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Background: A variety of methods are available for the fixation of femoral shaft fractures after total hip arthroplasty. However, few studies in the literature have quantified the performance of such repair constructs. The aim of this study was to evaluate biomechanically four different constructs for the fixation of periprosthetic femoral shaft fractures following total hip arthroplasty. Methods: Twenty synthetic femora were tested in axial compression, lateral bending, and torsion to determine initial stiffness, as well as stiffness following fixation of a simulated femoral midshaft fracture with and without a bone gap. Four fracture fixation constructs (five specimens per group) were assessed: construct A was a Synthes locked plate (a twelve-hole broad dynamic compression plate) with locked screws; construct B, a Synthes locked plate (a twelve-hole broad dynamic compression plate) with cables and locked screws; construct C, a Zimmer nonlocking (eight-hole) cable plate with cables and nonlocked screws; and construct D, a Zimmer nonlocking (eight-hole) cable plate with allograft strut, cables, and nonlocked screws. Axial stiffness, lateral bending stiffness, and torsional stiffness were assessed with respect to baseline intact specimen values. Axial load to failure was also measured for the specimens. Results: Construct D demonstrated either equivalent or superior stiffness in all testing modes compared with the other constructs in femora with both a midshaft fracture and a bone gap. A comparison of constructs A, B, and C demonstrated equivalent stiffness in all test modes (with one exception) in femora with a midshaft fracture and a bone gap. Conclusions: A combination of a nonlocking plate with an allograft strut (construct D) resulted in the highest stiffness of the constructs examined for treating a periprosthetic fracture around a stable femoral component of a total hip replacement. Clinical Relevance: A locked plate (constructs A and B) should be used with caution as a stand-alone treatment for the fixation of a periprosthetic femoral shaft fracture following total hip arthroplasty, particularly with good bone stock.

Background: Many treatments for osteonecrosis of the femoral head, including the use of a free vascularized fibular graft, have been advocated in an attempt to delay the need for hip arthroplasty. The purpose of this study was to document the clinical and radiographic results of total hip arthroplasty performed following failure of a free vascularized fibular grafting procedure. Methods: Twenty total hip arthroplasties in eighteen patients who had previously undergone a free vascularized fibular grafting procedure for the treatment of osteonecrosis were retrospectively reviewed. A straight-stem femoral component was used in twelve hips, a tapered femoral component with removal of residual fibular graft was used in five hips, and a tapered stem without graft removal was used in three hips. The twelve hips with a straight-stem femoral component and previous vascularized fibular grafting were compared with thirty-six osteonecrotic hips in thirty other patients who had undergone total hip arthroplasty but had not had previous free vascularized fibular grafting. The radiographic outcomes with respect to initial femoral component alignment and subsequent migration and the clinical outcomes were compared. Results: Analysis of the immediate postoperative radiographs demonstrated significantly improved alignment of the femoral component when a high-speed burr had been used to remove residual fibular graft (p = 0.001), although doing so did significantly increase both the intraoperative blood loss (p = 0.017) and the operative time (p = 0.0002). There was no significant difference in the amount of migration of either the acetabular or the femoral component between the control and study groups at the time of the most recent follow-up. When comparing patients with or without a previous free vascularized fibular graft, the mean postoperative scores at three years were significantly worse in patients who had undergone a previous free vascularized fibular graft (p = 0.03). One revision occurred in the study group at seventy-two months due to acetabular wear, and one revision occurred in the control group at 108 months due to aseptic loosening. Conclusions: This study raises concern that the outcome of total hip arthroplasty in patients who previously underwent a free vascularized fibular graft for the treatment of osteonecrosis of the femoral head may be worse than that in patients without previous free vascularized fibular grafting. The intraoperative use of a high-speed burr can improve the alignment of the femoral component by removing more of the residual graft. However, this technique does increase intraoperative blood loss and operative time. Level of Evidence: Therapeutic Level IV. See Instructions to Authors on [jbjs.org][1] for a complete description of levels of evidence. [1]: http://jbjs.org

