Aims. Lower limb fractures are common in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) and represent a significant burden to the existing orthopaedic surgical infrastructure. In high income country (HIC) settings, internal fixation is the standard of care due to its superior outcomes. In LMICs, external fixation is often the surgical treatment of choice due to limited supplies, cost considerations, and its perceived lower complication rate. The aim of this systematic review protocol is identifying differences in rates of infection, nonunion, and malunion of extra-articular femoral and tibial shaft fractures in LMICs treated with either internal or external fixation. Methods. This systematic review protocol describes a broad search of multiple databases to identify eligible papers. Studies must be published after 2000, include at least five patients, patients must be aged > 16 years or treated as skeletally mature, and the paper must describe a fracture of interest and at least one of our primary outcomes of interest. We did not place restrictions on language or journal. All abstracts and full texts will be screened and extracted by two independent reviewers. Risk of bias and quality of evidence will be analyzed using standardized appraisal tools. A random-effects meta-analysis followed by a subgroup analysis will be performed, given the anticipated heterogeneity among studies, if sufficient data are available. Conclusion. The lack of easily accessible LMIC outcome data, combined with international clinical guidelines that are often developed by HIC surgeons for use in HIC environments, makes the clinical decision-making process infinitely more difficult for surgeons in LMICs. This protocol will guide research on surgical management, outcomes, and complications of lower limb shaft fractures in LMICs, and can help guide policy development for better surgical intervention delivery and improve global surgical care. Cite this article: Bone Jt Open 2024;5(11):1020–1026

Aims. Posterior malleolar (PM) fractures are commonly associated with ankle fractures, pilon fractures, and to a lesser extent tibial shaft fractures. The tibialis posterior (TP) tendon entrapment is a rare complication associated with PM fractures. If undiagnosed, TP entrapment is associated with complications, ranging from reduced range of ankle movement to instability and pes planus deformities, which require further surgeries including radical treatments such as arthrodesis. Methods. The inclusion criteria applied in PubMed, Scopus, and Medline database searches were: all adult studies published between 2012 and 2022; and studies written in English. Outcome of TP entrapment in patients with ankle injuries was assessed by two reviewers independently. Results. Four retrospective studies and eight case reports were accepted in this systematic review. Collectively there were 489 Pilon fractures, 77 of which presented with TP entrapment (15.75%). There were 28 trimalleolar fractures, 12 of which presented with TP entrapment (42.86%). All the case report studies reported inability to reduce the fractures at initial presentation. The diagnosis of TP entrapment was made in the early period in two (25%) cases, and delayed diagnosis in six (75%) cases reported. Using modified Clavien-Dindo complication classification, 60 (67%) of the injuries reported grade IIIa complications and 29 (33%) grade IIIb complications. Conclusion. TP tendon was the commonest tendon injury associated with pilon fracture and, to a lesser extent, trimalleolar ankle fracture. Early identification using a clinical suspicion and CT imaging could lead to early management of TP entrapment in these injuries, which could lead to better patient outcomes and reduced morbidity. Cite this article: Bone Jt Open 2024;5(3):252–259

Aims

The aim of this study was to perform the first population-based description of the epidemiological and health economic burden of fracture-related infection (FRI).

Abstract. Objectives. The need to accurately forecast the injury burden has never been higher. With an aging, ever expanding trauma population and less than half of the beds available compared to 1990, the National Health Service (NHS) is stretched to breaking point1,2. Resultantly, we aimed to determine whether it is possible to predict the proportionality of injuries treated operatively within orthopaedic departments based on their number of Neck of Femur fracture (NOF) patients reported both in our study and the National Hip Fracture Database (NHFD). Methods. We utilised the ORthopaedic trauma hospital outcomes - Patient operative delays (ORTHOPOD) dataset of 22,585 trauma patients across the four countries of the United Kingdom (UK) admitted to 83 hospitals between 22/08/22 – 16/10/22. This dataset had two arms: arm one was assessing the caseload and theatre capacity, arm two assessed the patient, injury and management demographics. Results. Our results complied with the data reported to the NHFD in over 80% of cases for both the 2022 and five-year average reported numbers. More operations were performed for elderly hip fractures alone than for the combined totals of the next four most common fractures: ankle, distal radius, tibial shaft and forearm (6387 vs 5922). Conversely, 10 out of the 13 fracture types were not encountered by at least one hospital and 93% of hospitals encountered less than 2 fractures of a certain type.60% of trauma is treated within Trauma Units (TUs) however, per unit, Major Trauma Centres (MTCs) treat approximately 43% more patients. Similarly, 11 out of the 14 fracture types examined presented more frequently to a MTC however 3 of the most common fractures had a preponderance for TUs (elderly hip, distal radius and forearm fractures). After excluding NOF, lower limb fractures accounted for approximately 57% of fractures in all countries and ankle and distal radius fracture combined comprised more than 50% in 74% of regions. There were few outliers across the study regarding number of fractures treated by a hospital with tibial shaft fractures demonstrating the highest number of outliers with 4. Conclusions. The number of hip fractures seen on average by an individual unit remains relatively consistent as does the regional variation of any given fracture; resultantly, it is possible to predict injury proportionality based off a unit's hip fracture numbers. This powerful tool could transform both resource allocation and recruitment. Declaration of Interest. (b) declare that there is no conflict of interest that could be perceived as prejudicing the impartiality of the research reported:I declare that there is no conflict of interest that could be perceived as prejudicing the impartiality of the research project

