Chayanin Angthong

Arthroscopic Bone Marrow Stimulation Techniques for Osteochondral Lesions of the Talus: Prognostic Factors for Small Lesions

Background: The defect size of an osteochondral lesion of the talus is one of the most important prognostic factors for deciding clinical outcomes. However, the prognostic factors for small osteochondral lesions of the talus are unknown. Purpose: To investigate the significant prognostic factors for small osteochondral lesions of the talus using arthroscopic bone marrow stimulation techniques. Study Design: Case series; Level of evidence, 4. Methods: Fifty ankles in 50 patients treated with arthroscopic bone marrow stimulation techniques for an osteochondral lesion of the talus (<150 mm2) were evaluated for prognostic factors. The patients were 22 men and 28 women (mean age, 35.0 years). Outcomes were measured using the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) Ankle-Hindfoot Scale, Berndt and Harty scale, and Saxena criteria. Results: The mean lesion size was 62 mm2 (range, 7-119 mm2). The mean AOFAS score improved from 74 (range, 18-90) preoperatively to 90 (range, 67-100) postoperatively. The Saxena criteria results were excellent, good, fair, and poor in 36 (72%), 8 (16%), 5 (10%), and 1 (2%) patients, respectively. The Berndt and Harty scale results were good in 34 (68%), fair in 6 (12%), and poor in 10 (20%) patients. Linear regression analyses showed prognostic significance for lesion depth and outcome. Medial lesions had a significantly higher incidence of poor outcomes than lateral lesions (P < .05). Among the medial lesions, lesions uncovered with the medial malleolus had inferior outcomes compared with covered lesions (P < .0001). There was no association between clinical outcome and lesion size or body mass index. In older patients (≥40 years), there was a significant trend toward inferior clinical outcomes (P < .05). Conclusion: Arthroscopic bone marrow stimulation techniques provided satisfactory clinical outcomes. However, older patients, deep lesions, and medial lesions uncovered with the medial malleolus were associated with inferior clinical outcomes.

Major risk factors for the second contralateral hip fracture in the elderly

OBJECTIVES The purpose of this study was to determine which of the predisposing risk factors for the first hip fracture would continue to be effective for the development of the second hip fracture in the elderly. METHODS Data of 125 patients (31 men, 94 women) aged 55 years or older were evaluated, who sustained first (group 1, n=97) and second contralateral (group 2, n=28) hip fracture. Patients who were treated with bisphosphonate, calcitonin, and estrogen were not included. RESULTS The incidence of the second hip fracture was higher (78.6%) beyond 12 months of the first fracture. The risk for sustaining a second hip fracture was 3.96-fold greater in patients over 85 years of age (p<0.05). Among comorbid medical conditions, eye diseases (p=0.02) and neurological diseases (p=0.048) were significantly more frequent in group 2. There was an obvious relationship between the second hip fracture and lower Singh index grades of = or < 3 (p<0.001). Patients over 85 years of age and having a lower Singh index grade were found to have a 6.57-fold increased risk for developing a second hip fracture (95% CI: 2.13-20.3; p=0.001). In univariate analysis, neurological diseases represented a significantly increased risk. Eye diseases were highly associated with an increased risk for second hip fractures in univariate (OR: 3.3, 95% CI: 1.2-9.2, p=0.020) and multivariate (OR: 7.6, 95% CI: 1.9-30.7, p=0.004) analyses. The Singh index of grade = or < 3 showed the highest associations with second hip fractures in both univariate (OR: 18.9, 95% CI: 5.8-65.9, p<0.001) and multivariate (OR: 30.00, 95% CI: 7.9-112.9, p<0.001) analyses. CONCLUSION We concluded that, of all the risk factors for the first hip fractures, only hypotrophic changes in the proximal femoral trabeculae, eye diseases, and neurological diseases acted as major risk factors for the second contralateral hip fractures in the elderly.

