Frederico Barra de Moraes

Garré's sclerosing osteomyelitis: case report

The aim of this study was to report on a rare case of Garré’s sclerosing osteomyelitis. The patient was a 54-year-old woman with a history of treatment for lupus using corticoids for 20 years, and for osteoporosis using alendronate for five years. She presented edema and developed a limitation of left knee movement one year earlier, with mild effusion and pain on metaphyseal palpation, but without fever. She was in a good general state, without local secretion. Images of her knee showed trabecular osteolysis of the distal metaphysis of the femur and a periosteal reaction in both proximal tibias and both distal femurs, compatible with chronic osteomyelitis of low virulence and slow progression. Magnetic resonance imaging showed T2 hypersignal in the femur and tibia. Curettage was performed on the left distal femur, with release of secretion, but this was negative on culturing. A biopsy showed chronic infection and inflammation, fibrosis, xanthogranulomatous reaction and foci of suppuration. Antibiotic therapy was administered for six months. The etiology was not clarified: bacterial infection was suspected, but culturing was generally negative. The chronic process was maintained by low-virulence infection or even after treatment. The differential diagnoses were fibrous dysplasia, syphilis, pustulosis palmoplantaris, rectocolitis, Crohns disease, SAPHO (synovitis, acne, pustulosis, hyperostosis and osteitis) and Pagets disease. The unifocal diseases were osteoid osteoma, Ewings disease, osteosarcoma and eosinophilic granuloma.

Evaluation of the quality of life after vertebroplasty to treat compressive osteoporotic fractures.

Objective with increasing life expectancy around the world, fractures due to osteoporosis have become more common and the expenditure for treating them has also increased. The aim here was to evaluate the improvement in pain and quality of life among patients with compressive osteoporotic vertebral fractures undergoing vertebroplasty. Methods eighteen patients with 27 fractured vertebrae underwent vertebroplasty and were evaluated using the Oswestry 2.0 limitations questionnaire before the operation and 24 h and six months after the operation. Results there was a 75% improvement in pain and quality of life, going from a mean preoperative Oswestry of 40% to 10% 24 h after the operation and 9% six months after the operation (p ≤ 0.05). Conclusion vertebroplasty is effective in managing compressive osteoporotic vertebral fractures, with improvement in pain and quality of life in the immediate postoperative period and over the medium term.

Primary liposarcoma of the lumbar spine: case report

We report a rare case of primary bone liposarcoma of the lumbar spine, for which only one case has been reported. A female patient, 60 years of age, with lumbar pain and left sciatalgy for six months. In the imaging exams, a destructive tumor was found in the L4 vertebral body, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a tumoral lesion with T1 hiposignal and T2 hypersignal. Histological diagnosis was difficult, and immunohistochemistry confirmed the diagnosis. Surgical treatment was performed with wide ressection, spinal cord decompression, and anterior and posterior fusion of L3 to L5 complemented by radiotherapy and chemotherapy. After three years, a computed tomography (CT) scan evidenced an expansive injury in the lung. Despite its rarity, liposarcoma should be considered in the differential diagnosis of sciatica and primary tumors of the spine.

Intraosseous anomalous drainage: a rare case of pretibial varicose vein.

Valve failure with reflux and post-thrombotic syndrome are the factors most commonly correlated with varicose disease. Other rare etiologies can be put forward when these two main causes are ruled out. We report a case in which a young man presented chronic pain in the left tibia, varicose veins in the lower limbs and frequent occurrences of erysipelas. During investigation of the etiology of the varicose veins, radiographs and magnetic resonance imaging of the left leg were requested. These showed images suggestive of an osteolytic lesion in the tibia, but led us to the diagnosis of an intraosseous vein with anomalous drainage. This was confirmed through vascular examinations comprising Doppler venous flow measurement and phlebography. Recognition of this rare intraosseous anomaly is fundamental for proper patient management, but an intraosseous surgical approach is unnecessary.

