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BACKGROUND: Distal femoral fractures represent a challenging injury, with many different factors such as the method of fixation, complexity of fracture pattern, and patient co-morbidities affecting the outcome. Lots of surgical treatment options have been described, but recently double construct fixation, using a nail/plate combination, has received lots of attention, a technique that leads to faster weight-bearing, low risk of metalwork failure, and non-union. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of the linked nail/plate construct in the management of complex distal femur fractures and to investigate if the above technique leads to faster recovery and earlier radiographic union. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In total 15 cases were included in the study, that underwent a combined nail/plate construct for a distal femur fracture between January 2021 and December 2022. Only cases with a linked nail/plate construct were included, with a minimum follow-up of 1 year. Open femur fractures, single implant fixation cases, and revision procedures were excluded. RESULTS: In this cohort study, 11 cases were periprosthetic distal femur features, and 4 cases were distal femur fractures around a native knee joint. The mean age group was 74 years, 86.6% of the patients had a BMI > 25 and the mean time to fracture union was 24 weeks (range from 20 to 26 weeks). All cases healed uneventfully and the complication rate was 6.6%, including 1 case of superficial infection which resolved completely with oral antibiotics. CONCLUSION: The increasing age population, the complexity of distal femoral fractures along with the increasing physiological demands of the elderly population, drive the need for double fixation constructs that allow early mobilization and enhance fracture stability. In our study, the linked nail/plate construct seems to provide adequate stability and excellent union rates (100%) with no associated increased risk of complications.
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Background Inaccurate positioning of the glenoid component has been well described as the most common cause of early failure following a reverse shoulder arthroplasty (RSA). Among the latest developments in operative technique, three-dimensional preoperative planning and navigation intraoperative systems have been developed to improve the accuracy of the baseplate positioning during RSA. The primary purpose of this retrospective analysis was to investigate the mid-term results of patients who underwent an elective RSA or for acute highly comminuted proximal humerus fractures. The secondary goal was to investigate the role of navigation in the execution of preoperative planning, especially in the management of glenoid bone loss. Methodology In total, 101 cases were included in this study. Patients were divided into the following two groups: 88 cases of RSA performed without the use of navigation (conventional RSA) and 13 cases performed using intraoperative navigation (navigated RSA). For all patients included in the study, preoperative planning software was employed. Patient demographics, gender, past medical history, indication of procedure, operated site, type of glenoid component used, length of baseplate screws, and clinical assessment scores (Oxford Shoulder Score, OSS) were reported for all patients. Cases of revision shoulder arthroplasty were excluded from this study. Results The postoperative clinical assessment of patients revealed that following RSA, all patients improved significantly with a consistently upward trend of the OSS noted for both groups (conventional and navigated RSA) throughout the postoperative assessment. Despite no statistically significant difference detected, the clinical scores of the navigated RSA group outperformed those of the conventional RSA group in the postoperative period. A higher incidence of augmented baseplate use was noted in the navigated RSA group than in the conventional group (23.07% vs. 5.68%, p < 0.001). Conclusions Our results indicate that the use of intraoperative navigation appears to be a valuable tool in preoperative planning, providing accurate positioning of the baseplate, a better understanding of the glenoid anatomy, and real-time monitoring of the length and direction of the baseplate screws. It is difficult to conclude if the use of navigation leads to superior clinical outcomes, and the cost-effectiveness of its use needs to be further analyzed. Prospective randomized trials are required to assess the cost-effectiveness of routine use of navigation in RSA.
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Background Ankle syndesmotic injuries represent complex orthopaedic injuries, commonly requiring open reduction and fixation. Several techniques have been described for fixation, with syndesmotic screw fixation being traditionally considered as the 'gold standard'. Among the relatively new techniques developed, the TightRope system stabilisation provides 'dynamic' stabilisation with promising results. We aimed to evaluate the radiographic performance of these two different surgical techniques in the management of ankle fractures with an underlying syndesmotic injury. Methods A total of 85 cases were included in the study and were divided into two groups: syndesmotic screw fixation (48 cases) and TightRope system (37 cases). Patient demographics, type of ankle fracture and type of implant used were recorded for all the cases, and evaluation of the postoperative radiographs was performed for all. For all patients, the radiographic parameters assessed included the medial clear joint space (MCS), tibiofibular overlap (TFO), and anterior and posterior tibiofibular interval in order to calculate the anterior tibiofibular ratio (ATFR). Results Statistical analysis revealed no statistically significant differences in the radiographic parameters of the postoperative radiographs between the two groups. However, in the syndesmotic screw group, a higher incidence of radiographic malreduction was seen, as indicated by the MCS and ATFR parameters, in comparison to the TightRope fixation group. An equal distribution of radiographic abnormal parameters was noted among the different types of ankle fractures included in the study (trimalleolar, bimalleolar and isolated fibula fractures with syndesmotic injury) with no obvious positive correlation noted (Pearson correlation test). Conclusion Both surgical techniques seem to provide adequate reduction of the syndesmosis, with no statistical significant differences detected from the radiographic evaluation of both groups. In our study though, the syndesmotic screw group was associated with a higher incidence of radiographic malreduction as indicated by the MCS and ATFR parameters. The TightRope system seems to have a lower rate of radiographic malreduction and provides an equally effective way of syndesmosis fixation based on a dynamic mode of stabilisation.
