Management of acetabular fractures： challenging work

Acetabular fractures are complex and special intraarticular fractures. For most orthopaedic surgeons management of acetabular fractures is hard and challenging because the fractures are the results of high-energy trauma, and usually accompany with severe associated injuries. In addition,these fractures are uncommon except in a few trauma centers. The number of cases a surgeon can encounter is scarce.     

Surgical treatment for complicated acetabular fractures

Objective: To sum up the surgical approaches and clinical outcome of complicated acetabular fractures.Methods: 17 patients with complicated acetabular fractures (including 4 cases of transverse with posterior wall fractures,7 cases of posterior column and wall fractures, 4 cases of anterior and posterior columns fractures, 1 cases of T-type fracture and 1 cases of anterior column with posterior hemitransverse fractures) underwent open reduction and internal fixation with screws and plates by Kocher-Langenbeck (8 cases), ilio-inguinal (2 cases), extended iliofemoral (4 cases) or ilio-inguinal combined with K-L approaches (3 cases). Results: 12 patients with anatomical reduction, 4 patients with satisfactory reduction and 1 patient with non-satisfactory reduction. 15 out of 17 cases were followed up for 6 months to 5 years, and the excellent and good rate was 70.5%. Conclusion: Surgical treatment for complicated acetabular fractures can get a satisfactory reduction and a good clinical outcome.     

Operative strategy of acetabular fractures

Anatomic structure of acetabular fractures are complex and operative exposure and fixation are extremely difficult. For those obviously displaced acetabular fractures, close reduction is doomed to cause deformative healing. Open reduction with internal fixation (ORIF) not only results in anatomic reduction, but also brings complications. No matter which method will be adopted, traumatic arthritis or avascular necrosis of femoral head might occur. In order to treat acetabular fractures more effectively, orthopedic surgeons should be required to fully master the acetabular anatomy,biomechanics, classification and the necessary knowledge for complication prevention.     

Surgical treatment for complex acetabular fractures

Objective ： To explore the effect of surgical treatment on complex acetabular fractures. Methods： The data of 46 patients （38 males and 8 females, aged 16-75 years, mean = 38. 5 years ） with complex acetabular fractures, who were admitted to our hospital from January 1998 to December 2005, were analyzed retrospectively in this study. According to Letournel rules, posterior wall and posterior column fractures were found in 11 patients, transverse and posterior wall fractures in 13, T-type fracture in 4, both columns fracture in 10, and anterior column and posterior transverse fracture in 8. The choice of surgical approach was based on the individual fractures, which included flioinguinal approach in 5 patients, Kocher-Langenbech approach in 7, combined approach in 26, and extended iliofemoral approach in 8. Results： All the patients were followed up for 3.5 years averagely. The clinical outcomes were analyzed with Harris hip score and radiography. In 36 patients （78.3%）, the surgical procedure was successful （Harris hip score 〉 80 points）. The rate of excellent and good was about 86 %. Conclusions ： The keys to increase the effectiveness of surgical treatment on acetabular fractures are correct preoperative classification of factures and choices of appropriate surgical approach and time.     

Proximal humeral fractures treated with arthroplasty

P74ro50x%iyme aaolrfs h houulmdm.eer raAalfl t effrrraa cactgtuuerr ee5ss0,ainc wc oopumanteiten nf othsra vomeldo reaer m tthhucaanhnhigher incidence of proximal humeral fractures thanmen.In patients younger than50years old,high-energy trauma is the most common cause of proximalhumeral fractures,and after age50,minimal-to-moderate trauma is the most common cause.1Neer s classification,the most popularclassification system for proximal humeral fractures,isbased on the anatomical relationship o…     

Corticosteroids for fat embolism after multiple fractures

Fat embolism is a common complication of multiple fractures. Corticosteroids are usually prescribed in prophylactic and treatment of fat embolism. A case of fat embolism followed multiple fractures was hospitalized, and we searched best evidences about corticosteroids for fat embolism so as to provide best therapeutics for the patient.     

