Risk Factors and Clinical Outcomes after Antegrade Intramedullary Nailing in Proximal Humeral Fractures: Insights and Implications for Patient Satisfaction.

BACKGROUND: Proximal humeral fractures (PHFs) are common injuries that can lead to significant functional impairment. This retrospective cohort study aimed to evaluate the clinical outcomes and complications associated with the use of the Targon PH+ (Fa. Aesculap, Germany) intramedullary nail for the treatment of PHFs. METHODS: A subgroup consisting of 70 patients with a mean follow-up of 4.91 years out of 479 patients who underwent treatment with the Targon PH+ intramedullary nail for PHFs at a single center between 2014 and 2021 were included. Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) were assessed using validated German versions of the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (DASH) questionnaire, American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) score, Oxford Shoulder Score (OSS), and EuroQol 5-Dimension 5-Level (EQ-5D-5L). Radiographic assessment was performed using pre- and postoperative imaging. RESULTS: Among the 70 patients of the subgroup who completed follow-up, 21.4% experienced complications, including major complications in 15.7% of cases, all of which were revised (revision rate of 15.7%). Anatomical reduction was achieved in 48,5% of cases. The mean DASH, ASES, and OSS scores were 25.4 ± 22.0, 76.2 ± 21.1, and 38.8 ± 10.3, respectively. Significant correlations were observed among the PROMs, indicating their convergent validity. Additionally, a significant correlation of all used PROMs and patient well-being (HRQoL) was observed. Severe complications and revisions were associated with significantly lower ASES scores (-11.1%, p = 0.013). There was a tendency for PROM scores to slightly decline with increasing fracture complexity, although this trend did not reach statistical significance. Our findings indicate that patients over the age of 65 years tend to exhibit lower scores in PROMs and HRQoL measures. CONCLUSION: The use of the Targon PH+ intramedullary nail for the treatment of PHFs resulted in satisfactory clinical outcomes and acceptable complication and revision rates. The PROMs and HRQoL measures indicated varying levels of disability and symptoms, with major complications, revision surgery, and age negatively impacting shoulder function after midterm follow-up.

Early Complication Analysis of Dynamic Intraligamentary Stabilization versus Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction.

PURPOSE: Both dynamic intraligamentary stabilization (DIS) and reconstruction (RECO) are common treatment methods for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture. We report short term outcomes after DIS (Ligamys, Mathys, Bettlach, Switzerland) and RECO using semitendinosus tendon. We compared postoperative complications, deficits of range-of-motion (ROM), and revision rates between the two treatment options. METHODS: A total of 690 patients (437 male, 253 female), after either DIS or RECO, were included. Of these, 147 patients (21%) received DIS and 543 (79%) underwent RECO. Follow-up examination focused on clinical examination, complications and revision rates. Anteroposterior instability and ROM deficits were analyzed in order to evaluate our policy of early intervention for all cases of ROM restrictions. RESULTS: Relevant ROM restrictions occurred at a significantly higher rate after DIS than after RECO (4.8% vs. 1.3%; p = 0.008). Flexion was more restricted after DIS than RECO (110° vs. 124°, p < 0.001). Extension deficits also occurred more frequently after DIS compared to RECO (49.7% vs. 24.5%; p < 0.001). Total revision surgery rate was 9.1%, with patients after DIS being significantly more frequently affected (20.4% vs. 6.1%; p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate a significantly higher risk for ROM restriction after DIS compared to RECO, resulting in a significantly higher revision rate.

