Distal femoral fractures: A comparison between single lateral plate fixation and a combined femoral nail and plate fixation.

OBJECTIVES: Distal femoral fractures occur in patients with osteoporotic bone and also as a consequence of high energy trauma. The recognised treatment options include closed or open reduction of the fracture and fixation using a locking plate or a femoral nail. Both these fixation modalities have some drawbacks. There is a risk of metalwork failure with single lateral locking plates and limited distal fixation with intramedullary nails. Since January 2018, we started using augmented fixation of distal femoral fractures using a combination of a retrograde femoral nail and a lateral locking plate. This study compares the outcomes of single lateral femoral plating (SLP) and combined nail-plate fixation (NPF). METHODS: This is a single centre retrospective case control study including all patients who sustained distal femoral fractures (OTA 33-A2, 33-A3, 33-C, 33-V3B and 33-V3D) over the study period. Outcomes for SLP were compared to NPF. The principal outcome measure was fracture union. Secondary outcome measures were reoperation rate, mortality and post-operative weight bearing status. RESULTS: 67 distal femoral fractures were included in the study. 19 patients had peri­prosthetic fractures. 40 were treated by SLP, 27 were managed with NPF.  23 (58%) patients in the SLP group were given instructions to non-weight bear or Toe touch weight bear for 6 weeks post-surgery compared to 1 (4%) in the NPF group (p = 0.000004). 7 (18%) patients treated with SLP had metalwork failure due to a non-union compared to none treated with NPF (p = 0.04). 11 fractures in the SLP group failed to unite compared to no non-unions in the NPF group (p = 0.01). These differences were magnified when assessing older (>50 years old) patients. CONCLUSIONS: Augmented fixation of distal femoral fractures using a nail plate fixation provided significantly higher union and enabled early weightbearing compared to single plate fixation. We recommend nail plate fixation for the treatment of distal femoral fractures, particularly in osteoporotic fractures.

Reinventing the floppy lateral position for dual approaches in COVID-19 times.

Dual approaches are often used in complex lower limb fracture surgery. A well-accepted strategy is to definitively reduce and fix one part of the fracture (commonly the posterior articular surface in a pilon or tibial plateau fracture) with the patient in one position, and then reposition the patient to access the other side of the fracture. The change of position prolongs the anaesthetic and surgical time. In the context of the coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, it also causes concern with donning and doffing. We describe a mobile floppy lateral position that enables dual approaches to the ankle, distal tibia, tibial plateau, and the acetabulum without having to change the patient positioning. The patient is positioned lateral on a radiolucent table, usually with the affected side on top. No supports are placed around the pelvis, allowing the patient's pelvis to flop forwards or backwards. Two supports are placed around the chest and a strap is placed to secure the patient to the table if deemed necessary. The initial surgical procedure can be performed by flopping the patient's pelvis forwards, allowing access to the posterior leg, knee or hip. Once satisfactory fixation is achieved, the pelvis is rolled backwards to allow access to the anterior aspect of the fracture.

A randomized controlled trial comparing Oxinium and cobalt-chrome on standard and cross-linked polyethylene.

The purpose of the investigation was to assess the clinical and radiographic outcomes in four bearing surfaces. Eighty patients (91 hips) undergoing total hip arthroplasty between 2004 and 2007 were randomized to one of four bearing surfaces: (1) cobalt-chrome (CoCr) and ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE); (2) CoCr and XLPE; (3) Oxinium and UHMWPE; and (4) Oxinium and XLPE. The mean follow-up for this study was 6.8 years. There were no significant differences in clinical outcomes. The linear wear rates for the four groups were 0.241 mm/year, 0.076 mm/year, 0.238 mm/year and 0.061 mm/year respectively. HXLPE results in significantly less wear than UHMWPE. However, we found no significant reduction in wear rate by using Oxinium in place of CoCr femoral heads at early follow-up.

Outcome of subtalar fusion using bovine cancellous bone graft: a retrospective case series.

