Operative treatment of acute displaced intra-articular calcaneus fractures.

A retrospective study of 18 operatively treated calcaneal fractures was conducted. The fractures were all type II and type III fractures according to the classification system of Crosby et al. The average follow-up was 32 months and consisted of subjective and objective criteria. The findings were compared with the results of nonoperative treatment reported by Crosby et al. The findings suggests that type II fractures have a similar outcome when either operative or nonoperative treatment is used. Type III fractures, however, fared considerably better with operative intervention when compared with those treated with nonoperative techniques.

Cranial morphometry related to placement of tongs in the temporoparietal area for cervical traction.

The optimal placement of cervical traction tong pins to avoid cranial penetration or tong pull-off is not well established. Cranial thickness and transverse diameter in the temporoparietal area we believe to be important variables: The former was measured on 10 embalmed cadaveric specimens, the latter on 20 cleaned skeletal specimens. For each specimen, measurements were obtained at 29 points arranged within a 5 x 9-cm rectangular region above the external auditory canal. Within this region, no significant thickness variations occurred, except for one point each at the extreme posterocephalad and posterocaudad corners. Transverse diameters were constant in the area just above the pinna and gradually decreased in the anterior, posterior, and cephalad directions. No outward-flaring temporal ridge was found. We recommend pin placement just above the pinna. Anteroposterior position should probably be determined by the amount, if any, of flexion or extension desired.