Goal-directed Perioperative Albumin Substitution Versus Standard of Care to Reduce Postoperative Complications: A Randomized Clinical Trial (SuperAdd Trial).

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether goal-directed albumin substitution during surgery and postanesthesia care to maintain a serum albumin concentration >30 g/L can reduce postoperative complications. BACKGROUND: Hypoalbuminemia is associated with numerous postoperative complications. Since albumin has important physiological functions, substitution of patients with hypoalbuminemia is worth considering. METHODS: We conducted a single-center, randomized, controlled, outcome assessor-blinded clinical trial in adult patients, American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status classification 3 to 4 or undergoing high-risk surgery. Patients, whose serum albumin concentration dropped <30 g/L were randomly assigned to goal-directed albumin substitution maintaining serum concentration >30 g/L or to standard care until discharge from the postanesthesia intermediate care unit. Standard of care allowed albumin substitution in hemodynamic instable patients with serum concentration <20 g/L, only. Primary outcome was the incidence of postoperative complications ≥2 according to the Clavien-Dindo Classification in at least 1 of 9 domains (pulmonary, infectious, cardiovascular, neurological, renal, gastrointestinal, wound, pain, and hematological) until postoperative day 15. RESULTS: Of 2509 included patients, 600 (23.9%) developed serum albumin concentrations <30 g/L. Human albumin 60 g (40-80 g) was substituted to 299 (99.7%) patients in the intervention group and to 54 (18.0%) in the standard care group. At least 1 postoperative complication classified as Clavien-Dindo Classification ≥2 occurred in 254 of 300 patients (84.7%) in the intervention group and in 262 of 300 (87.3%) in the standard treatment group (risk difference -2.7%, 95% CI, -8.3% to 2.9%). CONCLUSION: Maintaining serum albumin concentration of >30 g/L perioperatively cannot generally be recommended in high-risk noncardiac surgery patients.

High return to sports rates after operative treatment of patella fractures.

BACKGROUND: Patella fractures are relatively rare fractures and only little is known about the postoperative return to sports after patella fractures. METHODS: This retrospective study presents information on functional outcome after operative treatment of patella fractures as well as time until return to sports and patients' complaints after open-reduction internal-fixation (ORIF) of patella fractures. RESULTS: Overall, 39 patients after ORIF of patella fractures were evaluated at our Level-I trauma center with a mean follow-up of 42 months. The mean time until return to sports was 7 ± 3.9 months. No significant difference was found for functional outcome with respect to body mass index (BMI) or age. Fracture consolidation was accomplished after a mean of 6.9 ± 2.9 months besides a relatively low complication rate of 5.1% (n = 2). CONCLUSION: The results demonstrate a high return to sports rate of 90.3%. However, only 51.6% were able to perform sports on their pre-injury level or above. Trial Registration The study was retrospectively registered at DRKS (No: DRKS00031146).

Functional Postoperative Outcome for 92 Cases of Radial Head Fractures: A PROM-Based Retrospective Study.

