460
physician. The author stressed the need for x-rays in the AI’ projection, taken with the cassette placed parallel to the humerus and subsequent parallel positioning of the x-ray tube head. Considerable emphasis is placed on evaluating “Baumann’s angle.” a line formed using the epiphyseal line of the lateral part of the distal humeral metaphysis as a guideline. There was distinct improvement in clinical results when this x-ray determination had been established as a necessary variable. Ten patients had loss of full motion, but most were less than 10” without any true functional loss. Loss of carrying angle occurred in 18 of the 48 patients studied, with the mean change of 3.4 degrees. This technique affords a consistent, relatively safe approach to this difficult clinical problem.-Anthony H. After Congenital Elevation of the Scapula. M. E. Cavendish. J. Bone Joint Surg. 548:395 (August), 1972.
This article is a review of IOO cases of congenital elevation of the scapula treated by all methods in common use with the object of clarifying the present confusion about treatment.-John Aitken Hip Instability in Patients With Myelomeningocele. J. Rueda and N. C. Carroll. J. Bone Joint Surg. 548:422 (August), 1972.
Twenty-one patients who attended the spina bifida clinic of Ontario Crippled Children’s Centre were reviewed to try to ascertain results of measures aimed at achieving hip stability and the type of case in which these measures would be most useful. All the patients had had a myelomeningocele repaired and had varying degree of paralysis. Thirty ileopsoas transplants had been done on the 21 patients, 15 by the Mustard technique and 15 by that of Sherrard. In addition, in some cases additional procedures had been carried out such as soft tissue release, adductor tenotomy, capsulotomy, etc. At that time of review ten hips were stable and 20 unstable. Ten had been improved by operation, one had been made worse, and 19 remained the same. All but one child was capable of walking with an orthoptic device.
ABSTRACTS
The authors suggest that a form should be developed that could be used internationally and handled by a computer for adequate recording of each case so that a statistical comparison of results of treatment at various centers could be made.-John Aitken Progressive and Resolving Infantile pathic Scoliosis: The Differential nosis. J. H. Ferreira J. Bone vember),
Joint 1972.
IdeoDiag-
and J. I. P. James.
Surg.
548&l&655
(No-
The authors reviewed the first radiograph of 132 cases of infantile ideopathic scoliosis in order to see how far their findings correlated with those of the Mehta series. The authors of this paper found that the difference between the rib-vertebra angle on the concavity and that on the convexity is small in those curves that later resolved but large in those that later became progressive. Correlation in this series with that of Mehta was found to be excellent and in fact occurred in a higher percentage than in that reported by Mehta herself. Cases are described in some detail and the method of measurement of the all important angles is again described both by line diagram and by radiology. It is obvious that work on this condition is of the highest importance, as it now seems that an early distinction between resolving scoliosis, which is transient and and progressive scoliosis, unimportant, which can be catastrophic, can be made with confidence.-John Aitken Surgical Management of Spinal Deformities in Spina Bifida. I. L. Shiram, W. P. Bobechko, and J. E. Hail. J. Bone Joint Surg. 548:66&676
(November),
1972.
Thirty-three patients, eight male and 28 female, were treated for these spinal deformities by operation from 19.58 to 1969. The major deformity varied from case to case, as follows: scoliosis, 16; scoliosis with scoliosis with lordosis, kyphosis, three; two; kyphosis, four; double scoliosis, five; and kyphosis and scoliosis, three. The deformities were often the result of a combination of congenital defects such as hemivertebrae and paralysis due to the myelomeningocele.-John Aitken