Zeitschrift für Orthopädie und Unfallchirurgie
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Proximal ulna fractures are common injuries in the upper extremity. The severity of injury ranges from isolated olecranon fractures to complex elbow fracture dislocations. ⋯ Furthermore, standard and recent techniques of surgical treatment are described in detail for olecranon and Monteggia fractures as well as for fractures of the coronoid process. Functional outcome and complications of fracture treatment are discussed.
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Anterior screw fixation is a standard treatment procedure in the case of an uncomplicated Anderson-D'Alonzo type II odontoid fracture in younger patients. Insufficient bony screw hold can cause severe procedure-related complications and result in screw breakouts with secondary fracture dislocation. Hence, the procedure is limited to patients with an adequate bone mineral density. ⋯ Two patients with odontoid fractures of Anderson-D'Alonzo type II were operated using anterior screw fixation and additional vertebroplasty of C2 to increase the screw hold. During follow-up a regular bony healing without screw complication was observed. In conclusion, cement-augmented anterior screw fixation of odontoid fractures type II according to Anderson-D'Alonzo and persistent severe osteoporosis can be an alternative to posterior C1/2 spondylodesis in individual cases.
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Vacuum-assisted closure is used frequently for the treatment of posttraumatic osteomyelitis of the extremities. After debridement and repeated VAC dressing changes, the wounds are closed by secondary suture, split-thickness skin grafts or local flaps. However, no objective parameters describe the time point for secondary wound closure. Our thesis was that negative microbiological results from bone specimens can indicate the time for secondary wound closure. Moreover, treatment course and clinical outcome after 3.4 years should be compared to those of other surgical approaches for acute postoperative osteomyelitis from the literature. ⋯ In about one third of the bone biopsies bacteria persisted. This bacterial load had no correlation to wound healing and rate of recurrence after over 3 years. In conclusion, microbiological bone samples are not suitable as an indicator for the time point of secondary wound closure. Compared to other treatment options in acute postoperative osteomyelitis from the literature (especially implantation of local antibiotics), no advantage of vacuum-assisted closure could be shown concerning number of debridements and rate of recurrences.
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In the last years, German hospitals have implemented different measures to increase patient safety. Special importance has been attached to near miss reporting systems (critical incident reporting system, CIRS) as instruments for risk identification in health care, instruments that promise high potential for organisational learning. To gain insight into the current status of critical incident reporting systems and other instruments for clinical risk management, a survey among 341 hospitals was carried out in 2009. Questions covered a process of six steps: from risk strategy to methods for risk identification, to risk analysis and risk assessment, to risk controlling and risk monitoring. ⋯ While identification of clinical risks with near miss and other incident reporting systems meets increasing acceptance, the learning potential based on incident reporting is not yet appropriately being used. There is a deficit regarding systematic and comprehensive risk assessment and controlling; this will have to be met by improving the organisational framework for clinical risk management.
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Review Meta Analysis
[Electromagnetic fields, electric current and bone healing - what is the evidence?].
For more than 30 years the potential effects of electrical stimulation on bone healing have been investigated. Up to now this therapy is controversial and not established as a standardised treatment option. This systematic review and metaanalysis focuses on the potential effects of electromagnetic fields and high-frequency electric fields on bony healing. ⋯ When performing a subgroup analysis a statistically significant result could not be confirmed by the studies with a higher methodological quality. In view of the heterogeneous physical parameters with different frequencies, time course, flux densities and in view of the methodological deficits, a general conclusion seems difficult. Recommendations or standards of therapy are so far not available.