Intramedullary Nailing In Patients Research Articles

Wound infection and healing in minimally invasive plate osteosynthesis compared with intramedullary nail for distal tibial fractures: A meta-analysis.

To systematically explore the effects of minimally invasive plate osteosynthesis (MIPO) versus intramedullary nail (IMN) on wound infection and wound healing in patients with distal tibia fractures. A computerised search of PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Embase, Wanfang, China Biomedical Literature Database (CBM) and China National Knowledge Infrastructure databases was performed, from their inception to October 2023, to identify relevant studies on the application of MIPO and IMN in patients with distal tibial fractures. The quality of the included literature was evaluated by two researchers based on inclusion and exclusion criteria, and basic information of the literature was collected, with wound infection, postoperative complications and wound healing time as the main indicators for analysis. Stata 17.0 software was applied for analysis. Overall, 23 papers and 2099 patients were included, including 1026 patients in the MIPO group and 1073 patients in the IMN group. The results revealed, when compared with IMN treatment, patients with distal tibia fractures who underwent MIPO treatment had a lower incidence of postoperative complications (OR = 0.33, 95% CI: 0.25-0.42, p < 0.001) and a shorter wound healing time (SMD = -1.00, 95% CI: -1.51 to -0.49, p < 0.001), but the incidence of postoperative wound infection was higher (OR = 2.01, 95% CI: 1.35-3.01, p = 0.001). Both MIPO and IMN are excellent treatments for distal tibia fractures. MIPO is effective in reducing the incidence of complications as well as shortening the time of wound healing time but increases the risk of wound infection. In clinical practice, surgeons can make individual choices based on the patient's wishes and proficiency in both techniques.

Choice of Entry Point Does Not Affect Clinical and Radiological Outcomes in Antegrade Intra-medullary Nailing in Patients with Shaft of Femur Fracture: A Prospective Randomized Controlled Trial.

The choice of entry point, Greater trochanter (GT), or Piriformis entry (PE) for antegrade intramedullary nailing (IMN) of the femur is crucial. This study was performed to compare these two entry points in the patients with shaft of femur fractures regarding intra-operative parameters, radiological and functional outcomes. Twenty-four patients underwent GT entry nailing, while 25 patients underwent PE nailing. Surgical time, Intra-operative blood units transfused, Intra-operative fluoroscopy exposure by number of C-arm shots taken, mean drop in hemoglobin, and incidence of iatrogenic fracture were recorded. Patients were followed up at 4weeks, 6weeks, and 6months to look for radiological healing and improvements in functional outcome using Modified Harris Hip Score (MHHS). MRI of bilateral hips with pelvis was done in 25 patients at 6months of follow-up to detect any preliminary signs of AVN. The mean drop in hemoglobin in the GT group was significantly lesser than the PE group (p = 0.02). Mean MHHS at 4weeks post-op was also significantly higher in the GT group (p = 0.01). There was no significant difference between both the groups regarding surgical duration, fluoroscopy exposure, radiological and functional outcomes in the long term. None of the patients who underwent MRI displayed any preliminary sign of AVN. GT entry nails lead to lesser surgical time, fluoroscopy exposure, and intra-operative blood loss. Both the nailing systems achieve excellent fracture unions and comparable functional outcomes in the long term, and there is a minuscule risk of AVN in adult patients undergoing IMN.

Comparison of the clinical outcomes of intramedullary nailing between impending and completed pathological fractures caused by metastatic femoral tumors from solid cancers

BackgroundWe examined the treatment outcomes following intramedullary nailing in patients with metastatic femoral tumors, excluding those from hematological malignancies. MethodsWe retrospectively evaluated treatment outcomes following intramedullary nailing between patients who underwent preventative surgery compared with those who had surgery following pathological fracture. Patients who underwent preventative surgery (Mirels’ score ≥8) were allocated to the impending fracture group (n = 11) and those who underwent surgery after pathological fracture were allocated to the completed fracture group (n = 20). ResultsDuration of surgery was significantly shorter in the impending fracture group than in the completed fracture group. Median blood loss was significantly less, and the median duration of hospital stay was significantly shorter in the impending fracture group than in the completed fracture group. Among patients who died following surgery, the median postoperative survival duration was significantly longer in the impending fracture group than in the completed fracture group. Significantly more patients regained walking function in the impending fracture group than in the completed fracture group. Regarding complications, infection occurred in one patient in the completed fracture group. No implant damage was observed in either group. ConclusionsPatients with metastatic femoral tumors who underwent intramedullary nailing in the impending fracture group had better postoperative survival and gait function, less blood loss, and shorter durations of surgery and hospital stay than those in the completed fracture group. These findings indicate the importance of early diagnosis and treatment and value of treatment prior to fracture occurrence.

