Closed retrograde multiple intramedullary Kirschner wires fixation for humeral shaft fractures with the limb flexed over an articulated support.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the results of multiple closed intramedullary Kirschner wiring via a supracondylar entry point for humeral shaft fractures. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The charts of 37 patients with humeral shaft fractures treated with the Hackethal's technique between January 2007 and December 2011 were reviewed retrospectively. The operation was performed with the patient lying in supine (n = 22) or lateral (n = 15) position. The elbow was flexed over an articulated support with the arm kept in a vertical position. Thirty-three patients were available for final evaluation with a mean follow-up delay of 14 (range, 6-24) months. We were concerned about fracture union, range of motion of the shoulder and the elbow, and complications. Final evaluation used the criteria by Qidwai. RESULTS: Bone union rate was 94%. Restriction of ranges of motion of the shoulder more than 20° was noticed in two patients due to protruding wires. Three patients developed limitation of elbow extension owing to backing out of the wires. The overall results were excellent (n = 26; 79%), good (n = 4; 12%), and poor (n = 3; 9%). CONCLUSION: Closed Hackethal's technique using K-wires gives satisfactory results in terms of bone union and elbow and shoulder function in selected humeral shaft fractures. The articulated support precludes the transolecranon traction.

Bösch technique for hallux valgus surgery in a tropical setting.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the early clinical and radiological results using the Bösch technique to treat hallux valgus. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We reviewed retrospectively four patients with 6 feet undergoing the Bösch technique for mild and moderate hallux valgus from 2009 to 2012 with an average follow-up of 10.8 months. All patients complained of pain around the first metatarsophalangeal joint. They had cosmetic concerns, and difficulty in wearing shoes. At final follow-up patients were asked about the improvement of pain, cosmetic appearance of the foot, problems with wearing shoes, the ability to walk, and their satisfaction with the operation. Complications encountered were also recorded. The radiographic evaluation considered osteotomy site union, the hallux valgus angle, and the intermetatarsal angle. RESULTS: All patients complained of mild or no pain. They had a satisfactory cosmetic result, wore normal shoes without problems with no limitation of walking ability. They were satisfied with the procedure. One case of superficial infection was noticed. All osteotomies healed primarily within three months. The average hallux valgus angle improved from 32.7° preoperatively to 14.8° at final follow-up and the average intermetatarsal angle from 17.5° to 9.2°. CONCLUSION: The Bösch technique is a cost effective procedure that yields good clinical and radiological results while correcting mild and moderate symptomatic hallux valgus with reduced risk of surgery related complications.

Primary aneurysmal bone cyst of the patella: a case report.

An aneurysmal bone cyst is rare in the patella. We report the case of a 28-year-old woman who presented with chronic pain and no previous trauma history. Treatment included curettage of the cyst and filling with a corticocancellous graft. Thirty-one months after surgery, the knee was mobile and painless and graft incorporation was good.

Floating knee with ipsilateral floating hip injury equivalent variant: a Case report

This report describes a rare case of concomitant ipsilateral pelvic disruption; hip dislocation; a femoral shaft fracture; supra and intercondylar fracture of the femur; and tibial shaft fracture in ayoung man who suffered a fall from a moving truck. The hip dislocation was reduced under general anaesthesia with a closed procedure. Both femoral shaft and distal femoral fractures were reduced and stabilised with a Judet screw-plate via a posterolateral approach to the femur. The other fractures were treated conservatively. Emphasis was placed on the complex injury around the hip.The surgical management of this constellation of injuries combining a floating knee and a variant of floating hip is discussed in the light of the current principles of management of a multiply injuredpatient. The authors propose the inclusion of the peculiar injury pattern occurred around the hip in the existing classification systems for floating hip