Aims. We introduced a self-care pathway for minimally displaced distal radius fractures, which involved the patient being discharged from a Virtual Fracture Clinic (VFC) without a physical review and being provided with written instructions on how to remove their own cast or splint at home, plus advice on exercises and return to function. Methods. All patients managed via this protocol between March and October 2020 were contacted by a medical secretary at a minimum of six months post-injury. The patients were asked to complete the Patient-Rated Wrist Evaluation (PRWE), a satisfaction questionnaire, advise if they had required surgery and/or contacted any health professional, and were also asked for any recommendations on how to improve the service. A review with a hand surgeon was organized if required, and a cost analysis was also conducted. Results. Overall 71/101 patients completed the telephone consultation; no patients required surgery, and the mean and median PRWE scores were 23.9/100 (SD 24.9) and 17.0/100 (interquartile range (IQR) 0 to 40), respectively. Mean patient satisfaction with treatment was 34.3/40 (SD 9.2), and 65 patients (92%) were satisfied or highly satisfied. In total there were 16 contact calls, 12 requests for a consultant review, no formal complaints, and 15 minor adjustment suggestions to improve patient experience. A relationship was found between intra-articular injuries and lower patient satisfaction scores (p = 0.025), however no relationship was found between PRWE scores and the nature of the fracture. Also, no relationship was found between the type of immobilization and the functional outcome or patient satisfaction. Cost analysis of the self-care pathway V traditional pathway showed a cost savings of over £13,500 per year with the new self-care model compared to the traditional model. Conclusion. Our study supports a VFC self-care pathway for patients with minimally displaced distal radius fractures. The pathway provides a good level of patient satisfaction and function. To improve the service, we will make minor amendments to our patient information sheet. Cite this article: Bone Jt Open 2022;3(9):726–732

Aims. Occult (clinical) injuries represent 15% of all scaphoid fractures, posing significant challenges to the clinician. MRI has been suggested as the gold standard for diagnosis, but remains expensive, time-consuming, and is in high demand. Conventional management with immobilization and serial radiography typically results in multiple follow-up attendances to clinic, radiation exposure, and delays return to work. Suboptimal management can result in significant disability and, frequently, litigation. Methods. We present a service evaluation report following the introduction of a quality-improvement themed, streamlined, clinical scaphoid pathway. Patients are offered a removable wrist splint with verbal and written instructions to remove it two weeks following injury, for self-assessment. The persistence of pain is the patient’s guide to ‘opt-in’ and to self-refer for a follow-up appointment with a senior emergency physician. On confirmation of ongoing signs of clinical scaphoid injury, an urgent outpatient ‘fast’-wrist protocol MRI scan is ordered, with instructions to maintain wrist immobilization. Patients with positive scan results are referred for specialist orthopaedic assessment via a virtual fracture clinic. Results. From February 2018 to January 2019, there were 442 patients diagnosed as clinical scaphoid fractures. 122 patients (28%) self-referred back to the emergency department at two weeks. Following clinical review, 53 patients were discharged; MRI was booked for 69 patients (16%). Overall, six patients (< 2% of total; 10% of those scanned) had positive scans for a scaphoid fracture. There were no known missed fractures, long-term non-unions or malunions resulting from this pathway. Costs were saved by avoiding face-to-face clinical review and MRI scanning. Conclusion. A patient-focused opt-in approach is safe and effective to managing the suspected occult (clinical) scaphoid fracture. Cite this article: Bone Jt Open 2024;5(2):117–122

The Poole Traction Splint (PTS) is a non-invasive technique that applies dynamic traction to the affected digit using materials readily available in the outpatient department. The primary aim of this study was to document the outcome of the PTS for hand phalangeal fractures. Over a four-year period (2017–2021), suitable patients were reviewed and referred for PTS to the hand physiotherapists. Functional outcome measures included range of motion (ROM), return to work, and a DASH score. In addition, a healthcare cost analysis was carried out. A total of 63 patients were treated with a PTS from 2017 to 2021. Data was analysed for 54 patients with 55 digits. The mean age was 43 years (17–72) and 53.7% (n=29) were female. There were 43 fractures involving the proximal phalanx and 12 involving the middle phalanx. The mean final composite range of movement averaged 209˚ (110–270°), classified as ‘good/excellent’ by ASSH criteria. The mean DASH score was 13.6 (0-43.2; n=45). All patients were able to return to work. Only two (3.7%) digits required conversion to surgical fixation. The PTS resulted in approximate savings of £2,452 per patient. The PTS is a cost-effective non-invasive low risk outpatient treatment method which provides a functional ROM and good functional outcomes in the treatment of complex phalangeal hand fractures, with minimal risk of surgical intervention being required

