Biomechanics of internal fixation in Hoffa fractures - A comparison of four different constructs.

OBJECTIVE: Compare the biomechanical effectiveness of four different bone-implant constructs in preventing fracture displacement under axial loading. METHODS: Twenty artificial femora had a standardized coronally oriented fracture of the lateral femoral condyle, representing a Hoffa fracture classified as a Letenneur type I. Four different fixation constructs were applied to the synthetic bones for biomechanical testing. The constructs consisted of a posterolateral (PL) buttressing locking plate in conjunction with two cannulated lag screws inserted from posterior to anterior (PA) - Group 1; Two cannulated screws inserted from anterior to posterior (AP) without plating- Group 2; A posterolateral (PL) buttressing locking plate in isolation - Group 3; and a combination of two lag screws from anterior to posterior (AP) in addition to a horizontal one-third tubular locking plate - Group 4. An axial load was applied to the fracture site with a constant displacement speed of 20 mm/min, and the test was interrupted when a secondary displacement was detected determining a fixation failure. We recorded the maximum applied force and the maximum fracture displacement values. RESULTS: Group 1 demonstrated the highest overall bone-implant axial stiffness with the lowest secondary displacement under loading. Groups 3 and 4 showed equivalent mechanical behavior. Group 2 presented the lowest mechanical stiffness to axial loading. The combination of the one-third tubular locking plate with anterior-to-posterior lag screws (Group 4) resulted in 302 % increase in fixation stiffness when compared to anterior-to-posterior lag screws only (Group 2). CONCLUSIONS: This study confirms the mechanical superiority of having a plate applied parallel to the main fracture plane in the setting of coronally oriented femoral condyle fractures. The addition of a horizontal plate, perpendicular to the main fracture plane, significantly increased the resistance to shearing forces at the fracture site when compared to constructs adopting just cannulated screws. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Biomechanical study.

Chondrotoxic effects of tranexamic acid and povidone-iodine on the articular cartilage of rabbits.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the chondrotoxic effects of intra-articular use of TXA 20 mg/kg and/or 0.35% PVPI on knee joint cartilage in an experimental model of rabbits. METHODS: Forty-four male New Zealand adult rabbits were randomly assigned to four groups (control, tranexamic acid (TXA), povidone-iodine (PVPI), and PVPI + TXA). The knee joint cartilage was accessed through an arthrotomy and exposed to physiological saline SF 0.9% (control group), TXA, PVPI, and PVPI followed by TXA. Sixty days after surgical procedure, the animals were sacrificed and osteochondral specimens of the distal femur were obtained. Histological sections of cartilage from this area were stained with hematoxylin/eosin and toluidine blue. The following cartilage parameters were evaluated by the Mankin histological/histochemical grading system: structure, cellularity, glycosaminoglycan content in the extracellular matrix, and integrity of the tidemark. RESULTS: The isolated use of PVPI causes statistically significant changes in cartilage cellularity (p-value = 0.005) and decrease glycosaminoglycan content (p = 0.001), whereas the isolated use of TXA decreased significantly the glycosaminoglycan content (p = 0.031). The sequential use of PVPI + TXA causes more pronounced alterations in the structure (p = 0.039) and cellularity (p = 0.002) and decreased content of glycosaminoglycans (p < 0.001) all with statistical significance. CONCLUSION: Data suggest that intra-articular use of tranexamic acid 20 mg/kg and intraoperative lavage with 0.35% povidone-iodine solution for three min are toxic to the articular cartilage of the knee in an experimental in vivo study in rabbits.

Full Recovery from O'Donoghue's Triad with Autologous Bone Marrow Aspirate Matrix: A Case Report.