CT scan and conventional x-ray in multiple injured patient care: diagnostic strategies and outcomes analysed from the TraumaRegister DGU®.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the current practice regarding the prevalence and sequence of x-ray and CT scan in diagnostic algorithms for multiple injured patients. METHODS: All primarily treated patients with ISS ≥ 9 were selected from the TraumaRegister DGU® (years 2008-2015; n = 109,257). Four subgroups of diagnostic algorithm were defined: CT only (group C; n = 63,763), CT before x-ray (group CX; n = 3711), x-ray followed by CT (group XC; n = 33,590), and x-ray only (group X, n = 8193). We analysed the type and sequence of diagnostic procedures and their association with hospital mortality and length-of-stay in the emergency room (ER-LOS). RESULTS: Predominant strategies were CT only (58.4%) and x-ray followed by CT (30.7%). Overall mortality was between 10 and 12% in all subgroups involving CT, and 6.6% in the x-ray only group. Expected mortality was within the 95% confidence of observed mortality except for the CX group (observed 10.0%; CI95 8.9-11.0; expected 11.1%). Mean / median length of stay in the emergency room was shortest in the CT only subgroup: (60 / 50 min). Prior x-ray diagnostic resulted in additional 3 min (group XC). The use of additional x-ray diagnostic decreased from 51.6% (in 2008) to 35.4% (in 2015). CONCLUSIONS: ER-LOS is significantly affected by diagnostic pathway. CT scan alone accelerates ER-LOS, which however was not associated with lower mortality rates. Performing completive x-ray examinations after an initial CT scan seems not to deteriorate mortality rates.

[Spinal fractures]. / Wirbelsäulenfrakturen.

Osteoporotic spinal fractures are typical age-related fragility fractures. Their impact on the quality of life is often underestimated; therefore, anti-osteoporotic drug treatment according to the current guidelines is essential. Occult vertebral fractures may be difficult to detect and a differentiation between fresh and old fractures is often only possible with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to reveal cancellous bone edema. Treatment recommendations are predominantly based on traumatic fractures in younger adults and are thus not applicable in orthogeriatrics. A new classification currently under validation and presented in this article was developed in order to aid decision-making for operative interventions. Minimally invasive treatment options include vertebroplasty, kyphopasty and internal fixation. The application of cement provides additional stability but can be accompanied by cement-specific complications, such as extravasation and embolism.

The art of trochanteric fracture reduction.

The name of Ender is primarily associated with the Ender nails, which were popular for trochanteric fracture fixation more than thirty years ago. However, Ender's concepts were not limited to the implant. Ender developed a unique classification system for trochanteric and subtrochanteric fractures, which provided the theory for closed reduction maneuvers that made the method so successful in his hands. While Ender's nails have become history in the meantime, his principles of fracture reduction can be readily applied on surgery with modern implants such as proximal femoral nails. This article reflects the classification and the principles published by Hans Georg Ender in some print work hardly available nowadays.

Negative pressure wound therapy for seroma prevention and surgical incision treatment in spinal fracture care.

To evaluate the clinical use and economic aspects of negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) after dorsal stabilisation of spinal fractures. This study is a prospective randomised evaluation of NPWT in patients with large surgical wounds after surgical stabilisation of spinal fractures by internal fixation. Patients were randomised to either standard wound dressing treatment (group A) or NPWT (group B). The wound area was examined by ultrasound to measure seroma volumes in both groups on the 5th and 10th day after surgery. Furthermore, data on economic aspects such as nursing time for wound care and material used for wound dressing were evaluated. A total of 20 patients (10 in each group) were enrolled. Throughout the whole study, mean seroma volume was significantly higher in group A than that in group B (day 5: 1·9 ml versus 0 ml; P = 0·0007; day 10: 1·6 ml versus 0·5 ml; P <0·024). Furthermore, patients of group A required more wound care time (group A: 31 ± 10 minutes; group B 13·8 ± 6 minutes; P = 0·0005) and more number of compresses (total number; group A 35 ± 15; group B 11 ± 3; P = 0·0376). NPWT reduced the development of postoperative seroma, reduced nursing time and reduced material required for wound care.

Low postoperative dietary intake is associated with worse functional course in geriatric patients up to 6 months after hip fracture.