Lower-limb intramedullary nailing in patients with polyostotic fibrous dysplasia who had a previous unsuccessful treatment. A report of 48 cases

BackgroundIntramedullary nailing (IN) seems to be the best primary surgical treatment for patients with either polyostotic fibrous dysplasia or McCune–Albright syndrome (PFD/MAS) when the femur and tibia are totally affected by fibrous dysplasia (FD) and pain, fracture and deformity are likely to occur. However, other management protocols have been applied in these cases, often leading to disabling sequelae. This study sought to evaluate if IN could also have been effective as a salvage procedure to provide patients with satisfactory results, regardless of the poor results due to the improper treatment previously performed.Materials and methodsTwenty-four retrospectively registered PFD/MAS patients with 34 femurs and 14 tibias totally affected by fibrous dysplasia had received various treatments with unsatisfactory results in other institutions. Before the IN performed in our hospital, 3 patients were wheelchair bound; 4 were fractured; 17 limped; and many used an aid for walking. Salvage IN was performed in our hospital at a mean patient age of 23.66 ± 6.06 years (range, 15–37 years). The patients were evaluated before—except for the four fractured ones—and after IN using the validated Jung scoring system, and the data were statistically analyzed.ResultsThe mean length of follow-up after IN was 9.12 ± 3.68 years (range, 4–17 years). The patients’ mean Jung score significantly improved from 2.52 ± 1.74 points before IN to 6.78 ± 2.23 at follow-up (p < 0.05). Ambulation was improved in ambulatory patients and restored in wheelchair users. The complication rate was 21%.ConclusionsRegardless of the high rate of complications, IN may be considered a reliable surgical procedure to salvage a failed treatment in PFD/MAS, with long-lasting satisfactory results achieved in most patients.Trial registration statement: Not applicable.Level of evidence: IV.

Risk Factors Associated with Intraoperative Iatrogenic Fracture in Patients Undergoing Intramedullary Nailing for Atypical Femoral Fractures with Marked Anterior and Lateral Bowing.

Background and objectives: Iatrogenic fractures are potential complications during intramedullary (IM) nailing for atypical femoral fractures (AFFs). The risk factors associated with iatrogenic fractures remain unclear, although excessive femoral bowing and osteoporosis are hypothesized to be contributing factors. The present study aimed to determine the risk factors for the occurrence of iatrogenic fractures during IM nailing in patients with AFFs. Materials and Methods: This retrospective cross-sectional study evaluated 95 patients with AFF (all female; age range: 49-87 years) who underwent IM nailing between June 2008 and December 2017. The patients were divided into two groups: Group I (with iatrogenic fracture: n = 20) and Group II (without iatrogenic fracture: n = 75). Background characteristics were retrieved from medical records and radiographic measurements were obtained. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to identify risk factors for the occurrence of intraoperative iatrogenic fractures. Receiver operating curve (ROC) analysis was conducted to determine a cut-off value for the prediction of iatrogenic fracture occurrence. Results: Iatrogenic fractures occurred in 20 (21.1%) patients. The two groups exhibited no significant differences regarding age and other background characteristics. Group I exhibited significantly lower mean femoral bone mineral density (BMD) and significantly greater mean lateral and anterior femoral bowing angles than Group II (all p < 0.05). There were no significant differences in AFF location, nonunion, and IM nail diameter, length, or nail entry point between the two groups. In the univariate analysis, femoral BMD and lateral bowing of the femur differed significantly between the two groups. On multivariate analysis, only lateral bowing of the femur remained significantly associated with iatrogenic fracture occurrence. The ROC analysis determined a cut-off value of 9.3° in lateral bowing of the femur for prediction of iatrogenic fracture occurrence during IM nailing for AFF treatment. Conclusions: The lateral bowing angle of the femur is an important predictive factor for intraoperative iatrogenic fracture occurrence in patients undergoing IM nailing for AFF treatment.

