Secondary Bony Defects after Soft Tissue Reconstruction in Limb-Threatening Lower Extremity Injuries: Does the Approach to Flap Elevation Matter?

BACKGROUND: Limb-threatening lower extremity injuries often require secondary bone grafting after soft tissue reconstruction. We hypothesized that there would be fewer wound complications when performing secondary bone grafting via a remote surgical approach rather than direct flap elevation. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was performed at a single Level 1 trauma center comparing complications after secondary bone grafting in patients who had undergone previous soft tissue reconstruction after open tibia fractures between 2006 and 2020. Comparing bone grafting via a remote surgical incision versus direct flap elevation, we evaluated wound dehiscence requiring return to the operating room as the primary outcome. Secondary outcomes were deep infection and delayed amputation. RESULTS: We identified 129 patients (mean age: 40 years, 82% male) with 159 secondary bone grafting procedures. Secondary bone grafting was performed via a remote surgical approach in 54% (n = 86) and direct flap elevation in 46% (n = 73) of cases. Wound dehiscence requiring return to the operating room occurred in one patient in the flap elevation group (1%) and none of the patients in the remote surgical approach. The odds of deep wound infection (OR, 1.77; p = 0.31) or amputation (OR, 1.43; p = 0.73) did not significantly differ between surgical approaches. No significant differences were found in complications between the reconstructive surgeon elevating and re-insetting the flap and the orthopaedic trauma surgeon performing the flap elevation and re-inset. CONCLUSION: Direct flap elevation for secondary bone grafting after soft tissue reconstruction for open tibia fractures did not result in more complications than bone grafting via a remote surgical approach. These findings should reassure surgeons to allow other clinical factors to influence the surgical approach for bone grafting.

Risk Factors for Wound Failure After Primary Closure of Type IIIA Open Tibia Fractures.

The objective of our investigation was to explore risk factors associated with primary closure of type IIIA tibial fractures resulting in subsequent flap coverage. A retrospective study identified 278 patients with acute type IIIA open tibial fractures who underwent primary closure at a single center during an 8-year period. Treatment factors, including the number of debridements before closure, duration of external fixation, and timing of wound closure, were reported. The primary outcome was complication requiring unplanned operation of the study injury resulting in flap coverage. Fifty-five (20%) patients underwent flap coverage following complication after attempted primary closure. Patients who required a flap experienced a 42% complication rate after delayed flap coverage. The limb salvage rate was 95% for the study population. Three significant complication predictors were identified: 3 or more debridements before closure (odds ratio [OR], 29.8; 95% CI, 5.9-150.1; P<.001), wound closure more than 2 days after injury (OR, 9.8; 95% CI, 1.6-60.2; P=.01), and external fixation more than 14 days (OR, 7.3; 95% CI, 1.6-34.6; P=.01). Patients who had 3 or more debridements before closure had a 70.7% chance of having a complication resulting in a flap (29 of 41) compared with only a 6.8% chance of complication for those who had 2 or fewer debridements (14 of 205; P<.001). Risk factors for complication after primary closure of type IIIA open tibial fractures include number of debridements, wound closure after 2 days, and external fixation use for more than 14 days. Wounds requiring 3 or more debridements failed 70.7% after closure, suggesting alternative approaches should be considered in more severe cases. [Orthopedics. 2024;47(2):108-112.].

Preoperative Factors Associated With Worse PROMIS Pain Interference 2 Years After Hand and Wrist Surgery.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to identify preoperative factors associated with worse postoperative Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) pain interference (PI) scores 2 years after hand and wrist surgery. We hypothesized that older age, more comorbidities, increased substance use, and lower socioeconomic status would correlate with worse 2-year PROMIS PI scores. METHODS: This study was a retrospective review of prospectively acquired data on 253 patients. Surveys were administered within 1 week of surgery and 2 years postoperatively. Bivariate and multivariable analyses were conducted to identify significant predictors of worse 2-year PROMIS PI scores and change in PROMIS PI scores. RESULTS: Older age, higher body mass index, more comorbidities, lower preoperative expectations, more prior surgeries, unemployment, smoking, higher American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score, and multiple other socio-demographic factors were correlated with worse 2-year PROMIS PI scores (P ≤ .018). Similar factors were also correlated with less improvement in 2-year PROMIS PI scores (P ≤ .048). Worse scores on all preoperative patient-reported outcome measures correlated with worse 2-year PROMIS PI scores (P ≤ .007). Multivariable analysis identified smoking history, less frequent alcohol consumption, worse preoperative PROMIS social satisfaction and Numeric Pain Scale whole body scores, and higher ASA scores as independent predictors of worse 2-year PROMIS PI. The same factors in addition to better baseline PROMIS PI were predictive of less improvement in 2-year PROMIS PI. CONCLUSION: Numerous preoperative factors were predictive of worse postoperative 2-year PROMIS PI and less improvement in 2-year PROMIS PI for patients undergoing hand and wrist surgery.

