Journal of orthopaedic trauma
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study
Pin site care during circular external fixation using two different protocols.
Treatment of tibial fractures with Ilizarov external fixation is a valuable treatment alternative; however, development of problems at the pin site is one of the major drawbacks of this technique. Moreover, there is no general agreement regarding pin site care. The purpose of this study was to compare the efficacy of two different pin site care techniques after treatment of tibial fractures with an Ilizarov external fixator. ⋯ Pin site care can be performed without impairing patient comfort and without prohibition of showering. Pin site care can be self-managed by the patients without complex sterilization techniques.
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The objective of this study was to develop a single-channel telemetric intramedullary nail that measures anterior-posterior bending strains and determine whether these forces decrease sigmoidally when normalized to the ground reaction force during fracture healing. ⋯ No clear correlation between implant strain and fracture healing was observed using the single-channel system when subjected to one external loading regime (leg stance phase). However, ex vivo biomechanical testing demonstrated that load share changes could be detected when loads were directly applied to the bone in the absence of muscle and ligament forces. These data emphasize the need to fully characterize the complex biomechanical environment of the limb to determine the load changes resulting from fracture healing.
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To understand the influence of obesity on the morbidity and mortality outcomes of patients who have sustained fractures of the femur and tibia. ⋯ Obese patients are significantly more likely to have more severe distal femur fractures compared with nonobese when involved in motor vehicle crashes. In this study, there was no statistically significant difference in length of stay, complications, or mortality in obese patients.
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To determine if there is a difference in morbidity and mortality in orthopaedic trauma patients with femoral shaft fractures undergoing early definitive care with intramedullary (IM) nails in the supine versus the lateral position. ⋯ For polytrauma patients with femoral shaft fractures, surgical stabilization using IM nails inserted with reaming of the femoral canal in the lateral position is not associated with an increased risk of mortality or ICU admission.