Surgical treatment and management of hip fracture patients.

INTRODUCTION: Osteoporosis-related hip fractures are associated with high mortality and costs. The optimum type of treatment for such fractures is controversial. To shed some light on this issue, the surgical treatment and management of osteoporotic hip fractures were discussed during a hip fracture surgical working group at the 2009 International Society For Fracture Repair Annual Meeting comprising leading experts in the field. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The working group consisted of eight orthopaedic surgeons, six industry representatives and one research scientist. Eleven participants were from Europe and four were from the USA and Canada. Two chairmen posed 12 questions relating to the surgical treatment and management of osteoporotic hip fractures. Each question was discussed and key points were noted. RESULTS: Surgery should commence within 24-48 h but the patient should be optimized if presenting with ≥3 comorbidities. Specialized centres integrating orthopaedics, geriatricians and rheumatologists could be a solution for the lack of specialist care post-surgery. Surgical technique is important in fracture fixation, as is the implant, but there has been no improvement in implant design in the past 50 years. As a consequence, malunion has become unjustifiably accepted. Fracture healing can be accelerated using pharmaceuticals which are also important in secondary prophylaxis. All displaced femoral neck fractures in geriatric patients should be treated with hip replacement, the choice between using cemented or uncemented fixation being at the surgeon's discretion. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: This working group discussion highlighted several important issues which could be of interest to the orthopaedic community.

Locked and minimally invasive plating: a paradigm shift? Metadiaphyseal site-specific concerns and controversies.

Metadiaphyseal fractures of long bones are associated with considerable deforming forces, tenuous soft-tissue envelopes, and, often, severely compromised osseous integrity. Contemporary methods to fix complex metadiaphyseal fractures must achieve a balance between the biomechanical and biologic environments. The advent of precontoured locking plates inserted with evolving minimally invasive techniques may achieve both goals. Enthusiasm for their application demands continued scientific validation. Indications and outcomes must be carefully evaluated, and the benefits and limitations of this combination of implant design and surgical execution must be recognized.

History and Evolution of Hip Design to Decrease Failure.

SUMMARY: The evolution of fracture fixation designs over the past 100 years is coupled with incredible advances in materials and manufacturing technology. Failures are unavoidable and should be evaluated from the perspective of refining our technology and technique to improve patient outcomes. Failure after intramedullary fixation of hip fractures is multifactorial with contributions from an unsuccessful surgery, some preventable, some unavoidable, and rarely, design and manufacturing errors. However, whenever implants are disseminated to large population groups with variable individual anatomy, physiology, and associated comorbidities, unexpected and unpredicted weaknesses in the design and surgical technique will be discovered. Surgeons have multiple choices for nail selection with specific and critical technical requirements. The surgeon should evaluate each patient individually and determine the treatment based on patient anatomy and morphology of the fracture. The surgical approach should be modified over time after deciding how best to improve surgical treatment based on the current scientific studies.

Modern osteosynthesis of periarticular fractures: The role of provisional fixation revisited.

Periarticular fractures are complex injuries affecting the joint articular surface, the subchondral area, the metaphyseal region, the surrounding soft tissue envelope and not infrequently the ligamentous structures. The management of these injuries has evolved over the years, from one stage to two stage procedures thus facilitating soft tissue resuscitation, adequate pre-operative planning and the use of biologics optimizing the conditions for definitive fixation for a successful long-term outcome. Provisional fixation constitutes an essential step in the surgical treatment of these fractures. Herein, the role of provisional fixation as well as strategies on how they should be applied are discussed. The aim is to revisit this important step of provisional fracture fixation since its introduction by Albin Lambotte, in the early 1900's.

Variability in the approach to total hip arthroplasty in patients with displaced femoral neck fractures.

The aim of this study was to determine the degree of variability in implants, approaches, and associated complication rates in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating primary total hip arthroplasty (THA) as an intervention for displaced femoral neck fractures. We searched 2 medical databases for RCTs involving THA for femoral neck fractures published between June 2000 and June 2010. All analyses were descriptive. Nine RCTs met our inclusion criteria. We identified variability in both the surgical approach and choice of prosthesis. Trials generally standardized to head sizes of 28 mm or greater and cemented prostheses. Surgical experience varied across studies. Dislocation rates varied from 0% to 22%. There is considerable variability in RCTs evaluating THA for femoral neck fractures. Standardization toward optimal outcomes for femoral neck fractures is needed.

A comparison of optical and electromagnetic computer-assisted navigation systems for fluoroscopic targeting.

