{"id":885,"date":"2018-09-05T04:17:08","date_gmt":"2018-09-05T04:17:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/medi-wiki.com\/?p=885"},"modified":"2018-09-05T04:17:08","modified_gmt":"2018-09-05T04:17:08","slug":"orthopaedic-trauma-introduction","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/medi-wiki.com\/index.php\/orthopaedic-trauma-introduction\/","title":{"rendered":"Orthopaedic Trauma: Introduction"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">An injury to the musculo-skeletal system can result in damage to bones, joints, muscles and tendons. In addition, the neurovascular bundle of the limb may be damaged. This section will outline the broad principles used in the diagnosis and management of these injuries. These principles can be applied, with suitable modifications, in the management of any musculo-skeletal injury.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\"><a style=\"color: #000000;\" name=\"_TOC_250053\"><\/a>CLASSIFICATION OF FRACTURES<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">A fracture is a break in the continuity of a bone.\u00a0 It can be classified on the basis of aetiology, the relationship of the fracture with the external environment, the displacement of the fracture, and the pattern of the fracture.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h6><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">ON THE BASIS OF AETIOLOGY<\/span><\/h6>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">Traumatic fracture: A fracture sustained due to trauma is called a traumatic fracture*. Normal bone can withstand considerable force, and breaks only when subjected to excessive force. Most fractures seen in day-to-day practice fall into this category e.g., fractures caused by a fall, road traffic accident, fight etc.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">Pathological fracture: A fracture through a bone which has been made weak by some underlying disease is called a pathological fracture. A trivial or\u00a0no force may be required to cause such a fracture e.g., a fracture through a bone weakened by metastasis.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">Although, traumatic fractures have a predictable and generally successful outcome, pathological fractures often go into non-union.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">Stress Fracture: This is a special type of fracture sustained due to chronic repetitive injury (stress) causing a break in bony trabeculae. These often present as only pain and may not be visible on X-rays.<\/span><\/p>\n<h6><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">ON THE BASIS OF DISPLACEMENTS<\/span><\/h6>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">Undisplaced fracture: These fractures are easy to identify by the absence of significant displacement.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">Displaced fracture: A fracture may be displaced. The factors responsible for displacement are: (i) the fracturing force; (ii) the muscle pull on the fracture fragments; and (iii) the gravity. While describing the displacements of a fracture, conventionally, it is the displacement of the distal fragment in relation to the proximal fragment which is mentioned. The displacement can be in the form of shift, angulation or rotation.<\/span><\/p>\n<h6><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">ON THE BASIS OF RELATIONSHIP WITH EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENT<\/span><\/h6>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\"><u>Closed<\/u>** fracture: A fracture not communicating with the external environment, i.e., the overlying skin and other soft tissues are intact, is called a closed fracture.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\"><u>Open<\/u> fracture: A fracture with break in the overlying skin and soft tissues, leading to the fracture communicating with the external environment, is called an open fracture. A fracture may be open from within or outside, the so called internally or externally open fracture respectively.<\/span><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\"><em>Interna<\/em><em>lly open <\/em>(from within): The sharp fracture end pierces the skin from within, resulting in an open<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\"><em>Extern<\/em><em>ally open <\/em>(open from outside): The object causing the fracture lacerates the skin and soft tissues over the bone, as it breaks the bone, resulting in an open<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">Exposure of an open fracture to the external environment makes it prone to infection. This risk is more in externally open fracture.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h6><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">ON THE BASIS OF COMPLEXITY OF TREATMENT<\/span><\/h6>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">Simple fracture: A fracture in two pieces, usually easy to treat, is called simple fracture, e.g. a transverse fracture of humerus.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">Complex fracture: A fracture in multiple pieces, usually difficult to treat, is called complex fracture,<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">e.g. a communited fracture of tibia.<\/span><\/p>\n<h6><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">ON THE BASIS OF QUANTUM OF FORCE CAUSING FRACTURE<\/span><\/h6>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">High-velocity injury: These are fractures sustained as a result of severe trauma force, as in traffic accidents. In these fractures, there is <u>severe soft tissue injury (periosteal and muscle<\/u> injury). There\u00a0is <u>extensive devascularisation<\/u> of fracture ends. Such fractures are often unstable, and slow to heal.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">Low-velocity injury: These fractures are sustained as a result of mild trauma force, as in a fall. There is little associated soft tissue injury, and hence these fractures often heal predictably. Lately, there is a change in the pattern of fractures due to shift from low-velocity to high-velocity injuries. The latter gives rise to more complex fractures, which are difficult to treat.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h6><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">ON THE BASIS OF PATTERN<\/span><\/h6>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">Transverse fracture: In this fracture, the fracture line is perpendicular to the long axis of the bone. Such a fracture is caused by a tapping or bending force (Fig-1.2).