Introduction. Closed avulsion of the Flexor Digitorum Profundus (FDP) from distal phalanx most commonly affects the ring finger when an extensive force is applied to a finger in active flexion. Whilst it is undoubtably reasonable to provide treatment for those who present with symptoms, there may be a cohort of people who sustain an avulsion without noticing. This study aims to quantify the effect of ring finger FDP avulsion on overall grip strength to determine the functional effect of a missed injury. Method. Right handed volunteers, with no abnormality on examination were included (N= 42). Proximal muscle group action was excluded. Grip strength was tested using a Jamar dynamometer with and without splinting of the ring finger to block flexion at the DIPJ and repeated six times alternately to mitigate the effects of fatigue. Results. Most subjects showed a small (0.3–3kg) change in their average grip strength with the splint (N= 29). Some showed a dramatic change in their grip strength (6–11.4) (N=6) others showed no change or slight improvement with the splint (−3–0) (N=7). Data were not normally distributed (kolmogorov-smirnov p=0.023). A wilcoxon signed rank test showed a statistically significant difference in performance with, compared to without, the splint, mean 2.34kg reduction (−3.3 − 11.4) (p <0.0005. Discussion. Horton et al have examined the quadriga effect and shown that the individual strength of other digits is reduced when one FDP is isolated. This implies overall grip strength should be reduced; our data supports this assertion. However despite splinting, the majority of subjects were still within the normal range of power for age. Larger scale studies are required to assess the functional effect of repair vs conservative management

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The aim of this study was to compare the functional and radiological outcomes and the complication rate after nail and plate fixation of unstable fractures of the ankle in elderly patients.

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There is a lack of published evidence relating to the rate of nonunion seen in occult scaphoid fractures, diagnosed only after MRI. This study reports the rate of delayed union and nonunion in a cohort of patients with MRI-detected acute scaphoid fractures.

Introduction. Surgical treatment is justified in patients with fifth metacarpal shaft fractures with angulation exceeding 30 degrees, as these patients are prone to have shortening, restriction of movements, decreased efficiency of the flexor tendons and poor cosmetic results1,2. The authors describe a new technique where these patients can be treated in the clinic non-surgically. Material and Methods. Twenty-three patients with angulated fractures were prospectively enrolled for the study from Jan 2009 to Dec 2009. After appropriately instructing the patient, an ulnar nerve block was performed at the wrist. Once the nerve block had taken effect, the fracture was manipulated and an ulna gutter 3-point moulded splint was applied in the plaster room. The reduction was then confirmed with an x-ray. The patients were seen at 3 weeks for splint removal and for long-term follow-up at least 6 months later. Results. All the patients had a completely pain-free manipulation and complete reduction was achieved in all the patients. There were no complications related to the technique. Conclusions. In the NHS with pressure on resources, the authors suggest the treatment described above of these fractures in the clinic. It is a safe, cost-effective and easily learnt technique

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This study estimated trends in incidence of open fractures and the adherence to clinical standards for open fracture care in England.

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The Open-Fracture Patient Evaluation Nationwide (OPEN) study was performed to provide clarity in open fracture management previously skewed by small, specialist centre studies and large, unfocused registry investigations. We report the current management metrics of open fractures across the UK.

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Fractures of the distal radius are common, and form a considerable proportion of the trauma workload. We conducted a study to examine the patterns of injury and treatment for adult patients presenting with distal radius fractures to a major trauma centre serving an urban population.

