Soft tissue injuries with the use of safe corridors for transfixion wire placement during external fixation of distal tibia fractures: an anatomic study.

OBJECTIVES: To determine which soft tissue structures are at risk and when joint violation can occur during small wire placement for hybrid external fixation of distal tibial fractures while adhering to published guidelines. DESIGN: Cadaver anatomic experiment. SETTING: University orthopaedic program. SUJBECTS: Five embalmed cadavers. INTERVENTION: Placement of small wire transfixion pins in the distal tibia. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: Dissection and measurements. METHODS: Four orthopaedic surgeons were shown diagrams that have been widely accepted as allowing for placement of transfixion pins in the distal tibia through safe corridors. Each of the orthopaedic surgeons was then asked to place two transfixion pins into each of five cadaver legs in a position that would provide stable external fixation of the metaphysis to the diaphysis with a circular fixator (forty pins total) for a distal tibial fracture within five centimeters of the plafond. The specimens were dissected, and pins impaling neurovascular structures, tendons, or the ankle capsule were recorded. The superior capsular synovial reflections were measured from the anterior joint line and the tip of the medial malleolus. These measurements were also performed on arthrograms of two extremities before their dissection. RESULTS: Fifty-five percent of the pins placed impaled at least one tendon that crosses the ankle joint. Neurovascular structures that were impaled included the saphenous vein (+/-10.5 percent) and the superficial peroneal nerve (+/-7.5 percent). One pin violated the superior capsular synovial reflection, which was an average of thirty-two millimeters (+/-1.58 millimeters) from the tip of the medial malleolus and twenty-one millimeters (+/-1.63 millimeters) from the anteromedial joint line. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that tendons and neurovascular structures above the ankle are at risk during small transfixion pin placement, even when using safe corridors. Pins placed within two centimeters of the anterior joint line or three centimeters from the medial malleolus may be intracapsular.

Medial malleolar osteotomy for exposure of complex talar body fractures.

Traditional surgical approaches to the talus often fail to afford adequate exposure of the talar body, especially in the case of complex talar body fractures. Preservation of the remaining blood supply to the talus is a main concern during operative repair and can be difficult to accomplish when multiple approaches and forceful manipulations are required to gain satisfactory exposure. A medial malleolar osteotomy was used to gain access to the talar body in situations in which the traditional approaches did not provide adequate exposure. We describe our technique in a small series of patients.

Wound-healing risk factors after open reduction and internal fixation of calcaneal fractures: does correction of Bohler's angle alter outcomes?

The study reviewed in this article evaluated a group of patients who underwent surgical therapy for calcaneal fractures at a Level I trauma center. One group of patients was treated after outpatient referral to the center, whereas the other group was admitted to, and underwent surgery at, the center. This study attempted to determine which patient risk factors or injury characteristics might lead to an increased rate of wound-healing complications. Bohler's angle is a classic radiographic method of determining the severity of calcaneal injury in this group of patients. The question posed by the authors of this study was: Does a drastic correction in Bohler's angle lead to an increased incidence of wound-healing complications? The authors do not recommend undercorrection of Bohler's angle but urge avoidance of overcorrection and stress the importance of early surgical fixation after lateral skin wrinkling is found.

Ankle arthrodesis: indications and techniques.

Patients with ankle arthritis and deformity can experience severe pain and functional disability. Those patients who do not respond to nonoperative treatment modalities are candidates for ankle arthrodesis, provided pathologic changes in the subtalar region can be ruled out. Several techniques are available for performing the procedure; the most successful combine an open approach with compression and internal fixation. The foot must be positioned with regard to overall limb alignment and in the optimal position for function. A nonunion rate as high as 40% has been reported. Osteonecrosis of the talus and smoking are known risk factors for nonunion. When good surgical technique is used in carefully selected patients, ankle arthrodesis can be a reliable procedure for the relief of functionally disabling ankle arthritis, deformity, and pain.

Wound-healing risk factors after open reduction and internal fixation of calcaneal fractures.

This retrospective study investigated outcomes of wound healing in a series of 63 consecutive patients with 64 fractures of the calcaneus who underwent open reduction and internal fixation done by two surgeons experienced in this fracture during a 3-year period. Thirty-nine patients were managed preoperatively as outpatient referrals before surgery. Twenty-four patients were admitted directly to the trauma service and were managed as inpatients preoperatively. Minimum patient follow-up was 6 months, with an average follow-up of 18 months. A trend correlating the time between injury and operative intervention with the incidence of complications in wounds was noted; the incidence rose in patients who underwent surgery >5 days after their injury. Two-layered closures had a lower incidence of dehiscence compared to single-layered tension-relieving sutures. Patients with a higher body-mass index (BMI) (kg/ m2) took longer to heal their wounds. Strong trends were noted to link BMI and severity of fractures. In the outpatient group, a history of active smoking preoperatively correlated with increased time to wound healing. In 43 patients, there were no wound-healing complications. In 21 feet, there were varying degrees of wound dehiscence. Average wound healing took 47 days. Risk factors for complications in the wound after calcaneal open reduction and internal fixation include single layered closure, high BMI, extended time between injury and surgery, and smoking. Age, type of immobilization, medical illness (including diabetes), type of bone graft, or use of a Hemovac did not influence wound healing.

Fractures of the vertebrae with spinal cord injuries in patients with ankylosing spondylitis: imaging findings.

Ankylosing spondylitis is a systemic rheumatologic disorder of adults that results in disease-specific inflammation and eventual ossification at the site of ligamentous insertion into bone. The resulting spinal ankylosis causes biomechanical alterations that predispose the patient to serious spinal injury even in the presence of minor trauma. With the loss of spinal flexibility and increased bone fragility, there is a propensity for vertebral fracture, instability, and increased neurologic complications. Illustrative examples of the imaging modalities are presented, as they contribute to the detection of fractures and spinal cord injuries in patients with ankylosing spondylitis.