Eur J Trauma Emerg S
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The Micronail(®) is a minimally invasive intramedullar titanium locking screw fixation for two-part dislocated extra-articular fractures and average displaced intra-articular fractures. ⋯ This intramedullary implant intends to minimize some of the disadvantages of other surgical options in the treatment of distal radius fracture; the Micronail(®) causes less tissue damage and has early load-carrying capacity. This minimally invasive technique seems suitable in selected, two-part dislocated extra-articular and average displaced intra-articular, distal radius fractures.
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Eur J Trauma Emerg S · Oct 2010
Operative stabilization of flail chest injuries: review of literature and fixation options.
Flail chest injuries cause significant morbidity, especially in multiply injured patients. Standard treatment is typically focused on the underlying lung injury and involves pain control and positive pressure ventilation. Several studies suggest improved short- and long-term outcomes following operative stabilization of the flail segments. Despite these studies, flail chest fixation remains a largely underutilized procedure. ⋯ Operative treatment can provide substantial benefits to patients with flail chest injuries and respiratory compromise requiring mechanical ventilation. The use of anatomically contoured rib plates and intramedullary splints greatly simplifies the procedure of flail chest fixation.
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Eur J Trauma Emerg S · Oct 2010
Biomechanical rationale and evaluation of an implant system for rib fracture fixation.
Biomechanical research directed at developing customized implant solutions for rib fracture fixation is essential to reduce the complexity and to increase the reliability of rib osteosynthesis. Without a simple and reliable implant solution, surgical stabilization of rib fractures will remain underutilized despite proven benefits for select indications. This article summarizes the research, development, and testing of a specialized and comprehensive implant solution for rib fracture fixation. ⋯ The anatomic plate set can simplify rib fracture fixation by minimizing the need for plate contouring. Intramedullary fixation with rib splints provides a less-invasive fixation alternative for posterior rib fracture, where access for plating is limited. The combination of anatomic plates and intramedullary splints provides a comprehensive system to manage the wide range of fractures encountered in flail chest injuries.
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Eur J Trauma Emerg S · Oct 2010
The impact of trauma mechanism on outcome: a follow-up study on health-related quality of life after major trauma.
To relate the trauma mechanism in a trauma population to health-related quality of life outcomes and mortality rates. ⋯ Even though the follow-up rate was only 53%, this study showed that, at 12 months, patients with self-inflicted injuries had significantly lower HRQoL ratings. There was no difference in mortality with regard to trauma mechanism. Cooperation between emergency service and psychiatric care early in the acute phase could provide a golden opportunity to reach this patient group.