Clinical aspects of patients with traumatic lesions of the brachial plexus following surgical treatment

Objective To evaluate sociodemographic and clinical aspects of patients undergoing operations due to traumatic lesions of the brachial plexus. Method This was a retrospective study in which the medical files of a convenience sample of 48 patients operated between 2000 and 2010 were reviewed. The following were evaluated: (1) range of motion (ROM) of the shoulder, elbow and wrist/hand, in degrees; (2) grade of strength of the shoulder, elbow and wrist/hand; (3) sensitivity; and (4) visual analogue scale (VAS) (from 0 to 10). The Students t, chi-square, Friedman, Wilcoxon and Kruskal–Wallis tests were used (p < 0.05). Results The patients’ mean age was 30.6 years; 60.4% of them had suffered motorcycle accidents and 52.1%, multiple trauma. The mean length of time until surgery was 8.7 months (range: 2–48). Thirty-one patients (64.6%) presented complete rupture of the plexus. The frequent operation was neurosurgery in 39 cases (81.3%). The ROM achieved was ≥30° in 20 patients (41.6%), with a range from 30° to 90° and mean of 73° (p = 0.001). Thirteen (27.1%) already had shoulder strength ≥M3 (p = 0.001). Twenty-seven patients (56.2%) had elbow flexion ≥80°, with a range from 30° to 160° and mean of 80.6° (p < 0.001). Twenty-two had strength ≥M3 (p < 0.001). Twenty-two patients (45.8%) had wrist extension ≥30° starting from flexion of 45°, with a range from 30° to 90° and mean of 70° (p = 0.003). Twenty-seven (56.3%) presented wrist/hand extension strength ≥M3 (p = 0.002). Forty-five (93.8%) had hypoesthesia and three (6.2%) had anesthesia (p = 0.006). The initial VAS was 4.5 (range: 1.0–9.0) and the final VAS was 3.0 (range: 1.0–7.0) (p < 0.001). Conclusion Traumatic lesions of the brachial plexus were more prevalent among young adults (21–40 years), men, people living in urban areas, manual workers and motorcycle accidents, with multiple trauma and total rupture of the plexus. Neurosurgery, with a second procedure consisting of muscle-tendon transfer, was the commonest operation. Surgery for traumatic lesions of the brachial plexus resulted in significant improvement in the ROM and strength of the shoulder, elbow and wrist/hand, improvement of the sensitivity of the limb affected and reduction of the final pain.

Evaluation of elbow flexion following free muscle transfer from the medial gastrocnemius or transfer from the latissimus dorsi, in cases of traumatic injury of the brachial plexus

Objective To compare the gain in elbow flexion in patients with traumatic injury of the brachial plexus following muscle transfer from latissimus dorsi with the gain following free muscle transfer from the medial belly of the gastrocnemius. Methods This was a retrospective study in which the medical files of a convenience sample of 13 patients operated between 2000 and 2010 were reviewed. Group 1 comprised seven patients who underwent transfers from the gastrocnemius and group 2 (controls) comprised six patients who underwent transfers from the latissimus dorsi. The following functions were evaluated: (1) range of motion (ROM) of elbow flexion, in degrees, using manual goniometry and (2) grade of elbow flexion strength, using a muscle strength scale. Satisfactory results were defined as: (1) elbow flexion ROM ≥ 80° and (2) elbow flexion strength ≥ M3. The Fisher exact and Kruskal–Wallis tests were used (p < 0.05). Results The patients’ mean age was 32 years (range: 17–56) and 72% had been involved in motorcycle accidents. Elbow flexion strength ≥ M3 was observed in seven patients (100%) in group 1 and in five patients (83.3%) in group 2 (p = 0.462). None of the patients presented M5, and one patient (16.7%) in group 2 had a poor result (M2). Elbow flexion ROM with a gain ≥ 80° (daily functions) was found in six patients (86%) in group 1 and in three patients (50%) in group 2 (p = 0.1). Conclusion The patients in group 1 had greater gains in strength and ROM than did those in group 2, but without statistical significance. Thus, transfers from the gastrocnemius become a new surgical option, if other techniques cannot be used.