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">Oblique fracture: In this fracture, the fracture line is oblique. Such a fracture is caused by a bending force which, in addition, has a component along the long axis of the bone.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">Spiral fracture: In this fracture, the fracture line runs spirally in more than one plane. Such a fracture is caused by a primarily twisting force.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">Comminuted fracture: This is a fracture with multiple fragments. It is caused by a crushing or compression force along the long axis of the bone.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">Segmental fracture: In this type, there are two fractures in one bone, but at different levels.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">A fracture may have a combination of two or more patterns. For example, it may be a comminuted but primarily a transverse fracture.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\"><a style=\"color: #000000;\" name=\"_TOC_250052\"><\/a>FRACTURES WITH EPONYMS<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">Some fractures are better known by names, mostly of those who first described them. Some such fractures are as follows:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\"><em>Monteggia <\/em><em>fracture-dislocation: <\/em>Fracture of the proximal third of the ulna, with dislocation of the head of the radius (page 110).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\"><em>Galeazzi fracture-dislocation: <\/em>Fracture of the distal third of the radius with dislocation of the distal radio-ulnar joint (page 111).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\"><em>Night-stick fracture: <\/em>Isolated fracture of the shaft of the ulna, sustained while trying to ward off a stick blow.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\"><em>Colles\u2019 fracture: <\/em>A fracture occurring in adults, at the cortico-cancellous junction of the distal end of the radius with <em>dorsal <\/em>tilt and other displacements (page 111).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\"><em>Smith&#8217;s fracture: <\/em>A fracture occurring in adults, at the cortico-cancellous junction of the distal end of the radius with <em>ventral <\/em>tilt and other displacements (reverse of Colles&#8217;).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\"><em>Barton&#8217;s fracture <\/em>(Marginal fracture): Intra-articular fractures through the distal articular surface of the radius, taking a margin, anterior or posterior, of the distal radius with the carpals, displaced anteriorly or posteriorly (page 114).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\"><em>Chauffeur fracture: <\/em>An intra-articular, oblique fracture of the styloid process of the radius.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\"><em>Bennett&#8217;s fracture-dislocation: <\/em>It is an oblique, intra- articular fracture of the base of the first metacarpal with subluxation of the trapezio-metacarpal joint (page 117).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\"><em>Boxers&#8217; fracture: <\/em>It is a ventrally displaced fracture through the neck of the 5th metacarpal, usually occurs in boxers.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\"><em>Side-swipe fracture: <\/em>It is an elbow injury sustained when one&#8217;s elbow, projecting out of a car, is \u2018side- swept\u2019 by another vehicle. It has a combination\u00a0 of fractures of the distal end of the humerus with fractures of proximal ends of radius and\/or ulna. It is also called baby car fracture.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\"><em>Bumper fracture: <\/em>It is a comminuted, depressed fracture of the lateral condyle of the tibia.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\"><em>Pott&#8217;s fracture: <\/em>Bimalleolar ankle fracture.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\"><em>Cotton&#8217;s fracture: <\/em>Trimalleolar ankle fracture.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\"><em>Massonaise&#8217;s fracture: <\/em>It is a type of ankle fracture in which fracture of the <em>neck <\/em>of the fibula occurs.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\"><em>Pilon fracture: <\/em>It is a comminuted intra-articular fracture of the distal end of the tibia.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\"><em>Aviator&#8217;s fracture: <\/em>Fracture of neck of the talus.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\"><em>Chopart fracture-dislocation: <\/em>A fracture-dislocation through inter-tarsal joints.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\"><em>Jone&#8217;s fracture: <\/em>Avulsion fracture of the base of the 5th metatarsal.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\"><em>Rolando fracture: <\/em>Fracture of the base of the first metacarpal (extra-articular).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\"><em>Jefferson\u2019s fracture: <\/em>Fracture of the first cervical vertebra.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\"><em>Whiplash injury: <\/em>Cervical spine injury where sudden flexion followed by hyperextension takes place.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\"><em>Chance fracture: <\/em>Also called seat belt fracture, the fracture line runs horizontally through the body of the vertebra, through and through, to the posterior elements.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\"><em>March fracture: <\/em>Fatigue fracture of the shaft of 2nd or 3rd metatarsal.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\"><em>Burst fracture: <\/em>It is a comminuted fracture of the vertebral body where fragments \u2018\u2018burst out\u2019\u2019 in different directions (page 268).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\"><em>Clay-Shoveller fracture: <\/em>It is an avulsion fracture of spinous process of one or more of the lower cervical or upper thoracic vertebrae.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\"><em>Hangman&#8217;s fracture: <\/em>It is a fracture through the pedicle and lamina of C2 vertebra, with subluxation of C2 over C3, sustained in hanging.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\"><em>Dashboard fracture: <\/em>A fracture of posterior lip of the acetabulum, often associated with posterior dislocation of the hip.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\"><em>Straddle fracture: <\/em>Bilateral superior and inferior pubic rami fractures.