Vol 30, No 1 (2024)

Background. Mucous cysts of hand represent tumor-like masses. This pathology is associated with a large number of diagnostic and treatment mistakes with inappropriate procedures and incomplete surgical interventions, which result in recurrences and complications.

Aim of the study — to analyze diagnostics and treatment mistakes in patients with mucous cysts of fingers in order to improve the quality of medical care for patients with this pathology.

Methods. The study enrolled 62 patients. Diagnostics included medical history analysis, clinical and X-ray examination, and ultrasonography. According to the patients’ history, they were divided into two groups: group 1 consisted of patients who had come to the clinic for the first time, group 2 — of patients who had referred to the clinic with recurrences of mucous cysts. All patients underwent surgical interventions with osteophyte excision of the phalanx and skin defect grafting after cyst excision. Treatment results were evaluated 2, 6, 12 months after the operation using X-ray data, VAS, QuickDash questionnaire, and measurements of the range of motion in the distal interphalangeal joint.

Results. Initial referrals of group 2 patients (with disease recurrence) were analyzed in terms of the profile of specialists and the type of care provided. It was found that patients with recurrence had undergone procedures (cyst puncture, cauterization, removal of thin skin over the cyst) or surgeries without osteophyte excision of the phalanx and skin defect grafting after cyst excision. The use of a diagnostic algorithm at the referral stage made it possible to confirm the diagnosis and detect an osteophyte of the affected phalanx in all patients. Patients were followed up for a year.

Conclusion. At the diagnostic stage, X-ray and ultrasonography are conclusive methods of examination. The only correct method of mucous cysts treatment is radical surgery including skin defect grafting with local tissues after cyst excision and osteophyte removal.

Background. Distal radius fracture has been reported as the most common type of extremity fractures in adults. No treatment method has been introduced definitely for this type of fracture, especially for maintaining hand function in the best state.

The aim of this study — to assess the functional and radiological outcomes following three surgical methods, including external fixation, K-wire and external fixation with pinning.

Methods. This parallel-designed randomized controlled trial was conducted on adult patients with intra-articular fracture of distal radius. The participants were allocated in three research groups with block random sampling, and were matched for their age and gender. Primary outcome was radiographic parameters, including radial inclination, radial height, ulnar variance and dorsal/palmar tilt. Secondary outcome was the patient’s performance examined with DASH and PRWE questionnaires. All participants were followed 6, 12 and 24 weeks after the surgery for evaluation of these outcomes.

Results. Totally, 78 patients, including 42 male and 36 female with mean age of 46.94±11.05 years completed the research protocol. Although the four radiologic primary endpoints were in the normal clinical range after the intervention, a significant statistical difference was observed between the three groups (р<0.001). Also, both DASH and PRWE score showed a significant decrease after the therapeutic interventions (р<0.001).

Conclusion. The statistically significant difference in the research outcomes of the external fixation with pinning can show that this treatment method theoretically preserves the anatomical condition better than the other two methods, and probably has better functional effects on short-term and intermediate-term results following the surgery.

Background. The observed sharp increase in patients with avascular necrosis of the femoral head (ANFH) associated with a new COVID-19 infection determines the need to find some new effective strategies for surgical treatment to achieve long-term positive results.

Aim of the study is to make a comparative assessment of surgical treatment results of patients with early-stage avascular necrosis of the femoral head using different techniques of core decompression and autogenous bone grafting of the femoral head.

Methods. We performed a comparative analysis of the treatment results of patients with early stages of ANFH. The patients were divided by the treatment method into two groups: control and main. Surgical treatment in the control group (n = 19) consisted of an open decompression and autogenous bone grafting of the femoral head using the Rosenwasser’s “light bulb” technique. The main group (n = 17) included the patients who had undergone the developed combined impaction autografting of the femoral head. Clinical and functional assessment of the treatment results was performed using the Harris Hip Score (HHS) questionnaire and the Western Ontario and McMaster University Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) score. Assessment was performed preoperatively and at 3, 6, and 12 months postoperatively.