OBJECTIVES: Freehand targeting using fluoroscopic guidance is routine for placement of interlocking screws associated with intramedullary nailing and for insertion of screws for reconstruction of pelvic and acetabular injuries. New technologies that use fluoroscopy with the assistance of computer guidance have the potential to improve accuracy and reduce radiation exposure to patient and surgeon. We sought to compare 2 fluoroscopic navigation tracking technologies, optical and electromagnetic versus standard freehand fluoroscopic targeting in a standardized model. INTERVENTION: Three experienced orthopaedic trauma surgeons placed 3.2-mm guide pins through test foam blocks that simulate cancellous bone. The entry site for each pin was within a circular (18-mm) entry zone. On the opposite surface of the test block (130-mm across), the target was a 1-mm-diameter radioopaque spherical ball marker. Each surgeon placed 10 pins using freehand targeting (control group) navigation using Medtronic iON StealthStation (Optical A), navigation using BrainLAB VectorVision (Optical B), or navigation using GE Medical Systems InstaTrak 3500 system (EM). OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: Data were collected for accuracy (the distance from the exit site of the guidewire to the target spherical ball marker), fluoroscopy time (seconds), and total number of individual fluoroscopy images taken. RESULTS: The 2 optical systems and the electromagnetic system provided significantly improved accuracy compared to freehand technique. The average distance from the target was significantly (3.5 times) greater for controls (7.1 mm) than for each of the navigated systems (Optical A = 2.1 mm, Optical B = 1.9 mm EM = 2.4 mm; P < .05). Accuracy was similar for the 3 navigated systems, (P > 0.05). The ability to place guidewires in a 5-mm safe zone surrounding the target sphere was also significantly improved with the optical systems and the EM system (99% of wires in the safe zone) compared to controls (47% in the safe zone) (P < 0.002). Safe zone placement was similar among the 3 navigated systems (P > 0.05). Fluoroscopy time (seconds) and number of fluoroscopy images were similar among the three navigated groups (P > 0.05). Each of these parameters was significantly less when using the computer-guided systems than for freehand-unguided insertion (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Both optical and electromagnetic computer-assisted guidance systems have the potential to improve accuracy and reduce radiation use for freehand fluoroscopic targeting in orthopaedic surgery.

Absolute Versus Relative Fracture Fixation: Impact on Fracture Healing.

The goals of all orthopaedic surgeons treating fractures are, and will remain, obtaining union of the fracture with a well-aligned and functional limb while minimizing the risk of complications. This requires us to understand how the biomechanical environment of the fracture affects healing and to be able to discern which mechanical environment is preferred over another. Understanding the spectrum of stability imparted by our current surgical devices is paramount to giving our patients the best opportunity to heal and recover from their injury. Gone are the simplistic views of plates and screws being applied for absolute stability and nails and external fixators being applied for relative stability. This review sheds new light on how the use of different implants provides the appropriate stability to encourage fracture healing and limit the risk of complication and loss of function.

Is there a gluteus medius tendon injury during reaming through a modified medial trochanteric portal? A cadaver study.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this cadaveric study was to evaluate whether there is any damage to the gluteus medius tendon when reaming through a modified medial trochanteric portal for antegrade intramedullary femoral nailing. METHODS: Ten cadaver hips were used in this study. A guidewire was placed in the modified medial trochanteric portal using the assistance of C-arm fluoroscopy and a 14-mm reamer was advanced over the wire. After the reaming was complete, each hip was dissected and the gluteus medius muscle and tendon were inspected to evaluate the amount of intrasubstance and medial tendon damage. RESULTS: Precise localization of the modified medial trochanteric portal was achieved in 9 of 10 cadaver hips. Of those nine hips, the use of the modified medial trochanteric portal did not result in any visible damage to the tendinous insertion of the gluteus medius or the medial aspect of the tendon in any of the specimens. CONCLUSIONS: There is no damage to the gluteus medius tendon with the use of the modified medial trochanteric portal. Although the clinical implications of this finding are not known with certainty, the use of the modified medial trochanteric entry portal for antegrade femoral nailing could possibly result in less postoperative morbidity because it does not damage the gluteus medius tendon as compared to the traditional more lateral trochanteric portal.

Bone Substitute Materials and Minimally Invasive Surgery: A Convergence of Fracture Treatment for Compromised Bone.

This article focuses on the understanding of the biochemistry and surgical application of bone substitute materials (BSMs) and particularly the newer calcium phosphate materials that can form a structural orthobiologic matrix within the metaphyseal components of the periarticular bone. Six characteristics of BSMs are detailed that can be used as a guide for the proper selection and application of the optimal BSM type for periarticular fracture repair. These 6 characteristics of BSMs are divided into 2 pillars. One pillar details the 3 biochemical features of BSMs and the other pillar details the 3 surgical application properties.

