The purpose of this study was to compare the clinical and radiological outcome of patients with intact, broken and removed syndesmosis screws after Weber B or C ankle fracture with an associated injury to the syndesmosis. We hypothesised that there would be no difference. Of a possible 142 patients who fulfilled our inclusion criteria, 52 returned for clinical and radiological assessment at least one year after surgery. Of these, 27 had intact syndesmosis screws, ten had broken screws, and 15 had undergone elective removal of the screw. The mean American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society ankle/
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. Patients admitted to hospital with an open fracture (excluding phalanges or isolated hand injuries) between 1 June 2021 and 30 September 2021 were included. Institutional information governance approval was obtained at the lead site and all data entered using Research Electronic Data Capture software. All domains of the British Orthopaedic Association Standard for Open Fracture Management were recorded.Aims
Method
We carried out a retrospective review of 47 intra-articular fractures of the calcaneum treated by open reduction and internal fixation in 45 patients by a single surgeon between 1993 and 2001. The fractures were evaluated before operation by plain radiographs and a CT scan using Sanders’ classification. Osteosynthesis involved a lateral approach and the use of the AO calcaneal plate. The mean follow-up was for ten years (7 to 15). Clinical assessment included the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society Score (AOFAS), the Creighton-Nebraska Score, the Kerr, Prothero, Atkins Score and the SF-36 Health Questionnaire. The radiological evaluation consisted of lateral and axial views of the os calcis. Arthritic changes in the subtalar joint were assessed with an internal oblique view and were graded using the Morrey and Wiedeman scale. There were 18 excellent (38.3%), 17 good (36.2%), three fair (6.3%) and nine poor (19.2%) results. Five patients had a superficial wound infection and five others eventually had a subtalar arthrodesis because of continuing pain. Restoration of Böhler’s angle was associated with a better outcome. The degree of arthritic change in the subtalar joint did not correlate with the outcome scores or Sanders’ classification. Prompt osteosynthesis should be considered for intra-articular fractures of the calcaneum in order to restore the shape of the
The late results of treatment of calcaneal fractures in 17 children (19 fractures) were reviewed at a mean of 16.8 years after injury. With the exception of one patient, all fractures had been treated conservatively. At follow-up there were few complaints. All but two patients had full or slightly reduced mobility of the subtalar joint and unrestricted foot function, including the ability to walk comfortably on uneven surfaces. Minor radiological abnormalities of the
Although infrequent, a fracture of the cuboid can lead to significant
disruption of the integrity of the midfoot and its function. The
purpose of this study was to classify the pattern of fractures of
the cuboid, relate them to the mechanism of injury and suggest methods
of managing them. We performed a retrospective review of patients with radiologically
reported cuboid fractures. Fractures were grouped according to commonly
occurring patterns of injury. A total of 192 fractures in 188 patients
were included. They were classified into five patterns of injury.Aims
Patients and Methods
The aim of this study was to report the outcome following primary
fixation or a staged protocol for type C fractures of the tibial
plafond. We studied all patients who sustained a complex intra-articular
fracture (AO type C) of the distal tibia over an 11-year period.
The primary short-term outcome was infection. The primary long-term
outcome was the Foot and Ankle Outcome Score (FAOS).Aims
Patients and Methods
This study assessed the association of classes of body mass index
in kg/m2 (classified as normal weight 18.5 kg/m2 to
24.9 kg/m2, overweight 25.0 kg/m2 to 29.9
kg/m2, and obese ≥ 30.0 kg/m2) with short-term
complications and functional outcomes three to six years post-operatively
for closed ankle fractures. We performed a historical cohort study with chart review of 1011
patients who were treated for ankle fractures by open reduction
and internal fixation in two hospitals, with a follow-up postal
survey of 959 of the patients using three functional outcome scores.Aims
Patients and Methods
The extended lateral L-shaped approach for the treatment of displaced intra-articular fractures of the calcaneum may be complicated by wound infection, haematoma, dehiscence and injury to the sural nerve. In an effort to reduce the risk of problems with wound healing a technique was developed that combined open reduction and fixation of the joint fragments and of the anterior process with percutaneous reduction and screw fixation of the tuberosity. A group of 24 patients with unilateral isolated closed Sanders type II and III fractures was treated using this technique and compared to a similar group of 26 patients managed by the extended approach and lateral plating. The operation was significantly shorter (p <
0.001) in the first group, but more minor secondary procedures and removal of heel screws were necessary. There were no wound complications in this group, whereas four minor complications occurred in the second group. The accuracy and maintenance of reduction, and ultimate function were equivalent.
