Displaced fractures of the distal radius in children are usually reduced under sedation or general anaesthesia to restore anatomical alignment before the limb is immobilized. However, there is growing evidence of the ability of the distal radius to remodel rapidly, raising doubts over the benefit to these children of restoring alignment. There is now clinical equipoise concerning whether or not young children with displaced distal radial fractures benefit from reduction, as they have the greatest ability to remodel. The Children’s Radius Acute Fracture Fixation Trial (CRAFFT), funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research, aims to definitively answer this question and determine how best to manage severely displaced distal radial fractures in children aged up to ten years. Cite this article:
The August 2023 Research Roundup360 looks at: Can artificial intelligence improve the readability of patient education materials?; What is the value of radiology input during a multidisciplinary orthopaedic oncology conference?; Periprosthetic joint infection in patients with multiple arthroplasties; Orthopedic Surgery and Anesthesiology Surgical Improvement Strategies Project - Phase III outcomes; Knot tying in arthroplasty and arthroscopy causes lesions to surgical gloves: a potential risk of infection; Vascular calcification of the ankle in plain radiographs equals diabetes mellitus?
The October 2023 Research Roundup360 looks at: Gut microbiota in high-risk individuals for rheumatoid arthritis associated with disturbed metabolome and initiates arthritis by triggering mucosal immunity imbalance; International Consensus on Anaemia Management in Surgical Patients (ICCAMS); Sleep disturbance trends in the short-term postoperative period for patients undergoing total joint replacement; Achilles tendon tissue turnover before and immediately after an acute rupture; Quadriceps or hip exercises for patellofemoral pain? A randomized controlled equivalence trial; Total-body MRI for screening in patients with multiple osteochondromas.
Benefits of early stabilization of femoral shaft fractures, in mitigation of pulmonary and other complications, have been recognized over the past decades. Investigation into the appropriate level of resuscitation, and other measures of readiness for definitive fixation, versus a damage control strategy have been ongoing. These principles are now being applied to fractures of the thoracolumbar spine, pelvis, and acetabulum. Systems of trauma care are evolving to encompass attention to expeditious and safe management of not only multiply injured patients with these major fractures, but also definitive care for hip and periprosthetic fractures, which pose a similar burden of patient recumbency until stabilized. Future directions regarding refinement of patient resuscitation, assessment, and treatment are anticipated, as is the potential for data sharing and registries in enhancing trauma system functionality. Cite this article:
The February 2023 Oncology Roundup360 looks at: Is the number of national database research studies in musculoskeletal sarcoma increasing, and are these studies reliable?; Re-excision after unplanned excision of soft-tissue sarcoma is associated with high morbidity; Adjuvant radiation in atypical lipomatous tumours; The oncological outcomes of isolated limb perfusion and neoadjuvant radiotherapy in soft-tissue sarcoma patients - a nationwide multicentre study; Can low-grade chondrosarcoma be treated with intralesional curettage and cryotherapy?; Efficacy and safety of carbon ion radiotherapy for bone sarcomas: a systematic review and meta-analysis; Doxorubicin-polymeric meshes prevent local recurrence after sarcoma resection while avoiding cardiotoxicity; How important are skip lesions in Ewing’s sarcoma?; Improving outcomes for amputees: the health-related quality of life and cost utility analysis of osseointegration prosthetics in transfemoral amputees.
The risk of postoperative complications after resection of soft-tissue sarcoma in the medial thigh is higher than in other locations. This study investigated whether a vessel sealing system (VSS) could help reduce the risk of postoperative complications after wide resection of soft-tissue sarcoma in the medial thigh. Of 285 patients who underwent wide resection for soft-tissue sarcoma between 2014 and 2021 at our institution, 78 patients with tumours in the medial thigh were extracted from our database. Information on clinicopathological characteristics, preoperative treatment, surgical treatment (use of VSS, blood loss volume, operating time), and postoperative course (complications, postoperative haemoglobin changes, total drainage volume, and drainage and hospitalization durations) were obtained from medical records. We statistically compared clinical outcomes between patients whose surgery did or did not use VSS (VSS and non-VSS groups, respectively).Aims
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The December 2022 Hip & Pelvis Roundup360 looks at: Fix and replace: simultaneous fracture fixation and hip arthroplasty for acetabular fractures in older patients; Is the revision rate for femoral neck fracture lower for total hip arthroplasty than for hemiarthroplasty?; Femoral periprosthetic fractures: data from the COMPOSE cohort study; Dual-mobility cups and fracture of the femur; What’s the deal with outcomes for hip and knee arthroplasty outcomes internationally?; Osteochondral lesions of the femoral head: is costal cartilage the answer?
