Routine follow-up is unnecessary after intramedullary fixation of trochanteric femoral fractures-Analysis of 995 cases.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Approximately 2000 trochanteric fractures are operated in Finland annually. These fractures make a major burden to health care system and affected individuals. The role of routine follow-up has been questioned in multiple fracture types. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We analyzed routine follow-up visits after intramedullary fixation of trochanteric fractures (n = 995). Patients were followed up from patient registries until 2 years or death. Planned and unplanned follow-up visits were analyzed. RESULTS: Altogether 9 patients (0.9%) had a change in treatment at planned outpatient visit. 6 of these were due to mechanical complication, 1 due to refracture and 2 due to delayed unions. 64 (6.4%) patients had a change in treatment plan because of an unplanned visit: 28 infections, 6 pressure sores, 15 mechanic complications and 14 refractures and 1 AVN, respectively. INTERPRETATION: Routine follow-up visits are a burden both to the patients and health care system, with less than 1% leading to changes in treatment. Our suggestion is to give good instructions to patients and rehabilitation facilities instead of routine follow-up.

The burden of femoral shaft fractures in Tanzania.

BACKGROUND: Road traffic injuries disproportionately affect low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) and are associated with femur fractures that lead to long-term disability. Information about these injuries is crucial for appropriate healthcare resource allocation. The purpose of this study is to estimate the incidence of femoral shaft fractures in Tanzania and describe the unmet surgical burden. METHODS: Study sites included six government hospitals across Tanzania. Investigators collected data from hospital admission and procedural logbooks to estimate femoral shaft fracture incidence and their treatment methods. Semi-quantitative interviews were conducted with relevant hospital personnel to validate estimates obtained from hospital records. Investigators gathered road traffic incident (RTI) statistics from national police reports and calculated femur fracture:RTI ratios. RESULTS: Femoral shaft fracture annual incidence rate ranged from 2.1 to 18.4 per 100,000 people. Median low and high femur fracture:RTI ratio were 0.54 and 0.73, respectively. At smaller hospitals, many patients (5-25%) were treated with traction, and a majority (70-90%) are referred to other centers. Barriers to surgery at each hospital include a lack of surgical implants, equipment, and personnel. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence rate is similar to previous estimations, and it is consistent with an increased femoral shaft fracture incidence in Tanzania when compared to higher income countries. The femur fracture:RTI ratio may be a valid tool for estimating femur fracture incidence rates. There is an unmet orthopaedic surgical burden for femur fractures treatment at rural hospitals in Tanzania, and the barriers to treatment could be targets for future interventions.

Reoperations in intramedullary fixation of pertrochanteric hip fractures.

Objective: This study evaluated the frequency of reoperation within 1 year of initial intramedullary fixation for patients with pertrochanteric hip fracture and compared 1-year healthcare resource utilization and cost burden for patients with and without reoperation. Methods: This is a retrospective evaluation of medical claims from the US Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Standard Analytic File. Patients aged ≥65 years who underwent fixation with an intramedullary implant for a pertrochanteric fracture between 2013 and 2015 were included. Healthcare resources that were evaluated included skilled nursing facility (SNF), inpatient rehabilitation facility (IRF), readmissions, and outpatient hospital visits. All-cause payments for these services comprised overall cost burden. Generalized Linear Models were used to evaluate healthcare resources and cost burden over 1-year post-surgery and to adjust for confounding between patients with and without a reoperation. Results: A total of 6,423 Medicare patients were included in the analysis. Mean (SD) age was 82.4 (7.8) years, 76.0% were female, and 93.3% were white. A second hip surgery within 1 year after the index fixation procedure was performed in 414 patients (6.4%): 121 (29.2%) contralateral, 115 (27.8%) ipsilateral, and 178 (43.0%) without specified laterality. After adjusting for confounding factors, Medicare patients with ipsilateral reoperations had statistically significantly higher readmissions (100% vs 32.5%, p < 0.0001), outpatient hospital visits (96.4% vs 88.8%, p = 0.018), admissions to a SNF (88.5% vs 80.4%, p = 0.024), and admissions to an IRF (38.8% vs 22.0%, p < 0.0001) compared to patients without reoperations. The adjusted mean total all-cause payments ($90,162 vs $55,131, p < 0.0001) during the 1-year follow-up were statistically significantly higher among patients with reoperations as compared to patients without reoperations. Conclusions: Patients who require a second hip surgery after initial fixation with an intramedullary implant for pertrochanteric hip fractures have significantly higher 1-year healthcare resource utilization and 63.5% higher costs than patients without reoperation.