O'Donoghue's triad is an extremely debilitating condition. Although there are many conventional treatments available, there is still no consensus regarding the most effective rehabilitation protocol for a full recovery. Surgical interventions have become an ordinary consideration, but problems may still persist even after the surgical procedure. Orthobiologics, however, have gained considerable popularity in regenerative medicine. Notable autologous alternatives, such as bone marrow aspirate (BMA), are often utilized in clinical settings. To our knowledge, the administration of BMA products for the management of O'Donoghue's triad has not been thoroughly investigated in the literature. In this case report we describe a full recovery from O'Donoghue's triad with BMA matrix in a patient who was recalcitrant to surgical intervention due to fear of complications. Our patient received three BMA matrix injections with four-week intervals, exhibiting significant recovery according to pain scores, functional assessment outcomes, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) results. The patient returned to normal activities with no complaints and MRI evidence at follow-up showed significant signs of structural restoration of the musculoskeletal tissues. Here, we demonstrate that autologous BMA products are a feasible alternative for the accelerated recovery of musculoskeletal tissue injury with safety and efficacy.

Stromal Vascular Fraction for Knee Osteoarthritis - An Update.

Orthobiologics never cease to cause popularity within the medical science field, distinctly in regenerative medicine. Recently, adipose tissue has been an object of interest for many researchers and medical experts due to the fact that it represents a novel and potential cell source for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine purposes. Stromal vascular fraction (SVF), for instance, which is an adipose tissue-derivative, has generated optimistic results in many scenarios. Its biological potential can be harnessed and administered into injured tissues, particularly areas in which standard healing is disrupted. This is a typical feature of osteoarthritis (OA), a common degenerative joint disease which is outlined by persistent inflammation and destruction of surrounding tissues. SVF is known to carry a large amount of stem and progenitor cells, which are able to perform self-renewal, differentiation, and proliferation. Furthermore, they also secrete several cytokines and several growth factors, effectively sustaining immune modulatory effects and halting the escalated pro-inflammatory status of OA. Although SVF has shown interesting results throughout the medical community, additional research is still highly desirable in order to further elucidate its potential regarding musculoskeletal disorders, especially OA.

Orthopedic Asynchronous Teleconsultation for Primary Care Patients by a Large-Scale Telemedicine Service in Minas Gerais, Brazil.

Background: Telemedicine was implemented in Brazil as a way to support primary health care (PHC). Orthopedic complaints are common in PHC, and, because musculoskeletal diseases are the most frequent causes of chronic pain, it is important to explore knowledge gaps of PHC as well as to understand the teleconsultations' impact on reducing referrals to secondary care. Materials and Methods: Observational, retrospective study that analyzed consecutive orthopedic asynchronous teleconsultations from the Telehealth Network of Minas Gerais, a large-scale public telehealth service, performed from September 17, 2013 to June 18, 2020. Teleconsultations were analyzed based on the type of query. Results: Throughout the study, 1,174 teleconsultations from 254 municipalities were analyzed. Most requests for teleconsultations were from nurses (37.8%) and physicians (48.7%). In 58.3%, challenges could be solved by a general practitioner, meanwhile 38.4% needed referral to an orthopedic specialist. Most queries related to a specific case (assistencial teleconsultation, 66.0%), and the others were classified as educational (34%). With regard to the motivation for the assistencial teleconsultations, 72% approached treatment options, 49.5% surrounded possible diagnosis, and 20.1% discussed patient's rehabilitation. In addition, 95.5% of requests could be solved by teleconsultation, without the need for referral to in-person consultation with the specialist. Conclusions: Teleconsultations can help investigate the most frequent queries in PHC. Most of them were solved without the need for referral, showing the potential of teleconsultations in daily practice as a way to manage patients and guarantee better access to first-rate health care. As for the public health system, teleconsultations represent a way to overcome the distance barrier to health care access.

Posterolateral Fractures of the Tibial Plateau Revisited: A Simplified Treatment Algorithm.

