[INTRODUCTION - High tibial osteotomy (HTO) is a generally accepted treatment for medial unicompartmental osteoarthritis of the knee with varus alignment. The main principle of HTO is to achieve a transfer of loading from diseased, arthritic areas of the joint to areas with relatively intact, healthly cartilage. This stress reduction can be achieved with correction of the loading axis. A stress reduction occurs in the medial compartment of the knee when the loading axis is transferred from the medial compartment to just lateral to the center of the joint. PATIENTS AND METHODS - We performed radiological assessment of 52 knees preoperatively and after combined high tibial osteotomy (CO) in the 10th postoperative week, in the 12th postoperative month and in the 5th postoperative year on a standing weight-bearing anteroposterior radiograph. CO involved performing a proximal osteotomy parallel to the tibial plateau, followed by a distal osteotomy extending from the lateral part of the tibia to the line of the proximal osteotomy at the center of the tibial condyle. After closure of the lateral part of the osteotomy and consequent opening of the medial part, the removed lateral bone wedge was transferred to the gap on the medial side. Pre- and postoperatively we measured the lateral angle between the anatomic axis of the femur and the distal articular surface of the femur (FCFS), the lateral angle between the anatomic axis of the tibia and the proximal articular surface of the tibia (TP-TS) and the lateral angle between the distal articular surface of the femur and the proximal articular surface of the tibia (the articular component of the varus deformity FC-TP). We determined the FTA as a sum of FC-FS, TP-TS and FC-TP. RESULTS - The FC-TP, the TP-TS and the FTA decreased significantly after CO according to data measured in the 10th postoperative week. We achieved the planned correction (FTA 171-169°) in 77% of cases. Undercorrection (FTA ≥172°) was detected in 7, overcorrection (FTA ≤168°) was noted in 5 cases. We detected significant loss of correction between the 10th postoperative week and the 12th postoperative month (the FTA increased significantly, the loss of correction was 1° in 26 cases, 2° in 7 cases). The valgus alignment did not increase in any case. The articular component did not change in 36 cases. We did not note significant loss of correction and the valus alignment did not increase in any case between the 12th postoperative month and 5th postoperative year. We noted the recurrence of varus deformity in 1 case. We detected loss of correction due to increasing articular component in further 4 cases. The FC-FS did not change during the first 5 postoperative years. CONCLUSION - If we achieved the planned correction (FTA 171-169°) according to data measured in the 10th postoperative week on a standing weight-bearing anterposterior radiographs, we did not detect recurrence of varus deformity in any case during the first 5 postoperative years. If the articular component (FC-TP) did not change between the 12th postoperativ month and the 5th postoperative year (in 61.5% of cases), in our opinion we achieved the optimal correction.]

[Water metabolism in the organism is regulated very exactly under normal circumstances. Sometimes, however, when the level of the antidiuretic hormone is inappropriately high and fluid consuming is not limited, water intoxication can develop. This is especially paradoxical during treatment with diuretics. Authors observed in a cachectic, potassium wasting, 87-year-old female patient, hyponatremia associated with clinical water intoxication developing in a hot period of summer, during long-term thiazide diuretic (chlorthalidone) treatment administered because of high blood pressure. Diagnosis was based besides the clinical picture on the severe hyponatremia and was supported by the relatively high urine osmolality in the presence of a very low plasma osmolality. Despite treatment of hyponatremia in accordance to the recommandations “overcorrection” occurred and turned into fatal hypernatremia. In the period of low plasma osmolality the patient was treated with intravenous infusions containing isotonic saline supplemented with potassium. When hypertonicity developed hypotonic intravenous infusions were given. Authors discuss the literature of hyponatremia with special reference to the dilemmas of therapy such as “slow” versus “rapid” correction as well as procedures to be done in case of “overcorrection”.]

[Background – Dizziness is one of the most frequent complaints when a patient is searching for medical care and resolution. This can be a problematic presentation in the emergency department, both from a diagnostic and a management standpoint. Purpose – The aim of our study is to clarify what happens to patients after leaving the emergency department. Methods – 879 patients were examined at the Semmel­weis University Emergency Department with vertigo and dizziness. We sent a questionnaire to these patients and we had 308 completed papers back (110 male, 198 female patients, mean age 61.8 ± 12.31 SD), which we further analyzed. Results – Based on the emergency department diagnosis we had the following results: central vestibular lesion (n = 71), dizziness or giddiness (n = 64) and BPPV (n = 51) were among the most frequent diagnosis. Clarification of the final post-examination diagnosis took several days (28.8%), and weeks (24.2%). It was also noticed that 24.02% of this population never received a proper diagnosis. Among the population only 80 patients (25.8%) got proper diagnosis of their complaints, which was supported by qualitative statistical analysis (Cohen Kappa test) result (κ = 0.560). Discussion – The correlation between our emergency department diagnosis and final diagnosis given to patients is low, a phenomenon that is also observable in other countries. Therefore, patient follow-up is an important issue, including the importance of neurotology and possibly neurological examination. Conclusion – Emergency diagnosis of vertigo is a great challenge, but despite of difficulties the targeted and quick case history and exact examination can evaluate the central or peripheral cause of the balance disorder. Therefore, to prevent declination of the quality of life the importance of further investigation is high.]