Joint preserving surgery for rheumatoid forefoot deformities improves pain and corrects deformity at midterm follow-up

BackgroundRheumatoid arthritis is a chronic autoimmune disorder that commonly affects the metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joints. Conventional surgical treatment involves joint-sacrificing surgery to relieve pain and correct deformity.ObjectivesWe retrospectively reviewed 49 patients with rheumatoid forefoot deformities who underwent 66 joint preserving procedures with Scarf osteotomy of the first metatarsal and Weil's shortening osteotomy of the lesser metatarsals.MethodThere were 5 males and 44 females with mean age 56.1 years and mean follow-up 51 months. All patients were evaluated clinically and radiologically with hallux valgus angle (HVA) and inter-metatarsal angle (IMA).ResultsMean AOFAS score improved from 39.8 preoperatively to 88.7 at final follow-up. Subjectively patients reported their outcome as excellent in 49 feet (74%), good in 9 feet, fair in 7 feet and poor in 1 foot. Five feet had residual stiffness and 11 residual pain. Mean HVA and IMA decreased from 32° to 14° and from 15° to 11° respectively.ConclusionIn intermediate to severe stages of the disease, joint preserving surgery by Scarf osteotomy of the first MTP joint and Weil osteotomy of the lesser metatarsals may be performed as an alternative to joint-sacrificing procedures and should be considered as a complement to the various surgical treatments of the rheumatoid forefoot.     

The effect of smoking on fracture healing and on various orthopaedic procedures

Ten percent of all fractures lead to problems with healing. Smoking is said to be a cause. There are 13.5 million smokers in the U.K. Healing of tibial fractures, for instance, requires two more months in smokers. Nicotine, carbon monoxide and hydrogen cyanide are most often seen as the offenders, among the 4000 chemicals found in cigarettes. Many studies plead for the negative effect of smoking in general, yet there is uncertainty as to the precise role of nicotine. The authors recommend that patients should attempt smoking cessation therapy before elective orthopaedic treatment.     

Early weight-bearing in operatively fixed ankle fractures: A systematic review

BackgroundAnkle fractures are among the most common lower limb fractures and they can cause significant detrimental effects on quality of life and work.ObjectiveThe objective of the review was to evaluate if there is any advantage of early weight-bearing after open reduction and internal fixation of the ankle.MethodsElectronic databases, reference lists of included studies and relevant systematic reviews were searched for randomized and non-randomized controlled trials in adults comparing early and late weight-bearing after open reduction and internal fixation of the ankle. The search was inclusive up to February 2012.ResultsNine studies comprising 555 subjects were included for review. There were significantly better outcomes for improved early dorsiflexion, time to full weight-bearing, early return to previous work and shorter hospital stay (patient < 60 years of age) in the early weight-bearing group.ConclusionThe evidence base contained many methodological limitations and was generally poor, and so any conclusion drawn from the research must be done so with caution. The literature suggests that early weight-bearing may allow for quicker rehabilitation and earlier return to work. Future studies should focus on randomized controlled trials with narrow range of clinically useful outcome measures and consistent immobilization strategy between experimental groups.