Perioperative Protocol of Ankle Fracture and Distal Radius Fracture Based on Enhanced Recovery after Surgery Program: A Multicenter Prospective Clinical Controlled study.

Background: The enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) program is aimed to shorten patients' recovery process and improve clinical outcomes. This study aimed to compare the outcomes between the ERAS program and the traditional pathway among patients with ankle fracture and distal radius fracture. Methods: This is a multicenter prospective clinical controlled study consisting of 323 consecutive adults with ankle fracture from 12 centers and 323 consecutive adults with distal radial fracture from 13 centers scheduled for open reduction and internal fixation between January 2017 and December 2018. According to the perioperative protocol, patients were divided into two groups: the ERAS group and the traditional group. The primary outcome was the patients' satisfaction of the whole treatment on discharge and at 6 months postoperatively. The secondary outcomes include delapsed time between admission and surgery, length of hospital stay, postoperative complications, functional score, and the MOS item short form health survey-36. Results: Data describing 772 patients with ankle fracture and 658 patients with distal radius fracture were collected, of which 323 patients with ankle fracture and 323 patients with distal radial fracture were included for analysis. The patients in the ERAS group showed higher satisfaction levels on discharge and at 6 months postoperatively than in the traditional group (P < 0.001). In the subgroup analysis, patients with distal radial fracture in the ERAS group were more satisfied with the treatment (P=0.001). Furthermore, patients with ankle fracture had less time in bed (P < 0.001) and shorter hospital stay (P < 0.001) and patients with distal radial fracture received surgery quickly after being admitted into the ward in the ERAS group than in the traditional group (P=0.001). Conclusions: Perioperative protocol based on the ERAS program was associated with high satisfaction levels, less time in bed, and short hospital stay without increased complication rate and decreased functional outcomes.

Anterior Subcutaneous Transposition of the Ulnar Nerve Affects Elbow Range of Motion: A Mean 13.5 Years of Follow-up.

BACKGROUND: Surgical decompression of the ulnar nerve is effective for cubital tunnel syndrome. However, deep approaches may result in iatrogenic elbow stiffness. This long-term study was to evaluate the range of motion (ROM) of the elbow and functional outcomes after anterior subcutaneous transposition. METHODS: A total of 115 patients (78 male and 37 female; mean age: 46.6 years) who underwent anterior subcutaneous transposition of the ulnar nerve between 2001 and 2005 were evaluated retrospectively; mean follow-up was 13.5 years. Elbow ROM was measured as flexion arc, flexion, and extension preoperatively and at the final follow-up, and compared via a mixed analysis of variance adjusting for age. Neuropathy was assessed preoperatively using a modified McGowan neuropathy grade and postoperatively using modified Wilson-Krout criteria. An ordinal logistic regression analysis used postoperative modified Wilson-Krout criteria as the outcome and preoperative factors as predictors. RESULTS: Preoperative McGowan grades were Grade 1 in 14 patients (12.2%), Grade 2A in 28 (24.3%), Grade 2B in 53 (46.1%), and Grade 3 in 20 (17.4%) patients. Postoperatively, 66 patients (57.4%) had excellent results, 26 (22.6%) had good results, 16 (13.9%) had fair results, and 7 (6.1%) had poor results at the final follow-up, as per the Wilson-Krout criteria. There were no complications. Pre- and postoperative elbow ROM was significantly decreased in patients with previous trauma or surgery of the elbow compared with those without (P < 0.05). Anterior subcutaneous transposition of the ulnar nerve did not significantly affect elbow ROM regardless of previous trauma or surgical history nor preoperative ROM (P > 0.05), after adjusting for age. Patients with prolonged symptoms prior to surgery and worse neuropathy tended to have less satisfactory functional outcomes (P < 0.05), after adjusting for covariates. CONCLUSIONS: Anterior subcutaneous transposition of the ulnar nerve is an effective and reliable treatment of cubital tunnel syndrome with satisfactory outcomes and minimal effect on elbow ROM.

[The in vitro observational investigation of antibiotic coating on implants].

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the characteristics of antibiotic poly (D, L-lactide) (PDLLA) coating of implants, including its quantity, mechanical stability, sterility and antibiotic release in vitro. METHODS: The weight of the total coating mass was determined with an electronic semimicro balance before and after coating. Thickness of the coating was documented by scanning electronic microscopy. The stability and the loss of coating mass after implantation and extraction into the intramedullary canal was measured by electronic semimicro balance and the regularity and possible damage of the coating was examined by scanning electronic microscopy. Sterility of the coating procedure was tested by bacteria incubation. A group of coated implants were incubated in PBS to test the coating decrease and the release of gentamicin at different time points. RESULTS: The quantification of the total coating mass was (7.2 +/- 0.9) mg and the thickness of coating was (13.5 +/- 1.7) microm. After explantation of the coated implants from the tibia medullary, the mean loss of coating mass was (3.5 +/- 1.3)%. Scanning electronic microscopy confirmed no defects of the coating layer extending to the metallic surface in any implant. None of the tested samples presented bacterial growth after incubation on blood agar and tryptic soy broth. The PDLLA depicted a weight reduction of about 6.4% after 6 weeks. Within the first 4 h, the release of gentamicin experienced an initial peak period, then a constant and gradual release was found for at least 6 weeks. CONCLUSIONS: The antibiotic PDLLA coating on implants can meet the demands of the mechanical stability and sterility, and gentamicin releases quickly in the first hour and the release can last at least 6 weeks. These characteristics undoubtedly justify the feasibility of the coating usage in clinics.

[The role of CT in the diagnosis and treatment of distal radius fracture].

OBJECTIVES: To investigate and discuss the role of CT in the diagnosis and treatment of comminutive distal radius fractures. METHODS: One hundred and eleven consecutive patients (118 cases of fractures) who were admitted to Jishuitan hospital from January 2003 to January 2005 were included in this study. These patients all need operative treatment and accepted CT scans for better understandings of these injuries and helping to make operation plans. RESULTS: after comparing the results of X planes and CT scans, considerable differences existing between the two examinations were found in the measurements of articular compression and step-off, gapping, comminution degree and subdislocation. This difference was manifested not only in the alteration of quantity but also in the change of quality. CONCLUSIONS: Computed tomography can provide more vivid and detailed information of fractures for practitioners. Undoubtedly, CT is especially valuable in the evaluation of severity degree and stability of comminutive distal radius fractures, thus it helps us to determine whether operation is obligatory and choose the best method and approach of operation. Moreover, CT can also clearly show the important parts of fractures which need special attention in the process of operation. At the same time, practitioners are required to understand the indications of CT examination completely and know how to choose scan planes properly.