Untreated congenital and posttraumatic high dislocation of the hip treated by replacement in adult age22 hips in 16 patients followed for 18 years

Between 1993 and 2001, we replaced 22 hips in 16 patients with high dislocation of the hip. All but 1 case was due to congenital dislocation. In all cases the femur was osteotomized below the lesser trochanter and a straight uncemented stem inserted in the medullary canal. The acetabular prostheses were inserted at the site of the original acetabulum, usually after augmenting the acetabular rim by using the medial half of the resected proximal femur. The lateral part of the proximal femur with the intact attachment of the gluteus medius muscle was transposed and fixed to the femoral diaphysis thereby restoring direction of muscle pull. The HHS score increased from a median value of 42 points preoperatively to a median of 86 points after median 25 months of follow-up. Limp, which before surgery was severe in all cases, was less marked or had disappeared at follow-up. The legs had been lengthened median 2.5 (1.0–4.5) cm. No postoperative infections occurred. Palsy or loss of sensory function was not observed in any patient. Dislocation was the commonest complication. It occurred in 3 hips, 2 of which had to be revised to ensure stability.     

A Radiographic Five-Year Follow-Up of Femoral Neck Fractures

Forty femoral neck fractures were followed for 5 years in a prospective clinical, roentgenographic and scintimetric investigation. Thirteen cases had uncomplicated healing, 22 necrosis and five non-union. The diagnostic value of radiographic changes was analysed with reference to development of necrosis of the femoral head or non-union. Sclerosis of the femoral head, and compression and displacement of the fracture were compatible with eventual healing and clinical recovery. Subchondral fracture and collapse of the load-bearing surface, diagnostic for necrosis, were observed in only 7 of 22 cases at 1 year and as late as 3-5 years in three cases. By contrast, four out of five non-union cases were established radiographically within 1 year. Patients needing an arthroplasty after fracture of the femoral neck should be identified on clinical grounds after early radionuclide scintimetry. Waiting for radiographic documentation of necrosis in cases with pain will increase the risk for physical and social impairment associated with poor function of the hip.     

An evaluation of supracondylar humerus fractures: is there a correlation between postponing treatment and the need for open surgical intervention?

Purpose

The goal of this study was to evaluate the treatment and recovery of patients treated for Gartland type III supracondylar humerus fractures in order to determine if postponing treatment leads to a higher rate of open surgical treatment or complications.

Methods

A retrospective study was conducted examining the medical records of children with Gartland type III supracondylar humerus fractures at our institution for a two-year period. The patients included in the study were treated with closed reduction and percutaneous pinning (CRPP) or open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF).

Results

After exclusions, 134 patients were included in the study, with an average age of 5.6 years. The patients were grouped according to whether their treatment was postponed (39.6 %) or immediate (60.4 %). The majority of all patients were treated using CRPP: 46 (86.8 %) of the postponed patients and 75 (92.6 %) of the immediate patients. Very few postsurgical complications occurred in the patients; there was only one (1.6 %) case of iatrogenic nerve injury in a postponed patient as well as four (3.8 %) cases of loss of carrying angle: one (2.3 %) in postponed patients and three (4.8 %) in immediate patients.

Conclusions

Postponing treatment of type III supracondylar humerus fractures in children did not lead to an increase in open surgical treatment; nor did it lead to an increase in complications.     

Increased incidence of distal humeral fractures and surgical treatment in 0- to 18-year-old patients treated in Finland from 1987 to 2010

Background

Studies of pediatric and adolescent fractures in general report a significant increase in the incidence of upper-extremity fractures as well as in their surgical treatment. The aim of this study was to determine the trends of the incidence and treatment of distal humeral fractures in hospitalized 0- to 18-year-old patients in Finland.

Method

The study included the entire pediatric and adolescent (<19 years) population in Finland during the 24-year period from 1 January 1987 to 31 December 2010. Data on hospitalized patients were obtained from the nationwide National Hospital Discharge Registry where information is collected from all hospital categories (private, public, and other). Surgical treatment was categorized into three groups; (1) reposition with casting; (2) reposition or reduction and osteosynthesis; (3) reposition or reduction and external-fixation and other fixation methods. Patients were classified into three groups according to age: 0–6 years, 7–13 years, and 14–18 years. Annual incidences were calculated using the annual mid-year population census obtained from the Official Statistics of Finland.

Results

During the 24-year study period, there were a total of 12,590 hospitalizations with a main or secondary diagnosis of distal humeral fracture. In children aged 0–12 years the overall incidence of hospitalization increased 30 % during the 24-year study period, from 4.5 per 10,000 person-years in 1987 to 5.8 per 10,000 person-years in 2010. There were a total of 5,548 operations. During the study period, surgical treatment by repositioning or reduction with osteosynthesis due to a distal humeral fracture increased by fivefold in patients aged <6 years and by twofold in patients aged 7–12 years of age. The incidences of fracture and treatment in children older than 13 years did not change.

Conclusion

The incidence of distal humeral fractures and the incidence of repositioning with osteosynthesis increased remarkably in prepubertal children during the 24-year study period in Finland.     