We examined the relationship between postoperative dietary intake (DI) of geriatric hip fracture (HF) patients and their functional and clinical course until 6 months after hospital discharge. In eighty-eight HF patients ≥ 75 years, postoperative DI was estimated with plate diagrams of main meals over four postoperative days. DI was stratified as >50, >25-50, ≤ 25 % of meals served. Functional status according to Barthel index (activities of daily living) and patients' mobility level before fracture, postoperatively, at discharge and 6 months later were assessed and related to DI levels. In-hospital complications were recorded according to clinical diagnosis. Associations were evaluated using χ2 and Kruskal-Wallis tests, and repeated-measures ANOVA and ANCOVA. Postoperatively, 28 % of participants ate >50 %, 43 % ate >25-50 % and 28 % ≤ 25 % of meals served. Irrespective of pre-fracture functional status, patients with DI ≤ 25 % had significantly lower Barthel index scores at all times after surgery (all P50 % more often had regained their pre-fracture mobility level than those with DI ≤ 25 % at discharge (>50 %: 36 %; >25-50 %: 10 %; ≤ 25 %: 0 %; P= 0·001) and 6 months after discharge (88; 87; 68 %; P= 0·087) and had significantly less complications (median 2 (25th-75th percentile 1-3); 3 (25th-75th percentile 2-4); 3 (25th-75th percentile 3-4); P= 0·012). To conclude, geriatric HF patients had very low postoperative voluntary DI and thus need specific nutritional interventions to achieve adequate DI to support functional and clinical recovery.

Malnutrition According to Mini Nutritional Assessment Is Associated With Severe Functional Impairment in Geriatric Patients Before and up to 6 Months After Hip Fracture.

OBJECTIVES: Hip fractures (HFs) in old age frequently cause severe functional impairment and deteriorating autonomy in everyday life. Many older patients with HFs are malnourished or at risk of malnutrition. In this study, we examined the relationship between nutritional status of geriatric patients before HF and their functional and clinical course up to 6 months after hospital discharge. DESIGN: Observational study with follow-up after 6 months. SETTING: Four wards of the department of trauma and orthopedic surgery of a large urban maximum care hospital (Klinikum Nürnberg, Nuremberg, Germany). PARTICIPANTS: Geriatric patients aged ≥75 years with surgically repaired proximal femoral fracture. MEASUREMENTS: Prefracture nutritional status was determined by Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA). Comorbidities and complications during hospital stay were obtained from medical documentation. Functional status before HF, postoperatively, at hospital discharge, and 6 months later was assessed by Barthel Index for activities of daily living (ADL) and patients' mobility level and related to MNA categories. Associations were evaluated using χ(2), Fisher exact, Kruskal-Wallis, Mann-Whitney-U, Jonckheere-Terpstra, and Cochrane-Armitage tests as appropriate, as well as analysis of covariance with repeated measures. RESULTS: Of 97 included patients, 17% were malnourished and 38% at risk of malnutrition before HF. Participants with (risk of) malnutrition were equally mobile but more dependent in ADL prior to HF than well-nourished patients (P < .001). Independent of nutritional status, after 6 months 68% of participants had not regained their prefracture level of independence in ADL. According to analysis of covariance, the ADL development over time until follow-up 6 months after hospital discharge did not depend on nutritional status. However, at follow-up malnourished patients more often suffered from remaining losses in ADL ≥25% of initial Barthel Index points (P = .033) and less often had regained their prefracture mobility level (P = .020) than well-nourished patients. Clinical course did not differ significantly between the groups with different nutritional status. CONCLUSIONS: In this study with geriatric HF patients from all functional and cognitive levels, worse prefracture nutritional status was associated with worse functional status and more frequent remaining functional loss, whereas the trajectory of ADL recovery and clinical course did not differ significantly. Further studies with sufficient statistical power are needed to substantiate these inconclusive results. In order to clarify the association of nutritional status with functional and clinical course in geriatric patients after HF, they should preferably focus on the role of nutritional management during the hospital stay.