The Effect of Screw Position and Number on the Time to Union of Arthroscopic Ankle Arthrodesis

PURPOSE This study aimed to investigate the factors that influence the time to union after arthroscopic ankle arthrodesis. METHODS From June 2005 to October 2010, 46 patients (50 ankles) underwent arthroscopic ankle arthrodesis with 6.0-mm cannulated cancellous screws. There were 22 men and 24 women (mean age, 63 years). Medical records and radiographs were retrospectively reviewed. Screw configurations used were as follows: 3 transmedial and translateral malleolar screws (ML3) in 12 ankles (24%), 2 transmedial and translateral malleolar screws (ML2) in 4 ankles (8%), 3 transmedial malleolar screws (M3) in 23 ankles (46%), and 2 transmedial malleolar screws (M2) in 11 ankles (22%). RESULTS Radiographic fusion was achieved in 46 (92%) of the 50 ankles. The mean time to fusion was 11.0 ± 4.5 weeks for ML3, 13.1 ± 3.3 weeks for ML2, 9.7 ± 2.7 weeks for M3, and 12.5 ± 3.5 weeks for M2 (P < .05). The mean American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society scores were 81.3 ± 2.2 for ML3, 83.5 ± 4.4 for ML2, 88.3 ± 1.5 for M3, and 85.3 ± 2.2 for M2. The mean time until radiographic fusion was 10.2 ± 3.4 weeks for correction angles of less than 10° and 13.2 ± 3.4 weeks for angles of 10° or greater (P < .01). In obese patients a significant difference in ankle fusion time was observed (12.6 ± 3.5 weeks for patients with body mass index ≥25 v 9.4 ± 2.9 weeks for patients with body mass index <25, P < .01). CONCLUSIONS Overall, this study showed that arthroscopic ankle arthrodesis achieves a high rate of union, with fastest union achieved with 3 parallel screws placed medially from the distal tibia into the talus. Care should be taken when one is designing treatment strategies for obese patients and/or patients with large correction angles. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Level IV, retrospective case series.

Anatomic total talar prosthesis replacement surgery and ankle arthroplasty: an early case series in Thailand

Little is known about specific outcomes and early experiences of total talar prosthesis replacement surgery in the current literature, and ankle arthroplasty in Southeast Asia. This study reported on four patients with talar loss or ankle arthritis. Patients were treated with a custom total talar prosthesis (anatomic-metallic version) replacement (TPR, n=1) or with total ankle replacement (TAR, n=3). Baseline data, including Visual-Analog-Scale Foot and Ankle (VAS-FA) and Quality of Life scores via Short-Form-36 (SF-36), were collected for all patients. Mean follow-up time was 7.6 months. From preoperative to postoperative, VAS-FA score increased from 6.0 to 57.5, and SF-36 score increased from 19.3 to 73.7 in a patient with TPR. Mean VAS-FA scores increased from 51.5±15.6 to 85.7±4.7 (P=0.032), and mean SF-36 scores tended to increase from 65.2±13.3 to 99.3±1.2 (P=0.055) in TAR group. This study is the first report of anatomic-metallic TPR which appears to provide satisfactory outcomes for treatment of talar loss at a short-term follow-up. TAR also provides acceptable results for treatment of ankle arthritis at this point.

A systematic review of intermediate-term outcomes and failure rates for total ankle replacements: An Asian perspective

BACKGROUND There are few records for total ankle replacement (TAR) in Asia. We aimed to report the cumulative intermediate-term outcomes in terms of clinical scores, survivorship and failure rates for patients managed with TAR in Asia. METHODS We conducted a systematic search for relevant articles published in English and other languages between January 1990 and February 2012. The study published before 1990 and used outdated prosthesis designs implanted before the early 1980s was excluded. Eligible studies were evaluated using the Coleman Methodology Score and data collection was independently performed by three reviewers. RESULTS Seven studies qualified for analysis, describing 321 implants (112 HINTEGRA(®), 104 TNK, 35 STAR, 13 ND-Bioceram, 57 un-reported implants). Overall studies showed the improvement of clinical scores following TAR. Pooled data for the survivorship analysis ranged from 100% at 3.2 years to 77% at 14.1 years. Pooled mean failure rate was 4.9±3.2% over a mean follow-up of 5.2±1.7 years. CONCLUSIONS TAR prostheses currently used in Asia achieved satisfactory intermediate-term outcomes in terms of clinical scores, survivorship and failure rates.