Background: Little is known about factors that might predict functional outcome following revision hip arthroplasty. The purpose of this study was to identify predictors of pain and physical function at two years following revision total hip arthroplasty and to evaluate whether the time that the patient waited for the surgery and whether the patient had complications were significant predictors of outcome. Methods: One hundred and twenty-six patients (126 hips) were entered prospectively into the study when their name was placed on the waiting list for surgery. Baseline measures included demographic factors, comorbidities, and the responses to the Short Form-36 (SF-36) and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis (WOMAC) questionnaires. Follow-up was carried out at six-month intervals while the patient was waiting for the surgery; within one week prior to the surgery; and at six, twelve, and twenty-four months after the surgery. Patient age and gender, the preoperative WOMAC pain and function scores, the physical and mental component scores of the SF-36, comorbidities, the number of revisions, bilateral joint replacement, and the severity of the revision were evaluated as possible predictors of ultimate pain and function as measured with the WOMAC instrument. Results: The mean age of the patients was 68.6 years. Improvement in WOMAC pain and function scores plateaued at six months. The mean pain score (and standard deviation) improved from 9.4 ± 4.1 points preoperatively to 3.9 ± 3.9 points at six months postoperatively, and the mean function score improved from 35.4 ± 14.1 to 19.1 ± 13.2 points. Preoperative pain (p = 0.002) and comorbidity (p = 0.02) were significant predictors of pain at two years. There was a trend toward preoperative function predicting function at twenty-four months (p = 0.07). There was no significant deterioration in the WOMAC pain or function score while the patients waited for surgery. Twenty-eight patients had complications. When the time that the patient waited for the surgery and complications were added to the models, only complications were found to be predictive of outcome (p = 0.04 for pain and p = 0.05 for function). Four patients required repeat revision during the follow-up period. Conclusions: Patients with better preoperative pain scores and fewer comorbidities have better outcomes following revision total hip arthroplasty. Although the time that the patient waited for the revision was not predictive of the ultimate WOMAC pain and function scores, we believe that performing revision arthroplasty before the patient has substantial functional compromise potentially improves the outcome. Level of Evidence: Prognostic Level I. See Instructions to Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

All of the current modalities have a place in the treatment of diaphyseal humeral fractures. Functional bracing renders a high rate of union and seems to be a safe method of treatment for most closed fractures. Type II and III open fractures seem to respond best to plate fixation or external fixation, particularly when there are associated neural or vascular pathologic findings. Patients with polytrauma who are unable to walk are also best treated with plate fixation. Plate fixation is also the best method of treatment when adequate alignment cannot be obtained with nonsurgical methods. Intramedullary nailing remains controversial because its complication rate is higher than that associated with either plate fixation or functional bracing. None of the treatments described is a panacea, and complications may occur with each one of them. An appropriate appreciation of the biologic response to the three modalities; an understanding of the indications, contraindications, and possible complications of the treatments; and a mastery of the techniques of application are essential for the attainment of satisfactory clinical results.

Background: The Patient-Specific Index is unique in that it reflects how individual patients weigh concerns in rating the outcome of total hip arthroplasty. The Patient-Specific Index was originally administered by an interviewer, which is not always feasible and can be costly. The purposes of the present study were (1) to create a self-reported version of the Patient-Specific Index, (2) to determine the reliability of this new self-reported version, and (3) to determine the relationship between the scores on the new self-reported version and those on the original interviewer-administered version. Methods: A self-reported version of the Patient-Specific Index was developed, and a pilot test was performed on ten patients. Patients who were scheduled for a total hip arthroplasty or who had recently had a total hip arthroplasty were eligible for the reliability and validity testing. A copy of the new self-reported Patient-Specific Index was mailed to the patients, and they completed it independently. The patients' ratings of the importance and severity of twenty-four concerns prior to total hip arthroplasty were added together to create a summary Patient-Specific Index score. To determine test-retest reliability, patients completed the self-reported Patient-Specific Index a second time, two weeks later. To determine criterion validity, participants also completed the interviewer-administered Patient-Specific Index. Results: Fifty-five patients completed the study. The random-effects intraclass correlation test-retest coefficient was 0.79 (greater than 0.75 represents excellent reliability). The mean Patient-Specific Index scores on the self-reported version and on the interviewer-administered version were 173 and 165 points, respectively (Student t test, p = 0.45). The self-reported Patient-Specific Index was concordant with the interviewer-administered Patient-Specific Index (intraclass correlation coefficient, 0.78). Conclusions: We concluded that a self-reported version of the Patient-Specific Index, which focuses on the concerns of individuals, is reliable and has criterion validity compared with an interviewer-administered version.

The reported prevalence of injury of the urinary tract among patients who have sustained a pelvic fracture has ranged from approximately 10 per cent (five of forty-seven fractures) to 15 per cent (seventeen of 117 fractures)1-4,8,9. Certain types of pelvic fractures, including those resulting from lateral compression and vertical shear injuries, have been associated with intraperitoneal and extraperitoneal rupture of the bladder as well as urethral injury4,6,7,15. The mechanism of injury is usually direct laceration by fracture fragments or stretching and tearing of the wall of the bladder during deformation of the pelvic ring at the time of the injury2,3,8. Retrograde cystography and urethrography are the radiographic procedures that usually are used to confirm the diagnosis of an injury of the urinary tract1,9,15. Despite the high prevalence of injury of the urinary tract associated with pelvic trauma, entrapment of the bladder or other viscera at the site of the fracture is surprisingly rare and only a few instances have been reported5,10-12. We describe the case of a patient who had entrapment of the urinary bladder at the site of an acetabular fracture; the entrapment was diagnosed with use of computerized tomography and was treated with operative extrication at the time of internal fixation of the fracture. To our knowledge, diagnosis of entrapment of the bladder with use of computerized tomography has not been reported previously. A twenty-four-year-old man was driving a light truck at high speed when it hit a pole. He was admitted to our hospital approximately twenty-five minutes after the injury. On examination in the trauma room, the patient was in shock and had …