MSK (orthopaedics & rheumatology) Flashcards
What investigation would you do to determine the cause of someone that has presented with a hot, red, swollen joint?
~ what processing/investigations do you want this specimen to undergo? (4)
Whilst awaiting the results of the above, how would you manage the patient?
Joint aspirate → send for gram staining, crystal microscopy, culture & antibiotic sensitivities
Start empirical IV antibiotics - treat as septic arthritis until proven otherwise
What is Perthes disease? (Legg-Calve-Perthes)
Avascular necrosis of the femoral head in children which is caused by disruption to the blood flow of the femoral head
What is the 1st line investigation in SUFE?
What is the management of SUFE?
Xray of hip
Surgery: correction of femoral head positon PLUS screw fixation
~ Prophylactic fixation of contralateral hip may be done
A 37-year-old man presents to A&E C/O a painful, swollen right knee. The pain came on earlier this morning and he says that the knee feels stiffer than usual.
O/E the right knee is hot, red and swollen however the left knee appears normal. There is a reduced ROM in the right knee compared to the left.
What is the most likely diagnosis?
What is the commonest organism to cause this condition?
If the patient was sexually active with multiple sexual partners, what underlying organism would you be most suspicious of instead?
If the patient was an IVDU, what underlying organism would you be most suspicious of instead?
Septic arthritis
Staph aureus
Neisseria gonorrhoea (gonococcus)
Pseudomonas
The crystals causing the inflammation in gout are composed of what?
URIC ACID
What clinical finding is seen when the scaphoid bone is fractured?
Pain on palpation of the anatomical snuffbox
Compartment syndrome usually presents with the 5P’s. Name them:
Pain - disproportionate to the underlying injury
Paraesthesia
Pale skin over affected area
Pressure (high pressure felt within affected area)
Paralysis of affected limb (late and worrying sign)
Name a complication if a scaphoid # is left untreated.
Avascular necrosis of the scaphoid bone.
What investigation can be done to measure the pressure within a compartment if acute compartment syndrome is suspected?
What pressures indicate acute compartment syndrome:
~ Diastolic pressure:
~ Absolute compartment pressure:
Needle manometry
- Diastolic pressure minus compartment pressure = greater than 30mmHg
- Absolute compartment pressure value of 40mmHg + (normal = less than 12mmHg)
Hydroxychloroquine is an example of a drug in what class?
What conditions may hydroxychloroquine be used to treat? (2 main ones)
DMARD
Rheumatoid arthritis, SLE
After what period of time is ischaemic damage (eg in acute compartment syndrome) generally considered irreversible?
6 hours
A 33y man has increasing lower back pain and neck pain for 7 months. The pain is worse in the morning and improves when he plays basketball.
O/E: tenderness over the sacroiliac joints and loss of lumbar lordosis.
A spinal xray shows symmetrical erosions and sclerosis of the sacroiliac joints.
What is the most likely diagnosis?
What typical feature (sign) will you see on an xray of this patient?
~ why do you see this sign?
Ankylosing spondylitis
Bamboo spine
~ vertebral body fusion
A 77-year-old man attends A&E after a fall onto an outstretched hand. On examination he is tender on the radial aspect of his wrist, as well as at the base of the thumb. When asked to grip your finger, he shows an obvious loss of grip strength.
What is the most likely diagnosis?
If this condition isn’t treated appropriately, what complication can occur?
What initial investigation should be done if this condition is suspected?
Scaphoid fracture
Avascular necrosis of the scaphoid
Xray - AP and lateral
What is SUFE?
What age group & sex is it most common in?
What is the biggest RF for SUFE?
List some features seen in someone with SUFE: (3)
It’s when the head of femur is displaced along the growth plate (it looks like it has slipped off)
Teenage boys
Obesity
~ Hip/ groin/ knee pain with insidious onset
~ Restricted ROM of hip
~ Painful limp
LOSS
What xray findings would you see in a patient with osteoarthritis?
L - loss of joint space
O - osteophyte formation
S - subchondral sclerosis
S - subchondral cysts
Name a serious complication of a neck of femur #.
Avascular necrosis of the femoral head.
What imaging is used to measure someones bone mineral density?
DEXA scan
An 83-year-old female is BIBA after having a fall at home. She is complaining of R hip pain that is radiating to her knee.
On examination you notice that her R leg is shorter than the L. It is also abducted and externally rotated.
What is the diagnosis?
What would your initial investigation be? (after simple bedside investigations)
In regards to shenton’s line, what would you expect to see in the xray of this lady?
Hip fracture
Xray of the hip in 2 views: AP and lateral view
Shenton’s line would be disrupted due to the fractured neck of femur (hip fracture)
A 53-year-old woman presents to A&E with a swollen, painful wrist after having tripped and fallen onto her outstretched hand earlier this morning. She notes no pain on palpation of the anatomical snuffbox.
What type of fracture has this woman likely sustained?
In which bone has the fracture occured?
Colles fracture
Distal radius fracture (transverse fracture) with dorsal displacement
What is sarcoidosis?
Which type of people is sarcoidosis commonest in?
