Aim of this study was to identify reoperation rates in patients with short oblique and transverse fractures around a well fixed cemented polished taper slip stem and to determine any associations with treatment failure.

Retrospective cohort study of 31 patients with AO transverse or short oblique Vancouver B1 PFFs around THA (total hip arthroplasty) cemented taper slip stems: 12 male (39%); mean age 74±11.9 (range 44–91); mean BMI 28.5±1.4 (range 16–48); and median ASA 3. Patient journeys were assessed, re-interventions reviewed. The primary outcome measure was reoperation.

Time from primary THA to fracture was 11.3±7.8yrs (0.5–26yrs). Primary surgical management was fixation in 27/31 and rTHA (revision total hip arthroplasty) in 4/31. 10 of 31 (32%) patients required reoperation, 9 within 2 years of fracture: 1 following rTHA and 8 following ORIF. The commonest mode of failure was non-union (n=6). No significant associations with reoperation requirement were identified. Kaplan-Meier free from reoperation was 67.4% (49.8–85.0 95% CI) at 2 years and this was unaffected by initial management with ORIF or rTHA (Log rank 0.898). Of those reoperated, 6/10 required multiple reoperations to obtain either bony union or a stable revision construct and 13% ultimately required proximal femoral endoprostheses. The relative risk of 1 year mortality was 1.6 (0.25 to 10.1 95%CI) among patients who required reoperation compared to those who did not.

These are difficult fractures to manage, should not be underestimated and patients should be counselled that there is a 30% risk of reoperation and 20% of requiring multiple reoperations.

Our aim was to explore factors associated with early post operative infection for surgically managed base of 4th/5th metacarpal fractures. We hypothesised that K-wires crossing the 4th and 5th carpometacarpal joint (CMCJ) would be associated with an increased risk of post-operative infection.

Data from consecutive patients requiring surgical fixation for a base of 4th/5th metacarpal fracture from October 2016 to May 2021 were collected. Patient demographics, time to surgery, length of surgery, operator experience, use of tourniquet, intra-operative antibiotics, number and thickness of K-wire used, as well as whether or not the K-wires crossed CMCJ joints were recorded. Factors associated with post operative infection were assessed using Chi Squared test and univariable logistic regression using R studio.

Of 107 patients, 10 (9.3%) suffered post operative infection. Time to surgery (p 0.006) and length of operation (p=0.005) were higher in those experiencing infection. There was a trend towards higher risk of infection seen in those who had K-wires crossed (p=0.06). On univariable analysis, patients who had wires crossed were >7 times more likely to experience infection than those who didn't (OR 7.79 (95% CI, 1.39 - 146.0, p=0.056). Age, smoking, K-wire size, number of K-wires used, intraoperative antibiotics, tourniquet use and operator experience were not associated with infection.

In patients with a base of 4th/5th metacarpal fractures requiring surgical fixation, we find an increased risk of post-operative infection associated with K-wires crossing the CMCJ, which has implications for surgical technique. Larger prospective studies would be useful in further delineating these findings.

The aim of the study was to report the survival of open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) of Vancouver B fractures associated with the Exeter Stem (ES) at a minimum of 5 years.

This retrospective cohort study assessed 129 consecutive patients with Vancouver B type fractures treated with ORIF from 2008-2016 at a minimum of 5 years. Patient records were examined, and the following recorded: details of primary prosthesis, details of injury, Vancouver classification, details of operative management, complications, and requirement for reoperation. Data was analysed using SPSS. Survival analysis was undertaken using the endpoint ‘reoperation for any reason’.