The Cost of Intramedullary Nailing Versus Skeletal Traction for Treatment of Femoral Shaft Fractures in Malawi: A Prospective Economic Analysis.

BACKGROUND: In many low- and middle-income countries, non-surgical management of femoral shaft fractures using skeletal traction is common because intramedullary (IM) nailing is perceived to be expensive. This study assessed the cost of IM nailing and skeletal traction for treatment of femoral shaft fractures in Malawi. METHODS: We used micro-costing methods to quantify the costs associated with IM nailing and skeletal traction. Adult patients who sustained an isolated closed femur shaft fracture and managed at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital in Malawi were followed from admission to discharge. Resource utilization and time data were collected through direct observation. Costs were quantified for procedures and ward personnel, medications, investigations, surgical implants, disposable supplies, procedures instruments and overhead. RESULTS: We followed 38 nailing and 27 traction patients admitted between April 2016 and November 2017. Nailing patient's average length of stay (LOS) was 36.35 days (SD 21.19), compared to 61 (SD 18.16) for traction (p = 0.0003). The total cost per patient was $596.97 ($168.81) for nailing and $678.02 (SD $144.25) for traction (p = 0.02). Major cost drivers were ward personnel and overhead; both are directly proportional to LOS. Converting patients from traction to nailing is cost-saving up to day 23 post-admission. CONCLUSION: Savings from IM nailing as compared with skeletal traction were achieved by shortened LOS. Although this study did not assess the effectiveness of either intervention, the literature suggests that traction carries a higher rate of complications than nailing. Investment in IM nailing capacity may yield substantial net savings to health systems, as well as improved clinical outcomes.

Comparing the costs and outcomes of an integrated twin compression screw (ITCS) nail with standard of care using a single lag screw or a single helical blade cephalomedullary nail in patients with intertrochanteric hip fractures.

BACKGROUND: Surgical treatment is the optimal strategy for managing intertrochanteric fractures as it allows for early rehabilitation and functional recovery. The purpose of the study was to assess the cost-effectiveness of commonly used cephalomedullary nails for the treatment of unstable intertrochanteric hip fractures. METHODS: A decision analytic model was developed from a US payer's perspective using clinical data from a pairwise meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and comparative observational studies comparing the integrated twin compression screw (ITCS) nail versus two single-screw or blade cephalomedullary nails [single lag screw (SLS) nail and single helical blade (SHB) nail]. The model considered a cohort of 1000 patients with a mean age of 76, as reported in the clinical studies over a 1-year time period. Cost data was obtained from the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services website and published literature and adjusted for inflation. One-way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were conducted to assess the effect of uncertainty in model parameters on model conclusions. RESULTS: The model estimated 0.546 quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) and 0.78 complications avoided by using the ITCS nail and 0.455 QALYs and 0.67 complications avoided for the standard of care, using SLS or SHB nails. The cost per patient was $34,336 for patients treated with an ITCS nail and $37,036 for patients treated with the standard of care respectively, resulting in a cost saving of $2700 in favour of the ITCS nail. More savings were observed when the ITCS nail was compared to the SHB ($3280 per patient) and SLS ($1652 per patient). The findings were robust to a range of both one-way and the probabilistic sensitivity analyses. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, the ITCS nail can be considered a cost saving intervention in patients undergoing intertrochanteric fracture fixation with an intramedullary device. Clinicians and policy makers should be encouraged to adopt healthcare technologies such as ITCS that will help them to provide quality healthcare despite falling budgets.