Hot Topics in Biomechanics: Hip Fracture Fixation.

Geriatric hip fractures continue to increase in frequency as the population ages, and intertrochanteric femur fractures are a significant part of these injuries. Plate fixation for intertrochanteric fractures of the proximal femur has been in use for many years, and application of the sliding hip screw has also been a mainstay of treatment. Recent data suggest there may be a benefit to using implants that add rotational stability to the proximal intertrochanteric fragment. Although preliminary data are promising, there is need for improved investigation to demonstrate the benefit of these new implant designs. In this era of increasing emphasis on cost, quality, and value, better data are needed to help clinicians determine the best therapy for their patients.

Biomechanical effects of the nail entry zone and anterior cortical bone loss on the proximal tibia.

OBJECTIVES: The aims of this study were as follows: to determine if the presence of the nail entry zone alters the biomechanics of the proximal tibia after intramedullary (IM) nailing using a computational model; to determine if nail removal restores normal biomechanics to the proximal tibia; and to determine if these effects are magnified with anterior cortical bone loss. METHODS: Three-dimensional finite element (FE) tibial models were developed and used for this study: an intact tibia, a nailed tibia, and a tibia with the nail removed. One matched pair of fresh-frozen cadaver tibias was obtained to construct and validate the FE model. The tibias underwent computed tomography scanning, and geometric models were obtained from computed tomography data through volumetric reconstruction. The left tibia was implanted with an unlocked IM nail. The experimental validation of the models was performed by comparing experimental and FE data. Anterior cortical bone of the proximal tibia was removed down to the tibial tubercle on the models to simulate a worst-case scenario of its removal during an IM nailing procedure. Three load cases were considered for each FE tibial model: standing, walking, and single-limb kneeling. RESULTS: The principal strain values of the proximal tibia with the nail entry zone were increased in comparison to the intact tibia in all 3 loading scenarios (+350%-550%). These effects were greatly magnified with anterior cortical bone loss near the nail entry zone (6-fold increase). The presence of the nail increased the principal strain values in the proximal tibia both with an intact and a disrupted anterior cortex in all loading scenarios, and these values remain elevated even with removal of the nail. The values predicted by the FE model were in good agreement with the experimentally measured strains (R = 0.92). CONCLUSION: The nail entry zone in the proximal tibia greatly increases the principle strain values when standing, walking, and kneeling. The presence of the nail results in the highest strain values, but they do not return to normal when the nail is removed. These effects are significantly amplified with removal of the anterior tibial cortex near the nail entry zone.

Intramedullary nailing: evolutions of femoral intramedullary nailing: first to fourth generations.

Intramedullary femoral nailing is the gold standard for femoral shaft fixation but only in the past 27 years. This rapid replacement of closed traction and cast techniques in North America was a controversial and contentious evolution in surgery. As we enter the fourth generation of implant design, capabilities, and surgical technique, it is important to understand the driving forces for this technology. These forces included changes in radiographic imaging capabilities, biomaterial design and computer-assisted manufacturing, and the recognition of the importance of mobilization of the trauma patient to avoid systemic complications and optimize functional recovery.

A comparison of screw insertion torque and pullout strength.

PURPOSE: Pullout strength of screws is a parameter used to evaluate plate screw fixation strength. However, screw fixation strength may be more closely related to its ability to generate sufficient insertion because stable nonlocked plate-screw fracture fixation requires sufficient compression between plate and bone such that no motion occurs between the plate and bone under physiological loads. Compression is generated by tightening of screws. In osteoporotic cancellous bone, sufficient screw insertion torque may not be generated before screw stripping. The effect of screw thread pitch on generation of maximum insertion torque (MIT) and pullout strength (POS) was investigated in an osteoporotic cancellous bone model and the relationship between MIT and POS was analyzed. METHODS: Stainless steel screws with constant major (5.0 mm) and minor (2.7 mm) diameters but with varying thread pitches (1, 1.2, 1.5, 1.6, and 1.75 mm) were tested for MIT and POS in a validated osteoporotic surrogate for cancellous bone (density of 160 kg/m(3) [10 lbs/ft(3)]). MIT was measured with a torque-measuring hex driver for screws inserted through a one-third tubular plate. POS was measured after insertion of screws to a depth of 20 mm based on the Standard Specification and Test Methods for Metallic Medical Bone Screws (ASTM F 543-07). Five screws were tested for each failure mode and screw design. The relationship between MIT and compressive force between the plate and bone surrogate was evaluated using pressure-sensitive film. RESULTS: There was a significant difference in mean MIT based on screw pitch (P < 0.0001), whereas POS did not show statistically significant differences among the different screw pitches (P = 0.052). Small screw pitches (1.0 mm and 1.2 mm) had lower MIT and were distinguished from large pitches (1.5 mm, 1.6 mm, and the 1.75 mm) with higher MIT. For POS, only the 1-mm and 1.6-mm pitch screws were found to be different from each other. Linear regression analysis of MIT revealed a moderate correlation to the screw pitch (R(2) = 0.67, P < 0.0001), whereas the analysis of POS suggested no correlation to the screw pitch (R(2) = 0.28, P = 0.006). Pearson correlation analysis indicated no correlation between MIT and POS (P = 0.069, r = -0.37). A linear relationship of increased compression between the plate and bone surrogate was found for increasing screw torque (R(2) = 0.97). CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that the ability of different screw designs to generate high screw insertion torque in a model of osteoporotic cancellous bone is unrelated to their pullout strength. Therefore, extrapolation of results for POS to identify optimal screw design for osteoporotic bone may not be valid. Screw designs that optimize MIT should be sought for fixation in osteoporotic bone.

