Utility of 2.0 mm diameter Kirschner wires assembled with Wu's Tension Traction Bows in calcaneal skeletal traction.

The 3.5 mm diameter or thicker Steinmann pins were commonly used in skeletal traction, which are so highly invasive that may result in severe complications such as pin tract infection and iatrogenic calcaneus fractures. Accordingly, Xirui Wu designed a new type of tension traction bow that can be assembled with 2.0 mm diameter Kirschner wires, but its effectiveness is unclear. We aim to evaluate the effectiveness of 2.0 mm diameter Kirschner wires assembled with Wu's Tension Traction Bows in calcaneal skeletal traction. Data of 65 patients who were admitted to our department with tibia fractures from January 2021 to June 2022 and underwent preoperative calcaneal skeletal traction were collected retrospectively. 36 patients treated with 2.0 mm diameter Kirschner wires assembled with Wu's Tension Traction Bows were assigned into Group 1, and 29 patients treated with 3.5 mm diameter Steinmann pins assembled with Bohler's traction bows were assigned into Group 2. Pins loosening, breakage, and calcaneus fractures occurred in neither group. No statistical differences were observed in traction weight, swelling reduction efficacy, and traction duration (P > 0.05). Statistically significant differences were found between the two groups in term of post-traction bleeding incidence, average bleeding duration, and mean size and healing time of traction wounds (P < 0.05). Though VAS pain score before traction and on the first two days after traction in Group 1 didn't differ from Group 2 (P > 0.05), it was significantly lower in Group 1 compared to Group 2 on the third day after traction (P = 0.030). This study demonstrates that 2.0 mm diameter Kirschner wires assembled with Wu's Tension Traction Bows produce satisfied traction outcomes with less invasion and are recommended in calcaneal skeletal traction.

Management and classification of the fracture of lateral process of talus: An overview and literature update.

Fracture of the lateral process of the talus (FLPT) is uncommon in clinical practice and can be easily missed or misdiagnosed. In recent years, as researchers from all over the world have further deepened their research on FLPT, there has been a breakthrough in the classification, and the methods and principles of clinical management have changed accordingly; however, there is still no standardized guideline for the diagnosis and management of FLPT, and there have been few relevant literature review articles related to this kind of fracture in the past at least 5 years. In this article, we review the clinical classification, classification-based therapeutic recommendations, and prognosis of FLPT, with the aim of providing a reference for the clinical diagnosis and management of this infrequent fracture.

Maisonneuve fracture treated with short leg cast: A case report with 41-month follow-up.

RATIONALE: Maisonneuve fracture is a specific type of severe ankle injury. To our current knowledge, once a Maisonneuve fracture is diagnosed, the surgery is always recommended for fear of sequelae from inaccurate joint reconstruction. However, in this case, we treated a Maisonneuve fracture with a short leg cast, and the 41-month follow-up showed a favorable outcome with no post-traumatic osteoarthritis, chronic pain, and instability. Therefore, this case provides evidence for the feasibility of conservative treatment of Maisonneuve fracture. PATIENT CONCERNS: A female patient in her early twenties sprained her left ankle while running, suffering regional pain, swelling, and limited mobility. DIAGNOSES: We diagnosed a Maisonneuve fracture with superior fibular fracture and Volkmann tuberosity fracture, a slight separation of inferior tibiofibular syndesmosis (ITS). INTERVENTIONS: The patient rejected our surgical recommendations in favor of nonsurgical treatment, in addition to refusing immobilization of the knee. Consequently, we had to treat her with a short leg cast for 8 weeks and asked her to return for regular follow-up visits. OUTCOMES: At the final follow-up, the radiography showed complete healing of proximal fibula fracture. The patient reported no discernible subjective differences between her bilateral ankles. The range of motion of the left ankle was measured at 22° of dorsiflexion and 40° of plantarflexion. Functional assessments using Olerud-Molander ankle scale and American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society Ankle-Hindfoot scale both scored 100 points. Additionally, the radiographic assessment classified arthritis as stage 0 according to Morrey-Wiedeman classification. LESSONS: To avoid missing and misdiagnosing, the physical examination should always extend to 2 neighboring joints. Secondly, if a Maisonneuve fracture is suspected, further computed tomography scans, radiography, and magnetic resonance imaging can help to determine the stability of the ITS and the integrity of the lateral collateral ligaments before making therapeutic decisions. Finally, considering the lateral collateral ligaments may remain intact, we recommend stabilizing ITS by repairing the medial ligaments, which can be conducted arthroscopically and be more minimally invasive, providing an elastic fixation that aligns better with the biomechanics of the ITS which is characterized as a micro-mobile rather than fully fixed joint.