(i) A bio-absorbable material that can be used to fix the syndesmosis and allow early weight bearing, and (ii) there is a need for developing a surgical technique for adequately reducing the syndesmosis without the exposure to radiation.

Injuries to the hamstring muscle complex are common in athletes, accounting for between 12% and 26% of all injuries sustained during sporting activities. Acute hamstring injuries often occur during sports that involve repetitive kicking or high-speed sprinting, such as American football, soccer, rugby, and athletics. They are also common in watersports, including waterskiing and surfing. Hamstring injuries can be career-threatening in elite athletes and are associated with an estimated risk of recurrence in between 14% and 63% of patients. The variability in prognosis and treatment of the different injury patterns highlights the importance of prompt diagnosis with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in order to classify injuries accurately and plan the appropriate management. Low-grade hamstring injuries may be treated with nonoperative measures including pain relief, eccentric lengthening exercises, and a graduated return to sport-specific activities. Nonoperative management is associated with highly variable times for convalescence and return to a pre-injury level of sporting function. Nonoperative management of high-grade hamstring injuries is associated with poor return to baseline function, residual muscle weakness and a high-risk of recurrence. Proximal hamstring avulsion injuries, high-grade musculotendinous tears, and chronic injuries with persistent weakness or functional compromise require surgical repair to enable return to a pre-injury level of sporting function and minimize the risk of recurrent injury. This article reviews the optimal diagnostic imaging methods and common classification systems used to guide the treatment of hamstring injuries. In addition, the indications and outcomes for both nonoperative and operative treatment are analyzed to provide an evidence-based management framework for these patients. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2020;102-B(10):1281–1288.

Aims As the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic passes, the challenge shifts to safe resumption of routine medical services, including elective orthopaedic surgery. Protocols including pre-operative self-isolation, COVID-19 testing, and surgery at a non-COVID-19 site have been developed to minimize risk of transmission. Despite this, it is likely that many patients will want to delay surgery for fear of contracting COVID-19. The aim of this study is to identify the number of patients who still want to proceed with planned elective orthopaedic surgery in this current environment. Methods This is a prospective, single surgeon study of 102 patients who were on the waiting list for an elective hip or knee procedure during the COVID-19 pandemic. Baseline characteristics including age, ASA grade, COVID-19 risk, procedure type, surgical priority, and admission type were recorded. The primary outcome was patient consent to continue with planned surgical care after resumption of elective orthopaedic services. Subgroup analysis was also performed to determine if any specific patient factors influenced the decision to proceed with surgery. Results Overall, 58 patients (56.8%) wanted to continue with planned surgical care at the earliest possibility. Patients classified as ASA I and ASA II were more likely to agree to surgery (60.5% and 60.0%, respectively) compared to ASA III and ASA IV patients (44.4% and 0.0%, respectively) (p = 0.01). In addition, patients undergoing soft tissue knee surgery were more likely to consent to surgery (90.0%) compared to patients undergoing primary hip arthroplasty (68.6%), primary knee arthroplasty (48.7%), revision hip or knee arthroplasty (0.0%), or hip and knee injections (43.8%) (p = 0.03). Conclusion Restarting elective orthopaedic services during the COVID-19 pandemic remains a significant challenge. Given the uncertain environment, it is unsurprising that only 56% of patients were prepared to continue with their planned surgical care upon resumption of elective services. Cite this article: Bone Joint Open 2020;1-6:267–271.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is closely related to insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and dyslipidaemia. Obesity and metabolic syndrome are associated with an increased cancer risk, and recent evidence demonstrated an association between NAFLD and colorectal cancer (CRC). The mechanism of how NAFLD can be associated with increased risk of CRC is not fully understood; however, NAFLD represents a condition of profound insulin resistance and a proinflammatory state. Insulin and insulin-like growth factors may promote the development of CRC through their proliferative and antiapoptotic effects. Patients with NAFLD have reduced expression of adiponectin, an adipokine with anti-inflammatory effects. Importantly, hypoadiponectinemia is associated with an increased risk of CRC. Decreased levels of adiponectin lead to increased insulin levels due to marked insulin resistance and in turn increased insulin growth factor-1 (IGF-1). Insulin binds to IGF-1 receptors and plays an important role in cell proliferation, apoptosis, and increased production of vascular endothelial growth factor, an angiogenic factor that supports cancer growth. Further studies are needed to establish (i) the pathophysiology of NAFLD with colorectal cancer, (ii) the benefit of early screening of CRC in NAFLD patients, and (iii) the impact of treatment of NAFLD in the modulation of the risk of colorectal cancer.