Aims

The Fluid Lavage in Open Fracture Wounds (FLOW) trial was a multicentre, blinded, randomized controlled trial that used a 2 × 3 factorial design to evaluate the effect of irrigation solution (soap versus normal saline) and irrigation pressure (very low versus low versus high) on health-related quality of life (HRQL) in patients with open fractures. In this study, we used this dataset to ascertain whether these factors affect whether HRQL returns to pre-injury levels at 12-months post-injury.

Aims

This study describes the use of the Masquelet technique to treat segmental tibial bone loss in 12 patients.

1 . A series of 343 tibial shaft fractures proceeding to sound union in adults, and 192 fractures in children, was studied. Groups of fractures differing from each other only in the one particular variable under consideration were compared. 2. The severity of the injury (as assessed by the degree of displacement, of comminution and of compound wounding) was found to be an important determinant of speed of fracture union and of incidence of delayed and non-union. A simple classification of severity of injury is described. 3. Distraction delayed healing. Traction which avoided distraction had no effect on the rate of union of fractures of moderate severity compared with cases of similar severity of injury treated by immobilisation only. Major fractures subjected to traction did take longer to unite on the average, but there was no increase in the incidence of delayed or non-union

It seems right to draw the following conclusions from this study of the relative merits of early and delayed fixation for fractures of the femoral and tibial shafts. 1. In patients under the age of sixty years with femoral shaft fractures there seems to be a significant improvement in the speed and quality of union when internal fixation is delayed. In patients over the age of sixty years the results of delayed fixation are worse than those of early fixation, and in any case the dangers of prolonged recumbency make the latter method preferable. 2. Delaying fixation for tibial shaft fractures does not affect speed of union or functional result. However, the incidence of non-union in these fractures is reduced by over 50 per cent by delaying fixation. This is a good reason for delaying fixation of this fracture too. Some possible reasons for the improved results after delayed fixation have been discussed

1. A study of the late results of 343 soundly united tibial shaft fractures was carried out. Limitation of ankle and/or foot movement occurred in twenty-one patients (6 per cent) and was found to be the most important cause of disability. Knee stiffness (2·3 per cent of cases) and shortening of up to three-quarters of an inch (5·5 per cent of cases) caused little functional impairment. 2. Stiffness of the foot and ankle was correlated with the severity of injury, occurring in 1 per cent of minor, 5 per cent of moderate and 22 per cent of major injuries. 3. One-third of the patients with limitation of foot and ankle movement had clinical evidence of ischaemic contracture. 4. It is argued that, in the absence of direct injury to the joint, persistent joint stiffness is caused by replacement fibrosis of soft tissues. This may result either from direct tissue injury or from associated vascular damage

Aims

The aim of this study was to evaluate near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) as a continuous, non-invasive monitor for acute compartment syndrome (ACS).

Objectives

Ubiquitin E3 ligase-mediated protein degradation regulates osteoblast function. Itch, an E3 ligase, affects numerous cell functions by regulating ubiquitination and proteasomal degradation of related proteins. However, the Itch-related cellular and molecular mechanisms by which osteoblast differentiation and function are elevated during bone fracture repair are as yet unknown.

Objectives

Unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA) is a demanding procedure, with tibial component subsidence or pain from high tibial strain being potential causes of revision. The optimal position in terms of load transfer has not been documented for lateral UKA. Our aim was to determine the effect of tibial component position on proximal tibial strain.

We made a prospective study of 116 patients with tibial diaphyseal fractures who had continuous monitoring of anterior compartment pressure for 24 hours. Three patients had acute compartment syndrome (2.6%). In the first 12 hours of monitoring, 53 patients had absolute pressures over 30 mmHg and 30 had pressures over 40 mmHg, with four higher than 50 mmHg. Only one patient had a differential pressure (diastolic minus compartment pressure) of less than 30 mmHg; he had a fasciotomy. In the second 12-hour period 28 patients had absolute pressures over 30 mmHg and seven over 40 mmHg. Only two had differential pressures of less than 30 mmHg; they had fasciotomies. None of our 116 patients had any sequelae of the compartment syndrome at their latest review at least six months after injury. A threshold for decompression of 30 mmHg would have indicated that 50 patients (43%) would have required fasciotomy, and at a 40 mmHg threshold 27 (23%) would have been considered for an unnecessary fasciotomy. In our series, the use of a differential pressure of 30 mmHg as a threshold for fasciotomy led to no missed cases of acute compartment syndrome. We recommended that decompression should be performed if the differential pressure level drops to under 30 mmHg

Objectives

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is known to impair fracture healing. Increasing evidence suggests that some microRNA (miRNA) is involved in the pathophysiology of diabetes and its complications. We hypothesized that the functions of miRNA and changes to their patterns of expression may be implicated in the pathogenesis of impaired fracture healing in DM.

Fractures around total knee arthroplasties pose a significant surgical challenge. Most can be managed with osteosynthesis and salvage of the replacement. The techniques of fixation of these fractures and revision surgery have evolved and so has the assessment of outcome. This specialty update summarises the current evidence for the classification, methods of fixation, revision surgery and outcomes of the management of periprosthetic fractures associated with total knee arthroplasty.

Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2016;98-B:1489–96.

Objectives

Infection of implants is a major problem in elective and trauma surgery. Heating is an effective way to reduce the bacterial load in food preparation, and studies on hyperthermia treatment for cancer have shown that it is possible to heat metal objects with pulsed electromagnetic fields selectively (PEMF), also known as induction heating. We therefore set out to answer the following research question: is non-contact induction heating of metallic implants effective in reducing bacterial load in vitro?

Aims

Our aim was to examine the clinical and radiographic outcomes in 257 consecutive Oxford unicompartmental knee arthroplasties (OUKAs) (238 patients), five years post-operatively.

This is a retrospective study of survivors of recent conflicts with an open fracture of the femur. We analysed the records of 48 patients (48 fractures) and assessed the outcome. The median follow up for 47 patients (98%) was 37 months (interquartile range 19 to 53); 31 (66%) achieved union; 16 (34%) had a revision procedure, two of which were transfemoral amputation (4%).

The New Injury Severity Score, the method of fixation, infection and the requirement for soft-tissue cover were not associated with a poor outcome. The degree of bone loss was strongly associated with a poor outcome (p = 0.00204). A total of four patients developed an infection; two with S. aureus, one with E. coli and one with A. baumannii.

This study shows that, compared with historical experience, outcomes after open fractures of the femur sustained on the battlefield are good, with no mortality and low rates of infection and late amputation. The degree of bone loss is closely associated with a poor outcome.

Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2015;97-B:842–6.