Pretreatment and posttreatment radiography in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis with and without human immunodeficiency virus infection

PurposeThe purpose of this study was to determine differences in pretreatment and posttreatment radiographic findings in pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) patients with and without human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection.Materials and methodsAll patients were reviewed in terms of pre- and posttreatment radiographic findings comparing non-HIV-related versus HIV-related PTB.ResultsAmong 177 PTB patients, 38 (22%) were HIVseropositive and 139 (78%) were HIV-seronegative. The most common radiographic finding in non-HIV-related TB was reticular infiltration (66.2%), whereas the miliary pattern was the most common radiographic finding in HIV-related TB (34.2%). Radiographic findings in HIVrelated TB significantly presented with higher prevalence of the miliary pattern (P < 0.0001) and lower prevalence of reticular infiltration (P < 0.0001), cavitation (P = 0.003), and mass-like lesions (P = 0.039) compared to non-HIV-related TB. During the posttreatment period, normal chest radiographs were significantly present in the patients who had HIV-seropositivity, the miliary pattern, and sputum negative for acid-fast bacilli during the pretreatment period (P < 0.05).ConclusionPretreatment radiographic features of HIV-related TB had a significantly higher prevalence of the miliary pattern and lower prevalence of reticular infiltration, cavitation, and mass-like lesions. HIV-related TB and the miliary pattern seen by pretreatment radiography were significantly associated with normal chest radiographs during the posttreatment period.

Radiation Exposure in Total Ankle Replacement

Background: Radiation exposure from diagnostic imaging procedures is associated with increased cancer risk. No published data currently exist regarding ionizing radiation exposure in total ankle replacement surgery. This study quantified intraoperative fluoroscopic dose and duration during ankle replacement surgery and examined patient and technical factors affecting the level of exposure. Methods: Fifty-five patients underwent ankle replacement using STAR, Salto-Talaris, or INBONE total ankles. Intraoperative fluoroscopic dose and duration, patient demographics, implant design, and accompanying additional procedures were documented for each case. The relationship between each relevant variable and radiation dose and time was determined. Results: The mean fluoroscopic dose and duration for all cases were 1.15 ± 0.84 milliGray per case and 77 ± 34 seconds per case, respectively. There was a positive correlation between the absorbed radiation dose and the duration of fluoroscopy (r = .50, P < .001). The mean fluoroscopic doses were 1.53 milliGray, 0.99 milliGray, and 0.88 milliGray for INBONE, STAR, and Salto-Talaris prostheses, respectively. Fluoroscopic dose was significantly influenced by implant design (P = .035), with implants using an intramedullary referencing guide associated with higher radiation doses. After excluding cases requiring additional procedures, the fluoroscopic time and radiation dose associated with intramedullary referencing guide implants continued to exceed those of the other implants, but the differences were no longer statistically significant (P = .22, P = .09, respectively). Conclusion: The average patient radiation dose during total ankle replacement was approximately one-fifth the recommended maximum yearly radiation exposure. The radiation dose was positively associated with fluoroscopy duration. Among factors controllable by the surgeon, selection of an implant with an extramedullary alignment system and conscious effort to minimize duration of fluoroscopy can reduce harmful radiation exposure and decrease cancer risk in total ankle replacement patients and associated operating room personnel. Level of Evidence: Level III, comparative series.

Validity and reliability of Thai version of the Foot and Ankle Outcome Score in patients with arthritis of the foot and ankle

BACKGROUND Although the Foot and Ankle Outcome Score (FAOS) is commonly used in several languages for a variety of foot disorders, it has not been validated specifically for foot and ankle arthritic conditions. The aims of the present study were to translate the original English FAOS into Thai and to evaluate the validity and reliability of the Thai version of the FAOS for the foot and ankle arthritic conditions. METHODS The original FAOS was translated into Thai using forward-backward translation. The Thai FAOS and validated Thai Short Form-36 (SF-36®) questionnaires were distributed to 44 Thai patients suffering from arthritis of the foot and ankle to complete. For validation, Thai FAOS scores were correlated with SF-36 scores. Test-retest reliability and internal consistency were also analyzed in this study. RESULTS The Thai FAOS score demonstrated sufficient correlation with SF-36 total score in Pain (Pearsons correlation coefficient (r)=0.45, p=0.002), Symptoms (r=0.45, p=0.002), Activities of Daily Living (ADL) (r=0.47, p=0.001), and Quality of Life (QOL) (r=0.38, p=0.011) subscales. The Sports and Recreational Activities (Sports & Rec) subscale did not correlate significantly with the SF-36® (r=0.20, p=0.20). Cronbachs alpha, a measure of internal consistency, for the five subscales was as follows: Pain, 0.94 (p<0.001); Symptoms, 0.58 (p<0.001); ADL, 0.96 (p<0.001); Sports & Rec, 0.79 (p<0.001); and QOL, 0.93 (p<0.001). The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) of a major subscale of ADL, containing 17 items, was significant at 0.33 (p=0.013; 95% confidence interval, 0.04-0.57). CONCLUSION The Thai FAOS demonstrated sufficient levels of construct and content validity for the evaluation of foot and ankle arthritis. Although reliability was satisfactory for the major subscale ADL, it was not sufficient for the minor subscales. Our findings suggest that it can be used as a disease-specific instrument to evaluate foot and ankle arthritis and can complement other reliable outcome surveys.

