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We wished to determine if coccygectomy as an outpatient procedure is a safe alternative to inpatient treatment. 68 patients were treated at our institution with coccygectomy as an outpatient procedure during a seven-year period. Out of these 61 (90%) responded to final follow-up questionnaires after a minimum of one year. We recorded satisfaction with the outpatient modality, and compared postoperative complications and long-term satisfaction with patients who had been operated as inpatients during the same period. Out of the 61 patients who responded to final follow up, 39 (64%) were satisfied with having the operation as an outpatient procedure. The patients who would have preferred overnight hospitalization generally felt that traveling home the same day was painful. There was significantly less pain on the journey home if the procedure had been performed under spinal anaesthesia. In terms of complications, there were 10% reoperations due to deep infection in the outpatient group, and 12% superficial wound infections treated with oral antibiotics. The corresponding numbers for the in-patient group were 8% and 14%. The long-term success rate was similar for both groups. 87% of outpatients and 89% of inpatients reported that they would have consented to the operation if they had known the result in advance. Coccygectomy as an outpatient procedure gives similar results to inpatient treatment and can be regarded as an acceptable alternative. Spinal anaesthesia reduces postoperative pain on the journey home.

Pain while sitting is the most common complaint among patients with Coccydynia. In young patients this may seriously affect their schooling which usually involves long periods of sitting. We studied if this improved after either injection therapy or surgery. During a seven-year period 32 adolescents with a mean age of 15 (range: 11-17) years were treated in our department because of coccydynia. They were followed up with mailed questionnaires at a minimum of 12 months after treatment and 28 (88%) responded. Three were no longer attending school and were excluded. Of the remainder, 12 received only injection therapy while 13 were operated upon. Mean follow-up time was 36 (14-66) months. Eight reported absence from school during the month before treatment, but only one during the week before review (p

In clinical audits where pre-operative patient-rated wrist and hand evaluation (PRWHE) scores were not recorded, it would be useful if such scores could be recreated at the time of review. We recorded a PRWHE score during the last week before surgery for 143 patients. They were contacted after 21 months and asked to furnish a new PRWHE of the state they were in during the last week before surgery. 80 (56%) of the patients responded. The mean difference was 10 (SD: 20; SEM: 2) higher remembered pre-operative score. The limits of 95% agreement for individual scores were -29 and 50, while the 95% confidence interval of the mean was 6-15. If 10 is subtracted from the mean remembered preoperative score of a group of patients, the real pre-operative score will with 95% confidence be this score plus/minus 4. Remembered pre-operative PRWHE scores are far too inaccurate to be of value in individual patients. It may be possible to predict the mean real pre-operative PRWHE score in groups of patients with useful accuracy using the remembered pre-operative score.

Wrist ganglia give few symptoms, but are a common reason for referral to a hand surgeon. We studied patient long-term satisfaction after operation. We reviewed 122 patients, who were operated for dorsal (n=82) and volar (n=40) wrist ganglia 8 years before (range 3-11). Three radial arteries were injured during surgery for volar a ganglion. By the time of review 33 patients (27%) had a recurrence or had been re-operated. Radical surgery did not reduce the recurrence rate significantly. Reported general complaints from the wrist improved from a mean visual analogue scores (VAS, 0=best; 100= worst) of 56 before surgery to VAS 14 at review and unsightliness from VAS 50 to VAS 14. Patients were equally happy with transverse and longitudinal scars. Ten patients (8%) stated that they would not have consented to surgery if they had known the outcome in advance. We conclude that, in spite of a high recurrence rate, most patients are happy with the results of surgery.

There are very few reports in the literature on the results of surgery for ganglia of the flexor tendon sheaths of the digits. We reviewed 24 patients operated for flexor tendon sheath ganglia 8 (3-11) years previously. Two operations were for recurrences and one of these recurred again. There was one permanent digital nerve injury and one patient complained of cold sensibility. VAS (0=best; 100=worst) for mean general complaints from the hand was remembered as 51 before surgery and was 5 at review. Mean pain at review was reported as VAS 4 and general satisfaction with the operation as VAS 3. All stated that they would have consented to surgery if they had known the outcome in advance. We conclude that the results of surgery are good, although complications do occur.

Wrist ganglia give few symptoms, but are a common reason for referral to a hand surgeon. We studied patient long-term satisfaction after operation. We reviewed 122 patients, who were operated for dorsal (n=82) and volar (n=40) wrist ganglia 8 years before (range 3-11). Three radial arteries were injured during surgery for volar a ganglion. By the time of review 33 patients (27%) had a recurrence or had been re-operated. Radical surgery did not reduce the recurrence rate significantly. Reported general complaints from the wrist improved from a mean visual analogue scores (VAS, 0=best; 100= worst) of 56 before surgery to VAS 14 at review and unsightliness from VAS 50 to VAS 14. Patients were equally happy with transverse and longitudinal scars. Ten patients (8%) stated that they would not have consented to surgery if they had known the outcome in advance. We conclude that, in spite of a high recurrence rate, most patients are happy with the results of surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are very few reports in the literature on the results of surgery for ganglia of the flexor tendon sheaths of the digits. We reviewed 24 patients operated for flexor tendon sheath ganglia 8 (3-11) years previously. Two operations were for recurrences and one of these recurred again. There was one permanent digital nerve injury and one patient complained of cold sensibility. VAS (0=best; 100=worst) for mean general complaints from the hand was remembered as 51 before surgery and was 5 at review. Mean pain at review was reported as VAS 4 and general satisfaction with the operation as VAS 3. All stated that they would have consented to surgery if they had known the outcome in advance. We conclude that the results of surgery are good, although complications do occur. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]