Clinical study on improving the diagnostic accuracy of adult elbow joint cartilage injury by multisequence magnetic resonance imaging

BACKGROUND Due to frequent and high-risk sports activities,the elbow joint is susceptible to injury,especially to cartilage tissue,which can cause pain,limited movement and even loss of joint function.AIM To evaluate magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)multisequence imaging for improving the diagnostic accuracy of adult elbow cartilage injury.METHODS A total of 60 patients diagnosed with elbow cartilage injury in our hospital from January 2020 to December 2021 were enrolled in this retrospective study.We analyzed the accuracy of conventional MRI sequences(T1-weighted imaging,T2-weighted imaging,proton density weighted imaging,and T2 star weighted image)and Three-Dimensional Coronary Imaging by Spiral Scanning(3D-CISS)in the diagnosis of elbow cartilage injury.Arthroscopy was used as the gold standard to evaluate the diagnostic effect of single and combination sequences in different injury degrees and the consistency with arthroscopy.RESULTS The diagnostic accuracy of 3D-CISS sequence was 89.34%±4.98%,the sensitivity was 90%,and the specificity was 88.33%,which showed the best performance among all sequences(P<0.05).The combined application of the whole sequence had the highest accuracy in all sequence combinations,the accuracy of mild injury was 91.30%,the accuracy of moderate injury was 96.15%,and the accuracy of severe injury was 93.33%(P<0.05).Compared with arthroscopy,the combination of all MRI sequences had the highest consistency of 91.67%,and the kappa value reached 0.890(P<0.001).CONCLUSION Combination of 3D-CISS and each sequence had significant advantages in improving MRI diagnostic accuracy of elbow cartilage injuries in adults.Multisequence MRI is recommended to ensure the best diagnosis and treatment.

Simple lateral elbow dislocation:A case report

BACKGROUND Simple lateral elbow dislocation(SLED)is a rare type of elbow dislocation;however,its treatment may be complicated by accompanying soft tissue or neurovascular damage.Herein,we report a rare case of SLED managed secondarily with open reduction and soft tissue repair following failure of closed reduction.CASE SUMMARY A 67-year-old woman suffered SLED after falling on her outstretched left hand with her elbow extended.She developed pain,swelling,and movement restriction in the elbow;there were no neurovascular symptoms,except for numbness in the 4th and 5th digits.Radiologic investigation confirmed the SLED,and a closed reduction under anesthesia was performed.The follow-up radiographs at 1-wk revealed failure of reduction;accordingly,open reduction with lateral collateral ligament and common extensor origin repair were carried out.The patient regained full elbow range of motion by six weeks.CONCLUSION Adequate concentric reduction for SLED,conservatively or surgically,reduces complications and provides a more functional joint.

Clinical outcomes of triceps reflecting anconeus pedicle and olecranon osteotomy approach for distal humerus intercondylar fractures

BACKGROUND The preferred treatment for distal humeral intercondylar fractures is open reduction and internal fixation.While there is consensus about the posterior approach,several posterior approaches have been developed.It is debatable as to which approach is best.AIM To compare triceps reflecting anconeus pedicle(TRAP)and olecranon osteotomy approaches for internal fixation of distal humeral intercondylar fracture.METHODS In total,40 cases of Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Osteosynthesefragen/Association of the Study of Internal Fixation type C,closed,and Gustilo type I intercondylar humeral fractures were included.Patients ranged in age from 18 years to 70 years.The patients were randomized into two groups:TRAP group and olecranon osteotomy group,with 20 cases in each.All were followed up at 6 wk,3 months,6 months,and 12 months.Functional outcomes were measured in terms of flexion-extension arc,Disabilities of Arm,Shoulder and Hand score,and Mayo Elbow Performance Score.RESULTS The mean age was 43.2 years in the TRAP group and 37.5 years in the olecranon osteotomy group.The mean operative time and mean duration of hospital stay in the TRAP group were significantly higher than in the olecranon osteotomy group(119.5 vs 111.5 min and 9.85 vs 5.45 d,respectively).The mean arc of flexion-extension,Disabilities of Arm,Shoulder and Hand score,and Mayo Elbow Performance Score were comparable without any significant difference in the groups at the 12-month follow-up(107.0 vs 106.2,18.3 vs 15.7,and 84.2 vs 86.2,respectively).Ulnar paresthesia and superficial infections were comparable in both groups(2 cases vs 3 cases and 3 cases vs 2 cases,respectively).Hardware prominence was significantly higher in the olecranon osteotomy group,mostly due to tension band wiring.CONCLUSION Both approaches were equivalent,but there is a need for further study including higher numbers of subjects and longer study duration to prove the benefits of one approach over the other.