Background: Fractures of the radial head are common injuries, whereas, in the case of displaced fractures, surgical treatment using screw or plate osteosynthesis, excision, or replacement of the radial head is required. However, data about patient-related outcomes (PROM) for different types of radial head fractures is limited in the current literature. Therefore, this study was conducted to evaluate the functional outcome after operatively treated radial head fractures and to further correlate these results with the initial modified Mason classification. Methods: In this retrospective study, all suitable patients with surgical treatment of a radial head fracture were identified. Only patients with Mason II-IV fractures were included. All patients completed the Elbow Self-Assessment Score (ESAS) questionnaire. Data on fracture classification, type of surgery, and revision operations (if needed) were assessed. Results: A total of 92 patients suffering from fractures of the radial head (57 Mason II, 35 Mason III-fractures) who were operatively treated at our institution were enrolled. There were 42 (47.7%) female and 50 (54.3%) male patients with an average age of 47.5 ± 14.1 years. Screw osteosynthesis was performed in 67 patients, plate osteosynthesis in 20 patients, and five patients received radial head arthroplasty. The average ESAS score accounted for 89.7 ± 16.7. Mason II fractures showed significantly better functional results with higher ESAS scores (92.3 ± 13.9 vs. 85.4 ± 20.1) as well as significantly lower rates of necessary implant removal (0 vs. 5 (14.3%) than Mason III fractures. Screw osteosynthesis showed significantly better functional ESAS scores, 91.0 ± 16.5, than plate osteosynthesis, with 85.3 ± 17.6 (p = 0.041), but was predominantly used in Mason II fractures. Conclusions: Surgical treatment using screw- and plate osteosynthesis of radial head fractures provides a good overall outcome. The postoperative function is associated with the initial Mason classification as the patients' reported outcome was worse in Mason III fractures compared to Mason type II fractures. In this context, the ESAS score can be considered a useful tool for the assessment of the patient-based functional outcome.

[Analysis of rising treatment cost of elevated BMI in patients with proximal femoral fracture]. / Analyse steigender Behandlungskosten bei erhöhtem BMI von Patienten mit proximaler Femurfraktur.

Driven by the aging population, the proximal femoral fracture is a rising fracture entity, challenging trauma surgeons as well as the German healthcare system as a whole. The rising average age of the population is accompanied by a rising BMI in the German population, resulting in longer operation times, longer average length of stay (ALOS) as well as more postoperative complications.The aim of this study was to demonstrate the economic correlation between body mass index and hospital costs. The retrospective analysis of 950 patient cases suffering from a proximal femoral fracture resulted in the finding of rising treatment costs being positively associated with rising BMI due to longer operation times and longer length of hospitalization (10,452 €, 11,505 €, 12,085 € and 13,681 € for patients with BMI < 18.5 kg/m2, BMI = 18.5-24.9 kg/m2, BMI = 25.0-29.9 kg/m2 and BMI ≥ 30.0 kg/m2, respectively).

A Prospective Randomized Study Comparing Functional Outcome in Distal Fibula Fractures between Conventional AO Semitubular Plating and Minimal Invasive Intramedullary "Photodynamic Bone Stabilisation".

(1) Background: As age in western populations is rising, so too are fractures, e.g., of the distal fibula. The aim of this study was to find out whether a novel, minimally invasive intramedullary osteosynthesis technique for the treatment of distal fibula fractures in elderly patients results in not only a reduction of postoperative complications, but also a shorter hospitalization time, an improved clinical outcome, and preserved autonomy in geriatric trauma patients. (2) Methods: In this prospective study, the results following surgical treatment for distal fibula fractures in geriatric patients after using DePuy Synthes® one-third semitubular plate (Group I) or a minimally invasive intramedullary photodynamic Bone StabilizationSystem (IlluminOss®) (Group II) were compared at 6 weeks, 12 weeks, 6 months, and 1 year after initial treatment. (3) Results: Significant improvement regarding clinical outcome was shown in Group II 6 and 12 weeks after surgery. (4) Conclusions: Our study results demonstrate that the use of this new intramedullary stabilization system in combination with an immediate postoperative weight bearing seems to be a safe and stable treatment option for ankle fractures in geriatric patients, especially in the early stages of recovery.

Assessment of Acute Lesions of the Biceps Pulley in Patients with Traumatic Shoulder Dislocation Using MR Imaging.

