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Background. To assess the clinical outcomes of central tendon-splitting approach and double row anchor suturing for the treatment of insertional Achilles tendinopathy. Methods. 28 patients (28 feet) diagnosed with insertional Achilles tendinopathy were included in this study. The inclusions were symptom of hindfoot pain around the insertion of the Achilles tendon, radiographic demonstration of calcification, or degeneration of the Achilles tendon, showing no symptom improvement even after standard nonsurgical treatment for more than six months. The X-ray revealed that patients had obvious posterior superior calcaneal exostosis with the possibility of friction with the Achilles tendon or intratendinous calcification. Surgical correction by the central tendon-splitting approach and double row Achilles tendon suturing was performed. The ankles were immobilized with plaster for four weeks postoperatively. The American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) score and visual analogue score (VAS) were assessed preoperatively and at 2 years postoperatively. At final follow-up, the Manchester-Oxford Foot Questionnaire (MOXFQ) as patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) was also evaluated. Results. No complication, including postoperative wound infection and tendon rupture, was not found. All the patients resumed their daily activities with no high level of daily activities, such as jumping and jogging after 6 weeks postoperatively. 27 patients were available for follow-up for at least 2 years, while only one patient was lost to follow-up. At postoperative 2 years, the postoperative AOFAS score increased significantly, while the VAS score decreased statistically when compared with preoperative values. At final follow-up, 24 patients had complete alleviation of pain, whereas the remaining 3 patients complained of mild heel pain after walking for a long time. The MOXFQ score showed obvious relief of previous symptoms for all included cases. Conclusions. Central tendon-splitting approach and double row Achilles tendon suture provide excellent intraoperative visual field, larger tendon-bone contact area, and stronger pullout strength and, thus, facilitate early rehabilitation. It can be a safe and effective method for the treatment of insertional Achilles tendinopathy.

Background: Vitamin D deficiency has long been studied as a risk factor for osteoporosis. However, the association between serum vitamin D status, bone mineral density (BMD) and the incidence of vertebral fractures (OVFs) remain controversial. It is believed that free portion of the circulating vitamin D carries the metabolic activities of vitamin D. Therefore, the aim of the present study is to analyse if free vitamin D correlates with BMD and osteoporotic fragile vertebral fractures in the elderly population.Methods: A total of 90 consecutive patients, including 81 female and 9 male patients, aged > 48 years, were included in this cross sectional study between March and July of 2018. Total vitamin D (total 25(OH)D), free vitamin D (free 25(OH)D), calcium and phosphorus were measured. BMD was measured using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) and osteoporotic vertebral fracture was assessed using plain radiograph. Multiple linear regression was performed to find out the association between total vitamin D, free vitamin D and BMD at various sites. To evaluate the association with osteoporotic vertebral multivariate logistic regression model was used.Results: The mean total vitamin D and free vitamin D were 25.1 ± 10.2 and 6.1 ± 1.7 respectively. Free vitamin D had a linear correlation with total vitamin D (R 2 = 0.69). While free vitamin D had a positive correlation with lumbar BMD roles (p < 0.05), total vitamin D didn't have any association with BMD at any site. Of the total patients, 62 patients (68.9%) had thoracolumbar junction OVFs. Free vitamin D level correlated with the prevalence of OVFs as well as lumbar osteoporosis (p < 0.05). However, there was no statistical correlation between serum vitamin D status and the OVFs. Conclusions: Free vitamin D was significantly related to the occurrence of thoracolumbar junction OVFs and lumbar BMD, which assumed to be a positive predictor for fracture and osteoporosis prevention. However, total serum vitamin D levels did not have any association with BMD at different sites as well as fragile vertebral fracture. Trial registration: The study is registered at clinicaltrials.gov NCT03605173.

Post-arthroscopic osteonecrosis is a rare complication of arthroscopic surgery. The present study reported on a case of knee osteonecrosis after arthroscopic surgery. The patient, an 81-year-old male, presented with left knee pain and limited range of motion without any history of trauma. MRI revealed medial meniscus tear. Medial partial meniscectomy was performed using arthroscopy. The pain was found to be relieved due to the operation. However, there was an aggravation of pain after two months post-operatively. X-ray revealed that the subchondral bone in the medial femoral condyle (MFC) had collapsed. MRI revealed a large area of bone marrow edema in the MFC with cartilage delamination and subchondral flattening. Considering the age of the patient and the large area of bone necrosis, total knee arthroplasty was performed. At the 1-year follow-up, the Knee Society Knee Score improved from 44 points pre-operatively to 90 points and the Knee Society Functional Score was elevated from 35 to 90 points. Patient-reported outcome measures were assessed in the form of the Oxford Knee Score, which was 16. Furthermore, previous case reports of post-arthroscopic osteonecrosis were reviewed and the clinical and radiographic features, as well as the treatment, were summarized. If the patient complains of persistent and worsening pain after arthroscopy, particularly in elderly osteoporotic patients with meniscal tears or chondral lesions, the possibility of post-arthroscopic knee osteonecrosis should be considered. Diagnosis and treatment at the early stages are likely to be beneficial for the outcome.

Given the unprecedented global public health crisis due to the covid-19 pandemic, it is important to recognize the psychological impact on health care professionals. Previous experiences from the smaller scale epidemiology and new literature on COVID-19 have shown that increased pressure on healthcare professionals is associated with rise in the psychological incidence rates. We have described the psychological burden of the covid-19 pandemic on health care workers in Nepal and reviewed the literature on the impact of previous epidemics on front-line health care workers. In addition, we discussed potential triggers and measures to minimize the front-line psychological pressure to deal with this biological threat.

Hip arthroscopy is an effective method for the diagnosis and treatment of hip joint pathologies. However, gaining access to the central and peripheral compartments is challenging. The present study aimed to assess the advantages of using an arthroscopic extra-capsular approach and partial capsulotomy for access and subsequent management of hip diseases. Patients subjected to hip arthroscopy by partial capsulotomy for exposure and treatment of hip diseases between February 2012 and February 2016 were retrospectively analyzed. A total of 32 patients, including 19 males and 13 females, aged 19-48 years (median age, 36 years), had undergone the procedure. Firstly, the distal anterior lateral and anterolateral arthroscopic approach with blunt dissection was performed. Subsequently, a T-shaped partial capsulotomy was established to achieve adequate exposure. The shaver, radiofrequency probe and tissue penetrating suture grasper were then inserted to perform procedures including debridement of the synovium, suturing of the glenoid labrum. During surgery, a probe hook was used to push the capsule section limbs or pull the sutures placed on the capsule section limbs to improve exposure. For patients with pre-operative anterior instability, ligamentous laxity or acetabular dysplasia capsules were sutured to finish capsule closure. The pre-operative and post-operative Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) score and modified Harris hip score (MHHS) were used to assess the effectiveness of the procedure. No obvious post-operative complications were encountered. The mean follow-up time was 22.4 months (range, 18-32 months) and 31 patients completed the follow-up, while 1 patient was lost to follow-up. Compared with the pre-operative score, the MHHS was significantly increased (66.2±6.0 vs. 82.6±5.2; P<0.05) and the VAS score was significantly decreased (6.5±1.1 vs. 1.2±0.7; P<0.05) at the end of the follow-up. In conclusion, arthroscopic partial capsulotomy provides access to the peripheral and central compartments of the hip and is a relatively simple technique that is easy to master for surgeons with limited experience in hip surgery.