Orthopaedics Part 2 Flashcards
What is De Quervain’s tenosynovitis?
- sheath containing extensor pollicis brevis and abductor pollicis longs tendons inflamed
- females 30-50yo
Features of De Quervain’s tenosynovitis:
- pain on radial side of wrist
- tenderness over radial styloid process
- abduction of thumb against resistance painful
- Finkelstein’s test
What is Finkelstein’ test?
- pull thumb in ulnar deviation and longitudinal traction
- pain over radial styloid process along length of extensor pollicis brevis and abductor pollicis longus
Management De Quervain’s tenosynovitis:
- analgesia
- steroid injection
- immobilisation with thumb splint
- surgical treatment sometimes
What is discitis and what are the features?
- infection in intervertebral disc space
- can lead to serious complications such as sepsis or epidural abscess
- back pain, pyrexia, riggers, sepsis
- neurological features: e.g. changing lower limb neurology, if epidural abscess develops
Causes of discitis:
- bacterial: staph aureus most common
- viral
- TB
- aseptic
Diagnosis and Treatment of discitis:
- MRI has highest sensitivity
- CT guided biopsy may be required
- 6-8 weeks IV Abx
- identify organism with positive culture with bloods or CT guided
Further investigation required when someone has discitis:
assess for endocarditis e.g. with trans thoracic echo or transesophageal echo
In whom is dupuytren’s contracture most common?
older male patients with 60-70% positive family history
Specific causes of dupuytren’s contracture:
- manual labour
- phenytoin treatment
- alcoholic liver disease
- diabetes mellitus
- trauma to hand
Management of Dupuytren’s contracture:
consider surgical treatment when metacarpophalangeal joints cannot be straightened and thus the hand cannot be placed flat on the table (fasciectomy)
can recur and risks neuromuscular damage
Features of lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow):
- pain localised to lateral epicondyle
- worse on resisted wrist extension with albow extended or supination of forearm with elbow extended
- episodes 6 months - 2 years
- acute pain 6-12 weeks
Features of medial epicondylitis (golfer’s elbow):
- pain and tenderness localised to medial epicondyle
- aggravated by writs flexion and pronation
- numbness/tingling in 4th and 5th finger due to ulnar nerve involvement
What is radial tunnel syndrome and what are the features?
- compression of posterior interosseous branch of radial nerve
- result of overuse
- symptoms similar to lateral epicondylitis
- pain 4-5cm distal to lateral epicondyle
- worsened by extending elbow and pronating forearm
What is cubital tunnel syndrome and what are the features?
- compression of ulnar nerve
- initially intermittent tingling in 4th and 5th finger
- worse when elbow on firm surface for extended periods
- later numbness in 4th and 5th finger with weakness
What is olecranon bursitis?
swelling over posterior aspect of elbow - pain, warmth, erythema (middle aged males)
What is a Smith’s fracture?
- reverse Colles
- volar angulation of distal radius fragment (garden spade deformity)
- by falling backwards onto palm of outstretched hand or falling with wrists flexed
What is a Bennett’s fracture?
- intra-articular fracture of first carpometacarpal joint
- impact on flexed metacarpal, caused by fist fights
- x-ray: triangular fragment at ulnar base of metacarpal
What is a Monteggia’s fracture?
- dislocation of proximal radioulnar joint in association with an ulna fracture
- fall on outstretched hand with forced pronation
- needs prompt diagnosis to avoid disability
What is Galeazzi fracture?
- radial shaft fracture with associated dislocation of distal radioulnar joint
- direct blow
What is a Pott’s fracture?
- bimalleolar ankle fracture
- forced foot eversion
What is a Barton’s fracture?
- distal radius fracture (Colles/Smith) with associated radoiocarpal dislocation
- fall onto extended and pronated wrist
Fat embolism in respiratory system features:
- early persistent tachy
- tachypnoea, dyspnoea, hypoxia 72 hours post injury
- pyrexia
Fat embolism in dermatological system features:
- red/brown impalpable petechial rash
- subconjunctival and oral haemorrhage/petechiae
Fat embolism in CNS features:
- confusion and agitation
- retinal haemorrhages and intra-arterial fat globules on fundoscopy
Treatment fat embolus:
- prompt fixation of long bone fractures
- DVT prophylaxis
- general supportive care
Fracture types:
- oblique
- comminuted
- segmental
- transverse
- spiral
Gustilo and Anderson classification system:
1: low energy wound <1cm
2: greater than 1cm wound with moderate soft tissue damage
3: high energy wound >1 cm with extensive soft tissue damage
3A: adequate soft tissue coverage
3B: inadequate soft tissue coverage
3C: arterial injury
Management of fractures:
- immbolise including proximal and distal joints
- monitor neuromuscular status
- tetanus prophylaxis
- IV broad spec antibiotics for open injuries
- debride thoroughly if open
- open fractures constitute an emergency and should be lavage within 6 hours
What is a ganglion?
- cyst arising from joint or tendon sheath
- most commonly around back of wrist and 3 times more common in women
- often disappear spontaneously after several months
What is greater trochanteric pain syndrome?
- trochanteric bursitis
- repeated movement of fibroelastic iliotibial band
- most common 50-70yo
- pain over lateral hip/thigh
- tenderness on palpation of greater trochanter