Review of traumatic diaphragmatic hernia associated with pelvis fractures

Objective: To review the epidemiological feature, clinical and diagnostic data of post-traumatic diaphragmatic hernia (TDH) associated with pelvis fracture reported in recent 10 years. Methods: A 10-year retrospective study was undertaken to analyze the incidence, diagnosis, management, morbidity and mortality of patients with traumatic diaphragmatic hernia associated with pelvis fractures. A total of 46 cases in our country were reviewed. Results: The incidence of TDH associated with pelvis fractures was relatively rare and the diagnosis was often delayed or missed. A total of 72.34% of these patients were diagnosed as TDH associated with pelvis fractures after injury for 36 hours to 1 week. Although the trans-thorax approach was preferred for surgical closure in the acute phase, its mortality still reached 8.51%. Conclusions: TDH associated with pelvis fractures is difficult to be diagnosed because of its varied clinical and radiological signs and the patients may not present with symptoms for a long time after injury. In clinical, a high index of suspicion with appropriate examination is the mainstay of management, which can be helpful in prognosis.     

Treatment of ipsilateral hip and femoral shaft fractures with reconstructive intramedullary interlocking nail

Objective: To evaluate the results of reconstructive intramedullary interlocking nail in the treatment of ipsllateral hip and femoral shaft fractures. Methods: From August 1997 to November 2001, 13 patients were treated with the reconstructive intramedullary interlocking nail. Nine patients were associated with ipsllateral femoral neck fractures, three with ipsilateral intertrochanteric fractures, and one with subtrochanteric fracture. Results: The follow-up time was from 6 to 38 months with an average of 14 months. All the femoral shaft and hip fractures healed up well. There was no nonunion of the femoral neck, and only one varns malunion. No patient had avascular necrosis of the femoral head. The average healing time for femoral neck fracture was 4.6 months and for shaft fracture 5.8 months. The joint movement and other functions were fairly resumed. Conclusions: The reconstructive intramedullary interlocking nail, with less trauma, refiable fixation, and high rate of fracture healing, is an ideal method of choice in the treatment of ipsilateral hip and femoral shaft fractures.     

Teriparatide anabolic therapy as potential treatment of type Ⅱ dens non-union fractures

Odontoid fractures account for 5% to 15% of all cervical spine injuries and 1% to 2% of all spine fractures. Type Ⅱ fractures are the most common fracture pattern in elderly patients. Treatment(rigid and non-rigid immobilization, anterior screw fixation of the odontoid and posterior C1-C2 fusion) remains controversial and represents a unique challenge for the treating surgeon. The aims of treatment in the elderly is to quickly restore pre-injury function while decreasing morbidity and mortality associated with inactivity, immobilization with rigid collar and prolonged hospitalization. Conservative treatment of type Ⅱ odontoid fractures is associated with relatively high rates of non-union and in a few cases delayed instability. Options for treatment of symptomatic non-unions include surgical fixation or prolonged rigid immobilization. In this report we present the case of a 73-year-old woman with post-traumatic odontoid nonunion successfully treated with Teriparatide systemic anabolic therapy. Complete fusion and resolution of the symptoms was achieved 12 wk after the onset of the treatment. Several animal and clinical studies have confirmed the potential role of Teriparatide in enhancing fracture healing. Our case suggests that Teriparatide may have a role in improving fusion rates of C2 fractures in elderly patients.     

Unilateral external fixator in the treatment of lower third humeral shaft fractures

Lowerthirdhumeralshaftfracturesareoftenmanifestedbyoblique,spiralorcomminutedfractureswithahighincidenceofcomplicatingradialnerveinjury.Thispartofhumerusisirregularanatomicallyandneartheelbowjoint.Soitisdifficult toselectproperinternalfixationinstrumentswhile exploringradialnervethroughanterolateralapproach,whichaddsdifficultyinthetreatmentofthiskindof fractures.Inrecent6yearsweusedunilateralexternal fixatorstotreatsuchkindoffracturesinourdepartment andsatisfactoryresultswereachieved.METHOD…     

Arthroscopically assisted treatment for Schatzker type Ⅰ-Ⅴ tibial plateau fractures

Objective： To report the clinical outcome of arthroscopically assisted treatment for tibial plateau fractures.
Methods： A total of 39 patients with tibial plateau fractures were treated by arthroscopic fixation from February 2002 to December 2005, including 11 patients with bony avulsion of the anterior cruciate ligament and 19 with meniscal injury. There were 4 cases of type Ⅰ fracture, 12 type Ⅱ, 9 type Ⅲ, 12 type Ⅳ and 2 type Ⅴ according to Schatzker criteria. Firstly, the combined injuries were treated. Then the plateau fractures with the displacement over 3 mm or more were reduced and fixed. Finally, the internal fixation was observed by X-ray equipment. Postoperative management was early motion and delayed weight bearing.
Results： All the fractures healed in 3 or 4 months. All patients were followed up for 1 to 5 years after operation.No case had severe complications, such as poor wound healing, infection, osteofascial compartment syndrome and osteoarthfitis. According to the Rasmussen scoring system, 36 cases obtained excellent or good results and the other 3 cases had moderate clinical results. The average score was 26 ± 3.
Conclusions： As an adjuvant treatment of intraarticular fractures such as tibial plateau fracture, arthroscopy has many advantages. It can treat associated intraarticular soft tissue components, visualize the chondral surface reduction, lavage the hematoma and smaller loose fragments, decrease soft tissue dissection, reduce the risk of scarring and promote rapid recovery.     

