ORTHOPAEDICS Flashcards
What are some risk factors for poor fracture healing?
- older age
- comorbidities (especially DM)
- recent trauma
- smoker
- osteoporosis
- corticosteroids
- NSAIDs
- local fracture complications
What are the steps involved in describing x-rays?
- Site of fracture - which bone/which part of bone
- Type of fracture - transverse, oblique, spiral
- Simple or comminuted
- Displaced or not
- Angulated or not - comment on direction of distal fracture
- Is bone normal consistency or is there signs of pathology?
What will the bone profile be like in osteomalacia/rickets?
Raised ALP
Ca, phosphate normal or low
- Vitamin D low by definition
What will the bone profile be like in bony mets?
Raised ALP
- Ca + phosphate raised/normal
What are the causes of hypercalcaemia with a raised phosphate?
RAISED ALP:
- bony mets
- sarcoidosis
- thyrotoxicosis
- lithium
NORMAL ALP:
- myeloma
- hypervitaminosis D
- sarcoid
What are the causes of hypercalcaemia with a normal/low phosphate?
- primary or tertiary hyperPTH
- familial benign hypercalciuria
- paraneoplastic-PTHrp
What will ECG show in hypercalcaemia?
short QT interval
How is hypercalcaemia managed?
Find + treat underlying cause
- REHYDRATE
- 1L 0.9% NaCl over 4h
- monitor hydration status - FRUSEMIDE
- start when pt volume replete
- use with caution - BISPHOSPHONATES
- only if malignancy is cause
- zolendronic acid infusion
What is the most common type of shoulder dislocation?
Anterior
- common in young males playing sport who have forced arm into abduction, extension + external rotation
What is a Colles’ Fracture?
extra-articular fracture of distal radius with dorsal displacement of distal radius
- dinner fork deformity
What is the most common scaphoid fracture type?
scaphoid
- associated with FOOSH
- AVN is serious complication
What does a shortened, externally rotated leg imply?
Neck of Femur Fracture
How do you manage an undisplaced intracapsular fracture?
Internal fixation with DHS
- if major illness do hemiarthroplasty
How do you manage a displaced intracapsular fracture?
If aged under 70 = internal fixation
If over 70 = total arthroplasty
If major/immobile do hemiarthroplasty
What are the symptoms of fat embolism? When does it tend to occur?
Usually 3-10 days post-long bone fracture.
- altered mental status
- pyrexia, SOB, tachycardia
- petechial rash
- subconjunctival + oral haemorrhage
What does pain on passive muscle stretching indicate?
Compartment syndrome
What does a positive scarf test indicate?
ACJ OA
What are the risk factors for osteoporosis? HINT: shattered.
S - Steroids H - Hyperthyroid, Hyperparathyroid, Hypercalcaemia A - Alcohol excess T - Thin (BMI below 22) T - Testosterone reduced E - Early menopause R - Renal/Liver failure E - Erosive or Inflammatory arthritis D - Dietary calcium low, malabsorption, T1DM
If some has osteoporosis, what treatment is there?
LIFESTYLE - STOP smoking + reduce alcohol - weight bearing exercise - balance exercises to reduce falls - calcium + vitamin D rich diets - falls prevention programme PHARMACOLOGICAL - bisphosphonates (alendronate) - calcium + vit D - HRT - strontium ranelate
What is the difference between rickets + osteomalacia?
Rickets is when growing
Osteomalacia after epiphyses have fused
What is the difference between osteoporosis + osteomalacia?
In osteoporosis, bones are brittle + porous
- mineral to collagen ratio is normal
In osteomalacia, they are soft
- mineral to collagen ratio is reduced
What are the typical features of Rickets?
knock-knee
bow leg
features of hypocalcaemia
How do you manage osteomalacia/rickets?
Calcium with vitamin D tablets
What is Paget’s disease?
Increased bone turnover
- disorder of osteoclasts with excessive osteoclast resorption followed by increased osteoblast activity
- common but only symptomatic in 1 in 20mins
What is the typical presentation of Paget’s?
Older male with bone pain + isolated rise in ALP
How do you manage Paget’s?
No cure - but treatment can help relieve symptoms
Bisphosphonates or calcitonin can be given
- Supportive therapies e.g. physio, OT, walking stick, orthotics, brace for spine
What is multiple myeloma a cancer of?
Plasma cells
- type of B lymphocyte that produces antibodies
What are the symptoms of multiple myeloma?
- Backache + bone pain
- pathological #s + vertebral collapse - BM infiltration = anaemia, neutropenia, thrombocytopenia
- Renal disease = AKI
- hypercalcaemia - Hyper-viscosity = easy bruising/bleeding or reduced/loss of sight
What investigations should be performed in multiple myeloma? What will they show?
- FBC - anaemia
- Raised Ca + normal ALP
- Raised ESR
- Serum electrophoresis + serum immunoglobulins
- Bence-jones protein on urine electrophoresis
BM Trephine biopsy is essential for diagnosis
What complications can arise as a result of multiple myeloma? How do you treat them?
- Hypercalcaemia
- IV fluids, bisphosphonates, frusemide - Cord Compression
- MRI, dex + radiotherapy - Hyperviscocity
- plasmapheresis - AKI
- rehydration + dialysis
How do you manage mechanical back pain? What is its typical course?
Self-limiting, 70% recover within 3-weeks + 90% by 6-weeks
- 50% experience another ep w/in 1 year
1. Pain relief - paracetamol + ibuprofen
2. Exercise to improve function, rest for only 48h
3. Lifestyle to prevent recurrence
4. Psychosocial issues
What are the most common levels of lumbar disc prolapse?
L4/L5 disc
L5/S1 disc
What is Lasegue’s sign positive? What condition does it suggest?
Pain on straight leg raise
- indicative of lumbar disc prolapse
What signs/symptoms will pts have in L4/L5 compression? HINT L5 compression
- weak ankle dorsiflexion (test by having walk on heels)
- weak foot inversion
- Decreased sensation on dorsum of foot
- reflexes intact!!!
What signs/symptoms will pts have in L5/S1 compression? HINT S1 compression.
- Sensory loss sole of foot + back of calf
- Weak plantarflexion + eversion
- Reduced ankle reflex
What is the management of lumbar disc prolpase?
Similar to that of other mechanical back pain
= analgesia, physiotherapy, exercises
BUT if symptoms persist (e.g. after 4-6 weeks) then referral for consideration of MRI is appropriate - may need discectomy
What tends to cause cauda equina syndrome?
Usually from large prolapses or hernation of lumbar discs, but may be from extrinsic tumours, primary cord tumours, spondylosis or spinal stenosis
How do you diagnose cauda equina syndrome?
MRI!
Refer to neurosurgery URGENTLY
How do you diagnose + treat lumbar spine stenosis?
MRI
- decompressive laminectomy gives good results if NSAIDs, epidural steroid injection + corsets fail to help