Showing papers by "Behrooz A. Akbarnia published in 1984"

Posterior capsulotomy for the treatment of severe flexion contractures of the knee

Abstract: Twenty-nine patients (42 knees) with severe flexion contracture of the knee (average 69 degrees) were treated by posterior capsulotomy followed by traction and/or casting. Twenty patients (28 knees) had poliomyelitis. After a follow-up of 21/2 years, 39 knees were corrected to less than 15 degrees of flexion. All of the patients except one were able to ambulate using a knee-ankle-foot orthosis, with or without crutches. Complications included skin necrosis in nine patients, recurrence in six, hypertension in three, and peroneal nerve palsy in one. The rate of complication was less in patients with poliomyelitis. This method is recommended for the treatment of severe flexion contracture of the knee, especially in patients with poliomyelitis, but is not recommended in patients with insensitive skin.

Contoured Harrington instrumentation in the treatment of unstable spinal fractures. The effect of supplementary sublaminar wires.

Abstract: Twenty-nine patients with major fractures and fracture-dislocations of the thoracic and lumbar spine were treated by spinal fusion and contoured Harrington distraction instrumentation. Two groups of patients were identified. Group I (16 patients) had sublaminar wires. Group II (13 patients) had no wiring. Satisfactory alignment was achieved in all patients. There were several complications in both groups. None of the patients in Group I had postoperative cast immobilization. The addition of sublaminar wiring appears to eliminate the need for rigid external immobilization and is beneficial only for patients who cannot tolerate body casts. This technique is a disadvantage, however, when a short-length fusion is desired.