Open vs. Percutaneous Achilles Tendon Repair: Experience of Single Orthopedic Institute with Long-Term Follow-Up.

Background and Objectives: There are numerous techniques for the surgical treatment of Achilles tendon lesions described in the literature, and it is possible to distinguish repair techniques as either open surgery or percutaneous repair techniques. Both approaches have advantages and disadvantages. With this retrospective study, we aim to analyze the incidence of re-ruptures and other complications, return to sport and overall quality of life at a long-term follow-up in the treatment of acute ATRs, comparing the results of percutaneous repair with those of open repair. Materials and Methods: This is a retrospective study on a consecutive series of patients with complete tear of the AT who were managed through a surgical approach by the Operative Unit of Orthopaedics and Traumatology of Sant'Anna University Hospital (Ferrara, Emilia-Romagna, Italy) between April 2014 and December 2021. Patients were treated with a percutaneous or an open technique according to the surgeon's preference without randomization. Results: We considered 155 patients who met the established inclusion criteria. Of these, 103 (66.45%) patients underwent percutaneous treatment with the Tenolig® system, and 52 (33.55%) underwent open surgery, with an average ATRS in the first group of 92.5 compared to an average ATRS value of 82 in patients treated with the open technique. Conclusions: In our experience, following overlapping rehabilitation protocols in all patients included, we observed that the Tenolig® repair system led to a better ATRS at long-term follow-up, with comparable complication rates to open surgery.

Incidence of risk factors in developmental dysplasia of the hip: a retrospective study on 18,954 cases.

BACKGROUND: DDH is 1 of the most important causes of childhood disability. A diagnosis of instability can be made in the neonatal period via the Ortolani and Barlow manoeuvres. However, clinical examination, although highly specific, has poor sensitivity as compared to ultrasound. There is controversy between the necessity of universal screening for dysplasia of all newborns or selective screening reserved for those with clinical signs of instability or known risk factors of DDH. AIM: To analyse the risk factors of congenital hip dysplasia in a consecutive case series of children referred for diagnosis and treatment of DDH. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study on infants consecutively examined between January 2000 and December 2019 at the Marino Ortolani Centre in Ferrara, Italy. The first 3 types on Graf's classification were considered physiological (1A, 1B, 2A+), while the last 6 pathological (2A-, 2B, 2C, 2D, 3, 4). RESULTS: 18,954 infants met the inclusion criteria and were therefore considered eligible for the study. Of these 18,954 infants, 56% (n = 10,629) were females and 44% (n = 8325) were males. According to Graf classification, 34.9% (n = 6621) were 1A, 52.7% (n = 9999) were 1B, 4.0% (n = 753) were 2A+, 2.5% (n = 478) were 2A-, 1.5% (n = 284) were 2B, 1% (n = 196) were 2C, 1.3% (n = 243) were 2D, 1% (n = 193) were 3 and 1.0% (n = 187) were 4. The most significant risk factor was the female gender (OR 5.36; 95% CI, 4.63-6.20) followed by a family history (OR 2.35; 95% CI, 2.08-2.65), then skeletal pathologies (OR 2.04; 95% CI, 1.21-3.42), oligohydramnios (OR 1.75; 95% CI, 1.44-2.13), and finally breech presentation (OR 1.42: 95% CI, 1.27-1.60). CONCLUSIONS: Based on our data, family history, musculoskeletal disease, oligohydramnios and breech presentation are the main risk factors for DDH development, as is the female sex.

Safety of a Porous Hydroxyapatite Bone Substitute in Orthopedics and Traumatology: A Multi-Centric Clinical Study.

The development of biomaterials in recent years has made it possible to broaden their use in the surgical field. Although iliac crest bone graft harvesting currently remains the gold standard as an autograft, the properties of hydroxyapatite bone substitutes appear to be beneficial. The first fundamental step to consider is the safety of using these devices. The purpose of this retrospective cohort study is to consider all the adverse events observed in our population and assess their relationships with the bone substitute device. The population analyzed consisted of patients undergoing trauma osteosynthesis with at least one implanted porous hydroxyapatite device. We considered a court of 114 patients treated at "Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria di Ferrara-U.O. di Ortopedia e Traumatologia" in the period from January 2015 to December 2022. Upon analyzing our population, no adverse events related to the device emerged. Taking into consideration different study groups from other National Hospital Centers, no critical issues were detected except for three cases of extrusion of the biomaterial. It is necessary to clarify that bone substitutes cannot replace compliance with the correct principles linked to the biomechanics of osteosynthesis. This report outlines a safety profile for the use of these devices as bone substitutes in trauma orthopedic surgery.