BACKGROUND: Shoulder dislocations represent common injuries and are often combined with rotator cuff tears and potentially damage to the biceps pulley. PURPOSE: To assess the occurrence and type of biceps pulley lesions in patients after traumatic anterior shoulder dislocation using 3T MRI. METHODS: Thirty-three consecutive patients were enrolled between June 2021 and March 2022 (14 women, mean age 48.0 ± 19 years). All patients underwent MR imaging at 3 T within one week. Images were analyzed for the presence and type of pulley tears, subluxation/dislocation of the LHBT, rotator cuff lesions, joint effusion, labral lesions, and osseous defects. RESULTS: Seventeen patients (52%) with traumatic anterior shoulder dislocation demonstrated biceps pulley lesions. Of those, eleven patients (33%) showed a combined tear of the sGHL and CHL. All seventeen patients with lesions of the biceps pulley showed associated partial tearing of the rotator cuff, whereas three patients showed an additional subluxation of the LHBT. Patients with pulley lesions after dislocations were significantly older than those without (mean age 52 ± 12 years vs. 44 ± 14 years, p = 0.023). CONCLUSION: Our results suggest an increased awareness for lesions of the biceps pulley in acute traumatic shoulder dislocation, particularly in patients over 45 years.

Is the Use of Segways or E-Scooters in Urban Areas a Potential Health Risk? A Comparison of Trauma Consequences.

Background and objectives: Electromobility has become increasingly popular. In 2001, Segway personal transporters (Segway) were established for tourists, and e-scooters have been in use since their approval in 2019. The aim of this study was to analyze and compare the types of injuries directly related to the use of Segways and e-scooters, respectively, in a German city and to phrase potential safety advice. Materials and Methods: All patients presenting to our emergency department after Segway incidents were retrospectively analyzed and compared with the prospectively collected cohort of patients following e-scooter incidents. Presented injuries were analyzed by body region and injury severity score (ISS). Epidemiological data were collected. Results: Overall, 171 patients were enrolled. The Segway group included 56 patients (mean age 48 years), and the e-scooter group consisted of 115 patients (mean age 33.9 years). Head injuries (HI) occurred in 34% in the Segway group compared to 52% in the e-scooter group. The ISS was approximately equal for both groups (mean ISS Segway group: 6.9/e-scooter group: 5.6). Conclusions: Since the e-scooter group presented a high number of HI along with a higher likelihood and greater severity of HI, mandatory use of helmets is suggested.

Clinical and Radiological Outcome of Vancouver B2 Fracture Treated With Open Reduction and Internal Fixation. A Multicenter Cohort Analysis.

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) of periprosthetic Vancouver B2 fractures can lead to successful fracture healing in selected patients, when attention is given to the surgical exposure and the creation of a balanced extramedullary construct. DESIGN: Retrospective. SETTING: Two Level-1 trauma centers in Germany and United Kingdom. METHODS: Patients with a B2 fracture receiving solely ORIF using a polyaxial locking plate were included for analysis. Patients with other fracture types, or treated with other methods, or with follow-up less than 12 months were excluded. Clinical characteristics, including the Charlson index, the American Society for Anesthesiologists score, and their preinjury functional levels, were recorded. Main outcome measures were 1-year mortality, revision rate, and radiological healing according to the Beals-Tower criteria. RESULTS: A total of 32 patients (mean age ,79 ± 12 years) were enrolled. Six patients died within the first year (1-year mortality: 19%), and 5 were unavailable for follow-up studies. The remaining 21 patients had a mean follow-up of 30 months. Of 21, 20 had an excellent/good result using the criteria of Beals-Tower. One patient required revision surgery due to loosening and secondary subsidence of the stem. CONCLUSION: ORIF can be offered to selected patients suffering from B2 fractures, especially if their functional demand is limited, and perioperative risk high for revision arthroplasty. In this challenging cohort of patients, ORIF was a safe and effective therapeutic option. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic Level IV. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Does implant removal of superior clavicle plate osteosynthesis affect the functional outcome: a prospective trial.