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Introduction The idea of an uncemented, fully coated hydroxyapatite (HA) stem was introduced almost 40 years ago, aiming to achieve a solid biological fixation by preserving natural bone activity. While many studies underline the longevity of uncemented total hip replacement (THR), NHS England's Best Practice Tariff (BPT) recommends using cemented implants in patients over the age of 69, with financial penalties when this policy is not met. At the same time, the 'paradox' of increased use of uncemented implants worldwide has been well described, with many surgeons using them regardless of the age group of the patient. Materials and methods This study focuses on the radiographic evaluation of the uncemented Pinnacle/Corail total hip replacement construct in 123 patients of all age groups who underwent an elective procedure, with a minimum radiographic follow-up of two years. Implant information (collared or non-collared stem), femur type (Dorr classification), age, gender, and revision rate were collected and radiographic analysis of the femoral stem and acetabular component was performed for the immediate post-operative, six-month, one- to two-year follow-up radiograph of all patients. We conducted a statistical analysis, dividing the patients into two groups based on age: those above or below 69 years old. Results There was no statistically significant difference in rates of radiographic lucency after two years with regard to the femoral component. Both collared and non-collared stems seem to perform equally well, with no significant difference detected. However, a statistically significant difference in rates of radiographic lucency of the acetabular cup was noted between the two age groups (p=0.018), with higher rates detected in the under-69-year-old age group. Conclusion This study demonstrates that, radiographically, the uncemented Pinnacle/Corail construct performs equally well in all age groups. In our cohort of patients, the age of the patient did not predict the osseointegration of the implant in the short-term follow-up.
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INTRODUCTION: Surgical treatment is usually recommended for the acute unstable acromioclavicular joint (ACJ) dislocations. Among the wide variety of different surgical techniques, the Double Endobutton and the Nottingham Surgilig technique are two of the most widely acceptable and well described techniques. The aim of this study was to offer a direct comparison of the above techniques in question, analysing the patients outcomes and assessing the risk of early loss of radiographic reduction. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 48 patients who met the inclusion criteria were included in the study. Patients were categorised in two groups (Endobutton and Nottingham Surgilig group) and post operative assessment of the patients was performed using the Oxford Shoulder (OSS) and Constant Murley (CMS) scores. Patient demographics, hand dominance, ACJ classification and co-morbidities were included in the analysis and radiographic evaluation was conducted for both groups. RESULTS: Both techniques provide a good outcome in the management of unstable ACJ dislocations but the risk of early radiographic failure remains higher in the double Endobutton technique (26% vs. 17.39% for the Nottingham Surgilig group). Factors such as patients' demographics, hand dominance, co-morbidities and grade of ACJ separation do not seem to contribute to radiographic loss of reduction, whereas the incorrect positioning of the coracoid endobutton is a significant factor predisposing to early radiographic failure, P < 0.001. DISCUSSION: The incidence of early loss of radiographic reduction still remains high in both groups. In order to reduce this common complication, accurate placement of the coracoid endobutton under fluoroscopic intra-operative control is strongly recommended.
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INTRODUCTION: Surgical treatment is usually recommended for acute, high-grade acromioclavicular joint (ACJ) injuries. A wide variety of surgical techniques exist, and the literature does not strongly support one over the other. In this literature review, we describe and compare the results of different surgical treatments for the management of acute unstable ACJ dislocation and aim to guide surgeons on optimal treatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A literature review was performed by searching PubMed, Medline, Cochrane, and Embase databases. Seventeen studies met the inclusion criteria and were analyzed. Only studies with comparative data were included. The clinical and radiological outcomes of these studies were reviewed. RESULTS: Seventeen studies were included in this literature review. We found no difference in outcomes between open and arthroscopic procedures. Coracoclavicular ligament (CCL) reconstruction techniques provide better results than the more rigid hook plate fixation. There is no evidence that biologic repair with tendon graft is superior to synthetic grafts. Furthermore, an autograft is not shown to be better than an allograft. Rigid fixation between the clavicle and coracoid and the non-anatomic Weaver-Dunn technique appears less popular in recent literature. The hook plate is associated with subacromial osteolysis, acromial erosion, and the morbidity of a secondary procedure. DISCUSSION: There is a recent increase in publications on the reconstruction of the ACJ after injury, with new techniques focusing on the anatomic reconstruction of the CCLs aiming to restore both vertical and horizontal plane stability of the ACJ using synthetic/biological grafts. Despite the plethora of new techniques introduced, meaningful comparisons are difficult to draw due to the heterogeneity of the treatments used and the outcome measure used to assess the results.