Preoperative Expectations in Hand Surgery Patients.

Introduction Studies have shown a link between patients' preoperative expectations and their postoperative satisfaction. However, limited studies exist concerning patient factors associated with higher preoperative expectations in the hand surgery population. This study analyzed preoperative expectation scores of patients undergoing hand surgery and aimed to determine associated patient characteristics. Materials and Methods A total of 418 elective hand surgery patients aged 15 years and older enrolled in a prospectively collected orthopaedic registry from June 2015 to December 2018 were analyzed. Patients were administered preoperative questionnaires including six Patient-Reported Outcome Measurement Information System domains and other activity and pain scales. Expectation scores were measured using the six domains of the Musculoskeletal Outcomes Data Evaluation and Management System expectations questionnaire. Bivariate and multivariable analyses were conducted to identify independent predictors of higher expectations. Results Overall, patients had high expectations (≥ 80.0) of their hand surgery. Higher mean expectation scores were seen with females, college graduates, better baseline health status, and fewer prior hand surgeries ( p < 0.05 for all). No significant associations were found among the Common Procedural Terminology codes and expectations. Multivariable analysis confirmed that college degree ( p = 0.023) and less pain ( p = 0.008) were predictive of higher baseline expectations. Conclusion In sum, more educated patients with less pain at baseline and better baseline health status have higher expectations of their hand surgery. Hand surgeons can use these results to help focus their preoperative counseling and expectation management.

Financial Toxicity Is Common in Patients After Tibia Fracture.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the presence of financial distress and identify risk factors for financial toxicity in patients after tibial shaft fracture. DESIGN: A cross-sectional analysis. SETTING: Level I trauma center. PATIENTS: All patients within 4 years after tibial shaft fracture (open, closed, or fracture that required flap reconstruction). INTERVENTION: Injury-related financial distress. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: Financial distress related to the injury, as reported by the patient in a binary question. Financial toxicity using the LIMB-Q, scored from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating more financial toxicity. RESULTS: Data were collected from 142 patients after tibial shaft fracture [44% closed (n = 62), 41% open (n = 58), and 15% flap (n = 22)]. The mean age was 44 years (SD 17), 61% were men, and the mean time from injury was 15 months. Financial distress was reported by 64% of patients (95% confidence interval, 56% to 72%). Financial toxicity did not differ by fracture severity ( P = 0.12). Medical complications were associated with a 14-point increase in financial toxicity ( P = 0.04). Age older than 65 years (-15 points, P = 0.03) and incomes of $70,000 or more ($70,000-$99,999, -15 points, P = 0.02; >$100,000, -19 points, P < 0.01) protected against financial toxicity. CONCLUSION: We observed financial distress levels more than twice the proportion observed after cancer. Medical complications, lower incomes, and younger age were associated with increased financial toxicity. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Prognostic Level IV. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

What Outcomes Are Most Important to Patients Following a Lower Extremity Limb-threatening Injury?

