Background: To assess the effect of cement vertebroplasty on the activity of daily living of elderly patients who have sustained a vertebral osteoporotic fracture. Patients and Methods: Seven patients with clinically significant and radiologically proven osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures suitable to be treated with percutaneous cement vertebroplasty were recruited. Evaluation was based on pre- and postprocedure activity by clinical documentation (including interview) and by a self-developed questionnaire (including quality of life). Results: Following the procedure, 54% of patients resumed their activities of daily living with minimal pain while 46% of patients were able to do so without any pain (p<0.05). Up to 85% of patients did not require any form of medication (p<0.05) and 77% of patients were found to have no pain. In addition to that, almost 62% of patients were able to ambulate normally. Conclusion: Percutaneous cement vertebroplasty appears to significantly improve the activities of daily living of elderly patients who have sustained vertebral osteoporotic fractures. It is also found to be a safe procedure which contributes to reduced usage of medication, immediate pain reduction and improvement in functional status of the patient.

Fingertip infections are commonly diagnosed in primary care. There is a serious condition, acrometastases, that is often mistaken for these infections. Acrometastases are defined as metastases located distal to the elbow or knee. We present a case of a malignant phyllodes tumour with acrometastases to the distal phalanx of the left middle finger that was misdiagnosed as a fingertip infection on 2 separate occasions, highlighting the need for vigilance regarding acrometastases.

A young gentleman presented with a closed fracture of the left radius and an open fracture of the left ulna complicated with segmental loss of the ulnar nerve measuring 1.5cm. After thorough debridement and stabilization of the bone injuries, the ulnar nerve gap was bridged with an autologous venous graft harvested off a tributary of the basilic vein that served as a nerve conduit. At 18 months post-surgery, sensori-motor function of the patient’s left ulnar nerve was nearly fully restored, indicative of successful reconstitution of the ulnar nerve using a basilic vein tributary vein graft.