Computer-assisted 3D preoperative planning software has the potential to improve postoperative stability in total hip arthroplasty (THA). Commonly, preoperative protocols simulate two functional positions (standing and relaxed sitting) but do not consider other common positions that may increase postoperative impingement and possible dislocation. This study investigates the feasibility of simulating commonly encountered positions, and positions with an increased risk of impingement, to lower postoperative impingement risk in a CT-based 3D model. A robotic arm-assisted arthroplasty planning platform was used to investigate 11 patient positions. Data from 43 primary THAs were used for simulation. Sacral slope was retrieved from patient preoperative imaging, while angles of hip flexion/extension, hip external/internal rotation, and hip abduction/adduction for tested positions were derived from literature or estimated with a biomechanical model. The hip was placed in the described positions, and if impingement was detected by the software, inspection of the impingement type was performed.Aims
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The February 2024 Hip & Pelvis Roundup360 looks at: Trial of vancomycin and cefazolin as surgical prophylaxis in arthroplasty; Is preoperative posterior femoral neck tilt a risk factor for fixation failure? Cemented versus uncemented hemiarthroplasty for displaced intracapsular fractures of the hip; Periprosthetic fractures in larger hydroxyapatite-coated stems: are collared stems a better alternative for total hip arthroplasty?; Postoperative periprosthetic fracture following hip arthroplasty with a polished taper slip versus composite beam stem; Is oral tranexamic acid as good as intravenous?; Stem design and the risk of early periprosthetic femur fractures following THA in elderly patients; Does powered femoral broaching compromise patient safety in total hip arthroplasty?
The February 2024 Wrist & Hand Roundup360 looks at: Occupational therapy for thumb carpometacarpal osteoarthritis?; Age and patient-reported benefits from operative management of intra-articular distal radius fractures: a meta-regression analysis; Long-term outcomes of nonsurgical treatment of thumb carpometacarpal osteoarthritis: a cohort study; Semi-occlusive dressing versus surgery in fingertip injuries: a randomized controlled trial; Re-fracture in partial union of the scaphoid waist?; The WALANT distal radius fracture: a systematic review; Endoscopic carpal tunnel release with or without hand therapy?; Ten-year trends in the level of evidence in hand surgery.
The December 2022 Trauma Roundup360 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.
The August 2023 Shoulder & Elbow Roundup360 looks at: Motor control or strengthening exercises for rotator cuff-related shoulder pain? A multi-arm randomized controlled trial; Does the choice of antibiotic prophylaxis influence reoperation rate in primary shoulder arthroplasty?; Common shoulder injuries in sport: grading the evidence; The use of medial support screw was associated with axillary nerve injury after plate fixation of proximal humeral fracture using a minimally invasive deltoid-splitting approach; MRI predicts outcomes of conservative treatment in patients with lateral epicondylitis; Association between surgeon volume and patient outcomes after elective shoulder arthroplasty; Arthroscopic decompression of calcific tendinitis without cuff repair; Functional outcome after nonoperative management of minimally displaced greater tuberosity fractures and predictors of poorer patient experience.
The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the provision of arthroplasty services in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. This study aimed to quantify the backlog, analyze national trends, and predict time to recovery. We performed an analysis of the mandatory prospective national registry of all independent and publicly funded hip, knee, shoulder, elbow, and ankle replacements in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland between January 2019 and December 2022 inclusive, totalling 729,642 operations. The deficit was calculated per year compared to a continuation of 2019 volume. Total deficit of cases between 2020 to 2022 was expressed as a percentage of 2019 volume. Sub-analyses were performed based on procedure type, country, and unit sector.Aims
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The August 2024 Wrist & Hand Roundup360 looks at: Methotrexate shows potential in reducing pain for hand osteoarthritis with synovitis; Circumferential casting versus plaster splinting in adult distal radius fractures: the CAST study findings; Surgery shows superior long-term success for Dupuytren contracture compared to needle fasciotomy and collagenase injection; Evolving trends in surgical management of wrist arthritis: a decade-long national analysis; Mid-term outcomes of three commonly used surgical reconstructions for scapholunate instability; SLAC and SNAC: what is the evidence for treatment?; Steroids for trapeziometacarpal osteoarthritis?; When is it safe to return to driving after distal radius fracture fixation? A prospective study.
The April 2024 Children’s orthopaedics Roundup360 looks at: Ultrasonography or radiography for suspected paediatric distal forearm fractures?; Implant density in scoliosis: an important variable?; Gait after paediatric femoral shaft fracture treated with intramedullary nail fixation: a longitudinal prospective study; The opioid dilemma: navigating pain management for children’s bone fractures; 12- to 20-year follow-up of Dega acetabuloplasty in patients with developmental dysplasia of the hip; Physeal fractures of the distal ulna: incidence and risk factors for premature growth arrest; Analysis of growth after transphyseal anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction in children; Management of lateral condyle humeral fracture associated with elbow dislocation in children: a retrospective international multicentre cohort study.
Treatment of Weber B ankle fractures that are stable on weightbearing radiographs but unstable on concomitant stress tests (classified SER4a) is controversial. Recent studies indicate that these fractures should be treated nonoperatively, but no studies have compared alternative nonoperative options. This study aims to evaluate patient-reported outcomes and the safety of fracture treatment using functional orthosis versus cast immobilization. A total of 110 patients with Weber B/SER4a ankle fractures will be randomized (1:1 ratio) to receive six weeks of functional orthosis treatment or cast immobilization with a two-year follow-up. The primary outcome is patient-reported ankle function and symptoms measured by the Manchester-Oxford Foot and Ankle Questionnaire (MOxFQ); secondary outcomes include Olerud-Molander Ankle Score, radiological evaluation of ankle congruence in weightbearing and gravity stress tests, and rates of treatment-related adverse events. The Regional Committee for Medical and Health Research (approval number 277693) has granted ethical approval, and the study is funded by South-Eastern Norway Regional Health Authority (grant number 2023014).Aims
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