Der Unfallchirurg
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Review Case Reports
[Improvement in breathing mechanics by plate osteosynthesis of the ribs after cardiac massage : Case report and review of the literature].
This article reports the case of a 69-year-old patient with multiple rib fractures and sternal fracture after repetitive cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Because of secondary respiratory failure due to an unstable thorax, rib fixation was performed 10 days after CPR. Subsequently, ventilation improved resulting in successful extubation 4 days after rib plating. ⋯ Although flail chest occurs in up to 15% of patients after CPR, there is little evidence of the effect of rib fixation. The benefit of this procedure after chest trauma is reduced pain, shortened intensive care unit stay, lower rates of ventilation-associated pneumonia and lower costs for the healthcare system. Further clinical research is needed and interdisciplinary treatment should be kept in mind when dealing with patients resuscitated with prolonged mechanical ventilation.
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Pathological tumor-associated fractures are overall rare. They can occur in every age group and every bone. ⋯ False treatment is frequently associated with far-reaching negative consequences with respect to the course of the disease. The great challenge is not the expeditious surgical treatment but much more the adequate diagnostics and the incorporation of local fracture treatment into an interdisciplinary overall oncological concept.
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Pathological fractures of the extremities frequently lead to uncertainty with respect to the treatment strategy and timing. The origin of metastases is typically breast, bronchial, renal and prostate cancer and myelomas. Primary bone tumors play a subordinate role. ⋯ Based on all these aspects the surgical approach can be chosen. Treatment options range from osteosynthetic stabilization and augmentation osteosynthesis up to endoprosthesis replacement. The treatment is carried out in an interdisciplinary procedure as additional measures need to be addressed in addition to the surgical treatment.
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Pathological fractures and instabilities of the spine are most often caused by primary tumors that hematogenously metastasize into the spine. In this context breast, prostate, kidney cell and bronchial carcinomas are the most relevant causative diseases. Furthermore, multiple myeloma is another frequent entity. Primary tumors of the spine are correspondingly rare and only make up a small proportion of all malignant processes in the spine. ⋯ If a curative approach is followed an individualized and interdisciplinary surgical strategy must be performed to achieve an R0 resection, usually as a spondylectomy. In the case of palliative treatment, the goal of surgical treatment must be pain reduction, stability and avoidance or restoration of neurological deficits. This requires stabilization in a percutaneous or open technique, possibly in combination with decompression and local tumor debulking.
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Pathological fractures are not only incisive events for tumor patients often with the need of surgical treatment but also often represent a relevant challenge in the overall concept of oncological treatment. ⋯ The work-up of the multifaceted oncological treatment concept represents an interdisciplinary challenge, which ideally defines the further treatment procedure, including fracture treatment, in an interdisciplinary tumor board within an overall oncological concept.