Botulinum toxin A in orthopaedic surgery

Operative Treatment of Distal Radius Fractures in Patients With Parkinson Disease

BACKGROUND

Owing to the many unique disease characteristics of Parkinson disease (PD)-namely resting tremors, muscular rigidity, and poor bone quality-we hypothesized that this patient population would have inferior outcomes with surgical management of acute distal radius fractures (DRFs) compared with the literature available on the general population.

METHODS

This is a retrospective observational study performed at a single, level 1, academic center from 2001 to 2020 capturing all adult patients with an isolated, acute, and closed DRF that ultimately underwent operative treatment. International Classification of Diseases 10 codes were used to identify 30 patients for manual chart review. Several patient and fracture characteristics were accounted for and complications, reoperations, and failures of surgical intervention were recorded.

RESULTS

There was a total of 7/30 failures (23%), 6/30 reoperations (20%), and 12 complications in 9/30 wrists (complication rate, 30%) at a mean latest follow-up of 11 months (1.2-158 months). Of the 7 failures, 5 were due to loss of reduction, and 2 of them were deep infections with mean time to failure of 8.3 weeks (range, 11 days-5.2 months).

CONCLUSIONS

This study found a high rate of complications, reoperations, and early failure despite a short follow-up period and a small cohort of patients with PD treated surgically for a DRF. We recommend locked plating if suitable for the fracture type and early involvement of a multidisciplinary team to assist with medical optimization of PD to increase chances of a successful outcome.

Cervical myelopathy in patients with athetoid cerebral palsy

STUDY DESIGN

Retrospective clinical study.

OBJECTIVE

To report the surgical outcomes of patients with cervical myelopathy associated with athetoid cerebral palsy and to assess whether a halo vest is necessary for postoperative external immobilization.

SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA

Although a halo vest has remained the first choice for postoperative external immobilization of patients with cervical myelopathy associated with cerebral palsy, simplification of this method has been attempted in recent years. Studies focusing on postoperative external immobilization are rare.

METHODS

Since 2001, 20 patients underwent surgery with posterior instrumented fusion or posterior fixation and anterior decompression with fusion with a year or longer follow-up. Before 2004, all patients were given a halo vest for postoperative external immobilization. After 2004, halo vests were not used, and when abnormal involuntary neck movements were severe, an intramuscular injection of botulinum toxin was administered before and after surgery. Surgical outcomes, surgical methods and complications were compared between the group that used a halo vest and the group that did not use a halo vest.

RESULTS

In the halo vest group, the average Japanese Orthopedic Association score was 6.9 points before surgery and 9.3 points at 1-year follow-up. The average recovery rate was 25.0%. In the group without halo vest use, the average Japanese Orthopedic Association score was 5.8 points before surgery and 9.9 points at 1-year follow-up. The average recovery rate was 35.7%. The group without halo vest use achieved outcomes equal to those achieved in the group with halo vest use. The frequency of complications was less without halo vest use than with halo vest use.

CONCLUSION

No inferiority in clinical outcomes was seen if postoperative halo vest use was omitted. Progress in surgical instrumentation and injection of botulinum toxin may explain this result.

Botulinum toxin assessment, intervention and aftercare for paediatric and adult niche indications including pain: international consensus statement

Evidence is emerging for the use of botulinum neurotoxin type-A (BoNT-A) for niche indications including pain independent of spasticity. Pain indications such as chronic nociceptive back pain, piriformis syndrome, chronic myofascial pain, pelvic pain, complex regional pain syndrome, facial pain and neuropathic pain are outlined in this paper. Of these, class I evidence is available for the treatment of chronic nociceptive low back pain, piriformis syndrome, myofascial pain, facial pain, neuropathic pain and plantar fasciitis. Peri-operative use of BoNT-A is emerging, with indications including planning for surgery and facilitating surgery, as well as healing and improving analgesia post-operatively. Evidence is limited, although there are some reports that clinicians are successfully using BoNT-A peri-operatively. There is class I evidence showing pre-operative use of BoNT-A has a beneficial effect on outcomes following adductor-release surgery. The use of BoNT for treatment of tremor, other than neck tremor in the setting of cervical dystonia, including evidence for upper limb tremor, cranial tremor and non-dystonic neck tremor is reviewed. The evidence is variable at this stage, and further study is required to develop definitive recommendations for the clinical utility of BoNT-A for these indications.

Parkinson's disease and the orthopaedic patient

Parkinson's disease is a progressive neurologic disorder that affects the musculoskeletal system in multiple ways. As medication and surgical management of this disorder have improved, the life spans and quality of life of patients affected by it also have improved. With age, the risk of fracture, osteoarthritis, and osteopenia increase in patients with Parkinson's disease compared with the general population. The symptoms of Parkinson's disease predispose patients to gait abnormalities and loss of bone mass, which commonly result in falls and fracture. Although preventive measures such as medication, lifestyle changes, and vitamin replacement may help, surgical intervention is often indicated. Surgical treatment and postoperative management of both elective and emergent surgery are complicated and controversial.

Preoperative treatment with botulinum toxin to facilitate cervical fusion in dystonic cerebral palsy. Report of two cases

The authors report the use of high-dose botulinum toxin A for muscle relaxation prior to surgery for cervical spine fixation in two patients with dystonic cerebral palsy that included severe cervical dystonia. Both patients had recently developed progressive cervical myelopathy and surgery was planned to halt the insidious progressive weakness. However, marked dystonic posturing of the neck would have compromised their tolerance of halo fixation and subsequently impeded postoperative fusion. Preoperative chemodenervation of selected cervical muscles with injections of high-dose botulinum toxin A eliminated all involuntary neck movements, permitting the patients to tolerate halo fixation and facilitating postoperative spinal fusion. It is concluded that botulinum toxin A can be used safely and effectively in the preoperative management of patients with cervical dystonia and cervical spondylitic myelopathy.

Local botulinum toxin in the treatment of spastic drop foot

Ten patients with spastic drop foot were treated by local injections of botulinum toxin A (botulinum toxin A haemagglutinin complex). The purpose was to improve stance and gait and/or to facilitate physiotherapy and patient care. Various calf muscles were injected using EMG guidance. The average dose used was 23 ng. Prior to and 4 weeks after treatment, positions of the upper and lower ankle joint at rest and the corresponding end positions of passive and active movement were determined. In addition, changes of spasticity and pain, the transmission phenomenon and stance and gait were evaluated. Most patients showed improvement of some aspects of the spastic drop foot. Positions of the upper and lower ankle joint were improved in most of the patients, as were the other parameters examined. Except for weakness of the injected muscles no side-effects were observed. The results appear promising and may be optimized in further trials by using higher doses of the toxin.