The learning curve of proximal femoral nailing.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate operation time and surgical complication rate of proximal femoral nailing during resident training. METHODS: This retrospective evaluation included 659 patients (508 females, 151 males; mean age: 80.7 years), operated by 63 supervised residents between 1998 and 2010. All patients received the same implant (Targon® PF). Fracture classification, operation time and early surgical complications causing reoperation or hospital readmission (i.e. hematoma, infection, hip perforation, nonunion, implant malpositioning) were recorded and correlated with the resident's operative experience measured by the number of operations performed. RESULTS: Mean operation time was 61.3 (range: 59.8 to 62.8) minutes. Mean operation time of a resident's first 15 training operations was 8.7 minutes longer than that of later operations (p<0.001). No further significant shortening of operation time was experienced after the first 15 training operations. Overall surgical complication rate was 9.3% (range: 7.0% to 11.5%). There were no significant differences in complication rate (9.9% vs. 8.2%; p=0.47), hematoma formation (2.5% vs. 0.8%; p=0.07), infection (2.7% vs. 3.9%; p=0.52), nonunion (0.7% vs. 1.6%; p=0.51), cut-out (1.2% vs. 2.4%; p=0.31), lag screw perforation (3.2% vs. 0.4%; p=0.07) or implant malpositioning (0.5% vs. 0.0%; p=0.26) between the first 10 and subsequent training operations the subsequent training operations. CONCLUSION: After 15 training operations, a resident's operative speed did not significantly differ from that of more experienced collegues. Early surgical complications were not significantly affected by the resident's experience.

Value of incisional negative pressure wound therapy in orthopaedic surgery.

Soft tissue and wound treatment after orthopaedic interventions (especially after trauma) is still an enormously challenging situation for every surgeon. Since development of negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT), new indications have been consistently added to the original field of application. Recently, NPWT has been applied directly over high-risk closed surgical incisions. Review of the literature indicates that this therapy has shown positive effects on incisions after total ankle replacement or calcaneal fractures, preventing haematoma and wound dehiscence. In those cases reduced swelling, decreased pain and healing time of the wound were seen. Additionally, NPWT applied on incisions after acetabular fractures showed a decreased rate of infection and wound healing problems compared with published infection rates. Even after total hip arthroplasty, incisional NPWT reduced incidence of postoperative seroma and improved wound healing. In patients with tibial plateau, pilon or calcaneus fractures requiring surgical stabilisation after blunt trauma, reduced risk of developing acute and chronic wound dehiscence and infection was observed when using incisional NPWT. To conclude, incisional NPWT can help to reduce risk of delayed wound healing and infection after severe trauma and orthopaedic interventions.

Targon Femoral Neck for femoral-neck fracture fixation: lessons learnt from a series of one hundred and thirty five consecutive cases.

PURPOSE: Internal fixation versus joint replacement for treating intracapsular hip fractures is still a major debate. The Targon FN fixation concept is innovative; two small case series are promising. We present the first larger series. METHODS: We conducted prospective documentation of all Targon FN cases since 2006. The implant was used for all undisplaced fractures, and for displaced fractures in patients of a biological age ≤60 years. Besides demographic data and fracture classification, we analysed infection, haematoma, implant perforation, nonunion and operative revision procedures. RESULTS: In 135 cases (mean age 71 years; average operation time 60 minutes; average hospital stay ten days), we found a surgical complication rate of 16.4%. Conversion to joint replacement was necessary in 9.6%. Complication rate was significantly higher in displaced fractures. CONCLUSIONS: Our study confirms low general complication rates. However, implant perforation seems to be underestimated. Optimised reduction technique may help to reduce this complication.

Implementation of a co-managed Geriatric Fracture Center reduces hospital stay and time-to-operation in elderly femoral neck fracture patients.