Between 2000 and 2006 we performed salvage tibiotalar arthrodesis in 17 diabetic patients (17 ankles) with grossly unstable ankles caused by bimalleolar fractures complicated by Charcot neuro-arthropathy. There were ten women and seven men with a mean age of 61.6 years (57 to 69). A crossed-screw technique was used. Two screws were used in eight patients and three screws in nine. Additional graft from the malleoli was used in all patients. The mean follow-up was 26 months (12 to 48) and the mean time to union was 5.8 months (4 to 8). A stable ankle was achieved in 14 patients (82.4%), nine of whom had bony fusion and five had a stiff fibrous union. The results were significantly better in underweight patients, in those in whom surgery had been performed three to six months after the onset of acute Charcot arthropathy, in those who had received anti-resorptive medication during the acute stage, in those without extensive peripheral neuropathy, and in those with adequate peripheral oxygen saturation (>
95%). The arthrodesis failed because of avascular necrosis of the talus in only three patients (17.6%), who developed grossly unstable, ulcerated hindfeet, and required below-knee amputation.
We reviewed 59 bone graft substitutes marketed
by 17 companies currently available for implantation in the United Kingdom,
with the aim of assessing the peer-reviewed literature to facilitate
informed decision-making regarding their use in clinical practice.
After critical analysis of the literature, only 22 products (37%)
had any clinical data. Norian SRS (Synthes), Vitoss (Orthovita),
Cortoss (Orthovita) and Alpha-BSM (Etex) had Level I evidence. We question
the need for so many different products, especially with limited
published clinical evidence for their efficacy, and conclude that
there is a considerable need for further prospective randomised
trials to facilitate informed decision-making with regard to the
use of current and future bone graft substitutes in clinical practice. Cite this article:
The augmentation of fixation with bone cement
is increasingly being used in the treatment of severe osteoporotic fractures.
We investigated the influence of bone quality on the mechanics of
augmentation of plate fixation in a distal femoral fracture model
(AO 33 A3 type). Eight osteoporotic and eight non-osteoporotic femoral
models were randomly assigned to either an augmented or a non-augmented
group. Fixation was performed using a locking compression plate.
In the augmented group additionally 1 ml of bone cement was injected
into the screw hole before insertion of the screw. Biomechanical
testing was performed in axial sinusoidal loading. Augmentation significantly
reduced the cut-out distance in the osteoporotic models by about
67% (non-augmented mean 0.30 mm ( Cite this article:
This is a case series of prospectively gathered
data characterising the injuries, surgical treatment and outcomes
of consecutive British service personnel who underwent a unilateral
lower limb amputation following combat injury. Patients with primary,
unilateral loss of the lower limb sustained between March 2004 and
March 2010 were identified from the United Kingdom Military Trauma
Registry. Patients were asked to complete a Short-Form (SF)-36 questionnaire.
A total of 48 patients were identified: 21 had a trans-tibial amputation,
nine had a knee disarticulation and 18 had an amputation at the
trans-femoral level. The median New Injury Severity Score was 24 (mean
27.4 (9 to 75)) and the median number of procedures per residual
limb was 4 (mean 5 (2 to 11)). Minimum two-year SF-36 scores were
completed by 39 patients (81%) at a mean follow-up of 40 months
(25 to 75). The physical component of the SF-36 varied significantly
between different levels of amputation (p = 0.01). Mental component
scores did not vary between amputation levels (p = 0.114). Pain
(p = 0.332), use of prosthesis (p = 0.503), rate of re-admission
(p = 0.228) and mobility (p = 0.087) did not vary between amputation
levels. These findings illustrate the significant impact of these injuries
and the considerable surgical burden associated with their treatment.
Quality of life is improved with a longer residual limb, and these
results support surgical attempts to maximise residual limb length. Cite this article:
We present the prevalence of multiple fractures
in the elderly in a single catchment population of 780 000 treated over
a 12-month period and describe the mechanisms of injury, common
patterns of occurrence, management, and the associated mortality
rate. A total of 2335 patients, aged ≥ 65 years of age, were prospectively
assessed and of these 119 patients (5.1%) presented with multiple
fractures. Distal radial (odds ratio (OR) 5.1, p <
0.0001), proximal humeral
(OR 2.2, p <
0.0001) and pelvic (OR 4.9, p <
0.0001) fractures
were associated with an increased risk of sustaining associated
fractures. Only 4.5% of patients sustained multiple fractures after
a simple fall, but due to the frequency of falls in the elderly
this mechanism resulted in 80.7% of all multiple fractures. Most
patients required admission (>
80%), of whom 42% did not need an
operation but more than half needed an increased level of care before
discharge (54%). The standardised mortality rate at one year was
significantly greater after sustaining multiple fractures that included
fractures of the pelvis, proximal humerus or proximal femur (p <
0.001). This mortality risk increased further if patients were <
80 years of age, indicating that the existence of multiple fractures after
low-energy trauma is a marker of mortality.
