Injury
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Oral anticoagulation (OAC) may have an impact on mortality in cases hospitalized for hip fracture (HF). We studied nationwide time trends of OAC prescriptions and compared time trends of inhospital mortality of HF cases with and without OAC in Germany DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study SETTING: Nationwide German hospitalization, Diagnosis-Related Groups Statistic PATIENTS/PARTICIPANTS: All hospital admissions for HF 60 years and older in the years 2006 through 2020. ⋯ Inhospital mortality of HF cases with and without long-term OAC show different trends. In HF cases without OAC, mortality decreased from 2006 to 2020. In cases with OAC such a decrease could not be observed.
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Distal femur fractures are common injuries that remain difficult for orthopedic surgeons to treat. High complication rates, including nonunion rates as high as 24% and infection rates of 8%, can lead to increased morbidity for these patients. Allogenic blood transfusions have previously been identified as risk factors for infection in total joint arthroplasty and spinal fusion surgeries. No studies have explored the relationship between blood transfusions and fracture related infection (FRI) or nonunion in distal femur fractures. ⋯ In patients undergoing operative treatment of distal femur fractures, perioperative blood transfusions are associated with increased risk of fracture related infection, but not the development of a nonunion. This risk association increases in a dose-dependent relationship with increasing total blood transfusions received.
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The management of open tibial fractures (OTF) is challenging in low and middle-income countries (LMICs) where appropriate human resources and infrastructure (including equipment, implants and surgical supplies) are not readily available and medical care is not readily accessible. OTF are not rarely associated with a subsequent fracture-related infection (FRI), which is one of the most devastating and difficult to cure complications in orthopaedic trauma care. The aim of this study was to determine the rate and the predictive factors of FRI in OTF in a limited-resource setting of sub-Saharan Africa. ⋯ The overall rate of FRI in open tibial fracture is still high in the sub-Saharan African context. For similar low-resources settings, this study supports the recommendations (1) to perform a very early washing-dressing-splinting of OTF on admission of the patient, (2) to administer antibiotics early, and (3) to perform surgery as soon as reasonably possible, once appropriate personnel, equipment, implants and surgical supplies are available.
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Observational Study
Early postoperative step count and walking time have greater impact on lower limb fracture outcomes than load-bearing metrics.
Weight-bearing protocols for rehabilitation of lower extremity fractures are the gold standard despite not being data-driven. Additionally, current protocols are focused on the amount of weight placed on the limb, negating other patient rehabilitation behaviors that may contribute to outcomes. Wearable sensors can provide insight into multiple aspects of patient behavior through longitudinal monitoring. This study aimed to understand the relationship between patient behavior and rehabilitation outcomes using wearable sensors to identify the metrics of patient rehabilitation behavior that have a positive effect on 1-year rehabilitation outcomes. ⋯ Step count and walking time had a greater impact on 1-year outcomes than body weight per step or cadence. The results suggest that increased activity may improve 1-year outcomes for patients with lower extremity fractures. The use of more accessible devices, such as smart watches with step counters combined with patient reported outcome measures may provide more valuable insights into patient rehabilitation behaviors and their effect on rehabilitation outcomes.
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Many studies have evaluated splint strength at maturity with multiple splint materials, methods, and configurations but none have analyzed splints as they cure. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the properties of different splint materials immediately following activation and as they mature. Splints were dipped for three seconds in two temperatures of water and an additional group of fiberglass with no water was tested as well. ⋯ Fiberglass is stronger and faster to cure than plaster. In situations where the surgeon desires the strongest splint, fiberglass may be preferable. However, the initial stiffness of plaster is superior to fiberglass.