Free-hand distal locking of intramedullary nails: How to quickly achieve perfect circles without specific instrumentation.

INTRODUCTION: Intramedullary locked nails are mainly used for the fixation of mid-shaft fractures in the long bones. But inserting the distal locking screws by the free-hand technique may require high exposure to radiation. Our method achieves perfect circles on radiographs on the first attempt for lower limb fractures without any specific instrumentation. SURGICAL TECHNIQUE: We applied a geometric principle in which two lines perpendicular to another line are parallel to each other. Proximal locking, whether it is done or not, serves as a guide for the first perpendicular line to the nail. The fluoroscopy unit is aligned along the drill sleeve or the screwdriver left in place to achieve perfect circles on the first attempt. DISCUSSION: This technique is simple, reliable, and reproducible. It does not require any specific instrumentation, allows the surgeon to choose any manufacturer's nail and reduces the operating room staff's exposure to radiation.

Compared efficiency of trauma versus scheduled orthopaedic surgery operating rooms in a university hospital.

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to contribute to an OR efficiency optimisation effort by comparing a trauma OR versus a scheduled surgery OR in a lower limb orthopaedic surgery department. HYPOTHESIS: The main hypothesis is that efficiency is lower in the trauma OR than in the scheduled surgery OR. The secondary hypothesis is that efficiency of the trauma OR is lower during weekends. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This prospective study was conducted in 2016 in the orthopaedic surgery department of a university hospital. Patients were divided into three groups based on whether they underwent scheduled surgery (SchOS), trauma surgery on a weekday (TSwk), or trauma surgery on a weekend (TSwkend). Actual OR occupancy time, allocated OR block time (BT), OR occupancy rate, patient entrance-to-incision time, incision-to-closure time, closure-to-post-anaesthesia care unit (PACU) entrance time, and clean-up/set-up time (T4) were measured. RESULTS: We included 691 patients in the SchOS group, 819 in the TSwk group, and 327 in the TSwkend group. OR efficiency was lower in the TSwk group compared to the SchOS group (occupancy rate, 86% vs. 88%; p=10-4). All occupancy time components were longer in the TSwk group. However, each component accounted for similar total occupancy time proportions in the two groups, except for clean-up/set-up time, which was longer in the TSwk group (p<0.05). On average, entrance-to-incision time accounted for 31%, incision-to-closure time for 34%, closure-to-PACU time for 18%, and clean-up/set-up time for 17% of total occupancy time. Efficiency was lower in the TSwkend group than in the TSwk group (occupancy rate, 75% vs. 86%; p=10-4). The TSwkend group had shorter entrance-to-incision and incision-to-closure times (p<0.05) and a nearly 10% longer clean-up/set-up time (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Efficiency of the trauma OR, although lower compared to the scheduled orthopaedic surgery OR, was nevertheless satisfactory as assessed based on standard indicators. Of the four total occupancy time components, the first three accounted for similar proportions of the total; differences occurred only for clean-up/set-up time. Efforts to improve OR efficiency should focus on arrival of the first patient and turnover time. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: II, prospective cohort study.