Why Fibular Nailing Can Be an Efficient Treatment Strategy for AO Type 44-B Ankle Fractures in the Elderly.

The reference standard treatment of unstable AO type 44-B ankle fractures is open reduction and internal fixation. However, delayed-staged surgery because of compromised soft tissues results in prolonged hospitalization and increased total healthcare costs in the elderly (age ≥65 years). The aim of the present study was to measure the efficiency of intramedullary fibular nailing (IMFN) in the elderly. A prospective series of 15 elderly patients with an AO type 44-B ankle fracture treated with IMFN were compared with a retrospective cohort of 97 elderly patients treated with plate and screw osteosynthesis (PSOS). Clinical and process-related variables and total healthcare costs, including 5 cost categories, were assessed. Functional outcomes, general health status, and quality of life were measured using the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society ankle-hindfoot and EuroQol 5-dimension 3-level visual analog scales. Although the preoperative length of stay was significantly shorter for the patients treated with IMFN, the total length of stay and total healthcare costs were not significantly different between the 2 groups. The complication and reintervention rates were similar in both groups, with improved American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society scale scores in the IMFN group. Compared with delayed-staged surgery, early IMFN led to a significant reduction in total healthcare costs. We could not prove significant cost savings for IMFN compared with PSOS for the treatment of AO type 44-B ankle fractures. However, early IMFN was financially beneficial compared with a delayed-staged (IMFN and PSOS) surgery protocol. Because, ultimately, IMFN allows for early percutaneous fixation in most cases, IMFN is a potentially profitable treatment strategy for AO type 44-B ankle fractures in the elderly with good outcomes.

Are the current guidelines for surgical delay in hip fractures too rigid? A single center assessment of mortality and economics.

PURPOSE: Controversy remains around acceptable surgical delay of acute hip fractures with current guidelines ranging from 24 to 48 h. Increasing healthcare costs force us to consider the economic burden as well. We aimed to evaluate the adjusted effect of surgical delay for hip fracture surgery on early mortality, healthcare costs and readmission rate. We hypothesized that shorter delays resulted in lower early mortality and costs. METHODS: In this retrospective cohort study 2573 consecutive patients aged ≥50 years were included, who underwent surgery for acute hip fractures between 2009 and 2017. Main endpoints were thirty- and ninety-day mortality, total cost, and readmission rate. Multivariable regression included sex, age and ASA score as covariates. RESULTS: Thirty-day mortality was 5% (n = 133), ninety-day mortality 12% (n = 304). Average total cost was €11960, dominated by hospitalization (59%) and honoraria (23%). Per 24 h delay, the adjusted odds ratio was 1.07 (95% CI 0.98-1.18) for thirty-day mortality, 1.12 (95% CI 1.04-1.19) for ninety-day mortality, and 0.99 (95% CI = 0.88-1.12) for readmission. Per 24 h delay, costs increased with 7% (95% CI 6-8%). For mortality, delay was a weaker predictor than sex, age, and ASA score. For costs, delay was the strongest predictor. We did not find clear cut-points for surgical delay after which mortality or costs increased abruptly. CONCLUSIONS: Despite only modest associations with mortality, we observed a steady increase in healthcare costs when delaying surgery. Hence, a more pragmatic approach with surgery as soon as medically and organizationally possible seems justifiable over rigorous implementation of the current guidelines.

Titanium Elastic Nailing has Superior Value to Plate Fixation of Midshaft Femur Fractures in Children 5 to 11 Years.