High-energy fractures of the proximal tibia with extensive fragmentation of the posterolateral (PL) quadrant of the tibial plateau are challenging to manage. Herein, we present a review of the literature on the patterns and options of approach and fixation of the PL fragment of the tibial plateau to optimize the treatment of this specific injury pattern. We searched PubMed (1980-May 2020) to identify and summarize the most relevant articles evaluating both the morphology and treatment recommendations, including the choice of approach and fixation strategy, for the PL tibial plateau fracture. We found PL fragment can present in several patterns as a pure split, split depression, contained pure depression, and noncontained depression (rim crush), which are mostly determined by the position of the knee and the force magnitude applied during the course of the accident. Based on previous concepts described by Schatzker and Kfuri, we suggest a simplified treatment algorithm highlighting the two concepts (buttressing and containment) used for plating the PL tibial plateau fragments. Based on the available current evidence, we propose an algorithm for these two morphological types of PL tibial plateau fracture. Shear-type fractures need buttressing (the "rule of thumb"), whereas noncontained peripheral rim-type fractures need peripheral repair and containment. Contained pure depression fractures are not frequent and need percutaneous-assisted elevation and subchondral rafting, either controlled by fluoroscopy or arthroscopically. It is believed that such an approach would simplify their assessment and preoperative planning and would assist the clinicians to appreciate and manage more consistently these complex injuries.

Are cementation quality and clinical outcomes affected by the use of tourniquet in primary total knee arthroplasty?

INTRODUCTION: Total knee arthroplasty is used to treat end-stage knee osteoarthritis with great results. Tourniquet use has become popular over the years because of its various benefits, but the literature regarding functional outcomes, pain and rehabilitation and comparison between tourniquet use and improvement cement penetration and overall improve fixation is limited. The authors proposed a hypothesis that cementation quality, and clinical outcomes can be influenced by tourniquet technique. METHODS: Fifty patients were allocated randomly in two groups: (1) tourniquet was inflated throughout all the procedure and (2) only during skin incision and cementation. Radiolucent lines were analyzed by two and independent examiners, using the The Knee Society Roentgenographic Evaluation and Scoring System. The functional scores used were the Oxford knee score and improvement in visual pain scale (VAS). RESULTS: After a mean follow-up period of 2.4 ± 0.2 years, no difference was observed regarding partial use of tourniquet in the cementation quality (p value > 0.05). There was no difference between groups regarding gender, age, knee side, Visual VAS, Oxford Score, total range-of-motion (ROM), knee extension and knee flexion (p value > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: No difference was attained regarding functional outcomes and cementation quality regarding two different tourniquet protocols.

Relationship of the Pelvic-Trochanteric Index with greater trochanteric pain syndrome.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to correlate a higher Pelvic-Trochanteric Index (PTI) with an increased varus of the femoral neck with greater trochanteric pain syndrome (GTPS). The secondary objective was to check whether the pelvic width changes with age. METHODS: A prospective study was conducted to compare female patients diagnosed with GTPS (case group) with asymptomatic female participants (control group) from March 2011 to June 2017. On an anteroposterior pelvic radiograph, lines were drawn by two radiologists, and the PTI (ratio of the distance between the greater trochanters and distance between the iliac crests) was defined and the femoral neck-shaft angle was measured. RESULTS: Data collected based on radiographs of 182 female patients (cases) and 150 female participants (controls) showed that the mean PTI was 1.09 (SD=0.01) in the case group and 1.07 (SD=0.01) in the control group (p<0.05), regardless of age. The distance between iliac crests increased with age (p<0.05) in symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals. It was also found that the mean femoral neck-shaft angle was 130.6° (SD=0.59) and progression of the varus angulation occurred with age in both groups, with a significance level of 5%. CONCLUSIONS: The PTI was higher in patients with GTPS. The femoral neck-shaft angle does not differ between individuals with and without GTPS; however, it does decrease with age. The pelvic width tends to increase with aging in symptomatic or asymptomatic individuals; therefore, the increase in the pelvic width and decrease in the femoral neck-shaft angle can be interpreted as normal in aging women, which could alter the biomechanics of the hips and pelvis.

