Titanium elastic nail fixation for paediatric femoral shaft fractures

In the period from January 2000 to September 2004, 25 children with 25 fernoral shaft fractures were treated by retrograde titanium elastic nail fixation in the Paediatric Orthopaedic Unit of Al-Razi Orthopaedic Hospital in Kuwait. Two nails of the same diameter were used for the fixation of each femoral shaft fracture using a fracture table and under image intensifier control. Postoperatively, early graduated weight bearing was allowed and the children were followed up clinically and radiographically. The nails were removed after fracture consolidation. Our results are compatible with those of the largest series of titanium elastic nails with universal union of the fractures, no refractures, occasional skin irritation by the nails and occasional minor lower limb length discrepancies

Congenital absence of both femora a case report

An extremely rare case of congenital absence of both femora has presented to the Paediatric Orthopaedic Unit of Al Razi Orthopaedic Hospital in Kuwait. It belongs to a male Afghani child living in Kuwait. He started to present to our unit at the age of one year. This is the only case of congenital absence of both femora seen in our unit since it was established in 1991. This child has associated bilateral congenital absence of fibula and bilateral very rigid club foot deformity. The extreme rarity of this case, as reported in the literature, was the stimulus to present this case report

Primary ankle fusion using blair technique for severely comminuted fracture of the talus

We report a case of a severely comminuted fracture of the body of the talus treated by primary Blair tibiotalar fusion. Clinical Presentation and Intervention: A very severely comminuted open fracture of the body of the talus was treated on the same day of injury by debridement and tibiotalar fusion using the Blair fusion technique. Blair fusion may be indicated in cases of severely comminuted fractures of the talar body. It has the advantage of giving a near-normal appearance to the foot, producing less shortening and allowing motion to remain at the talonavicular and anterior subtalar joints

Slipped capital femoral epiphysis: in situ single device fixation

To report our experience with in situ single device fixation for slipped capital femoral epiphysis [SCFE]. The problems associated with multiple pinning for SCFE and the recent encouraging reports about its fixation with a single central device stimulated us to perform in situ single device fixation for our cases of SCFE and to report our experience with this method of treatment. Al Razi Orthopaedic Hospital in Kuwait. In a three year period [1995-1998], 19 hips [16 patients] with mildly displaced SCFE were treated by in situ fixation with one cannulated cancellous screw or one Hansson hook-pin, and then followed-up for an average duration of 21 months. Clinical six patients had excellent results and ten patients had good results according to the Heyman-Herndon hip classification. Radiographic None of the hips had either sustained progression of slip or had reslipped after internal fixation with a single central device. Screw or pin breakage did not occur and there was no evidence of avascular necrosis or chondrolysis in any of the patients. In situ single device fixation for SCFE is a simple and safe procedure that prevents further slipping of the epiphysis and avoids the major complications of avascular necrosis and chondrolysis

Slipped capital femoral epiphysis: in situ single cannulated cancellous screw fixation

Fifteen patients with slipped capital femoral epiphysis were treated, in Al-Razi Orthopaedic Hospital, by in situ fixation with one cannulated cancellous screw. Results were encouraging in that no slip progressed following fixation, no screws broke and no late reslip occurred. The optimum position for the screw is in the center of the femoral head. The method of single screw fixation is simple, minimizes the risk of joint penetration and does not necessitate a second operation for removal of metal