Measurement and Analysis Method for Elbow Joint Moments During Walker-Assisted Walking

A new measurement and analysis method was proposed to investigate the changes in elbow joint moments that occur with the use of a front-wheeled walker. A strain gauge-based walker instrumentation system was developed to monitor the hand loads during walker-assisted walking and integrated with an upper extremity biomechanical model, Preliminary system data were collected for 12 subjects following informed consent. Bilateral upper extremity kinematic data were acquired with a six-camera motion analysis system. Internal joint moments at the elbow were determined in the three clinical planes using the inverse dynamics method. Results showed that during a walker-assisted gait elbow joint moments mainly distributed in the walker stance period. There was a noted demand on the elbow extensor in the sagittal plane with the greatest record as 0.381 N.m/（kg.m）, An interesting “bare phase” of mean elbow joint moments was also found in phase angle-240°-340° of gait cycle. Complete description of elbow joint moments of walkerassisted gait may provide insight into walker use parameters and rehabilitative strategies.

Radiographic Circularity of Capitellum and Its Relation to the Range of Motion

Background: The shape of the capitellum has been traditionally described in anatomy books as part of a sphere. Alteration in the capitellar morphology following pathologies such as fractures, osteochondrosis, and degenerative arthritis has been associated with less optimum functional results. Aim: To define the relationship between the sphericity of the capitellar morphology as measured on trauma series plain radiographs and the elbow range of motion. Methods: 40 patients were included in the study. All patients recruited from the upper limb clinics presented with non-elbow joint-related complaints. The elbow range of motion was measured using a standardized technique. Digital anteroposterior and lateral radiographs of patients’ elbows were used to measure capitellar circularity using the ImageJ processing program and circularity calculation equation. Correlation analyses were conducted between the degree of capitellar sphericity and elbow range of motion. Results: The results of measurements from the anteroposterior radiographs showed a positive correlation between increased circularity and an increase in the range of flexion, pronation, and supination. The range of extension decreased with the increased circularity of the capitellum. This trend was repeated with measures of lateral radiographs but was statistically not significant. Conclusion: Native capitellar circularity has an impact on the elbow range of motion. This should be put into consideration when dealing with pathologies that affect capitellar morphology.

ARTHRALGIA TREATED BY ACUPUNCTURE WITHIN "CHIFU" AREA

Chifu refers to the skin covering the areafrom the wrist joint to the elbow joint, about 1chi (1/3 meter) in length in adults.Acupuncture with filiform needle at certainpoints within Chifu area exhibits quitesatisfactory therapeutic results for treatment ofsprain and contusion of the four extremities.The following are some examples.

Influence of acupotomy loosing on IL-6, IL-10 and TNF-α in synovial fluid of rheumatoid arthritis patients with elbow joint stiffness

