Esat Kiter

The crossed-leg test for examination of ankle syndesmosis injuries.

Detection of an ankle syndesmosis injury is important because it can cause a longer recovery time and more disabling symptoms than the more frequent lateral ligament sprain.1,5 Syndesmosis injuries have been reported to be more common than previously suspected.4,6 Four tests have been described for detecting syndesmosis injury: the squeeze test, the external rotation test, syndesmosis ligament palpation, and the passive dorsiflexion test.1,2,4,5 We describe another test for examination of the syndesmosis injury. The crossed-leg test mimics the mechanism of the squeeze test, but avoids some of its disadvantages: the pivot point where the leg is squeezed may be inconsistent among different examiners and the test is difficult and requires more power for pressure in large legs. Alonso et al.1 reported that the interrater reliability of the squeeze test is moderate (Kappa = 0.50) and that the external rotation test was the most reliable of the four tests. We have found, however, that the external rotation test is difficult to use in patients with acute injuries because of excessive swelling and tenderness. In these patients, manipulation of the ankle joint caused pain and the results of the test did not indicate the true pathology. Variations in the way the external test is done also compromise its reliability. Major advantages of the crossed-leg test (Figure 1) are (1) the test is natural and requires no manipulation, (2) because the test is self-administered by the patient, interand intra-observer differences are avoided, (3) the

Comparison of injection modalities in the treatment of plantar heel pain: a randomized controlled trial.

In a prospective randomized study of plantar heel pain, 44 patients were treated with injection of 1 mL of 2% prilocaine using the peppering technique, 1 mL of 2% prilocaine combined with 2 mL of autologous blood, or 1 mL of 2% prilocaine mixed with 40 mg of methylprednisolone acetate. At 6-month follow-up, clinical improvement was evaluated by using a 10-cm visual analog scale and the rearfoot score of the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society. Results were analyzed using sample t-tests within groups and repeated-measures analyses of variance between groups. Mean +/- SD visual analog scale scores in the peppering technique, autologous blood injection, and corticosteroid injection groups improved from 6.4 +/- 1.1, 7.6 +/- 1.3, and 7.28 +/- 1.2 to 2.0 +/- 2.2 (P < .001), 2.4 +/- 1.8 (P < .001), and 2.57 +/- 2.9 (P < .001), respectively. Mean +/- SD rearfoot scores in the same groups improved from 64.1 +/- 15.1, 71.6 +/- 1, and 65.7 +/- 12.7 to 78.2 +/- 12.4 (P = .018), 80.9 +/- 13.9 (P = .025), and 80.07 +/- 17.5 (P = .030), respectively. There were no statistically significant differences among the groups. Good outcomes have been documented using the peppering technique and autologous blood injection for the treatment of lateral epicondylitis. Although the curative mechanisms of both injection modalities are based on a hypothesis, they seem to be good alternatives to corticosteroid injection for the treatment of plantar heel pain.

Tibialis posterior tendon abnormalities in feet with accessory navicular bone and flatfoot

To assess tibialis posterior tendon (TPT) pathology, we investigated 27 feet with the accessory navicular bone and 22 normal feet by MRI. We found two major anatomical differences in the feet with the accessory navicular bone; the TPT directly inserted in the accessory navicular bone, without any continuity to the sole of the foot or with a slip, less than 1 mm in thickness, and there was a mass with the density of fibrocartilage tissue, between the tendon and the bone in 20/27 feet. These abnormalities were not detected in the control group. 3 patients in the study group were operated on and the MRI findings were confirmed. These findings suggest that patients with the accessory navicular bone and flatfoot should be examined by MRI for insertion abnormalities of the TPT.

Do orthopaedic journals provide high-quality evidence for clinical practice?

BackgroundIn the hierarchy of research designs, randomized controlled trials and meta-analyses are considered to be evidence of the highest grade, and scientific journals are the main source of scientific information.MethodsUsing the National Library of Medicine Medline database, all randomized controlled trials and meta-analyses from 1966 to 1999 were retrieved from the journals indexed in the core list of the Science Citation Index in 1999, dedicated primarily to orthopaedics. The abstracts of the articles were reviewed independently by each author and classified by the year, journal name and subject.ResultsThe total number of articles was 36,293, of which only 671 were randomized controlled trials (1.85%) and 12 were meta-analyses (0.03%). Although there was a progressively increasing trend for randomized controlled trials, more than half of them (81.9%) were published in four journals. Of the randomized controlled trials, 66% was about arthroplasty, and hip and knee arthroplasties covered 90.7%.ConclusionAlthough the number of randomized controlled trials and meta-analyses is tending to increase, the conclusion of this study is that the high-quality evidence provided by the major orthopaedic journals is quite low, and more randomized controlled trials and meta-analyses are needed for evidence-based orthopaedic practice.

