The use of flexible nails in the treatment of paediatric long bone fractures: Experience at a level one paediatric trauma centre, a cohort study.

Introduction: Fractures occur in children at an incidence only surpassed by women >85 years and account for 25 % of paediatric injuries. Over the last three decades, there has been a trend towards operative management of children's fractures including utilisation of flexible nails as popularised by the Nancy group in the 1980s. Between 5 and 11 % of paediatric forearm fractures are now fixed in this manner with complication rates of 12-42 %. This study shares the experience of a paediatric level one major trauma centre using this technique in managing long bone fractures in children. Methods and materials: This retrospective cohort study comprises a sequential series of 109 cases (71 children) of upper and lower limb fractures in children (aged 16 years and below) who underwent fracture fixation using flexible intramedullary nails between 1st April 2015 and 31st March 2019. Radiological and clinical outcomes and complications were assessed. Results: Ninety-three cases (10 in the lower limb, 83 in the upper limb) satisfied the inclusion criteria in 57 children with a mean age of 8.6 years. All cases were successfully reduced intra-operatively and 92 (98.9 %) achieved union. Taking into account all complications in the upper and lower limb, the overall complication rate is 30.1 % (28 cases) with the vast majority (13 cases, 46.4 %) occurring in the upper limb due to prominence of metalwork prompting early removal. Conclusions: This study has shown flexible intramedullary nailing to perform well with good stabilisation of a wide variety of paediatric long bone fractures with restoration of bone alignment, satisfactory outcomes with good union rates and a return to normal function. The technique is also safe and in the upper limb can be performed as day-case surgery by a generalist orthopaedic surgeon. Although the overall complication rate is not insignificant, major complications are rare.

Association between Patellofemoral Anatomy and Chondral Lesions of the Knee in Patellofemoral Instability.

Chondral injury is a serious consequence of patellar dislocation and patellofemoral instability (PFI). There is limited data on the relationship between radiological features such as sulcus angle and patellar height to the presence, location, and severity of chondral lesions. The purpose of this study was to determine the association of anatomical variants in patellofemoral instability with injuries sustained due to patellar dislocation. A cohort of 101 patients who had four or more episodes of dislocation or instability undergoing isolated arthroscopy or arthroscopies at the time of corrective realignment surgery were identified. The prevalence of chondral, ligamentous, and meniscal injuries was determined and correlated to the sulcus angle, tibial tubercle trochlear groove distance, and patellar height on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans. A total of 101 patients was identified. At arthroscopy, the patella demonstrated the highest incidence of chondral injury (68%) followed by the trochlear groove (40%). Lateral meniscal injuries were noted in 6% of patients, medial meniscal injuries in 2%, and anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury in 3%. Chondral injuries were graded using the Outerbridge criteria and there was a correlation between more severe chondral injuries and a greater tilt angle (p = 0.05). The occurrence of injury to the lateral meniscus was associated with a higher Insall-Salvati ratio (p = 0.05). More severe chondral injuries are seen in patients with a greater tilt angle.

Management of Haemarthrosis in Patients On Oral Anticoagulants.

Aims: Our aim was to investigate the management of patients who were admitted to hospital with an acute haemarthrosis whilst taking oral anticoagulants, and highlight the outcomes of different management strategies. Methods: A retrospective review was performed of all orthopaedic admissions over a 42-month period (January 2015-July 2018) to the Orthopaedic Department of a London District General Hospital. All patients admitted with a spontaneous joint haemarthrosis and concomitant use of oral anticoagulants was identified. Anonymised data was placed on a secure trust database. Findings: A total of 31 patients were included. 22 patients (71%) had their anticoagulant temporarily held during admission. 9 patients (32%) had their anticoagulation reversed with 10 mg of vitamin K. 5 patients had their haemarthrosis aspirated either on admission or during their hospital stay. The overall mean length of stay in patients with a haemarthrosis was 7.0 days. The mean length of stay in patients who had their anticoagulation held was 8.6 days. In contrast, patients who continued taking their anticoagulation were found to have an average length of stay of 2.3 days. No patients suffered a thrombotic event in the 60 days following discharge. No adverse events were recorded following joint aspiration. Conclusion: There is currently no consensus on the management of haemarthrosis in patients on oral anticoagulants. Continuing the anticoagulants did not increase length of hospital stay. Further research may focus on assessing the effect of management adjuncts on patient outcomes and their cost effectiveness to aid the development of local and/or national guidelines.

Procedure-Specific Arthroscopic Simulation Using 3-Dimensional Printing.

Surgical simulation offers a solution to the problems of reduced training time and surgical exposure by allowing trainees to develop surgical skills outside of the operating room in a safe, cost-effective environment. We developed a highly detailed, procedure-specific shoulder arthroscopy simulator using 3-dimesional printing with the aim of providing greater access to cost-effective simulation support to trainees.