BMJ Case Reports – 8 September

8 new articles from BMJ Case Reports

• Suspected coexistent osteoporosis and osteomalacia with atraumatic bilateral neck of femur fractures in a 53-year-old man without apparent risk factor…
• Sore eyes and psychosis
• Salmonella-related urinary tract infection in an elderly patient
• Spontaneous subdural haemorrhage in a patient with scleroderma renal crisis
• Dissemination of invasive aspergillosis: diagnostic and management dilemmas
• Coeliac artery compression syndrome as a cause of abdominal pain of unknown origin
• Complete axial torsion of pregnant uterus with leiomyoma
• Progressive supra-aortic stenosis in a young adult with the findings of Singleton Merten Syndrome

#BMJCaseReports

 

DJ Moore; BMJ Case Report: 2012; Sequential bilateral femoral fractures

Sequential bilateral femoral fractures

BMJ 2012; 345 doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmj.e7361 (Published 14 November 2012)

Cite this as: BMJ 2012;345:e7361

1. Seyed Ali Moeinoddini, foundation year 2 trainee, orthopaedic surgery1,
2. Rajkumar James Parikh, consultant geriatrician1,
3. Sarah Ruth Moore, specialist registrar, rheumatology and general (internal) medicine 2,
4. David James Moore, consultant radiologist 3

A 78 year old woman presented to the emergency department with an off-ended, shortened, anteriorly deviated, long oblique fracture of the right femoral diaphysis. She had been experiencing thigh pain for several weeks before this acute presentation and analgesia had been prescribed.

She described feeling the bone “crack” as she turned around. There was no history of trauma. The fracture was surgically treated with an intramedullary nail.

Six months earlier she had sustained a similar fracture of the midshaft of her left femur. Again, there was no trauma and she described feeling the bone “crack” as she twisted slightly to go through her front door. She was unable to reach a telephone to call for help and spent some time on the ground before a passer by called an ambulance. After initial treatment with a Thomas splint, she was treated surgically with an intramedullary nail. After two weeks of rehabilitation she returned home to live independently and was able to go out with one stick to do her shopping.

Her medical history included osteoporosis and hypovitaminosis D. The diagnosis of osteoporosis was made after she sustained a vertebral crush fracture. She had been receiving bisphosphonates to prevent further fractures for nearly five years.

Questions

• 1 Why are such fractures described as “atypical”?

• 2 What underlying mechanism might explain such fractures?

• 3 What are the main clinical and radiological features of atypical femoral fractures?

• 4 How would you investigate her thigh pain?

Health Matters: 5 February 2013

The next Health Matters public lecture will be held on Tuesday 5 February 2013, from 7-8pm, in the Lecture Theatre, Education & Training. The talk will be presented by Dr Rubina Japanwala, Consultant Orthogeriatrician, and is entitled “Bone Health Matters, or does it?”

The aim of the talk is to increase awareness to improve bone health and to prevent falls and fractures, and will give information about osteoporosis, falls, vitamin D, and fractures.
Dr Japanwala is also the Falls Lead for the Trust.

Members of staff are very welcome to attend this interesting talk.  If you would like to attend please contact the Communications & Engagement Team on ext 1560 (01625 661560) or email us at ecn-tr.YourVoice@nhs.net.

NB:
This article “Discrepancies in predicted fracture risk in elderly people” is published in the BMJ (Jan 2013) looks at calculators used to estimate fracture risk in elderly people which give widely different results. Mark Bolland and colleagues argue that treatment decisions should be based on calculators using 3-5 year estimates of risk.  Click for full article

OnMedica Learning: Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis – primary prevention. This updated article looks at primary prevention of osteoporosis including risk factors and interpretation of diagnostic tests such as DEXA scanning.

To read more on this article click here >>

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