Motorcycle accident-related traffic accidents contribute significantly to the burden of orthopaedic injuries seen in the South African Healthcare system. Subsequent to the Covid-19 pandemic, there has been an increase in the number of delivery drivers on the roads of South Africa. Many of these delivery drivers have no formal employment contracts. We aim to describe the demographics and injury patterns in motorcyclists involved in time dependent delivery work in South Africa; and to quantify the cost to the state of their orthopaedic surgeries. We performed a consecutive case series study at all of the hospitals draining the study region over the period of one year. Epidemiological, clinical and cost to hospital data was collected from medical records, digital radiographs, theatre invoices and a dedicated patient questionnaire. Provisional. So far 41 delivery drivers were captured by the study over a period of 11 months. All drivers were male and the vast majority foreign nationals. 11 patients were polytraumatised and 5 required admission to an intensive care unit. The most common injury patterns were closed femur fractures (17) followed by tibial shaft fractures (13). The average cost of surgery was R35 049 and average cost of ward stay R44 882 at an average of 10 days admission in a general ward. Overall, an estimated total of R 3.1 million rand was spent on these injuries. Informally employed “app users” performing delivery work on motorcycles in South Africa have added a significant burden to the cost of state healthcare since 2020. The vast majority of these patients are foreign nationals who do not hold South African licences or health insurance. They are sustaining high energy injuries typical of motorcycle-car accidents and many of them are left with lifelong loss of function

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Tibial tubercle osteotomy (TTO) facilitates surgical exposure and protects the extensor mechanism during revision total knee arthroplasty (rTKA). The purpose of this study was to determine the rates of bony union, complications, and reoperations following TTO during rTKA, to assess the functional outcomes of rTKA with TTO at two years’ minimum follow-up, and to identify the risk factors of failure.

Aims

The aim of this study was to describe the incidence of refractures among children, following fractures of all long bones, and to identify when the risk of refracture decreases.

The August 2023 Trauma Roundup³⁶⁰ looks at: A comparison of functional cast and volar-flexion ulnar deviation for dorsally displaced distal radius fractures; Give your stable ankle fractures some AIR!; Early stabilization of rib fractures – an effective thing to do?; Locked plating versus nailing for proximal tibia fractures: A multicentre randomized controlled trial; Time to flap coverage in open tibia fractures; Does tranexamic acid affect the incidence of heterotropic ossification around the elbow?; High BMI – good or bad in surgical fixation of hip fractures?

The June 2023 Trauma Roundup³⁶⁰ looks at: Aspirin or low-molecular-weight heparin for thromboprophylaxis?; Lateral plating or retrograde nailing for distal femur fractures?; Sciatic nerve palsy after acetabular fixation: what about patient position?; How reliable is the new OTA/AO classification for trochanteric hip fractures?; Young hip fractures: is a medial buttress the answer?; When is the best time to ‘flap’ an open fracture?; The mortality burden of nonoperatively managed hip fractures.

Virtual mechanical testing is a method for measuring bone healing using finite element models built from computed tomography (CT) scans. Previously, we validated a dual-zone material model for ovine fracture callus that differentiates between mineralized woven bone and soft tissue based on radiodensity. 1. The objective of this study was to translate the dual-zone material model from sheep to two important clinical scenarios: human tibial fractures in early-stage healing and late-stage nonunions. CT scans for N = 19 tibial shaft fractures were obtained prospectively at 12 weeks post-op. A second group of N = 33 tibial nonunions with CT scans were retrospectively identified. The modeling techniques were based on our published method. 2. The dual-zone material model was implemented for humans by performing a cutoff sweep for both the 12-week and nonunion groups. Virtual torsional rigidity (VTR) was calculated as VTR = ML/φ [N-m. 2. /°], where M is the moment reaction, L is the diaphyseal segment length, and φ is the angle of twist. As the soft tissue cutoff was increased, the rigidity of the clinical fractures decreased and soft tissue located within the fracture gaps produced higher strains that are not predicted without the dual zone approach. The structural integrity of the nonunions varied, ranging from very low rigidities in atrophic cases to very high rigidities in highly calcified hypertrophic cases, even with dual-zone material modeling. Human fracture calluses are heterogeneous, comprising of woven bone and interstitial soft tissue. Use of a dual-zone callus material model may be instrumental in identifying delayed unions during early healing when callus formation is minimal and/or predominantly fibrous with little mineralization. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:. This work was supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF) grant CMMI-1943287

