Terms and factoids to know Flashcards
a sensation of pricking, tingling, or creeping on the skin having no objective cause and usually associated with injury or irritation of a sensory nerve or nerve root
paresthesia
irritation of or injury to a nerve ROOT (as from being compressed) that typically causes pain, numbness, or weakness in the part of the body which is supplied with nerves from that root
radiculopathy
The surgical fixation of a joint, ultimately resulting in bone fusion
arthrodesis
short-segment structural thoracolumbar kyphosis resulting in sharp angulation
gibbus deformity
tearing injury to ligaments
sprain
tearing injury to muscle fibers
strain
~injury to ulnar collateral ligament of thumb
~weak pinching ability, pain and ecchymosis at metacarpal-phalangeal joint on ulnar aspect of thumb
acute: skier’s thumb
repetitive stress injury: gamekeeper’s thumb
~injury to extensor tendon of DIP joint of finger
~results in flexor tendon being unopposed so tip of finger is flexed
mallet finger
~aka flexor tenosynovitis
~after flexing the finger, patient notes a “catching” and must use opposite hand to force finger back into an extended position
trigger finger
benign, painless mass in hand or wrist caused by localized leakage of joint fluid through a weakness in joint capsule
ganglion cyst
painful, red, swollen soft tissue infection (bacterial, fungal, etc.) around a fingernail
paronychia
~extremely painful abscess on the palmar aspect of the fingertip
~aka whitlow
felon
~blunt trauma or crush injury that causes pain and discoloration of nail = _______
~severe cases may need ________ (making a hole in the nail)
subungual hematoma
trephination
~a distal phalanx fracture with small pieces of bone chipped off the edge of the distal phalanx
~requires splinting for 3-6 weeks or until patient is pain-free
tuft fracture
~thickened cords of the palmar fascia that cause flexion contractures of the metacarpophalangeal and proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joints
~more common in males
~strong familial tendency
Dupuytren contracture
~no man’s land of the hand
~the fibrous sheath of the flexor tendons of the hand, specifically in the zone from the distal palmar crease to the proximal interphalangeal joint
~Painful condition characterized by significant restriction in both active and passive range of motion of shoulder. The shoulder is characterized as being stiff when the articular surfaces are normal and the joint is stable, yet there is a restriction in range of motion
~if motion is restricted for months, fibrous arthrodesis can occur
~treatment is ROM exercises
frozen shoulder
piriformis syndrome
~Compression of the sciatic nerve usually causes pain in the distal extremity, but irritation of the sciatic nerve from the piriformis muscle causes pain in the area of the buttocks and hamstring muscles - piriformis syndrome!
~Made worse by sitting, climbing stairs or squatting
~There may be a palpable, tender mass over the piriformis muscle, with pain in the region of the sacroiliac joint or gluteal musculature
~Hip flexion and passive internal rotation will exacerbate the symptoms
How can you differentiate, on xray, the appearance of a new vs old fracture?
new: no/minimal callus; fracture edges are clear and sharp
old: much more callus formation; there is fuzziness around the edges of the fracture pieces
Ottawa Ankle/Foot Rules
An ankle xray series is only required if:
- bone tenderness at lateral or medial malleolus
OR
- inability to bear weight
A foot xray series is only required if:
- bone tenderness at base of 5th metatarsal or navicular bone
OR
- inability to bear weight
What is one radiographic difference between benign and malignant orthopedic neoplasms?
Benign: can see rim of periosteal bone around neoplasm
Malignant: no rim of periosteal bone around neoplasm; poorly demarcated transitional zone
This type of testing modality is useful for providing physiologic information (rather than anatomic).
Osteoblast activity is labeled with a radioactive tracer.
A disorder that results in increased bone formation has a “hot” scan (osteoblastic activity), and a “cold” scan implies the problem is a soft tissue problem.
bone scan
A type of radiography that shows internal images in REAL TIME (evaluates JOINT MOTION - used by surgeons to monitor placement of hardware)
fluoroscopy
Gold standard for measuring bone density (osteoporosis)
DEXA scan
This imaging modality is great for diagnosing injuries of soft tissues (muscles, tendons, ligaments, infection) as well as for determining osteomyelitis
MRI
Imaging modality useful in assessment of COMPLEX fractures (fracture in multiple planes) and in evaluation of bone tumors
CT
If you are prescribing opiates, what MUST you prescribe along with it?
stool softener/laxative/bowel stimulant
10 yo boy complaining of pain where the patellar tendon attaches to the tibial tubercle when squatting and walking stairs. You know that this syndrome will resolve spontaneously when the physis closes at physical maturity. Until then symptomatic management is appropriate.
What is this syndrome?
Osgood-Schlatter syndrome
Fancy word for ingrown toenail
onychocryptosis
Pain on plantar aspect of first metatarsophalangeal joint when walking/bearing weight. Point tenderness there. May be caused by overuse, shoes…may place a short walking cast, and also provide symptomatic treatment. If 12 months of conservative treatment doesn’t provide relief, may surgically remove the affected tiny bone.
What is this condition?
sesamoiditis
If you see thenar eminence atrophy, what is your diagnosis?
carpal tunnel syndrome
What is a major complication that could happen after a scaphoid fracture?
avascular necrosis
migratory arthritis
gonococcal arthritis