BACKGROUND: Elective implant removal (IR) accounts for up to 30% of all orthopaedic surgeries. While there is general acceptance about the need of implant removal for obvious reasons, such as infections or implant failure, little is known about the beneficial aspects in cases of minor reasons such as patients' wish for IR. Therefore, we initiated this study to define patients' benefit of elective implant removal following plate osteosynthesis of displaced clavicle fractures. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Prospective evaluation of patients was conducted before implant removal and 6 weeks postoperative. Subjective and objective criteria included pain rating on a visual analogue scale (VAS) and active range of motion (ROM) pre- and 6 weeks postoperative. Functional scoring included Constant-Murley Score, DASH (Disabilities of Arm, Shoulder and Hand Score), MSQ (Munich Shoulder Questionnaire) and SPADI (Shoulder Pain and Disability Index). RESULTS: 37 patients were prospectively enrolled in this study and implant removal was performed after 16 ± 6.1 months. No re-fractures nor other complications were detected during routine follow up. Functional outcome increased through all scores (Constant score 73.3 ± 14.6 preoperative to 87.4 ± 12.0 postoperative (p = 0.000), MSQ 85.0 ± 7.3 preoperative to 91.8 ± 9.0 postoperative (p = 0.005), DASH Score 7.4 ± 8.2 preoperative to 5.7 ± 9.5 postoperative (p = 0.414), SPADI 93.4 ± 6.6 preoperative to 94.0 ± 10.1 postoperative (p = 0.734). CONCLUSIONS: Discomfort during daily activities or performing sports as well as limited range of motion were the main reasons for patients' wish for implant removal. We found increased functional outcome parameters and decreased irritation after implant removal. Therefore we suggest implant removal in case of patients' wish and completed fracture consolidation. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Trial registration no: NCT04343118, Retrospective registered: www.clinicaltrials.gov .

[Functional outcome of 111 metatarsal fractures following conservative in comparison to operative treatment]. / Funktionelles Outcome nach konservativer im Vergleich zu operativer Therapie von 111 Mittelfußfrakturen.

BACKGROUND: Fractures of the metatarsal bones are common injuries of the foot and particularly occur in patients aged 40-50 years. Especially multiple metatarsal fractures can lead to permanent limitations. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the functional outcome of metatarsal fractures after conservative and surgical treatment using a validated self-reported patient-based outcome questionnaire. MATERIAL AND METHODS: All patients suffering from metatarsal fractures between 2003 and 2015 were enrolled in this retrospective analysis. The following data were collected: demographic data, AO classification, treatment, reoperation rate and the foot and ankle outcome score (FAOS). For outcome analysis, the nonparametric Mann-Whitney U­test and Fisher's exact test were performed. RESULTS: In total the functional outcome of 111 patients with metatarsal fractures were analyzed, 81 patients suffered of an isolated metatarsal fracture and 30 of multiple fractures. The mean age of the patients was 45 ± 15.2 years with a total of 48 men (43%) and 63 women (57%). Patients with an isolated metatarsal fracture had an FAOS of 88 ± 17.1, while patients with multiple metatarsal fractures achieved an FAOS of 78 ± 17.7 (p = 0.046). In the group of isolated metatarsal fractures 43 patients (53%) were surgically treated and of these 36 patients showed a type C fracture (84%). In the group of multiple metatarsal fractures 16 patients (53%) underwent operative treatment. CONCLUSION: Overall, the functional outcome of isolated metatarsal fractures following operative as well as conservative treatment is good to very good. Simple fractures can be successfully treated conservatively and complex multifragment fractures can be safely managed surgically. If more than one metatarsal bone is fractured, the functional outcome is significantly worse with patients reporting lasting limitations involving the range of motion and stiffness.

Curriculum learning for improved femur fracture classification: Scheduling data with prior knowledge and uncertainty.