State the ‘buzzword’ features of sarcoidosis: (6)
What results would be seen on:
a) blood tests (3)
b) chest xray
Sarcoidosis: a granulatomas inflammatory condition that can affect the whole body
~ commonest in young, black females
Features:
• SOB
• Dry cough
• Erythmema nodosum (nodules on shins)
• Mediastinal lymphadenopathy
• Fatigue & weightloss
Bloods:
• Raised serum ACE (screening tool)
• Hypercalcaemia
• Raised CRP
Imaging:
• Chest xray: hilar lymphadenopathy
Which antibodies are usually always positive in SLE?
What other antibodies may also be positive?
Anti-dsDNA antibodies
~ ANA (anti-nuclear antibodies)
~ Anti-smith antibodies
An 85-year-old male is admitted to the acute medical ward with a deep ulcer over the inferior aspect of his heel which reaches the bone. He had not noticed it and seems unconcerned. His daughter, who brought him into hospital, says that he has poor sensation in his feet and rarely takes off his socks and shoes. His past medical history includes type 2 diabetes, for which he is on a biphasic insulin regime.
His temperature is 37.9ºC, and his heart rate is 101/min.
What is the most likely diagnosis?
What is the treatment of this condition? (be specific, name the medication used & timeframe of treatment)
Osteomyelitis
Antibiotics: Flucloxacillin for 6 weeks
List some risk factors for septic arthritis. (6)
IV drug users
Unprotected sex
Diabetes Mellitus
Underlying joint disease (OA/RA)
Immunosuppression
Older age
What is an important differential to rule out if you suspect someone has presented with gout?
Septic arthritis !!!
If a # is displaced, what 2 things are required in the management of it?
Reduction of the # (to put it back into the correct place)
Immobilisation of the bone (for healing)
List some drugs that are associated with causing gout: (4)
- Furosemide
- Alcohol
- Chemotherapy
- Thiazides
List the main clinical features of septic arthritis. (4)
Hot, painful, swollen joint
Usually only a single joint affected
Restricted movement in affected joint
Systemic features: fever & fatigue
Is the blood supply disrupted or intact in a displaced intra-capsular femoral head fracture?
Bearing the above in mind, what are the 2 ways that displaced intra-capsular fractures are managed?
~ what type of patients would be offered each management option?
Disrupted blood supply! - high risk of avascular necrosis of the femoral head!
Hemiarthroplasty - replacing the head of the femur but leaving the acetabulum in place
~ offered to patients with limited mobility
Total hip replacement - replacing both the head of the femur & the acetabulum (socket)
~ offered to patients who are independent with mobility
List some common side effects of alendronic acid that you need to council patients about before they start it: (3)
- Osteonecrosis of the jaw
- Oesophagitis
- Atypical femur fractures
Joint’s that are stiff for >30mins in the morning & joint pain that improves with exercise indicates what type of joint pain? (degenerative/inflammatory)
Inflammatory joint pain
A 51y woman presents with a 6 month history of fatigue and lower back pain. She also has a persistent pain in her arms and shoulders that worsens after exercise.
O/E: muscle power is normal in both arms. Her joints are not swollen. Palpation of her mid trapezius and medial knee aspects elicits tenderness.
Blood tests are normal.
What is the most likely diagnosis?
Fibromyalgia
What is the main blood vessel that supplies the femoral head?
Femoral circumflex artery
Fat embolisms can occur following the fracture of what types of bone?
Long bones - commonly the femur
What’s the commonest joint affected in gout?
Big toe! (1st MTP joint)
“Tennis elbow” affects what part of the elbow?
Lateral epicondyle
Falls onto an outstretched hand commonly # which carpal bone?
Scaphoid bone
What imaging is used to measure someones bone mineral density?
DEXA scan
Is the blood supply disrupted or intact in a non-displaced intra-capsular femoral head fracture?
Bearing the above in mind, how can non-displaced intra-capsular fractures be managed? - why?
Intact blood supply!
- Internal fixation** (eg, using screws*) to hold the femoral head in place whilst the fracture heals
- the intact blood supply means that the femoral head can be preserved without avascular necrosis occurring*
Which antibodies are tested for in SLE? (3)
List some common symptoms seen in SLE: (6)
What is the 1st line treatment of SLE?
What is used to treat an SLE flare?
- Anti-nuclear antibodies (ANA)
- Anti-double stranded DNA (anti-dsDNA)
- Anti-smith
- Fatigue
- Weight loss
- Photosensitive malar rash
- Joint & muscle pain
- Mouth ulcers
- Hair loss
- *Treatment:** NSAIDs & hydroxychloroquine
- Flares:* steroids (commonly prednisolone)
What is the typical presentation of someone with Legg-Calve-Perthes disease?
Gradual* onset limb & hip pain
Referred pain to the knee
Pain persists for >4 weeks
* Gradual due to the femoral head becoming increasingly ischaemic
What is the name given when a joint is infected?
What is the commonest joint that this condition occurs in?
Septic arthritis
Knee joint
What would you expect to see under a microscope in the joint fluid of a patient with pseudogout?
Rhomboid-shaped positively birefringent crystals