Early curative effects of robot-assisted total knee arthroplasty for valgus knee / 中华创伤骨科杂志

Objective:To investigate the early curative effects of robot-assisted total knee arthroplasty (TKA) in the treatment of valgus knee.Methods:A retrospective study was conducted to analyze the data of 40 patients with valgus knee who had been treated by TKA at Department of Orthopaedics, The 920th Hospital of Joint Logistics Support Force of Chinese People's Liberation Army from January to December 2021. The patients were divided into 2 groups according to whether a robot had been used or not for TKA. In the observation group of 15 cases for which TKA was assisted by a robot, there were 4 males and 11 females with an age of (65.5±6.2) years, and the disease course was 42 (36, 54) months; in the control group of 25 cases for which conventional TKA was performed, there were 8 males and 17 females with an age of (65.8±7.5) years, and the disease course was 42 (36, 60) months. Surgical time, hemoglobin decrease, and knee joint range of motion, American Knee Society Score (KSS), hip-knee-ankle angle (HKA), lateral distal femoral angle (LDFA), and medial proximal tibial angle (MPTA) at 12 months after surgery were compared between the 2 groups.Results:There was no significant difference in the preoperative general data between the 2 groups, indicating comparability ( P>0.05). The surgical time in the observation group was (148.0±21.2) min, significantly longer than that in the control group [(115.2±7.1) min], and the hemoglobin decreased by (11.8±1.1) g/L in the observation group, significantly less than that in the control group [(18.1±1.8) g/L] ( P<0.05). The observation group and the control group were followed up for 13 (13, 14) and 13 (13, 14) months after surgery, respectively, showing no statistically significant difference ( P>0.05). At 12 months after surgery, the KSS knee score, KSS functional score, and knee range of motion in the observation group were (86.1±4.6) points, (86.9±3.1) points, and 115.7°±5.0°, significantly larger than those in the control group [(82.2±3.5) points, (82.8±0.9) points, and 108.2°±5.0°] ( P<0.05). Reexamination of full-length radiographs of both lower limbs in all patients showed good positions of the prostheses and no such adverse events as loosening or sinking at 12 months after surgery. The HKA (178.5°±1.2°) and LDFA (89.1°±0.7°) at 12 months after surgery in the observation group were significantly larger than those in the control group (176.6°±1.5°, 88.2°±8.2°) ( P<0.05); there was no statistically significant difference in MPTA between the 2 groups ( P>0.05). Conclusions:In the treatment of valgus knee, robot-assisted TKA can correct joint deformity, and achieve precise osteotomy and functional alignment of lower limbs, leading to better early curative effects than conventional TKA.

Precise flap surgery for reconstruction of knee defects / 中华创伤骨科杂志

Objective:To introduce the concept and procedures of precise flap surgery in construction of knee defects and to report the preliminary clinical outcomes.Methods:The data of 16 patients with knee defects at 17 sides were retrospectively analyzed who had been treated under the guidance of the concept of precise flap surgery at Department of Orthopedic Surgery, The 920th Hospital of Joint Logistic Support Force of PLA from August 2014 to March 2022. There were 12 males and 4 females, aged 44(34, 54) years. The wounds were at the left side in 8 cases, at the right side in 7 ones and at bilateral sides in one, and their sizes ranged from 5 cm×3 cm to 15 cm×11 cm. The time from injury to surgery was 8.5(6.0, 13.0) days. Optimal repair protocols were chosen after the donor and recipient sites were evaluated according to the methods of precise flap surgery: a retrograde anterolateral thigh flap in 7 sides, a descending genicular artery perforator flap in 3 ones, a saphenous artery flap in 2 ones, and a superior genicular lateral artery perforator flap, a popliteal artery perforator flap, a medial sural perforator propeller flap, a peroneal artery perforator propeller flap, and a randomized flap in one, respectively. The flap sizes ranged from 10 cm×6 cm to 15 cm×15 cm. The outcomes and complications of skin flap repair, and functional recovery of the affected limb were recorded.Results:All the flaps at 17 sides survived after surgery; 3 cases developed distal edge necrosis which responded to dressing change. The follow-ups for the 16 patients were 14.5(10.0, 28.0) months. All the flaps presented with good color, texture and contour. Flap bulking, local osteomyelitis, and scar ulcer was found in one case respectively. According to the revascularization assessments in the digital replantation criteria by Hand Surgery Society, Chinese Medical Association, all the flaps at 17 sides were excellent. Accoding to the knee functional evaluation of Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) at the last follow-up, the 17 affected limbs scored 86(80,91) points, yielding 9 excellent, 7 good and 1 fair sides.Conclusion:Although the defects and donor sites around the knee vary greatly, precise flap surgery may lead to effective control of the variations, choice of an optimal reconstruction protocol, and precise wound repair.