We have compared the results at a mean follow-up of 13 years (11 to 14) of two groups of supination-external rotation type-4 fractures of the ankle, in one of which there was a fracture of the medial malleolus and in the other the medial deltoid ligament had been partially or completely ruptured. Of 66 patients treated operatively between 1993 and 1997, 36 were available for follow-up. Arthroscopy had been performed in all patients pre-operatively to assess the extent of the intra-articular lesions. The American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society hind-foot score was used for clinical evaluation and showed a significant difference in both the total and the functional scores (p <
0.05), but not in those for pain or alignment, in favour of the group with a damaged deltoid ligament (p <
0.05). The only significant difference between the groups on the short-form 36 quality-of-life score was for bodily pain, again in favour of the group with a damaged deltoid ligament. There was no significant difference between the groups in the subjective visual analogue scores or in the modified Kannus radiological score. Arthroscopically, there was a significant difference with an increased risk of loose bodies in the group with an intact deltoid ligament (p <
0.005), although there was no significant increased risk of deep cartilage lesions in the two groups. At a mean follow-up of 13 years after operative treatment of a supination-external rotation type-4 ankle fracture patients with partial or complete rupture of the medial deltoid ligament tended to have a better result than those with a medial malleolar fracture.
Many orthopaedic surgeons believe that obese patients have a higher rate of peri-operative complications and a worse functional outcome than non-obese patients. There is, however, inconsistency in the literature supporting this notion. This study was performed to evaluate the effect of body mass index (BMI) on injury characteristics, the incidence of complications, and the functional outcome after the operative management of unstable ankle fractures. We retrospectively reviewed 279 patients (99 obese (BMI ≥ 30) and 180 non-obese (BMI <
30) patients who underwent surgical fixation of an unstable fracture of the ankle. We found that obese patients had a higher number of medical co-morbidities, and more Orthopaedic Trauma Association type B and C fracture types than non-obese patients. At two years from the time of injury, however, the presence of obesity did not affect the incidence of complications, the time to fracture union or the level of function. These findings suggest that obese patients should be treated in line with standard procedures, keeping in mind any known associated medical co-morbidities.
A minimally-invasive procedure using percutaneous reduction and external fixation can be carried out for Sanders’ type II, III and IV fractures of the os calcis. We have treated 54 consecutive closed displaced fractures of the calcaneum involving the articular surface in 52 patients with the Orthofix Calcaneal Mini-Fixator. Patients were followed up for a mean of 49 months (27 to 94) and assessed clinically with the Maryland Foot Score and radiologically with radiographs and CT scans, evaluated according to the Score Analysis of Verona. The clinical results at follow-up were excellent or good in 49 cases (90.7%), fair in two (3.7%) and poor in three (5.6%). The mean pre-operative Böhler’s angle was 6.98° (5.95° to 19.86°), whereas after surgery the mean value was 21.94° (12.58° to 31.30°) (p <
0.01). Excellent results on CT scanning were demonstrated in 24 cases (44.4%), good in 25 (46.3%), fair in three (5.6%) and poor in two (3.7%). Transient local osteoporosis was observed in ten patients (18.5%), superficial pin track infection in three (5.6%), and three patients (5.6%) showed thalamic displacement following unadvised early weight-bearing. The clinical results appear to be comparable with those obtainable with open reduction and internal fixation, with the advantages of reduced risk using a minimally-invasive technique.
We have treated 14 patients (15 fractures) with nonunion of an intra-articular fracture of the body of the calcaneum. The mean follow-up was six years (2 to 8.5). A total of 14 fractures (93%) had initially been treated operatively with 12 (86%) having non-anatomical reductions. Four feet (27%) had concomitant osteomyelitis. Of the nonunions, 14 (93%) went on to eventual union after an average of two reconstructive procedures. All underwent bone grafting of the nonunion. The eventual outcome was a subtalar arthrodesis in ten (67%) cases, a triple arthrodesis in four (27%) and a nonunion in one (6%). Three patients had a wound dehiscence; all required a local rotation flap. The mean American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society score at latest follow-up was 69, and the mean Visual analogue scale was 3. Of those who were initially employed, 82% (9 of 11) eventually returned to work. We present an algorithm for the treatment of calcaneal nonunion, and conclude that despite a relatively high rate of complication, this complex surgery has a high union rate and a good functional outcome.