A Patient's Guide to Sacral Insufficiency Fractures

Introduction

What's the real underlying cause of carpal tunnel syndrome? Is it genetics? Repetitive workload? Sudden change in temperature? Pregnancy? Low thyroid function? These are just a few of the potential risk factors for CTS.

In this study, a search of the published literature on CTS is performed. The authors were looking for scientific evidence to find out which risk factors linked to CTS are the strongest.

This is the first study to compare the results of open versus arthroscopic surgery for wrist ganglion. The authors compared the rates of ganglion recurrence between the two groups. They also looked at postoperative pain in both groups.

This study is the only one of its kind. It reports on the long-term results of patients who have all had the same wrist surgery for Kienböck's disease. This condition is a disorder of the wrist named for Dr. Robert Kienbock, a radiologist in Vienna, Austria. He was the first one to describe the problem back in 1910.

Trigger finger can be successfully treated with a steroid injection. Hand surgeons differ in which type of steroid should be used. This is the first study to provide evidence that one type may be better than another.

The author of this article (Dr. T. Hoogland) has been involved for many years in performing lumbar discectomies (disc removal). The surgical technique has improved over the last two decades. Fifteen years ago, Dr. Hoogland developed new surgical tools to enhance the procedure. Special reamers are now available to make more room for an endoscope and other surgical instruments.

Pain beliefs are linked with pain intensity, psychologic distress, and disability. Having the wrong understanding or belief about the cause of your low back pain (LBP) can be more harmful than the problem causing the LBP.

In this article, two family medicine physicians offer a prescription for conducting a quick (10-minute) exam of the low back. The target population is adults with acute low back pain (LBP). This information is helpful since the majority of patients with LBP don't have a clear cause of their painful symptoms. And most physicians don't have the luxury of keeping hour-long appointments with their patients.

There still remains many things we don't know about the condition called fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS). It's not a disease, but rather, a group of symptoms that occur together. Pain is the most distressing symptom but patients can have a wide range of other problems. These may include poor sleep, joint and/or muscle pain, headaches, and fatigue (to name just a few).

Injuries of the hand and finger are common in ball sports. They could be prevented with protective gear but such equipment isn't used because it limits dexterity. The most common finger injuries are the topic of this article. Mallet finger, Jersey finger, Boutonnière deformity, Boxer's fracture, and Gamekeeper's thumb are presented. Ligament and fractures of the fingers as well as finger dislocations are also discussed.

Severe and chronic wrist pain may lead to surgery that affects wrist motion. Surgeons try to preserve motion as much as possible. The basic idea is that motion is directly linked with function. The more motion there is available, the more function will be possible. This study was designed to check this belief.

Hip fusion for younger patients is not the viable option it once was because of its problematic outcomes. Total hip arthroplasties (THAs) or hip replacements are not always a first option for younger patients either because of the arthroplasty's limited survivorship. Because of these issues, the metal-on-metal hip resurfacing (MOMHR) has been tested as a potential treatment for this patient group.

Athletes are known to be at high risk of developing osteoarthritis of the knee due to increased weightbearing activities and high impact "loading." These injuries first present as articular cartilage defects of the knee, mostly lesions found on the femur, or thigh bone.

Total knee replacements (TKAs) that become infected can be very difficult to treat effectively. Despite a high cost for the treatment, the outcome may not always be ideal, leaving patients with pain and decreased mobility.

As with most complications, prevention is the best medicine. This involves identifying patients who may be at higher risk of developing infections following TKAs. That being said, the appropriate treatments must be identified once infection has set in.

Different types of sports place different forces on the hand and can cause significant injury to an athlete. Ball sports, such as basketball or football, can result in a "jammed finger," which can range from damage to the ligament to a fracture. Contact sports can result in fractures from falls or the contact itself; gymnastics places a strong burden on the wrists; rock climbers exert unusual force on the flexor system of the hands; and combat sports often can result in fractures.