BACKGROUND: American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) Clinical Practice Guidelines for pediatric femoral shaft fractures indicate titanium elastic nails (TENs) for children 5 to 11 years old. Growing evidence suggests these fractures may also be treated with open or submuscular plating. The purpose of this study was to compare estimated blood loss (EBL), operative time, fluoroscopy time, cost, and subjective and objective pain scores between TENs and plating techniques used in 5- to 11-year-old children with midshaft femur fractures based on length stability. We hypothesized that EBL, operative time, and fluoroscopy time would be greater and pain would be lower with plate fixation. METHODS: We retrospectively identified all pediatric midshaft femur fractures treated with TENs, submuscular plating, or open plating between 2004 and 2014. Demographic, injury, and surgical data were obtained for analysis. Cost data were obtained from Synthes Inc. Outcomes were determined using the TEN outcome scoring system. Variables were compared between the 3 fixation methods using paired t tests or Fisher exact test as appropriate. Cost data were compared with Mann-Whitney nonparametric test. RESULTS: There were 65 midshaft femur fractures in 63 patients included. TENs accounted for 77% and plating 23%. There were no statistical differences in injury severity score, length of stay, length unstable fractures, open fractures, fluoroscopy time, or pain. However, there was a significantly greater operative time (P=0.007) and a notably greater EBL (P=0.057) for the plating technique compared with TENs. Patient outcomes were found to be equivalent. Implant cost was not significantly different although increased surgical costs were seen in plating (P=0.0007). CONCLUSIONS: This study supports the use of TENs or plating for midshaft femur fractures in children 5 to 11 years old, regardless of length stability. The use of plates resulted in higher EBL, longer operative time, increased cost, and equivalent pain compared with TENs. To our knowledge, this study represents the first direct comparison of the common fixation methods specifically for midshaft femur fractures and favors the use of TENs. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III.

Changing trends in the management of intertrochanteric hip fractures - A single centre experience.

With an annual incidence greater than 65,000 in the United Kingdom, hip fractures are a common but debilitating injury predominantly affecting those over 65. Treatment is based on the anatomical location of the fracture relative to the capsule of the hip joint - fractures occurring within it are treated by arthroplasty, while extracapsular fractures are an indication for fixation. Intertrochanteric fractures are further grouped as stable (AO/OTA 31A1/A2) or unstable (31A3) which in turn governs in the current UK guidelines whether this fixation is achieved with a dynamic hip screw or intramedullary device. Anecdotally, some units are tending towards intramedullary devices for 31A2 fractures as well, a practice which from the evidence does not appear to confer benefit and carries an excess cost. We reviewed our data submitted to the National Hip Fracture Database over the last five years and identified all intertrochanteric fractures, from which cohort we identified all patients with 31A2 fractures by review of radiographs. The cohort comprised 370 patients. We then recorded age, gender, ASA grade, abbreviated mental test score, residence from where admitted, length of stay, destination on discharge and whether any further operations were required. There was no significant difference in the demographics of the groups, year-on-year, except gender mix. There was a significant, twenty-fold rise in the use of intramedullary devices between 2011 and 2015. Length of stay, length of overall episode of care, revision rates, mortality and destination on discharge were unchanged. This use is not supported by NICE guidelines and this study offers no evidence to contradict this position. We advocate all centres examine their practice to avoid a costly intervention without clinical benefit.

Operative Cost Comparison: Plating Versus Intramedullary Fixation for Clavicle Fractures.

Although clavicle fractures often heal well with nonoperative management, current literature has shown improved outcomes with operative intervention for specific fracture patterns in specific patient types. The 2 most common methods of midshaft clavicle fracture fixation are intramedullary and plate devices. Through retrospective analysis, this study performed a direct cost comparison of these 2 types of fixation at a single institution over a 5-year period. Outcome measures included operative costs for initial surgery and any hardware removal surgeries. This study reviewed 154 patients (157 fractures), and of these, 99 had intramedullary fixation and 58 had plate fixation. A total of 80% (79 of 99) of intramedullary devices and 3% (2 of 58) of plates were removed. Average cost for initial intramedullary placement was $2955 (US dollars) less than that for initial plate placement (P<.001); average cost for removal was $1874 less than that for plate removal surgery (P=.2). Average total cost for all intramedullary surgeries was $1392 less than the average cost for all plating surgeries (P<.001). Average cost for all intramedullary surgeries requiring plate placement and removal was $653 less than the average cost for all plating surgeries that involved only placement (P=.04). Intramedullary fixation of clavicle fractures resulted in a statistically significant cost reduction compared with plate fixation, despite the incidence of more frequent removal surgeries. [Orthopedics.2016; 39(5):e877-e882.].