Mean age at fracture was 78.2 (SD10.6, 46-96) and 54 (43%) were female. Vancouver subclassifications were: 24% B1, 70.5% B2 and 5.5% B3. For all Vancouver B fractures, Kaplan Meier analysis demonstrated a 5 year survival free from reoperation of 88.8% (82.0-94.7 95%CI). Fourteen patients required reoperation, most commonly within the first year for non-union and plate fracture (5.4%). Five-year survival for any reoperation differed significantly according to fracture type (p=0.016) and was worst in B1s: B1 76.6% (61.3-91.9); B2 92.6% 986.9-98.3); and 100% of B3. Univariate analysis identified B1 type (p=0.008) and a transverse fracture pattern (p=0.003) to be significantly associated with the need for reoperation.

Adopting a strategy of fixation of all Vancouver B fractures involving the ES where the fracture was anatomically reducible and the bone cement interface was well-fixed was associated with a 5 year survival, free from reoperation of 88.8%.

The Trauma Triage clinic (TTC) is a Virtual Fracture clinic which permits the direct discharge of simple, isolated fractures from the Emergency Department (ED), with consultant review of the clinical notes and radiographs. This study details the outcomes of patients with such injuries over a four-year period.

All TTC records between January 2014 and December 2017 were collated from a prospective database. Fractures of the radial head, little finger metacarpal, fifth metatarsal, toe phalanges and soft tissue mallet finger injuries were included. Application of the direct discharge protocol, and any deviations were noted. All records were then re-assessed at a minimum of three years after TTC triage (mean 4.5 years) to ascertain which injuries re-attended the trauma clinic, reasons for re-attendance, source of referral and any subsequent surgical procedures.

6709 patients with fractures of the radial head (1882), little finger metacarpal (1621), fifth metatarsal (1916), toe phalanges (920) and soft tissue mallet finger injures (370) were identified. 963 (14%) patients were offered in-person review after TTC, of which 45 (0.6%) underwent a surgical intervention. 299 (4%) re-attended after TTC direct discharge at a mean time after injury of 11.9 weeks and 12 (0.2%) underwent surgical intervention. Serious interventions, defined as those in which a surgical procedure may have been avoided if the patient had not undergone direct discharge, occurred in 1 patient (0.01%).

Re-intervention after direct discharge of simple injuries of the elbow, hand and foot is low. Unnecessary deviations from protocol offer avenues to optimise consumption of service resources.

Aims

To investigate whether the duration of pain has an influence on the clinical outcomes of patients with low back pain (LBP) managed through the North East of England Regional Back Pain and Radicular Pain Pathway (NERBPP).

Postgraduate training in orthopaedics has traditionally been delivered through an apprenticeship model. However, junior doctor working patterns have more recently moved away from a team based structure, potentially affecting training experience. We aimed to compare the perceived quality of training between medical students, junior non-orthopaedic trainees and orthopaedic specialty trainees.

We conducted an anonymous questionnaire of all medical students and trainees rotating through our unit over 24 months. The questionnaire contained 6, 10-point Likert rating scale questions and free text responses. Results were collated and analysed according to training stage.

Of 82 questionnaires distributed, 60 (73%) were completed (18 specialty registrars, 22 junior trainees and 20 medical students). Junior trainees consisted of 8 GPSTs and 14 Foundation Year (FY2) doctors, only one of whom had specifically chosen an orthopaedic placement.

Median Likert rating of training experience was (1 = very poor, 10 = excellent): ST4-ST8 = 8 (range 7–9), ST1-ST3 = 7 (6–9), GPSTs/FY2s = 4 (2–5) and medical students = 8 (7–10). Further analysis of junior non-orthopaedic doctors' training experience showed that placement induction, organisation of formal teaching and opportunities for training out with formal sessions were rated as poor. However, content of delivered teaching was rated highly. Free text responses identified several barriers to training including being too busy on wards and no opportunity for protected teaching.

Our study shows that junior non-orthopaedic trainees feel their training experience during orthopaedic placements is much poorer than orthopaedic trainees and medical students. Time constraints and less team based working patterns may detract from their teaching opportunities. In addition, junior doctors rotating through orthopaedic units now have a wider spectrum of career interests with heterogeneous training needs. Therefore, orthopaedic departments may need to adopt a more targeted training programme that recognises individual training needs if junior doctor training is to improve.

