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Non-invasive complementary examinations generally allowed accurate differentiation between malignant and idiopathic effusions. Patients with idiopathic pleural effusions generally had favourable outcomes.

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One-quarter of patients admitted for hip fracture died within 1 year after the fracture. Exposure to opiates before hip fracture was associated with an increased 1-year death rate, whereas treatment with drugs for osteoporosis was associated with a decrease in death rate. These results should be confirmed in studies with detailed prospective collection of information on exposure to medicines.

Fracture malalignment and nonunion are not infrequent after treating subtrochanteric fractures with intramedullary nails. The use of a cerclage wire with a minimally invasive approach to aid and maintain reduction in certain subtrochanteric fracture patterns can be an effective surgical strategy to improve outcome. It allows the surgeon to obtain and maintain an anatomic reduction with more bone contact, which will aid in fracture consolidation. This has the added advantage of optimizing the greater trochanteric starting point. It minimizes malreductions of the proximal femoral fragment, and, we believe, that its rational use with a minimally invasive technique is a key factor in achieving good results.