Varus displacement of intertrochanteric femur fractures on injury radiographs is associated with screw cutout.

INTRODUCTION: The purpose of this study was to determine if varus displacement of intertrochanteric femur fractures on injury radiographs is associated with screw cutout after fixation. METHODS: A retrospective review performed at two urban level 1 trauma centers identified 334 patients with intertrochanteric femur fractures treated with either a cephalomedullary nail (CMN) or a sliding hip screw (SHS). Median patient age was 75 years, 69% were female and 46% had unstable fractures. Varus fracture displacement on injury radiographs, defined as the most proximal aspect of the femoral head being at or below the most proximal aspect of the greater trochanter, was present in 38% of patients. Screw cutout was recorded. RESULTS: Varus displacement was associated with unstable fracture patterns (62% vs. 37%, difference (D) 25%, 95% confidence interval (CI) 15-35%), female gender (77% vs. 64%, D 13%, CI 3-22%) and poor/adequate reductions (54% vs. 41%, D 13%, CI 2-23%). Cutout occurred in 9 (3%) patients, 8 of which had varus displacement. There was no detectable difference, with wide confidence intervals, between patients that did and did not experience cutout in terms of age, gender, unstable fractures, implants, tip-apex distance (TAD) or poor/adequate reductions. On univariate and multivariate analysis, varus displacement was the only variable associated with cutout. Patients with and without varus displacement had a cutout incidence of 6 and 0.5% (Odds ratio 13, CI 1.6-108). CONCLUSION: Intertrochanteric fractures presenting with varus displacement were more likely to experience cutout. This potential risk factor for cutout warrants further study. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level 3, retrospective cohort.

Screws are at a safe distance from critical structures after superior plate fixation of clavicle fractures.

INTRODUCTION: Injuries to the critical structures underlying the clavicle are possible during open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) and afterward secondary to prominent screws. The purpose of this study was to identify patients who received chest computerized tomography (CT) scans after clavicle ORIF to evaluate the distance between the screws and the subclavian vessels. METHODS: A retrospective review was performed at a single level-one trauma center. Nineteen patients with chest CT scans after superior plate fixation were included. Coronal CT reconstructions were analyzed to determine distances between the subclavian vessels and screw tips along with the prominence of the screws. Vessels within 15 mm of the screw were considered at risk. RESULTS: None of the screws (0/142) were within 15 mm of the subclavian vessels. Average screw prominence was 1.3 ± 1 mm (range, 0-3.6 mm). One of the 19 patients had a complication, a re-fracture requiring revision ORIF. The remaining 18 patients had no complications, including neurovascular or pulmonary, at the last follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: None of the screws were excessively prominent or within 15 mm of the subclavian vessels. Attentive superior plate fixation of the clavicle with screws is a safe technique. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV, case series.

Minimally displaced clavicle fracture after high-energy injury: are they likely to displace?

BACKGROUND: Nondisplaced or minimally displaced clavicle fractures are often considered to be benign injuries. These fractures in the trauma patient population, however, may deserve closer follow-up than their low-energy counterparts. We sought to determine the initial assessment performed on these patients and the rate of subsequent fracture displacement in patients sustaining high-energy trauma when a supine chest radiograph on initial trauma survey revealed a well-aligned clavicle fracture. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the cases of trauma alert patients who sustained a midshaft clavicle fracture (AO/OTA type 15-B) with less than 100% displacement treated at a single level 1 trauma centre between 2005 and 2010. We compared fracture displacement on initial supine chest radiographs and follow-up radiographs. Orthopedic consultation and the type of imaging studies obtained were also recorded. RESULTS: Ninety-five patients with clavicle fractures met the inclusion criteria. On follow-up, 57 (60.0%) had displacement of 100% or more of the shaft width. Most patients (63.2%) in our study had an orthopedic consultation during their hospital admission, and 27.4% had clavicle radiographs taken on the day of admission. CONCLUSION: Clavicle fractures in patients with a high-energy mechanism of injury are prone to fracture displacement, even when initial supine chest radiographs show nondisplacement. We recommend clavicle films as part of the initial evaluation for all patients with clavicle fractures and early follow-up within the first 2 weeks of injury.

