Management of orthopaedic and traumatology patients during the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic in northern Italy

Purpose: This article aims to share northern Italy\u2019s experience in hospital re-organization and management of clinical pathways for traumatic and orthopaedic patients in the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Authors collected regional recommendations to re-organize the healthcare system during the initial weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic in March, 2020. The specific protocols implemented in an orthopaedic hospital, selected as a regional hub for minor trauma, are analyzed and described in this article. Results: Two referral centres were identified as the hubs for minor trauma to reduce the risk of overload in general hospitals. These two centres have specific features: an emergency room, specialized orthopaedic surgeons for joint diseases and trauma surgeons on-call 24/7. Patients with trauma without the need for a multi-disciplinary approach or needing non-deferrable elective orthopaedic surgery were moved to these hospitals. Authors report the internal protocols of one of these centres. All elective surgery was stopped, outpatient clinics limited to emergencies and specific pathways, ward and operating theatre dedicated to COVID-19-positive patients were implemented. An oropharyngeal swab was performed in the emergency room for all patients needing to be admitted, and patients were moved to a specific ward with single rooms to wait for the results. Specific courses were organized to demonstrate the correct use of personal protection equipment (PPE). Conclusion: The structure of the orthopaedic hubs, and the internal protocols proposed, could help to improve the quality of assistance for patients with musculoskeletal disorders and reduce the risk of overload in general hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic

On the geometry of C^3/D_27 and del Pezzo surfaces

We clarify some aspects of the geometry of a resolution of the orbifold X = C3/D_27, the noncompact complex manifold underlying the brane quiver standard model recently proposed by Verlinde and Wijnholt. We explicitly realize a map between X and the total space of the canonical bundle over a degree 1 quasi del Pezzo surface, thus defining a desingularization of X. Our analysis relys essentially on the relationship existing between the normalizer group of D_27 and the Hessian group and on the study of the behaviour of the Hesse pencil of plane cubic curves under the quotient.Comment: 23 pages, 5 figures, 2 tables. JHEP style. Added references. Corrected typos. Revised introduction, results unchanged

Universit\ue0 degli studi di Macerata

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An algorithm for predicting blood loss and transfusion risk after total hip arthroplasty

Introduction: Patients receiving blood transfusions after total hip arthroplasty have increased morbidity and longer lengths of stay compared to non-transfused patients. The aim of this study is to create an algorithm in order to identify patients at risk for transfusion after total hip replacement and define a safe point in hemoglobin levels after which the need for blood, transfusion can be excluded. Methods: This retrospective study analyzed hemoglobin (Hb) levels for 5 days in patients undergoing total hip replacement. An algorithm was implemented to identify the critical trends of Hb levels in the first two postoperative days, trying to identify the patients at high risk of transfusion. Specificity, sensibility and efficiency were calculated in relation to the capability of the algorithm to correctly identify transfused patients. Results: The algorithm found a pre-operative Hb ≥ 13 g/dl as a cut off between patients at low-risk or high-risk for transfusion. When parameters were calculated considering the best efficiency with the least number of false negatives, the algorithm showed a specificity of 84% and a sensitivity of 70% with an efficiency of 80.6%. Hb values >10 g/dl in the first operative day for low-risk patients and Hb level > 11 g/dl the second post-operative day for high-risk patients led to exclusion of the need for transfusion. Conclusions: The algorithm suggested critical Hb levels to predict transfusion. In association with clinical data, the suggested critical values of Hb may be useful to schedule lab tests and a safe early discharge

Influence of personality psychology on outcome of total hip arthroplasty: a cross-sectional study on 69 patients

Aim: Patient’s satisfaction after total hip arthroplasty is influenced by many surgical and rehabilitation aspects, but is not available in the literature, a study that analyses the correlation between patient’s psychology and clinical results of this procedure. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between memory of pain, clinical outcome and subjective satisfaction with the Multidimensional Health Locus of Control. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study on a cohort of 69 patients operated of total hip arthroplasty in our department from November 2008 to August 2011. Pre- and post-operative hip function was assessed by the Harris Hip Score. At the follow-up visit, patient satisfaction was assessed by means of the Patient Satisfaction Questionnaire. The memory of pain was evaluated by a modified questionnaire of pain experience. Multidimensional Health Locus of Control was evaluated in all patients, and results were connected with patient’s subjective satisfaction and pain indexes. Results: Patients were divided into two groups about patient satisfaction, those with GPS > 15 and those with GPS ≤ 15. Patients very satisfied showed a significantly higher mean value of IHLC. Regarding pain experience, patients were divided into two categories: those recalling less pain with OvP score ≤11 (Q1 < 3, avg. score Q2–Q4 ≤ 3) and those recalling more pain with OvP score >11. IHLC score resulted significantly higher in patients recalling less pain. Discussion: Multidimensional Health Locus of Control can be considered a predictor of patient’s satisfaction after an invasive surgical procedure as total hip arthroplasty