A POST-TREATMENT RETROSPECTIVE EVALUATION OF SLIPPED CAPITAL FEMORAL EPIPHYSIS.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the cases of slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE) submitted to surgery at the Pediatric Orthopedics Surgery service of the Hospital Risoleta Tolentino Neves (HRTN), Belo Horizonte/MG, between 2016 and 2019. METHODS: Patients treated for SCFE at the HRTN between January/2016 and January/2019 participated in this study. The following data were collected: gender, age, affected side, procedure performed, and postoperative complications. RESULTS: Twenty-one patients were treated at HRTN during the specified period. Among these, most were female (57%) with mean age of 12 years. At the initial diagnosis, about 80% of the patients presented with chronic/acute-on-chronic epiphysis. The left hip was slightly more affected than the right (6:5), with a bilateral rate of 47%, and avascular necrosis was the most frequent complication, occurring in 33% of cases. CONCLUSION: Slipped femoral capital epiphysis is associated with high morbidity; thus, early diagnosis, endocrine disorder investigation, and appropriate surgical treatment are key for improving these patients' clinical and functional outcome. Level of Evidence II, Retrospective study.

OBJETIVO: Analisar os casos de epifisiólise do fêmur proximal operados pelo serviço de Ortopedia Pediátrica do Hospital Risoleta Tolentino Neves (HRTN), Belo Horizonte/MG, entre os anos de 2016 e 2019. MÉTODOS: Foram analisados retrospectivamente os pacientes submetidos a tratamento cirúrgico de epifisiólise no Hospital Risoleta Tolentino Neves entre janeiro/2016 a janeiro/2019. Os dados coletados para análise foram: sexo, idade, lado acometido, cirurgia realizada, complicações pós-operatórias. RESULTADOS: De janeiro de 2016 a janeiro de 2019, foram tratados 21 pacientes no HRTN. Houve predomínio do sexo feminino (57%), com média de idade de 12 anos. Cerca de 80% dos pacientes apresentaram quadro de epifisiólise crônica/ crônica-agudizada no primodiagnóstico. O lado esquerdo foi ligeiramente mais acometido em relação ao direito (6:5), com bilateralidade de 47%. A necrose avascular foi a complicação mais frequente, em 33% dos casos. CONCLUSÃO: Trata-se de quadro de alta morbidade associada, devendo haver um diagnóstico precoce, investigação de distúrbios endócrinos e tratamento cirúrgico adequado, visando uma melhora do prognóstico clínico e funcional do paciente. Nível de Evidência II, Estudo retrospectivo.

A post-treatment retrospective evaluation of slipped capital femoral epiphysis / Avaliação pós-tratamento de epifisiólise proximal do fêmur: estudo retrospectivo

ABSTRACT Objective: To analyze the cases of slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE) submitted to surgery at the Pediatric Orthopedics Surgery service of the Hospital Risoleta Tolentino Neves (HRTN), Belo Horizonte/MG, between 2016 and 2019. Methods: Patients treated for SCFE at the HRTN between January/2016 and January/2019 participated in this study. The following data were collected: gender, age, affected side, procedure performed, and postoperative complications. Results: Twenty-one patients were treated at HRTN during the specified period. Among these, most were female (57%) with mean age of 12 years. At the initial diagnosis, about 80% of the patients presented with chronic/acute-on-chronic epiphysis. The left hip was slightly more affected than the right (6:5), with a bilateral rate of 47%, and avascular necrosis was the most frequent complication, occurring in 33% of cases. Conclusion: Slipped femoral capital epiphysis is associated with high morbidity; thus, early diagnosis, endocrine disorder investigation, and appropriate surgical treatment are key for improving these patients' clinical and functional outcome. Level of Evidence II, Retrospective study.

