Posterior implant removal in patients with thoracolumbar spine fractures: long-term results.

PURPOSE: Debate remains whether posterior implants after thoracolumbar spine fracture stabilization should be removed routinely or only in symptomatic cases. Implant related problems might be resolved or even prevented but removal includes secondary risks. The aim of this study was to evaluate safety, patient satisfaction and quality of life after implant removal. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was performed concerning 102 patients that underwent posterior implant removal after stabilization of a traumatic thoracolumbar fracture between 2003 and 2015. Patients were invited to fill in SF-36, EQ-5D and RMDQ questionnaires after implant removal. Additionally, questions concerning satisfaction were presented. Cobb angles before and after removal were measured and in- or decrease of symptoms was gathered from hospital charts. RESULTS: Mean age at removal was 38 years and time from implant removal to questionnaire was approximately 7 years, 62 patients filled in the questionnaires. Complications were present in 8% and quality of life was reported as fairly good. Patients had less back pain related disability compared to chronic low back pain patients. After removal there was a kyphosis increase which did not correspond with worsened clinical outcome. Removal decreased most symptoms and even asymptomatic patients reported benefit in most cases. An increase of symptoms after removal was reported in 11% of patients. CONCLUSION: Implant removal is generally safe and provides high patient satisfaction. Overall, patients have a fairly good quality of life. Most symptomatic and asymptomatic patients report benefit from removal. However, low risks of complications and increase of symptoms have to be weighted for individual patients.

Influence of routine computed tomography on predicted survival from blunt thoracoabdominal trauma.

INTRODUCTION: Many scoring systems have been proposed to predict the survival of trauma patients. This study was performed to evaluate the influence of routine thoracoabdominal computed tomography (CT) on the predicted survival according to the trauma injury severity score (TRISS). PATIENTS AND METHODS: 1,047 patients who had sustained a high-energy blunt trauma over a 3-year period were prospectively included in the study. All patients underwent physical examination, conventional radiography of the chest, thoracolumbar spine and pelvis, abdominal sonography, and routine thoracoabdominal CT. From this group with routine CT, we prospectively defined a selective CT (sub)group for cases with abnormal physical examination and/or conventional radiography and/or sonography. Type and extent of injuries were recorded for both the selective and the routine CT groups. Based on the injuries found by the two different CT algorithms, we calculated the injury severity scores (ISS) and predicted survivals according to the TRISS methodology for the routine and the selective CT algorithms. RESULTS: Based on injuries detected by the selective CT algorithm, the mean ISS was 14.6, resulting in a predicted mortality of 12.5%. Because additional injuries were found by the routine CT algorithm, the mean ISS increased to 16.9, resulting in a predicted mortality of 13.7%. The actual observed mortality was 5.4%. CONCLUSION: Routine thoracoabdominal CT in high-energy blunt trauma patients reveals more injuries than a selective CT algorithm, resulting in a higher ISS. According to the TRISS, this results in higher predicted mortalities. Observed mortality, however, was significantly lower than predicted. The predicted survival according to MTOS seems to underestimate the actual survival when routine CT is used.

Predictors of abnormal chest CT after blunt trauma: a critical appraisal of the literature.

AIM: To identify and to evaluate predictors that determine whether chest computed tomography (CT) is likely to reveal relevant injuries in adult blunt trauma patients. METHODS: After a comprehensive literature search for original studies on blunt chest injury diagnosis, two independent observers included studies on the accuracy of parameters derived from history, physical examination, or diagnostic imaging that might predict injuries at (multidetector row) CT in adults and that allowed construction of 2x2 contingency tables. For each article, methodological quality was scored and relevant predictors for injuries at CT were extracted. For each predictor, sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative likelihood ratio and diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) including 95% confidence intervals were calculated. RESULTS: Of 147 articles initially identified, the observers included 10 original studies in consensus. Abnormalities at physical examination (abnormal respiratory effort, need for assisted ventilation, reduced airentry, coma, chest wall tenderness) and pelvic fractures were significant predictors (DOR: 2.1-6.7). The presence of any injuries at conventional radiography of the chest (eight articles) was a more powerful significant predictor (DOR: 2.2-37). Abnormal chest ultrasonography (four articles) was the most accurate predictor for chest injury at CT (DOR: 491-infinite). CONCLUSION: The current literature indicates that in blunt trauma patients with abnormal physical examination, abnormal conventional radiography, or abnormal ultrasonography of the chest, CT was likely to reveal relevant chest injuries. However, there was no strong evidence to suggest that CT could be omitted in patients without these criteria, or whether these findings are beneficial for patients.

Long-term results of syndactyly correction: full-thickness versus split-thickness skin grafts.

In order to compare the long-term results of full-thickness and split-thickness skin grafts after the correction of congenital syndactyly, 27 patients have been investigated after an average follow-up of 21 years. Post-operative functional and cosmetic results have been assessed by patient records, questionnaires and physical examination. The webs that had received split-thickness grafts showed more flexion and extension lags and the overall spreading of the operated fingers was significantly decreased compared to the control fingers. On the other hand, more re-operations because of web creep had to be performed after full-thickness grafts. Hyperpigmentation and hair growth in the grafts was found in most of the full-thickness grafts, while breakdown of the graft was found in some of the split-thickness grafts. Therefore, based on the results of this study, either full- or split-thickness skin grafts can be used when treating of congenital syndactyly.