Objective： To compare differences of acupotomy loosing combined with medication treatment, electroacupuncture combined with medication treatment and simple medication treatment in effects on rheumatoid arthritis patients with elbow joint stiffness and investigate the anti-inflammatory mechanism of the acupotomy loosing.Methods： A total of 60 cases of rheumatoid arthritis（RA） patients with elbow joint stiffness were randomly assigned into the group receiving acupotomy loosing（group A）, group with electroacupuncture（group B） and the one undergoing medication treatment（group C） with 20 cases for each group. Based on the medication treatment, all patients underwent continuous oral administration with Methotrexate（MTX）, Leflunomide（LEF） and Bitongding capsules for 3 weeks. And no other treatments were given to group C. In addition to medications treatment, the electroacupuncture was performed in group B. The acupoints of Tianzhu（天柱 BL 10）,DAzhui（大椎 GV 14）; Fengchi（风池 GB 20）,Quchi（曲池 LI 11）,Quze（曲泽 PC 3）,Chize（尺泽 LU 5）, Shousanli（手三里 LI 10）, Xiaohai（小海 SI 8）, Shaohai（少海 HT 3）, Tianjing（天井 TE 10）,Qinglengyuan（清冷渊 TE 11） and Hegu（合谷 LI 4） in the affected side were selected. A pair of electrodes were connected to LI 11 and LI 10, and another pair of electrodes were connected to PC 3 and LU 5, and the continuous wave with frequency of 2 Hz was designed, the needle retention for 30 min was performed, and the acupuncture was performed for 6 times per week with 3 weeks for one course,and there was one course totally. Besides the medication treatment, group A underwent the acupotomy loosing therapy. The tender point in lateral elbow joint, etc. were taken as the treatment point, and 6-8 treatment points being taken for each time, and longitudinal dredging and transverse exfoliation were conducted for 2-3 times with the acupotomy. The treatment was given for one time per week with three weeks for one course, and there was one course totally. The changes of maximum angle of active extension position, maximum angle of active flexion position and range of motion were observed, and levels of IL-6, IL-10 and TNF-a in affected synovial fluid of elbow joint were tested before the treatment and 2 weeks after the treatment in the groups.Results： ① Compared with those before treatment, the maximum angle of active extension position were smaller, the maximum angle of active flexion position were larger and the range of motion were wider of the affected elbow joints of the patients in the 3 groups on the 2 weeks after the treatment.There were statistical significances for the differences（All P 0.05）. Two weeks after the treatment,as compared with those in group C, the affected elbow joint for patients in the group B and group A was smaller in maximum angle of active extension position, larger in maximum angle of active flexion position and wider in range of motion and there were statistical significances for the differences（All P 0.05）. Comparing with those in the group B, the affected elbow joint for patients in the group A was smaller in maximum angle of active extension position, larger in maximum angle of active flexion position and wider in range of motion and there were the statistical significances for the differences（All P 0.05）. ② Compared with those before treatment, the levels of TNF-a and IL-6 were lower and the level of IL-10 was higher of the 3 groups on the 2 weeks after the treatment. There were the statistical significances for the differences（All P 0.05）. For 2 weeks after the treatment, compared with those in the group C, group B and group A were lower in levels of TNF-α and IL-6 and higher in level of IL-10 and there were the statistical significances for the differences（All P 0.05）. As compared with those in the group B, group A was lower in levels of TNF-a and IL-6 and higher in level of IL-10 and there were the statistical significances for the differences（All P 0.05）.Conclusions： The combination of acupotomy loosing can improve the maximum angle of active extension position, maximum angle of active flexion position and range of motion in affected elbow joint for RA patients with elbow joint stiffness, whose efficacy was superior to single basic treatment and electroacupuncture combined with basic treatment. Meanwhile, the levels of proinflammatory cytokines,such as TNF-α and IL-6 can be decreased, and the level of anti-inflammatory cytokines, such as IL-10 can be increased, playing a role in regulating the imbalance between proinflammatory cytokines and anti-inflammatory cytokines in RA patients, which may be one of mechanisms regarding treating RA and improving the range of motion for stiff joints.

Management of post-traumatic elbow instability after failed radial head excision： A case report

Radial head excision has always been a safe commonly used surgical procedure with a satisfactory clinical outcome for isolated comminuted radial head fractures. However, diagnosis of elbow instability is still very challenging and often underestimated in routine orthopaedic evaluation. We present the case of a 21-years old female treated with excision after radial head fracture, resulting in elbow instability. The patient underwent revision surgery after four weeks. We believe that ligament reconstruction without radial head substitution is a safe alternative choice for Mason 1II radial head fractures accompanied by complex ligament lesions.

Ipsilateral open anterior hip dislocation and open pos- terior elbow dislocation in an adult

Open anterior dislocation of the hip is a very rare injury, especially in adults. It is a hyperabduction, external rotation and extension injury. Its combination with open posterior dislocation of the elbow has not been de- scribed in English language-based medical literature. Pri- mary resuscitation, debridement, urgent reduction of dislocation, and adequate antibiotic support resulted ingood clinical outcome in our patient. At 18 months follow- up, no signs of avascular necrosis of the femoral head or infection were observed.

Non-traumatic myositis ossificans circumscripta at elbow joint in a 9-year old child

Myositis ossificans circumscripta （MOC） is a kind of self-localized, benign and tumor-like lesions often seen in adults, with approximately 75% of cases caused by trauma. We reported a case of non-traumatic MOC occurred at the elbowjoint in a 9-year old child and it has been excised by surgery. After 18 months follow-up, a favorable outcome has been achieved with the Broberg-Morrey score of 100. We suggest that surgical resection should be done as soon as the diagnosis is confirmed.

