Abstracts Posters SICOT-SOF meeting Gothenburg 2010 _2_

Poster
Topic: General Orthopaedics
Abstract number: 23838
HETEROTOPIC OSSIFICATION FOLLOWING CARDIAC ARREST AND HYPOXIC
BRAIN DAMAGE
Steven BORLAND 1 , Magdalena MACKIEWICZ-MILEWSKA 2 , Stanislaw JUNG 1 ,
Sabina LACH-INSZCZAK 2 , Iwona SZYMKUC 2 , Jakub CIEŚCIŃSKI 3 , Wojciech
HAGNER 2 , Wladyslaw LASEK 3
1 South Tyneside Hospital, South Shields (UNITED KINGDOM), 2 Department of
Rehabilitation, Bydgoszcz (POLAND), 3 Dept of Radiology and Diagnostic Imaging,
Bydgoszcz (POLAND)
Background: Heterotopic ossification is the formation of osseous masses in the soft
tissues where it does not normally occur. It can cause severe stiffness of joints. The
aetiology may be posttraumatic, neurogenic or gentic. Objectives: We aim to assess
the development of heterotopic ossification in patients who suffer hypoxic brain
injury, and look at the impact on the rehabilitation process. Materials and Methods:
We identified 39 patients who developed hypoxic brain injury after cardiac arrest. We
assessed the conscious level, spasticity and joint stiffness. We diagnosed those who
developed heterotopic calcification using clinical examination, blood markers and X-
ray imaging. Those who had X ray findings of heterotopic calcification were further
assessed by CT scan. Results: In 39 patients, 6 developed heterotopic calcification
(15%). The cause of cardiac arrest varied. We found that in those patients with
heterotopic calcification, there was increased pain at the site, with increased stiffness
of the joint involved. The commonest joints involved were the hip, elbow and
shoulder. 3 patients had multiple joints involved. Conclusions: Heterotopic
ossification can occur in up to 15% of patients following hypoxic brain injury. It can
lead to increased pain in joints on movement and can prolong the rehabilitation
process of the patient
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