in ulnar nerve distribution.
What are the clinical signs of cubital tunnel syndrome?
Relative loss of sensation between hands or nerve territories. Ring finger splitting Reduce power of finger abduction Claw posture (if severe) Hypothenar muscle wasting Interosseus muscle wasting Positive Tinel's sign at elbow.
What is the management of cubital tunnel syndrome?
Soft elbow splints
Cubital tunnel decompression surgery
What is the differential diagnosis of sticking fingers?
Trigger finger
Extensor tendon subluxation
What happens is the pathophysiology of trigger finger?
Constriction and thickening of A1 pulley.
Nodule on tendon.
What is the clinical presentation of trigger finger?
Finger sticks in flexion then clicks painfully as finger is extended.
Symptoms generally worse in morning.
Who is at increased risk of trigger finger?
People with diabetes.
What is the management of trigger finger?
Non-operative:
Splintage
Steroid injection
Operative:
Surgical release/widening of A1 pulley
What is the pathophysiology of extensor tendon subluxation?
Weakness of saggital bands that hold extensor tendon centrally over MCPJ.
Who is extensor tendon subluxation more common in?
People with rheumatoid arthritis.
What is the clinical presentation of extensor tendon subluxation?
Tendon subluxes on flexion into the ulna gutter.
Flicks back in extension or finger has to be straightened manually.
What is the management of extensor tendon subluxation?
Acute: splint with metacarpo-phalangeal joints extended for 6 weeks.
Failed conservative or chronic presentation: surgical repair/reconstruction.
What is the differential diganosis of stuck fingers?
Dupuytren’s disease
Radial nerve or posterior interosseus nerve palsy
Locked trigger finger
Subluxed MCPs
What is the genetic inheritence of dupuytren’s disease?
Autosomal dominant with variable penetrance.
What is the pathophysiology of dupuytren’s disease?
Proliferation of myofibroblasts in the palmar fascia producing pathological nodules and cords.
What are the ectopic manifestations of dupuytren’s disease?
Plantar fascia of feet
Knuckls pads on dorsal aspect of PIPJs
Dartos fascia of penis
Which conditions are associtaed with dupuytren’s disease?
Diabetes
Epilepsy and anti-convulsants
What is the clinical presentation of dupuytren’s disease?
Fixed flexion deformities of MCP and PIP joints.
Difficulty with ADLs (can’t put hand in pocket, poke themselves in eye when washing face)
What is the management of dupuytren’s disease?
Needle aponeurectomy
Collagenase injections
Fasciectomy
Dermofasciectomy