Treatment of displaced radial head fractures by internal fixation with absorbable pins

Objective: To study the effect of internal fixation with absorbable pins on treatment of displaced radial head fractures. Methods: From May 1999 to May 2004, 16 patients with displaced radial head fractures (Mason typesⅡandⅢ) were treated with internal fixation by absorbable pins. The duration of follow-up averaged 22.6 months (12-58 months). The outcome was assessed on the basis of elbow motion, radiographic findings and the functional rating score delineated by Broberg and Morrey. Results:All fractures healed within 10 months without avascular necrosis of radial head. The mean elbow flexion loss was 15°(0°-35°), and pronation and supination decreased by 10°(0°-30°) on average compared with those of the contralateral elbow. Five patients had an excellent result, 6 a good result, and 3 a fair result according to the criteria of Borberg and Morrey. Conclusions: Internal fixation with absorbable pins is an effective method in treating displaced radial head fractures. It can maintain the biomechanical stability of forearm, improve the elbow function and avoid second operation.     

Clavicular midshaft fractures Operative versus nonoperative treatment

There is some evidence to suggest that midshafl clavicular fractures can be successfully treated With either operative or nonoperative methods but that there are fewer complications associated with nonoperative techniques. Most available data come from case series, and comparative studies are needed to determine the veracity of this preliminary data.     

Subciliary incision and lateral cantholysis in rigid internal fixation of zygomatic complex fractures

Objective: To introduce the technique of subciliary incision and lateral cantholysis with tri-dimension reduction and rigid internal fixation to treat zygomatic complex fractures. Methods：The subciliary incision and lateral cantholysis combined with tri-dimension reduction and rigid internal fixation of zygomatic complex fractures with titanium microplates were applied in 56 patients with zygomatic complex fractures. Another lateral eyebrow incision or sublabial incision was used to simplify the operation. Results: The postoperative follow-up period ranged from 6 months to 5 years. During the follow-up period, all the patients had satisfying postoperative results. All clinical symptoms disappeared except the numbness in the infraorbital region in 2 patients. In 94.6% patients no complications such as obvious scar, ectropion, entropion or blepharoedema were found, only 5.4% of the patients had slight ectropion 6 months after operation. Conclusions: The subciliary incision and lateral cantholysis have many advantages such as invisible scar,sufficient exposure, minimal injury, and few complications and combined with rigid internal fixation with titanium microplates this technique could be used as one of the routine operation methods to treat zygomatic complex fractures.     

Strategy for prevention of hip fractures in patients with Parkinson’s disease

Hypovitaminosis D and K due to malnutrition or sunlight deprivation,increased bone resorption due to immobilization,low bone mineral density(BMD)and an increased risk of falls may contribute to an increased risk of hip fractures in patients with Parkinson’s disease.The purpose of the present study was to clarify the efficacy of interventions intended to prevent hip fractures in elderly patients with Parkinson’s disease.Pub Med was used to search the literature for randomized controlled trials(RCTs)regarding Parkinson’s disease and hip fractures.The inclusion criteria were 50 or more subjects per group and a study period of 1 year or longer.Five RCTs were identified and the relative risk and95%confidence interval were calculated for individual RCTs.Sunlight exposure increased serum hydroxyvitamin D[25(OH)D]concentration,improved motor function,decreased bone resorption and increased BMD.Alendronate or risedronate with vitamin D supplementation increased serum 25(OH)D concentration,strongly decreased bone resorption and increased BMD.Menatetrenone(vitamin K2)decreased serum undercarboxylated osteocalcin concentration,decreased bone resorption and increased BMD.Sunlight exposure(men and women),menatetrenone(women),alendronate and risedronate with vitamin D supplementation(women)significantly reduced the incidence of hip fractures.The respective RRs(95%confidence intervals)according to the intention-to-treat analysis were 0.27(0.08,0.96),0.13(0.02,0.97),0.29(0.10,0.85)and 0.20(0.06,0.68).Interventions,including sunlight exposure,menatetrenone and oral bisphosphonates with vitamin D supplementation,have a protective effect against hip fractures elderly patients with Parkinson’s disease.     