PURPOSE: To evaluate changes in hospital length-of-stay and time-to-operation of older hip fracture patients before and after the foundation of a co-managed Geriatric Fracture Center (GFC). METHODS: A co-managed GFC was established in a German level-1 trauma center. In a retrospective cohort study, we analyzed femoral neck fracture patients >60 years treated with hemiarthroplasty. Patients treated within the first year after foundation of the GFC were compared to the patients treated during the year before. One-way ANOVA was performed to identify differences regarding time-to-operation and hospital length-of-stay. RESULTS: One hundred and fourteen patients of the GFC were compared to 169 patients previously treated without co-management. Mean patient age did not significantly differ (81.9 vs. 81.5 years; p = 0.7), nor did gender distribution. Hospital length-of-stay was significantly shorter after foundation of the GFC (13.9 vs. 16.8 days; p = 0.007). The same is true for the interval between hospital admission and operation, which decreased from 3.1 to 2.1 days (p = 0.029). Early surgical complication rate was not significantly affected by GFC foundation (7.7 % pre-GFC vs. 9.6 % GFC; p = 0.6), nor was inpatient mortality (5.9 % pre-GFC vs. 4.4 % GFC; p = 0.6). Subgroup analysis revealed that GFC patients without early surgical complications displayed a reduced length-of-stay (LOS), whereas LOS was even prolonged in GFC patients with surgical complications. CONCLUSIONS: A co-managed GFC offering an organized fracture program for the elderly can reduce hospital length-of-stay and time-to-operation in hip fracture patients. A significant effect can be observed within the first year after establishment of a GFC.

Lateral cortical notching in specific cases of delayed unions or nonunions after intertrochanteric and reversed fractures.

BACKGROUND: Stabilization of both intertrochanteric and reversed trochanteric fractures is commonly performed by proximal femoral nailing. However, biomechanics significantly differ between these two fracture types. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In this study we report on the occurrence of delayed union or nonunion after inter- or reversed trochanteric fractures in eight patients (7 females and 1 male). RESULTS: Mean age was 73.3 years (range 63-82). The interval between initial operation and first intervention ranged between 4.3 and 15.0 months (mean 8.4 months). Failure of bone healing may cause permanent strain on the implant leading to nail breakage, which we observed in three of these eight cases. CONCLUSION: Dynamization is part of the general treatment concept for delayed union and nonunion after intramedullary fracture fixation. Normally it is performed by removal of interlocking screws or by occupying a 'dynamic' interlocking hole. We can show, however, that some types of inter- and reversed trochanteric fractures develop a characteristic kind of nonunion at the level of the lesser trochanter. This condition causes pain while walking and includes the risk of implant failure due to material fatigue. In these cases dynamization may be blocked by the cortex of the distal fragment directly contacting the prominent lag screw or its sleeve. We describe a procedure we call "lateral notching", which is needed to make distal conventional dynamization effective and to allow for bone healing.

Dorsal versus transgluteal approach for hip hemiarthroplasty: an analysis of early complications in seven hundred and four consecutive cases.

PURPOSE: Hemiarthroplasty (HA) is an established treatment for femoral neck fractures of the elderly. Several surgical approaches are currently used including dorsal and transgluteal. It is still unclear whether one approach may be advantageous. We compared early complication rates after dorsal and transgluteal approaches. METHODS: We retrospectively analysed a cohort including 704 consecutive patients who received HA for femoral neck fracture; 212 male and 492 female patients were included, and the mean age was 80.4 years (SD 9.8 years). In 487 patients a dorsal and in 217 a transgluteal approach was chosen. In all patients an Excia stem with self-centring bipolar head manufactured by Aesculap (Tuttlingen, Germany) was used. We evaluated early postoperative complications including dislocation, infection, haematoma, seroma and perioperative fracture. Complication rates after dorsal and transgluteal approaches were calculated and compared by the chi-square test. RESULTS: After a dorsal approach 10.5 % [confidence interval (CI) 7.7-13.2 %] of the patients suffered one or more early complications. Following a transgluteal approach this proportion was 9.7 % (CI 5.7-13.6 %), which was not significantly different (p = 0.75). The predominant complication after a dorsal approach was dislocation (3.9 %; CI 2.2-5.6 %). The dislocation rate after a transgluteal approach was significantly lower (0.5 %; CI 0-1.4 %). Postoperative haematoma however was seen after a transgluteal approach in 5.5 % (CI 2.5-8.6 %), which was significantly more frequent than after a dorsal approach (1.2 %; CI 0.2-2.2 %). The frequency of the other types of complications did not significantly differ. CONCLUSIONS: The rate of early surgical complications after dorsal and transgluteal approaches is not significantly different. However, the dorsal approach predisposed to dislocation, whereas the transgluteal approach predisposed to haematoma.