Angioleiomyoma in the posterior knee: A case report and literature review

The authors present a case of angioleiomyoma situated in the posterior knee. A 47-year-old Caucasian woman presented in 2011 with recurrent stabbing pain on the lateral aspect of her right knee. She reported having pain for the last 6 years. She had no history of trauma. In 2008 she was treated with a diagnostic arthroscopy and transposition of the tibial tuberosity, with no benefit to her symptoms. Electromyography of the lower limbs showed asymmetry of the amplitude of sensitive action potential of the superficial fibular nerve. Based on the clinical suspicion of entrapment of the common fibular nerve at its bifurcation, a surgical exploration was performed, but pain persisted. In 2014, ultrasonography localized at the trigger point showed a solid ovular formation of 1 cm in diameter situated on the posterior aspect of the external femoral condyle in proximity to the joint capsule, which was confirmed by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Surgical excision of the 1-cm diameter tumor mass relieved the symptoms immediately and permanently. Histology evidenced the presence of a solid-type angioleiomyoma. The presence of an angioleiomyoma at the knee joint is very rare and few cases are reported in the literature. To the authors’ knowledge this is the first time an angioleiomyoma in the posterior knee has been described. In case of unexplained and persistent pain in and around the knee, clinicians should be aware of the atypical locations of this tumor, considering that its surgical excision alone may relieve symptoms permanently

The Cunéo and Picot fracture-dislocation of the ankle: A case report and review of the literature

The Cunéo and Picot fracture-dislocation is an atypical trimalleolar fracture-dislocation of the ankle with unique anatomopathologic and radiographic features, which has not been reported in English literature. We report a case of a 42-year-old woman that was diagnosed a trimalleolar fracture-dislocation and treated surgically with an open reduction and osteosynthesis of the lateral and medial malleolus. At the one-month follow-up, X-rays showed secondary displacement of the medial malleolus requiring revision surgery. The patient complained of persisting pain, with X-rays showing no signs of apparent fracture displacement. A CT scan performed after hardware removal 10 months after trauma showed severe ankle arthritis and fracture malunion at the level of the syndesmosis. The patient was retrospectively diagnosed with a Cunéo and Picot fracture-dislocation. The treatment of trimalleolar fractures is discussed, especially regarding the correct indication of synthesis of the posterior malleolus. Cunéo and Picot fractures are usually inherently unstable even if the posterior malleolar fragment may be small and can easily be recognized from standard X-ray. Whenever this type of fracture is not correctly recognized and managed by osteosynthesis of only the medial and lateral malleolus, clinical outcomes and radiographic follow-ups tend to be unsatisfactory. Fixation of the posterior malleolus is indicated in the management of Cunéo and Picot fractures. Level of clinical evidence: 4

Fibromyalgia and Shoulder Surgery : a Systematic Review and a Critical Appraisal of the Literature

Fibromyalgia is a common musculoskeletal syndrome characterized by chronic widespread pain and other systemic manifestations, which has demonstrated a contribution to higher postoperative analgesic consumption to other surgeries such as hysterectomies and knee and hip replacements. The aim of this review is to search current literature for studies considering the impact of fibromyalgia on clinical outcomes of patients undergoing shoulder surgery. A systematic literature review was conducted in PubMed/Medline, Embase, and ClinicalTrials.gov in February 2019. Studies were selected based on the following participants, interventions, comparisons, outcomes, and study design criteria: adult patients undergoing surgery for shoulder pain (P); diagnosis of fibromyalgia (I); patients without fibromyalgia (C); outcome of surgery in terms of pain or analgesic or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs consumption (O); case series, retrospective studies, observational studies, open-label studies, randomized clinical trials, systematic reviews and meta-analyses were included (S). Authors found 678 articles, of which four were found eligible. One retrospective study showed that patients with fibromyalgia had worse clinical postoperative outcomes; two retrospective studies reported a higher opioid prescription in patients with fibromyalgia and one prospective observational study found that a higher fibromyalgia survey score correlated with lower quality of recovery scores two days after surgery. The scarce and low-quality evidence available does not allow confirming that fibromyalgia has an impact on postoperative outcomes in shoulder surgery. Future studies specifically focusing on shoulder surgery outcomes may help improvement and personalization of the management of patients with fibromyalgia syndrome (PROSPERO 2019, CRD42019121180)