Comparative study of perpendicular versus parallel double plating methods for type C distal humeral fractures

Background Double plate osteosynthesis is the standard treatment for intra-articular fractures of the distal humerus.However,there is still controversy concerning dual plate positions in terms of providing optimal stability.The purpose of this retrospective study was to compare the clinical outcomes in patients with type C intra-articular distal humeral fractures using perpendicular and parallel plating methods.Methods Between March 2008 and June 2011,a total of 45 patients with type C distal humerus fractures were treated using two different dual plating methods.Of them,24 patients were treated by perpendicular plating （group Ⅰ） and 21 patients were treated by parallel plating （group Ⅱ）.The surgical time,blood loss,and union time were compared between the two groups.The fiexion-extension arc,the total range of flexion and extension at the end of follow-up were compared between the two groups.The Mayo Elbow Performance Score （MEPS） was used to determine the elbow functional results.Results All patients were followed up.The mean duration of follow-up was 16 months （range 12-25 months） in group Ⅰ and 15.5 months in group Ⅱ （range 12-25 months）.There were no significant differences in the surgical time,blood loss,and the bone union time between the two groups.In group Ⅰ,the mean elbow flexion-extension arc was 101° and the mean MEPS was 85 points.The rate of excellent and good results was 87.5%.In group Ⅱ,the mean flexion-extension arc was 100° and the mean MEPS was 86.1 points.The rate of excellent and good results was 90.5%.There were no significant differences in the MEPS,flexion-extension arc,and the total range of flexion and extension between the two groups.Conclusions Perpendicular and parallel plate configurations with the appropriate surgical techniques can provide anatomical reconstruction and stable fixation of type C intra-articular distal humeral fractures and allow early mobilization of the elbow after an operation.The occurrence of post-operative elbow stiffness can be reduced and good outcomes can be obtained.

Outcome of surgical treatment of type Ⅳ capitellum frac- tures in adults

Objective： Fractures of the capitellum and trochlea constitute less than 1% of all elbow fractures and a shear fracture involving the capitellum and extending medially into most of the trochlea is rarely reported. Type Ⅳ capitellum fracture is still controversial in regard to its ra- diographic appearance, surgical approach and osteosynthesis. We report 10 cases of type Ⅳ capitellum fracture with a view to elucidating its clinical features and treatment outcome. Methods： We treated 10 patients of type Ⅳ capitellum fracture with a mean age of 32 years. A uniform surgical approach and postoperative rehabilitation were followed. Results： Nine patients presented to us after a mean of 4 days of injury and one patient was nonunion after 6 months of injury who had been treated conservatively by a bone setter. Double arc sign was absent in 6 cases. Intraopera- tively 6 capitellotrochlear fragments were devoid of soft tissue attachments. By Mayo Elbow Performance Score evaluation, 7 patients got excellent, 2 good and 1 fair results. One patient with associated elbow dislocation developed heterotopic ossification. There was no case of avascular necrosis, osteoarthrosis or fixation failures. Conclusions： Type Ⅳ capitellum fractures are rare and belong to complex articular injuries. A good functional out- come can only be achieved with open reduction and stable internal fixation followed by early mobilization. Preopera- tive radiographic assessment and computed tomography help surgeons in choosing the right surgical approach and implants. Good surgical technique and stable internal fixa- tion are the keys to early mobilization and good functional outcome.

Operative management of a shear fracture of the bilateral capitellum： A case report and review of the literature

Fracture of bilateral capitulum humeri is a very rare injury. We present a case of a 38-year-old woman, affected by a shear fracture of bilateral capitellum after a motorcycle accident. Intervention was carried out through a lateral approach on both sides and direct fixation of the fragment with headless screws. Consolidation was achieved and no signs of avascular necrosis occurred at 24 months of follow-up. The patient returned to her previous activities with no functional limitations. To the best of our knowledge, only four cases are reported describing different types of treatment and postoperative period of cast immobilization. According to our review of the literature regarding capitellar fractures, we preferred an immediate postoperative rehabilitation of the elbow, following the stable osteosynthesis.

Neglected reverse Essex-Lopresti injury with ulnar nerve compression

A 45 year old woman was diagnosed as having anteromedial radial head dislocation and distal radius fracture five months after her injury on fight forearm. The radial head dislocation led to ulnar nerve compression. She had severe restriction of her elbow movements. She was treated with arthrolysis, decompression of the ulnar nerve and radial head resection. The reverse Essex Lopresti injury and radial head dislocation compressing the ulnarnerve has not been reported in English language literature to the best of our knowledge. A mechanism is proposed for the injury. In acute presentations, restoration of both the radioulnar joints should be done and neglected nature of such injury leads to suboptimal outcomes.