Early efficacy of rotational femoral neck osteotomy with preservation of the round ligament in treating subchondral insufficiency fracture of the femoral head in young and middle-aged population / 中华创伤杂志

Objective:To investigate the short-term efficacy of rotational femoral neck osteotomy with preservation of the round ligament in the treatment of subchondral insufficiency fracture of the femoral head (SIFFH) in young and middle-aged people.Methods:A retrospective case series study was used to analyze the clinical data of 13 patients with SIFFH, who were admitted to 920th Hospital of Joint Logistics Support Force from January 2017 to January 2022. The patients included 10 males and 3 females, aged 22-49 years [(33.5±8.3)years]. There were 6 patients with fracture on the left hip and 7 on the right hip. All the patients were treated by rotational femoral neck osteotomy with preservation of the round ligament. Postoperatively, standardized joint functional training was given. The operative time and intraoperative bleeding were recorded. The modified Harris hip score and visual analogue score (VAS) were compared preoperatively, at 3, 6 months postoperatively and at the final follow-up. Radiological examinations were used to observe the occurrence of any collapse of the femoral head, non-union at osteotomy site or other complications.Results:The patients were followed up for 13-24 months [(17.9±3.1)months]. The operative time was (127.3±9.8)minutes, with the intraoperative bleeding of (393.9±21.9)ml. The values of modified Harris hip score were (61.6±3.3)points, (80.2±4.4)points, and (91.9±4.1)points at 3, 6 months postoperatively and at the final follow-up, respectively, being significantly higher than the preoperative (51.4±3.5)points (all P<0.05), and there were significant differences between different postoperative timepoints (all P<0.05). The values of VAS were (4.9±1.1)points, (3.0±0.9)points, and (1.4±0.5)points at 3, 6 months postoperatively and at the final follow-up, respectively, being significantly lower than preoperative (6.7±0.9)points (all P<0.05), and there were significant differences between different postoperative timepoints (all P<0.05). Imaging examination showed no femoral head collapse, with all the bones healed at the osteotomy site. There were no serious complications such as bone non-union, incision infection or peripheral nerve injury. Conclusion:Rotational femoral neck osteotomy with preservation of the round ligament in treating SIFFH in the young and middle-aged population has the advantages of shortened operative time, less intraoperative bleeding, promoted hip function recovery, attenuated pain and decreased complications, showing a satisfactory early effect.

An evidence-based clinical guideline for the treatment of infectious bone defect with induced membrane technique (version 2023) / 中华创伤杂志

Infectious bone defect is bone defect with infection or as a result of treatment of bone infection. It requires surgical intervention, and the treatment processes are complex and long, which include bone infection control,bone defect repair and even complex soft tissue reconstructions in some cases. Failure to achieve the goals in any step may lead to the failure of the overall treatment. Therefore, infectious bone defect has been a worldwide challenge in the field of orthopedics. Conventionally, sequestrectomy, bone grafting, bone transport, and systemic/local antibiotic treatment are standard therapies. Radical debridement remains one of the cornerstones for the management of bone infection. However, the scale of debridement and the timing and method of bone defect reconstruction remain controversial. With the clinical application of induced membrane technique, effective infection control and rapid bone reconstruction have been achieved in the management of infectious bone defect. The induced membrane technique has attracted more interests and attention, but the lack of understanding the basic principles of infection control and technical details may hamper the clinical outcomes of induced membrane technique and complications can possibly occur. Therefore, the Chinese Orthopedic Association organized domestic orthopedic experts to formulate An evidence-based clinical guideline for the treatment of infectious bone defect with induced membrane technique ( version 2023) according to the evidence-based method and put forward recommendations on infectious bone defect from the aspects of precise diagnosis, preoperative evaluation, operation procedure, postoperative management and rehabilitation, so as to provide useful references for the treatment of infectious bone defect with induced membrane technique.

Expert consensus for the clinical application of autologous bone marrow enrichment technique for bone repair (version 2023) / 中华创伤杂志

Bone defects caused by different causes such as trauma, severe bone infection and other factors are common in clinic and difficult to treat. Usually, bone substitutes are required for repair. Current bone grafting materials used clinically include autologous bones, allogeneic bones, xenografts, and synthetic materials, etc. Other than autologous bones, the major hurdles of rest bone grafts have various degrees of poor biological activity and lack of active ingredients to provide osteogenic impetus. Bone marrow contains various components such as stem cells and bioactive factors, which are contributive to osteogenesis. In response, the technique of bone marrow enrichment, based on the efficient utilization of components within bone marrow, has been risen, aiming to extract osteogenic cells and factors from bone marrow of patients and incorporate them into 3D scaffolds for fabricating bone grafts with high osteoinductivity. However, the scientific guidance and application specification are lacked with regard to the clinical scope, approach, safety and effectiveness. In this context, under the organization of Chinese Orthopedic Association, the Expert consensus for the clinical application of autologous bone marrow enrichment technique for bone repair ( version 2023) is formulated based on the evidence-based medicine. The consensus covers the topics of the characteristics, range of application, safety and application notes of the technique of autologous bone marrow enrichment and proposes corresponding recommendations, hoping to provide better guidance for clinical practice of the technique.