Intramedullary versus extramedullary fixation for subtrochanteric femur fractures.

OBJECTIVES: Both intramedullary and extramedullary internal fixation has been advocated for the treatment of subtrochanteric femur fractures. Is there clinical evidence to recommend one method of internal fixation over the other? DATA SOURCES: A search of MEDLINE (1950 to June 2007), CINAHL (1982 to June 2007), and EMBASE (1980 to June 2007) was performed. Results were limited to English language studies. References from eligible studies were reviewed to identify additional studies. STUDY SELECTION: Studies were selected for review based on the following criteria: comparison and observational studies examining the use of intramedullary and/or extramedullary implants for the fixation of subtrochanteric femur fractures, inclusion of intertrochanteric hip fractures with subtrochanteric extension, exclusion of pure intertrochanteric and intracapsular hip fractures, and exclusion of pathologic fractures. DATA EXTRACTION: The following outcomes were extracted from eligible studies: operative time, operative blood loss, intraoperative complications, postoperative medical complications, number of patients transfused, wound complications, failure of fixation, rate of nonunion, length of hospital stay, and functional recovery. DATA SYNTHESIS: Three level I and 9 level IV studies were identified and used in the systematic review of outcomes for intramedullary and extramedullary fixation for subtrochanteric fractures. Three level I studies were used to calculate a pooled relative risk for failure of fixation with a 95% confidence interval. An analysis of heterogeneity between pooled studies was conducted. CONCLUSIONS: There is grade B evidence that operative time is reduced and that fixation failure is reduced with the use of intramedullary implants for subtrochanteric fractures. Future studies should perform subgroup analysis according to the type of population sampled (ie, young versus elderly) and subtrochanteric fracture type.

Comparison of autogenous bone graft and endothermic calcium phosphate cement for defect augmentation in tibial plateau fractures. A multicenter, prospective, randomized study.

BACKGROUND: Bone graft augmentation is often selected to treat defects associated with unstable tibial plateau fractures. This prospective, randomized, multicenter study was undertaken to determine the efficacy of bioresorbable calcium phosphate cement compared with standard autogenous iliac bone graft in the treatment of these osseous defects. METHODS: One hundred and twenty acute, closed, unstable tibial plateau fractures (Schatzker types I through VI) in 119 adult patients were prospectively enrolled in twelve study sites in North America between 1999 and 2002. Randomization for the type of grafting of the subarticular defect was done at the time of surgery, with use of a 2:1 ratio, to treatment with calcium phosphate cement (eighty-two fractures) or autogenous iliac bone graft (thirty-eight fractures). After open reduction, standard plate-and-screw or screw-only fixation was used and then either the cement or the bone graft was placed in the defect cavity for subarticular support. Follow-up included standard radiographs, evaluated by multiple reviewers to avoid bias, and knee range-of-motion assessment at six months to one year or later. RESULTS: The age, weight, height, and sex of the patients and the fracture patterns were comparable in the two groups, as were union rates and time to union. There was a significantly (p = 0.009) higher rate of articular subsidence during the three to twelve-month follow-up period in the bone graft group. CONCLUSIONS: The bioresorbable calcium phosphate cement used in this study appears to be a better choice, at least in terms of the prevention of subsidence, than autogenous iliac bone graft for the treatment of subarticular defects associated with unstable tibial plateau fractures. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic Level I. See Instructions to Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Avoidance of malreduction of proximal femoral shaft fractures with the use of a minimally invasive nail insertion technique (MINIT).