CONTEXTE: Les fractures de la clavicule accompagnées d'un déplacement minime voire nul sont souvent considérées comme des blessures mineures. Toutefois, ces fractures méritent probablement un suivi plus étroit chez le patient polytraumatisé que chez le patient dont la blessure résulte d'un impact à faible énergie. Nous avons voulu analyser l'évaluation initiale de ces patients et le degré de déplacement subséquent des fractures chez les victimes d'un traumatisme à forte énergie dont la première radiographie du thorax en position couchée a initialement révélé une fracture de la clavicule présentant un bon alignement. MÉTHODES: Nous avons passé en revue de façon rétrospective les dossiers de patients polytraumatisés ayant fait l'objet d'une alerte, atteints d'une fracture de la clavicule (type 15-B selon la classification AO/OTA) accompagnée d'un déplacement inférieur à 100 % et traités dans un seul centre de traumatologie de niveau 1 entre 2005 et 2010. Nous avons comparé le déplacement des fractures entre les radiographies thoraciques initiales en position couchée et les radiographies de suivi. Les consultations en orthopédie et les types d'épreuves d'imagerie ont aussi été consignés. RÉSULTATS: Quatre-vingt-quinze patients atteints d'une fracture de la clavicule répondaient aux critères d'inclusion. Au moment du suivi, 57 (60 %) présentaient un déplacement de 100 % ou plus du corps de la clavicule. La plupart des patients (63 %) de notre étude ont eu une consultation en orthopédie au cours de leur hospitalisation et 27 % avaient subi une radiographie de la clavicule le jour de leur admission. CONCLUSION: Les fractures de la clavicule chez des patients victimes d'un traumatisme à forte énergie sont sujettes au déplacement, et ce, même si les radiographies thoraciques initiales en position couchée ne montrent aucun déplacement. Nous recommandons la prise de clichés de la clavicule dans le cadre de l'évaluation initiale de tous les patients victimes d'une fracture de la clavicule et un suivi rapproché dans les 2 premières semaines suivant la fracture.

Retained bullet removal in civilian pelvis and extremity gunshot injuries: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Although gunshot injuries are relatively common, there is little consensus about whether retained bullets or bullet fragments should be removed routinely or only in selected circumstances. QUESTIONS/PURPOSES: We performed a systematic review of the literature to answer the following questions: (1) Is bullet and/or bullet fragment removal from gunshot injuries to the pelvis or extremities routinely indicated? And, if not, (2) what are the selected indications for removal of bullets and/or bullet fragments? METHODS: A search of the English-language literature on the topic of gunshot injury and bullet removal was performed using the National Library of Medicine and MEDLINE(®) and supplemented by hand searching of bibliographies of included references. Studies were included if they provided clinical data on one or both of our study questions; included studies were evaluated using the levels of evidence rubric. Most studies on the subject were expert opinion (Level V evidence), and these were excluded; one Level III study and seven Level IV studies were included. RESULTS: No studies provided a rationale for routine bullet removal in all cases. The studies identified bullet fragment removal as indicated acutely for those located within a joint, the palm, or the sole. Chronic infection, persistent pain at the bullet site, and lead intoxication were reported as late indications for bullet removal. CONCLUSIONS: The evidence base for making clinical recommendations on the topic of bullet and bullet fragment removal after gunshot injury is weak. Level I and II evidence is needed to determine the indications for bullet removal after gunshot injury.

Complications of Hip Hemiarthroplasty.

Hip hemiarthroplasty is a commonly performed orthopedic surgery, used to treat proximal femur fractures in the elderly population. Although hip hemiarthroplasty is frequently successful in addressing these injuries, complications can occur. Commonly seen complications include dislocation, periprosthetic fracture, acetabular erosion, and leg-length inequality. Less frequently seen complications include neurovascular injury and capsular interposition. This article presents a comprehensive review of the complications associated with the management of hip hemiarthroplasty. [Orthopedics. 2023;46(4):e199-e209.].

Complications after fibula intramedullary nail fixation of pilon versus ankle fractures.

