The aim of this study was to quantify the stability of fracture-implant complex in fractures after fixation. A total of 15 patients with an undisplaced fracture of the femoral neck, treated with either a dynamic hip screw or three cannulated hip screws, and 16 patients with an AO31-A2 trochanteric fracture treated with a dynamic hip screw or a Gamma Nail, were included. Radiostereometric analysis was used at six weeks, four months and 12 months post-operatively to evaluate shortening and rotation.

Migration could be assessed in ten patients with a fracture of the femoral neck and seven with a trochanteric fracture. By four months post-operatively, a mean shortening of 5.4 mm (-0.04 to 16.1) had occurred in the fracture of the femoral neck group and 5.0 mm (-0.13 to 12.9) in the trochanteric fracture group. A wide range of rotation occurred in both types of fracture. Right-sided trochanteric fractures seem more rotationally stable than left-sided fractures.

This prospective study shows that migration at the fracture site occurs continuously during the first four post-operative months, after which stabilisation occurs. This information may allow the early recognition of patients at risk of failure of fixation.

Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2015;97-B:391–7.

Aims. In UK there are around 76,000 hip fractures occur each year 10% to 15% of which are undisplaced intracapsular. There is considerable debate whether internal fixation is the most appropriate treatment for undisplaced fractures in older patients. This study describes cannulated hip screws survivorship analysis for patients aged ≥ 60 years with undisplaced intra-capsular fractures. Methods. This was a retrospective cohort study of consecutive patients aged ≥ 60 years who had cannulated screws fixation for Garden I and II fractures in a teaching hospital between March 2013 and March 2016. The primary outcome was further same-side hip surgery. Descriptive statistics were used and Kaplan-Meier estimates calculated for implant survival. Results. A total of 114 operations were performed on 112 patients with a mean age of 80.2 years (SD 8.9). The 30-day and one-year mortality were 1% (n = 1) and 13% (n = 15), respectively. Median follow-up was 6.6 years (interquartile range 6.0 to 7.3). Kaplan-Meier estimates showed a survivorship of 95% at one year and 90% at five years (95% confidence interval 84% to 95%) for cannulated screws. Nine patients underwent further hip surgery: four revision to total hip arthroplasty, one revision to hemiarthroplasty, three removals of screws, and one haematoma washout. Posterior tilt was assessable in 106 patients; subsequent surgery was required in two of the six patients identified with a posterior angle > 20° (p = 0.035 vs angle < 20°). Of the 100 patients with angle < 20°, five-year survivorship was 91%, with seven patients requiring further surgery. Conclusion. This study of cannulated hip screw fixation for undisplaced fractures in patients aged ≥ 60 years reveals a construct survivorship without further operation of 90% at five years. Cannulated screws can be considered a safe reliable treatment option for Garden I and II fractures. Caution should be taken if posterior tilt angle on lateral view exceeds 20°, due to a higher failure rate and reoperation, and considered for similar management to Garden III and IV injuries. Cite this article: Bone Jt Open 2022;3(3):182–188

Aims

Surgical treatment of young femoral neck fractures often requires an open approach to achieve an anatomical reduction. The application of a calcar plate has recently been described to aid in femoral neck fracture reduction and to augment fixation. However, application of a plate may potentially compromise the regional vascularity of the femoral head and neck. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of calcar femoral neck plating on the vascularity of the femoral head and neck.

Aims

Postoperative delirium (POD) and postoperative cognitive decline (POCD) are common surgical complications. In the UK, the Best Practice Tariff incentivizes the screening of delirium in patients with hip fracture. Further, a National Hip Fracture Database (NHFD) performance indicator is the reduction in the incidence of POD. To aid in its recognition, we sought to determine factors associated with POD and POCD in patients with hip fractures.

Aims

Our rural orthopaedic service has undergone service restructure during the COVID-19 pandemic in order to sustain hip fracture care. All adult trauma care has been centralised to the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital for assessment and medical input, before transferring those requiring operative intervention to the Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital. We aim to review the impact of COVID-19 on hip fracture workload and service changes upon management of hip fractures.

Aims. The aim of this study was to clarify the factors that predict the development of avascular necrosis (AVN) of the femoral head in children with a fracture of the femoral neck. Patients and Methods. We retrospectively reviewed 239 children with a mean age of 10.0 years (. sd. 3.9) who underwent surgical treatment for a femoral neck fracture. Risk factors were recorded, including age, sex, laterality, mechanism of injury, initial displacement, the type of fracture, the time to reduction, and the method and quality of reduction. AVN of the femoral head was assessed on radiographs. Logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the independent risk factors for AVN. Chi-squared tests and Student’s t-tests were used for subgroup analyses to determine the risk factors for AVN. Results. We found that age (p = 0.006) and initial displacement (p = 0.001) were significant independent risk factors. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis indicated that 12 years of age was the cut-off for increasing the rate of AVN. Severe initial displacement (p = 0.021) and poor quality of reduction (p = 0.022) significantly increased the rate of AVN in patients aged 12 years or greater, while in those aged less than 12 years, the rate of AVN significantly increased only with initial displacement (p = 0.048). A poor reduction significantly increased the rate of AVN in patients treated by closed reduction (p = 0.026); screw and plate fixation was preferable to cannulated screw or Kirschner wire (K-wire) fixation for decreasing the rate of AVN in patients treated by open reduction (p = 0.034). Conclusion. The rate of AVN increases with age, especially in patients aged 12 years or greater, and with the severity of displacement. In patients treated by closed reduction, anatomical reduction helps to decrease the rate of AVN, while in those treated by open reduction, screw and plate fixation was preferable to fixation using cannulated screws or K-wires. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2019;101-B:1160–1167