Study of outcomes of suprapatellar approach for tibia intramedullary nailing in patients coming to rural medical college, Loni

&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Background:&lt;/strong&gt; Tibia shaft fractures are most common lower limb long bone fractures. In approximately 80% of patients, tibia fracture occurs in diaphysis region. The procedure of intramedullary interlocking nailing is done by positioning the injured extremity at minimum of 90 degree of flexion in the knee joint to achieve optimal exposure of correct entry point. The tension of quadriceps tendon causes a typical apex anterior angulation of proximal fragment. Supra patellar nailing is done with knee in semi extended position, reducing the anterior angulation. The aim of this study is to study outcomes of supra patellar access of intramedullary nailing for tibia fractures.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Methods:&lt;/strong&gt; It is a descriptive longitudinal study which was carried out from October 2019 to September 2021 in Dr. Balasaheb Vikhe Patil rural medical college, Loni, Ahmednagar. In this study 60 case of closed shaft tibia fractures were treated by supra-patellar nailing technique.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Results:&lt;/strong&gt; In our study we selected, 60 patients with tibia fracture admitting in our institute. All patients underwent operative procedure in the form of intramedullary interlocking tibia nail which was done with suprapatellar approach. Out of all the 60 patients treated with suprapatellar approach, excellent results with good range of movements with excellent lower extremity functional scale score.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Conclusions: &lt;/strong&gt;Supra-patellar approach was found to provide excellent outcome for proximal 1/3&lt;sup&gt;rd&lt;/sup&gt; of tibia fracture.&lt;/p&gt;

Clinical study of intramedullary nailing fixation for the treatment of Danis-Weber B in lateral malleolus fracture

ObjectiveTo compare the clinical effects between anatomical locking plates and interlocking intramedullary nails in patients with Danis-Weber B lateral malleolus fractures.MethodsThis retrospective study enrolled patients with Danis-Weber B fractures of the lateral malleolus. All the operations were completed by the same group of surgeons. The reduction effect, operation time, intraoperative blood loss, hospital stay, fracture healing time and ankle functional outcomes (Olerud-Molander Ankle Score [OMAS]) were compared. Postoperative complications, including incision infections, fixation discomfort and internal fixation loosening, were also compared.ResultsThis study enrolled 73 patients that were treated with either an anatomical locking plate (locking plate group; n = 37) or an interlocking intramedullary nail (intramedullary nail group; n = 36). There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of reduction effect, hospital stay and OMAS. The intramedullary nail group had significantly lower operation time, intraoperative blood loss and fracture healing time compared with the locking plate group. Postoperative complications in the intramedullary nail group were significantly lower compared with the locking plate group.ConclusionUsing intramedullary nails resulted in more satisfactory functional outcomes compared with using locking plates in patients with Danis-Weber B fractures of the lateral malleolus.

Impact of centre volume, surgeon volume, surgeon experience and geographic location on reoperation after intramedullary nailing of tibial shaft fractures

Background:Tibial shaft fractures are the most common long-bone injury, with a reported annual incidence of more than 75 000 in the United States. This study aimed to determine whether patients with tibial fractures managed with intramedullary nails experience a lower rate of reoperation if treated at higher-volume hospitals, or by higher-volume or more experienced surgeons.Methods:The Study to Prospectively Evaluate Reamed Intramedullary Nails in Patients with Tibial Fractures (SPRINT) was a multicentre randomized clinical trial comparing reamed and nonreamed intramedullary nailing on rates of reoperation to promote fracture union, treat infection or preserve the limb in patients with open and closed fractures of the tibial shaft. Using data from SPRINT, we quantified centre and surgeon volumes into quintiles. We performed analyses adjusted for type of fracture (open v. closed), type of injury (isolated v. multitrauma), gender and age for the primary outcome of reoperation using multivariable logistic regression.Results:There were no significant differences in the odds of reoperation between high- and low-volume centres (p = 0.9). Overall, surgeon volume significantly affected the odds of reoperation (p = 0.03). The odds of reoperation among patients treated by moderate-volume surgeons were 50% less than those among patients treated by very-low-volume surgeons (odds ratio [OR] 0.50, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.28–0.88), and the odds of reoperation among patients treated by high-volume surgeons were 47% less than those among patients treated by very-low-volume surgeons (OR 0.53, 95% CI 0.30–0.93).Conclusion:There appears to be no significant additional patient benefit in treatment by a higher-volume centre for intramedullary fixation of tibial shaft fractures. Additional research on the effects of surgical and clinical site volume in tibial shaft fracture management is needed to confirm this finding. The odds of reoperation were higher in patients treated by very-low-volume surgeons; this finding may be used to optimize the results of tibial shaft fracture management. Clinical trial registration:ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT00038129

Fibular Rod Osteosynthesis in Ankle Fractures With Compromised Soft Tissue.