Hip Replacement after Proximal Femur Failed Osteosynthesis: our experience.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: failure of proximal femur fixation is a rare but challenging complication. Hip replacement could be a safe and optimal salvage treatment option. However, serious complications could occur. The aim of our study is to retrospectively review all hip replacement performed after proximal femur fixation failure and to evaluate functional and radiographic outcomes. METHODS: we reviewed all Total Hip Arthroplasty and Hemiarthroplasty performed from 2013 to 2020 in Our Departement. We evaluated latest follow-up x-rays for stem subsidence, varus-valgus stem position (>5°), limb lenght inequality (>1cm), dislocation, component loosening, heterotopic calcification classified according to Brooker, cement leakage. Harris Hip Score (HHS) and Hip WOMAC score were perfomed at the latest follow-up to estimate functional outcome. RESULTS: 14 THA had no complications with mean HHS 86.5 and WOMAC score 91,68. 1 periprosthetic infection was reported on THA, however after 2-stages revision functional and radiographic otucomes were satisfactory. 5 HA had rated mean HHS 65.8 and WOMAC score 70.18. 2 HA experienced dislocations which required surgical revision and conversion to THA. CONCLUSIONS: as a salvage surgery for failure of proximal femur fixation, Hip Replacement is safe and recommendable. THA reported better results than HA. Nonetheless, every patient should be carefully evaluated before undergoing surgery to detect possible complication risk factors.

Impact of COVID-19 on surgical activities and personnel: lessons for the future.

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 pandemic has impacted professional, economic and social activities. In the surgical field, it has brought changes to operating activities, the organization of workforces, the protection measures for patients and personnel against possible intraoperative transmissions as well as training young surgeons. This study intends to assess the extent of this impact in our institution. METHODS: The patients operated on in nine Operating Units (OUs) in the period February 1 - March 31, 2020, with follow-ups on April 30, 2020, were evaluated both retrospectively and prospectively. Organizational, clinical and impact parameters on staff were evaluated. RESULTS: Of the 833 consecutive admitted patients, 742 were operated on, 705 of whom were recruited for the study. Compared to the same period in 2019 there was a decrease in the number of operations (742 compared to 1187), similar use of intensive care unit (ICU), a diagnostic activity only for symptomatic patients, heterogeneity in organizational behaviors, an impact on staff who highlighted concerns about getting sick or passing the infection on to others (87.64%) or their family members (75.14%). CONCLUSIONS: The present study made it possible to detect the need to make significant changes in the clinical, organizational and teaching fields, for which some operational proposals are suggested.

Operating procedures for electrochemotherapy in bone metastases: Results from a multicenter prospective study on 102 patients.

INTRODUCTION: Bone metastases are frequent in patients with cancer. Electrochemotherapy (ECT) is a minimally invasive treatment. Preclinical and clinical studies supported the use of ECT in patients with metastatic bone disease (MBD). The purposes of this multicentre study are to confirm the safety and efficacy of ECT, and to identify appropriate operating procedures in different MBD conditions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 102 patients were treated in 11 Centres and recorded in the REINBONE registry (a shared database protected by security passwords): clinical and radiological information, ECT session, adverse events, response, quality of life indicators and duration of follow-up were registered. RESULTS: 105 ECT sessions were performed (one ECT session in 99 patients, two ECT sessions in 3 patients). 24 patients (23.5%) received a programmed intramedullary nail after ECT, during the same surgical procedure. Mean follow-up was 5.9 ± 5.1 months (range 1.5-52). The response to treatment by RECIST criteria was 40.4% objective responses, 50.6% stable disease and 9% progressive disease. According to PERCIST criteria the response was: 31.4% OR; 51.7% SD, 16.9% PD with no significant differences between the 2 criteria. Diagnosis of breast cancer and ECOG values 0-1 were significantly associated to objective response. A significant decrease in pain intensity and significant better quality of life was observed after ECT session at follow-up. CONCLUSION: The results are encouraging on pain and tumour local control. ECT proved to be an effective and safe treatment for MBD and it should be considered as an alternative treatment as well as in combination with radiation therapy.

