Fifty patients who underwent open carpal tunnel release (OCTR) surgery at least 12 months earlier for carpal tunnel syndrome were reviewed, focusing on scar tenderness, pillar pain, and symptoms of neuroma. A total of 55 hands were studied. At an average of 20.2 months of follow-up, 5.5% had Tinel's sign, 7.3% had scar tenderness, 12.7% had pillar pain, and 18% had burning discomfort. Pillar pain was elicited in a much higher fraction of patients by using the "table test" (provocation of pillar pain by having the patient lean with his/her weight on the hands placed on the edge of a table), even when traditional tests were negative. Symptoms and signs are present in a substantial number of patients after OCTR, even after almost 2 years of follow-up. Patients should be informed of the incidence of long-term symptoms and signs after OCTR surgery.

No abstract

No abstract

ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to compare the limb occlusion pressure (LOP) determination and arterial occlusion pressure (AOP) estimation methods for tourniquet pressure setting in adult patients undergoing knee arthroplasty under combined spinal-epidural anesthesia.MethodsNinety-three patients were randomized into two groups. Pneumatic tourniquet inflation pressures were adjusted based either on LOP determination or AOP estimation in Group 1 (46 patients, 38 female and 8 male; mean age: 67.71 ± 9.17) and Group 2 (47 patients, 40 female and 7 male; mean age: 70.31 ± 8.27), respectively. Initial and maximal systolic blood pressures, LOP/AOP levels, required time to estimate AOP/determinate LOP and set the cuff pressure, initial and maximal tourniquet pressures and tourniquet time were recorded. The effectiveness of the tourniquet was assessed by the orthopedic surgeons using a Likert scale.ResultsInitial and maximal systolic blood pressures, determined LOP, estimated AOP, duration of tourniquet and the performance of the tourniquet were not different between groups. However, the initial (182.44 ± 14.59 mm Hg vs. 200.69 ± 15.55 mm Hg) and maximal tourniquet pressures (186.91 ± 12.91 mm Hg vs. 200.69 ± 15.55 mm Hg) were significantly lower, the time required to estimate AOP and set the tourniquet cuff pressure was significantly less (23.91 ± 4.77 s vs. 178.81 ± 25.46 s) in Group II (p = 0.000). No complications that could be related to the tourniquet were observed during or after surgery.ConclusionTourniquet inflation pressure setting based on AOP estimation method provides a bloodless surgical field that is comparable to that of LOP determination method with lower pneumatic inflation pressure and less required time for cuff pressure adjustment in adult patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty under combined spinal epidural anesthesia.

The proximal tibiofibular joint (PTFJ) can be considered to be the fourth compartment of knee joint. Although degenerative diseases of the knee joint may also have detrimental effects on the PTFJ until now, details of arthritic affection of PTFJ in the elderly who have severe femorotibial arthritis have not been described. Convenience samples of knees of elderly patients with Kellgren-Lawrence grade III-IV primary osteoarthritis were investigated further in order to determine the X-ray findings of PTFJ. Sixty knees in 34 patients with an average age of 71 years (61-86 years) were examined. Both knees were examined in 26 patients. On the radiographs, 23 joints were grade IV, 14 were grade III, and 23 were grade II. At most, only minor differences were seen between knees on the same patient in terms of lower extremity alignment, grade of TFJ degeneration, grade of PTFJ degeneration, and type of PTFJ. Interobserver correlation was good for radiographic evaluation of PTFJ (kappa = 0.557). By intraobserver analysis with McNemar test, there was no statistically significant difference between the radiographic evaluations of PTFJ (p = 0.167). Arthritic grades of PTFJ and tibiofemoral joints were strongly correlated (Pearson coefficient r = 0.58, p < 0.001). No significant relation was found between type of PTFJ and grade of arthritis (chi(2) test, p = 0.42). In the light of these findings, the proximal tibiofibular joint should be evaluated for arthritic findings that may be responsible for lateral knee pain before a total knee arthroplasty operation is considered. The type of PTFJ is not related to the degree of this joint arthritis.