Complications after plate and screw fixation of ankle fractures are frequently reported in the literature, with a higher rate in patients with advanced age, comorbidities, and poor skin conditions. A reduced complication rate has been reported with intramedullary nailing (IMN) of the fibula; however, the indication has been based on the surgeon's preferences. We report the results after IMN in patients with compromised soft tissue exclusively. A total of 71 patients with 72 distal fibula fractures were included in this retrospective study. Information about medical history, the ankle injury, treatment, and complications were collected from the medical records. Additionally, the preinjury and 6-week follow-up radiographs were evaluated. Postoperative information was available for a minimum of 4.3 years postoperatively or until death. In all, 10 patients had complications related to the nail and required secondary surgery. These included 6 symptomatic hardware issues, 2 construct failures, 1 deep infection, and 1 combined deep infection and construct failure. After IMN of the fibula, 14% of the patients required reoperation. Our results support the previous literature suggesting IMN as an acceptable surgical alternative where the risk of complications with plate and screw fixation is considered too high. Compromised soft tissue is one important indication. Level IV: Case series without control.

Prognostic factors for predicting health-related quality of life after intramedullary nailing of tibial fractures: a randomized controlled trial.

AimsUsing tibial shaft fracture participants from a large, multicentre randomized controlled trial, we investigated if patient and surgical factors were associated with health-related quality of life (HRQoL) at one year post-surgery.MethodsThe Study to Prospectively Evaluate Reamed Intramedullary Nails in Patients with Tibial Fractures (SPRINT) trial examined adults with an open or closed tibial shaft fracture who were treated with either reamed or unreamed intramedullary nails. HRQoL was assessed at hospital discharge (for pre-injury level) and at 12 months post-fracture using the Short Musculoskeletal Functional Assessment (SMFA) Dysfunction, SMFA Bother, 36-Item Short Form 36 (SF-36) Physical, and SF-36 Mental Component scores. We used multiple linear regression analysis to determine if baseline and surgical factors, as well as post-intervention procedures within one year of fracture, were associated with these HRQoL outcomes. Significance was set at p < 0.01. We hypothesize that, irrespective of the four measures used, prognosis is guided by both modifiable and non-modifiable factors and that patients do not return to their pre-injury level of function, nor HRQoL.ResultsFor patient and surgical factors, only pre-injury quality of life and isolated fracture showed a statistical effect on all four HRQoL outcomes, while high-energy injury mechanism, smoking, and race or ethnicity, demonstrated statistical significance for three of the four HRQoL outcomes. Patients who did not require reoperation in response to infection, the need for bone grafts, and/or the need for implant exchanges had statistically superior HRQoL outcomes than those who did require intervention within one year after initial tibial fracture nailing.ConclusionWe identified several baseline patient factors, surgical factors, and post-intervention procedures within one year after intramedullary nailing of a tibial shaft fracture that may influence a patient’s HRQoL.Cite this article: Bone Jt Open 2021;2(1):22–32.

A Machine Learning Algorithm to Identify Patients with Tibial Shaft Fractures at Risk for Infection After Operative Treatment.

