Objectives. Healing in cancellous metaphyseal bone might be different from
midshaft fracture healing due to different access to mesenchymal
stem cells, and because metaphyseal bone often heals without a cartilaginous
phase. Inflammation plays an important role in the healing of a
shaft fracture, but if metaphyseal injury is different, it is important
to clarify if the role of inflammation is also different. The biology
of fracture healing is also influenced by the degree of mechanical
stability. It is unclear if inflammation interacts with stability-related
factors. Methods. We investigated the role of inflammation in three different models:
a metaphyseal screw pull-out, a shaft fracture with
Intramedullary fixation is considered the most stable treatment for pertrochanteric fractures of the proximal femur and cut-out is one of the most frequent mechanical complications. In order to determine the role of clinical variables and radiological parameters in predicting the risk of this complication, we analysed the data pertaining to a group of patients recruited over the course of six years. A total of 571 patients were included in this study, which analysed the incidence of cut-out in relation to several clinical variables: age; gender; the AO Foundation and Orthopaedic Trauma Association classification system (AO/OTA); type of nail; cervical-diaphyseal angle; surgical wait times; anti-osteoporotic medication; complete post-operative weight bearing; and radiological parameters (namely the lag-screw position with respect to the femoral head, the Cleveland system, the tip-apex distance (TAD), and the calcar-referenced tip-apex distance (CalTAD)).Objectives
Methods
Thermal stability is a key property in determining the suitability of an antibiotic agent for local application in the treatment of orthopaedic infections. Despite the fact that long-term therapy is a stated goal of novel local delivery carriers, data describing thermal stability over a long period are scarce, and studies that avoid interference from specific carrier materials are absent from the orthopaedic literature. In this study, a total of 38 frequently used antibiotic agents were maintained at 37°C in saline solution, and degradation and antibacterial activity assessed over six weeks. The impact of an initial supplementary heat exposure mimicking exothermically curing bone cement was also tested as this material is commonly used as a local delivery vehicle. Antibiotic degradation was assessed by liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry, or by immunoassays, as appropriate. Antibacterial activity over time was determined by the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion assay.Objectives
Methods
There are various pin-in-plaster methods for treating fractures
of the distal radius. The purpose of this study is to introduce
a modified technique of ‘pin in plaster’. Fifty-four patients with fractures of the distal radius were
followed for one year post-operatively. Patients were excluded if
they had type B fractures according to AO classification, multiple
injuries or pathological fractures, and were treated more than seven
days after injury. Range of movement and functional results were
evaluated at three and six months and one and two years post-operatively.
Radiographic parameters including radial inclination, tilt, and
height, were measured pre- and post-operatively.Objectives
Methods
An experimental rabbit model was used to test the null hypothesis,
that there is no difference in new bone formation around uncoated
titanium discs compared with coated titanium discs when implanted
into the muscles of rabbits. A total of three titanium discs with different surface and coating
(1, porous coating; 2, porous coating + Bonemaster (Biomet); and
3, porous coating + plasma-sprayed hydroxyapatite) were implanted
in 12 female rabbits. Six animals were killed after six weeks and
the remaining six were killed after 12 weeks. The implants with
surrounding tissues were embedded in methyl methacrylate and grinded
sections were stained with Masson-Goldners trichrome and examined
by light microscopy of coded sections.Objectives
Methods