Discussion on the concept of "precision flap surgery" / 中华显微外科杂志

There are great variations in tissue defects and vascular anatomy. How to find the best solution for pre-repair of tissue defect is a challenge of flap surgery. "Precision flap surgery" is based on high-throughput and high-accuracy imaging information, comprehensive evaluation of recipient and potential donor sites, selection of the best repair plan, accurate implementation of precise surgical procedures, therefore to achieve precise and personalised repair of tissue defects. Precision flap surgery is the continuation and development of traditional flap surgery, and must comply with the bases of theory, surgical procedures and principles applied in current flap surgery. This paper describes the concept, connotation, thinking mode and method of "precision flap surgery" with examples.

Preoperative vascular evaluation of perforator flap of peroneal artery: A comparative study between CT angiography and colour Doppler ultrasound / 中华显微外科杂志

Objective:To compare the clinical value of CTA and CDU in perforator flap of peroneal artery.Methods:From February 2013 to October 2016, 47 patients who suffered with soft tissue defects and were hospitalised in the Department of Orthopaedics, the 920th Hospital of Joint Logistic Support Force of Chinese PLA were retrospectively reviewed and evaluated. All the defects were reconstructed by the perforator flap of peroneal artery. All patients received preoperative CTA and CDU scans before surgery. Appropriate perforator vessels were selected and the locating points in body surface and external diameters of the perforator vessels were recorded and compared with intraoperative findings. SPSS 22.0 statistical software was used for data analysis. P<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results:The intraoperative coincidence rate of the proposed perforator vessels was 97.87% for CDU and 95.74% for CTA, with no significant difference between the 2 groups( P>0.05). It was found that the preoperative CTA and CDU measurements were consistent with the actual intraoperative measurements, and there was no significant difference between the 2 groups( P>0.05). For CTA combined with CDU, an intraoperative coincidence rate was 100% in the location of peroneal perforating vessels. All flaps were followed-up for 1 to 18(mean 13.5) months. All the flaps survived well with good texture and appearance without complication. Conclusion:CDU and CTA are reliable and useful in preoperative vascular evaluation of peroneal perforator flap, and both can be used in a complementary or combined manner.

Robot-assisted total knee arthroplasty research on safety and effectiveness / 中华骨科杂志

Objective:To investigate the safety and effectiveness of robot-assisted total knee arthroplasty (TKA).Methods:From August 2021 to March 2022, the data of 69 patients who received robot-assisted TKA for inflammatory disease of knee in 6 hospitals were collected, including 24 males and 45 females, aged 52±6 years (range, 46-72 years), including 53 cases of knee osteoarthritis,10 cases of rheumatoid arthritis, and 6 cases of traumatic arthritis. Imaging data examination of patients was completed according to the multicenter specification. Preoperatively, the patient's CT data were extracted before surgery and a personalized prosthesis positioning plan was designed by the robotic system to determine the prosthesis size, lower limb force lines, and femoral and tibial osteotomy volumes; intraoperatively, the osteotomy template was robotically controlled to complete the osteotomy according to the prosthesis positioning plan, and the intraoperative osteotomy volumes were measured to verify the accuracy of the robot-assisted TKA osteotomy with the preoperative planning. Postoperatively, the lateral angle of the distal femur, the medial angle of the proximal tibia and the hip-knee-ankle angle were measured in the coronal plane according to radiographs; the postoperative outcome was evaluated 3 months after operation, using the American Knee Society score (KSS), including the KSS knee score and functional score.Results:The operative time was 97.3±2.3 min (range, 80-110 min) and the amount of bleeding was 320.0±6.2 ml (range, 300-350 ml) in 69 patients. Three months after operation, the mean range of motion of knee joint was increased from 82.2°±1.1° before surgery to 119.7°±0.8° after surgery ( t=27.65, P<0.001), and the line of force of lower limb was improved from 160.9°±0.5° before surgery to 178.0°±0.2° after surgery ( t=32.03, P<0.001). KSS-knee score increased from 54.8±0.7 points before operation to 85.0±0.5 points after operation, and KSS-functional score increased from 56.5±0.7 points before operation to 85.9±0.4 points after operation, the difference was statistically significant ( t=35.45, 36.58, P<0.001). The proportion of patients with intraoperative femoral and tibial osteotomies within 2 mm osteotomy error compared with preoperative planning was 97% for the lateral tibial plateau, 100% for the medial tibial plateau, 100% for the lateral distal femur, 99% for the medial distal femur, 93% for the lateral posterior femoral condyle, and 100% for the medial posterior femoral condyle; The proportion of patients with postoperative anteroposterior X-ray measurement angle error within 3° was: 100.0% for the distal lateral femoral angle, 100.0% for the proximal medial tibial angle, and 100% for the hip-knee-ankle angle. No complications occurred in all patients except for one case in which fat liquefaction occurred in the postoperative wound. Conclusion:Robot-assisted TKA is a safe and effective surgical method for the treatment of inflammatory disease of knee with accurate prosthesis installation and good postoperative recovery of lower limb alignment.

