Der Unfallchirurg
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Ankle fractures are among the most common fractures in adults but often with unsatisfactory long-term results. In recent years several new surgical treatment approaches have been developed but little has changed regarding the aftercare. The postoperative treatment can be divided into two main components, weight bearing and mobilization. In Germany most patients are still recommended to be immobilized with partial weight bearing for 6 weeks after surgery. ⋯ The early functional therapy following surgically treated ankle fractures increased the rate of wound healing complications in only one of 13 studies, otherwise there were no significant differences in complication rates; however, early functional therapy partly shortened the time to return to work and led to better clinical results in the short term. For future studies, standardization of the parameters assessed would be important to provide clear evidence-based guidelines on follow-up treatment for specific fractures and patient populations.
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The stone heart syndrome is defined as an ischemic systolic contracture of the heart and also termed contractile cardiac arrest. It was first described in 1972 by the American cardiac surgeon Denton Cooley, who observed this phenomenon during bypass surgery. ⋯ The resulting anaerobic metabolism causes an ischemic contracture as described in the stone heart syndrome. This article presents three cases of patients with traumatic cardiac arrest (TCA) and myocardial contracture in postmortem computed tomography (PMCT) and discuss the origins of the stone heart syndrome as well as its implications in cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
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The use of a cerclage for osteosynthesis is a controversially discussed topic. They are said to damage the periosteal blood circulation and therefore impair bony healing. This article examines the available evidence on whether cerclages actually lead to a relevant reduction in periosteal perfusion. ⋯ Only one study using a rabbit model could demonstrate a relevant reduction of the periosteal blood supply by cerclages. In four other investigations on animal models over longer postoperative time periods the blood perfusion of the bones showed no impairment. In two series of experiments on human cadaveric femora no negative effects were also found. At least in the mid-term and long-term run the fear that cerclages could impair the blood supply of intact bone or postosteotomy cannot be confirmed by experimental studies. There is no experimental study using a fractured bone model.