ABSTRACT
Significantly displaced intra-articular glenoid fractures treated nonoperatively have been found to have poor functional outcomes. For this reason, most are treated with open reduction and internal fixation. Conventional open techniques involve extensive exposure and soft tissue dissection. Moreover, visualization of the fracture and its reduction can also be difficult even with standard open techniques. We present a case of an Ideberg type III glenoid fracture treated with an arthroscopically assisted percutaneous screw fixation, using the coracoid as a reduction aide. This reduction technique is not previously reported in the literature. Arthroscopically assisted percutaneous glenoid fixation has showed promising early results in the literature. In our case, the fracture united and the patient returned to all his normal daily activities by 7 weeks postoperatively. This suggests arthroscopically assisted glenoid fixation provides good functional and radiological outcomes, without the need for extensive soft tissue dissection.
ABSTRACT
Many methods have been described to stabilise periprosthetic fractures around a total hip arthroplasty. Locking plate fixation offers increased angular stability and, theoretically, better fixation in osteoporotic bone. This study presents our results with the use of locking plate fixation for Vancouver Type B1 and Type C periprosthetic fractures following total hip arthroplasty (THA). Twelve patients underwent fixation of periprosthetic fractures with either a locking compression plate (LCP) or a distal femur less invasive stabilisation system (LISS). There were six Type B1 and six Type C fractures. One patient died soon after surgery. The mean follow-up was 13.9 months (range 12-18 months). The fracture healed in 10 of the remaining 11 patients with a median time to union of 4.8 months. There was one implant failure prior to fracture healing and one implant failure after fracture healing. Both were attributed to technical errors. Seven patients returned to their previous level of mobility. Two patients required the use of one walking stick after fracture healing, but had been able to walk unaided before their fall. One patient required two sticks, after previously requiring only a single stick. There were no infections. Our experience encourages us that locking plates have a role to play in managing periprosthetic fractures around a stable femoral stem, especially in patients with poor soft tissue and osteoporosis.