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\"><em>Malgaigne&#8217;s fracture: <\/em>A type of pelvis fracture in which there is a combination of fractures, pubic rami anteriorly and sacro-iliac joint or ilium posteriorly, on the <em>same <\/em>side.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\"><em>Mallet finger: <\/em>A finger flexed at the DIP joint due to avulsion or rupture of extensor tendon at the base of the distal phalanx.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\"><a style=\"color: #000000;\" name=\"_TOC_250051\"><\/a>PATHOLOGICAL FRACTURES<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">A fracture is termed pathological when it occurs in a bone made weak by some disease (Fig-1.3). Often, the bone breaks as a result of a trivial trauma, or even spontaneously.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h6><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">CAUSES<\/span><\/h6>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">A bone may be rendered weak by a disease localised to that particular bone, or by a generalised bone disorder. Table\u20131.1 gives some of the common causes of pathological fractures. Osteoporosis is the <em>commonest <\/em>cause of pathological fracture. The bones most often affected are the vertebral bodies (thoracic and lumbar). Other common fractures associated with osteoporosis are fracture of the neck of the femur and Colles&#8217; fracture.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">A local or circumscribed lesion of the bone, responsible for a pathological fracture, may be due to varying causes in different age groups (Table\u20131.2). In children, it is commonly due to chronic osteomyelitis or a bone cyst. In adults, it is often due to a bone cyst or giant cell tumour. In elderly people, metastatic tumour is a frequent cause.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">Table\u20131.1: <em>Causes of pathological fractures<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\"><em>\u00a0<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"323\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\"><em>Localised Diseases<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\"><em>Inflammatory<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Pyogenic osteomyelitis<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Tubercular osteomyelitis<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\"><em>Neoplastic<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Benign tumours<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">\u2013\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Giant cell tumour, Enchondroma<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Malignant tumours<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">\u2013\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Primary<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">Osteosarcoma, Ewing&#8217;s tumour<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">\u2013\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Secondary<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">In males: lung, prostate, kidney In females: breast, lung, genitals<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\"><em>Miscellaneous<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Simple bone cyst<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Aneurysmal bone cyst<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Monostotic fibrous dysplasia<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Eosinophilic granuloma<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Bone atrophy secondary to polio etc.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\"><em>Generalised Diseases<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\"><em>Hereditary<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Osteogenesis imperfecta<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Dyschondroplasia (Ollier&#8217;s disease)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Osteopetrosis<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\"><em>Acquired<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Osteoporosis<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Osteomalacia<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Rickets<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Scurvy<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Disseminated malignancy in bones<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">\u2013\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Multiple myeloma<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">\u2013\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Diffuse metastatic carcinoma<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Miscellaneous<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">\u2013\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Paget&#8217;s disease<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">\u2013\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Polyostotic fibrous dysplasia<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\"><em>\u00a0<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<h6><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">DIAGNOSIS<\/span><\/h6>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">A fracture sustained without a significant trauma should arouse suspicion of a pathological fracture.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">Often the patient, when directly questioned, admits to having suffered from some discomfort in the region of the affected bone for some time before the fracture. The patient may be a diagnosed case of a disease known to produce pathological fractures (e.g., a known case of malignancy), thus making the diagnosis of a pathological fracture simple. At times, the\u00a0 patient\u00a0 may\u00a0 present\u00a0 with a pathological fracture, the cause of which is determined only after a detailed work up.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h6><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">TREATMENT<\/span><\/h6>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">Treatment of a pathological fracture consists of:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">(i) detecting the underlying cause of the fracture; and (ii) making an assessment of the capacity of the fracture to unite, based on the nature of the underlying disease.