Journal of orthopaedic trauma
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Shortening after intertrochanteric hip fractures with sliding constructs is an increasingly recognized problem by the orthopaedic community. It often results in a limb length discrepancy causing maladaptation of the abductor lever arm. Functional limitations can also result from altered hip biomechanics and negatively influence patient outcomes. We hypothesized that with trochanteric entry nailing, calcar reduction, and intraoperative compression, a near-normal restoration of gait parameters and satisfactory outcomes can be achieved. ⋯ Therapeutic Level IV. See page 128 for a complete description of levels of evidence.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Factors influencing functional outcomes after distal tibia shaft fractures.
Surgical treatment of displaced distal tibia fractures yields reliable results with either plate or nail fixation. Comparative studies suggest more malalignment and nonunions with nails. Some studies have reported knee pain after tibial nailing. However, plates may be associated with soft tissue complications, such as infections or wound-healing problems. The purpose of this study was to assess functional outcomes after distal tibia shaft fractures treated with a plate or a nail. We hypothesized that tibial nails would be associated with more knee pain and that plates would be associated with pain from implant prominence, each of which would adversely affect functional outcome scores. ⋯ Mean MFA and FFI scores suggest substantial residual dysfunction after distal tibia fractures when compared with an uninjured population. Mild ankle or knee pain was reported frequently after plate or nail fixation but was not limiting to activity in most. Angular malunion was associated with both knee and ankle pain, and there was a trend toward more patients with knee and ankle pain after tibial nailing. No patients reported unemployment because of their tibia fracture, but unemployed people described knee and ankle pain more frequently and had the worst functional outcome scores.
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This study looks at the treatment of 16 cases of infection in long bone fractures that had an adverse effect on healing. The goal was to find a method that may be effective in getting these most difficult injuries to heal. The use of reinforced antibiotic-impregnated bone cement rods was studied to see if this could be an effective form of treatment. The use of such devices makes sense because they provide stability that the fractures need for healing while also providing a high concentration of antibiotics locally. The concept was to reduce the amount of metal used for stability while still giving the fracture the correct milieu for healing. ⋯ Therapeutic Level IV. See page 128 for a complete description of levels of evidence.