The Cost of Intramedullary Nailing for Femoral Shaft Fractures in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

BACKGROUND: Femoral shaft fractures are one of the most common injuries seen by surgeons in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Surgical repair in LMICs is often dismissed as not being cost-effective or unsafe, though little evidence exists to support this notion. Therefore, the goal of this study is to determine the cost of intramedullary nailing of femoral shaft fractures in Tanzania. METHODS: We used micro-costing methods to estimate the fixed and variable costs of intramedullary nailing of femoral shaft fractures. Variable costs assessed included medical personnel costs, ward personnel costs, implants, medications, and single-use supplies. Fixed costs included costs for surgical instruments and administrative and ancillary staff. RESULTS: 46 adult femoral shaft fracture patients admitted to Muhimbili Orthopaedic Institute between June and September 2014 were enrolled and treated with intramedullary fixation. The total cost per patient was $530.87 (SD $129.99). The mean variable cost per patient was $419.87 (SD $129.99), the largest portion coming from ward personnel $144.47 (SD $123.30), followed by implant $134.10 (SD $15.00) medical personnel $106.86 (SD $28.18), and medications/supplies $30.05 (SD $12.28). The mean fixed cost per patient was $111.00, consisting of support staff, $103.50, and surgical instruments, $7.50. CONCLUSIONS: Our study provides empirical information on the variable and fixed costs of intramedullary nailing of femoral shaft fractures in LMICs. Importantly, the lack of surgical capacity was the primary driver of the largest cost for this procedure, preoperative ward personnel time. Our results provide the cost data for a formal cost-effectiveness analysis on this intervention.

Comparison of Pediatric Forearm Fracture Fixation Between Single- and Double-Elastic Stable Intramedullary Nailing.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate and compare the outcome of single- and double-elastic stable intramedullary nailing (ESIN) for the treatment of pediatric both-bone forearm fractures. We retrospectively analyzed 49 children with both-bone forearm fractures treated with ESIN. Twenty-four patients were treated with single-ESIN (S-ESIN) to fixate the radius only, and the other 25 patients were treated with double-ESIN (D-ESIN) to fixate the radius and ulna. The duration of surgery, times of fluoroscopy, cost of hospitalization, period of castoff, union time, radiographic outcomes, clinical results, and postoperative complications were compared. The duration of surgery, times of fluoroscopy, and cost of hospitalization were significantly lower in the S-ESIN group; however, the average period of castoff was longer in the S-ESIN group. The incidence of delayed union of the ulna was significantly higher in the D-ESIN than in the S-ESIN group. Although the mean angulation deformity of the ulna in the S-ESIN group was significantly larger than in the D-ESIN group, both of them were acceptable (<10 degrees). Despite this, there was no difference in the loss of forearm motion and complication rates between the 2 groups. In conclusion, our data suggest that S-ESIN to fixate the radius alone remains an equally effective fixation method in the pediatric population compared with both-bone fixation and is our treatment of choice.

The SIGN Nail: Factors in a Successful Device for Low-Resource Settings.

Surgeons in low-resource settings manage an increasing number of patients presenting with high-energy fractures. The number of surgeons and the operating time available are frequently not adequate to treat these fractures in a timely manner. A common cause of delay in treating fractures is waiting for the patient to accumulate sufficient funding to pay for the surgery, including the surgical implant. The donation of the SIGN intramedullary nail interlocking screw system obviates a major delay in timing of surgery. The SIGN intramedullary nail has been designed to be used in low-resource settings as it can be placed without fluoroscopy or electricity. The SIGN-trained surgeons are very skillful in hand reaming the canal, placing the nail, and interlocking screws without fluoroscopy. As more is learned about fracture healing, the SIGN system continues to evolve. The SIGN system is expanding to include deformity correction and soft tissue coverage.

Effects of recombinant human Bone Morphogenetic Protein-2 (rhBMP-2) in grade III open tibia fractures treated with unreamed nails-A clinical and health-economic analysis.

