Search

Excessive fracture site collapse and shortening in intertrochanteric femur fractures alter hip biomechanics and patient outcomes. The purpose of the study was to compare extent of collapse in cephalomedullary nails with blades or lag screws. We hypothesized that there would be no difference in collapse between helical blades and lag screws. Retrospective cohort study. Single U.S. Level I Trauma Center. 171 consecutive patients treated with cephalomedullary nails with either lag screw or blade for AO/OTA 31A1-3 proximal femur fractures and minimum 3-month follow-up. Lag screw or helical blade in a cephalomedullary nail. The primary outcome was fracture site collapse at 3 months. There was a significantly higher proportion of reverse-oblique and transverse intertrochanteric femur fractures (31-A3) in the lag screw group (15/42 vs 25/129). A3 patterns were associated with more collapse. There was significantly less collapse in the blade group (median 4.7 mm, inter-quartile range 2.5–7.8 mm) than the screw group (median 8.4 mmm, inter-quartile range 3.7–11.2 mm, p 0.006). Median collapse was no different between blades and screws when comparing stable and unstable patterns. However, blades were independently associated with 2.5 mm less collapse (95%CI − 4.2, − 0.72 mm, p 0.006) and lower likelihood of excessive collapse (> 10 mm at 3 months, OR 0.3, 95% CI 0.13–0.74, p 0.007), regardless of fracture pattern. Helical blades are independently associated with significantly less collapse than lag screws in intertrochanteric proximal femur fractures, after adjusting for unstable fracture patterns. In fracture patterns at risk for collapse, surgeons can consider use of a helical blade due to its favorable sliding properties compared to screws.

Cephalomedullary nails are a commonly used implant for the treatment of many pertrochanteric femur fractures and are available in short and long configurations. There is no consensus on ideal nail length. Relative advantages can be ascribed to short and long intramedullary nails, yet both implant styles share the potentially devastating complication of peri-implant fracture. Determining the clinical sequelae after fractures below nails of different lengths would provide valuable information for surgeons choosing between short or long nails. Thus, the purpose of the study was to compare injury patterns and treatment outcomes following peri-implant fractures below short or long cephalomedullary nails. This was a multicenter retrospective cohort study that identified 33 patients referred for treatment of peri-implant fractures below short and long cephalomedullary nails (n = 19 short, n = 14 long). We compared fracture pattern, treatment strategy, complications, and outcomes between these two groups. Short nails were associated with more diaphyseal fractures (odds ratio [OR] 13.75, CI 2.2–57.9, p 0.002), which were treated more commonly with revision intramedullary nailing (OR, infinity; p 0.01), while long nails were associated with distal metaphyseal fractures (OR 13.75, CI 2.2–57.9, p 0.002), which were treated with plate and screw fixation (p 0.002). After peri-implant fracture, there were no differences in blood loss, operative time, weight bearing status, or complication rates based on the length of the initial nail. In patients treated with revision nailing, there was greater estimated blood loss (EBL, median 300 cc, interquartile range [IQR] 250–1200 vs median 200 cc, IQR 100–300, p 0.03), blood product utilization and complication rates (OR 11.1, CI 1.1–135.7, p 0.03), but a trend toward unrestricted post-operative weight-bearing compared to patients treated with plate and screw constructs. Understanding fracture patterns and patient outcomes after fractures below nails of different lengths will help surgeons make more informed implant choices when treating intertrochanteric hip fractures. Revision to a long nail for the treatment of fractures at the tip of a short nail may be associated with increased patient morbidity.

Intra-articular screw cut-out is a potential complication of intertrochanteric femur fracture fixation with a cephalomedullary nail. Cement augmentation of fixation in the proximal segment offers the prospect of increased stability and fewer complications, but clinical experience with non-resorbable cement is limited. To determine the handling properties and efficacy of this new technique, we performed a retrospective propensity-matched cohort of forty-four geriatric intertrochanteric femur fractures treated with a cephalomedullary nail with (n = 11) or without (n = 33) augmentation with non-resorbable cement injected into the proximal segment. In the patients treated with cement augmentation, at minimum 3-month follow-up, there were no instances of intra-articular cut-out, and no increase in re-operation compared to conventional fixation. Cement augmentation appears to be safe and effective in geriatric intertrochanteric femur fractures to mitigate risk of cut-out.