Chronic plantar fasciitis is a common but sometimes difficult condition to successfully treat. Platelet rich plasma (PRP), a concentrated bioactive component of autologous blood that is rich in cytokines and other growth factors, was compared with cortisone injection in the treatment of severe cases of plantar fasciitis resistant to traditional non-operative paradigms. Thirty-six patients (16 males 20 females) were prospectively block-randomized into two study groups. All patients had pre-treatment MRI and ultrasound studies consistent with plantar fasciitis. The first group was treated with a single ultrasound guided injection of 40 mg Depo-Medrol at the injury site and the second group was treated with a single ultrasound guided injection of un-buffered autologous PRP at the injury site. The cortisone group had an average age of 59 (24–74) and had failed 4 months (3–24) of standard non-operative management (rest, heel lifts, PT, NSAIDS, cam walker immobilization, night splinting, local modalities) and had pre-treatment AOFAS scores of 52 (24–60). The PRP group had an average age of 51 (21–67) and had failed 5 months (3–26) of standard non-operative management (rest, heel lifts, PT, NSAIDS, cam walker immobilization, night splinting, local modalities) and had pre-treatment AOFAS scores of 37 (30–56). All patients were then immobilized fully weight bearing in a cam walker for 2 weeks, started on eccentric home exercises and then allowed to return to normal activities as tolerated and without support. Post-treatment AOFAS scores in the cortisone initially improved to 81(60–90) at 3 months but decreased to 74 (56–85) at 6 months. Post-treatment AOFAS scores in the PRP group improved to 95 (84–90) at 3 months and remained excellent at 94 (87–100) at 6 months follow-up. This study suggests that platelet rich plasma injection is more effective and durable than cortisone injection for the treatment of severe chronic plantar fasciitis refractory to traditional non-operative management

Objective. In many institutions, serial casting and splinting requires many weeks of treatment and frequently results in surgery. This study evaluated the results of neonatal clubfoot correction with the Furlong method. This method was created by Furlong M.B. and Lawn G.W. in New York and was published in Archives of Pediatrics in 1960. Materials and Methods. This study reviews 95 neonates with 128 severe clubfeet (initial Pirani score 4,0 or more). Patients with arthrogrypotic clubfeet and other syndromes were not included. Age at presentation ranged from 4 hours to 18 days. All patients had no previous treatment. The cast application with extra space above the foot was performed as follows: a special elastic pad was placed on the dorsal aspect of the foot and fixed with a cotton bandage. Then plaster cast was applied with knee flexion 110–120 degrees. After the cast was set, the elastic pad was removed, leaving a reserve space on the dorsal aspect of the foot. The cast was changed every 3–7 days. Typical corrective maneures were performed. Foot displacement into dorsiflexion occured spontaneously as an active motion and also with manipulations. Abduction braces or knee-flexed splints were applied after the complete foot correction. Pirani score and foot dorsiflexion angle were documented during each step of correction. Results. A detailed rating system (with radiologic criteria) was used for result evaluatiion. Correction was successful in all but 5 patients. 90 % required less than 6 casts. There were 12 recurrences and they were related with compliance with the abduction brace, but not with age or number of casts required for correction. Only 13 patients required surgery (6 posterior releases, 6 posteromedial releases and 1 complete subtalar release). Mean follow-up was 12 years. 23% of feet were evaluated as excellent, 71 %- as good and 6%- as poor results. Conclusion. The Furlong method is succesful in obtaining initial correction in the idiopathic clubfoot patient. This method corrects the neonatal congenital clubfoot in 85% without any surgery

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The primary aim was to estimate the cost-effectiveness of routine operative fixation for all patients with humeral shaft fractures. The secondary aim was to estimate the health economic implications of using a Radiographic Union Score for HUmeral fractures (RUSHU) of < 8 to facilitate selective fixation for patients at risk of nonunion.

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The aim of this study was to describe the management and associated outcomes of patients sustaining a femoral hip periprosthetic fracture (PPF) in the UK population.

