Objectives: Athletes with disabilities are highly skilled. sports-related injuries and disorders interfere with their efforts. several aspects of these injuries have been studied in previous studies. the aim of this study was to correlate the types of injuries with the disability group in athletes with physical disabilities. methOds: one hundred and thirty nine elite athletes with physical disabilities completed a questionnaire about sports-related injuries that resulted in at least one day off from training or competition. Results: All disability groups show soft tissue injuries in high percentages. Cerebral palsy (CP) athletes reported soft tissue injuries (P < 0.01) and lacerations (P < 0.001) in higher percentage than other Disabled Athletes (oDA) and spinal Cord Injured (sCI) athletes. spinal cord injured athletes sustained fractures (P < 0.05) and blisters (P < 0.05) in higher percentages than the other groups. no differences were found between the studied groups for contusions, low back pain, ruptures, thermoregulation disorders, urinary tract infections, pressure sores and pneumonias. cOnclusiOn: CP athletes sustained soft tissue injuries and lacerations more than other disability groups did because moving and walking patterns of this population add risk factors for such injuries. Fractures and blisters occur more frequently to sCI athletes because they participate in higher percentage in wheelchair basketball which is high risky sport.

In this case report, a 75-year old male presented with a mass on the anterior surface of the mid-shaft of the right tibia. Imaging studies showed a wellcircumscribed radiolucent lesion in the anterior tibial cortex, without soft tissue extension.Plain radiographs and computed tomography scan of the chest were negative. Histological diagnosis was consistent with adamantinoma, a rare primary bone tumour. Wide tumour resection of approximately 16 cm of the tibial diaphysis with a surrounding cuff of normal tissue was performed. The bone defect was reconstructed using an intramedullary diaphyseal segmental defect fixation system. At 26 months postoperatively the patient is alive with no evidence of local recurrence, distant metastases or implant failure. The intramedullary diaphyseal segmental defect fixation system is associated with excellent oncological and functional outcomes. Intra-operative modularity, ease of application, immediate postoperative stability and rapid rehabilitation are the major advantages of this diaphyseal prosthesis.

ObjectivesIn the last decades, limb lengthening has not been limited to the treatment of patients with dwarfism and deformities resulting from congenital anomalies, trauma, tumor and infections, but, has also been used for aesthetic reasons. Cosmetic lengthening by the Ilizarov method with circular external fixation has been applied to individuals with constitutional short stature who wish to be taller.Materials and methodsFrom January 1985 to December 2010, the medical records of 63 patients with constitutional short stature (36 M, 27F; 126 legs) who underwent cosmetic bilateral leg lengthening using a hybrid advanced fixator according to the Ilizarov method, were reviewed, retrospectively. The mean age was 24.8 years, while the mean preoperative height was 152.6 cm. Paley’s criteria were used to evaluate problems, obstacles, and complications from the time of surgery until 1 year after frame’s removal.ResultThe mean lengthening achieved in all patients was 7.2 cm (range: 5–11 cm), with a mean duration of treatment of 9 months and 15 days (range: 7–18 months). The mean follow-up time was 6.14 years (range 1–10).ConclusionThe cosmetic leg lengthening was helpful to all patients, improving their social capabilities and self-confidence. All patients considered their stature as normal and they reported satisfaction and gratification with important changes in their professional and personal life. Cosmetic leg lengthening may raise some ethical objections and for that reason patients should be well informed about all the risks and complications related to this type of surgery.

Background: Alteration of the posteromedial part of the proximal tibia is the main characteristic of Blount’s disease and if left untreated, leg alignment and normal development of the lower limbs may be compromised. Aim: To report treatment outcomes in children with Blount’s disease using the Taylor Spatial Frame (TSF). Materials and methods: From January 2007 to December 2014, 16 young children (24 tibia) with a mean age of 7.5 years (range of 3-14 yrs) and severe Blount’s disease were treated using TSF. Preoperative long standing radiographs were performed and anatomic medial proximal tibial angle (MPTA), diaphyseal-metaphyseal tibial angle (Drennan), femoro-tibial angle and leg length discrepancy (LLD) were measured. Results: Post-operative improvement of all measurements was observed. MPTA increased from a mean of 71.8° (58° - 79°) to 92.5° (90° - 95°), the Drennan decreased from 16.6° (14° - 18°) to 3.6° (0° - 6°), the F-T angle changed from 15.4° (10° - 25°) of varus to 5.9° (2° - 10°) of valgus and the LLD decreased from 208 mm (150-320) to 69 mm (0- +120). Mean follow-up was 45.6 months. According to Paley’s criteria pin track infection was present in 6 tibiae, while in 5 patients software changes were necessary. Recurrence was observed in 3 patients (triplets). Complete restoration of the mechanical axis was obtained at the end of the treatment. Conclusions: In the last decades, different surgical treatments have been proposed for Blount’s disease (tension band plate, staples, osteotomies using external or internal fixation). External fixation using the TSF allows gradual safe correction of multiplanar deformities and is a well-tolerated technique by patients with Blount’s disease.

Background: Cerebral palsy (CP) is a serious disorder with an important impact not only on the affected person but also on parents and the entire family. CP children often undergo surgery with long stay hospitalization. Aim: The aim of the study was to highlight the impact of orthopedic surgery on parents of children affected by cerebral palsy in Greece. Materials and methods: The semi-structured interviews of 80 parents (40 fathers and 40 mothers) of nuclear and intact families were collected. All parents were of Greek nationality, belonged to the middle socio-economic class and had at least one child affected by CP candidate to orthopedic surgery. Results: The majority of parents’ perception was that CP is a condition requiring special education, need for specialized services and a medical problem that affects the entire family. Their expectations after orthopedic surgery were focused mainly on child’s healing and hope to have a “healthy” child, while expectations from future surgery were focused on improving child’s quality of life, movement and gait. Conclusions: Parents of CP children have different perceptions of the clinical condition and a variety of expectations about orthopedic surgery and its outcomes.

Posterior transpedicular spinal canal decompression and instrumentation is a reasonable alternative technique to anterior decompression procedures and circumferential fusion, providing for satisfactory canal decompression and neurological improvement.

Horse-related athletic, recreational and professional activities is a worldwide widespread practice involving people of all ages. This kind of activity, due to the particular risks involved, is associated with a significant number of accidents and injuries of the musculoskeletal system. Spine injuries (SI) and spinal cord injuries (SCI) are serious injuries that can have devastating consequences for the rider. In the present review, we examined their epidemiology, their characteristics in terms of the mechanism and type of injury, the neurological damage they cause and the injured region of the spine. The type of the therapeutic approach and its results were also analyzed. 19 papers that included 7.569 patients, 632 (8.3%) of whom suffered spine or spinal cord injuries, were analyzed. A total of 1.072 injuries were analyzed, 56 % of which concerned men and 44% women. The fall from a horse is considered to be the main mechanism that causes injuries associated with fractures of the thoracic and lumbar spine. 58% of the patients with such injuries were hospitalized. There was a complete neurological damage in 31.8% of the patients, while in a significant proportion of 53.5% of the patients; quadriplegia was caused by the injury. Although conservative treatment in simple cases without neurological damage appears to be an effective therapeutic approach, in cases of unstable injuries and neurological impairment surgical treatment can be a method of choice with satisfactory results such as better mobilization and quality of life.

No abstract