Validation of the cross-cultural adapted Italian version of the Oxford Elbow Score.

BACKGROUND: The Oxford Elbow Score (OES) is an English-language questionnaire specifically designed to evaluate surgical elbow outcomes. This scoring system has been translated into other languages. Given the lack of an Italian version of the OES, the present study was designed to establish, culturally adapt, and validate the Italian version. METHODS: The OES questionnaire was culturally adapted to Italian patients in accordance with the literature guidelines with a pilot phase including seven patients with elbow problems and seven healthy subjects. The study includes 110 participants from three hospitals, who underwent elbow surgery for acute (70%) or chronic diseases. At least one month after elbow surgery, at the "index visit", the physician completed the Mayo Elbow Performance Index and patients completed the following questionnaires: the Italian OES, the shortened version of the Disability of Arm, Shoulder and Hand Questionnaire (QuickDASH) and the Short-Form 36 Health Survey. Internal consistency was evaluated using Cronbach's alpha. Reproducibility was assessed using the intraclass correlation coefficient in ten patients who completed the OES again two-three days after the index visit. Construct validity was assessed using Spearman correlation coefficients. Responsiveness was evaluated in 68 patients who answered the questionnaires four months after the index visit, using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test, the effect size and the standardized response mean calculation. RESULTS: Cronbach's alpha was excellent: 0.86 (0.82-0.90) for OES pain, 0.92 (0.90-0.94) for OES function, and 0.90 (0.87-0.93) for OES social/psychological. The intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.94 (0.78-0.98) for OES pain, 0.91 (0.71-0.97) for OES function, 0.95 (0.83-0.98) for OES social-psychological and 0.93 (0.76-0.98) for OES total. The Spearman ρ was >0.7 for OES pain and QuickDASH, for OES function and both QuickDASH and Mayo Elbow Performance Index, and for OES social-psychological and QuickDASH. Regarding responsiveness, the mean of the changes between the two visits ranged from 33.9 for OES pain, to 44 points for OES function and OES social/psychological. The effect size and the standardized response mean were >0.8 for all OES domains. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that the Italian version of the OES, translated in accordance with the international standardized guidelines, is reliable, valid, and responsive in patients who have undergone elbow surgery.

Diagnosis and treatment of melanoma bone metastasis: A multidisciplinary approach.

Bone is the fourth most common site of melanoma metastasis after lung, liver, and brain. Melanoma bone metastases typically occur in patients who already have widespread metastases in other organs. Current available approaches for bone metastases from melanoma include chemotherapy, radiotherapy, biological therapy, combination therapy, and surgery. In this narrative review, we describe the management of patients affected by melanoma bone metastases, discussing the diagnostic and treatment approaches as well as their impact on survival and quality of life. Despite the fact that clinical and surgical trials will be required to determine the most appropriate treatment, we do expect a newer and more important role of multidisciplinary approach in the management of melanoma patients with bone metastases in the next future.

Arthroscopically-assisted reduction and pinning of a radial neck fracture in a child: a case report and review of the literature.

BACKGROUND: Displaced radial neck fractures in children are challenging to treat. The age of the patient and the degree of angulation are the main criteria to consider when managing these fractures in children. Various surgical techniques have been described in the literature for both indirect and direct reduction and for fixation. However, the best treatment is still debated. CASE PRESENTATION: The case presented is of a 6-year-old Caucasian boy with an impacted and displaced radial neck fracture. With the patient in lateral position, under general anesthesia, elbow arthroscopy was performed to better visualize the articular surface and to assist with reduction and fixation. The fracture was reduced and fixed with a single K-wire under direct arthroscopic visualization. No associated lesions were found. An above-elbow cast was applied after surgery. The cast and K-wire were removed 3 weeks later. At the 3-month follow-up, the patient showed a full recovery with complete range of movement without any postoperative and radiographic complications. CONCLUSION: Traditionally, surgery for displaced radial neck fractures in children is performed by closed reduction with percutaneous pinning or elastic intramedullary nail fixation under fluoroscopic guidance. Direct visualization of the articular surface via an open approach allows better reduction in complex fracture patterns but is related to a higher risk of complications: elbow stiffness, instability, or avascular necrosis. Elbow arthroscopy in children could be a valid alternative to open fixation surgery for displaced radial neck fractures without the complications associated with articular exposure, allowing the direct visualization of the fracture and reducing radiation exposure. Although technically demanding, we believe elbow arthroscopy should be considered an alternative option because it is effective in assisting reduction and fixation and enables the detection of associated joint lesions.