BACKGROUND: Intramedullary nail (IMN) fixation of the fibula in malleolar ankle fractures has been shown to result in less wound complications then plate fixation. Therefore, IMN fibula fixation may also be associated with lower rates of wound complications when used for higher-risk pilon fractures. The purpose of this study was to compare complications of fibula IMN fixation in pilon versus malleolar ankle fractures. METHODS: A retrospective cohort comparison was performed at an urban level one trauma center involving fibula fractures in 47 patients with AO/Orthopaedic Trauma Association (OTA) type 43 fractures and 48 patients with AO/OTA type 44 fractures being treated with fibula IMN fixation. Complications, fibula-specific complications, revision surgeries, and implant removals were reviewed. RESULTS: There was no detectable difference in complications (27% vs. 23%, 95% confidence interval of the odds ratio (CIOR) 0.5 to 3.2), fibular-specific complications (6% vs. 10%, CIOR 0.1 to 3.5), revision surgeries (4% vs. 4%, CIOR 0.1 to 7.5), or symptomatic fibula implant removals (13% vs. 21%, CIOR 0.1 to 1.6) between pilon and ankle fracture groups, respectively. There was one (2%) fibular nonunion and one wound complication (2%) in each of the fracture groups. CONCLUSION: Fibula IMN fixation of pilon versus ankle fractures resulted in a similar number of complications. Comparative studies of fibula IMN and plate fixation are necessary to determine if the benefits of fibula IMN in ankle fractures extends to pilon fractures. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III, retrospective cohort.

Comparison of standard versus reconstruction proximal interlocking screw configurations for antegrade intramedullary nail fixation of femoral shaft fractures.

BACKGROUND: The standard proximal interlocking screw (SS) configuration for antegrade intramedullary nail (IMN) fixation of femoral shaft fractures is lateral to medial or from the greater to less trochanter. Some authors argue for the routine use of the reconstruction screw (RS) configuration (oriented up the femoral neck) instead to prevent femoral neck complications. The purpose of this study was to compare a matched cohort of patients receiving these screw configurations and subsequent complications. METHODS: A retrospective review of two urban level-one trauma centers identified adults with isolated femoral shaft fractures undergoing antegrade IMN. Patients with RS and SS configurations were matched 1:1 by age, sex, fracture location, and AO classification in order to compare complications. RESULTS: 130 patients with femoral shaft fractures were identified. SS and RS configurations were used in 83 (64%) and 47 (36%) patients. 30 patients from each group were able to be matched for analysis. The RS and SS group did not differ in age, fracture location, AO classification, operative time, or number of distal interlocking screws. The RS group had fewer open fractures and were more likely to have two proximal screws. There were 7 complications, including 5 nonunions and 2 delayed unions, with no detectable difference between RS vs. SS groups (10% vs 13%, Proportional difference -3%, 95% confidence interval (CI) -30 to 14%, p = 0.1). There were no femoral neck complications in the entire cohort of 130 patients. On multivariate analysis none of the variables analyzed were independently associated with the development of complications. CONCLUSIONS: In this matched cohort of patients with femoral shaft fractures undergoing antegrade IMN fixation, RS and SS configurations were associated with a similar number of complications and no femoral neck complications. The SS configuration remains the standard for antegrade IMN femoral shaft fixation. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III, Retrospective cohort study.

Long-Term Patient-Reported Knee Outcomes After Suprapatellar Intramedullary Tibial Nailing.

BACKGROUND: Suprapatellar nailing of tibial fractures has not been shown to affect short-term knee outcomes, however long-term outcomes are unknown. The purpose of this study was to report long-term patient-reported knee outcomes after suprapatellar nailing. METHODS: Thirty-five adult patients with 37 tibial shaft fractures treated with suprapatellar nailing completed the Tegner-Lysholm Knee Score (TLKS) at an average of 5 years (range, 4-9 years) follow-up. RESULTS: The median TLKS was 98 (interquartile range, 85-100): Scores were considered excellent in 24 (68%), good in 3 (9%), fair in 3 (9%), and poor in 5 (14%). Based on patient responses, 28 (80%) patients did not have a limp, 32 (91%) ambulated without assistance, 22 (63%) were pain free, 29 (83%) had no knee instability, 30 (86%) endorsed no catching or locking, 27 (77%) could climb stairs with no issue, and 24 (69%) had no problems with squatting. Patients with poor/fair outcomes on the TLKS were more likely to have had a complication [3 (38%) vs. 1 (4%), difference 34%, 95% confidence interval 1-65%] and had no detectable difference in age, gender, open fracture, fracture classification, or worker's compensation. CONCLUSION: At long-term follow-up a majority of patients undergoing suprapatellar nailing had good/excellent knee outcomes. Poor/fair knee outcomes were associated with the development of complications. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III, Retrospective cohort study.