Tibial shaft fractures require surgical stabilization preferably by intramedullary nailing. However, patients often report functional limitations even years after the injury. This study investigates the influence of the surgical approach (transpatellar vs. parapatellar) on gait performance and patient reported outcome six months after surgery. Twenty-two patients with tibial shaft fractures treated by intramedullary nailing through a transpatellar approach (TP: n=15, age 41±15, BMI 24±3) or a parapatellar approach (PP: n=7, age 34±15, BMI 23±2) and healthy, matched controls (n=22, age 39±13, BMI 24±2) were assessed by instrumented motion analysis six months after intramedullary nailing. Short musculoskeletal function assessment questionnaire (SMFA) as well as kinematic and kinetic gait data were collected during level walking. Comparisons among approach methods and control group were performed by analysis of variance and Mann-Whitney test. Six months after surgery, knee kinetics in both groups differed significantly compared to controls (p <.04). The approach method affected gait speed (TP: p = .002; PP: p = .08) and knee kinematics in the early stance phase (TP: p = .011; PP: p = .082), with the parapatellar approach showing a more favorable outcome. However, the difference between patient groups was not significant for any of the assessed gait parameters (p > .2). Also, no differences could be found in the bother index (BI) or function index (FI) of SMFA between surgical approach methods (BI: TP: Mdn = 7.2, PP: Mdn = 9.4; FI: TP: Mdn = 10.3, PP: Mdn = 9.2, p > .7). Our study demonstrates, that six months after surgery for tibial shaft fractures functional limitations remain. These limitations appear not to be different for either a trans- or a parapatellar approach for the insertion of the intramedullary nail. The findings of this study are limited by the relatively short follow up time period and small number of patients. Future studies should investigate the source of the functional limitation after intramedullary nailing of tibial shaft fractures

The aim of this study was to perform a systematic review of the literature on Gustilo-Anderson (GA) type IIIB open tibial shaft (AO-42) injuries to determine the consistency of reporting in the literature. A search of PubMed, EMBASE and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials was performed to identify relevant studies published from January 2000 to January 2021 using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) statement. The study was registered using the PROSPERO International prospective register of systematic reviews. Patient/injury demographics, management and outcome reporting were recorded. There were 32 studies that met the inclusion criteria with a total of 1,947 patients (70.3% male, 29.7% female). There were 6 studies (18.8%) studies that reported on comorbidities and smoking, with mechanism of injury reported in 22 (68.8%). No studies reported on all operative criteria included, with only three studies (9.4%) reporting for time to antibiotics, 14 studies (43.8%) for time from injury to debridement and nine studies (28.1%) for time to definitive fixation. All studies reported on the rate of deep infection, with a high proportion documenting union rate (26/32, 81.3%). However, only two studies reported on mortality or on other post-operative complications (2/32, 6.3%). Only 12 studies (37.5%) provided any patient reported outcomes. This study has demonstrated a deficiency and a lack of standardized variable and outcome reporting in the orthopaedic literature for Gustilo-Anderson type IIIB open tibial shaft fractures. We propose a future international collaborative Delphi process is needed to standardize

The April 2023 Trauma Roundup³⁶⁰ looks at: Displaced femoral neck fractures in patients aged 55 to 70 years: internal fixation or total hip arthroplasty?; Tibial plateau fractures: continuous passive motion approves range of motion; Lisfranc fractures: to fuse or not to fuse, that is the question; Is hardware removal after clavicle fracture plate fixation beneficial?; Fixation to coverage in Grade IIIB open fractures – what’s the time window?; Nonoperative versus locking plate fixation in the proximal humerus; Retrograde knee nailing or lateral plate for distal femur fractures?