Arthroscopic superior capsular reconstruction versus latissimus dorsi transfer for irreparable rotator cuff lesions: a systematic review.

INTRODUCTION: The present systematic review compared arthroscopic superior capsular reconstruction (ASCR) and latissimus dorsi transfer (ALDT) for the management of massive irreparable rotator cuff lesions. SOURCES OF DATA: We performed a systematic review searching the literature on Medline, Cochrane and Scopus databases, following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. AREAS OF AGREEMENT: We included a total of 20 articles, 10 on ASCR and 10 on ALDT (12 retrospective and 8 prospective studies), all published between 2013 and 2019. AREAS OF CONTROVERSY: ASCR and ALDT are technical demanding procedures. When compared to each other, they do not produce significantly different improvements in clinical outcome. GROWING POINTS: Both ASCR and ALDT are valid options for surgical management of MIRCLs. Although ALDT has shown a greater complication rate and a less improvement in acromion-humeral distance, its clinical outcomes overlap those obtained with ASCR. AREAS TIMELY FOR DEVELOPING RESEARCH: Further comparative prospective and retrospective studies with longer follow-up could confirm which surgical procedure can lead to better outcomes with a lower complication rate.

Pulsed Electromagnetic Field Stimulation of Bone Healing and Joint Preservation: Cellular Mechanisms of Skeletal Response.

The US FDA has approved pulsed electromagnetic fields (PEMFs) as a safe and effective treatment for nonunions of bone. Despite its clinical use, the mechanisms of action of electromagnetic stimulation of the skeleton have been elusive. Recently, cell membrane receptors have been identified as the site of action of PEMF and provide a mechanistic rationale for clinical use. This review highlights key processes in cell responses to PEMF as follows: (1) signal transduction through A2A and A3 adenosine cell membrane receptors and (2) dose-response effects on the synthesis of structural and signaling extracellular matrix (ECM) components. Through these actions, PEMF can increase the structural integrity of bone and cartilage ECM, enhancing repair, and alter the homeostatic balance of signaling cytokines, producing anti-inflammatory effects. PEMFs exert a proanabolic effect on the bone and cartilage matrix and a chondroprotective effect counteracting the catabolic effects of inflammation in the joint environment. Understanding of PEMF membrane targets, and of the specific intracellular pathways involved, culminating in the synthesis of ECM proteins and reduction in inflammatory cytokines, should enhance confidence in the clinical use of PEMF and the identification of clinical conditions likely to be affected by PEMF exposure.

Does Capacitively Coupled Electric Fields Stimulation Improve Clinical Outcomes After Instrumented Spinal Fusion? A Multicentered Randomized, Prospective, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Lumbar spinal fusion (LSF) is used to treat lumbar degenerative disorders. Methods to improve the functional recovery of patients undergoing LSF is one of the main goals in daily clinical practice. The objective of this study is to assess whether biophysical stimulation with capacitively coupled electric fields (CCEF) can be used as adjuvant therapy to enhance clinical outcome in LSF-treated patients. METHODS: Forty-two patients undergoing LSF were assessed and randomly allocated to either the active or to the placebo group. Follow-up visits were performed at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after surgery; long-term follow-up was performed at year 10. Visual analogue scale (VAS), the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), and the 36-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) questionnaire were recorded. RESULTS: This study demonstrates a significant improvement in CCEF-treated patients at 6 and 12 months' follow-up for SF-36, and at 12 months' follow-up for ODI values. Based on SF-36 and ODI scores, we reported a significantly higher percentage of successful treatments at 12 months in the active compared with the placebo group. Moreover, in a subset of patients at 10 years' follow-up, a significant difference was reported in VAS and ODI scores between groups. CONCLUSIONS: The results demonstrate that 3 months of CCEF treatment immediately after surgery is effective in reducing ODI and improving SF-36 score, and that these benefits can be maintained up to 12 months. In a subset of patients, these positive outcomes are retained up to 10 years. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: I. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: This study suggests that CCEF stimulation can be used as an adjunct to LSF for spine diseases, for increasing overall quality of life and improving patients' functional recovery. CCEF is safe and well tolerated, compatible with activities of daily living.