Solvent preserved bovine cancellous bone graft (Tutobone(®)) has been promoted as an alternative to autologous bone graft. The aim of our study was to compare the outcomes of subtalar fusion in patients in whom Tutobone(®) was used with the outcomes in patients in whom it was not used. This was a retrospective comparative study. Tutobone(®) was used in 9 patients in the test group. Of these repairs, 6 were isolated subtalar fusions, and 3 were performed as a part of triple arthrodesis. A total of 17 patients were included in the control group; 4 underwent autologous iliac crest grafting and 13 received a local bone graft from excised joint surfaces. At 12 months after surgery, 8 of the 9 in the Tutobone(®) group had persistent pain and radiologic signs of nonunion confirmed on computed tomography scan. All 17 in the other group had successful clinical and radiologic fusion at 12 months. We believe this is sufficient evidence to advise against the use of bovine cancellous bone graft material for subtalar fusion surgery.

An electromyographic exploratory study comparing the difference in the onset of hamstring and quadriceps contraction in patients with anterior knee pain.

Idiopathic anterior knee pain in teenagers and young adults is a common condition. Patellar maltracking has been considered as a causative factor. The aim of our study was to investigate whether there was a difference in the timing of electromyographic (EMG) activity in the medial and lateral hamstring and quadriceps muscles of patients with anterior knee pain compared to asymptomatic control participants. This was a cross sectional observational study measuring EMG activation patterns. Two groups of participants were tested, one patient (mean age 15 years, n = 20) and one asymptomatic control (mean age 16 years, n = 17). Surface EMG (sampling rate 1000 Hz) was recorded from vastus medialis obliqus, vastus lateralis, and the medial and lateral hamstrings during three repetitions of maximal voluntary isometric contractions. The relative timing of the medial and lateral quadriceps and hamstrings was evaluated. The mean (95% confidence interval) difference between the groups in the lateral-medial hamstring onset timing was 53.8(1.9 to 105.6)ms during the maximal contraction. An independent t test showed that this difference was statistically significant (p = 0.043). The differences between the groups in the relative VMO to VL onset did not reach statistical significance. The results of this study suggest that the lateral hamstrings contract significantly earlier in patients with AKP compared to healthy controls for this small cohort. This altered activation pattern could produce external rotation of the tibia on the femur and cause lateral patella tracking.

Idiopathic anterior knee pain in the young. A prospective controlled trial.

Idiopathic anterior knee pain is a common condition in adolescents. The aim of this study was to compare the biometric parameters such as hamstring tightness, hip and knee movements and joint laxity in patients with idiopathic anterior knee pain with a control population of similar age and gender. Patients (n = 34) and controls (n = 34) (age and sex matched) between the age of 11 and 25 were recruited for the study. The mean follow-up of the patient group was 20 months. The patients showed a statistically significant improvement in their symptoms (SF-36 physical component, p = 0.001) despite the fact that half of them did not attend physiotherapy sessions. Patients had statistically significant hamstring tightness (p = 0.04) and increased external hip rotation (p = 0.001) as compared to the control group. These findings support the theory of idiopathic anterior knee pain being a self-limiting condition that is associated with hamstring tightness.

A biomechanical study comparing a raft of 3.5 mm cortical screws with 6.5 mm cancellous screws in depressed tibial plateau fractures.

There has been a recent trend towards using a raft of small diameter 3.5mm cortical screws for supporting depressed tibial plateau fractures (Schatzker type III). Our aim was to compare the biomechanical properties of a raft of 3.5 mm cortical screws with that of 6.5 mm cancellous screws in a synthetic bone model. Ten rigid polyurethane foam (sawbone) blocks, with a density simulating osteoporotic bone and ten blocks with a density simulating normal density bone were obtained. A Schatzker type III fracture was created in each block. The fracture fragments were then elevated and supported using two 6.5 mm cancellous screws in ten blocks and four 3.5 mm cortical screws in the remaining. The fractures were loaded using a Lloyd testing machine. The mean force needed to produce a depression of 5 mm was 700.8 N with the four-screw construct and 512.4 N with the two-screw construct in the osteoporotic model. This difference was highly statistically significant (p = 0.009). The mean force required to produce the same depression was 1878.2 N with the two-screw construct and 1938.2 N with the four-screw construct in the non-osteoporotic model. Though the difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.42), an increased fragmentation of the synthetic bone fragments was noticed with the two-screw construct but not with the four-screw construct. A raft of four 3.5 mm cortical screws is biomechanically stronger than two 6.5 mm cancellous screws in resisting axial compression in osteoporotic bone.