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">A fracture in a bone affected by a generalised disor- der like Paget&#8217;s disease, osteogenesis imperfecta or osteoporosis is expected to unite with conventional methods of treatment. A fracture at the site of a bone cyst or a benign tumour will also generally unite, but the union may be delayed. Fractures occur- ring in osteomyelitic bones often take a long time, and sometimes fail to unite despite best efforts. Fractures through metastatic bone lesions often do not unite at all, though the union may occur if the malignancy has been brought under control with chemotherapy or radiotherapy.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">With the availability of facilities for internal fixation, more and more pathological fractures are now treated operatively with an aim to: (i) enhance the process of union by bone grafting (e.g. in bone cyst or benign tumour); or (ii) mobilise the patient by surgical stabilisation of the fracture. Achieving stable fixation in these fractures is difficult because of the bone defect caused by the underlying pathology. The defect may have to be filled using bone grafts or bone cement.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\"><em>Causes of pathological fractures at different ages<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\"><em>\u00a0<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"120\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\"><em>Age<\/em><\/span><\/td>\n<td width=\"204\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\"><em>Causes<\/em><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"120\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 At birth<\/span><\/td>\n<td width=\"204\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">Osteogenesis imperfecta<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"120\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 0-5 years<\/span><\/td>\n<td width=\"204\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">Osteogenesis imperfecta<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"120\">&nbsp;<\/td>\n<td width=\"204\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">Osteomyelitis<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"120\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 5-20 years<\/span><\/td>\n<td width=\"204\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">Osteomyelitis<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"120\">&nbsp;<\/td>\n<td width=\"204\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">Simple bone cyst<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"120\">&nbsp;<\/td>\n<td width=\"204\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">Primary bone malignancy<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"120\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 20-50 years<\/span><\/td>\n<td width=\"204\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">Cystic lesions of the bone<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"120\">&nbsp;<\/td>\n<td width=\"204\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">Malignancy<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"120\">&nbsp;<\/td>\n<td width=\"204\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">Osteomalacia<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"120\">&nbsp;<\/td>\n<td width=\"204\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">Giant cell tumour<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"120\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 After 50 years<\/span><\/td>\n<td width=\"204\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">Osteoporosis<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"120\">&nbsp;<\/td>\n<td width=\"204\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">Multiple myeloma<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"120\">&nbsp;<\/td>\n<td width=\"204\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">Secondaries in the bone<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h3><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">INJURIES TO JOINTS<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">Joint injuries may be either a subluxation or a dislocation. A joint is subluxated when its articular surfaces are partially displaced but retain some contact between them (Fig-1.4).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">A joint is dislocated when its articular surfaces are so much displaced that all contact between them is lost. A dislocated joint is an emergency, and should be treated at the earliest.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\"><a style=\"color: #000000;\" name=\"_TOC_250049\"><\/a>INJURIES TO LIGAMENTS<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">An injury to a ligament is termed as a sprain. This is to be differentiated from the term \u2018strain\u2019 which means stretching of a muscle or its tendinous attachment.<\/span><\/p>\n<h6><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">CLASSIFICATION<\/span><\/h6>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">Sprains are classified into three degrees (Fig-1.5):<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">First-degree sprain is a tear of only a few fibres of the ligament. It is characterised by minimal swelling, localised tenderness but little functional disability.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">Second-degree sprain is the one where, anything from a third to almost all the fibres of a ligament are disrupted. The patient presents with pain, swelling and inability to use the limb. Joint movements are normal. The diagnosis can be made on performing a stress test as discussed subsequently.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">Third-degree sprain is a complete tear of the ligament. There is swelling and pain over the torn ligament. Contrary to expectations, often the pain in such tears is minimal. Diagnosis can be made by performing a stress test, and by investigations such as MRI or arthroscopy.<\/span><\/p>\n<h6><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">PATHOLOGY<\/span><\/h6>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">A ligament may get torn in its substance (mid- substance tear) or at either end. In the latter case, it often avulses with a small piece of bone from its attachment (Fig-1.6).<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h6><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">DIAGNOSIS<\/span><\/h6>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">A detailed history, eliciting the exact mechanism of injury, often indicates the likely ligament injured. The examination helps in finding the precise location and severity of the sprain, which can then be confirmed by investigations.