Risk stratification of individual patients who are prone to infection would allow surgeons to monitor high-risk patients more closely and intervene early when needed. This could reduce infection-related consequences such as increased health-care costs. The purpose of this study was to develop a machine learning (ML)-derived risk-stratification tool using the SPRINT (Study to Prospectively Evaluate Reamed Intramedullary Nails in Patients with Tibial Fractures) and FLOW (Fluid Lavage of Open Wounds) trial databases to estimate the probability of infection in patients with operatively treated tibial shaft fractures (TSFs). Patients with unilateral TSFs from the SPRINT and FLOW trials were randomly split into derivation (80%) and validation (20%) cohorts. Random forest algorithms were used to select features that are relevant to predicting infection. These features were included for algorithm training. Five ML algorithms were trained in recognizing patterns associated with infection. The performance of each ML algorithm was evaluated and compared based on (1) the area under the ROC (receiver operating characteristic) curve (AUC), (2) the calibration slope and the intercept, and (3) the Brier score. There were 1,822 patients included in this study: 170 patients (9%) developed an infection that required treatment, 62 patients (3%) received nonoperative treatment with oral or intravenous antibiotics, and 108 patients (6%) underwent subsequent surgery in addition to antibiotic therapy. Random forest algorithms identified 7 variables that were relevant for predicting infection: (1) Gustilo-Anderson or Tscherne classification, (2) bone loss, (3) mechanism of injury, (4) multitrauma, (5) AO/OTA fracture classification, (6) age, and (7) fracture location. Training of the penalized logistic regression algorithm resulted in the best-performing prediction model, with AUC, calibration slope, calibration intercept, and Brier scores of 0.75, 0.94, 0.00, and 0.076, respectively, in the derivation cohort and 0.81, 1.07, 0.09, and 0.079, respectively, in the validation cohort. We developed an ML prediction model that can estimate the probability of infection for individual patients with TSFs based on patient and fracture characteristics that are readily available at hospital admission. Prognostic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Does immediate weight-bearing following intramedullary tibial nailing affect union rates? The results from a single UK trauma unit

Introduction Extra-articular diaphyseal tibial fractures are a common injury and are often treated with intramedullary nailing (IMN). Weight-bearing (WB) of simple tibial fractures treated with an IMN immediately as pain allows is now standard practice. Our aim was to assess the impact of varied WB on fracture union following IMN of diaphyseal tibia fractures. Methods We conducted a retrospective cohort study of tibial fractures treated with IMN in our department between 2012-2017. WB status was recorded in the post-operative note and subsequently reviewed in the patients’ follow-up appointments. Patients were divided in three groups; Group I: immediate full-WB, Group II: non-WB for 6 weeks and Group III: 2 weeks non-WB, 4 weeks increasing partial-WB and full-WB at 6 weeks. Radiographic union score for tibial fractures (RUST) of ≥10 at a painless fracture site was considered as evidence of fracture union. Results 92 patients with comparable pre-operative demographics [mean age 40 y (16-88)] were included. The median union time in weeks for each group was: Group I 17.3, Group II 21.7 and Group III 19.5 (F 1.09, p 0.34). Survival analysis and log rank test did not show any difference in union times between the three groups (x2 1.1, p 0.57). 12 delayed unions were identified across all groups. Multiple logistic regression identified three factors that could increase the rate of delayed union – non-WB, smoking and IMN size 11/12 mm - however the results were not statistically significant. Conclusion Immediate post-operative WB does not adversely affect union time in statically locked IMNs. In fact, although our data show no statistically significant difference in fracture healing between the three groups, full WB seems to decrease overall time to union. In conclusion, we could suggest that full WB after IMN in patients with AO 42-A/B type fractures is safe practice.

Association of Three-Month Radiographic Union Score for Tibia Fractures (RUST) with Nonunion in Tibial Shaft Fracture Patients.

ObjectivesNonunions of tibial shaft fractures have profound implications on patient quality of life and are associated with physical and mental suffering. Radiographic Union Score for Tibia Fractures (RUST) may serve as an important prognostic tool for identifying patients at a high risk of nonunion.DesignWe used data from the Study to Prospectively Evaluate Reamed Intramedullary Nails in Patients with Tibial Fractures (SPRINT) and Fluid Lavage of Open Wounds (FLOW) trials to explore the association of three-month RUST scores with nonunion in patients with tibial shaft fractures treated with intramedullary nailing. We performed a retrospective cohort study nested within two multi-center, randomized controlled trials.ParticipantsThe patients included in the current study: (1) sustained a tibial shaft fracture and were enrolled in the SPRINT or FLOW randomized trials, (2) had initial operative management with intramedullary nailing, (3) showed radiographic evidence of an unhealed fracture at the three-month follow-up, and (4) their healing status (union or nonunion) was captured at 12-months postoperatively.InterventionMultivariable binary logistic regression was carried out to identify factors associated with nonunion, including open versus closed injury, fracture severity, fracture gap, and three-month RUST score. We determined the concordance statistic (c statistic) for our regression model both with and without the RUST score.Outcome Measurements and ResultsOf the 155 tibial fracture patients with complete data available for analysis, the overall rate of nonunion at 12 months was 30% (n=47). The mean three-month RUST score in patients with nonunion at 12 months was 4.8 (standard deviation (SD) 1.1) as compared to 6.3 (SD 1.7) for those healed at 12 months. In our multivariable regression analysis, open fractures conferred five-fold greater odds of nonunion at 12 months as compared to closed fractures (odds ratio (OR) 4.76, 95% confidence interval (CI):1.71-13.30). Further, three-month RUST scores of 4 and 5-6 were associated with a 47% (95% CI: 18%-73%) and 23% (4.5-51.5%) absolute risk increase of nonunion as compared to a score of ≥ 7, respectively. The addition of RUST scores to our adjusted regression model improved the c statistic from 0.70 (95%CI: 0.61-0.79) to 0.81 (95%CI: 0.74-0.88).ConclusionA third of patients with tibial shaft fractures who have failed to heal by three months will show nonunion at one year. Open fractures and lower three-month RUST scores are strongly associated with a higher risk of nonunion at one year. Further research is needed to establish whether prognosis in this high-risk group can be modified.