RESUMO Objetivo: Analisar os casos de epifisiólise do fêmur proximal operados pelo serviço de Ortopedia Pediátrica do Hospital Risoleta Tolentino Neves (HRTN), Belo Horizonte/MG, entre os anos de 2016 e 2019. Métodos: Foram analisados retrospectivamente os pacientes submetidos a tratamento cirúrgico de epifisiólise no Hospital Risoleta Tolentino Neves entre janeiro/2016 a janeiro/2019. Os dados coletados para análise foram: sexo, idade, lado acometido, cirurgia realizada, complicações pós-operatórias. Resultados: De janeiro de 2016 a janeiro de 2019, foram tratados 21 pacientes no HRTN. Houve predomínio do sexo feminino (57%), com média de idade de 12 anos. Cerca de 80% dos pacientes apresentaram quadro de epifisiólise crônica/ crônica-agudizada no primodiagnóstico. O lado esquerdo foi ligeiramente mais acometido em relação ao direito (6:5), com bilateralidade de 47%. A necrose avascular foi a complicação mais frequente, em 33% dos casos. Conclusão: Trata-se de quadro de alta morbidade associada, devendo haver um diagnóstico precoce, investigação de distúrbios endócrinos e tratamento cirúrgico adequado, visando uma melhora do prognóstico clínico e funcional do paciente. Nível de Evidência II, Estudo retrospectivo.

The protective role of glutathione in osteoarthritis.

It is currently understood that osteoarthritis (OA) is a major chronic inflammatory musculoskeletal disease. While this disease has long been attributed to biomechanical trauma, recent evidence establishes a significant correlation between osteoarthritic progression and unbridled oxidative stress, responsible for prolonged inflammation. Research describes this as a disturbance in the balanced production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and antioxidant defenses, generating macromolecular damage and disrupted redox signaling and control. Since ROS pathways are being considered new targets for OA treatment, the development of antioxidant therapy to counteract exacerbated oxidative stress is being continuously researched and enhanced in order to fortify the cellular defenses. Experiments with glutathione and its precursor molecule, N-acetylcysteine (NAC), have shown interesting results in the literature for the management of OA, where they have demonstrated efficacy in reducing cartilage degradation and inflammation markers as well as significant improvements in pain and functional outcomes. Glutathione remains a safe, effective and overall cheap treatment alternative in comparison to other current therapeutic solutions and, for these reasons, it may prove to be comparably superior under particular circumstances. METHODS: Literature was reviewed using PubMed and Google Scholar in order to bring up significant evidence and illustrate the defensive mechanisms of antioxidant compounds against oxidative damage in the onset of musculoskeletal diseases. The investigation included a combination of keywords such as: oxidative stress, oxidative damage, inflammation, osteoarthritis, antioxidant, glutathione, n-acetylcysteine, redox, and cell signaling. CONCLUSION: Based on the numerous studies included in this literature review, glutathione and its precursor N-acetylcysteine have demonstrated significant protective effects in events of prolonged, exacerbated oxidative stress as seen in chronic inflammatory musculoskeletal disorders such as osteoarthritis.

Platelet-rich plasma vs bone marrow aspirate concentrate: An overview of mechanisms of action and orthobiologic synergistic effects.

The use of orthobiologics as a novel therapy for the treatment of numerous musculoskeletal disorders has increased considerably over the past decade. Currently, there are multiple alternatives available as suitable treatments; however, the use of autologous blood-derived products such as platelet-rich plasma (PRP), bone marrow aspirate (BMA) and BMA concentrate (BMAC), specifically, is expanding. Although many investigations attempted to demonstrate the effectiveness of these therapies, even with positive results, the literature lacks standardized protocols and overall accuracy in study designs, which leads to variance and difficulty in reproducibility of protocols. The efficacy of PRP for the treatment of cartilage, bone and muscle tissues is well known. Although BMAC has generated optimistic results for the same purposes, its applicability in clinical trials is still relatively recent when compared to PRP. Both products demonstrate the potential to set forth reparative processes, each in their own distinct mechanism. The combination of these biological products has been previously proposed, yet little is known about their synergism. Evidence indicates that growth factor, cytokine, and chemokine profiles seen in both PRP and BMAC vary but are likely to work synergistically to enhance musculoskeletal healing. BMAC products seem to work well without PRP; however, the addition of PRP to BMAC has been shown to act as a rich and natural source of culture medium for stem cells located either peripherally or in the bone marrow itself. Nevertheless, additional variables associated with the use of BMAC and PRP in orthopedics must be further evaluated in order to consolidate the efficacy of this therapeutic strategy.