Percutaneous fixation and balloon kyphoplasty for the treatment of A3 thoracolumbar fractures.

BACKGROUND: Despite a long history of descriptive and clinical series, there is still no consensus in the treatment of traumatic thoracolumbar fractures. It is now widely accepted that percutaneous surgery in thoracolumbar spine trauma management can achieve the same results as conventional treatment but less morbidity but it is still not clear which are the best indications for these minimal invasive procedures. METHODS: Thirty-two adult patients with single type A3 thoracolumbar burst fractures without neurologic deficits were included in this retrospective review of clinical and radiological outcomes after surgical management. All patients underwent combined percutaneous kyphoplasty and short fixation with screws in the vertebral pedicles above and below the fracture. Radiographic evaluation of segmental kyphosis and local kyphotic corrections were made preoperatively, 3 days postoperatively, 12 months post-operatively and at the last follow-up (the mean last follow-up was 41 months post-operatively). Clinical outcomes were determined by SF-36® Health Survey and Oswestry Disability Index scores at 3-month and 12-month follow-ups. RESULTS: Clinical assessments suggested good outcomes as early as the third postoperative month. The clinical outcomes were sustained at one year follow-up. At the last follow-up the segmental kyphosis correction and local kyphotic correction were maintained. CONCLUSIONS: Our analysis demonstrates that minimally invasive kyphoplasty and percutaneous short fixation applied to thoracolumbar A3 burst fractures without neurological deficit may achieve results comparable to nonsurgical or open surgical treatment, but with less morbidity and complication, and should be considered as a valid treatment option.

Rupture of an Intramedullary Elastic Bundle Nail Following Humeral Shaft Nonunion: A Case Report.

A 77-year-old woman reported a spiral right humeral shaft fracture, which was treated by closed reduction and fixation with elastic bundle retrograde intramedullary nail. Despite a proper closed reduction and a minimally invasive surgery obtained, nonunion arose. The patient refused the advised second surgical treatment. At 12 months, the patient was admitted to our department as a consequence of persistent pain and unnatural humeral shaft mobility. New X-ray imaging highlighted intramedullary nail rupture due to excessive implant mobility at the nonunion site. Consequently, nail removal was performed, and plate and screws were then fixed, and a bone allograft was placed to allow fracture healing and proper stabilization. The literature reports optimal outcomes with elastic bundle intramedullary nailing. It is strongly suggested to obtain a closed reduction and minimally invasive dynamic fixation. Nonetheless, it may lead to several complications such as nonunion, for which surgical treatment is technically demanding and highly invasive.

The impact of warfarin on operative delay and 1-year mortality in elderly patients with hip fracture: a retrospective observational study.

BACKGROUND: Guidelines underline the importance of early surgery in elderly patients with proximal femoral fractures. However, most of these patients present a high number of comorbidities, some of which require the use of warfarin. Waiting for INR decrease is a cause of surgical delay, and this influences negatively their outcome. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed all patients with proximal femoral fracture admitted to our unit from March 2013 to March 2017 to determine whether warfarin therapy is associated with reduction of survival, delay of surgery, and increased blood loss. From 1706 patient, a total of 1292 fulfilled the eligibility criteria and were included. Data regarding general information (type of fracture according to AO/OTA classification), pharmacological history regarding anticoagulant therapy pre-admission, surgery (type of surgery and time to surgery), clinical findings (blood loss), and date of exitus were collected. RESULTS: We identified 157 patients with warfarin, 442 with antiplatelet agents (aspirin, clopidogrel, ticlopidin), and 693 in the control group. We observed a significant difference in the warfarin group regarding an increased ASA score, Charlson Comorbidity Index, and blood loss. Patients taking warfarin experience delay to the theater significantly more than the other groups. Patients in warfarin therapy have a 42% higher risk of death within 1 year from their surgery. Patients who underwent surgery after 48 h have 1.5 times higher risk of mortality with respect to the patients who underwent surgery within 48 h. CONCLUSION: Warfarin therapy at the time of proximal femoral fractures is associated with increased time to surgery, blood loss, and mortality.