OBJECTIVE: To determine what outcomes are most important to patients after a limb-threatening injury, and if those preferences vary based on the patients' treatment (salvage vs amputation), health, demographics, or time since injury. BACKGROUND: The preferences that motivate the patients' choice of treatment following a limb-threatening injury are poorly understood. Discrete choice experiments (DCEs) are a robust survey methodology to quantify preferences. METHODS: Patients with a history of traumatic limb-threatening injury, January 2010 to December 2020, completed a survey with our DCE and the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) questionnaire. The DCE attributes included recovery time, function, appearance, cost, and time in hospital. We used conditional logit modeling to estimate the relative importance of each attribute on a scale of 0% to 100%, determine willingness to pay for improvements in the included attributes, and assess variation in preferences based on patient characteristics, including PROMIS score. RESULTS: A total of 150 patients completed the survey (104 limb salvage, 46 amputation; mean age, 48±16 years; 79% male). Regaining preinjury function [relative importance=41%; 95% confidence interval (CI), 37%-45%] and minimizing costs (24%; 95% CI, 21%-28%) were of greatest importance. Changes in appearance were least important (7%; 95% CI, 5%-9%). The hierarchy of preferences did not vary between those who had limb salvage or amputation, but patient age, physical and mental health, and income were associated with preference variation. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with limb-threatening injuries most valued gains in function and reduced out-of-pocket costs.

Use of the HemaClear™ elastic tourniquet reduces blood loss in operative treatment of humeral shaft fractures.

BACKGROUND: To determine if the use of a narrower elastic tourniquet compared to a standard pneumatic tourniquet reduces operative blood loss in the operative fixation of humeral shaft fractures. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study was performed at a level I trauma center and included 134 patients, aged 18 to 90 years, with a humeral shaft fracture treated with open reduction internal fixation (ORIF) from January 2007 through June 2018. The primary variable of interest was the application of a HemaClear™ elastic tourniquet versus a standard pneumatic tourniquet during the fixation of a humeral shaft fracture. The primary outcome was estimated blood loss (EBL) during the humerus ORIF surgery as recorded in the operative record. The secondary outcomes were total tourniquet time and operative time. The primary purpose of the study was to compare the above outcomes between the two tourniquet types. RESULTS: Estimated blood loss was 42% lower (95% CI: 11% to 73%, p < 0.01) in the elastic tourniquet group when compared to the standard pneumatic tourniquet group. The use of the elastic tourniquet was also associated with a 67% increase (95% CI: 35% to 100%, p < 0.01) in tourniquet time compared to the standard pneumatic tourniquet. No difference in the total operative time between the two groups (difference, -3%; 95% CI: -21 to 14, p = 0.72) was observed. CONCLUSION: Elastic tourniquet use was associated with 42% less blood loss in the fixation of humeral shaft fractures compared to use of a traditional pneumatic tourniquet, although this may be of unclear clinical importance given the relatively low estimated blood loss in this cohort. The potential benefit of reduced blood loss associated with the narrower elastic tourniquet is likely caused by the increased tourniquet time, without a change in overall operative time.

Iatrogenic thrombosis of the deep inferior epigastric artery during diagnostic angiography-a rare complicating factor during rectus free flap harvest.

We describe a 28-year-old man who sustained an open IIIB left ankle fracture dislocation with heel pad avulsion. The patient underwent formal angiography of the left lower extremity, followed by free tissue transfer of a rectus abdominis flap several days later. Intraoperatively, a thrombus was identified in the deep inferior epigastric artery above the femoral artery access site requiring thrombectomy. Histologic analysis estimated the thrombus age at 12 to 72 hours, raising concern that the thrombus was induced during angiogram instrumentation. Donor and recipient site-specific risks of arterial instrumentation (including invasive diagnostics) should be considered when planning free tissue transfer.

Association of Radial Head Fracture Treatment With Long-Term Function.