Recombinant human Bone Morphogenetic Protein-2 (rhBMP-2) is licensed in Europe for open tibia fractures treated with unreamed nails. However, there is limited data available on the specific use of rhBMP-2 in combination with unreamed nails for open tibia fractures. The intention of the current study was to evaluate the medical and health-economic effects of rhBMP-2 in Gustilo-Anderson grade III open tibia fractures treated with unreamed nails based on individual patient data from two previously published studies. Linear regression analysis was performed on raw data of 90 patients that were either treated by standard of care with soft tissue management and unreamed nailing (SOC group) (n=50) or with rhBMP-2 in addition to soft tissue management and unreamed nailing (rhBMP-2 group) (n=40). For all types of revision, a significant lower percentage of patients (27.5%) of the rhBMP-2 group had to be revised compared to 48% of the patients of the SOC group (p=0.04). When only invasive secondary interventions such as bone grafting and nail exchange were considered, there was also a statistically significant reduction in the rhBMP-2 group with a revision rate of 10.0% (4 of 40 patients) compared to the SOC group with a revision rate of 28.0% (14 of 50 patients) (p=0.01). Mean fracture healing time of 228 days in the rhBMP-2 compared to 266 days in the SOC group was not statistically significant (p=0.24). Health-economic analysis based on a societal perspective with calculation of overall treatment costs after initial surgery and including productivity losses revealed savings of €6,239 per patient for Germany and €4,752 for the UK in favour of rhBMP-2 which was mainly driven by reduction of productivity losses. In conclusion, rhBMP-2 reduces secondary interventions in patients with grade III open tibia fractures treated with an unreamed nail and its use leads to financial savings for Germany and the UK from a societal perspective.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of fixation options for intertrochanteric hip fractures.

BACKGROUND: Intertrochanteric hip fractures are a major source of morbidity and financial burden, accounting for 7% of osteoporotic fractures and costing nearly $6 billion annually in the United States. Traditionally, "stable" fracture patterns have been treated with an extramedullary sliding hip screw whereas "unstable" patterns have been treated with the more expensive intramedullary nail. The purpose of this study was to identify parameters to guide cost-effective implant choices with use of decision-analysis techniques to model these common clinical scenarios. METHODS: An expected-value decision-analysis model was constructed to estimate the total costs and health utility based on the choice of a sliding hip screw or an intramedullary nail for fixation of an intertrochanteric hip fracture. Values for critical parameters, such as fixation failure rate, were derived from the literature. Three scenarios were evaluated: (1) a clearly stable fracture (AO type 31-A1), (2) a clearly unstable fracture (A3), or (3) a fracture with questionable stability (A2). Sensitivity analysis was performed to test the validity of the model. RESULTS: The fixation failure rate and implant cost were the most important factors in determining implant choice. When the incremental cost for the intramedullary nail was set at the median value ($1200), intramedullary nailing had an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of $50,000/quality-adjusted life year when the incremental failure rate of sliding hip screws was 1.9%. When the incremental failure rate of sliding hip screws was >5.0%, intramedullary nails dominated with lower cost and better health outcomes. The sliding hip screw was always more cost-effective for A1 fractures, and the intramedullary nail always dominated for A3 fractures. As for A2 fractures, the sliding hip screw was cost-effective in 70% of the cases, although this was highly sensitive to the failure rate. CONCLUSIONS: Sliding hip screw fixation is likely more cost-effective for stable intertrochanteric fractures (A1) or those with questionable stability (A2), whereas intramedullary nail fixation is more cost-effective for reverse obliquity fractures (A3). These conclusions are highly sensitive to the fixation failure rate, which was the major influence on the model results.

Can the use of an evidence-based algorithm for the treatment of intertrochanteric fractures of the hip maintain quality at a reduced cost?