The optimal management of valgus-impacted femoral neck fractures remains controversial. Internal fixation is associated with significant rates of re-operation, while historical non-operative management strategies consisting of prolonged bed rest also resulted in patient morbidity. Our hypothesis was that screw fixation would have comparable failure rates to non-operative treatment and immediate mobilization for valgus-impacted femoral neck fractures. Retrospective cohort at a single academic Level I trauma center of patients with valgus-impacted femoral neck fractures (AO/OTA 31-B1) treated with percutaneous screw fixation (n = 97) or non-operatively (n = 28). Operative treatment consisted of percutaneous screw fixation. Non-operative treatment consisted of early mobilization. The primary outcome was a salvage operation. Patient demographics were assessed between groups. More non-operatively treated patients were permitted unrestricted weight-bearing (WBAT; p = 0.002). There was no increase in complication rates or mortality, and return to previous ambulatory status was comparable between operatively and non-operatively treated patients. 35.7% (10/28) of non-operatively treated patients underwent a subsequent operation, compared to 15.5% (15/97) of patients with screw fixation (p = 0.03). Only WBAT was independently associated with treatment failure (OR 3.1, 95%CI 1.2–8.3, p =0.02). WBAT was predictive of treatment failure only in the non-operatively treated group (64.3%, 9/14 WBAT vs 8.3%, 1/12 partial, p =0.005). After controlling for weight-bearing restrictions, we found no difference in failure rates between non-operative treatment and screw fixation. Non-operative treatment with partial weight-bearing had low failure rates, comparable complication and mortality rates, and equivalent functional outcomes to operative treatment and is reasonable if a patient would like to avoid surgery and accepts the risk of subsequent arthroplasty. Overall, there were relatively high failure rates in all groups.

This study evaluated the influence of fracture obliquity and locking screw configuration on interfragmentary motion during torsional loading of distal metaphyseal tibial fractures fixed by intramedullary (IM) nailing. The stability of six IM nail locking screw configurations used to fix distal metaphyseal tibial fractures of various obliquities was evaluated. A coronal osteotomy from proximal lateral to distal medial was made in sawbone tibiae at different obliquities from 0° to 60°. After fixation, motion at the fracture was assessed during internal and external rotation tests to 7 Nm under two compressive loading conditions: 20 N and 500 N. With results organized by interlocking configuration, significant differences in interfragmentary rotation between fracture obliquities are observed when the number of interlocking screws is decreased to one distal static and one proximal dynamic during internal rotation. During external rotation testing, significant rotational differences between fracture obliquities are encountered with two distal static screws and one proximal dynamic. No significant differences were seen between different distal interlocking screw orientations (two parallel versus perpendicular distal screws) for all fracture obliquity patterns tested. Fracture obliquity influences rotational stability which can be mitigated by interlocking screw configurations when nailing distal tibia fractures. At least two distal and one proximal interlocking screw in a static mode is recommended to resist torsional loading of distal tibia fractures undergoing intramedullary nailing. The addition of more interlocking screws than this did not significantly alter control of torsional displacement with load.

This study examined the outcomes and complications after treatment of unstable distal clavicle fractures with hook or locking plate fixation. A retrospective search was performed of all acute distal clavicle fractures treated with open reduction and internal fixation from 2009 to 2019 at a Level I trauma center. Patients were separated into hook and locking plate fixation groups. Rates of union, complications, and reoperation, were extracted. QuickDASH (Disabilities of Arm, Shoulder, and Hand) scores were determined. Thirty-one patients met the inclusion criteria and were included in the study. Of these, 12 patients were treated with hook plates and 19 were treated with locking plates. All fractures healed without loss of reduction, regardless of implant selection. There were no immediate or long-term complications in either group. 83% of hook plate patients underwent planned implant removal, while 37% of locking plate patients requested implant removal secondary to irritation. QuickDASH scores were comparable and excellent in both groups. Hook and locking plate fixation for Neer type-II and type-V distal clavicle fractures have comparably high rates of union. Hook plates were removed routinely per protocol, while locking plates were removed only if symptomatic and occurred significantly less often.

Critical-sized bone defects are defined as those that will not heal spontaneously within a patient's lifetime. Current treatment options include vascularized bone grafts, distraction osteogenesis, and the induced membrane technique. The induced membrane technique is an increasingly utilized method with favorable results including high rates of union. Tissue engineering holds promise in the treatment of large bone defects due to advancement of stem cell biology, novel biomaterials, and 3D bioprinting. In this review, we provide an overview of the current operative treatment strategies of critical-sized bone defects as well as the current state of tissue engineering for such defects.