Isolated Weber B fractures usually heal uneventfully but traditionally require regular review due to the possibility of medial ligament injury allowing displacement. Following recent studies suggesting that delayed talar shift is uncommon we introduced a functional treatment protocol and present the early results. 86 patients presenting acutely with Weber B fractures without talar shift between January and July 2015 were included. Patients were splinted in a removable boot and allowed to weight bear. ED notes and radiographs were reviewed by an Orthopaedic consultant. Patients without signs of medial injury were discharged with an information leaflet and advice. If signs of medial ligament injury were noted or the medial findings were not documented the patient was reviewed in fracture clinic at 4 weeks post-injury. If talar shift developed the patient was to be converted to operative treatment. MOXFQ and EDQ5 scores were collected. 50 patients had signs of medial ligament injury or no documented medial findings and of these 43 attended fracture clinic. Of 36 patients without signs of medial ligament injury 28 were discharged according to protocol and 8 patients attended fracture clinic. One discharged patient re-accessed care. Of 52 patients reviewed in the fracture clinic none developed delayed talar shift and all continued with non-operative treatment. The outcome scores were comparable to those in the published literature. We conclude the risk of delayed talar shift is low and satisfactory outcomes can be safely achieved with our functional protocol. Additional tests/imaging to establish the integrity of the medial ligament may be unnecessary

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Following cast removal for nonoperatively treated distal radius fractures, rehabilitation facilitated by advice leaflet and advice video were compared to a course of face-to-face therapy.

Aim. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of plaster/splint immobilisation of the knee/ankle on driving performance in healthy individuals. Methods & Materials. Twenty-three healthy drivers performed a series of emergency brake tests in a driving simulator having applied above knee plaster casts, below knee plaster casts, or a knee brace with increasing restriction. Results. Our study showed that compared to braking normally, total brake reaction time was significantly longer when wearing an above knee plaster cast, below knee plaster cast or a knee brace with zero degrees of freedom (p<0.001). Increases in movement time from accelerator to brake accounted for some of the increase in the total brake reaction time. However, unexpectedly thinking time also increased with the level of restriction (p<0.001). Conclusion. These results suggest that all patients wearing a plaster cast or knee brace are significantly impaired in their ability to perform an emergency stop. We suggest changes to the legislation that prevents patients driving with lower limb plaster casts or knee braces

We reviewed our results and complications of using a pre-bent 1.6mm Kirschner wire (K-wire) for extra-articular metacarpal fractures. The surgical procedure was indicated for angulation at the fracture site in a true lateral radiograph of at least 30 degrees and/or in the presence of a rotatory deformity. A single K-wire is pre-bent in a lazy-S fashion with a sharp bend at approximately 5 millimetres and a longer smooth curve bent in the opposite direction. An initial entry point is made at the base of the metacarpal using a 2.5mm drill by hand. The K-wire is inserted blunt end first in an antegrade manner and the fracture reduced as the wire is passed across the fracture site. With the wire acting as three-point fixation, early mobilisation is commenced at the metacarpo-phalangeal joint in a Futuro hand splint. The wire is usually removed with pliers post-operatively at four weeks in the fracture clinic. We studied internal fixation of 18 little finger and 2 ring finger metacarpal fractures from November 2007 to August 2009. The average age of the cohort was 25 years with 3 women and 17 men. The predominant mechanism was a punch injury with 5 diaphyseal and 15 metacarpal neck fractures. The time to surgical intervention was a mean 13 days (range 4 to 28 days). All fractures proceeded to bony union. The wire was extracted at an average of 4.4 weeks (range three to six weeks). At an average follow up of 8 weeks, one fracture had to be revised for failed fixation and three superficial wound infections needed antibiotic treatment. With this simple and minimally invasive technique performed as day-case surgery, all patients were able to start mobilisation immediately. The general outcome was good hand function with few complications

A 16-year-old boy was involved in an agricultural accident in which he sustained a large wound to the right arm and forearm. Radiological examination showed loss of the distal half of the humerus. A posterior splint was applied and after two months there was regeneration of the distal humerus including the articular portion. He was able to use his arm at five months. Twenty years later, he had a painless elbow and a 70° range of movement

We reviewed 31 patients at a mean of five years after mallet deformity of the finger had been treated with a thermoplastic splint. Intra-articular fractures were present in 35% of patients. Osteoarthritic changes had developed in 48%, most in association with fracture, and 29% had a swan-neck deformity. There was a loss of extension greater than 10° in 35%; the average deficit at the interphalangeal joint was 8.3° and the average flexion arc was 48.5°. Despite these findings, patient satisfaction was generally high, with little evidence of functional impairment