In March 2012, an algorithm for the treatment of intertrochanteric fractures of the hip was introduced in our academic department of Orthopaedic Surgery. It included the use of specified implants for particular patterns of fracture. In this cohort study, 102 consecutive patients presenting with an intertrochanteric fracture were followed prospectively (post-algorithm group). Another 117 consecutive patients who had been treated immediately prior to the implementation of the algorithm were identified retrospectively as a control group (pre-algorithm group). The total cost of the implants prior to implementation of the algorithm was $357 457 (mean: $3055 (1947 to 4133)); compared with $255 120 (mean: $2501 (1052 to 4133)) after its implementation. There was a trend toward fewer complications in patients who were treated using the algorithm (33% pre- versus 22.5% post-algorithm; p = 0.088). Application of the algorithm to the pre-algorithm group revealed a potential overall cost saving of $70 295. The implementation of an evidence-based algorithm for the treatment of intertrochanteric fractures reduced costs while maintaining quality of care with a lower rate of complications and re-admissions.

An observational cohort study of the adoption of elastic stable intramedullary nailing for the treatment of pediatric femur fractures in Kumasi, Ghana.

BACKGROUND: In high- and middle-income countries, elastic stable intramedullary nailing (ESIN) is the commonest treatment of femur fractures in children 5-11 years of age. At Komfo Anokye Teaching hospital (KATH) in Kumasi, Ghana, prior to this study all pediatric femur fractures were treated with skin traction to union. This study was designed to report the early results and costs of the adoption of ESIN at KATH to provide data to other low- and middle-income sites considering adoption of this surgical technique. METHODS: An observational cohort study that included 84 pediatric patients ages 3-14 years presenting with closed femur fractures and treated with either skin traction or ESIN. Multivariate logistic regression was used to compare the rate of treatment success between treatment groups. RESULTS: Treatment success (coronal and sagittal angulation less than 10 ° and shortening less than 15 mm at osseous union) was achieved in 92 % of the ESIN group versus 67 % of the skin traction group (odds ratio for ESIN group 9.28 (1.6-54.7); p = 0.0138). Average length of stay was significantly lower in the ESIN group (p = 0.001), but charges to patients were higher in the ESIN group (p < 0.001) because of the high cost of implants. CONCLUSIONS: The initial experience of operative treatment of femoral shaft fractures in children using ESIN was positive, with improved rates of treatment success and no surgical complications. Because of the high cost of implants, direct costs of treatment remained higher with ESIN despite reductions in length of hospital stay.

Time intervals in the treatment of fractured femurs as indicators of the quality of trauma systems.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the use of time intervals in the treatment of fractured femurs as indicators of the quality of trauma systems. METHODS: Time intervals from injury to admission, admission to surgery and surgery to discharge for patients with isolated femur fractures in four low- and middle-income countries were compared with the corresponding values from one German hospital, an Israeli hospital and the National Trauma Data Bank of the United States of America by means of Student's t-tests. The correlations between the time intervals recorded in a country and that country's expenditure on health and gross domestic product (GDP) were also evaluated using Pearson's product moment correlation coefficient. FINDINGS: Relative to patients from high-income countries, those from low- and middle-income countries were significantly more likely to be male and to have been treated by open femoral nailing, and their intervals from injury to admission, admission to surgery and surgery to discharge were significantly longer. Strong negative correlations were detected between the interval from injury to admission and government expenditure on health, and between the interval from admission to surgery and the per capita values for total expenditure on health, government expenditure on health and GDP. Strong positive correlations were detected between the interval from surgery to discharge and general government expenditure on health. CONCLUSION: The time intervals for the treatment of femur fractures are relatively long in low- and middle-income countries, can easily be measured, and are highly correlated with accessible and quantifiable country data on health and economics.

Cost effectiveness of using surgery versus skeletal traction in management of femoral shaft fractures at Thika level 5 hospital, Kenya.

