The challenge of the surgical treatment of paediatric distal radius/ forearm fracture: K wire vs plate fixation - outcomes assessment.

Aim Distal radius/forearm fractures in adolescent patients remain challenging injuries to treat. Distal radius/forearm bony anatomy is not completely restored with intramedullary K wire fixation. The aim of this study was to compare radiographic and functional outcomes obtained using intramedullary K wire fixation and open reduction and internal fixation in the treatment of distal radius/ forearm fracture. Methods A total of 43 patients who presented with distal radius/ forearm fractures were enrolled and divided into two groups: 23 patients treated with K-wire (IMNK) and 20 patients treated with plate and screws (ORIF). The evaluation criteria were: fracture healing time, objective quality of life measured by the Mayo wrist score (MWS) and quick disabilities of the arm, shoulder and hand score (QuickDash), length time of surgery, complications, sport or play return, forearm visual analogic pain (FVAS), bone healing by radius union scoring system (RUSS). Results In both groups the results obtained were comparable in terms of functional, pain and return to play/sport after the third month after surgery. Bone healing was faster in IMNK than ORIF but without significance (p>0.05). There was less complication in ORIF than IMNK (p<0.05). Conclusion The treatment of adolescent distal radius or forearm fractures remains challenging. One challenge facing the physician is the choice of surgical technique and fixation method, which will be influenced by individual experience and preference. The question of distal radius or forearm fractures in adolescents would be best answered with a prospective randomized study.

Tibial diaphyseal fractures in children: indications and limitations of the treatment with monolateral and hybrid external fixator.

Aim To report our indications and limitations about the use of external fixation in children. Methods It was retrospectively reviewed all tibial fractures treated with monolateral and hybrid external fixator, at our three Centres. It was included 32 fractures which did not show an acceptable reduction after an attempt under anaesthesia. The exclusion criteria were: open fractures, children with previous fractures of the lower limbs, with skeletal congenital diseases, fractures involving the physis and with neurovascular involvement. All fractures were classified according to the AO (Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Osteosynthesefragen) classification. An outcome was evaluated according to the time needed to obtain radiographic bone healing, the range of motion (ROM) of the ankle, the asymmetry of the lower limbs, the malunion, and complications. Results The average time of consolidation was 10.66 weeks (6-17 weeks). There were no cases of deep infection, but only seven cases of superficial pin infections. No patients reported loss of ROM of the knee or ankle. We had zero cases of residual angle greater than 5°, and in all cases the difference in length between the limbs was <1 cm. Conclusion The external fixation is a viable technique in the treatment of tibial fractures in children. Therefore, the external fixation, both monolateral and hybrid, should be considered a viable treatment for this type of fracture.

Painful hip arthroplasty: definition.

Total hip arthroplasty (THA) has been indicated as the surgical intervention with greatest improvement in pain and physical function. However some patients continue to experience hip pain after elective surgery. We investigate prognostic factors that negatively affect treatment effectiveness and the patient outcome. The "hip region" constitutes the groin, buttock, upper lateral thigh, greater trochanteric area, and the iliac crest. Pain originating from various sources and not directly linked to prosthesis may be perceived here and includes the lumbosacral spine, referred pain from abdominal organs and soft tissue sources such as trochanteric bursitis, tendinitis, hip abductor dysfunction, and inguinal hernia. An accurate assessment of the pain cause is extremely difficult to construct and a complete differential diagnosis is fundamental. We assess all the possible causes of hip pain after THA and we divide them depending on the presence or absence of radiographic signs.