Results. The performed comparative analysis showed statistically significant difference in clinical and functional results after operative treatment in patients of the control and the main groups at all follow-ups. Change of the HHS values presented as Me (Q1;Q3) in patients of both groups at 3, 6 and 12 months was 77.0 (68.0;84.0) and 82.0 (75.0;91.0), p = 0.001; 79.0 (69.0;85.0) and 88.0 (79.0;95.0), p<0.001; 81.0 (71.0;86.0) and 90.0 (85.0;92.0), p<0.001, respectively. According to the WOMAC, the following dynamics was revealed for the same values: 30.0 (25.0;35.0) and 25.0 (21.0;32.0), p = 0.002; 27.0 (22.0;33.0) and 20.0 (17.0;27.0), p<0.001; 24.0 (17.0;30.0) and 15.0 (13.0;24.0), p<0.001.

Conclusion. Comparative assessment of efficacy of the open core decompression with autogenous bone grafting of the femoral head defect using the light bulb technique and closed intralesional resection of necrosis focus with combined impaction grafting of the femoral head showed that the minimal damage to para- and intraarticular tissues when performing the approach to the area of the pathological focus and the main stages of the operation allows to achieve the best clinical and functional results and create optimal conditions for bone remodeling in the grafting area.

Background. Revision anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction is becoming more and more common in the knee surgery due to the annual increase in the number of primary anterior cruciate ligament reconstructions. Choosing the most suitable graft and determining the staging of the surgical treatment by preoperative assessment of the possibility of performing the most anatomical revision canals and their interposition with the primary canals are the main factors that influence treatment results.

Aim of the study — comparative assessment of the results of using hamstring tendon and peroneus longus tendon autografts in a one-stage revision reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament.

Methods. A retrospective analysis of the medical records of 36 patients who underwent revision anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction was performed. The patients were divided into two groups: in the patients of the study group (n = 19) a peroneus longus tendon (PLT) autograft was used, in the comparison group (n = 17) a hamstring tendon autograft (HT) was applied. Subjective and objective evaluation using the KOOS, IKDC, and Lysholm scales was performed, and position of the central entry points of the primary and revision canals was determined.

There were no statistically significant differences in the objective assessment of the knee joint stability. Significantly better results of subjective assessment of the knee function according to the Lysholm and KOOS scales were obtained in the PLT group (p = 0.042 and p<0.001, respectively). Position of revision canals corresponded to the standard values, but position of the femoral canal had a slight cranial and anterior displacement. It was also found that the PLT graft diameter was statistically significantly larger than the HT graft diameter (p<0.001).

Results. There were no statistically significant differences in the objective assessment of the knee joint stability. Significantly better results of subjective assessment of the knee function according to the Lysholm and KOOS scales were obtained in the PLT group (p = 0.042 and p<0.001, respectively). Position of revision canals corresponded to the standard values, but position of the femoral canal had a slight cranial and anterior displacement. It was also found that the PLT graft diameter was statistically significantly larger than the HT graft diameter (p<0.001).

Conclusion. One-stage revision anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction is a safe and effective surgical procedure providing satisfactory objective and subjective clinical results. Use of peroneus longus tendon autograft allows to obtain better results in comparison with the hamstring tendon autograft.

Background. Free perforating flaps are the most optimal for reconstruction of both upper and lower extremities. However, along with the obvious advantages of these flaps, there are also a number of difficulties associated with their more complex vascular anatomy and, as a consequence, more time-consuming dissection. This determines the need for a more thorough preoperative planning, including the mapping of perforating vessels and development of flap design. At the same time, the problems with intraoperative assessment of perfusion of perforating flaps and their monitoring in the postoperative period have not been solved. For these purposes, several instrumental methods of examination such as MRI and CT angiography, Doppler sonography, ICG and dynamic infrared thermography are used.

Aim of the study — to evaluate the capabilities of dynamic infrared thermography (DIT) for mapping of perforating vessels when planning the design of perforating flaps, as well as for assessing their intra- and postoperative perfusion.

Methods. We have analyzed the results of using DIT along with CT-angiography and Doppler sonography for preliminary mapping of perforating vessels in the design of 18 perforating flaps (ALT flap — 10, SCIP flap — 8) transplanted in 15 patients from 01.01.2022 to 30.07.2022. DIT was also used in all cases for intraoperative instrumental confirmation of flap perfusion and for its monitoring in the postoperative period.