Nonunion in Patients with Tibial Shaft Fractures: Is Early Physical Status Associated with Fracture Healing?

BackgroundNonunions of tibial shaft fractures have devastating physical and psychological consequences for patients. It remains unknown if early functional status can identify patients at risk for nonunion.Questions/PurposesTo determine if functional status at three months after surgery, as measured by either the short form 36 (SF-36) or the short form 12 (SF-12) health survey physical component summary (SF-12 PCS) score, can serve as a prognostic indicator for nonunion at one year in patients with fractures of the tibial shaft.Patients/MethodsThis study was an observational cohort study nested within two multicenter, randomized controlled trials. Patients who met the following eligibility criteria were included: (1) sustained a tibial shaft fracture that was treated with intramedullary nailing, (2) were unhealed at the three-month follow-up, (3) had a reported SF-36 or SF-12 PCS score at three months, (4) had the final 12-month follow-up with a reported radiographic healing status (bone union or nonunion), and (5) were enrolled in either the Study to Prospectively Evaluate Reamed Intramedullary Nails in Patients with Tibial Shaft Fractures (SPRINT) or Fluid Lavage of Open Wounds (FLOW) randomized trials. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to evaluate the association between healing status at 12 months and seven prognostic variables (open fracture, fracture pattern, nailing technique, smoking, fracture gap, three-month PCS score, and FLOW vs. SPRINT trial).ResultsA total of 940 patients were included in this study with an overall rate of radiographic nonunion of 13.3% (n=125) at the 12-month follow-up. Absolute nonunion risk increased with incrementally lower PCS scores (8.2%, 12.8%, 15.9%, 23.7% for scores ≥ 40, 30.0-39.99, 20.0-29.99, and < 20, respectively). In the multivariable regression analysis, PCS scores of < 20 were associated with a 2.6-times greater odds and 10% absolute risk increase of non-union, as compared to scores of ≥ 40 (OR 2.58, 95%CI: 1.02-6.53, ARI: 10.3, 95% CI: 0.1 - 28.2), whereas scores between 20 and 30 were associated with a nearly two-times greater odds of nonunion and a 6.4% absolute risk increase of nonunion (OR 1.94, 95%CI: 1.08-3.49, ARI: 6.4, 95% CI 0.6 - 15.3). Open fractures also conferred a 2.8-fold increase in odds of nonunion as compared to closed injuries (OR 2.77, 95%CI: 1.58-4.83), as did complex fractures when compared to simple fractures (OR 2.57, 95%CI: 1.64-4.02).ConclusionA considerable portion of patients with fractures of the tibial shaft treated with intramedullary nailing will experience nonunion at one-year postoperatively. Nonunion can be accurately predicted by patient functional recovery at three months as measured by the PCS of the SF-36 and SF-12 instruments.

Distal Locked versus Unlocked Intramedullary Nailing in Intertrochanteric Fracture; A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized and Non-Randomized Trials.