Three-dimensional finite element model construction and biomechanical analysis of customized titanium alloy lunate prosthesis / 中国修复重建外科杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To design customized titanium alloy lunate prosthesis, construct three-dimensional finite element model of wrist joint before and after replacement by finite element analysis, and observe the biomechanical changes of wrist joint after replacement, providing biomechanical basis for clinical application of prosthesis.@*METHODS@#One fresh frozen human forearm was collected, and the maximum range of motions in flexion, extension, ulnar deviation, and radialis deviation tested by cortex motion capture system were 48.42°, 38.04°, 35.68°, and 26.41°, respectively. The wrist joint data was obtained by CT scan and imported into Mimics21.0 software and Magics21.0 software to construct a wrist joint three-dimensional model and design customized titanium alloy lunate prosthesis. Then Geomagic Studio 2017 software and Solidworks 2017 software were used to construct the three-dimensional finite element models of a normal wrist joint (normal model) and a wrist joint with lunate prosthesis after replacement (replacement model). The stress distribution and deformation of the wrist joint before and after replacement were analyzed for flexion at and 15°, 30°, 48.42°, extension at 15°, 30°, and 38.04°, ulnar deviation at 10°, 20°, and 35.68°, and radial deviation at 5°, 15°, and 26.41° by the ANSYS 17.0 finite element analysis software. And the stress distribution of lunate bone and lunate prosthesis were also observed.@*RESULTS@#The three-dimensional finite element models of wrist joint before and after replacement were successfully constructed. At different range of motion of flexion, extension, ulnar deviation, and radial deviation, there were some differences in the number of nodes and units in the grid models. In the four directions of flexion, extension, ulnar deviation, and radial deviation, the maximum deformation of wrist joint in normal model and replacement model occurred in the radial side, and the values increased gradually with the increase of the range of motion. The maximum stress of the wrist joint increased gradually with the increase of the range of motion, and at maximum range of motion, the stress was concentrated on the proximal radius, showing an overall trend of moving from the radial wrist to the proximal radius. The maximum stress of normal lunate bone increased gradually with the increase of range of motion in different directions, and the stress position also changed. The maximum stress of lunate prosthesis was concentrated on the ulnar side of the prosthesis, which increased gradually with the increase of the range of motion in flexion, and decreased gradually with the increase of the range of motion in extension, ulnar deviation, and radialis deviation. The stress on prosthesis increased significantly when compared with that on normal lunate bone.@*CONCLUSION@#The customized titanium alloy lunate prosthesis does not change the wrist joint load transfer mode, which provided data support for the clinical application of the prosthesis.

Thumb soft tissue defect repaired with posterior tibial artery septal perforator flap of calf with precise localization and matching: A case report / 中华显微外科杂志

A patient suffered a sustained soft tissue necrosis and infection at the radial interphalangeal joint of left thumb after laser nevus removal. He was treated in the Department of Orthopaedics, No. 920 Hospital of Joint Logistic Support Force of Chinese People's Liberation Army in February 2020. CTA combined with digital technology of Mimics software was used to accurately locate the perforator of posterior tibial artery septal perforator flap at the appropriate part of the calf and the super flap (1.20 cm×0.80 cm×0.46 cm) for the repair was designed. After 1 year of follow-up, the left thumb flap had no swelling with a satisfactory texture and appearance. The sensory recovered to S 3, and the left thumb movement was completely normal. Only a linear scar remained at the donor site of the calf.