Variables Associated With Lag Screw Sliding After Single-Screw Cephalomedullary Nail Fixation of Intertrochanteric Fractures.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate variables associated with lag screw sliding after single-screw cephalomedullary nail (CMN) fixation of intertrochanteric femur fractures. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING: Level-one trauma center. PATIENTS/PARTICIPANTS: One hundred fifty-eight intertrochanteric fractures in patients older than 65 years with an average follow-up of 22 months. INTERVENTION: Single-screw CMN fixation. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: Lag screw sliding and revision surgeries. RESULTS: The average amount of lag screw sliding was 5 ± 5 mm (range, 0-21 mm). Lag screw sliding was greater with unstable fracture patterns (mean difference 2 mm, 95% confidence interval 0.4-3.5 mm, P = 0.01) and calcar gapping >4 mm (mean difference 3.7 mm, 95% confidence interval 2-5 mm, P < 0.01). No association was found between lag screw sliding and age, female gender, implants, long versus short nails, distal interlock screw use, postoperative neck-shaft angle, or tip-apex distance (P > 0.05). Revision surgeries were performed in 6 (4%) patients. Indications included symptomatic lag screw removal (n = 2), avascular necrosis (n = 1), cutout (n = 1), loss of reduction (n = 1), and perimplant fracture (n = 1). CONCLUSIONS: Unstable fracture patterns are unavoidable; however, careful attention to calcar reduction and selection of dual-screw CMN implants may minimize lag screw sliding and its detrimental effects on outcomes. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Prognostic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Early Operative Treatment of Acetabular Fractures Does Not Increase Blood Loss: A Retrospective Review.

OBJECTIVES: To compare cell salvage (CS) volume, intraoperative blood loss, intraoperative blood transfusions, and operative time for acetabular fractures undergoing early (≤48 hours from admission) versus delayed fixation (>48 hours from admission). DESIGN: Retrospective. SETTING: Level one trauma center. PATIENTS: One hundred thirty-one patients with unilateral acetabular fractures involving at least one column. INTERVENTION: Open reduction and internal fixation performed through the anterior intrapelvic approach or posterior approach. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: CS volume, estimated blood loss (EBL), intravenous fluids (IVFs), intraoperative packed red blood cells (PRBCs), and operative time. RESULTS: Early versus delayed fixation through the posterior approach was associated with shorter operative times and less intraoperative PRBCs (140 vs. 301 mL, MD -161 mL, 95% confidence interval -25 to -296 mL) with no differences in CS, EBL, or IVF. Early versus delayed fixation through an anterior intrapelvic approach was more common in less severe fracture patterns with no differences in PRBCs, CS, EBL, or IVF. CS, through either approach, was successful in returning blood to 77% of patients for an average of 267 ± 168 mL (range, 105-900 mL). CONCLUSIONS: Fixation of acetabular fractures within 48 hours of admission did not increase blood loss or intraoperative transfusions. CS was successful in returning an average of one unit of blood to a majority of patients. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

MRI of isolated distal fibular fractures with widened medial clear space on stressed radiographs: which ligaments are interrupted?

OBJECTIVE: Patient management choices in ankle fractures remain controversial because of ambiguities in assessing ankle stability and lack of information on the integrity of all supporting ligaments. Our objective was to use MRI to identify the range of ankle ligament injuries associated with a problematic subset of ankle fracture: isolated fibular fractures for which widened medial clear space is absent or minimal on standard ankle radiographs but evident on stress images. CONCLUSION: In our retrospective study of 19 patients, we have categorized ligament injury and found partial or complete tears in all cases in at least two of the four major ligament groups--usually the deltoid and syndesmosis groups. The anterior inferior tibiofibular ligament of the syndesmosis suffered complete interruption in every case. The posterior tibiotalar ligament of the deltoid group, a major contributor to stability, was generally injured but, unexpectedly, most of these tears were partial.

A cost-effectiveness analysis of the arthroplasty options for displaced femoral neck fractures in the active, healthy, elderly population.