Locking plates in distal humerus fractures： study of 43 patients

Objective:The treatment of multifragmentary,intraarticular fractures of the distal humerus is difficult,even in young patients with bone of good quality.Small distal fragment,diminished bone mineral qu...     

Femoral shaft fractures Retrograde versus antegrade approach

A M ED LIN E search was perform ed to identify studiespublished from January 1998to January 2003com paringretrograde with antegrade intram edullary nailing infem oral shaft fractures.From a list of eight articles identified from the searchstrategy,three articles,one quasi-random ized clinicaltrialand two cohort studies w ere identified thatm ade thedesired com parison.W e excluded five case series thatm ade no com parisonbetween the tw o treatm entapproaches.StudiesStudy 1Tornetta P 3rd,T…     

Radial head fixation under arthroscopy for Mason Ⅱ radial head fractures

Objective To evaluate the early therapeutic effects of arthroscopic procedure used for Mason Ⅱ radial head fractures. Methods From October 2006 to October 2008, 36 cases of fresh Mason Ⅱ radial head fractures were treated under arthroscopy by 2 protocols. Group A (16 cases) used prone position, brachial plexus anaesthesia and 4 portals while group B (20 cases) side-lying position, general anaesthesia and 3 portals. After debridement and anatomical reduction, the fractures were fixed by absorbable screws. The range of motion (ROM) was compared at 12 and 24 weeks postoperatively among all the patients.Comparisons were also done between the 2 groups at 12 and 24 weeks postoperatively in the ROM and Mayo elbow performance score(MEPS). Results Fine union was achieved in all the 36 cases without complications. The average ROM of flexion-extension was 128.4°± 12. 7° at 12 weeks and 132.5°± 10. 2°at 24weeks, without any significant difference ( t = 2. 713, P = 0. 539); the average ROM of rotation was 115.3°± 24.0° at 12 weeks and 118.1 °± 19. 3° at 24 weeks, without any significant difference ( t = 5.120, P =0. 778) . No significant differences were found between the 2 groups at either 12 or 24 weeks in ROM of flexion-extension, ROM of rotation or MEPS points ( P ＞ 0. 05). Conclusions Short term results show that a satisfactory functional outcome can be achieved by arthroscopy via proper portals in treatment of Mason Ⅱ radial head fractures. Advantages of arthroscopy are minimally invasive approaches, direct visualization of the fracture and early recovery.     

Radial head fixation under arthroscopy for Mason Ⅱ radial head fractures

Objective To evaluate the early therapeutic effects of arthroscopic procedure used for Mason Ⅱ radial head fractures. Methods From October 2006 to October 2008, 36 cases of fresh Mason Ⅱ radial head fractures were treated under arthroscopy by 2 protocols. Group A (16 cases) used prone position, brachial plexus anaesthesia and 4 portals while group B (20 cases) side-lying position, general anaesthesia and 3 portals. After debridement and anatomical reduction, the fractures were fixed by absorbable screws. The range of motion (ROM) was compared at 12 and 24 weeks postoperatively among all the patients.Comparisons were also done between the 2 groups at 12 and 24 weeks postoperatively in the ROM and Mayo elbow performance score(MEPS). Results Fine union was achieved in all the 36 cases without complications. The average ROM of flexion-extension was 128.4°± 12. 7° at 12 weeks and 132.5°± 10. 2°at 24weeks, without any significant difference ( t = 2. 713, P = 0. 539); the average ROM of rotation was 115.3°± 24.0° at 12 weeks and 118.1 °± 19. 3° at 24 weeks, without any significant difference ( t = 5.120, P =0. 778) . No significant differences were found between the 2 groups at either 12 or 24 weeks in ROM of flexion-extension, ROM of rotation or MEPS points ( P ＞ 0. 05). Conclusions Short term results show that a satisfactory functional outcome can be achieved by arthroscopy via proper portals in treatment of Mason Ⅱ radial head fractures. Advantages of arthroscopy are minimally invasive approaches, direct visualization of the fracture and early recovery.     

Treatment of severe frontobasilar fractures in growing patients： a case series evaluation

Objective:The treatment offrontobasilar fractures is a demanding aspect of craniofacial fracture management.A sequel of inadequate or improper fracture management presents cosmetic and functional probl...