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Biomedical subjects

D Prothero

Publications and source records attributed to D Prothero.

12 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Recovery after hip fracture.

OBJECTIVES: The aim was to monitor the inhospital progress of 170 patients sustaining proximal femoral fractures. The extent of delay in discharge was recorded and what effect this prolonged hospitalisation had on nosocomial infection rates. SETTING: A regional trauma centre. DESIGN: A prospective observational study. PATIENTS AND PARTICIPANTS: All consecutive patients sustaining proximal femoral fracture over 60 years of age. INTERVENTION: The same clinician monitored each patient throughout their inhospital stay. Factors recorded included nosocomial infection acquired and when, mobility scores, loss of independence, delay in discharge amongst others. MAIN OUTCOME: Delay in discharge, incidence of nosocomial infection and mobility scores. RESULTS: Nosocomial infection occurred in 58% of patients (99 patients) when discharge was delayed beyond 8 days (after surgery). Eighty-five per cent of patients (145 patients) achieved their maximum mobility score by the 8th, and 95% (162 patients) by the 10th postoperative day. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with proximal femoral fracture derive no benefit from acute hospital admission of more than 8 days and the majority acquire nosocomial infection after this.

Aged↗
PubMed2002

In vitro evaluation of the resistance to dislocation of a meniscal-bearing total knee prosthesis between 30 degrees and 90 degrees of knee flexion.

An increased incidence of dislocation is the most important potential disadvantage introduced by the use of meniscal-bearing prostheses. The aim of this in vitro study was to measure the resistance to dislocation of a meniscal-bearing total knee arthroplasty in various circumstances and to establish which anatomic structures contribute to bearing stability. The prosthesis was implanted into cadaver knee specimens mounted in a 6 df rig. Dislocation was provoked by applying anteriorly or posteriorly directed forces (20-100N) to the tibia in the plane of the tibial plateau. Dislocation was defined as any stable displacement of the bearing (relative to the tibia or the femur) that persisted after release of the load applied to provoke it. The specimens were tested in an arc of knee flexion between 30 degrees and 90 degrees, with and without simulated quadriceps loads, with and without abducting and adducting loads, and before and after division of the posterior cruciate ligament and the lateral retinaculum. In the presence of quadriceps load, dislocation could not be provoked. In the absence of quadriceps load, dislocation was not provoked by posteriorly directed force but sometimes was caused by anteriorly directed force. All but 1 of the dislocations were unicompartmental, the lateral compartment proving much less stable than the medial. The tendency toward dislocation increased from 30 degrees to 60 degrees and from 60 degrees to 90 degrees of knee flexion. Adducting moments applied to the knee caused lift-off of the lateral femoral condyle from the bearing and increased the tendency toward dislocation. Abducting moments had the opposite effect. Division of the posterior cruciate ligament had no significant effect. Division of the lateral retinaculum increased the tendency toward dislocation. A femoral component that can be implanted without lateral release is desirable.

Cadaver↗
PubMed1995

Predicting the prognosis after proximal femoral fracture.

In 338 patients with proximal femoral fractures, age, sex, residence and mobility on admission were found to predict mortality, mobility and housing requirements after 1 year. Application of these data should permit better targeting of rehabilitation and earlier initiation of rehousing arrangements after proximal femoral fracture.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1995

Is there a clinical interaction between low molecular weight heparin and non-steroidal analgesics after total hip replacement?

The benefits of parenteral non-steroidal analgesic drugs and low molecular weight heparin anticoagulants have been shown before, but there is concern that the use of these agents in combination may potentiate haemorrhagic side-effects because of simultaneous inhibition of the clotting cascade and platelet mechanisms of haemostasis. In a prospective controlled trial, 60 patients undergoing total hip replacement were randomised into two groups. Those in one group received intramuscular ketorolac and those in the other group opioid analgesia. All patients received enoxaparin subcutaneously, once daily. There were 34 patients in the NSAID group and 26 in the opiate group. There were no significant differences between the two groups for intraoperative blood loss, postoperative drainage, transfusion requirements, bruising, wound oozing and leg swelling. From this study it would appear that there is a low risk of significant haemostatic potentiation associated with concurrent use of low molecular weight heparin and a modest dose of ketorolac tromethamine.

Analgesics↗
PubMed1994

Factors affecting the outcome after proximal femoral fractures.