Expanding the indications for calcaneal plates beyond foot fractures: a technical trick and case series.

Although non-locking calcaneal plates are designed to treat calcaneal fractures, they present some interesting characteristics that justify using them beyond their current application in fractures of the foot. Calcaneal plates are malleable, have an increased footprint area for fracture containment or buttressing, and present several hole options for screw placement in different trajectories, thereby providing proper fixation even in comminuted fracture patterns. The aim of this study is to describe the unconventional use of calcaneal plates in the orthopaedic trauma scenario.

Relationship of the Pelvic-Trochanteric Index with greater trochanteric pain syndrome

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to correlate a higher Pelvic-Trochanteric Index (PTI) with an increased varus of the femoral neck with greater trochanteric pain syndrome (GTPS). The secondary objective was to check whether the pelvic width changes with age. METHODS: A prospective study was conducted to compare female patients diagnosed with GTPS (case group) with asymptomatic female participants (control group) from March 2011 to June 2017. On an anteroposterior pelvic radiograph, lines were drawn by two radiologists, and the PTI (ratio of the distance between the greater trochanters and distance between the iliac crests) was defined and the femoral neck-shaft angle was measured. RESULTS: Data collected based on radiographs of 182 female patients (cases) and 150 female participants (controls) showed that the mean PTI was 1.09 (SD=0.01) in the case group and 1.07 (SD=0.01) in the control group (p<0.05), regardless of age. The distance between iliac crests increased with age (p<0.05) in symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals. It was also found that the mean femoral neck-shaft angle was 130.6° (SD=0.59) and progression of the varus angulation occurred with age in both groups, with a significance level of 5%. CONCLUSIONS: The PTI was higher in patients with GTPS. The femoral neck-shaft angle does not differ between individuals with and without GTPS; however, it does decrease with age. The pelvic width tends to increase with aging in symptomatic or asymptomatic individuals; therefore, the increase in the pelvic width and decrease in the femoral neck-shaft angle can be interpreted as normal in aging women, which could alter the biomechanics of the hips and pelvis.

Knee Dislocation with Ipsilateral Tibial Fracture Treated with an Intramedullary Locked Nail and Simultaneous Transtibial Tunnel Knee Ligament Reconstruction: A Case Report of Autografts and Limited Resources.

Knee dislocations associated with ipsilateral tibial shaft fracture represent one of the most challenging injuries in trauma surgery. This injury occurs in only 2% of all tibial fractures in several series. With the use of intramedullary nail (IMN) of the tibia, current practice paraments suggest that transtibial tunnels should be avoided and ligamentous knee surgery be delayed until healing of the shaft fracture occurs. We report a novel case which was successfully managed by delayed IMN and multiligamentous transtibial posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) and posterolateral corner (PLC) autograft reconstructions. A 27-year-old male sustained a Gustilo-Anderson grade IIIa tibial shaft fracture and a Schenck IIIL knee dislocation (KD3L) in the ipsilateral knee. At 2 weeks, the patient was then taken back to the operating theater to undergo definitive bone fixation and ipsilateral simultaneous knee ligamentous reconstruction. The knee was stabilized by open reconstruction of the PCL under fluoroscopic control using an ipsilateral quadriceps autograft fixed with metallic interference screws. The PLC was reconstructed with ipsilateral semitendinosus autograft harvested through a separate 1.5-cm standard anteromedial incision using the technique described by Stannard et al. After graft fixation, the 90 degree posterior and posterolateral drawer and 0 and 30 degrees varus stress tests were negative. After 12 months follow-up, the patient had no complaints regarding pain or instability. The tibial fracture had healed and no knee axis deviation could be noted. The patient had returned to recreational low demand activities and motorcycle riding. Treatment of a combined tibial shaft fracture with an ipsilateral knee dislocation may be satisfactorily accomplished with an IMN for the tibia and transtibial tunnel fixation for knee ligament reconstruction allowing for a single rehabilitation course and a shorter recovery without having to use a third stage for knee ligamentous reconstruction.

