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Objectives: To assess the incidence of hardware related pain after open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) after ankle fractures through functional outcomes scores in patients with or without hardware related pain. Design: Retrospective study. Setting: Regional trauma center. Patients: One hundred and seventy six patients undergoing ORIF of an ankle fracture with a minimal follow up of 18 months were sent questionnaires. In total, 80 responding patients were available for analysis. Main Outcome Measurements: Visual Analog Pain Score, Foot and Ankle Outcome Score (FAOS). Results: In seventeen patients (21%), the hardware was removed because of pain. In another seventeen patients (21%), the hardware was not removed, but pain was reported. Patients with hardware related pain had significantly worse functional outcome scores than patients without hardware related pain. After elective hardware removal, pain reduction was achieved in 71 % of the patients. Mean Visual Analog Score was 7.0 before and 3.9 after elective hardware removal for pain. Conclusions: Hardware related pain is a significant issue after ORIF of ankle fractures. Patients with hardware related pain have significantly worse functional outcome scores. Although pain reduction is achieved in 71% of the patients after elective hardware removal, a substantial number of patients have persistent complaints. Patients should be well informed about the expectations and risks of elective hardware removal.

BackgroundClinical characteristics and complications of Duchenne muscular dystrophy caused by skeletal and cardiac muscle degeneration are well known. Gastro-intestinal involvement has also been recognised in these patients. However an acute perforated gastro-duodenal peptic ulcer has not been documented up to now.Case presentationA 26-year-old male with Duchenne muscular dystrophy with a clinical and radiographic diagnosis of acute perforated gastro-duodenal peptic ulcer is treated non-operatively with naso-gastric suction and intravenous medication. Gastrointestinal involvement in Duchenne muscular dystrophy and therapeutic considerations in a high risk patient are discussed.ConclusionNon-surgical treatment for perforated gastro-duodenal peptic ulcer should be considered in high risk patients, as is the case in patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Patients must be carefully observed and operated on if non-operative treatment is unsuccessful.

BackgroundAcute lateral ankle ligament injuries are very common problems in present health care. Still there is no hard evidence about which treatment strategy is superior. Current evidence supports the view that a functional treatment strategy is preferable, but insufficient data are present to prove the benefit of external support devices in these types of treatment. The hypothesis of our study is that external ankle support devices will not result in better outcome in the treatment of acute ankle sprains, compared to a purely functional treatment strategy. Overall objective is to compare the results of three different strategies of functional treatment for acute ankle sprain, especially to determine the advantages of external support devices in addition to functional treatment strategy, based on balance and coordination exercises.Methods/designThis study is designed as a randomised controlled multi-centre trial with one-year follow-up. Adult and healthy patients (N = 180) with acute, single sided and first inversion trauma of the lateral ankle ligaments will be included. They will all follow the same schedule of balancing exercises and will be divided into 3 treatment groups, 1. pressure bandage and tape, 2. pressure bandage and brace and 3. no external support. Primary outcome measure is the Karlsson scoring scale; secondary outcomes are FAOS (subscales), number of recurrent ankle injuries, Visual Analogue Scales of pain and satisfaction and adverse events. They will be measured after one week, 6 weeks, 6 months and 1 year.DiscussionThe ANKLE TRIAL is a randomized controlled trial in which a purely functional treated control group, without any external support is investigated. Results of this study could lead to other opinions about usefulness of external support devices in the treatment of acute ankle sprain.Trial registrationNetherlands Trial Register (NTR): NTR2151

Patients at increased risk of recurrence of fulminant bacterial peritonitis during open management of the abdomen can be identified at the time of discontinuation of antimicrobial treatment by a new scoring system; antimicrobial treatment should not be discontinued in patients with a score of 6 or more.