Digital technology in repair of soft tissue defect in hand by anterior tibial artery perforator flap / 中华显微外科杂志

Objective:To investigate the clinical value of digital technology in repair of soft tissue defect in hand by anterior tibial artery perforator flap.Methods:From January 2015 to February 2021, 9 patients with soft tissue defects in hand were repaired with anterior tibial artery perforator flap assisted by digital technology in flap design, including 6 males and 3 females aged from 19 to 63 years with a mean age of 33 years. The size of defects varied from 2.0 cm×1.5 cm to 4.0 cm×3.0 cm, with exposed bones or tendons. Preoperative CTA scan of lower limb was performed and three-dimensional image was reconstructed with Mimics 20.0. The anterior tibial artery perforator flap was designed according to the shape and size of the defect, then the resection of flap was digitally simulated. The flap based on the digital design was harvested and the defect was repaired in the operation. The size of flap was 2.5 cm×2.0 cm~4.5 cm×3.5 cm. Outpatient clinic follow-up was performed to evaluate the survival of flaps. Disability of Arm, Shoulder and Hand(DASH) was used for function evaluation.Results:All flaps were harvested successfully and all donor sites were closed directly. After surgery, 8 flaps survived completely. One flap developed venous occlusion that showed partial necrosis of the flap, and it was rescued after exploration and re-anastomosis. The follow-up period ranged from 6 to 21 months, with an average of 13 months. The DASH scores of the affected limb were 2 to 15 points at the last follow-up, with an average of 6.4 points. Mild scar hyperplasia occurred at donor site in 1 case without sensory abnormality.Conclusion:The digital technology is able to accurately locate the perforators by allowing an individualised design of the anterior tibial artery perforator flap. The flap is suitable for repair of small and medium-sized soft tissue defect in hand, and the digital technology has certain value in clinical application.

Flap combined with 3D printed microporous tianium(tantalum)prosthesis in the treatment of lower extremity soft tissue defect with large bone defect / 中华显微外科杂志

Objective:To investigate the effect of flap combined with 3D printed microporous titanium(tantalum)prosthesis in the treatment of lower extremity soft tissue defect with large bone defect.Methods:From January 2019 to December 2020, 2 patients with large soft tissue defects on dorsal foot together with large metatarsal bone defect and 4 patients with soft tissue defects of calf with large tibial bone defect were treated. The areas of soft tissue defect were 5.0 cm×8.0 cm-15.0 cm×10.0 cm. The length of the bone defect were 3.8 cm to 7.0 cm, 5.75 cm in average. In the first stage, metatarsal bone defect or tibial bone defect was filled with vancomycin blended bone cement, meanwhile, soft tissue defect was repaired with anterolateral femoral flap(ALTF) with vascular anastomosis in 2 cases of feet, and local fascia flap was trans-positioned in 4 cases of lower extremity defects. The sizes of repairing flap were 6.0 cm×8.5 cm-16.0 cm×11.0 cm. Two to 7 months after the initial surgery, the customer designed microporous titanium prostheses were used(5 cases with microporous titanium and 1 with microporous tantalum) to repair the bone defects. The wound healing, the integration of metatarsal and tibial fractures with 3D printed microporous titanium(tantalum) prostheses, and the walking condition were observed after surgery. The follow-up lasted from 6 to 25 months, with an average of 12.7 months.Results:The wound healing in 5 patients was good. The patients stood on the foot in 2 months after surgery, started to walk with the assistance of crutch in 3 months after surgery, and took walk without assistance in 5-6 months after surgery. Good osseous integration were achieved. One diabetic patient had infection of foot wound 3 months after surgery. After removal of microporous titanium prosthesis and replacement of vancomycin blended interstitial substance of bone cement, the wound healed and the patient resumed walking.Conclusion:It is an effective method to encourage the patients to take early ambulation after the surgery for lower extremity soft tissue defect with large bone defect that was repaired by a flap and 3D printed microporous titanium(tantalum)prosthesis. Further observations are required to investigate the long-term efficacy, and the reduction of prosthesis infection rate requires further exploration.

The concept and preliminary practice of precise flap surgery based on CTA / 中华骨科杂志

Objective:To introduce the concept and procedure of CTA guided precision flap surgery and report the preliminary clinical application.Methods:The theory of CTA guided precision flap surgery is: based on CTA high-throughput data, comprehensively evaluate the wound and potential donor sites, and select the best plan for wound repair. This article reviews 177 patients treated under the guidance of CTA guided precision flap surgery from August 2014 to December 2018. Among them, 131 were males and 46 were females; they were 7-72 years old, with an average age of 39.5 years. The tissue defects were: 74 cases of foot and ankle, 64 cases of wrist, 15 cases of calf, 11 cases of forearm and upper arm, 7 cases of thigh and perineum, 5 cases of face and neck, and 1 case of abdomen. The size of the defect was 2 cm×1 cm to 65 cm×50 cm. The recipient and donor sites were assessed based on CTA guided precision flap surgery, then choose the optimal flap to repair the defect. The flap types, outcomes and complications were recorded. The visual analogue scale (VAS), British Medical Research Council sensory rating scale, and revascularization assessments of digital replantation standard by Hand Surgery Branch of Chinese Medical Association was used to assess clinical results.Results:All flaps were uneventfully harvested as planned according to the CTA guided precision flap surgery concept.A total number of 181 flaps were harvested, including 125 free flaps and 56 pedicled flaps. The flap area rangedfrom 4 cm×3 cm to 40 cm×8 cm. After surgery, 165 cases were survival completely, 7 cases were total necrosis, 9 cases were partial necrosis. A total of 174 cases of flaps survived. The mean follow-up was 9.2 months (range, 6-60 months). After surgery 53 flaps were bulky, and 7 cases with other complications.At the last follow-up, only 6 patients had mild pain, the VAS score was 1-3. The sensation of the flaps recovered partially. According to the British Medical Research Council sensory rating scale: 68 cases were grade S2 and 106 cases were grade S3. According to the revascularization assessments of digital replantation standard by Hand Surgery Branch of Chinese Medical Association, 171 cases were excellent and 3 cases were good.Conclusion:The concept of precision flap surgery based on CTA can effectively guide flap surgery and achieve precise wound repair.