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">Clinical examination: A localised swelling, tenderness, and ecchymosis over a ligament indicates injury to that ligament. Usually, a haemarthrosis is noticed in second and third-degree sprains within 2 hours. It may be absent* despite a complete tear, or if the torn ligament is covered by synovium (e.g., intra-synovial tear of anterior cruciate ligament).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\"><em>Stress test <\/em>(Fig-1.7): This is a very useful test in diagnosing a sprain and judging its severity. The ligament in question is put to stress by a manoeuvre. The manoeuvre used for testing of individual ligaments will be discussed in respective chapters. When a ligament is stressed, in first and second- degree sprains, there will be pain at the site of the tear. In third-degree sprain, the joint will \u2018open up\u2019 as well.<\/span><\/p>\n<h6><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">INVESTIGATIONS<\/span><\/h6>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">A plain X-ray of the joint is usually normal. Sometimes, a chip of bone may be seen in the region of the attachment of the ligament to the bone. An X-ray taken while the ligament is being stressed (stress X-ray) may document an abnormal opening up of the joint in a third-degree sprain.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">Other investigations required in a few cases are<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">MRI or arthroscopy.<\/span><\/p>\n<h6><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">TREATMENT<\/span><\/h6>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">There has been a significant change in the treatment of sprains. All sprains are treated initially with rest, ice therapy, compression bandage, elevation (RICE). Suitable analgesics and anti-inflammatory medica- tion is given. This is enough for first-degree sprains. Second and third-degree sprains are immobilised in a brace or a plaster cast for a period of 1-2 weeks, mainly for pain relief. No longer is plaster immo- bilisation advised for long periods. In fact, early mobilisation and walking with support enhances healing of ligaments. In some third-degree sprains, surgery may be required.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\"><a style=\"color: #000000;\" name=\"_TOC_250048\"><\/a>INJURIES TO MUSCLES AND TENDONS<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">Muscles are ruptured more often than tendons in young people, while the reverse is true in the elderly. The most frequent cause of partial or complete rupture of a muscle or a tendon is sudden vigorous contraction of a muscle. It may be by overstretching of a muscle at rest. Such an injury to muscle is termed <em>strain <\/em>(and not sprain, which is ligament injury). A muscle or tendon injury may also be produced by a sharp object such as a sword.<\/span><\/p>\n<h6><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">PATHOLOGY<\/span><\/h6>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">Arupture occurs within a tendon only if it is abnormal and has become weak, either due to degeneration or wear and tear. Degenerative tendon ruptures commonly occur in rheumatoid arthritis, SLE, senile degeneration, etc. Tendon rupture related to wear and tear commonly occurs in the biceps (long head), and in extensor pollicis longus tendons. Some tendons known to rupture commonly are as given in Table\u20131.3. Diagnosis of a ruptured tendon is usually easy. The patient complains of pain and\u00a0inability to perform the movement for which the tendon is meant.<\/span><\/p>\n<h6><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">TREATMENT<\/span><\/h6>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">The best treatment of a fresh rupture is to regain continuity by end-to-end repair. When the gap is too much, it can be filled with the help of a tendon graft. In cases where the repair is not possible, a tendon transfer may be performed. In some old tendon ruptures, especially in the elderly, there may be only a minimal functional disability. These patients do well without treatment.<\/span><\/p>\n<table width=\"100%\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Supraspinatus tendon<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Achilles tendon<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Biceps tendon \u2013 long head<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Extensor pollicis longus tendon<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Quadriceps tendon<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, Palatino; color: #000000;\">\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Patellar tendon<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>An injury to the musculo-skeletal system can result in damage to bones, joints, muscles and tendons. In addition, the neurovascular bundle of the limb may be damaged. This section will outline the broad principles used in the diagnosis and management of these injuries. These principles can be applied, with suitable modifications, in the management of&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"aside","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-885","post","type-post","status-publish","format-aside","hentry","category-uncategorized","post_format-post-format-aside","category-1","description-off"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/medi-wiki.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/885","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/medi-wiki.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/medi-wiki.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medi-wiki.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medi-wiki.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=885"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/medi-wiki.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/885\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/medi-wiki.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=885"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medi-wiki.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=885"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medi-wiki.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=885"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}