Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to Gideon Mann.
Each of the seven systems described has advantages and drawbacks that consist of ease or difficulty of application, accuracy, validity, and availability. This article should contribute to make these systems better known and easier to apply, and thus, will encourage their use in clinical practice. [Fig.: see text].
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Iron deficiency anemia has long been known to impair physical and mental performance. Iron deficiency itself, even without anemia, may also cause such an effect. Similar to female athletes, women in active military units may have increased risks for iron deficiency and its detrimental effects. Female recruits were screened for anemia and iron store status, and a questionnaire on lifestyle habits and menstruation was completed. Iron depletion (serum ferritin level of <20 microg/L) was found for 77% of study participants. Iron deficiency (ferritin level of <12 microg/L and transferrin saturation of <15%) was found for 15% of study participants. Anemia was found for 24% of subjects, and iron deficiency anemia was found for 10% of subjects. High prevalence of iron depletion, iron deficiency, anemia, and iron deficiency anemia was found among female recruits intended for active military duty. Therefore, a recommendation can be made to screen such female recruits for anemia and iron stores.
Injuries around the elbow joint in children can be difficult to diagnose on the basis of findings on physical examination and radiographs. We present the case of a 4-year-old girl with a probable subluxation of the radial head, based on the findings on physical examination and radiographs. Radiography raised the possibility of a radial head subluxation. Sonography demonstrated displacement of the cartilaginous head of the radius away from the capitellum in the affected elbow. The child underwent corrective surgery. During fluoroscopy, results of an ulnar stress test were positive for lateral ligament tears. The patient's arm was put in a cast for 6 weeks. At 1-year follow-up, the patient had full range of motion of the elbow without pain. We present the findings of sonographic studies used to confirm the diagnosis.
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BACKGROUND: Ankle sprains are frequent, especially in athletes, soldiers, or others who perform high levels of physical activity. Although prevention is a primary goal, little is known about the risk factors. We evaluated the association of the structure of the medial arch of the foot to the occurrence of acute and recurrent ankle sprains in 83 female infantry recruits. We found no previous studies on ankle sprains in women in the English literature. METHODS: Arch height was quantified using the Chippaux-Smirak index, and each arch was classified as high, normal, or low. Retrospective data were obtained from questionnaires in which the soldiers noted whether or not they had had ankle sprains in the past, the grade of the sprain, and recurrence. Prospective data were accumulated in the 4 months of basic training, during which time every ankle sprain was documented and classified according to its grade and cause. RESULTS: The retrospective data showed more frequent ankle sprains in the low arch group than in the normal arch group, mainly in the right foot (RR of 2.9, p <0.05). Recurrent sprains studied retrospectively also showed that more sprains occurred in the low arch group than in the normal arch and high arch groups (RR of 10.3, p <0.05). The prospective data suggested a pattern toward the same outcome (50% in the low arch as opposed to 36% in the normal arch group, RR, 1.3), but with no statistical significance. CONCLUSIONS: We concluded that a low arch of the foot might be a risk factor for ankle sprains. However, our study consisted of a relatively small population, and further studies are needed.
STUDY DESIGN: A historical prospective case/control study of the significance and correlation between pre-employment findings of L5-S1 spondylolysis and sickness absenteeism due to low back pain among police officers. OBJECTIVES: Examining the importance of pre-employment lumbar spine radiographs as a prediction of work absenteeism. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Spondylolysis is a defect in the pars interarticularis. Its etiology remains controversial, it is a common condition among young athletes, and it carries genetic predisposition. Although described mostly as an incidental radiographic finding in the adult population, spondylolysis is implicated as a contributing factor to low back pain, although the cause-and-effect relation is not clear. METHODS: One hundred and sixty-nine police officers with L5-S1 spondylolysis were identified out of 3988 examined. Incidence density of sickness absenteeism due to low back pain was calculated for the patients and the controls. The Cox's proportional hazard model was used for comparison between the two groups, controlling for possible confounding variables. RESULTS: Similar incidence of sickness absenteeism due to low back pain was found among the patients and controls. The total duration of sickness absenteeism, however, was 2.7 times higher in the spondylolysis group than the controls. Prevalence of spondylolysis is origin specific, denoting genetic predisposition to this condition. Total sickness absenteeism not related to low back pain was not significantly different between the two study groups. CONCLUSIONS: There is low predictive value of pre-employment lumbar spine radiograph as a screening tool predicting sickness absenteeism due to low back pain. Spondylolysis, however, may increase the duration of sickness absenteeism in patients with low back pain.
BACKGROUND: Technetium (Tc) 99m bone scan is used as a diagnostic tool in cases of suspected fractures, and in differentiating between old and acute fracture. The false negative rate 72h after the injury in the under 65-year-old population is less than 5%. CASE PRESENTED: A 53-year-old motorcyclist was admitted to the emergency room after a road accident, suffering fractures of the tibia and both clavicles. A Tc 99m bone scan that was performed more than 72h after the injury, because of suspicion of an undiagnosed hip fracture, did not demonstrate increased uptake at the fracture sites. UNIQUENESS: The person involved was relatively young (53 years old), and the bone scan was performed more than 3 days after the injury. Despite these two facts, the bone scan was negative at the fracture sites.
