Impact of triple pelvic osteotomy on contact stress pressure distribution in the hip joint

Purpose

We studied changes of contact stress distribution in the hip joint after Tonnis triple pelvic osteotomy applied in the treatment of dysplasia and hip joint incongruence in adolescents.

Methods

In a group of 75 patients, 54 (72 %) female, who underwent surgery by triple pelvic osteotomy in adolescence for developmental disorder of the hip and avascular necrosis of the femoral head, a three-dimensional hip joint model was used based on the radiography of the pelvis with hips. The following biomechanical parameters were calculated: resultant hip force normalised to body weight (R/Wb), inclination of the resultant hip force (θ−R), the position of the stress pole (θ), peak contact hip stress (Pmax), and peak contact hip stress normalised to body weight (Pmax/Wb). Gait quality was also assessed.

Results

After surgery the Wiberg CE angle was increased by 17.85° (114 %), resultant hip force normalised to body weight (R/Wb) was decreased by 0.107 (3.3 %), the position of the stress pole was shifted medially by 27.59° (63.5 %), and peak contact hip stress normalised to body weight (Pmax/Wb) was decreased by 2249.74 (55.9 %). Waddling gait was reduced from 17 (23.9 %) to four cases (5.6 %). All changes were statistically highly significant (p<0.01).

Conclusions

The effect of Tonnis triple pelvic osteotomy lies in the improvement of stress distribution across the acetabular cartilage of the hip joint, thus slowing down the degenerative damage of the hip joint.     

A case report of rapid spontaneous redistribution of acute supratentorial subdural hematoma to the entire spinal subdural space presenting as a Pourfour du Petit Syndrome and review of the literature

Objective

This report illustrates the rare rapid spontaneous redistribution of an acute intracranial supratentorial subdural hematoma (AISSDH) to the entire spinal subdural space (SSS). The study is also unique in that the spinal subdural hematoma (SSH) manifested by the extremely rare Pourfour du Petit Syndrome (PPS).

Methods

A 66-year-old man sustained blunt head trauma. On admission to the regional hospital, he scored 6 on GCS and his pupils were of equal size reacting to light. Initial computed tomography (CT) scan showed a unilateral AISSDH. The patient was referred to our department and arrived 16 h following the accident, at which time a repeat CT scan revealed almost complete resolution of the AISSDH without clinical improvement. On the 9th postinjury day transient anisocoria and tachycardia without spinal symptomatology developed. Since neither neurological examination nor follow-up CT scans showed intracranial pathology explaining the anisocoria, the patient was treated further conservatively. During the next 3 days circulatory instability developed and the patient succumbed to primary traumatic injury. Autopsy revealed a SSH occupying the entire SSS.

Conclusion

This case calls attention to the unique combination of the displacement of an AISSDH to the SSS and the presentation of this clinical entity by the PPS.     

Subdural evacuating port system (SEPS)—Minimally invasive approach to the management of chronic/subacute subdural hematomas

Objective

The population suffering from chronic/subacute subdural hematomas (SDHs) generally includes elderly patients with co-morbidities; therefore the success of less invasive surgical techniques has been of long standing interest. The optimum treatment option for chronic/subacute SDH has not been well established. We report our retrospective outcomes of SDH drainage through a subdural evacuating port system (SEPS).

Patients and methods

Fifty-two consecutive adult patients with chronic/subacute SDH treated with SEPS (total 64 procedures), over a period of 3 years (June 2006–June 2009), were included. 9/52 patients had SEPS performed for bilateral SDHs. Three patients had SEPS placed for recurrent SDH. This retrospective study was approved by the Institutional Review Board of SUNY Upstate Medical University and Crouse Hospital.

Results

Overall 38/52 patients (73%) showed clinical improvement, 10/52 patients (19%) did not show any clinical improvement and 4/52 (8%) patients became clinically worse after the SEPS placement during initial hospitalization. 41/52 patients, treated initially with SEPS were followed as outpatients. 32/41 patients improved, returning to baseline neurological status, 5/41 patients improved, but still had some residual symptoms. The remaining 4/41 patients, presented with recurrent symptoms and had recurrent SDH on CT scans. During the in-hospital post-SEPS period, 8 SDH had >75% decrease, 17 SDH had between 50 and 75% decrease, 23 SDH had between 25 and 50% decrease and 14 procedures had <25% decrease in maximal width of the SDH on postoperative scans. Outpatient follow up CT scans after SEPS placement were available for 46/64 procedures. At final outpatient follow up, 33/46 SDHs showed >75% decrease in maximal thickness, 4/46 SDH showed between 50 and 75% and 2/46 SDH showed between 25 and 50% decreases in maximal width of chronic SDH. However, in 7/46 patients, SDH re-accumulated (i.e. increased in thickness) as outpatients, after initial response to treatment on post-operative in-hospital CT scans.

Conclusion

SEPS is an effective, relatively safe and convenient treatment strategy with low invasiveness; among management options of chronic/subacute SDH.     

Current status of epilepsy health care for adult patients from Central and Eastern European Union Countries—A survey of members of the Central Europe Epilepsy Experts Working Group

PurposeThe aim of this survey was to review and compare the current approaches to epilepsy management in Central and Eastern EU (CEEU) countries.MethodThe questionnaire was sent to ten invited experts from Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia. It focused on the treatment of adults.ResultsThe number of neurologists and epilepsy reference centers is highly variable in CEEU countries. None of the analyzed states has a formal specialization in epileptology. No universal state-approved criteria for reference centers exist in Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, and Slovenia. Generally, the protocols for epilepsy treatment in CEEU countries, including drug-resistant epilepsy, are in accordance with international guidelines; however, most countries have their own national standards of care and some have local clinical guidelines. Also, the reimbursement systems for antiepileptic drugs in CEEU countries are highly variable. Seven countries have epilepsy surgery centers. The costs of epilepsy surgeries are fully reimbursed, procedures performed abroad may also be covered. The length of time spent on waiting lists for surgery following the completion of preoperative investigations varies from two weeks to three years. The fraction of patients who qualified and were operated on within 12 months ranges from 20% to 100%.ConclusionThe lack of unified procedures pertaining to the evaluation and therapy of epilepsy is reflected by marked differences in access to treatment modalities for patients from CEEU countries.