The validity and reliability of the Thai version of the Kujala score for patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome

Abstract Purpose: To develop a Thai version of the Kujala score and show the evaluation of the validity and reliability of the score. Method: The Thai version of the Kujala score was developed using the forward–backward translation protocol. The 49 PFPS patients answered the Thai version of questionnaires including the Kujala score, Short Form-36 (SF-36) and International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) Subjective Knee Form. The validity between the scores has been tested. The reliability was assessed using test–retest reliability and internal consistency. Results: The Thai version of the Kujala score showed a good correlation with Thai IKDC Subjective Knee Form (Pearson’s correlation coefficient; r = 0.74: p < 0.01) and moderate correlation with the Thai SF-36 subscales of physical component summary, total score and role physical (r = 0.586, 0.571 and 0.524, respectively: p < 0.01). The test–retest reliability was excellent with an intra-class correlation coefficient of 0.908 (p < 0.001; 95% CI [0.842–0.947]). The internal consistency was strong with Cronbach’s alpha of 0.952 (p < 0.001). No floor and ceiling effects were observed. Conclusion: The Thai version of the Kujala score has shown good validity and reliability. This score can be effectively used for evaluating Thai patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome. Implications for Rehabilitation The Kujala score is a self-administered questionnaire for patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS). The validity and reliability of the Thai version of Kujala are compatible with other versions (Turkish, Chinese and Persian version). The Thai version of Kujala has been shown to have validity and reliability in Thai PFPS patients and can be used for clinical evaluation and also in the research work.

Prevalence of bone mineral density testing and osteoporosis management following low- and high-energy fractures.

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to report the prevalence of post-fracture bone mineral density (BMD) testing and osteoporosis treatment in patients admitted to the orthopedic department for low-energy or high-energy fractures and to identify factors affecting prevalence of post-fracture BMD testing and osteoporosis treatment. METHODS A total of 265 patients aged 45 years or older admitted with low-energy or high-energy fractures were reviewed between January 2010 and May 2011. Information regarding age, gender, fracture site and history of post-fracture BMD testing and osteoporosis treatment, including data reporting experiences of attending orthopedists (young: <10, senior: >10 years of experience) were recorded. RESULTS Of the 265 patients (175 female, 90 male), 259 (97.7%) patients had low-energy fractures and 6 (2.3%) suffered high-energy fractures. Of 259 low-energy fractures, 99 (38.2%) underwent BMD testing and had mean total T-scores of -2.04±1.01 (proximal-femur) and -2.12±1.27 (lumbar-spine). Only one high-energy fracture patient (16.7%) underwent BMD testing, with a T-score of -1.1 (proximal-femur) and -2.7 (lumbar-spine). Eighty-six (32.5%) patients (85 low-energy fractures; 1 high-energy fracture) with diagnosis of osteopenia/osteoporosis from BMD testing were treated with calcium, vitamin D, and bisphosphonates. Bone mineral density testing was significantly higher in low-energy fracture patients who were treated by a young orthopedist, a common fracture site (proximal-femur, distal-radius, vertebrae) or were female (p<0.05). CONCLUSION Bone mineral density investigation and treatment rates are currently suboptimal. The current gap in adequate care necessitates multidisciplinary intervention in order to lessen the incidence of future fractures, particularly in patients over the age of 45.