Clinical orthopaedics and related research
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Clin. Orthop. Relat. Res. · Aug 2009
ReviewTreatment and outcomes of pelvic malunions and nonunions: a systematic review.
Although acute management of pelvic fractures and their long-term functional outcome have been widely documented, important information regarding malunion and nonunion of these fractures is sparse. Despite their relative rarity, malunions and nonunions cause disabling symptoms and have major socioeconomic implications. We analyzed the factors predisposing a pelvic injury to develop malunion/nonunion, the clinical presentation of these complications, and the efficacy of the reported operative protocols in 437 malunions/nonunions of 25 clinical studies. Treatment of these demanding complications appeared effective in the majority of the cases: overall union rates averaged 86.1%, pain relief as much as 93%, patient satisfaction 79%, and return to a preinjury level of activities 50%. Nevertheless, the patient should be informed about the incidence of perioperative complications, including neurologic injury (5.3%), symptomatic vein thrombosis (5.0%), pulmonary embolism (1.9%), and deep wound infection (1.6%). For a successful outcome, a thorough preoperative plan and methodical operative intervention are essential. In establishing effective evidence-based future clinical practice, the introduction of multicenter networks of pelvic trauma management appears a necessity. ⋯ Level IV, therapeutic study. See Guidelines for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
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Clin. Orthop. Relat. Res. · Aug 2009
Novel measurement technique of the tibial slope on conventional MRI.
The posterior inclination of the tibial plateau, which is referred to as posterior tibial slope, is determined routinely on lateral radiographs. However, radiographically, it is not always possible to reliably recognize the lateral plateau, making a separate assessment of the medial and lateral plateaus difficult. We propose a technique to measure the plateaus separately by defining a tibial longitudinal axis on a conventional MRI. The medial plateau posterior tibial slope obtained from radiographs was compared with MR images in 100 consecutive patients with knee pain when ligament or meniscal injury was assumed. The posterior tibial slope on MRI correlated with those on radiographs. The mean posterior tibial slope was 3.4 degrees smaller on MRI compared with radiographs (4.8 degrees +/- 2.4 degrees versus 8.2 degrees +/- 2.8 degrees , respectively). The reproducibility was slightly better on radiographs than MRI (+/- 0.9 degrees versus +/- 1.4 degrees ). Twenty-one of the 100 cases had more than a 5 degrees difference (range, -8.7 degrees to 8.9 degrees ) between the medial and lateral plateaus. The proposed technique allows measurement of the posterior tibial slope of the medial and lateral plateaus on a standard knee MRI. By using this novel measurement technique, a reliable assessment of the medial and lateral tibial plateaus is possible. ⋯ Level III, diagnostic study. See the Guidelines for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
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Clin. Orthop. Relat. Res. · Aug 2009
Historical ArticleTreatment of war wounds: a historical review.
The treatment of war wounds is an ancient art, constantly refined to reflect improvements in weapons technology, transportation, antiseptic practices, and surgical techniques. Throughout most of the history of warfare, more soldiers died from disease than combat wounds, and misconceptions regarding the best timing and mode of treatment for injuries often resulted in more harm than good. ⋯ We review the most important trends in US and Western military trauma management over two centuries, including the shift from primary to delayed closure in wound management, refinement of amputation techniques, advances in evacuation philosophy and technology, the development of antiseptic practices, and the use of antibiotics. We also discuss how the lessons of history are reflected in contemporary US practices in Iraq and Afghanistan.
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Clin. Orthop. Relat. Res. · Aug 2009
Parecoxib and indomethacin delay early fracture healing: a study in rats.
Nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are used to reduce inflammatory response and pain. These drugs have been reported to impair bone metabolism. Parecoxib, a specific COX-2 inhibitor, exerts an inhibitory effect on the mineralization of fracture callus after a tibial fracture in rats. ⋯ Parecoxib decreased BMD at the fracture site for 3 weeks after fracture, indomethacin for 2 weeks. Both parecoxib and indomethacin reduced the ultimate bending moment and the bending stiffness of the healing fractures after 3 weeks. These results suggest COX inhibitors should be avoided in the early phase after fractures.
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Information on the microbiology of infections after operative ankle fractures, on the details of a treatment protocol used when the ankle joint is preserved, and on the outcome of this protocol will be helpful for the physicians managing patients with this complex problem. We therefore determined the most common pathogen of these infections, the infection recurrence rate, and the amputation rate. We retrospectively reviewed 26 patients of a mean age of 43 years with infections following operative treatment of ankle fractures. Twenty-one of 26 patients (81%) were compromised hosts according to the Cierny-Mader classification. Patients presenting up to 10 weeks postoperatively were treated by débridement and either hardware retention (if implants were judged stable) or hardware removal (if implants were loose). All patients presenting more than 10 weeks postoperatively underwent débridement and hardware removal, with the exception of one patient who underwent below knee amputation. Staphylococcus aureus was identified in 17 patients (65%) and was oxacillin-resistant in six (23%). The infection recurred in five of 18 patients who were followed up for 8 months on average. Three recurrent infections were controlled with repeat débridement. The remaining two patients underwent below-knee amputation, resulting in amputations in 3 of 18 patients. Infection after operative treatment of ankle fractures is a limb-threatening complication, especially in patients with comorbidities, such as diabetes mellitus. Treatment is challenging with high infection recurrence and amputation rates. ⋯ Level IV, therapeutic study case series.