INTRODUCTION: A prospective quasi experimental study was undertaken at the Thika level 5 hospital. The study aimed to compare the costs of managing femoral shaft fracture by surgery as compared to skeletal traction. METHODS: Sixty nine (46.6%) patients were enrolled in group A and managed surgically by intramedullary nailing while 79 (53.4%) patients were enrolled in group B and managed by skeletal traction. Exclusion criteria included patients with pathological fractures and previous femoral fractures. Data was collected by evaluation of patients in patient bills using a standardized questionnaire. The questionnaire included cost of haematological and radiological tests, bed fees, theatre fees and physiotherapy costs. The data was compiled and analyzed using SPSS version 16. Person's chi square and odds ratios were used to measure associations and risk analysis respectively. RESULTS: A higher proportion of patients (88.4%) in group A were hospitalized for less than one month compared to 20 patients (30.4%) in group B (p, 0.001).Total cost of treatment in group A was significantly lower than in group B. Nineteen (27.9%) patients who underwent surgery paid a total bill of Ksh 5000-7500 compared to 7(10.4%) who were treated by traction. The financial cost benefit of surgery was further complimented by better functional outcomes. CONCLUSION: The data indicates a cost advantage of managing femoral shaft fracture by surgery compared to traction. Furthermore the longer hospital stay in the traction group is associated with more malunion, limb deformity and shortening.

Is reconstruction nailing of all femoral shaft fractures cost effective? A decision analysis.

OBJECTIVES: Femoral shaft fractures are usually treated with anterograde or retrograde nails that typically do not provide femoral neck fixation. Ipsilateral femoral neck fractures occur with 2.5%-10% of femoral shaft fractures; 19%-55% of associated femoral neck fractures are missed with plain films and 5%-22% with computed tomography (CT). This study was performed to determine if routine reconstruction nailing of all femoral shaft fractures with or without occult femoral neck fractures is cost effective. METHODS: A decision tree model examined the cost effectiveness of reconstruction nailing over standard intramedullary nailing for all femoral shaft fractures in which an associated femoral neck fracture was not identified on plain radiographs. As a base model, we assumed that 5% of shaft fractures had an ipsilateral femoral neck fracture, and 37% were missed and required further surgery. We assigned a small morbidity and additional cost ($680) for the use of a reconstruction nail and 2 screws. Model inputs including costs, clinical outcome probabilities, and health utilities were derived from the literature, estimated from institutional data, or assumed by the authors. Sensitivity analyses evaluated the effect of the rate of associated femoral neck fracture, the rate of missed femoral neck fracture, the complication rate of reconstruction screws, the cost of the extra reconstruction screws, and the utilities of each outcome on the incremental cost effectiveness (ICER) of both strategies. Current practice in cost-effectiveness analysis uses a threshold of $100,000 per quality-adjusted life year gained as cost effective. A secondary analysis of the use CT scans to reduce missed femoral neck fractures was also performed. RESULTS: The base model showed that the placement of reconstruction nails in all isolated femur fractures was not cost effective. Sensitivity analysis demonstrated that the ICER was most sensitive to the cost of the reconstruction nail, hemiarthroplasty, and a missed femoral neck fracture. The ICER was affected by the rate of femoral neck fracture and the rate of missed femoral neck fracture. If the rate of missed femoral neck fractures was >38%, then reconstruction nailing was a cost-effective strategy. If the probability of an ipsilateral femoral neck fracture was >7%, then reconstruction nailing was cost effective. Protocolized CT scans had an ICER >$100,000. If the additional cost of the reconstruction nails was <$650, then it was cost effective to perform reconstruction nailing for all femoral shaft fractures. CONCLUSIONS: Reconstruction nailing of femoral shaft fractures can be a cost-effective method to reduce the risks and morbidity of missed femoral neck fractures if the incremental implant costs are <$650. Routine reconstruction nailing is cost effective if the rate of associated femoral neck fracture is >7% or the rate of missed femoral neck fracture is >38%. CT scans are not a cost-effective strategy to reduce the risk and morbidity of missed femoral neck fractures if the cost is >$243. Weaknesses of this study include the reliance on low-powered studies and on estimations of some utilities and costs. To prevent the morbidity of missed or occult femoral neck fractures, the use of reconstruction nails for femoral shaft fractures is cost effective when the incremental costs of implants are <$650. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Economic Level II. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.