Orthopaedics Flashcards
What does the femoral nerve supply?
Motor = knee extension and thigh flexion
Sensory = anterior and medial aspect of thigh and lower leg
What is the most common indication for elective joint replacement?
Osteoarthritis
What are options for joint replacement?
Total joint replacement
Hemiarthroplasty
Partial joint resurfacing
What are complications of a hip replacement?
VTE
Fracture
Nerve injury
What are reasons for hip replacement revision?
Aseptic loosening (most common)
Infection
Dislocation
Pain
Which bones have a vulnerable blood supply?
Scaphoid
Femoral head
Humeral head
In the foot = talus, navicular, 5th metatarsal
What is a compound fracture?
The skin is broken and the broken bone is exposed to the air
What is a stable fracture?
The bone bone remains in alignment at the fracture
What is a pathological fracture?
Bone breaks due to an abnormality within the bone
Patient has fallen onto outstretched hand and now has tenderness in the anatomical snuffbox - what is this?
Scaphoid fracture
What is the risk of a scaphoid fracture?
Avascular necrosis due to the retrograde blood supply
What fracture causes a ‘dinner fork deformity’ of the hand?
Colle’s fracture (fracture of the distal radius)
Which classification is used to classify lateral malleolus fractures? How does this affect management?
Weber classification
Described in relation to the distal syndesmosis – fibrous join between the tibia and the fibula
Tibiofibular syndesmosis = very important for stability and function of ankle joint.
A = below ankle (will leave syndesmosis intact)
B = at level of ankle (syndesmosis may be intact or partially torn)
C = above ankle (syndesmosis will be disrupted)
If syndesmosis disrupted - surgery more likely to be needed
Which are the main cancers which metastasise to bone
PoRTaBLe
Prostate
Renal
Thyroid
Breast
Lung
What are complications of fractures?
Damage to local structures
Haemorrhage
Compartment syndrome
Fat embolism
Avascular necrosis
Infection
What is a fat embolism and how does it present?
Fat globules get released into the circulation following fracture of a long bone (e.g. femur)
Systemic inflammatory response - respiratory distress, petechial rash, cerebral involvement
Management is supportive
What are signs of a scaphoid fracture?
Tenderness over the anatomical snuffbox
Wrist joint effusion
Pain on ulnar deviation
Loss of grip/pinc strength
How can a scaphoid fracture be diagnosed?
MRI
How is a scaphoid fracture treated?
Initial management is to immobilise with a splint
Then..
Undisplaced = cast for 6-8 weeks
Displaced or in the scaphoid pole = surgical fixation required
After a fall on outstretched hands, the elbow is in a semi-flexed position with swelling - what is it?
Supracondylar fracture of the humerus
Sharp pain in elbow on pronation/supination after FOOSH - what is it ?
Radial head fracture
How is a rib fracture diagnosed?
CT chest
How is a rib fracture managed?
Conservatively with analgesia
Surgery if not healed by 12 weeks
What is a buckle fracture?
A type of fracture that occurs in children
One side of bone bends without breaking, forming a small buckle
What is a greenstick fracture?
Paediatric fracture
When only one side of the cortex is breached
What is a complete fracture?
Both sides of the cortex are breached
What are causes of pathological fractures in children?
Osteogenesis imperfecta
Osteopetrosis
What are risk factors for hip fractures?
Increasing age
Osteoporosis
Female
Prev fracture
parent w fracture
What are the two types of hip fractures? What are these in relation to?
In relation to the intertrochanteric line
Extracapsular (below the intertrochanteric line) –> This can be split into intertrochanteric and subtrochanteric
Intracapsular (above the intertrochanteric line)
Which type of hip fracture is more severe?
Intracapsular
How can we classify intracapsular hip fractures?
Garden classification
Type I = incomplete, non-displaced
Type II = complete, non-displaced
Type III = complete, partially displaced
Type IV = complete, completely displaced
How do you manage an intracapsular hip fracture? Displaced vs. non-displaced
Displaced = requires total hip arthroplasty or hemiarthroplasty
Non-displaced = internal fixation
What criteria does a patient need to meet for a total hip arthroplasty?
Able to walk independently
No cognitive impairment
Medically fit for procedure + anaesthesia
How is an extra capsular hip fracture managed?
Dynamic hip screw
How does a hip fracture present?
Pain in groin/hip
Pain may radiate to knee
Unable to weight bear
Shortened, abducted and externally rotated leg
What can you look for on pelvic x-ray to indicate a hip fracture?
Disruption of Shenton’s line
What are the two types of hip dislocation and how do they present?
Posterior hip dislocation = shortened, adducted, internally rotated
Anterior hip dislocation = abducted, externally rotated
What are complications of a hip dislocation?
Sciatic nerve injury
Avascular necrosis
Osteoarthritis
What are risk factors for avascular necrosis?
Long term steroid use
Chemotherapy
Alcohol excess
Trauma
What are signs of a vertebral fracture?
Loss of height
Kyphosis (curvature of spine)
Localised tenderness to palpation
What is seen on spinal X-ray in a vertebral fracture?
Wedging
What is compartment syndrome?
Complication that can occur following fractures/trauma
Causes increased pressure within the compartment which compromises tissue perfusion and leads to necrosis
What are the 2 main fractures that cause compartment syndrome?
Supracondylar fracture
Tibial shaft injuries
How does compartment syndrome present?
Disproportionate pain
Parasthaesia
Pallor
Pulses = present
Pulses may become absent in. later stages
How is compartment syndrome diagnosed?
Primarily clinical diagnosis
Needle manometry can show elevated intracompartmental pressure <40 = diagnostic
How is compartment syndrome managed?
Initial = elevate, remove any bandages
Emergency fasciomomy
What is the main acute complication of fasciotomy?
Myoglobinuria causing AKI
What is the most common mode of infection to bone in osteomyelitis?
Haematogenous - through the blood
Can also be via ulcer/fracture/surgery
What is the most common causative organism of osteomyelitis?
Staph aureus
What are risk factors for osteomyelitis?
Diabetes
Increasing age
Peripheral vascular disease
Immunocompromised
How does osteomyelitis present?
Fever
Pain
Signs of local inflammation - erythema, tenderness, swelling
May be some evidence of ulcer/skin break
How is osteomyelitis diagnosed?
If there is a wound can do a wound swab
MRI = diagnostic
What is seen on x-ray in osteomyelitis?
Periosteal reaction
Local osteopenia
Cortical loss
Bone lysis
How is osteomyelitis managed?
IV 6 week course of flucloxacillin
Clindamycin if pen-allergic
Which bone malignancy causes a sunburst appearance on x-ray?
Osteosarcoma
Which bone malignancy causes an onion skin appearance on x-ray?
Ewing’s sarcoma
Which bone malignancy causes a fluffy popcorn calcification appearance on x-ray?
Chondrosarcoma
How is mechanical back pain managed?
NSAIDs
Codeine