Sisto Turra’s research while affiliated with University of Padua and other places

In children, acute leukemia (AL) at presentation can mimic several orthopaedic pathologies, so that a variable delay of the correct diagnosis is often reported. To define more clearly the clinical and radiological musculoskeletal manifestations of leukemia in children, 122 affected children referred from 1984 to 1999 to our Pediatric Onco-Hematologic Clinic were retrospectively reviewed. Average age at diagnosis was 6.6 years (from 7 months to 17 years). Seventy-three (60%) were boys and adolescent boys, 49 (40%) were girls and adolescent girls. One hundred two (83.6%) had acute lymphoblastic leukemia, 20 (16.4%) had acute myeloid leukemia. The mean follow-up was 8.2 years for the 104 survivors and 2.5 years for the 18 nonsurvivors. The chi2 test was used to perform the statistical analyses. At presentation, complaints related to the musculoskeletal system were frequent (38.3%), including pain (34.4%), functional impairment (22.9%), limping (12.3%), swelling (10.6%), and joint effusion (5.7%). At presentation, 40.2% of children had at least 1 radiographic abnormality. In order, they were osteolysis (13.1%), metaphyseal bands (9.8%), osteopenia (9%), osteosclerosis (7.4%), permeative pattern (5.7%), pathological fractures (5.7%), periosteal reactions (4.1%), and mixed lysis-sclerosis lesions (2.5%). Different from previous reports, late radiographic lesions were uncommon (5.7%), probably because of milder newer medication protocols. They included avascular necrosis (3.3%), vertebral collapses (1.6%), and osteolysis (0.8%). Both clinical and radiological changes had various and no uniform localization. Poor correlation was found between symptoms and radiological lesions. Survival rates in children with AL were 95.8% at 1 year, 89.6% at 3 years, 85.8% at 5 years, and 83.4% at 10 and at 13 years. Radiographic abnormalities (P = 0.400), type of leukemia (P = 0.291), sex (P = 0.245), and white blood cell count at presentation (P = 0.877) were not prognostic factors. The presence of multiple bone lesions did not affect the survival rate (P=0.632). As early diagnosis significantly decreases morbidity and mortality of AL, the orthopaedist should suspect AL in any child with unexplained persistent skeletal pain or radiographic alterations. Accurate history, general physical examination, and complete blood cell count tests should address the suspicion, which is confirmed by a peripheral and/or iliac crest bone marrow biopsy.

The treatment of Legg-Calvé-Perthes Disease (LCPD) is controversial and not well defined. This literature review aimed to assess the quality of the evidence available to support the effectiveness of conservative LCPD treatment advocated by orthopaedic surgeons and(or) paediatricians. A secondary aim was to see if conservative treatments really modify the natural history of LCPD. The review was performed mainly on the PubMed Database and based on the principles of Evidence Based Practice (EBP). Keywords used were Perthes disease, conservative treatment, containment treatment, review, and weight-relief. EBP is the integration of the best research evidence with clinical expertise and patient values of which there are five different levels of evidence: (1) Randomized Controlled Trials; (2) Prospective Cohort Study; (3) Case Control or Retrospective Cohort Study;(4) Case Series; 5) Expert Opinion or Individual Case Report. Results. Until 20th August 2005 there were 144 articles of clinical relevance about conservative treatment of LCPD: 16.7% of EBP level 5; 50.7% of level 4; 31.9% of level 3; none of level 2; and 0.7% of level 1. The quality of evidence that supports conservative treatment for children with LCPD is not of high quality. There is no scientific evidence that conservative treatments modify LCPD natural history. Containment, no containment and simple symptomatic treatment have comparable effectiveness. Prolonged weight-relief and(or) containment treatments are associated with social and psychological problems.

Fifty-six patients with 72 duplicated toes were analysed. Postaxial duplication accounted for 79%, and the most common anatomical pattern was duplication of the proximal phalanx with a wide metatarsal head. Forty-two patients with 55 duplications were clinically and radiographically evaluated at long-term follow-up (mean 22.5 years). Results were satisfactory in 91% of the patients. Poor results were often associated with preaxial polydactyly because of persistent hallux varus. Surgical treatment is usually straightforward but must be individualized, and some anatomical and surgical details should be considered to obtain a better result.

Our purpose is to report a very rare case of proximal tibia triplane fracture, focusing the particular pattern of fracture and the long-term follow-up result. The triplane fracture is an exceptional fracture that occurs in the 3 planes (coronal, sagittal and transverse) close to the end of the growth period. A 15-year-old boy was admitted to our Center for a left femoral diaphyseal fracture and an ipsilateral lateral proximal tibia triplane fracture following a road accident. The femur was fixed with an intramedullary nail, the triplane fracture was anatomically reduced and percutaneously fixed. After 4 years follow-up, the knee was stable and with no complaints. Its range of motion was complete. Radiographs and MRI did not show any abnormality on the left leg and knee. In order to stabilize a proximal tibia triplane fracture a surgical internal fixation is usually required, with the possibility of a good long-term outcome also due to the growth potential remaining, if physeal arrest does not occur.

Angiodysplastic lesions of the extremities are very often of great interest for the orthopedist, involving not only bones with length discrepancy, but also joints with hemarthrosis and synovial hypertrophy. We describe 4 patients with cutaneous hemangiomatosis in the lower limb and a concomitant knee arthropathy. Like in other arthropathies, the articular damage is rapidly invasive and leads to progressive damage in the joint if not adequately diagnosed and treated. We treated the 4 patients at different ages, corresponding to different stages of intra-articular involvement. The preoperative management included MRI and diagnostic arthroscopy. All patients underwent an open synovectomy. All our patients were reviewed at a clinical and radiographic follow-up after 10 years. In all patients, the range of motion was improved or at least not worsened after surgery, in spite of a larger extent of cutaneous lesions. X-ray and MRI confirmed clinical data showing no recurrence of the lesion inside the joint and no progression of the articular damage. The clinical outcomes were very good or good in the patients treated early, poorer in the patient operated on at an adult age. The importance of an early and precise diagnosis and of an accurate preoperative planning must be underlined.

Massive osteolysis of the humerus occurred in a 19-year-old male. The lesion was successfully treated with an autogenous fibular shaft transplant. During the 20-year follow-up period, humerus function was restored. Roentgenograms showed incorporation of the graft without any recurrence of the disease. This experience and reports in the literature show that only predominantly cortical autogeneic bone grafting has been successful. This could be due to the intrinsic characteristic of cortical bone. In fact, it seems that cortical bone shows greater resistance to erosion than cancellous bone to the lymphangiomatous osteolytic tissue. Therefore, autogenous bone grafting could be considered as a reasonable alternative to radiotherapy, particularly in young people with monostotic disease localized in bones that are easily operable and have no soft-tissue involvement.