Biophysical stimulation of bone and cartilage: state of the art and future perspectives.

INTRODUCTION: Biophysical stimulation is a non-invasive therapy used in orthopaedic practice to increase and enhance reparative and anabolic activities of tissue. METHODS: A sistematic web-based search for papers was conducted using the following titles: (1) pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF), capacitively coupled electrical field (CCEF), low intensity pulsed ultrasound system (LIPUS) and biophysical stimulation; (2) bone cells, bone tissue, fracture, non-union, prosthesis and vertebral fracture; and (3) chondrocyte, synoviocytes, joint chondroprotection, arthroscopy and knee arthroplasty. RESULTS: Pre-clinical studies have shown that the site of interaction of biophysical stimuli is the cell membrane. Its effect on bone tissue is to increase proliferation, synthesis and release of growth factors. On articular cells, it creates a strong A2A and A3 adenosine-agonist effect inducing an anti-inflammatory and chondroprotective result. In treated animals, it has been shown that the mineralisation rate of newly formed bone is almost doubled, the progression of the osteoarthritic cartilage degeneration is inhibited and quality of cartilage is preserved. Biophysical stimulation has been used in the clinical setting to promote the healing of fractures and non-unions. It has been successfully used on joint pathologies for its beneficial effect on improving function in early OA and after knee surgery to limit the inflammation of periarticular tissues. DISCUSSION: The pooled result of the studies in this review revealed the efficacy of biophysical stimulation for bone healing and joint chondroprotection based on proven methodological quality. CONCLUSION: The orthopaedic community has played a central role in the development and understanding of the importance of the physical stimuli. Biophysical stimulation requires care and precision in use if it is to ensure the success expected of it by physicians and patients.

Below-elbow or above-elbow cast for conservative treatment of extra-articular distal radius fractures with dorsal displacement: a prospective randomized trial.

BACKGROUND: Distal radial fractures are common traumatic injuries, but their management remains controversial also in case of conservative treatment regarding the type of immobilisation. Hence, we conducted a two-arm, parallel-group, prospective randomised trial to compare the capacity of long casts (above-elbow) and short casts (below-elbow) to maintain the reduction of extra-articular distal radius fractures with dorsal displacement (AO/OTA classification: 2R3A2.2). METHODS: Seventy-four eligible patients with AO/OTA 2R3A2.2 fractures treated with closed reduction and cast immobilisation were randomised to the long cast group (n°= 37) or to the short cast group (n°= 37). Baseline radiological parameters, radial inclination (RI), radial height (RH), ulnar variance (UV) and palmar tilt (PT) were taken, and compared with clinical (DASH, Mayo Wrist and Mayo Elbow) and radiological scores taken at 7-10 days, 4 weeks and 12 weeks. Furthermore, to evaluate correlations between radiological parameters and functional outcomes, patients were divided into two groups according to whether or not their radiological parameters at Follow-ups 2 and 3 were acceptable, i.e. within the range 11-12 mm for RH, 16°-28° for RI, - 4-+ 2 mm for UV and 0°-22° for PT. RESULTS: Patient demographic and baseline radiological parameters were similar between groups. At follow-up, there were no statistically significant differences between the two types of cast in terms of RI, RH, UV or PT, or Mayo wrist or DASH scores. Short cast group patients displayed better Mayo elbow score at follow-up 2 (4 weeks), but this difference was no longer statistically significant at follow-up 3 (12 weeks). No statistically significant differences in clinical outcomes were found between patients who presented acceptable radiographic parameters at follow-up and those who did not. CONCLUSION: As there were no significant differences between short casts and long casts in terms of fracture reduction maintenance or clinical outcomes, short casts are an effective method of post-reduction immobilisation in AO/OTA 2R3A2.2 fracture of the radius. Radiological parameters outside the range conventionally considered acceptable do not preclude a satisfactory clinical outcome. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov PRS, NCT04062110. Registred 20 August 2019.

Arthroscopic-assisted latissimus dorsi transfer for massive rotator cuff tear: a systematic review.

