Journal of orthopaedic trauma
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Multicenter Study Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Trochanteric versus piriformis entry portal for the treatment of femoral shaft fractures.
The purpose of this study was to compare results of femoral shaft fracture treatment with nailing through the greater trochanter to nailing through the piriformis fossa with nails specifically designed for each starting point. ⋯ A femoral nail specially designed for trochanteric insertion resulted in equally high union rates, equally low complication rates, and functional results similar to conventional antegrade femoral nailing through the piriformis fossa. The greater trochanter entry portal coupled with an appropriately designed nail represents a rational alternative for antegrade femoral nailing with the benefit of decreased fluoroscopy time and decreased operative time in patients who are obese.
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Posttraumatic arthritis (PTA) is one of the most frequent causes of disability after trauma involving weight-bearing joints and is estimated to be responsible for approximately 10% of the 21 million Americans who have osteoarthritis. Despite a number of similarities in the pathology and end-stage disease of PTA with primary osteoarthritis, the mechanisms involved in the onset and progression of joint degeneration after articular fracture are poorly understood. ⋯ In this paper, we discuss the potential roles of the initial impact and fracture as well as the subsequent alterations in joint loading, biomechanical and metabolic properties of the cartilage, local and systemic inflammatory cytokines, and viability of chondrocytes in the progression of PTA. An improved understanding of the mechanisms involved in the development of PTA will hopefully lead to the improvement of surgical and nonsurgical therapies for this disease.
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Multicenter Study
Anterior-inferior plate fixation of middle-third fractures and nonunions of the clavicle.
Results of surgical treatment for clavicle injuries using standard approaches have shown relatively high complication rates including loss of fixation, persistent nonunion, implant related problems, and the need for subsequent surgeries are common. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the clinical results of patients treated for clavicle fractures and painful clavicular nonunions with anterior-inferior plating using a 3.5 mm plate. ⋯ Anterior-inferior plating of acute middle-third fractures of the clavicle and clavicular nonunions using a plate and lag screws typically results in early healing, few complications and an excellent return of function. Advantages of this technique include stable bony fixation with instrumentation directed away from potentially dangerous infraclavicular structures and a minimal incidence of implant prominence problems.
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To assess whether allogeneic blood transfusion in the perioperative period is associated with changes in mortality or complication rates in patients undergoing surgical treatment for hip fracture (proximal femoral fracture). ⋯ Our data suggest that transfusion is not associated with a change in mortality or infection rates in the hip-fracture patient.
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Case Reports
Humeral shaft split fracture around proximal humeral locking plates: a report of two cases.
Locking plates increasingly are being used in the treatment of osteoporotic fractures. Such devices provide multiple fixed- angle anchorage points and improve fracture fixation stability in weak bone. We report two cases of early proximal humeral fracture fixation failure in osteoporotic bone by humeral shaft "fissure" or split fracture after open reduction and internal fixation with locking proximal humeral plates and screws. Each patient failed early in the postoperative period and was revised to fixation with compression plating techniques, with uneventful union.