Māori consistently have poorer health outcomes compared to non-Māori within Aotearoa. Numerous worldwide studies demonstrate that ethnic minorities receive less analgesia for acute pain management. We aimed to compare analgesic management of a common orthopaedic injury, tibial shaft fracture, between Māori and non-Māori. A retrospective cohort study from January 1. st. , 2015, to December 31. st. 2020 inclusive. Eligible patients were 16–65 years old and had isolated closed tibial shaft fractures. 104 patients were included in the study, 48 Māori and 56 Non-Māori. Baseline demographics were similar between the 2 cohorts. The primary outcome measure was type of analgesia charted on the ward. Secondary outcome measures were pre-hospital medications given, pain scores on arrival to the emergency department (ED) and the ward, time to analgesia in ED and type of analgesia given in ED. Statistics were calculated using Fisher's exact test, Pearson's chi-squared test or Wilcoxson's rank sum test as appropriate. No statistically significant differences were found in opiates or synthetics charted to Māori vs Non-Māori (83% vs 89% and 77% vs 88% respectively), opiates given in ED, time to analgesia in ED or ED and ward arrival pain scores. Of statistical significance is that Māori were less likely to receive pre-hospital medication compared to Non-Māori (54% vs 80% respectively, p=0.004). Māori were significantly less likely to receive pre-hospital pain medication compared to Non-Māori. However no other statistically significant findings were found when comparing pain scores, time to analgesia or type of pain relief charted for Māori vs non-Māori. The reasons for Māori receiving significantly less prehospital medication were not explored in this study and further investigation is required to reduce the bias that exists in this area

The December 2022 Trauma Roundup. 360. looks at: Anterior approach for acetabular fractures using anatomical plates; Masquelet–Ilizarov for the management of bone loss post debridement of infected tibial nonunion; Total hip arthroplasty – better results after low-energy displaced femoral neck fracture in young patients; Unreamed intramedullary nailing versus external fixation for the treatment of open tibial shaft fractures in Uganda: a randomized clinical trial; The Open-Fracture Patient Evaluation Nationwide (OPEN) study: the management of open fracture care in the UK; Cost-utility analysis of cemented hemiarthroplasty versus hydroxyapatite-coated uncemented hemiarthroplasty; Unstable ankle fractures: fibular nail fixation compared to open reduction and internal fixation; Long-term outcomes of randomized clinical trials: wrist and calcaneus; ‘HeFT’y follow-up of the UK Heel Fracture Trial

Aims

The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to gather epidemiological information on selected musculoskeletal injuries and to provide pooled injury-specific incidence rates.

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This observational cross-sectional study aimed to answer the following questions: 1) how has nonunion incidence developed from 2009 to 2019 in a nationwide cohort; 2) what is the age and sex distribution of nonunions for distinct anatomical nonunion localizations; and 3) how high were the costs for surgical nonunion treatment in a level 1 trauma centre in Germany?

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Surgical reconstruction of deformed Charcot feet carries a high risk of nonunion, metalwork failure, and deformity recurrence. The primary aim of this study was to identify the factors contributing to these complications following hindfoot Charcot reconstructions.

Aims

Bone turnover markers (BTMs) follow distinct trends after fractures and limited evidence suggests differential levels in BTMs in patients with delayed healing. The effect of vitamin D, and other factors that influence BTMs and fracture healing, is important to elucidate the use of BTMs as surrogates of fracture healing. We sought to determine whether BTMs can be used as early markers of delayed fracture healing, and the effect of vitamin D on BTM response after fracture.

Introduction. Fracture related infections (FRI) following intramedullary nailing for tibial shaft fractures remain challenging to treat with associated high patient morbidity and healthcare costs. Recently, antibiotic-coated nails have been introduced as a strategy to reduce implant related infection rates in high-risk patients. We present the largest single-centre case series on ETN PROtect® outcomes reporting on fracture union, infection rates and treatment complications. Materials and Methods. 56 adult patients underwent surgery with ETN PROtect® between 01/09/17 and 31/12/20. Indications consisted of acute open fractures and complex revision cases (FRI, non-union surgery and re-fracture) with a mean of 3 prior surgical interventions. 51 patients had an open fracture as their index injury. We report on patient characteristics and outcomes including radiological/clinical union and deep infection. The one-year minimum follow-up rate was 87.5%. Results. One (1.8%) patient developed a deep surgical infection and associated non-union requiring further surgery. In addition, we identified three cases (5.4%) of aseptic non-union following facture treatment with ETN PROtect®. Of the 5 patients who underwent staged complex revision surgery for established FRI with ETN PROtect®, all had treatment failure with ongoing symptoms of deep infection requiring further treatment. Conclusions. Use of the ETN PROtect® nail in high-risk patients in the acute trauma setting demonstrates promising outcomes in the prevention of implant-related infection. In our limited series we have failed to observe any benefit over uncoated nails, when used in treating cases of established FRI/osteomyelitis and would therefore advise caution in their use, especially in view of the high cost