Laminoplasty for Treatment of Transverse Sacral Fracture: A Case Report

The transverse sacral fracture is rare; however, if it accompanies neurological injury or instability, difficult surgical treatment may be necessary. We performed surgical decompression and laminoplasty in a patient with neurological deficits and anterior displacement of S2 on S1. The patient showed a successful clinical outcome by neurological improvement.

The Relationship of Osteoporosis and Hip Fractures in Elderly Patients

PURPOSE: We measured the BMD (bone mineral density) of elderly patients with hip fracture in order to understand the relationship between osteoporosis and hip fracture, and also to suggest a reference point for starting an osteoporosis treatment program. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From February 2004 to April 2007, we investigated 172 elderly hip fracture patients. Their BMD was checked by DEXA (Hologic QDR-4500w, S/N 49492) at the proximal femur and at the 1st to 4th lumbar vertebrae. The average T-score of the hip fracture patients and the fracture threshold was calculated. RESULTS: The average BMD of the patients with hip fracture was -2.63 of the T-score in the proximal femur and - 2.95 of that in the lumbar vertebrae. The BMD in the patients with intertrochanteric fracture was significantly decreased compared to that of femur neck fracture (p=0.04, 0.19). For the femur neck fracture patients, the BMD of the displaced group was decreased compared to that of the undisplaced group (p=0.04, 0.01). The fracture threshold was -1.29 of the T-score in lumbar vertebrae, and the fracture threshold was -1.15 in the proximal femur. CONCLUSION: The BMD in elderly patients with hip fracture was significantly decreased compared that of normal people. For the prevention of hip fracture in elderly patients, we propose that the aggressive treatment of osteoporosis should be started for patients with a T-score less than -1.5.

Intravenous Zolendronic Acid for the Patients Treated Operatively after Hip Fracture: A Short-Term Safety Prospective Cohort Study

PURPOSE: Hip fractures in senile osteoporotic patients are associated with high rates of morbidity and mortality. Accordingly, it is important to prevent further fracture by treating the osteoporosis in these patients. In this study, we evaluated the complications and safety of intravenous bisphosphonate, which was injected shortly after the operation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We prospectively studied the complications of administering intravenous bisphosphonate in 36 senile patients who were operated due to hip fracture between May 2008 and August 2008 at the authors' hospital. RESULTS: Bisphosphonate was injected at a mean of 5 days (range, 2~ 11 days) after the operation for hip fracture. Fourteen patients (38.9%) experienced complications: pyrexia in 6, flu-like symptoms in 6, headache in 3, delirium in 3, myalgia in 2 and arthralgia in 2. However, no life-threatening complications were observed. CONCLUSION: The incidence and severity of complications in our patients were comparable with those of the previous studies in patients who received intravenous bisphosphonate treatment weeks or months after the hip fracture operation. We recommend physicians be alert for patients to exhibit delirium in addition to the wellestablished post-infusion symptoms and to decide the correct time of infusion according to status of the patients after the operation.

Comparative Analysis of Primary Total Hip Arthroplasty (THA) Performed with Conventional or Single-incision, Minimally Invasive (MIS) Direct Lateral Approach

PURPOSE: We compared the outcomes of primary consecutive THAs performed via the direct lateral approach through minimally invasive incisions (<8 cm) and through standard incisions (15~20 cm). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eighty primary consecutive THAs were performed via direct lateral approach through minimally invasive incisions or through standard size incisions. The standard incision is Hardinge's direct lateral approach. For the MIS group, an approximately 8 cm long oblique skin incision was made centered at the tip of the greater trochanter and running anterosuperiorly to posteroinferiorly. RESULTS: The surgical time was shorter (p=0.03) and the average amount of Hemovac drainage was smaller (p=0.02) in the MIS group. Alignment of the femoral stem and acetabular cup, post-operative pain and limping, HHS, and infection rate were no different between the two groups. In the MIS group, two complications (5.0%) occurred (one lateral positioning of the acetabular cup, one intra-operative acetabular fracture), and one varus stem insertion occurred. CONCLUSION: Minimization of the skin incision length for primary THAs performed via the direct lateral approach appears to have benefits with regard to shortening the wound closing time and decreasing the amount of postoperative Hemovac suction drainage. However, the minimally exposed operative field raises technical problems, so sufficient surgical experience and training are required.