Circumflex scapular perforator propeller flap for reconstruction of axillary scar contractures / 中华显微外科杂志

Objective:To estimate the preliminary result of circumflex scapular perforator propeller flap in reconstruction of axillary scar contractures.Methods:From January 2016 to June 2021, circumflex scapular perforator propeller flaps were used in 7 cases for reconstruction of soft tissue defect after axillary scar contractures. Patients were 5 males and 2 females. Age ranged from 23 to 38 years old, mean age of 27.7 years old. According to Kurtzman and Stern classification of axillary scar contractures, there were 1 case with type 1a, 1 with type 1b, 2 with type 2, and 3 with type 3. The preoperative range of motion of the shoulder joint were 40°-85°, with an average of 63.7°. All the patients were underwent scar release and circumflex scapular perforator propeller flap transfer. All flaps were transferred as the manner of perforator propeller flap. All the donor sites were closed directly. The defects after releasing ranged from 5.0 cm×7.0 cm to 11.0 cm×9.0 cm, and the flaps ranged from 16.0 cm×7.0 cm to 24.0 cm×9.0 cm. Flap survival, complications of donor site and recipient site were recorded after surgery. The range of motion of the shoulder joint, donor and recipient sites were reviewed in outpatient clinic.Results:All flaps survived uneventfully after surgery, besides 1 case complicated with distal venous congestion. The follow-up time ranged from 6 to 23 months, with an average of 12 months. The texture and contour of the flaps were good in all. At last follow-up, the range of motion of the shoulder joints were 90°-120°, with an average of 107°. Mild scar hyperplasia occurred in 2 cases.Conclusion:The circumflex scapular perforator propeller flap is an effective protocol in reconstruction of axillary scar contractures.

Staged treatment of chronic hematogenous osteomyelitis of long bone by induced membrane technique in adults / 中华创伤骨科杂志

Objective:To investigate the clinical efficacy of induced membrane technique in the staged treatment of adult chronic hematogenous osteomyelitis (CHOM) of long bone.Methods:The clinical data were retrospectively analyzed of the 22 adult patients with CHOM of long bone who had been admitted to the 920th Hospital, Joint Logistics Support Force of PLA from January 2016 to December 2019. There were 18 males and 4 females, aged from 16 to 56 years (average, 31.81 years). Their disease duration ranged from 0.6 to 42.0 years, averaging 18.4 years. By the Cierny-Mader anatomical classification, 4 cases were type Ⅰ, 6 cases Type Ⅲ, and 12 cases type Ⅳ. In the first stage, the bone defects were filled with antibiotic bone cement after thorough debridement. In the second stage when the infection had been controlled, the bone defects were repaired with bone grafts after removal of the bone cement. Bone healing time and complications were followed up. The treatment effects were evaluated by comparisons of the infection control indexes [including clinical manifestations like local redness, swelling, pus, and pain, and blood white blood cell count, C-Reactive protein (CRP), and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) as well] before the primary surgery, before the secondary surgery and at the last follow-up.Results:The volumes of the bone defects after stage-one debridement ranged from 54 cm 3 to 176 cm 3 (mean, 90.9 cm 3). All patients were followed up for 20 to 51 months (mean, 30.1 months) after surgery. All bone defects healed after 4 to 11 months (mean, 6.6 months). Postoperatively, infection developed at the bone extraction site of the posterior superior iliac spine in 3 cases and pain was observed at the donor site in one case, but the conditions were relieved after symptomatic treatment. Fracture and plate breakage occurred at the bone defect site in one case who had fallen down 7 months after operation, but responded to reoperation. The last follow-up revealed such symptoms as redness, swelling and pus discharge in none of the patients. The white blood cell count [(5.70 ± 1.57) × 10 9/L and (5.65 ± 1.58) × 10 9/L], CRP [(7.56 ± 2.57) mg/L and (7.25 ± 3.83) mg/L] and ESR [(9.64 ± 2.90) mm/h and (10.55 ± 5.23) mm/h] before the secondary surgery and at the last follow-up were significantly lower than those before the primary surgery [(8.24 ± 2.18) × 10 9/L, (49.54 ± 19.56) mg/L, and (42.68 ± 13.77) mm/h] (all P < 0.05). However, there were no significant differences between the indexes before the secondary surgery and at the last follow-up ( P > 0.05). Conclusion:In the staged treatment of adult CHOM of long bone, the induced membrane technique can effectively control infection, achieve repair of bone defects, and reduce complications.

