The epidemiology of proximal femur fractures during COVID-19 emergency in Italy: a multicentric study.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: After the first Italian case of Covid-19, the Government imposed the complete closure of all areas involved by the spread of the virus to contain transmissions. There was a massive reorganization of Hospitals, a stop of all elective activities and a convertion of many hospitals in "Covid Centers''. AITOG (Associazione Italiana Traumatologia e Ortopedia Geriatrica) conducted a retrospective study on all proximal femur fractures surgeries that occurred in this period, to find out whether the pandemic and the correlated lockdown somehow changed the incidence of these events.  Methods: 10 Italian orthopedic centers were involved in the study. Considering the geographic location, three groups were created (North, Centre and South). The considered period is the Italian "Phase 1" (February 23rd - May 3rd 2020). RESULTS: the cohort is composed of 412 patients, 116 male and 296 female (mean age 81.1 ± 9.1 years). The same period of 2019 has been used as control group, with 558 patients, 156 male and 402 female (mean age 84.2 ± 8.0 years). In 2020 we counted 323 (78.4%) fractures occurred at home, 61 (14.8%) in retirement houses and 28 (6.8%) in different locations. We mainly treated fractures with intramedullary nails (n.237 57.5%). Among all patients we had 46 (11.1%) Covid-19 positive. The mortality rate within 30 days was of 51 patients (12.4%); 23 of these died because of complications related to Covid-19 while 31 of  these were in treatment with anticoagulant/antiaggregant. CONCLUSIONS: AITOG analysis demonstrates a decrease in surgical interventions for proximal femur fractures from 2019 to 2020, a reduction in patients mean age and an increase in trauma occurred in domestic environment. We also registered a consistent difference between the North, Center and South of the Country.

Bosch osteotomy and scarf osteotomy for hallux valgus correction.

Minimally invasive distal metatarsal osteotomies are becoming broadly accepted for correction of hallux valgus. We compared the duration of surgery, the length of hospital stay, the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) score, and the Foot and Ankle Outcome Score (FAOS) in 36 patients who underwent a minimal incision subcapital osteotomy of the first metatarsal with 36 matched patients who had hallux valgus corrected by a scarf technique. The minimum follow-up was 2.1 years (mean, 2.5 years; range, 2.1-3.2 years). Patients having the osteotomy had similar AOFAS and FAOS scores with less operating time and earlier discharge. Less operative time may benefit the patients, and earlier discharge has financial implications for the hospital.

[Southwick osteotomy in stable slipped capital femoral epiphysis: a long-term outcome study]. / Stabil femur basi epifiz kaymasinda Southwick osteotomisi: Uzun dönem sonuçlar.

OBJECTIVES: Moderate to severe chronic stable slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE) produce permanent irregularities in the femoral head and acetabulum. We report a single centre long-term outcome study of Southwick's procedure for the management of moderate or severe stable chronic SCFE with irregularity of the femoral head. METHODS: In the period from January 1978 to January 1990, 20 patients (16 girls, 4 boys; mean age 13 years; range 11 to 15 years) underwent 22 Southwick osteotomies for chronic stable SCFE with closure or partial closure of the growth plate and a slip between 30 degrees and 70 degrees . All osteotomies were performed by the same surgeon. Patients were followed-up for an average of 22 years (range 16 to 28 years). RESULTS: External rotation deformity was corrected, and the Trendelenburg sign was hardly observable in any of the patients from six months of surgery. Radiographically, all patients showed full consolidation of the osteotomy within two months of surgery. There was no further epiphyseal slipping. We did not encounter any infection or avascular necrosis. Only one patient developed chondrolysis, which resolved fully in eight months. At the latest follow-up, no limb length discrepancy was seen in 18 patients, while two patients had a mean of 0.8 cm shortening. Eight patients (36.4%) showed radiographic evidence for degenerative joint disease, but none were symptomatic. CONCLUSION: The management of chronic stable (moderate to severe) SCFE by Southwick's osteotomy is safe, but technically demanding. It affords good predictable outcome with a low complication rate.

Minimally invasive hallux valgus correction: a technical note and a feasibility study.

Hallux valgus surgery aims to correct the nonphysiological angulation of the first ray and rebalance its function. Many techniques are reported, each with different indications depending on the pathoanatomy of the deformity. This article presents a minimally invasive distal metatarsal osteotomy technique, requiring no custom instrumentation. The operation is performed under direct vision and without fluoroscopy.