Firearm-Related Fractures: Epidemiology and Infection Rate.

Objective To investigate the incidence of infection in patients with gunshot-related fractures, and to correlate this finding with the occurrence of surgical debridement in the emergency room. Methods A retrospective, observational, descriptive study that included all cases of fractures caused by firearms between January 2010 and December 2014; 245 fractures in 223 patients were included. Results There was surgical-site infection in 8.5% of the fractures, and the mean number of debridements required to control the infectious process was of 1.273 ± 0.608. A correlation was identified between the surgical treatment chosen and the affected body segment ( p < 0.001). The surgical treatment in the emergency room had a correlation with the occurrence of infection ( p < 0.001; Chi-squared test). Conclusion Patients with gunshot injuries treated non-operatively presented less severe and stable lesions; thus, the incidence of complications in this group was found to be lower. On the other hand, those patients with complex lesions underwent debridement and external fixation. Therefore, a greater number of infectious complications in patients submitted to external fixation was found, as expected.

Firearm-Related Fractures: Epidemiology and Infection Rate / Fraturas causadas por armas de fogo: Epidemiologia e taxa de infecção

Abstract Objective To investigate the incidence of infection in patients with gunshot-related fractures, and to correlate this finding with the occurrence of surgical debridement in the emergency room. Methods A retrospective, observational, descriptive study that included all cases of fractures caused by firearms between January 2010 and December 2014; 245 fractures in 223 patients were included. Results There was surgical-site infection in 8.5% of the fractures, and the mean number of debridements required to control the infectious process was of 1.273 ± 0.608. A correlation was identified between the surgical treatment chosen and the affected body segment (p< 0.001). The surgical treatment in the emergency room had a correlation with the occurrence of infection (p< 0.001; Chi-squared test). Conclusion Patients with gunshot injuries treated non-operatively presented less severe and stable lesions; thus, the incidence of complications in this group was found to be lower. On the other hand, those patients with complex lesions underwent debridement and external fixation. Therefore, a greater number of infectious complications in patients submitted to external fixation was found, as expected.

Resumo Objetivo Investigar a incidência de infecção em pacientes com fraturas por arma de fogo, e correlacionar esse achado com a ocorrência de desbridamento cirúrgico na sala de emergência. Métodos Estudo retrospectivo, observacional e descritivo, que incluiu todos os casos de fraturas causadas por armas de fogo entre janeiro de 2010 e dezembro de 2014; foram incluídas 245 fraturas em 223 pacientes. Resultados Houve infecção do local cirúrgico em 8,5% das fraturas, e a média de desbridamentos necessários para controlar o processo infeccioso foi de 1,273 ± 0,608. Foi identificada correlação entre o tratamento cirúrgico escolhido e o segmento corporal afetado (p< 0,001). O tratamento cirúrgico na sala de emergência teve correlação com a ocorrência de infecção (p< 0,001; teste do qui-quadrado). Conclusão Pacientes com ferimentos à bala tratados de forma não operatória apresentaram lesões menos graves e estáveis; portanto, a incidência de complicações nesse grupo foi menor. Por outro lado, os pacientes com lesões complexas foram aqueles submetidos a desbridamento e fixação externa. Portanto, como esperado, foi encontrado um maior número de complicações infecciosas em pacientes submetidos à fixação externa.

Radioulnar joint reconstruction: a novel surgical technique and biomechanical assessment for chronic instability.