BACKGROUND: Radial head fractures are often associated with poor outcomes. Both open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) and radial head arthroplasty (RHA) might be considered in operative cases. This study aimed to compare long-term patient-reported functional outcomes among patients with operatively treated radial head fractures. METHODS: A cross sectional study conducted at a Level I trauma center was used to identify patients with a radial head fracture who underwent ORIF or RHA between 2006 and 2018, and agreed to complete a survey in 2020. The primary outcome measure was the Quick Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (QuickDASH) score. RESULTS: Seventy-six patients participated in the study. No significant differences in outcomes were observed between groups. QuickDASH scores were similar for both groups (ORIF: mean = 15.7, SD = 18.4; RHA: mean = 22.8, SD = 18.6; mean difference = 0.2 [-9.0 to 9.3], P = .97). Nineteen (37%) ORIF patients and 12 (48%) RHA patients reported a need for pain medication (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 0.8 [0.3-2.4], P = .70). Thirteen (25%) ORIF patients and 6 (24%) RHA patients required additional surgery (adjusted OR = 1.7 [0.5-6.2], P = .39). A subgroup analysis of multi-fragmentary fractures revealed similar findings. CONCLUSION: Patient-reported outcomes, which included a subgroup analysis of multi-fragmentary fractures, were similar between ORIF and RHA groups at an average of 7.5 years from surgery. Reconstructing the radial head might not result in worse outcomes than RHA when both options are employed according to the best judgment of the operating surgeon.

Preoperative Opioid Use in Patients Undergoing Common Hand Surgeries.

BACKGROUND: The objectives of this study were to determine the baseline patient characteristics associated with preoperative opioid use and to establish whether preoperative opioid use is associated with baseline patient-reported outcome measures in patients undergoing common hand surgeries. METHODS: Patients undergoing common hand surgeries from 2015 to 2018 were retrospectively reviewed from a prospective orthopedic registry at a single academic institution. Medical records were reviewed to determine whether patients were opioid users versus nonusers. On enrollment in the registry, patients completed 6 Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) domains (Physical Function, Pain Interference, Fatigue, Social Satisfaction, Anxiety, and Depression), the Brief Michigan Hand Questionnaire (BMHQ), a surgical expectations questionnaire, and Numeric Pain Scale (NPS). Statistical analysis included multivariable regression to determine whether preoperative opioid use was associated with patient characteristics and preoperative scores on patient-reported outcome measures. RESULTS: After controlling for covariates, an analysis of 353 patients (opioid users, n = 122; nonusers, n = 231) showed that preoperative opioid use was associated with higher American Society of Anesthesiologists class (odds ratio [OR], 2.88), current smoking (OR, 1.91), and lower body mass index (OR, 0.95). Preoperative opioid use was also associated with significantly worse baseline PROMIS scores across 6 domains, lower BMHQ scores, and NPS hand scores. CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative opioid use is common in hand surgery patients with a rate of 35%. Preoperative opioid use is associated with multiple baseline patient characteristics and is predictive of worse baseline scores on patient-reported outcome measures. Future studies should determine whether such associations persist in the postoperative setting between opioid users and nonusers.

Assessing Soft Tissue Perfusion Using Laser-Assisted Angiography in Tibial Plateau and Pilon Fractures: A Pilot Study.

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether skin perfusion surrounding tibial plateau and pilon fractures is associated with the Tscherne classification for severity of soft tissue injury. The secondary aim was to determine if soft tissue perfusion improves from the time of injury to the time of definitive fracture fixation in fractures treated using a staged protocol. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. SETTING: Academic trauma center. PATIENTS: Eight pilon fracture patients and 19 tibial plateau fracture patients who underwent open reduction internal fixation. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Skin perfusion (fluorescence units) as measured by LA-ICGA. RESULTS: Six patients were classified as Tscherne grade 0, 9 as grade 1, 10 as grade 2, and 2 as grade 3. Perfusion decreased by 14 fluorescence units (95% confidence interval, -21 to -6; P < 0.01) with each increase in Tscherne grade. Sixteen patients underwent staged fixation with an external fixator (mean time to definitive fixation 14.1 days). The mean perfusion increased significantly at the time of definitive fixation by a mean of 13.9 fluorescence units (95% confidence interval 4.8-22.9; P = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: LA-ICGA perfusion measures are associated with severity of soft tissue injury surrounding orthopaedic trauma fractures and appear to improve over time when fractures are stabilized in an external fixator. Further research is warranted to investigate whether objective perfusion measures are predictive of postoperative wound healing complications and whether this tool can be used to effectively guide timing of safe surgical fixation. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Prognostic Level II. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Surgical Elbow Dislocation Approach to the Distal Humerus for Apparent Capitellar and Lateral Condyle Fractures in Adults.