Aims

Displaced fractures of the lateral condyle of the humerus are frequently managed surgically with the aim of avoiding nonunion, malunion, disturbances of growth and later arthritis. The ideal method of fixation is however not known, and treatment varies between surgeons and hospitals. The aim of this study was to compare the outcome of two well-established forms of surgical treatment, Kirschner wire (K-wire) and screw fixation.

The June 2013 Trauma Roundup³⁶⁰ looks at: open foot fractures; the diagnostic accuracy of continuous compartment pressure monitoring; conservative treatment for supracondylar fractures; high complication rates in patellar fractures; vitamin D and fracture; better function with K-wires; and tensionless bands.

We compared a new fixation system, the Targon Femoral Neck (TFN) hip screw, with the current standard treatment of cannulated screw fixation. This was a single-centre, participant-blinded, randomised controlled trial. Patients aged 65 years and over with either a displaced or undisplaced intracapsular fracture of the hip were eligible. The primary outcome was the risk of revision surgery within one year of fixation.

A total of 174 participants were included in the trial. The absolute reduction in risk of revision was of 4.7% (95% CI 14.2 to 22.5) in favour of the TFN hip screw (chi-squared test, p = 0.741), which was less than the pre-specified level of minimum clinically important difference. There were no significant differences in any of the secondary outcome measures.

We found no evidence of a clinical difference in the risk of revision surgery between the TFN hip screw and cannulated screw fixation for patients with an intracapsular fracture of the hip.

Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2014;96-B:652–7.

The December 2014 Trauma Roundup³⁶⁰ looks at: infection and temporising external fixation; Vitamin C in distal radial fractures; DRAFFT: Cheap and cheerful Kirschner wires win out; femoral neck fractures not as stable as they might be; displaced sacral fractures give high morbidity and mortality; sanders and calcaneal fractures: a 20-year experience; bleeding and pelvic fractures; optimising timing for acetabular fractures; and tibial plateau fractures.

We have reviewed 70 Harris-Galante uncemented acetabular components implanted as hybrid hip replacements with cemented stems between 1991 and 1995 in 53 patients whose mean age was 40 years (19 to 49). The mean follow-up was for 13.6 years (12 to 16) with no loss to follow-up. We assessed the patients both clinically and radiologically.

The mean Oxford hip score was 20 (12 to 46) and the mean Harris hip score 81 (37 to 100) at the final review. Radiologically, 27 hips (39%) had femoral osteolysis, 13 (19%) acetabular osteolysis, and 31 (44%) radiolucent lines around the acetabular component. Kaplan-Meier survival curves were constructed for the outcomes of revision of the acetabular component, revision of the component and polyethylene liner, and impending revision for progressive osteolysis.

The cumulative survival for revision of the acetabular component was 94% (95% confidence interval 88.4 to 99.7), for the component and liner 84% (95% confidence interval 74.5 to 93.5) and for impending revision 55.3% (95% confidence interval 40.6 to 70) at 16 years.

Uncemented acetabular components with polyethylene liners undergo silent lysis and merit regular long-term radiological review.

We randomly allocated 60 consecutive patients with fractures of the waist of the scaphoid to percutaneous fixation with a cannulated Acutrak screw or immobilisation in a cast. The range of movement, the grip and pinch strength, the modified Green/O’Brien functional score, return to work and sports, and radiological evidence of union were evaluated at each follow-up visit. Patients were followed sequentially for one year.

Those undergoing percutaneous screw fixation showed a quicker time to union (9.2 weeks vs 13.9 weeks, p < 0.001) than those treated with a cast. There was a trend towards a higher rate of nonunion in the non-operative group, although this was not statistically significant. Patients treated by operation had a more rapid return of function and to sport and full work compared with those managed conservatively. There was a very low complication rate.

We recommend that all active patients should be offered percutaneous stabilisation for fractures of the waist of the scaphoid.

The December 2012 Trauma Roundup³⁶⁰ looks at: whether tranexamic acid stops bleeding in trauma across the board; antibiotic beads and VAC; whether anaesthetic determines the outcome in surgery for distal radial fractures; high complications in surgery on bisphosphonate-hardened bone; better outcomes but more dislocations in femoral neck fractures; the mythical hip fracture; plate augmentation in nonunion surgery; and SIGN intramedullary nailing and infections.