Bone health in children and adolescents with perinatal HIV infection

The long-term impact on bone health of lifelong HIV infection and prolonged ART in growing and developing children is not yet known. Measures of bone health in youth must be interpreted in the context of expected developmental and physiologic changes in bone mass, size, density and strength that occur from fetal through adult life. Low bone mineral density (BMD) appears to be common in perinatally HIV-infected youth, especially outside of high-income settings, but data are limited and interpretation complicated by the need for better pediatric norms. The potential negative effects of tenofovir on BMD and bone mass accrual are of particular concern as this drug may be used more widely in younger children. Emphasizing good nutrition, calcium and vitamin D sufficiency, weight-bearing exercise and avoidance of alcohol and smoking are effective and available approaches to maintain and improve bone health in all settings. More data are needed to inform therapies and monitoring for HIV-infected youth with proven bone fragility. While very limited data suggest lack of marked increase in fracture risk for youth with perinatal HIV infection, the looming concern for these children is that they may fail to attain their expected peak bone mass in early adulthood which could increase their risk for fractures and osteoporosis later in adulthood.     

Acute emergency tibialization of the fibula: reconstruction of a massive tibial defect in a type IIIC open fracture

Gustilo type IIIC open fractures of the tibia are high-energy injuries necessitating long treatment periods and usually multiple surgical procedures and eventually resulting in high morbidity rates and even amputations. We present here a case involving a type IIIC open tibial fracture with massive loss of the entire tibial diaphysis, which we treated by performing acute tibialization of the fibula after revascularization of the posterior tibial artery in a single-stage emergency operation.     

Spontaneous bilateral displaced femoral neck fractures in nutritional osteomalacia--a case report

Background and purpose?Incorporation of fresh-frozen allograft bone and safety aspects associated with this procedure can be improved by removing blood and lipids from the bone. We investigated in a quantitative manner how efficient pulse lavage might be for removal of adipose tissue from morselized allograft bone.

Methods?Depending on the study, the washing was performed with an average of 0.8 L or 1.6 L of sterile saline at room temperature. Fat content of the morselized bone samples was determined using hexane elution. The efficiency of pulse lavage alone was compared with that after an additional wash in 12 L of warm water (55°C). Unprocessed controls were also included for comparison.

Results?Pulse lavage with 0.8 L saline alone removed 80% of the fat from the bone, whereas 95% of the fat was removed when washing was performed with 1.6 L of saline. The cleansing efficacy was improved further when an additional wash with warm water was used.

Interpretation?Our results indicate that pulse-lavage washing alone at room temperature is an effective method for defatting of morselized allograft bone, but an additional wash with warm water improves the cleansing efficiency. Pulse lavage is easily available and simple to use in the operating theater.     

Pain control after total knee arthroplasty: a randomized trial comparing local infiltration anesthesia and continuous femoral block

Background and purpose Pain after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is usually severe, and epidural analgesia or femoral nerve block has been considered to be an effective pain treatment. Recently, local infiltration analgesia (LIA) has become increasingly popular but the outcome of this method regarding the analgesic effect has not been fully evaluated. We compared local infiltration analgesia and femoral block with regard to analgesia and morphine demand during the first 24 h after TKA.

Methods 40 patients undergoing TKA under spinal anesthesia were randomized to receive femoral nerve block (group F) or peri- and intraarticular infiltration analgesia (group LIA) with a mixture containing ropivacaine, ketorolac, and epinephrine. All patients had access to intravenous patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) with morphine postoperatively. Pain intensity at rest and upon movement was assessed on a numeric rating scale (0–10) on an hourly basis over 24 h if the patients were awake.

Results The average pain at rest was marginally lower with LIA (1.6) than with femoral block (2.2). Total morphine consumption per kg was similar between the 2 groups. Ancillary analysis revealed that 1 of 20 patients in the LIA group reported a pain intensity of > 7 upon movement, as compared to 7 out of 19 in the femoral block group (p = 0.04).

Interpretation Both LIA and femoral block provide good analgesia after TKA. LIA may be considered to be superior to femoral block since it is cheaper and easier to perform.     

The Effect of 1α-Hydroxycholecalciferol on the Healing of Experimental Fractures in Adult Rats

Unilateral tibial fractures were produced in adult, 1-year-old, male Sprague-Dawley rats. The animals were then treated for 6 weeks with daily doses of 2.5 μg, 1.25 μg or 0.125 μg 1α-hydroxycholecalciferol (1α-OH-D³). The aim of the investigation was to study the effect of this treatment on the healing process of the fracture and on the composition of the fractured bone.

The general effect of 2.5 μg of 1α-OH-D³ was a significant loss of body weight (20 per cent) and hypercalcaemia. The lower close levels, however, did not affect the body weight, and with a dose of 0.125 μg the serum calcium level did not increase significantly.

The healing rate of the fractures increased in all treatment groups as compared with the controls. The water content of the fractured tibias increased in the rats treated with 2.5 μg doses but decreased in the other groups. On the other hand the mineral content increased in the groups treated with 1.25 μg and 0.125 μg doses and decreased in the largest dose group. Furthermore the amount of organic material per wet weight increased with the 2.5 μg dose and was mainly unchanged in the other groups. The hydrated bone density and the conical thickness of the tibia increased most significantly in the group treated with 0.125 μg but the trabecular bone area of the periosteal callus did not increase significantly.

The conclusion is drawn that treatment with small doses of 1α-OH-D³ has a beneficial effect on the healing rate and on the mineralization of the fracture callus, and on cortical bone formation.