OBJECTIVES: Access to fractures of the distal humeral capitellum, trochlea, and lateral condyle is difficult through traditional approaches due to limited anterior articular exposure for direct reduction and fixation. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the relative articular exposure of a surgical dislocation (SD) approach to the distal humerus compared with olecranon osteotomy (OO). METHODS: Eight paired elbows from 4 cadavers underwent either SD or OO approach. Methylene blue staining demarcated visualized articular surface before disarticulation of the elbows. The main outcome measures were average visualized total distal humeral articular surface and anterior and posterior surface, and capitellar surface relative to the total surfaces was compared for each surgical approach using unpaired parametric t-tests. RESULTS: Intraclass correlation between raters was 0.995. The median exposed articular surface for SD and OO approaches was 90.0% and 62.8%, respectively. The overall exposure was significantly greater for the dislocation technique (P = 0.0003). With respect to specific regions of the distal humeral articular surface, SD allowed significantly greater visualization of the anterior surface (95.9% vs. 48.9%, P < 0.0001) and capitellum (100% vs. 40.4%, P < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: The surgical elbow dislocation approach to the distal humerus permits near total exposure of the anterior articular surface and the entire capitellum. Our data support this approach for anterior articular fractures of the distal humerus, to include those fractures that extend to the medial surface of the trochlea.

Management of vasopressor induced ischemia.

PURPOSE: We evaluated a cohort of patients who developed vasopressor-induced limb ischemia and the management options to prevent progression or minimize morbidity of digital necrosis. METHODS: We reviewed all current literature on pressor-induced limb ischemia and report options for the management of patients requiring vasopressors who developed limb ischemia. We then retrospectively reviewed presentation, treatment, and short-term outcomes for patients at our tertiary referral academic medical center that developed this complication. Finally, we recommend guidelines for the tiered management of these complex patients. RESULTS: Thirty-six patients were included. Twenty-six patients (72%) required resuscitation with more than one vasopressor. Vasopressors were initiated for septic-shock (52.7%), cardiogenic-shock (16.7%), hypovolemic-shock (13.9%), acute transplant rejection (13.9%), and neurogenic-shock (2.8%). According to the tiered management recommendations, patients were managed with phase 1 care (19%), phase 2 care (8.3%), phase 3 care (50%) or phase 4 care (5.6%). The patient expired in the acute setting in 13.9% of cases. CONCLUSION: Life-saving vasopressors risk digital ischemia and necrosis. Early recognition, reporting, and treatment of this complication are important in minimizing morbidity. Using a tiered approach helps organize the healthcare team's management of this iatrogenic complication while respecting the treatment paradigm of "life over limb," and may be safely performed with acceptable outcomes.

Peroneal Artery-based Propeller Flap to Cover the Medial Distal Tibia in the Absence of the Posterior Tibial Artery.

A healthy 28-year-old woman restrained driver presented to the trauma unit post-MVC with significant vehicular intrusion. Examination demonstrated a 15-cm transverse wound over the medial malleolus and anterior ankle with exposed muscle, tendon, and bone without gross contamination. Her physical examination was otherwise unremarkable. Distal to the wound, there was no Doppler signal in either dorsalis pedis or posterior tibial arteries and the foot appeared cold with delayed cap refill. She was taken to the operating room urgently for debridement and irrigation, open reduction internal fixation of both distal tibia and fibular fractures, and supplemental external fixation application. The foot regained a normal color and capillary refill upon reduction, and biphasic Doppler signals returned.

Timing of Treatment of Open Fractures of the Distal Radius in Patients Younger Than 65 Years.

The authors aimed to characterize surgical and functional outcomes of open fractures of the distal radius in patients younger than 65 years. At their level I trauma center, the authors conducted a retrospective review of 92 patients (age range, 16-64 years) who had 94 open fractures of the distal radius (average follow-up, 30 months; range, 3-95 months). Sixty-four fractures received definitive treatment at the time of initial débridement; 30 received definitive fixation and soft tissue coverage after staged débridement. Primary surgical outcome was development of deep surgical site infection requiring repeat surgical débridement; secondary surgical outcome was surgical complications requiring reoperation. Functional outcome was assessed by wrist range of motion. Overall infection rate was 15% (14 of 94 fractures). Seven (11%) of 64 fractures in the immediate definitive fixation group developed infection compared with 7 (23%) of 30 fractures in the staged treatment group (P=.13). Twenty-one (33%) of 64 fractures in the immediate definitive fixation group required reoperation compared with 15 (50%) of 30 in the staged treatment group (P=.11). Deep surgical site infections and surgical complications associated with open fractures of the distal radius are driven by soft tissue injury. [Orthopedics. 2019; 42(4):219-225.].