OBJECTIVES: To determine our rate of malalignment in proximal femoral shaft fractures treated with intramedullary (IM) nails, with and without the use of a minimally invasive nail insertion technique (MINIT). DESIGN: Retrospective study. SETTING: Level 1 trauma center. METHODS: Between July 1, 2003, and June 31, 2005, 100 consecutive proximal femoral shaft fractures (97 patients) were treated with IM nails. The average age of the 56 men and 41 women was 43.5 years (range, 17 to 96 years). There were 92 closed fractures and 8 open fractures. Fractures were classified according to the Russell-Taylor classification (69 type 1A, 11 type 1B, 3 type 2A, 17 type 2B). All patients underwent antegrade IM nailing using a fracture table in the supine (83) or lateral (17) position. A total of 72 entry portals were trochanteric, and 28 were piriformis. Seventy-seven percent of the femurs were opened with MINIT, a technique that uses a percutaneous cannulated channel reamer over a guide pin as opposed to the standard method of Kuntscher, which employs a femoral awl. Nails were locked proximally using standard locking in 37 fractures, and recon mode in 63. Fracture reduction was examined on immediate postoperative films to determine angulation in the coronal and sagittal planes. Criteria for acceptable reduction were less than 5 degrees angulation in any plane. In addition, surgical position, entry portal, mechanism of injury, Russell-Taylor classification, OTA classification, open or closed fracture, open or closed reduction, and type of implant used were analyzed for significance. RESULTS: The frequency of malalignment was 10% for the entire group of patients. Malalignment occurred in 26% of fractures treated without the use of the MINIT and in 5.2% when the MINIT was used (P < 0.01). There was no statistically significant difference between the different Russell-Taylor fracture types, although there was a trend towards more malalignment in type 2A and 2B fractures (P = 0.06). None of the other factors studied had a statistically significant effect on malalignment. A whole-model test of the factors that were surgeon-controlled (use of the MINIT, surgical position, open or closed reduction, type of implant used, and entry portal) found that only use of the MINIT had a statistically significant effect on malalignment (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that use of the minimally invasive nail insertion technique (MINIT) significantly decreases the occurrence of malalignment in proximal femoral shaft fractures.

The use of calcium phosphate bone cement in fracture treatment. A meta-analysis of randomized trials.

BACKGROUND: Available options to fill fracture voids include autogenous bone, allograft bone, and synthetic bone materials. The objective of this meta-analysis was to determine whether the use of calcium phosphate bone cement improves clinical and radiographic outcomes and reduces fracture complications as compared with conventional treatment (with or without autogenous bone graft) for the treatment of fractures of the appendicular skeleton in adult patients. METHODS: Multiple databases, online registers of randomized controlled trials, and the proceedings of the meetings of major national orthopaedic associations were searched. Published and unpublished randomized controlled trials were included, and data on methodological quality, population, intervention, and outcomes were abstracted in duplicate. Data were pooled across studies, and relative risks for categorical outcomes and weighted mean differences for continuous outcomes, weighted according to study sample size, were calculated. Heterogeneity across studies was determined, and sensitivity analyses were conducted. RESULTS: We identified eleven published and three unpublished randomized controlled trials. Of the fourteen studies, six involved distal radial fractures, two involved femoral neck fractures, two involved intertrochanteric femoral fractures, two involved tibial plateau fractures, one involved calcaneal fractures, and one involved multiple types of metaphyseal fractures. All of the studies evaluated the use of calcium phosphate cement for the treatment of metaphyseal fractures occurring primarily through trabecular, cancellous bone. Autogenous bone graft was used in the control group in three studies, and no graft material was used in the remaining studies. Patients managed with calcium phosphate had a significantly lower prevalence of loss of fracture reduction in comparison with patients managed with autograft (relative risk reduction, 68%; 95% confidence interval, 29% to 86%) and had less pain at the fracture site in comparison with controls managed with no graft (relative risk reduction, 56%; 95% confidence interval, 14% to 77%). We were unable to compare pain at the bone-graft donor site between the studies because of methodological reasons. Three studies independently demonstrated improved functional outcomes when the use of calcium phosphate was compared with the use of no grafting material. CONCLUSIONS: The use of calcium phosphate bone cement for the treatment of fractures in adult patients is associated with a lower prevalence of pain at the fracture site in comparison with the rate in controls (patients managed with no graft material). Loss of fracture reduction is also decreased in comparison with that in patients managed with autogenous bone graft.