This study was performed to explore the cost-effectiveness of total hip arthroplasty (THA) compared with hemiarthroplasty (HEMI) in the treatment of displaced femoral neck fractures in active otherwise healthy older patients in whom the optimum treatment is believed to be an arthroplasty procedure. A Markov decision model was used to determine whether THA or HEMI was most cost-effective for the management of a displaced femoral neck fracture in this patient population. Total hip arthroplasty was associated with an average cost $3000 more than HEMI, and the average quality-adjusted life year gain was 1.53. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio associated with the THA treatment strategy is $1960 per quality-adjusted life year. Currently available data support the use of THA as the more cost-effective treatment strategy in this specific population. The increased upfront cost appears to be offset by the improved functional results when compared with HEMI in this select patient group.

Early prediction of posttraumatic in-hospital mortality in pediatric patients.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to develop a triaging tool to predict pediatric in-hospital mortality from data available soon after emergency department (ED) presentation. METHODS: The study group consisted of patients of less than 18 years of age from the National Trauma Data Bank with a reported in-hospital mortality status. Variables analyzed were (1) patient demographics, (2) Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) values, (3) ED vital signs, (4) injury mechanism, and (5) number of days from trauma until admission. Chi-square-assisted interaction detection (CHAID) profiled patient subgroups. The final cohort was randomly divided into 2 equal sets: a training set to subgroup patients and a testing set to validate the prediction accuracy. RESULTS: The cohort consisted of 224,628 patients with 2.29% in-hospital mortality. Sixteen of 19 potential variables were associated with increased risk of in-hospital mortality. The relative risk of dying was 61.7 times greater (95% confidence interval 57.5-66.1) when CHAID predicted mortality relative to when the model predicted survival (P<0.0001). The most powerful variables of the CHAID model were low total GCS scores and systolic blood pressure in the ED. The CHAID model had an improved relative risk and a better combination of sensitivity and positive predictive value compared with GCS and systolic blood pressure in predicting mortality. CONCLUSIONS: The risk of in-hospital mortality for injured children may be identified soon after arrival in the ED. This information may be used by frontline providers to appropriately triage patients to pediatric trauma centers quickly, to guide resuscitation, and for teaching purposes.

Hospitalized cases of child abuse in America: who, what, when, and where.

BACKGROUND: Orthopaedic surgeons need to recognize features of child abuse. The purpose of this study was to identify common characteristics of child abuse and to delineate features of physical injury cases that would raise concern for child abuse. METHODS: A nationally representative sample of all pediatric inpatient discharges for calendar years 1997, 2000, and 2003 was queried for physical injury diagnoses. Cases were identified as those with a diagnosis of child abuse and controls were those without the diagnosis of child abuse. Incidence of coded child abuse and a comparison of rates across time, demographics, and injury pattern were determined. Cases were compared with controls, and relative risks for coded child abuse were computed using the generalized linear model specifying the Poisson distribution and a log link. RESULTS: There were 665,195 physical injury cases identified. Of these, 11,554 (1.74%) had a diagnosis of child abuse. Fracture requiring orthopaedic management was present in 28% of the child abuse cases. The 3 strongest demographic predictors of coded child abuse were age younger than 1 year, age 1 to younger than 2 years, and Medicaid as primary payer with adjusted relative risks of 11.46, 3.07, and 1.99, respectively. Winter and weekday presentation were significantly higher for coded child abuse. Fractures with the greatest adjusted relative risks for coded child abuse were rib or sternum (5.34) and scapula (3.22). Pelvic fracture was the only fracture significant for lowered adjusted relative risk of coded child abuse. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that young age continues to be a strong predictor of child abuse in the setting of physical injury. Supporting features include Medicaid as primary payer and winter or weekday presentation. Orthopaedists should be particularly aware of child abuse as 28% of cases had a fracture requiring orthopaedic management. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Prognostic Study, Level III (case-control study).

Return to sports following operatively treated ankle fractures.