One hundred and forty-two consecutive patients with proximal femoral fractures were audited prospectively over a 1-year period. Mobility, age and sex were recorded along with timing of surgery, complications, 'will to live', length of admission, mortality, mobility and housing requirements on discharge. Operative procedures were performed mostly by intermediate surgical staff, on night-time emergency lists shared with other specialties. Patients were treated on a ward with nursing staff levels less than the minimum recommended by professional bodies. Mean hospital stay was 31 days. In-patient mortality was 37 per cent in males and 5 per cent in females. It was possible to predict protracted hospital stay in 84 per cent, mortality in 84 per cent, mobility on discharge in 92 per cent and need for rehousing in 83 per cent of patients. Of the 10 principal variables that affected outcome, four could be influenced by hospital practice. These variables were associated with 1284 hospital bed days, which constituted 30 per cent of total bed occupancy. Fifty-five per cent of these were associated with non-medical delay to surgery, 25 per cent with wound infection or re-operation and 20 per cent with broken pressure areas. There would appear to be the potential to improve outcome in proximal femoral fractures by stabilizing fractures within 24 h, adopting measures additional to antibiotic prophylaxis to reduce infection and ensuring that patients do not develop pressure sores.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1993

Length of hospital stay and outcome after femoral neck fracture: a prospective study comparing the performance of two hospitals.

Length of hospital stay and outcome after femoral neck fracture were compared in a prospective study between two adjacent hospitals. In matched populations, mean length of stay was 30.8 days at Hospital X and 15.7 days at Hospital Y. Need for rehousing, age over 80 years and new nursing home placement prolonged length of stay at Hospital X, but not at Hospital Y. Hospital X had an orthopaedic rehabilitation ward and returned 88 per cent of patients to their own home, placing 9 per cent admitted from home in nursing homes. Hospital Y returned 76 per cent of patients to their own home and 19 per cent to nursing homes. The rapid discharge policy of Hospital Y saved significant resources within the acute hospital at the expense of returning significantly fewer patients to their own homes.

Aged↗
PubMed1993

Radiological measurement of radial shortening in Colles' fracture.

100 consecutive patients with Colles' fracture were assessed functionally three months after the injury, and the result correlated with initial shortening of the radius. Three methods were used to measure radial shortening; only the one that measured the distance from distal radial to distal ulnar surfaces correlated with functional outcome. It is concluded that this is the most valid method of measurement and the deficiencies of the other methods are discussed.

Colles' Fracture↗
PubMed1993

Function ten years after Colles' fracture.

There are no data in the literature concerning the outcome of Colles' fracture beyond six years. One hundred consecutive patients with displaced Colles' fractures were reviewed ten years after the injury. Function, radiographic anatomy, osteoarthrosis, and reflex sympathetic dystrophy (algodystrophy) were all objectively assessed. By the time of this review, 35 patients had died. Eighty-five percent of those surviving had a satisfactory outcome. Forty-two percent had improved functionally in ten years and 20% had deteriorated. Initial and ten-year radial shortening and early finger stiffness significantly correlated with final outcome. Dorsal angulation influenced early but not ten-year function. Sixty-two percent of those with an unsatisfactory result had objective features of reflex sympathetic dystrophy, compared with only 6% of those with a satisfactory result. Osteoarthrosis was found in 37%, but in only 4% was it associated with an unsatisfactory outcome.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Neurophysiological investigation of diabetic impotence. Are sacral response studies of value?

The role of electrophysiologically elicited sacral responses in the detection of the neurological component of diabetic impotence has been evaluated in a detailed study using properly defined diagnostic criteria. The results prove that these tests are not reliable indicators of neuropathy and their relevance in the routine investigation of diabetic impotence is of questionable value.

Adult↗
PubMed1981

Finding causes of seasonal diseases using time series analysis.

The relationship between monthly Ischaemic Heart Disease mortality and mean monthly temperature and rainfall is examined using data for England and Wales covering the period 1968 to 1976. The statistical procedure adopted involves a time series analysis of each of the individual series employing an approach which has become increasingly popular in other sciences over the last decade. Results indicate the correlation coefficients quoted in previous studies involving monthly data are spuriously high implying that temperature is not as closely related to Ischaemic Heart Disease deaths as has often been claimed.

Coronary Disease↗