Wound Surface Area as a Risk Factor for Flap Complications among Patients with Open Fractures.

BACKGROUND: Soft-tissue complications often dictate the success of limb salvage and the overall outcome of open fractures. Based on prior work at the R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center, the authors hypothesize that wounds larger than 200 cm are associated with a greater likelihood of both flap-related reoperation and wound complications among patients requiring soft-tissue reconstruction with a rotational flap or free tissue transfer. METHODS: This study was a secondary analysis of Fluid Lavage in Open Wounds trial data that included all patients who received a rotational or free tissue flap transfer for an open fracture. The primary outcome was flap-related reoperation within 12 months of injury. The secondary outcome was wound complication, which included events treated operatively or nonoperatively. Multivariable logistic regression was used to assess the association between wound size and outcomes, adjusting for confounders. RESULTS: Seventeen percent of the 112 patients required a flap-related reoperation. A wound size greater than 200 cm(2) was not associated with reoperation in an unadjusted model (p = 0.64) or adjusting for Gustilo type (p = 0.70). The sample had an overall wound complication rate of 47.3 percent. Patients with a wound size of greater than 200 cm(2) were three times more likely to experience wound complications (OR, 3.05; 95 percent CI, 1.08 to 8.62; p = 0.04) when adjusting for moderate to severe wound contamination and wound closure in the operating room. CONCLUSION: The findings of this study demonstrate that wound surface area is an integral determinant for wound complication following soft-tissue flap treatment, but found no association between wound surface area and flap-related reoperation rates. CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Risk, III.

What Is the Ideal Starting Point for an Olecranon Screw? An Anatomic Cadaveric Study.

OBJECTIVE: To assess whether "center-center" position is ideal starting point for minimum fracture displacement when placing an intramedullary (IM) screw in the ulna. METHODS: Thirty-six arms (average age, 82 years) underwent a posterior approach to the olecranon and were randomized into 3 groups: center-center (center in sagittal plane, center in coronal plane), posterior-lateral (posterior in sagittal plane, lateral in coronal plane), and posterior-medial (posterior in sagittal plane, medial in coronal plane). Groups were matched into 18 pairs, and fixation was performed with an IM screw. Primary outcome measure was articular surface displacement on the olecranon. Measurements were compared across each combination of locations using the Kruskal-Wallis rank sums test, and a sign test determined whether each location differed from anatomic reduction. RESULTS: Articular step-off measurements were significantly different between center-center (0.6 mm) and posterior-medial (2.1 mm) groups (P = 0.01) and approached significance with posterior-lateral versus posterior-medial (0.9 mm) locations (P = 0.07). No significant difference was found comparing center-center with posterior-lateral locations (P = 0.7). The articular surface (P = 0.04), posterior cortex (P = 0.02), and medial cortex (P = 0.001) measurements for the posterior-medial starting point were all worse compared with anatomic reduction. CONCLUSIONS: Malreduction of a simulated olecranon fracture was most significant when the starting point for the IM screw was malpositioned medially. A central or laterally based starting point was more forgiving. Avoiding a medially based starting point is crucial for achieving benefits of fixation with an IM screw and reduces the chance of malreduction after fixation.

The Adult Monteggia Fracture: Patterns and Incidence of Annular Ligament Incarceration Among 121 Cases at a Single Institution Over 19 Years.

