Journal of orthopaedic trauma
-
To determine whether teleradiology improved clinical decision making for the treatment of patients with acute fractures. ⋯ The routine use of electronically transmitted digitized radiographic images has the potential to improve clinical decision making for the care of patients with acute fractures.
-
Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Quality of life related to fracture displacement among elderly patients with femoral neck fractures treated with internal fixation.
To determine differences in outcome between undisplaced (Garden I and II) and displaced (Garden III and IV) femoral neck fractures in elderly patients treated with internal fixation. ⋯ There was a major difference in outcome on comparing undisplaced and displaced femoral neck fractures in elderly patients treated with internal fixation. The rate of fracture healing complications in patients with undisplaced fractures was low, and patients with healed fractures regained their prefracture quality of life level. The rate of fracture healing complications and reoperations in patients with displaced fractures was high, and even in patients with uneventfully healed fractures, there was a substantial decrease in the quality of life.
-
Comparative Study
The relationship between admission hemoglobin level and outcome after hip fracture.
To determine the effect of admission hemoglobin level on patient outcome after hip fracture. ⋯ Patients at risk for poor outcomes after hip fracture can be identified by assessing hemoglobin levels at hospital admission.
-
Comparative Study
Change over time of SF-36 functional outcomes for operatively treated unstable ankle fractures.
Ankle fractures are one of the most common operatively treated lower extremity fractures. Several studies indicate that patients often have residual effects after this injury. The purpose of this study is to use the SF-36 questionnaire at two times to assess patients' functional recovery and residual effects after operative stabilization of an unstable ankle fracture. ⋯ This study indicates that patients have significant improvement in functional outcome after release from orthopaedic follow-up but have a residual physical effect at twenty months after injury. These data are important to guide a patient's expectations after this injury and are also important in considering medicolegal and workers' compensation issues. Patients continue to have improvement in function after we have routinely released them from orthopaedic follow-up. Maximal medical improvement appears to be longer than four months from this injury.
-
Comparative Study
The role of plain films and computed tomography in the evaluation of scapular neck fractures.
To assess the ability of plain films and computed tomography scans to show the pattern, displacement, and angulation of scapular neck fractures. To assess the ability of computed tomography to identify concomitant occult shoulder injuries. ⋯ Scapular neck fracture displacement, angulation, and anatomic classification showed moderate interobserver reliability by plain films but were not enhanced by computed tomography. Computed tomography confused, rather than clarified, the assessment of these characteristics. Computed tomography may be useful to identify associated injuries to the superior shoulder suspensory complex, which can be missed by plain films alone. Routine computed tomography in patients with scapular neck fractures cannot be recommended based on this study. Computed tomography of scapular neck fractures may be useful in selected cases in which intraarticular extension is noted on plain films.