Locking Attachment Plate for the Surgical Treatment of Periprosthetic and Periimplant Fractures: Long-Term Follow-Up.

Objectives: The surgical management of periprosthetic fractures (PPF) and periimplant fractures (PIF) can be challenging. The locking attachment plate (LAP) was proposed in recent years for the osteosynthesis of such fractures. The aim of this study was to assess the experience of a third-level hospital with LAP for the treatment of PPF and PIF, and analyse the clinical outcomes. Methods: Data were prospectively collected and analysed from all patients whose PPF/PIF was treated surgically with LAP in a third-level hospital from June 2018 to June 2022. All fractures were postoperative low-energy femur fractures. The minimum follow-up period was six months. Results: Thirty-eight patients (31 women) met the eligibility criteria. The mean age was 86.3 years. The median time until surgery was 4 days. A mean of 3.61 screws were used for each LAP. The mean femur plate length was 14 holes, and the mean working length 7.1 holes. The median hospital stay was nine days. The mean follow-up was 19.56 months. At one month, 12 patients tolerated partial weight-bearing. Five patients walked independently indoors. One patient had died and seven patients were readmitted. At six months, six more patients had died. Fifteen patients tolerated full weight-bearing (FWB). Nine patients walked independently indoors, six outdoors. Twenty-five patients reached fracture consolidation without malalignment. Nine patients were readmitted. At 12 months, another patient had died. Seventeen patients tolerated FWB. Eleven patients walked independently indoors, six outdoors. Twenty-five patients achieved fracture consolidation without malalignment. Five patients were readmitted. Fourteen patients crossed the two-year postoperative threshold. All achieved fracture consolidation. Two patients passed the 4-year postoperative milestone. Conclusion: The clinical results of patients whose PPF or PIF was treated with the LAP are promising. This fixation method is a viable option to be considered when planning surgery for such fractures.

Both younger and elderly patients in pain are willing to undergo knee replacement despite the COVID-19 pandemic: a study on surgical waiting lists.

PURPOSE: To identify factors influencing patient's availability to re-schedule primary total knee replacement (TKR) or revision (RKR) surgery after the lockdown (March-May 2020) during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: A prospective cohort study through a telephone survey was performed in 156 patients (143 for primary and 13 for revision) included in the TKR and RKR surgical waiting list before March 2020. Contact of each patient with COVID-19, stress and anxiety, perceived pain, and function were obtained in the interviews, and also the preference of each patient to have re-scheduled surgery (early or late). Finally, we registered their response (acceptance or refusal) when surgery was effectively re-scheduled. RESULTS: 88 out of 156 patients waiting for knee replacement (76/143 of those waiting for TKR, 12/13 of those waiting for RKR) declared themselves ready for surgery in less than 1 month. When re-scheduled, 115 patients underwent surgery and 41 refused. Significantly different preferences were found for age (more prone to surgery if under 65), revision surgery (more readily available), pain (7.9 ± 1.7/10 in NRS in those undergoing surgery, 5.6 ± 2.3/10 in those refusing, p = 0.000), or COVID-19 diagnosis, but not other close contact with COVID-19, comorbidities, stress, or anxiety. A logistic regression model confirmed that revision surgery (OR 9.33), perceived severe pain (OR 5.21), and age under 65 years (OR 5.82) were significantly associated with patient preference. The probability of patients over 65 to prefer early surgery reached 60% only with pain at or above 9/10. CONCLUSIONS: Surgical timing preferences for knee replacement vary between patients older than 65 years (immediate surgery only when pain is intense) and younger patients (immediate surgery no matter the amount of pain). Even if COVID-19 severely stroke our population, the need for knee replacement stood in the young population and even in the aged population at risk for COVID when pain was important.

Traumatic recurrent hip dislocation associated with femoral head fracturere constructed with iliac crest autograft / Luxación recurrente de cadera asociada a fractura de cabeza femoral reconstruida con autoinjerto de cresta iliaca

Hip femoral head fractures are extremely uncommon, but likely associated with traumatic hip dislocations. Both lesions require emergent treatment to avoid further complications.19-year-old male patient was received after a high-energy motor vehicle accident with severe brain and thoraco-abdominal trauma and a displaced femoral head fracture with posterior hip dislocation with no acetabular fracture. An emergent open reduction and internal fixation with 2 headless screws was performed, as well as posterior capsule repair. After 1 month as an inpatient in Intensive Care Unit, he sustained a new episode of posterior hip dislocation. Consequently, a second successful surgical reduction was obtained, and hip stability was achieved by posterior reconstruction with iliac crest autograft fixed with cannulated screw and posterior structure repair. Two years later, he was able to walk independently and he does not present any signs of degenerative joint disease nor avascular necrosis.

Las fracturas de la cabeza femoral son extremadamente raras y están asociadas comúnmente con una luxación de cadera traumática. Ambas lesiones requieren tratamiento urgente con el objetivo de evitar complicaciones posteriores. Un paciente varón de 19 años fue trasladado tras un accidente de tráfico de alta energía en el que sufrió un traumatismo craneoencefálico y toracoabdominal grave, además de una fractura de cabeza femoral desplazada junto a una luxación posterior de cadera sin afectación acetabular. De manera urgente, fue intervenido mediante una reducción abierta y fijación interna de la fractura con dos tornillos canulados sin cabeza y reparación de la cápsula articular posterior. Tras un mes de ingreso en la unidad de cuidados intensivos, sufrió un nuevo episodio de luxación posterior de cadera. Debido a ello, se realiza una segunda intervención quirúrgica con reducción abierta y en la que se obtiene una adecuada estabilidad de la cadera mediante reconstrucción posterior con la adición de autoinjerto tricortical de cresta ilíaca y reparación capsular posterior. Después de dos años de seguimiento, el paciente deambula de manera independiente, sin dolor y sin signos degenerativos ni de necrosis avascular en las pruebas de imagen.

Mortality after distal femur fractures in the elderly.

INTRODUCTION: the frequency of distal femur fractures in the elderly is rapidly increasing. A study of these fractures was conducted in our center in order to evaluate the comorbidities and the mortality associated with this entity. MATERIAL AND METHODS: all the distal femur fractures by low energy in patients over 65 years old at a tertiary center were included, between January 2010 and December 2016. Baseline characteristics, the type of fracture, comorbidities, and functional status before admission, were collected. The relationship of each of these variables to the final functional class, immediate and late complications and mortality during the follow-up. Fifty-nine patients were included, with a median age of 85.3 years (IQR 78.6-91.6). Fifty-one patients were women. In 10 patients, the fractures were atraumatic (postural change mainly in non-walking patients), and in 54 of the cases were treated surgically (6 with retrograde intramedullary nailing and 48 with lateral locking plate). The median time to surgery was 4.5 days (IQR 2-6) and 14 patients were operated within 48 hours. The median follow-up was 26.3 months. RESULTS: fourteen patients died during the first year of follow-up. Factors independently associated with death during the first year after the fracture were: conservative treatment, and the inability to ambulate before the episode. The absence of certain comorbidities, such as chronic heart disease, and cancer, and an age under 80 years, behaved as protective factors. CONCLUSION: low-energy distal femur fractures comprise a severe injury in the elderly and are associated with high mortality. Surgical treatment showed better outcomes in terms of survival, with no significant differences depending on the type of fracture, the type of implant or the median time to surgery.