Treatment of calcaneal fracture with anatomical calcaneal external fixator / 中华创伤骨科杂志

Objective:To investigate the short-term efficacy of anatomical calcaneal external fixator in the treatment of calcaneal fractures.Methods:A retrospective study was conducted of the 9 patients with calcaneal fracture who had been admitted to Department of Orthopedics, 920 Hospital of the PLA Joint Logistics Support Force between September 2019 and March 2020. There were 7 males and 2 females, aged from 23 to 66 years (mean, 41.3 years). The injury was caused by a fall from a height in 6 cases and a traffic accident in 3 cases. By the Sanders classification, there were 2 cases of type ⅡB, 2 cases of type ⅢAC, 3 type Ⅲ AB, one of type Ⅲ BC and one type Ⅳ. By the AO grading for closed soft tissue injury in the 8 closed fractures, there were 5 cases of grade Ⅰ and 3 cases of grade Ⅱ. The one open fracture was type ⅢB by the Gustilo-Anderson classification and treated with skin flap repair after debridement. All the 9 patients were treated with an anatomic calcaneal external fixator during stage-one or stage-two surgery (8 patients in stage-one and one in stage-two). The fracture union time for the patients was recorded; the ankle and hindfoot score of American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) and the protocol of Association for the Study and Application of the Method of Ilizarov (ASAMI) were used at the last follow-up to assess the short-term efficacy.Results:Postoperative follow-up for the 9 patients ranged from 6 to 18 months (mean, 9.8 months). The duration of fracture union in the 9 patients ranged from 2 to 4 months (mean 2.8 months). The AOFAS ankle and hindfoot score at last follow-up ranged from 79 to 93 points (mean, 84.7 points) for the male patients (6 excellent and one good), and from 82 to 91 points (mean, 86.5 points) for the female patients (one excellent and one good). According to the ASAMI protocol at last follow-up, the short-term efficacy was rated as excellent in 6 cases, as good in 2 cases and as fair in one. The patients with closed fracture could get out of bed for rehabilitation on day 3 after surgery. None of the patients experienced such complications as pin tract infection and osteomyelitis during follow-up.Conclusion:The anatomic external calcaneal fixator demonstrates fine short-term efficacy in the treatment of calcaneal fractures, due to its advantages like anatomical configuration, a limited number of implants, and a possibility of partial weight-bearing for exercises on the third postoperative day.

Ilizarov external fixation combined with bone surface roughening technique for tibial dystrophic nonunion / 中华创伤骨科杂志

Objective:To investigate the clinical effects of Ilizarov external fixation combined with bone surface roughening technique in the treatment of tibial dystrophic nonunion.Methods:The data were retrospectively studied of the 11 patients with tibial dystrophic nonunion who had been treated at Department of Orthopedics, 920 Hospital of the Joint Logistic Support Force of PLA from April 2018 to January 2021. They were 7 males and 4 females, aged from 32 to 61 years (average, 44.6 years). Their last surgical fixation before admission was Hoffman Ⅱ external fixation in 6 cases and locking plate internal fixation in 5 cases. The time from their last operation to the present operation ranged from 9 to 26 months (average, 14.2 months). After treatment by Ilizarov external fixation combined with bone surface roughening technique, the 11 patients started weight-bearing walking with double crutches from the second day after operation, gradually progressed to walking with a single crutch 2 months after operation, and resumed normal weight-bearing walking without any crutch 3 months after operation.Results:All the 11 patients were followed up for 12 to 30 months (average, 20.0 months). The time for bearing Ilizarov external fixation ranged from 6 to 10 months (average, 8.6 months). Mild pin track infection occurred in 4 cases but was healed by pin track rinse with normal saline; moderate pin track infection happened in another 2 cases but responded to oral amoxicillin capsules for one week in addition to pin track rinse with normal saline. All the bone dystrophic nonunion was cured after 6 to 10 months (average, 8.6 months). By the bone criteria of Association for Study and Application of Method of Ilizarov (ASAMI), the efficacy was excellent in 8 cases, good in 2 and fair in one at the last follow-up; by the limb function criteria of ASAMI, the efficacy was excellent in 9 cases and good in 2 at the last follow-up.Conclusion:Ilizarov external fixation combined with bone surface roughening technique is an effective treatment of tibial dystrophic nonunion.