Results. A total of 39 perforating vessels were detected by CT angiography at the point of origin from the main arteries. DIT was used to detect the distal portions of 37 perforating vessels in 15 patients at the marking of 18 flaps. On average, 2.5 per ALT flap and 1.4 per SCIP flap. Thermographic examination time was approximately 10 minutes. Localization of all perforating vessels detected by DIT were first confirmed by Doppler sonography and then visualized intraoperatively during flap dissection. Intraoperatively, perfusion of all transplanted flaps was clearly confirmed by DIT. In the postoperative period, perfusion problems were clinically detected in 3 (16%) flaps and confirmed by DIT: venous stasis — 2 cases, arterial insufficiency — 1 case. In two patients (13%) with a body mass index of more than 35 (corresponding to class 2–3 obesity), the location of perforating vessels could not be determined by thermography and Doppler sonography. Also, in these patients DIT was ineffective for confirmation of flap perfusion intraoperatively and in the postoperative period.

Conclusion. This study confirms that CT angiography, Doppler sonography and infrared thermography are complementary methods that allow to detect and visualize perforating arteries from their origin from a main artery to the site of their passage through the deep fascia (CT-angiography), as well as to determine their more accurate projection on the skin surface (DIT and Doppler sonography). DIT is also an auxiliary method for flap monitoring in the intraoperative and postoperative periods, which allows to engage nursing staff in postoperative monitoring.

Background. Modular tibial components for knee arthroplasty are used in the majority of modern knee replacement systems. Despite a number of limitations, there are many aspects that make these types of implants indispensable for orthopedic surgeons.

Aim — to demonstrate possible risks associated with a modular polyethylene liner with metal locking clip using a clinical case as an example.

Case description. We present a case of primary total knee arthroplasty in a 70-year-old female patient. The surgery was performed by an experienced surgical team and resulted in good early radiologic and functional treatment outcome. After discharge, approximately 10 days after surgery, the patient developed knee pain. Control X-rays showed migration of the metal pin locking the polyethylene insert. The patient underwent an emergency revision surgery with replacement of the clip. The authors analyze possible causes of this complication and ways of its prevention.

Conclusion. Migration of the insert locking element and dislocation of the insert in locked systems are quite rare complications of the knee arthroplasty. Their causes are soft tissue imbalance of the knee joint during arthroplasty and a number of technical errors. The very fact of using modular components of the joint is a predisposing factor for the disassociation of these modules.

Background. The urgency of the problem is explained by a high morbidity rate and the need to verify the diagnosis with related specialists (ultrasound physicians, radiologists, trauma surgeons, pathologists), as well as by significant difficulties in patient routing and high probability of primary referral to neurologists, neurosurgeons, and general practitioners. In modern Russian literature, neuromas of all interdigital spaces are identified with Morton’s neuroma.

Aim of the review was to determine the accuracy of modern medical terminology, in particular of the term «Morton’s neuroma», to reveal the spectrum of eponyms unacceptable for communication with related specialists and patients, to fill the historical gap and to attract the scientific medical community to discussion on this topic.

Methods. We identified 40 articles on this topic published from 1845 to 2022. The search was performed in PubMed/MEDLINE and eLIBRARY databases.

Results. Evolution, history, and etymology of several terms used for intermetatarsal neuroma are covered in the study, based on the analysis of literature sources. It has been found that a number of eponyms used to designate neuromas are historically inaccurate. In addition, we have discovered that the reports of «nerve fibrosis» were encountered prior to the introduction of the term «neuroma». However, most authors have popularized the nominal term «Morton’s neuromas».

Conclusions. An obvious contradiction between the etiopathogenesis of neuroma and the term itself can be confusing for clinicians and diagnosticians. In our opinion, the disease known nowadays as «Morton’s neuroma» should be named «fibrosis of the plantar nerve of the third toe», and the name terms denoting the number of the corresponding interdigital space should be replaced by the number of the corresponding common plantar digital nerve.