An adequate classification of proximal femur fractures from X-ray images is crucial for the treatment choice and the patients' clinical outcome. We rely on the commonly used AO system, which describes a hierarchical knowledge tree classifying the images into types and subtypes according to the fracture's location and complexity. In this paper, we propose a method for the automatic classification of proximal femur fractures into 3 and 7 AO classes based on a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN). As it is known, CNNs need large and representative datasets with reliable labels, which are hard to collect for the application at hand. In this paper, we design a curriculum learning (CL) approach that improves over the basic CNNs performance under such conditions. Our novel formulation reunites three curriculum strategies: individually weighting training samples, reordering the training set, and sampling subsets of data. The core of these strategies is a scoring function ranking the training samples. We define two novel scoring functions: one from domain-specific prior knowledge and an original self-paced uncertainty score. We perform experiments on a clinical dataset of proximal femur radiographs. The curriculum improves proximal femur fracture classification up to the performance of experienced trauma surgeons. The best curriculum method reorders the training set based on prior knowledge resulting into a classification improvement of 15%. Using the publicly available MNIST dataset, we further discuss and demonstrate the benefits of our unified CL formulation for three controlled and challenging digit recognition scenarios: with limited amounts of data, under class-imbalance, and in the presence of label noise. The code of our work is available at: https://github.com/ameliajimenez/curriculum-learning-prior-uncertainty.

Functional outcome of 103 fractures of the proximal fifth metatarsal bone.

BACKGROUND: Metatarsal fractures are common skeletal injuries of the lower extremity in adults. The majority involves the proximal fifth metatarsal bone. In the current literature, there still exists controversy regarding treatment recommendations for the different fracture entities. METHODS: All patients suffering from single fractures to the proximal fifth metatarsal bone between 2003 and 2015 were enrolled in this retrospective analysis. Only patients with a minimum follow-up of 12 months were included. The fractures were classified according to Lawrence and Botte (L&B). Data were collected via patient registry, radiographs and a standardized questionnaire (Foot and Ankle Outcome Score = FOAS). For outcome analysis, the nonparametric Mann-Whitney U test was performed and Spearman's rank correlation coefficient calculated. RESULTS: In total, the functional outcomes of 103 patients suffering from fractures to the proximal fifth metatarsal bone were analyzed. L&B type I fractures (n = 13) had a FAOS score of 91 ± 23, L&B type II (n = 67) presented a score of 91 ± 15 and L&B type III (n = 23) a score of 93 ± 11. Surgically treated patients with an L&B type II fracture had no statistically significant better functional outcome in comparison to conservative management (p = 0.89). Operatively treated L&B type III fractures tended to have a better functional score (p = 0.16). The follow-up time was 58 (min: 15; max: 164) months. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, the functional outcome following fractures to the proximal fifth metatarsal bone is satisfactory. Conservatively treated L&B type II fractures showed an equivalent functional outcome compared to surgical management. Patients with an L&B type III fracture mainly were treated surgically, but difference in FAOS score did not reach level of significance.

Good to Excellent Functional Outcome and High Return to Sports Rate after Operative Treatment of Unstable Lateral Clavicle Fractures: Comparison of Two Coracoclavicular Button Fixation Techniques.

PURPOSE: Operative therapy for unstable lateral clavicle fractures is necessary to reduce the risk of bony non-union. Irritation and restriction during sportive activities due to the implanted materials are a common reason for impaired function and implant removal. The aim of this study was to gain information on functional outcome and time until return to sport (RTS) after surgical treatment of unstable lateral clavicle fractures, comparing two coracoclavicular button techniques. METHODS: A retrospective chart review of patients who were consecutively treated for unstable lateral clavicle fractures at our level one trauma center from 2014 to 2018 was conducted. Two different surgical techniques were evaluated and compared. Group 1 was treated using a locking compression plate and knotted DogBone™ Button, while group 2 received an LCP and knotless DogBone™ Button. Functional outcome (ASES (American Shoulder and Elbow Score), Constant-Score, DASH (Disability of Arm, Shoulder and Hand), MSQ (Munich Shoulder Questionnaire) and SPADI (Shoulder Pain and Disability Index) and time until RTS were investigated and compared between both groups, 1 year postoperatively. RESULTS: A total of 56 patients (n = 35 group 1, n = 21 group 2) with a mean age of 45.1 ± 14.6 years met the inclusion criteria. Functional outcome reached good to excellent results (ASES 94.7 ± 9.8, Constant Score 85.1 ± 8.1, DASH 5.5 ± 8.4, MSQ 90.9 ± 7.2, SPADI 96.1 ± 5.7). Implant removal rates were higher in group 1 (48.3% vs. 35.3%) yet without statistical significance (p = 0.122). All patients returned to sports postoperatively with a mean time period until return to sport of 4.6 (3-9) months. CONCLUSION: Locking compression plating and coracoclavicular fixation using a knotless Dogbone™ technique provides good to excellent functional outcomes, a high and fast rate of return to sport and lower irritation rates compared to the knotted DogBone™ technique.

