ESIN in Forearm Fractures

Abstract Background and Purpose: Elastic stable intramedullary nailing (ESIN) is well established for stabilizing pediatric forearm fractures. To prevent uncritical use, it is necessary to evaluate the problems and complications of this common technique. Patients and Methods: Four pediatric surgical departments participated in a retrospective study analyzing the last 400 fractures treated with ESIN. Continuous documentation of treatment, postoperative course and follow-up formed the basis of evaluation. In this article forearm fractures (n = 163, 40.7%) are discussed, and epidemiology, indication, fracture types, intraoperative technique, postoperative management and problems, as well as complications and results are compared to those described in the literature. Results: Complete, transverse fractures of the midshaft (73%) were mainly seen. Indication for intervention was an intolerable axial deviation (85.9%). Intraoperative technique (operating and transillumination time, site of approach, material choice) and postoperative management (hospital stay, number of X-ray controls, and follow-up) differed highly depending on the hospitals circumstances. Postoperatively, 3.0% of patients showed soft-tissue irritation due to sharp nail ends or wound infections. Complications (10.4%) included secondary rupture of a tendon in 3.7%, refracture with nails in situ in 2.5%, axial deviations > 10° or instability of osteosynthesis in 1.8%, delayed healing in 1.2%, migration of nails in 0.6%, and technical failure in 0.6%. Overall, a significant functional restriction (limitation of movement > 10°) was found in three cases only (1.8%) following radial neck fracture. Conclusion: ESIN in pediatric forearm fractures is an often used technique with clear indications and excellent results to be expected. Numerically, complications have not altered considerably, but they rather show a shifting of problems with optimization and refinement of technique and improvement of equipment. Thus, continuous evaluation of technical principles and procedural recommendations constitutes the mainstay in the prevention of problems and complications.     

Traumatic bowing of the forearm bones in roller machine injuries

Slow bending forces created by rollers of rotating machines and acting on forearm bones can result in traumatic bowing even in adults. Four patients having this peculiar injury pattern in industrial accidents have been reported in this paper. Three of these had concomitant fractures of ipsilateral humerus. There were problems in appropriate reduction of the deformity due to the presence of associated overlying soft tissue injury. The literature has also been reviewed for this injury and 13 reports defining the injury profile, problems in realigning forearm bones and their subsequent maintenance have been described. The eventual outcome of such machine injuries has not been good due to persistence of some degrees of bowing and associated restriction of forearm rotation.     

Long-term results following pediatric distal forearm fractures

Introduction The purpose of this retrospective study was to investigate the frequency and extent of clinical and radiological late sequelae and to identify predicting factors.Materials and methods A total of 220 patients of growing age with 232 closed, conservatively treated fractures were re-examined clinically and radiologically at a median follow-up time of 10 years (range 5–16 years). Clinical and radiological findings were summarised as an overall result.Results Of the total of patients, 19% reported pain in the injured wrist, and wrist mobility was limited in 5% of patients. Forearm rotation was decreased in 16%, primarily in epiphyseal separation of the ulna (p=0.0033). Radial inclination was different in 6% of patients, palmar tilt in 2%, and ulnar variance in 37%, compared with the contralateral side. Ulnocarpal impaction syndrome was present in 75% of the patients with positive ulnar variance. Overall outcome was excellent in 72%, good in 19%, moderate in 6%, and poor in 3% of patients. The younger the children were at the time of injury, the more favourable the results were (p=0.009). Children who were older than 10 years when they suffered a severe fracture dislocation had the poorest results (p=0.008). Further factors having a negative influence on outcome were repeated reduction maneuvers and an additional fracture of the ulna.Conclusion Our follow-up examinations showed that the majority of patients achieved good results, especially in children under 10 years old. Large dislocations at the time of fracture healing do not influence long-term results in this age group and thus can be tolerated. Patients over 10 years old, whose fractures healed with an angular deformity of more than 20° and/or fragment dislocation over half the breadth of the shaft showed the poorest results. Thus, such dislocations should not be tolerated, and reduction should be attempted in this age group by only one reduction maneuver.     