BACKGROUND: This study investigated which variables influence patients' return to sports after operative fixation of an unstable ankle fracture. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Over a 5-year period, 488 patients underwent surgical repair of an unstable ankle fracture. 243 patients preoperatively identified themselves as participating in vigorous activity. Clinical evaluation, functional outcome scores, and radiographic findings were reviewed retrospectively. RESULTS: At 3 months postoperatively, only 3% of all patients had returned to full sports. At 6 months, 14% of patients had returned, while at one year, only 24% of patients had returned. Younger age was predictive of return to sports by 3 months (p = 0.02), 6 months (p = 0.02) and 12 months (p = 0.0001). Males were more likely to return to sports at 6 (p = 0.001) and 12 months (p = 0.040). At 1 year, 88% of recreational athletes had returned to sports, while only 11.6% of competitive athletes had returned to sports (p = 0.043). At 12 months, bimalleolar injuries were more likely to return to sports than unimalleolar ankle fractures (p = 0.042). Furthermore, patients without an associated syndesmotic injury were more likely to return to athletic activities at 12 months (p = 0.011). A patient with an ASA of one or two was ten times more likely to return to sports versus a patient with an ASA of three or four (odds ratio > 10, p = 0.010). CONCLUSION: Predictors of return to sporting activities at one year include younger age, male gender, no or mild systemic disease, and a less severe ankle fracture. Negative predictors include older age, female gender, and the presence of severe medical comorbidities.

Caregivers of hip fracture patients: The forgotten victims?

INTRODUCTION: The burden that family and friends assume when caring for hip fracture patients can negatively impact the caregiver's quality of life, relationships, and the decision to place the patient in a care facility. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the burden of caregiving for intertrochanteric hip fractures to better counsel patients and caregivers in order to prevent delayed admission to a care facility. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of a prospectively gathered elderly hip fracture database identified 29 patients and their caregivers with complete 6 month follow-up. Caregiver burden and depression scales were administered to the primary caregiver in the immediate perioperative period (baseline), at 3 month follow-up, and at 6 month follow-up. At each time point caregivers reported the effects of caregiving on their finances, work hours, relationships, and their willingness to admit the patient to a long-term care facility. RESULTS: At 6 month follow-up, <30% of caregivers reported negative effects on their finances, relationships, work hours, or intent to place the patient in care facility, while 77% endorsed cherishing their time spent as a caregiver. The number of caregivers with a high caregiver burden remained stable at 20% over the 6 month follow-up; these caregivers were more likely to have a depressed mood (p < 0.01), to consider placement of the patient into a long-term care facility (p < 0.01), and to have negatively affected finances (p = 0.03) and relationships (p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: High degrees of burden were experienced by 20% of caregivers of hip fracture patients. Caregivers with high caregiver burdens were more likely to consider placement of the patient into a long-term care facility. Risk factors for high caregiver burdens should be identified to optimize the quality of caregiving after discharge and to prevent delayed admission to a long-term care facility. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV, case series.

Needlestick and sharps injuries in orthopedic surgery residents and fellows.

OBJECTIVE: Needlestick and sharps injury (NSSI) is a common occupational hazard of orthopedic surgery training. The purpose of this study was to examine the incidence and surrounding circumstances of intraoperative NSSI in orthopedic surgery residents and fellows and to examine postexposure reporting. DESIGN: A 35-question cross-sectional survey. SETTING: The study was conducted by orthopedic surgery residents and faculty at a nonprofit regional hospital. PARTICIPANTS: The questionnaire was distributed to US allopathic orthopedic surgery residency and fellowship programs; 300 orthopedic surgery trainees participated in the survey. RESULTS: Of 223 trainees who had completed at least 1 year of residency, 172 (77.1%) sustained an NSSI during residency, and 57 of 63 trainees (90.5%) who had completed at least 4 years sustained an NSSI during residency. The most common causes of NSSI were solid needles, followed by solid pins or wires. The surgical activity most associated with NSSI was wound closure, followed by fracture fixation. The type of surgery most frequently associated with NSSI was orthopedic trauma, followed by hip and knee arthroplasty. Of 177 trainees who had sustained a prior NSSI, 99 (55.9%) failed to report all events to their institution's occupational health department. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of NSSI during residency training is high, with >90% of trainees in their fifth year or later of training having received an injury during their training, with a mean of >4 separate events. Most trainees with an NSSI did not report all of their events, which implies that changes are needed in the incident reporting process universally.

Autograft, Allograft, and Bone Graft Substitutes: Clinical Evidence and Indications for Use in the Setting of Orthopaedic Trauma Surgery.