Excellent clinical and radiological outcome following locking compression plate fixation of displaced medial clavicle fractures.

BACKGROUND: Treatment of medial clavicle fractures is still controversially discussed in the community of upper extremity surgeons. An increasing number of symptomatic non-unions following conservative treatment of displaced fractures led to the development of various surgical approaches. Aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical and radiological outcome following operative treatment of displaced medial end clavicle fractures. METHODS: Patients who presented with a displaced fracture of the medial clavicle between September 2012 and December 2019 were retrospectively enrolled in this study. All patients were operatively treated with open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) using an anatomically precontoured locking compression plate (LCP) originally designed for the lateral clavicle (Synthes®, Umkirch, Germany). Functional outcome was recorded using the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) Score, the Munich Shoulder Questionnaire (MSQ), Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI) and Constant Score. RESULTS: Overall 18 patients with a mean age of 54.5 ± 23.5 years suffering from a displaced fracture of the medial clavicle were identified. The mean follow-up was 40.9 ± 26.2 months. The mean ASES accounted for 88.3 ± 20.8 points, the mean MSQ was 83.1 ± 21.7 points, the mean SPADI was 85.6 ± 22.5 and a mean normative age- and sex-specific Constant Score of 77.5 ± 19.1 points resulted. No minor or major complications were observed. Radiologic fracture consolidation was achieved in all patients after a mean of 6.4 months. CONCLUSION: Surgical treatment of displaced medial clavicle fractures using an anatomically precontoured locking plate originally designed for the lateral clavicle led to very good to excellent clinical and functional results. TRIAL REGISTRATION: No: DRKS00024813 , retrospectively registered 19.03.2021 ( www.drks.de ).

Current management of trimalleolar ankle fractures.

A trimalleolar ankle fracture is considered unstable and treatment is generally performed operatively. Computed tomography is important for the operative planning by providing an elaborated view of the posterior malleolus.Trimalleolar ankle fractures have a rising incidence in the last decade with up to 40 per 100,000 people per year. With a growing number of elderly patients, trimalleolar ankle injuries will become more relevant in the form of fragility fractures, posing a particular challenge for trauma surgeons.In patients with osteoporotic trimalleolar ankle fractures and relevant concomitant conditions, further evidence is awaited to specify indications for open reduction and internal fixation or primary transfixation of the ankle joint.In younger, more demanding patients, arthroscopic-assisted surgery might improve the outcome, but future research is required to identify patients who will benefit from assisted surgical care.This review considers current scientific findings regarding all three malleoli to understand the complexity of trimalleolar ankle injuries and provide the reader with an overview of treatment strategies and research, as well as future perspectives. Cite this article: EFORT Open Rev 2021;6:692-703. DOI: 10.1302/2058-5241.6.200138.

Patient reported outcome of 33 operatively treated talar fractures.

