Unit 5 Case 2

Question 1

What is Unit 5 Case 2 about?

Answer 1

A 67-year-old retired farmer presents to the GP with persistent pain in his joints. X-ray of the pelvis was done showing bilateral osteoarthritis. 6 months later he returned with increased pain to discuss possible treatment options such as an arthroplasty

Question 2

What is bilateral osteoarthritis?

Answer 2

This is where both joints on either side of the midline have OA.

Question 3

What is osteoarthritis?

Answer 3

‘Wear and tear’ that occurs in synovial joints as a result of genetic factors, overuse and injury (is not an inflammatory condition)

Question 4

What are the risk factors of osteoarthritis?

Answer 4

Obesity, age, occupation, trauma, being female, family history

Question 5

What are the symptoms of osteoarthritis?

Answer 5

Pain, tenderness, stiffness, loss of flexibility, grating feeling in joints
Osteophytes (hard lumps/bone) forming around the joints
Pain worsens during activity

Question 6

What is subarticular sclerosis?

Answer 6

Abnormal hardening or thickening of the bones beneath the surface of joints affected by osteoarthritis

Question 7

What does the obliteration of superior joint space mean?

Answer 7

This is the narrowing of joint space. When this occurs, the cartilage no longer keeps the bones a normal distance apart. Which can be painful due to bones rubbing or putting too much pressure on one another

Question 8

What is left hip arthroplasty?

Answer 8

Left hip arthroplasty is surgery to replace a worn-out or damaged left hip joint.
The surgeon does the by replacing the old joint with an artificial joint

Question 9

What do doctors look at on the x-rays for OA?

Answer 9

L- loss of joint space
O- osteophytes
S- subarticular sclerosis
S- subchondral cysts