The aim is to report a rare technique for correction of intramedullary nail acute angular deformity.

Intramedullary tibial nail fixation of diaphyseal tibial fractures is the gold standard treatment allowing early mobilisation whilst preserving the soft tissues around the fracture site. Most commonly, intramedullary nails fail by metal fatigue secondary to non union, without significant deformity of the metalwork. Plastic deformity of the nail can result following new acute trauma, particularly before bone union has occurred. This is a clinical challenge as a reamed intramedullary nail is designed to achieve three point fixation with close anatomical fit, such that removal of a bent nail is technically difficult and also risks further damage to bone and soft tissues.

We report a case of a 20 year old patient treated with intramedullary nail fixation of a diaphyseal right tibial fracture who was subsequently assaulted 4 weeks post operatively. This produced an unacceptable deformation of the nail into 25 degrees valgus and procurvatum. To remove the nail, the authors used a previously reported but rare technique of partial (up to 50%) nail division on the convex surface of the apex using Midas Rex High Speed Drill to weaken the nail then manipulation to correct deformity with minimal stress. The technique produced minimal metal debris and allowed simple exchange nail replacement without further complication. The authors believe this is the first reported use of the technique from the United Kingdom.

Aim: To assess the outcome for Perthes disease in children over eight treated by observation, varus osteotomy, abduction plasters and acetabular augmentation.

Methods and results: A retrospective case note review of prospectively collected data for 44 children (48) hips with Catterall grades 2, 3 or 4 Perthes’ disease with onset age eight or older and followed to maturity was performed. The groups were demographically similar. For all groups combined 60% had a satisfactory Stulberg grade I to III outcome. Poorer outcomes (as assessed by Stulberg, centre edge angle and Reimer’s migration index) were associated with increasing age, greater initial head deformity and greater head involvement. Initial head deformity did not remodel for any treatment group. Indeed, progressive head deformity occurred despite plaster treatment or varus osteotomy but not after acetabular augmentation. Hips managed by acetabular augmentation also had better outcomes than the other groups for Stulberg, Reimer’s index and centre-edge angle.

Conclusions: Whatever the treatment the outcome for Perthes’ disease in children over eight is poorer with increasing age. No treatment offers the prospect of a good result in the older child with significant head involvement or significant initial deformity but acetabular augmentation seems to improve Stulberg, Reimer’s migration and centre-edge angle outcomes and prevents progressive femoral head deformity compared with observation, varus osteotomy and plaster treatment.

We describe a new method of reconstruction of the extensor apparatus after extensive resection of malignant tumours around the knee joint with a polyester ligament. Twenty- two patients after a mean follow up of eighteen months (six to thirty-six months) were treated. Six patients had excellent knee function with a lag of extension less than five degrees, four of less than twenty, three had less than forty degrees and six patients could not lift their limb extended against gravity, although no patient required any kind of walking aid. The mean Enneking Score was 81.5 the mean TESS Score was eighty-three.

Limb salvage surgery in primary malignant bone tumours is widely accepted as the surgical treatment of choice around the knee joint. Extraarticular resection for oncological radicality usually results in additional resection of at least part of the extensor mechanism

Since January 2000 we used a Polyester Band (LARS®) for either augmentation of a transposed muscle or as a complete soft tissue bridging after tumour resection in twenty-two patients (fourteen men, eight women) with a mean age of thirty-two (8–75). The HMRS tumour endoprosthesis was used for the reconstruction of the knee joint.

