Der Unfallchirurg
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With a prevalence of approximately 0.4%, distal femoral fractures are a rare entity. Nevertheless, due to the high mortality rates, which are comparable to proximal femoral fractures, these fractures are highly important. The clinical symptoms are often quite striking. ⋯ The use of external fixation of the complete knee joint in the sense of damage control surgery, is useful. For definitive treatment retrograde intramedullary nailing and locking plates with angle stable screws are the main options. Modern angle stable and anatomically preformed implants enable surgical treatment using minimally invasive approaches to protect the soft tissues, with a better overall outcome.
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Terrorist-related mass casualty incidents represent a medical and organizational challenge for all hospitals. The main reasons are the special patterns of injuries, the onset and development of the scenario, the lack of information at the beginning, the overall number of casualties and the number of uninjured but involved patients presenting at the hospital. Due to these circumstances and the high percentage of penetrating injuries with a permanent risk of uncontrollable bleeding and other life-threatening complications, a strategic and tactical initial surgical care is necessary. ⋯ It could be shown that standardized approaches and algorithm-based treatment could improve the outcome of trauma victims. Faced with the present day permanent risk of a possible terrorist-related MasCal situation, the question arises how and to what extent elements and principles of both course formats (TDSC® and ATLS®) could be used to improve and organize the initial care in a terrorist-linked MasCal incident. For the first time it is shown that the key elements of both courses (primary survey of the ATLS® and the TDSC® principles: categorization, prioritization, disposition and realization) could be established and integratively used to structure the initial intrahospital medical and surgical care.
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This article reports the case of a 42-year-old male patient, who sustained a gluteal compartment syndrome after drug-induced immobilization with subsequent rhabdomyolysis and sciatic nerve palsy. Unlike compartment syndrome of the forearm or lower leg, this is a rare condition. ⋯ The sensorimotor function of the lower extremity improved already after the first treatment and secondary wound closure was possible after 1 week. The patient was discharged 11 days after admission with complete recovery of sensorimotor and renal functions.