Ortho - Toronto Notes Flashcards
Varus meaning:
Distal end towards midline
vaRus = towaRds
Valgus meaning:
Distal end away from midline
vaLgus = distaL
Quick motor exam of fingers with nerve supply:
- Thumbs up = PIN (Radial nerve)
- Okay sign = AIN (Median nerve)
- Spread fingers = Ulnar nerve
Rule of 2s for XRs:
2 sides = bilateral
2 views = AP + lat
2 joints = joint above + joint below
2 times = before + after reduction
Why do we splint?
- Pain control
- Reduces further damage to vessels, nerves & skin
- Decreases risk of converting closed # to open #
- Aids in patient transport
Indications for open reduction:
NO CAST
- Non-union
- Open #
- Compromise - N/V
- Displaced intra-Articular #
- Salter Harris 3, 4, 5
- Trauma - poly
- Failed closed reduction
- Unable to apply cast - hip #
- Pathological #
Axillary nerve:
- Nerve roots
- Motor
- Sensory
- C5, C6
- Deltoid/ teres minor/ triceps long head
- Lateral upper arm - sergeants patch
Musculocutaneous nerve:
- Nerve roots
- Motor
- Sensors
- C5, C6
- Biceps/ brachialis
- Lateral forearm
Radial nerve:
- Nerve roots
- Motor
- Sensors
- C5, C6, C7, C8
- Triceps (medial & lateral heads)/ wrist/ thumb/ finger extensors
- Lateral sprain of hand/ medial upper forearm
Compartment Syndrome - Def:
- Increased interstitial pressure
- In a closed osteofascial compartment
- Where interstitial pressure exceeds capillary perfusion pressure
- Resulting in muscle necrosis (4-6 hrs)
- And eventually nerve necrosis
Compartment Syndrome - aetiology:
- Intracompartmental - fractures (tibial shaft/ paeds supracondylar/ forearm #), crush injuries, gunshot wounds
- Extracompartmental - constrictive dressings (circumferential cast), circumferential burn
Compartment Syndrome - pathophysiology:
- Increased intracompartmental pressure due to bleeding & swelling
- Decreased venous & lymphatic drainage
- Intracompartmental pressure exceeds capillary perfusion pressure
- Muscle & nerve anoxia
- Acidosis
- Muscle & nerve necrosis
- Leaky basement membranes
- Transudation into tissue & surrounding compartment
- Further increases intracompartmental pressure
Compartment Syndrome - Clinical features:
5 Ps
- Pain out of proportion to injury & not relieved by analgesics (first Sx)
- Paraesthesia
- Paralysis (late)
- Pallor (late)
- Pulselessness (late)
Compartment Syndrome - most NB sign:
- Pain with passive stretch
Compartment Syndrome - most NB Sx:
- Pain out of proportion to injury
Compartment Syndrome - Investigations:
- Is a clinical diagnosis
2. Compartment pressure measurements (in unconscious/ polytrauma/ child) - pressure > 30 mmHg of DBP
Compartment Syndrome - Mx:
- Initial Mx - remove constrictive dressings (casts, splits)/ keep limb at level of the heart (prevents hypoperfusion), supplemental O2
- Definitive Mx - urgent fasciotomy
Compartment Syndrome - Cx:
- Volkmann’s ischemic contracture - ischemic necrosis of mm, followed by fibrosis, finally calcification
- Rhabdomyolysis
- Renal failure secondary to myoglobinuria
Median nerve:
- Nerve roots
- Motor
- Sensory
- C6, C7
- Wrist flexors/ wrist abductors/ flexion of 1st, 2nd, 3rd digits
- Palmar thumb to radial half of 4th digit/ dorsal tips of digits 1st to radial half of 4th digit
Ulnar nerve:
- Nerve roots
- Motor
- Sensory
- C8, T1
- Wrist flexors/ wrist adductors/ flexion of 4th & 5th digits
- Medial palm & for sum of hand/ 5th digit & medial half of 4th digit
Tibial nerve:
- Nerve roots
- Motor
- Sensory
- L5, S1
- Ankle plantar flexion/ knee flexion/ great toe flexion
- Sole of foot