Hamstring shortening in healthy adults

Hamstring shortening (HS) causes changes in the posture and walking ability in spastic children, however, there are no studies defining the abnormalities in patellar alignment in individuals with HS.Twenty-five patients with a primary complaint of anterior knee pain, having HS detected at physical examination, and 11 healthy individuals without any HS or knee discomfort as a control group are included in this study. Serial x-rays of the spine, pelvis and knee are taken and knee x-rays are evaluated for the position of the patella in both groups.In patients with Knee Extension Deficit (KED) ≥ 60°, the Blackburne-Peel ratio is lower and the Insall-Salvati ratio is higher than the other groups, denoting a cephalic location of the patella (p < 0.05). There are no changes in the congruency and sulcus angles between the HS and control groups. Vertebral and pelvic changes correlate well with the literature, confirming that significant alterations occur after 60° of KED in adults.The extensor mechanism of the knee is affected and patella is located higher than normal in patients with severe HS, which may be a cause for knee discomfort. In the light of these findings, a routine knee extension deficit examination can be suggested in the initial evaluation of knee discomfort.

Disorders associated with osteopoikilosis: 5 different lesions in a family.

Although osteopoikilosis is generally considered an accidental finding, several developmental dysplasias coexisting with this disorder have been reported. However, all authors have mentioned only one coexisting finding, and most of them are case reports. We report a family in whom various members had osteopoikilosis with 5 different associated lesions. We suggest that osteopoikilosis is a bone manifestation of a generalized fibroproliferative or stenosing disease.

The relationship between the tibialis posterior tendon and the accessory navicular.

Out of a total of 116 cadaver feet, 29 specimens were selected by means of palpation of the tuberosity of navicular for a possible presence of the accessory navicular. They were then radiographed and the accessory navicular was detected in ten. Also three fresh amputation specimens with an accessory navicular were added to the study. A total of 13 legs was dissected and in nine of them, the tibialis posterior tendon inserted directly into the accessory navicular without extending to the sole of the foot. In these feet, the second part of the tibialis posterior tendon originated from the accessory navicular, extending to the normal insertions. There was no connection between these two parts and when traction was applied to either one, no movement was observed in the other. Also a fibrocartilaginous mass was detected in four specimens, probably formed to resist the friction between the tendon and the bone. These results may explain the pronated foot in the presence of the navicular, due to the loss of the function of the tibialis posterior tendon.

Distribution of the metatarsophalangeal sesamoids in Turkish subjects.

No statistically significant pattern of metatarsophalangeal sesamoid distribution has been reported in the literature in relation to genetic pool or group, unilaterality or bilaterality, or sesamoid division. A study was undertaken to evaluate the presence and distribution of the metatarsophalangeal sesamoid bones of the foot in Turkish subjects. A total of 602 foot radiographs from 371 patients without forefoot complaints other than those of the hallux were included in the study. Absence or hypoplasia of the first-ray sesamoids was seen on 0.7% of the radiographs, and second-, third-, fourth-, and fifth-ray sesamoids were present on 2.8%, 0.5%, 1.0%, and 15.1% of the radiographs, respectively. Fifth-ray sesamoids were more prevalent in men (odds ratio, 2.71; 95% confidence interval, 1.52-4.84). The frequency of a normal foot profile (two sesamoids in the first ray) was 83.2%. Divisions of the sesamoids were seen on 4.0% of the radiographs at the first ray and on 20.9% at the fifth ray. Distribution and division of sesamoids were predominantly bilateral (kappa = 0.91, 0.91, and 0.95 for the first, second, and fifth digits, respectively; P < .001).

Immunohistochemical demonstration of nerve endings in iliolumbar ligament.

Study Design. Immunohistochemical study on fresh cadaver specimens. Objective. Assessment of mechanoreceptor and nociceptor levels and distribution in iliolumbar ligament. Summary and Background Data. The function of iliolumbar ligament and its role in low back pain has not been yet fully clarified. Understanding the innervation of this ligament should provide a ground which enables formation of stronger hypotheses. Methods. Bilateral 30 iliolumbar ligaments of 15 fresh cadavers were included in the study. Morphologic properties were recorded and the ligaments were examined by focusing on 3 main parts: ligament, bone insertions, and tendon body. Assessment of mechanoreceptor and nociceptor levels and their distribution in iliolumbar ligament were performed on the basis of immunohistochemistry using the S-100 antibody specific for nerve tissue. Results. Iliac wing insertion was found to be the richest region of the ligament in terms of mechanoreceptors and nociceptors. Pacinian (type II) mechanoreceptor was determined to be the most common (66.67%) receptor followed by Ruffini (type I) (19.67%) mechanoreceptor, whereas free nerve endings (type IV) and Golgi tendon organs (type III) were found to be less common, 10.83% and 2.83%, respectively. Conclusion. Immunohistochemical staining has shown that iliolumbar ligamen had a rich nerve tissue. Those results indicate that ILL plays an important role in proprioceptive coordination of lumbosacral region alongside its known biomechanic support function. Moreover, the presence of type IV nerve endings suggest that the injury of this ligament might contribute to the low back pain.

Inheritance of the accessory navicular bone.

Abstract The accessory navicular bone is one of the most symptomatic bones of the foot. Although it has been reported to be present in various members of the same family, there is a lack of knowledge about its inheritance in the literature. We examined three families and suggest that it has an autosomal dominant trait with incomplete penetrance.