OBJECTIVES: Evaluation of patients with a second hip fracture, which means a fracture of the contralateral hip. DESIGN: Retrospective database analysis. SETTINGS: Academic teaching hospital. PATIENTS: All patients who were admitted for their second hip fractures between November 1999 and September 2001 and had their first hip fracture treated in our institution. INTERVENTION: In this study, we epidemiologically analyzed the fracture types, the interval between the two fractures, general status of the patients, type of operation performed, and the postfracture independence level. RESULTS: This survey comprises 84 patients (65 females and 19 males). Their ages ranged from 57 to 91 years (mean: 79) and 58 to 93 years (mean: 82) for the first and the second operation, respectively. The interval between the operations ranged from 2 to 297 months (mean: 35 months, median: 30 months). Twenty-three patients had subcapital fractures in both hips. In 54 patients, bilateral intertrochanteric fractures were noted. Only 7 patients had a previous subcapital fracture and a second intertrochanteric fracture. The general status of the patients' health was defined by the number of pre-existing major medical conditions and was found to be between 0 and 4 (mean: 2.15). Thirty-two patients (38%) had additional fractures somewhere between 1 and 8 years prior to the hip fracture (vertebra, proximal humerus, or distal radius). Sixty-eight and 56 out of the 84 patients reached the same mobility status after the first and second operation, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: A tendency was found for the second hip fracture to be of the same type as the previous one. Most patients showed a good potential for rehabilitation and for maintaining their prefall functional level.
This retrospective study evaluated the economic consequences of delaying hip fracture surgery in 191 elderly patients. Data was collected regarding fracture type, surgery, timing of surgery, background diseases, postoperative hospital stay, and complications. In addition, calculation of the drugs administered to the patients, cost of the surgery, blood transfusion, physiotherapy, laboratory examinations, radiographs, and any financial data were evaluated. Spending more resources for performing hip surgery within 48 hours is more cost-effective than delaying surgery past the third day.
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The authors describe a modified method for arthroscopic meniscal repair in which polydioxanone sutures are placed in the torn meniscus using needles and nylon loops. Conventional methods require the use of expensive instruments, which are not always available. However, our method is fast and simple. This technique also simplifies inserting multiple sutures to achieve adequate stability of the torn meniscus.
The most important factor to cause hip fractures in elderly is probably osteoporosis. Other factors are the increase in fall frequency and the protective response to trauma. Osteoporotic fractures occur most commonly, at the hip, vertebra, distal radius and proximal humerus. A combination of these is uncommon. Thirty-two women and six men treated between January 1990 and December 1999 for a combination of subcapital fracture of the humerus and hip fractures were evaluated retrospectively. The following parameters were reviewed: age, sex, pre-fall function, use of drugs, chronic and acute comorbidity, circumstances of the fall, length of hospitalization, treatment procedure, complications and post-hospitalization rehabilitation. Group I consisted of 15 patients aged 70-80 years and group II consisted of the remaining 23 patients, older than 80 years. In all 38 patients the simultaneous fractures were ipsilaterally. Hospital stay ranged from 7 to 17 days for the discharged 37 patients. Twenty-six of 28 patients, who were transferred to a rehabilitation center, returned to their previous activity of daily living (ADL). Among the nine remaining patients only five gained full recovery. A combination of fractures, occurs in the higher-age group, is quite traumatic to the patient and probably involves a greater impact force. In all patients it occurs in the ipsilateral side. In the elderly, even a minimal transmission to the osteoporotic hip can cause a fracture. The double trauma represents a better pre-morbid condition relative to patients in the same age group, thus it may serve as a prognostic indicator for success in rehabilitation.
Elderly patients tend to fracture the patella because of a simple fall. In this group of patients restoration of primary functional level is crucial. Sixty-eight patients more than 65 years of age with patellar fractures, who were treated in our institution between January 1990 and December 1999 were evaluated. There were 43 females and 25 males. The ages ranged from 65 to 88 years (17 patients>80). We focus on the mechanism, which led to the fracture, the pre-morbid and post-morbid state of the patients and the various aspects of treatment in this group of patients. The majority (82%) had a simple fall. Half of the patients had background diseases. Forty-five patients (66%) had comminuted patellar fracture. In 58 patients (85%) the extensor mechanism was disrupted, which therefore, necessitated an operation (group I). The rest, ten patients, were treated conservatively (group II). Follow-up time ranged between 0.5 and 10.5 years (mean 4.5 years). Minor complications were noted in five patients. Sixty patients (88%) had intact extensor mechanism, while five patients in group I (9%) and three in group II (30%) had extension-lag of 10-30 degrees (P<0.05). None of the patients had non-union, cosmetic disturbances or developed osteoarthritis. Fifty-six patients (82%) (41 patients in group I and five in group II, P<0.05) achieved the same independence mobility status post-fracture. In elderly patients the cause of the fracture is a direct blow by simple fall to the patella causing comminuted fractures; however, with these patients excellent or good results were eventually achieved. Surgical treatment yielded better results than non-surgical.
PURPOSE: To report about different scales and scoring systems used to evaluate elderly patient with hip fracture during the acute post-fracture phase and during post-operative rehabilitation. METHODS AND RESULTS: Report of the different scales from a literature review. CONCLUSIONS: Standard validated scales are one of the tools to perform such an evaluation process as objectively as possible and to evaluate surgical, medical and rehabilitative management in these elderly patients. These scales are only a complementary tool, and they cannot replace physical examination. However, these validated tools are probably more accurate than just clinical impression. The appropriate combination of clinical experience and these scales may well contribute to a better care of elderly patients with hip fractures.