PURPOSE: This study aims to describe and biomechanically evaluate a novel technique using a strip of the flexor carpi ulnaris tendon for distal radioulnar joint reconstruction. METHODS: Surgical technique was thoroughly detailed, and a cadaveric biomechanical test was conducted to evaluate sagittal plane stability. Pronosupination range of motion was measured before and after the procedure. Dorsal and volar translation resistances were checked in three situations: with the uninjured triangular fibrocartilage complex, after its complete resection and after the surgical procedure. RESULTS: For distal radioulnar joint translation, higher values were found both in dorsal and volar translation in situations with an injured triangular fibrocartilage complex, with means equal to 25.4 mm (SD: 9.4 mm) and 26.1 mm (SD: 8.0 mm), respectively. For intact triangular fibrocartilage complex, both dorsal and volar translations averages were 3.4 mm (SD: 0.9 mm) and 4.5 mm (SD: 1.8 mm), respectively. Finally, when evaluating dorsal and volar translations after surgical reconstruction, means were 6.3 mm (SD: 1.3 mm) and 6.8 mm (SD: 0.9 mm), respectively. Regarding supination and pronation range of motion, which ranged from 57.9 to 63.4o, there were no differences in mean and median measures, when the cadavers with intact and reconstructed triangular fibrocartilage complex were compared (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Promising mechanical evaluations encourage us to hypothesize that the technique effectively reconstructs the dorsal and volar radioulnar ligaments, preserving pronosupination and maintaining the physiological characteristics of the wrist joint. Clinical comparative studies are still necessary to fully validate this procedure. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic - Level V.

Anatomical femoral tunnel positioning in the medial patellofemoral ligament reconstruction: is the free-hand technique accurate?

BACKGROUND: During medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL) reconstruction, achieving anatomical positioning of the femoral and patellar origins is important for restoration of patellofemoral biomechanics. Although visual and manual detection can also be used to determine the femoral point of the MPFL, minimal research exists regarding accuracy of this method. Our aim was to evaluate the accuracy of free-hand method in determining the femoral point of the MPFL during surgery. METHODS: A prospective analysis was completed with 19 patients (20 knees), age ranging 15 to 39 years, in whom, three orthopedic surgeons with experience in knee procedures performed surgical reconstruction of the MPFL. MPFL femoral origin was accessed in a free-hand technique and a strict lateral view of the knee was then obtained. If the selected point was not considered appropriate, a better position was identified following the criteria set forth by Schottle. RESULTS: In a mean clinical follow-up of 2.3±1.3 years, anatomical point was achieved using the free-hand palpation method in seven knees (28.5%). Among the thirteen knees for whom the anatomical point was not attained without fluoroscopy, the mean error pattern found was 27.5%±8.6% for proximal (P-D axis) and 24%±6.3% for anterior in the posterior-anterior axis. The average error (difference between the marked point and the anatomical point) was 20.6%±5.9% (P=0.98) for the distal-proximal axis and 15.9%±6.1% (P=0.77) for the posterior-anterior axis. CONCLUSIONS: The anatomical palpation technique showed low accuracy, even when performed by experienced surgeons. The most common error pattern observed was proximal and anterior.

Reliability of the Arthroscopic Classifications of Hip Chondral Lesions.

Objective To evaluate the inter- and intraobserver reliability of the Outerbridge, Beck, and Haddad classifications for acetabular joint cartilage lesions through the arthroscopic procedure. Methods A total of 60 hip arthroscopy videos were evaluated twice by 4 surgeons at 2 different times to assess the inter- and intraobserver reproducibility of the classifications, and the data was analyzed by means of the weighted Cohen Kappa index. Results The mean weighted Kappa values in the interobserver assessment of the Outerbridge, Beck, and Haddad classifications were, respectively, 0.72, 0.78, and 0.68. The three classifications were considered as presenting good interobserver agreement. Regarding the intraobserver assessment of the Outerbridge, Beck, and Haddad classifications, the weighted Kappa values were, respectively, 0.9, 0.9, and 0.93. The three classifications were considered as presenting excellent intraobserver agreement. Conclusion In the present series, the Outerbridge, Beck, and Haddad classifications presented good interobserver reproducibility and excellent intraobserver reproducibility when evaluating acetabular chondral lesions by the arthroscopic approach.