BACKGROUND: Management of talar fractures remains to be one of the most challenging aspects in trauma surgery. Unfortunately, the evidence regarding the correct treatment of these fractures is mainly based on retrospective case series, while studies assessing the patient-reported outcome are rare. Therefore, the aim of this trial was to analyze the patient reported outcome in context of trauma mechanism and concomitant injuries following operative treatment of talar fractures. METHODS: A retrospective outcome study of patients with operatively treated talar fractures between 2003 and 2015 was conducted. The fractures were classified according to AO-/Hawkins classification system and to the Marti-Weber classification. Data was collected via patient registry, radiographs and a validated patient-reported outcome measure (PROM) for foot and ankle pathologies (Foot and Ankle Outcome Score = FOAS). An analysis regarding the functional outcome, concomitant injury and timing of surgery using the nonparametric Mann-Whitney U test and Spearman`s rank correlation was performed. RESULTS: In total the functional outcome of 32 patients suffering from fractures to the talus were analyzed. The median age of the study cohort was 35±12.2 years, including 9 female (28 %) and 23 male (72 %) patients. The median FAOS score was 72±22.7 (range 13-94). Patients with an isolated talar fracture had an FAOS of 87±20 and with concomitant injury a score of 60±23.4 (p = 0.016). Patients with a closed talar fracture without emergency operation due to dislocation or polytrauma, showed no correlation between timing of surgery and FAOS (r= -0.17, p = 0.43). 10 % of the patients developed an avascular necrosis and 25 % showed signs of a posttraumatic arthritis. The follow-up time was 41 months (range: 16-145). CONCLUSIONS: Talar fractures were typically caused by high-energy trauma often associated with additional injuries of the lower extremity. The majority of the patients showed a fair to poor functional long-term outcome. Concomitant injuries of the lower extremity led to a lower FAOS. In closed talar fractures without the necessity of an emergency surgical intervention, time to surgery did not influence the patient reported outcome. Relating to the presented data, delayed surgery after soft tissue consolidation was not associated with a higher risk of developing an avascular necrosis.

Use of monoclonal antibody therapy for nosocomial SARS-CoV-2 infection in patients at high risk for severe COVID-19: experience from a tertiary-care hospital in Germany.

Additional treatment options for coronavirus disease (COVID-19) are urgently needed, particularly for populations at high risk of severe disease. This cross-sectional, retrospective study characterized the outcomes of 43 patients with nosocomial severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection with and without treatment using monoclonal SARS-CoV-2 spike antibodies (bamlanivimab or casirivimab/imdevimab). Our results indicate that treatment with monoclonal antibodies results in a significant decrease in disease progression and mortality when used for asymptomatic patients with early SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Patient-Reported Outcome Following Operative and Conservative Treatment of Calcaneal Fractures: A Retrospective Analysis of 79 Patients at Short- to Midterm Follow-Up.

Background: Fractures of the calcaneus are severe injuries of the hindfoot, mostly resulting from high-energy axial loads, which still present enormous challenges to modern trauma surgery. Possible variables influencing the outcome are the type of fracture, age, and quality of fracture reduction. These might also be factors affecting the self-reported patient outcome, but large studies are still lacking. Therefore, the aim of this study was to analyze the patient-reported outcome of calcaneal fractures following operative and conservative treatment. Methods: All patients suffering from calcaneal fractures between 2002 and 2015 were enrolled in this retrospective analysis. The calcaneal fractures were classified according to Sanders and the AO classification system. For further analysis, two groups were formed: group I involved complex intra-articular fractures defined by the involvement of the posterior calcaneal facet, while group II consisted of extra-articular and process calcaneal fractures. Data were collected via the patient registry, radiographs, and a standardized questionnaire (Foot and Ankle Outcome Score, FAOS). For outcome analysis, non-parametric Mann-Whitney U-test was performed, and Spearman's rank correlation coefficient was calculated. Results: In total, the functional outcome of 79 patients with calcaneal fractures was analyzed. In group 1 (n = 43), the mean FAOS score was 65.5 ± 18.9. The surgically treated patients with a Sanders type II calcaneal fracture had a mean FAOS score of 72.9 ± 17.2, type III fractures had 65.6 ± 20.8, and type IV had 61.1 ± 19 (p = 0.15). The reoperation rate was 22%, most frequently caused by wound complications (10%). The mean follow-up time was 64.5 ± 44 months. The mean FAOS score of group 2 (n = 36) was 75.2 ± 18.4, and 83% of the patients (=30) were managed conservatively. Only one out of six operatively managed patients had a reoperation due to regular implant removal. The mean follow-up time was 31 ± 25.9 months. Conclusion: Intra-articular calcaneal fractures are severe injuries of the hindfoot leading to a fair to poor functional outcome in the majority of the patients. Complications regarding wound healing are the most common causes for revisional surgery. Extra-articular calcaneal fractures are a heterogenous entity commonly managed non-operatively. Overall, they show a better functional outcome in comparison to intra-articular calcaneal fractures.