Bone grafts are the second most common tissue transplanted in the United States, and they are an essential treatment tool in the field of acute and reconstructive traumatic orthopaedic surgery. Available in cancellous, cortical, or bone marrow aspirate form, autogenous bone graft is regarded as the gold standard in the treatment of posttraumatic conditions such as fracture, delayed union, and nonunion. However, drawbacks including donor-site morbidity and limited quantity of graft available for harvest make autograft a less-than-ideal option for certain patient populations. Advancements in allograft and bone graft substitutes in the past decade have created viable alternatives that circumvent some of the weak points of autografts. Allograft is a favorable alternative for its convenience, abundance, and lack of procurement-related patient morbidity. Options include structural, particulate, and demineralized bone matrix form. Commonly used bone graft substitutes include calcium phosphate and calcium sulfate synthetics-these grafts provide their own benefits in structural support and availability. In addition, different growth factors including bone morphogenic proteins can augment the healing process of bony defects treated with grafts. Autograft, allograft, and bone graft substitutes all possess their own varying degrees of osteogenic, osteoconductive, and osteoinductive properties that make them better suited for different procedures. It is the purpose of this review to characterize these properties and present clinical evidence supporting their indications for use in the hopes of better elucidating treatment options for patients requiring bone grafting in an orthopaedic trauma setting.

The association of race, gender, and comorbidity with mortality and function after hip fracture.

BACKGROUND: Few studies of hip fracture have large enough samples of men, minorities, and persons with specific comorbidities to examine differences in their mortality and functional outcomes. To address this problem, we combined three cohorts of hip fracture patients to produce a sample of 2692 patients followed for 6 months. METHOD: Data on mortality, mobility, and other activities of daily living (ADLs) were available from all three cohorts. We used multiple regression to examine the association of race, gender, and comorbidity with 6-month survival and function, controlling for prefracture mobility and ADLs, age, fracture type, cohort, and admission year. RESULTS: The mortality rate at 6 months was 12%: 9% for women and 19% for men. Whites and women were more likely than were nonwhites and men to survive to 6 months, after adjusting for age, comorbidities, and prefracture mobility and function. Whites were more likely than were nonwhites to walk independently or with help at 6 months compared to not walking, after adjusting for age, comorbidities, and prefracture mobility and function. Dementia had a negative impact on survival, mobility, and ADLs at 6 months. The odds of survival to 6 months were significantly lower for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), congestive heart failure (CHF), and/or cancer. Parkinson's disease and stroke had negative impacts on mobility and ADLs, respectively, among survivors at 6 months. CONCLUSIONS: The finding of higher mortality and worse mobility for nonwhite patients with hip fractures highlights the need for more research on race/ethnicity disparities in hip fracture care.

Braking function after complex lower extremity trauma.

BACKGROUND: This study was performed to evaluate when patients recover sufficiently to drive an automobile after operative repair of various other lower extremity fractures. METHODS: A computerized driving simulator was developed and tested. Three groups of individuals were compared: (1) 12 healthy, volunteers tested once to establish normal mean values for variables tested (group I); (2) 22 patients with right-sided long bone lower extremity fractures (9 femur, 13 tibial shaft) tested at 6 weeks, 9 weeks, and 12 weeks after operative repair (group II); and 35 patients with right-sided articular fractures (12 plateau, 4 pilon, 12 calcaneus, 7 acetabulum) tested at 12 weeks, 15 weeks, and 18 weeks after operative repair (group III). Individuals were tested under a series of driving scenarios (city, suburban, and highway). Short musculoskeletal functional assessment scores were recorded at the time of each driving test and compared with results of the driving test. Analyses were performed to determine the relationship between time from initiation of weight bearing on the right lower extremity and brake travel time (BTT). RESULTS: For group I, BTT was 302 +/- 90; for group II, BTT was 444 msec +/- 153 msec, 377 msec +/- 127 msec, and 359 msec +/- 116 msec at 6 weeks, 9 weeks, and 12 weeks after surgery; and for group III, BTT was 412 msec +/- 161 msec, 343 msec +/- 112 msec, and 339 msec +/- 116 msec at 12 weeks, 15 weeks, and 18 weeks after surgery. Short musculoskeletal functional assessment scores improved with respect to function and bother indexes, but did not correlate with improvement in BTT (r = 0.36, p = 0.07, and r = 0.31, p = 0.12, respectively). CONCLUSION: BTT was significantly reduced until 6 weeks after initiation of weight bearing in both long bone and articular fractures of the right lower extremity.