随意型髂骨皮瓣及其临床应用

目的:探讨创伤所致的前臂骨折感染合并骨与皮肤缺损的一种新的治疗方法。方法:先行全身及局部治疗,纠正贫血及低蛋白血症,选用有效抗生素控制急性炎症后,手术清除病灶,在同侧第12肋下方设计并切取蒂在第12肋下方的随意型髂骨皮瓣交叉移植于前臂受区,修复骨与皮肤缺损。结果:手术均获成功,皮瓣全部一期成活,感染均在术后一个月内随着皮瓣与受区皮肤愈合而治愈。骨折全部愈合,愈合时间45~120d,平均96d。结论:本方法简单实用,疗效可靠,不需特殊器械设备与技术,易于掌握应用。     

膝上外侧骨皮瓣的临床应用

目的 介绍以膝上外侧动脉或膝最上外侧动脉为蒂的股骨远端皮瓣、骨瓣、骨皮瓣游离移植修复手、前臂远端皮肤软组织、骨及复合组织缺损的方法。方法 在３０侧红色乳胶灌注的下肢标本上，解剖观察了膝上外侧动脉及膝量上外侧动脉的起始、走行、分支、分布及吻合情况，在此基础上设计了以膝上外侧动脉或膝最上外侧动脉为蒂的股骨远端骨皮瓣。结果：应用膝上外侧动脉蒂骨皮瓣３例、皮瓣、例、骨瓣１例，膝最上外侧动脉蒂骨皮瓣１例、皮     

Forearm Compartment Syndrome After Intravenous Mannitol Extravasation in a Carbosulfan Poisoning Patient

We report a case of forearm compartment syndrome caused by extravasation of mannitol in an intoxicated patient. The pathophysiology and management of a forearm compartment syndrome from extravasation of mannitol are discussed in this case.     

Effect of aging on salt sensitivity of blood pressure in patients with essential hypertension

Background. Aging is considered to modulate the salt sensitivity of blood pressure (BP), but its mechanisms have not been precisely elucidated. We investigated aging-related changes in salt sensitivity and their mechanisms in patients with essential hypertension. Methods. A high-sodium (Na, 250 mEq/day, for 6 days) diet was given to 32 essential hypertensive patients of different ages (younger, aged <30 years, n = 8; middle-aged, 30–50 years, n = 10; older, ≥50 years, n = 14) after they had had a low-Na diet (25 mEq Na/day) for 3 days. Cardiac output was measured by dye-dilution, and forearm blood flow (FBF) and venous volume (VV40) by strain-gauge plethysmography. Results. The Na-induced rise in mean BP increased with age (3.2 ± 2.0%; 6.9 ± 2.1%; and 11.7 ± 1.4% respectively, in the younger, middle-aged, and older groups, and this was accompanied by a salt-induced rise in cardiac index and FBF. VV40 decreased with the high-Na diet in older hypertensives (−15.7 ± 6.1%) and the change was significantly less (P < 0.05) than in the younger group (9.3 ± 9.0%). Conclusion. The enhanced salt sensitivity of BP that occurs with aging in patients with essential hypertension is due to increased cardiac output, probably through a venous constriction-related elevation of venous return. Received: May 6, 1998 / Accepted: July 17, 1998     

骨间前血管前臂背侧皮神经营养血管皮瓣的临床应用

目的：报道改进前臂背侧皮神经营养血管逆行皮瓣的手术方法及临床效果。方法：对腕背以远的皮肤缺损创面，设计以骨间前血管腕背支为血管蒂，沿前臂背侧皮神经营养血管轴切取皮瓣逆向转位修复。结果：临床应用8例，皮瓣全部皮活。随访6－12个月，皮瓣质地优良，外形与功能恢复满意。结论：该皮瓣切取方便，血供可靠，不累及前臂主要血管，适于修复虎口、腕背及手背等处较大面积的皮肤软组织缺损。