Is early full weight bearing safe following locking plate ORIF of distal fibula fractures?

BACKGROUND: In the modern western world appraisal of economical points such as treatment and disability after trauma present a financial burden. In this context open reduction internal fixation techniques allowing for early full weight bearing might not only improve the clinical outcome but also shorten the period of disability in working life. The aim of the study was to analyze whether ORIF of ankle fractures using either a standard semitubular plate or a new polyaxial locking plate system result in a better clinical outcome. METHODS: In this prospective study, all patients with distal fibula fractures (AO 44 B1.1, B1.2, B1.3), with indication for surgery were included. Patients were randomized to either the DePuy Synthes® one-third semitubular plate (Group I) or NEWCLIP TECHNICS, Active Ankle® polyaxial locking plate (Group II). Primary outcome parameter was function of the ankle joint, assessed by the Olerud and Molander ankle score, Foot and Ankle outcome score and Karlsson and Peterson Scoring System for Ankle function. Secondary outcome parameter were postoperative complications. Superficial wound infection, delayed wound healing, mechanically prominent implant, skin irritations were considered as minor and deep wound infection, material loosening, loss of reduction were regarded as major complications requiring revision surgery. Clinical and radiological follow-up were performed 6 and 12 weeks, 6 months and 1 year postoperatively. RESULTS: Fifty-two patients (31 W/21 M) with a mean age of 43 yrs. (range 22-64 yrs.) were enrolled. Seven patients (13.5%) were excluded, so that 45 patients were available for follow up. Twenty-five patients were treated with DePuy Synthes® one-third semitubular plate (55.6%; group I) while 20 patients received an anatomically preformed polyaxial locking plate (44.4%, group II). Four minor complications occurred in Group I (16%) compared to two minor complications in group II (10%). Significant better clinical results regarding OMAS (p < 0.02, < 0.04), KPSS (p < 0.04) and FAOS (p < 0.02, < 0.03) were observed 6 and 12 weeks after surgery in group II. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the presented study demonstrate a significant better clinical functional outcome in the early postoperative follow-up in patients treated with a polyaxial locking plate. Furthermore, our data show that ORIF using polyaxial locking plates in combination with an early postoperative weight bearing presents a safe, stable treatment option for ankle fractures so that patients benefit especially in the early stages of recovery. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Registered 20 April 2020, retrospectively on ClinicalTrails.gov ( NCT04370561 ).

Management of Pilon Fractures-Current Concepts.

Tibial pilon fractures were first described by Étienne Destot in 1911. He used the French word "pilon" (i.e., pestle), to describe the mechanical function of the distal tibia in the ankle joint. This term has further been used to portray the mechanism involved in tibial pilon fractures in which the distal tibia acts as a pestle with heavy axial forces over the talus basically causing the tibia to burst. Many different classification systems exist so far, with the AO Classification being the most commonly used classification in the clinical setting. Especially Type C fractures are extremely difficult to manage as the high energy involved in developing this type of injury frequently damages the soft tissue surrounding the fracture zone severely. Therefore, long -term outcome is often poor and correct initial management crucial. In the early years of this century treatment has evolved to a two-staged protocol, which nowadays is the gold standard of care. Additional methods of treating the soft tissue envelope are currently being investigated and have shown promising results for the future. The aim of this review is therefore to summarize protocols in managing these difficult fractures, review the literature on recent developments and therefore give surgeons a better understanding and ability to handle tibial pilon fractures.