Sarcopenia refers to a chronic loss of skeletal muscle mass, often associated with hypovitaminosis D and advanced age, which involves a greater risk of falls and fractures as well as an increased mortality rate in elderly patients. The association of sarcopenia and osteoporosis defines osteo-sarcopenia.In this work, the authors analyzed the osteometabolic profile and the loco-regional muscular state of patients undergoing major orthopedic surgery, in order to define the incidence of district osteosarcopenic states, linked to a condition of disuse. 19 patients (10M-9F), between 15 and 85 years old, underwent major orthopedic surgery (15 resection prosthesis and custom made, 2 resection and reconstruction with transplant) were evaluated, of which 9 on an oncological basis. In all patients, the phospho-calcium metabolism was assessed by blood tests and intraoperative muscle biopsy was performed at the intervention site and contralaterally; in 3 cases a densitometric comparative study of the affected/contralateral limb was performed. Results shows 5 patients with hypovitaminosis D; 7 pcs with hypocalcemia; 5 with PTH rise; 4pcs with ALP increase. In 100% of cases, the biopsy revealed sarcopenic patterns exclusively on the affected limb. 2 out of 3 DEXAs (66%) showed loco-regional osteoporosis compared to the contralateral. The fact that in our sample sarcopenia is unilateral affecting only the pathological limb, that it is frequently associated with osteoporosis which is also unilateral and that for the most part it is not associated with vitamin D deficiency, suggests that it is an independent condition, with etiopathogenetic mechanisms different from osteosarcopenia itself. In major orthopedic surgery, bone integration and muscle status are both essential for achieving and lasting positive results. Considering the high incidence of district osteosarcopenia, an integrated surgical, pharmacological, and rehabilitative approach is desirable for the optimization of results, as well as more studies for the definition of the etiopathogenesis of this pathological condition.(www.actabiomedica.it)

The aim of this study is to evaluate how the spread of Sars-Cov-2 has changed the epidemiology of proximal femur fractures in two major trauma centers in Italy, understanding the workload and the best allocation of the resources for the orthopedics department in such an emergency situation. The rate of patients from January 2019 to April 2020 hospitalized with femoral neck fractures (group A) and trochanteric fractures (group B) were recorded. Demographic data, timing of surgical treatment and the length of stay were recorded. Data show that the number of proximal femur fractures has remained unchanged in the COVID and pre-COVID era (ranging from an average of 91.14/month in the pre-COVID era to 76/month in March and 80/month in April). In our trauma centers, the rate of patients operated on within 48 hours has remained stable (78.19% vs 77.92%), while the length of stay has decreased during the COVID period (8.9 days vs 6.5 days in March and 6.8 days in April). Proximal femur fractures, even during the COVID period, are a constant issue and a new challenge for the healthcare system. The main goals of management are to preserve patients from viral infection, to provide early surgical treatment and fast track protocol for discharge.

Osteosarcopenia is a new concept and it is the association of osteoporosis and sarcopenia. Both of these pathologies are more frequent in elderly people and generally affects all the skeleton increasing risk of falls and fractures, loss of global function, fragility, and mortality, and also surgical failures. The coexistence of these conditions derives from a close relationship, not only anatomical, between bone and muscle tissues. Sometimes they can involve only a skeleton segment, due to a local disuse, causing a different form of sarcopenia. In this clinical case, Authors describes a case of isolated lower limb osteosarcopenia in a young non-osteoporotic patient, due to a prolonged limb disuse, complicated by surgical treatment failure for previous pathology, diagnosed by clinical, laboratory, instrumental and histopathological exams.