Optimising the Orthopaedic Trauma Society Open Fracture Classification system: a proposal for modification in the context of high civilian gunshot fractures.

OBJECTIVES: Uniformly classifying long bone open fractures is challenging. The purpose of this study was to propose a modified Orthopaedic Trauma Society (OTS) Open Fracture Classification System, developed in a setting with a high incidence of civilian gunshot fractures. METHODS: From our prospectively collected database, we identified all patients with open tibia and femur fractures treated with intramedullary nailing over a 4 year period. All open fractures were retrospectively reclassified from the Gustilo-Anderson Classification system to the OTS Open Fracture Classification System. RESULTS: One hundred and thirty-seven cases were identified. Ninety per cent of subjects were males. Their mean age was 34 years. The most common mechanism of injury was low-velocity civilian gunshot wounds (GSW) in 54.7% of cases. Soft tissue management was primary closure in 23.4% and soft tissue reconstruction in 24.1%. In 52.6% of cases (these all being secondary to civilian GSW), soft tissue management was healing via secondary intention. This is not included as a soft tissue management option in the OTS classification system. Fracture reclassification using the OTS Open Fracture Classification System was only possible in 47.5% of cases (Simple in 23.4%, Complex B in 24.1%). CONCLUSION: We conclude that the OTS Open Fracture Classification System is not inclusive of all open tibia and femur fractures as it does not cater for gunshot fractures. We propose a modification as follows: alter 'wound debridement' to 'appropriate wound care' and to subcategorise 'Simple' into type A and B: healing via secondary intention and primary closure, respectively.

Surgeon-directed transcranial motor evoked potential spinal cord monitoring in spinal deformity surgery.

AIMS: Spinal deformity surgery carries the risk of neurological injury. Neurophysiological monitoring allows early identification of intraoperative cord injury which enables early intervention resulting in a better prognosis. Although multimodal monitoring is the ideal, resource constraints make surgeon-directed intraoperative transcranial motor evoked potential (TcMEP) monitoring a useful compromise. Our experience using surgeon-directed TcMEP is presented in terms of viability, safety, and efficacy. METHODS: We carried out a retrospective review of a single surgeon's prospectively maintained database of cases in which TcMEP monitoring had been used between 2010 and 2017. The upper limbs were used as the control. A true alert was recorded when there was a 50% or more loss of amplitude from the lower limbs with maintained upper limb signals. Patients with true alerts were identified and their case history analyzed. RESULTS: Of the 299 cases reviewed, 279 (93.3%) had acceptable traces throughout and awoke with normal clinical neurological function. No patient with normal traces had a postoperative clinical neurological deficit. True alerts occurred in 20 cases (6.7%). The diagnoses of the alert group included nine cases of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) (45%) and six of congenital scoliosis (30%). The incidence of deterioration based on diagnosis was 9/153 (6%) for AIS, 6/30 (20%) for congenital scoliosis, and 2/16 (12.5%) for spinal tuberculosis. Deterioration was much more common in congenital scoliosis than in AIS (p = 0.020). Overall, 65% of alerts occurred during rod instrumentation: 15% occurred during decompression of the internal apex in vertebral column resection surgery. Four alert cases (20%) awoke with clinically detectable neurological compromise. CONCLUSION: Surgeon-directed TcMEP monitoring has a 100% negative predictive value and allows early identification of physiological cord distress, thereby enabling immediate intervention. In resource constrained environments, surgeon-directed TcMEP is a viable and effective method of intraoperative spinal cord monitoring. Level of evidence: III Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2021;103-B(3):547-552.