Application of Ortho-Bridge Combination System in the treatment of ulnar impaction syndrome with ulna-shortening osteotomy / 中华创伤骨科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To investigate the clinical outcomes of Ortho-Bridge Combination System (OBCS) to achieve precise ulna-shortening osteotomy (USO) in the treatment of ulnar impaction syndrome.Methods:A retrospective study was conducted to analyze the 25 patients with ulnar impaction syndrome who had been treated at Institute of Orthopedic Trauma Research, The 920th Hospital of Joint Logistic Support Force of Chinese People's Liberation Army between January 2020 to March 2022. The patients all underwent USO using OBCS. They were 14 females and 11 males with an age of (43.2 ± 10.1) years. Their CT scans were retrieved for preoperative planning and design of a personalized USO. Intraoperatively, OBCS was fixated to the ulna before USO. After the bone was resected according to preoperative planning, the gap between the osteotomy sites was closed with compression, and OBCS was finally fixated with locking screws. The time for bone union after resection, complications, range of motion and grip strength were recorded. The clinical outcomes were evaluated by visual analogue scale (VAS) and Mayo wrist score.Results:All patients completed their operations successfully using OBCS. Their follow-up time was (13.5 ± 1.2) months. The ulnar variation was corrected and osteotomy ends got united in all patients, without nonunion, angulation, or rotation. The wrist VAS significantly decreased from 6.0 (5.0, 6.5) points before operation to 2.0 (1.0, 2.0) points at the last follow-up ( P<0.05). At the last follow-up, the Mayo wrist score [(85.4 ± 8.9) points], grip strength [(39.4 ± 1.2) kg], wrist flexion-extension (111.9° ± 12.6°), wrist pronation-supination (133.2° ± 15.7°), and ulnar radial deviation (35.3° ± 2.8°) were significantly increased compared with the preoperative values [(69.2 ± 13.3) points, (31.3 ± 5.2) kg, 102.0° ± 16.0°, 128.0° ± 15.5°, and 32.2° ± 2.8°] ( P<0.05). Conclusion:In the treatment of ulnar impaction syndrome, OBCS can facilitate the process of USO, correct ulnar variance, and avoid complications like rotation and angulation to improve functions of the wrist.