PURPOSE: The purposes of this study were to identify the relative frequency of Monteggia fracture patterns and to investigate the required frequency of open reduction of the proximal radiocapitellar joint. METHODS: We identified 121 Monteggia fractures at a Level I trauma center from 1996 to 2015 and included 119 in this study. These fractures were identified using a database search for the appropriate International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision and Current Procedural Terminology codes as well as individual surgeons' logs. Two fellowship-trained hand surgeons reviewed the identified patients' x-rays and operative notes. Each fracture was classified using Bado's original description, excluding transolecranon and Monteggia variants. RESULTS: Bado I lesion represented 68% (81 of 119) of Monteggia fractures. Annular ligament incarceration preventing radial head reduction occurred in approximately 17% (14 of 81) of this Bado type. Revision fixation of the ulna was not necessary (none of 119 cases) and functional range of motion (average arc, 117°) was recovered in most patients. The reoperation rate of 20% (23 of 119) was related to the severity of the presenting injury and hardware prominence. CONCLUSIONS: Most radial head dislocations associated with Monteggia fractures occur anteriorly and will reduce with anatomic plating of the ulna. In cases where the radial head fails to reduce, entrapment of the annular ligament can be expected and open reduction is required. Revision fixation of the ulna to achieve reduction of the radial head is uncommon in our experience. TYPE OF STUDY/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Prognostic IV.

Osteosynthesis of AO/OTA 13-C3 distal humeral fractures in patients older than 70 years.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this retrospective case series was to examine the AO Foundation and Orthopaedic Trauma Association (AO/OTA) 13-C3 distal humeral fractures treated with open reduction-internal fixation (ORIF) in patients older than 70 years. METHODS: During an 8-year period, 21 patients older than 70 years with AO/OTA 13-C3 distal humeral fractures were treated with ORIF performed by 2 senior upper extremity traumatologists. There were 16 patients with >1 year of follow-up, with a mean age of 78 (70-84) years. RESULTS: At a mean follow-up of 4 years (1-8 years), all 16 patients demonstrated radiographic signs of bone union. Three patients underwent reoperations, including irrigation and débridement for postoperative infections (n = 2) and removal of implant for symptomatic olecranon intramedullary screw (n = 1). The mean postoperative total arc of ulnohumeral motion was 97° (80°-145°), including a mean flexion of 117° (106°-126°) and flexion contracture of 20° (14°-26°). The mean pronation was 69° (55°-85°), and supination was 78° (74°-9°0). The mean Quick Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand score was 19 (standard deviation, 6.9; confidence interval, 15.4-22.8), and the mean Mayo Elbow Performance Score was 91 (standard deviation, 8.2; confidence interval, 86-95). CONCLUSIONS: ORIF remains a reliable option for treatment of AO/OTA 13-C3 distal humeral fractures in elderly patients. Excellent clinical outcomes can be achieved with preservation of motion and arm function through anatomic reduction, rigid internal fixation, and early mobilization.

Magnitude of Soft-Tissue Defect as a Predictor of Free Flap Failures: Does Size Matter?

OBJECTIVES: To examine the relationship between the magnitude of soft-tissue defect and the risk of free-flap and limb-salvage complications/failures. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort. SETTING: Level I Trauma Center. PATIENTS: One hundred twelve patients with free tissue transfers between January 2009 and June 2015. INTERVENTION: A standardized approach using a consistent team of 2 orthopaedic microvascular surgeons was used for each free-flap reconstruction. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Soft tissue defect size, total or partial flap failure, and unplanned reoperations. RESULTS: Of 112 free-flap reconstructions, 57 complications occurred in 43-cases (38%) including 5 total flap failures (4.5%), 7 partial flap failures (6%), and 8 early (7%) and 38 delayed complications (33%). There was a significant correlation between the large defect size (≥200 cm) and partial/total flap failure (n = 80, P = 0.023). There was also a significant correlation between large soft tissue defect size and any complication that is, total or partial failure and early or delayed unplanned return to the operating room (n = 80, P = 0.002). Of the flaps used, multivariate analysis revealed that latissimus flaps had higher odds for failure. CONCLUSIONS: Soft-tissue defect size ≥200 cm can be associated with a higher rate of total or partial flap failure and any complication in acute trauma setting, which may be due to a larger zone of injury, a higher level of difficulty in achieving complete debridement, and a more complex microvascular dissection. Current and future efforts will need to continue to focus on risk stratification for limb salvage efforts because an accurate assessment of risk is important to the patient, health care provider, and the health care system in general. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Prognostic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.