Comparative study of microvascular anastomostic device and hand-sewn in free flap repair of soft tissue defects: a Meta analysis based on PRISMA principle / 中华显微外科杂志

Objective:To compare the efficacy and safety between microvascular anastomostive device (MAD) and hand-sewn (HS) in free flap reconstruction.Methods:Databases in Pubmed, Embase, CNKI, Wanfang, CBM and Weipu etc. The comparative study of MAD device and manual suture in free flap repair of soft tissue defects published in domestic and foreign official journals from January, 1950 to October, 2019 was collected. The quality of the included studies was strictly evaluated and relevant data were extracted. Revman 5.3 software was used to analyze all relevant data.Results:Fifteen trials with 5 539 patients were included. There was significant difference between MAD and HS in time of venous anastomoses ( SMD=-5.46, 95% CI: -7.50, -3.41, P<0.001), time of artery anastomoses ( SMD=-5.16, 95% CI: -9.61, -0.71, P=0.02), vascular crisis ( RR=0.49, 95% CI: 0.34, 0.70, P<0.001) and flap necrosis ( RR=0.52, 95% CI: 0.32, 0.86, P=0.01), the difference between the 2 groups was statistically significant ( P< 0.05). Conclusion:According to the analyses of the pooled results of MAD group and HS group, the data tend to suggest that MAD is superior to HS in the reconstruction with free flap.

Dysplasia of distraction osteogenesis of the tibia bone transport: radiographic classification, and management protocols / 中华骨科杂志

Objective:To study the X-ray manifestations of distraction osteogenesis in tibial bone transfer, put for-ward the classification and formulate the standard treatment protocols.Methods:Data of 42 cases among 321 cases with dysplasia of distraction osteogenesis who had tibial bone transfer from January 2012 to December 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. There were 27 males and 15 females aged from 4-65 years old, with an average of 33.1 years. The dysplasia sites were 26 cases of proximal tibia, 3 cases of tibial shaft and 13 cases of distal tibia. The length of tibial defect ranged from 3.5 cm to 21.7 cm, with an average of 6.7 cm. The main management protocol included systemic assessment, local assessment, fixator adjusting stimulation and surgical intervention. The fixator adjusting stimulation included transport slowing, transport stopping, transport backing, and accordion techniques. The main surgical intervention was second site osteotomy and bone grafting. According to the X-films, the dysplasia of the tibia transport can be divided into four types: longitudinal defect; transverse defect; insect erosion defect; full-length defect. External fixation index (EFI) was used to evaluate the healing and mineralization of distraction osteogenesis. The limb function was evaluated by Paley method.Results:All 42 cases were followed up for 33.71 ± 11.7 months (range, 24-72 months). The types of dysplasia were as follows: 25 cases (59.5%) of longitudinal defects, 8 cases (19.0%) of transverse defect, 2 cases (4.8%) of insect erosion defect, and 7 cases (16.7%) of full-length defects. After the treatment, except for 2 cases of amputation, all the dysplasia healed and the patients recovered limb walking. External fixation index of 40 cases was 1.55-2.83 months/cm, with an average of 1.76 months/cm. According to Paley evaluation method, 27 cases were excellent, 10 cases good, 1 case fair, and 2 cases poor, thus the excellent and good rate was 92.5% (37/40). The complications after treatment included: nail tract infection (3 cases), axial displacement of transferred segment (4 cases), clubfoot (2 cases), and amputation (2 cases). The total incidence of complications was 26.2% (11/42), which was symptomatically treated.Conclusion:The X-film manifestations of dysplasia at the osteotomy site in tibial bone transport can be divided into four types: longitudinal defect, transverse defect, insect erosion defect, and full-length defect. The different types were treated by general and local evaluation, frame adjustment stimulation and surgical intervention. The remedial results of the dysplasia were excellent.

Robotics in orthopedic surgery / 中华创伤骨科杂志

Surgical robots, as a new means for surgeons, have been gradually applied in orthopedics. Initially, the development of orthopedic robots was stagnant for a long time because of limited techniques available, clumsy equipment, high costs, and low market demands. The recent decade has witnessed rapid growth of artificial intelligence in all walks of life, increasing investment in research and development, reducing manufacture costs and expanding demands for precise and individualized medical treatment so that a wide variety of novel and ingenious robotic systems have been proposed, prototyped, and commercialized in most of the major procedures in orthopedic surgery, including knee and hip replacements, cruciate ligaments surgery, spine surgery, corrective osteotomy, bone tumor surgery, and trauma surgery. This review depicts the history of development and future prospects in application of surgical robots in the field of orthopedics.