The location of the tumour was in the distal femur in ten cases and the proximal tibia in eleven. One synovial sarcoma arose at the lateral meniscus. The mean follow up was eighteen months (6–36) after implantation of the Lars® ligament. Patient’s functional outcome and satisfaction was eighty-three (65–92) at the TESS Score and 81,5 (43–92) at the Enneking Score, respectively. Six patients had excellent knee function with an extension deficit of less than five degrees. In four cases the extension deficit was less than twenty, in three cases it was less than forty. In six patients the active extension lag was more than forty degrees. However, their remaining quadriceps strength was sufficient for stabilisation of the knee joint during gait without any aids. At last follow up all implants were in situ without any signs of loosening. No patient had to be amputated because of septic complication.

Introduction: Throughout known medical literature the proximal humeral fracture is mentioned with an approximately 5% contribution to all fractures. The optimal operative strategy regarding proximal humeral fractures is still being discussed controversely. This study was conducted to show implant associated problems and their clinical relevance.

Materials and methods: Of a total 198 patients with proximal humeral fractures 166 patients, 98 females and 68 males at a mean age of 74,7 years were treated operatively from 2000 to 2004 in our clinic with an angle-stabile plate osteosynthesis and underwent a clinical and radiological follow-up. Retrospectively we characterised the fractures by using the most common classification of NEER and assessed the functional results with the CONSTANT score.

Results: The 166 evaluated patients with 8 cases of a type I fracture, 13 patients with type II fracture, 34 patients with type III fracture, 47 cases with type IV fracture, 42 patients with type V fracture and 22 cases with type VI were all operatively treated with an angle-stabile plate osteosynthesis. 142 patients underwent early assisted physical therapy. Of all assessed patients the average CONSTANT score was 79,7 points. Among the 8 patients with type I fracture the average CONSTANT score was 84,4 points, among the 13 patients with type II fracture it reached an average 87,4 points. The average score of the 34 patients with type III fracture was 78,8 points. The more complex fractures, according to NEER’s classification, reached average scores of 71,2 points among the 47 cases with type IV fractures, 69,8 points (42 patients, type V) and 61,6 points (22 patients, type VI). The presence of avascular necrosis of the humeral head in 18 cases resulted in a significantly worse functional outcome and therefore a lower average score of 48,1 points. For 36 patients the follow-up revealed intraarticular dislocation of the proximal locking screws which required operative revision in 15 cases.

Conclusion: Even in the complex proximal humeral fracture one can achieve good clinical results for the patients by using an angle-stabile plate osteosynthesis and therefore establishing a secure and rigid situation for an optimized consecutive physical therapy, especially in the elderly. To prevent from intraarticular screw placement the proximal locking screws should be chosen shorter, if possible, then initially measured.

Aims: To study prospectively the characteristic migration of four different cemented femoral stems using Radiostereometry. Methods: 96 patients undergoing cemented femoral hip replacement for osteoarthritis were randomised to receive an Exeter (Howmedica Stryker), Ultima Tapered Polished Stem [TPS], Ultima straight stem [USS] (Johnson and Johnson) or Charnley Elite (Depuy/Johnson and Johnson) stem. RSA migration measurements were performed postoperatively and at 6,12,18 and 24 months post surgery using the UMRSA system. Results: Two signiþcantly distinct patterns of distal migration in the y direction (subsidence) were seen, compatible with previous studies. Tapered stems subsided rapidly by six months, Exeter 0.85mm (±0.15) UTPS 0.85mm (±0.15), stabilising by 2 years, Exeter 1.3mm (±0.35), UTPS 1.2mm (±0.25). The USS and Elite designs showed lower migrations of 0.1mm (±0.1) and 0.15 (±0.15) mm at six and 0.25mm (±0.15) and 0.35mm (±0.15) at 24 months. For migrations and rotations in other directions, differences were seen between prostheses with the same design concept. Whilst both the UTPS and Exeter exhibited posterior migration of the head, by 24 months this was expressed as a rotation about the transverse axis for the TPS and the axial axis for the Exeter. The Elite and USS differed in rates of posterior migration and varus tilt. Conclusions: Patterns of migration for stems with the same design concept may vary due to subtle differences in prosthesis shape. These variations produce a distinct migration Ç signature È for each stem.