Introduction: This systematic review provides a comprehensive description of different surgical techniques for massive rotator cuff tears (MRCTs) using arthroscopic-assisted latissimus dorsi transfer (A-LDT), reporting clinical outcomes and complications. Sources of data: We searched the literature on Medline (PubMed), Web of Science and Scopus databases using the combined keywords 'latissimus dorsi', 'tendon', 'transfer', 'rotator cuff tears', 'shoulder' and 'arthroscopy' to identify articles published in English, Spanish, French and Italian. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement was followed for the manuscript selection. Areas of agreement: Ten studies (five retrospective and five prospective investigations), all published between 2014 and 2018, fulfilled our inclusion criteria, dealing with 348 (55.7% male) patients, with a mean age of 61.6 years (range 31-83). Areas of controversy: A-LDT is a technical demanding procedure. When compared with the open technique, it does not seem to provide significant subjective and objective clinical outcome improvements. Growing points: A-LDT seems to yield lesser surgical complications and post-operative stiffness. Sparing the deltoid muscle belly could result in a more effective shoulder post-surgery function. Areas timely for developing research: Further comparative randomized controlled trials with longer follow-up are needed to clarify the potentially promising superiority of A-LDT.

Can Clinical and Surgical Parameters Be Combined to Predict How Long It Will Take a Tibia Fracture to Heal? A Prospective Multicentre Observational Study: The FRACTING Study.

BACKGROUND: Healing of tibia fractures occurs over a wide time range of months, with a number of risk factors contributing to prolonged healing. In this prospective, multicentre, observational study, we investigated the capability of FRACTING (tibia FRACTure prediction healING days) score, calculated soon after tibia fracture treatment, to predict healing time. METHODS: The study included 363 patients. Information on patient health, fracture morphology, and surgical treatment adopted were combined to calculate the FRACTING score. Fractures were considered healed when the patient was able to fully weight-bear without pain. RESULTS: 319 fractures (88%) healed within 12 months from treatment. Forty-four fractures healed after 12 months or underwent a second surgery. FRACTING score positively correlated with days to healing: r = 0.63 (p < 0.0001). Average score value was 7.3 ± 2.5; ROC analysis showed strong reliability of the score in separating patients healing before versus after 6 months: AUC = 0.823. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that the FRACTING score can be employed both to predict months needed for fracture healing and to identify immediately after treatment patients at risk of prolonged healing. In patients with high score values, new pharmacological and nonpharmacological treatments to enhance osteogenesis could be tested selectively, which may finally result in reduced disability time and health cost savings.

Minimally invasive fixation techniques for thoracolumbar fractures: comparison between percutaneous pedicle screw with intermediate screw (PPSIS) and percutaneous pedicle screw with kyphoplasty (PPSK).

PURPOSE: To assess and compare the efficacy of two minimally invasive techniques (percutaneous pedicle screw with intermediate screw vs. percutaneous pedicle screw with kyphoplasty) for spinal fracture fixation by comparing the segmental kyphosis and vertebral kyphosis angles after trauma before surgery, after surgery, and at 4-month and 12-month follow-up. METHODS: Data from 49 patients without neurological deficit treated by either percutaneous pedicle screw with intermediate screw or percutaneous pedicle screw with kyphoplasty were retrospectively analysed. The segmental kyphosis and vertebral kyphosis angles over time were calculated and correlated with the type of procedure, AO classification, lumbar or thoracic site and the age and sex of the patients. RESULTS: After surgery, both techniques were found to be efficacious means of bringing about a significant correction of the segmental kyphosis angle (p = 0.002) and a just significant correction of the vertebral kyphosis angle (p = 0.06), although less effectively in thoracic fractures (p = 0.004). At follow-up, the vertebral kyphosis angle was stable in both groups, while there was a significant loss of segmental kyphosis angle stability in the percutaneous pedicle screw with kyphoplasty group at 1 year (p = 0.004); fractured thoracic vertebrae maintained a greater vertebral kyphosis angle (p = 0.06) and segmental kyphosis angle (p < 0.001), than the lumbar. CONCLUSION: At 1 year after surgery, the use of intermediate screws in fractured vertebrae seemed to maintain a more efficacious correction with respect to kyphoplasty, although thoracic fracture sites appear to be associated with greater post-traumatic segmental kyphosis and lesser stability in the long term after both percutaneous surgical techniques.