Tibiotalocalcaneal arthrodesis with retrograde intramedullary nailing: 29 patients' clinical and functional evaluation

Objective To evaluate clinically and functionally the pos-operative results of patients submitted to tibiotalocalcaneal arthrodesis for the treatment of traumatic arthropathy and neuropathy. Methods Retrospective study of 29 patients undergoing ankle arthrodesis with intramedullary retrograde nail. All patients were evaluated for fusion time, AOFAS and VAS scores, satisfaction, and complications of surgery. The mean follow-up was 36 months (range 6–60 months). Results The union rate was 82%, and the consolidation occurred on average at 16 weeks (10–24 weeks). The pos-operative AOFAS score improved in 65.5% (average of 57.7 on neurological cases and 75.7 on cases pos-traumatic) and VAS score improved 94.1% (average of 2.3 on neurological cases and 4,2 on post-traumatic cases), and 86% of patients were satisfied with the procedure performed. Complications occurred in 11 patients (38%), including pseudoarthrosis (17.24%), infection (17.24%), material failure (13.8%) and fracture (13.8%). Conclusion Tibiotalocalcaneal arthrodesis with retrograde intramedullary nail proved to be a good option for saving the ankle joint, with improvement of clinical and functional scores (AOFAS = 65.5% and VAS = 94.1%).

Lipossarcoma primário ósseo da coluna lombar: relato de caso

Relatamos um caso raro de lipossarcoma primario osseo da coluna lombar, do qual encontramos apenas um relato semelhante na literatura. Paciente do sexo feminino, 60 anos de idade, com clinica de lombociatalgia a esquerda ha aproximadamente seis meses. Nos exames de imagem foi encontrado um tumor destrutivo do corpo vertebral de L4 e a ressonância nuclear magnetica (RNM) revelou uma lesao tumoral com hipossinal em T1 e hipersinal em T2. O diagnostico histologico foi dificil e a imuno-histoquimica confirmou o diagnostico. O tratamento cirurgico foi realizado com resseccao ampla, descompressao da medula espinhal, fusao anterior e posterior de L3 a L5, complementada pela radioterapia e quimioterapia. Apos tres anos, uma tomografia computadorizada (TC) evidenciou lesao expansiva no pulmao. Apesar de sua raridade, o lipossarcoma deve ser considerado no diagnostico diferencial de ciatalgia e dos tumores primarios da coluna vertebral.

Avaliação clínica e radiológica após procedimento de Salter e Ombrédanne na displasia de desenvolvimento do quadril

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical and radiological medium-term results from surgical treatment of developmental hip dysplasia through Salter innominate bone osteotomy and Ombredanne femoral shortening. METHODS: Fourteen patients were evaluated, with surgical treatment on 18 hips (seven right-side hips and eleven left-side hips) using the proposal technique, performed between 1998 and 2008. The Dutoit and Severin criteria were used respectively for clinical and radiographic evaluations. RESULTS: The average preoperative index for the seven right-side hips was 43.3o (40o to 50o), and this was corrected through surgery to an average of 31.57o (24o to 42o). The average preoperative index for the eleven left-side hips was 42.1o (36o to 56o), and this was corrected through surgery to an average of 30.36o (20o to 44o). There was a statistically significant difference between the preoperative and postoperative acetabular indexes, with P 0.05). The complications observed consisted of one case each of subluxation, osteonecrosis and osteonecrosis together with subluxation. CONCLUSION: The combined procedure of Salter and Ombredanne is a viable option for treating developmental hip dysplasia after patients have started to walk.

Giant cell tumor of the femoral neck: case report ☆

The authors present the case of a patient with a giant cell tumor of the left femoral neck, with adjacent progressive invasion of bone tissue. Initial treatment was done with local curettage and autologous bone graft from fibula, electrocauterization and filling with methyl methacrylate. A local tumoral relapse was present after one year; therefore a new surgical procedure was necessary, with proximal femoral wide resection and unconventional endoprosthesis fixation. The article discusses the clinical aspects and surgical treatment. This report aimed to demonstrate the necessity to perform wide resection for giant cell tumor of the femoral neck, prioritizing total resection of the tumor and its local extension, preserving limb integrity and demonstrating the complete failure of preserving surgery in cases of femoral neck involvement.