Objective:To compare the outcome of distal locked and unlocked intramedullary nailing in patients with intertrochanteric fractures through systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized and non-randomized clinical trials. Methods:Randomized or non-randomized controlled studies comparing the effects of unlocked and locked nails for treatment of intertrochanteric fractures were searched using the search strategy of Cochrane collaboration up to April 2019. Four eligible studies involving 691 patients were included. Their methodological quality was assessed, and data were extracted independently for meta-analysis. Results:The results showed that the unlocked group has significantly less operative time (MD: -8.08; 95%CI -11.36 to -4.79; P< 0.00001), fluoroscopy time (MD: -7.09, 95%CI -7.09 to -4.79; p<0.00001), length of incision (MD: -2.50, 95%CI 2.85 to -2.14; p< 0.00001) than the locked group. The complication rate was significantly higher in the locking group (OR: 0.55, 95%CI 0.26 to 1.15; p=0.03). No significant differences were found in the Harris hip score between the two groups (MD: 0.68, 95% CI -0.83 to 2.19, p<0.08).Conclusion:The present meta-analysis suggests that intramedullary nailing without distal locking is reliable and acceptable option for treating intertrochanteric fracture. The advantages are reduced operative time, decreased fluoroscopy time, smaller size of incision and decreased complication rate. However, owing to the low-quality evidence currently available, additional high quality Randomized controlled trials are needed to confirm these findings.

Safety and efficacy of surgical fixation of fibula fractures using an intramedullary nail: a retrospective observational cohort study in 30 patients

BackgroundOpen reduction and internal fixation remains the standard treatment for displaced unstable ankle fractures. Plate fixation represents the most frequently used instrumentation option in fibula fractures and favourable outcomes have been reported. Recently, intramedullary nailing techniques have been suggested as a viable alternative resulting in less soft tissue disruption. The objectives of this study are to describe the surgical technique and to evaluate the safety and efficacy of using an intramedullary nail in patients undergoing surgical fixation of their fibula fracture.MethodsA total of 30 skeletally mature patients with unstable ankle fracture who underwent intramedullary fixation of their fibula fractures from February 2016 to July 2017 were included in this retrospective study. Patients were evaluated using the Short Form-36 (SF-36) and the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) at 18 months after surgery.ResultsAll patients went on to fracture union. Two patients required a secondary surgical procedure. No patient included in this series developed any wound complications. The mean Physical Component Summary (PCS) of the SF-36 was 53.90 ± 13.3 and the mean Mental Component Summary Score (MCS) was 52.63 ± 11.12. The AOFAS subscale scores were 34.67 ± 1.03 for pain, 42.40 ± 0.2997 for function and 9.50 ± 0.2785 for alignment.ConclusionsOur study demonstrates promising outcomes associated with intramedullary nail fixation of unstable fibula fractures. We recommend intramedullary nail fixation of fibula fractures to be a safe procedure with a low complication rate.Level of evidenceLevel 4 retrospective case series.

Use of Inherent Anteversion of an Intramedullary Nail to Avoid Malrotation in Comminuted Femur Fractures: A Prospective Case– Control Study

To (1) evaluate using the inherent anteversion of a second or third generation femoral nail to set the version of the femur during locked intramedullary nailing of comminuted femoral shaft fractures (Espinosa Technique [ET]) and compare it with our traditional method (traditional group [TG]) and (2) assess the variation of anteversion because of the inherent play in the nail itself. A prospective IRB-approved study. Academic US Level 1 Trauma Center. Fifty-two consecutive patients with comminuted femur fractures all completed the study. The first 27 patients had the anteversion determined using the patellar shadow and lesser trochanter (TG), and the next 25 patients were treated by ET. Computed tomography scanogram for femoral anteversion and length in the normal versus operated femur. A >15 degree difference from native to operated legs was found in 8/27 TG (29%, 95% CI 15.3%-54.2%), with a mean difference of 11.6 ± 10.2 degrees (95% CI 8.8-16.17) verses 1/25 in the ET group (2.5%, 95% CI 0%-15.3%), with a mean difference of 4.8 ± 6.2 degrees (95% CI 1.38-8.9) (P = 0.0068). There was a 5 degree variability in our ability to center the proximal locking screw in the femoral head and 5 degrees variation in distal locking. The inherent anteversion of a second generation nail can be used to minimize malrotation of the femur after comminuted fractures during locked intramedullary nailing in patients with normal anteversion and is superior to our present fluoroscopic technique. Therapeutic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Locking plates versus intramedullary nails in the management of displaced proximal humeral fractures: a systematic review and meta-analysis

To compare the clinical outcome and complications of locking plates versus intramedullary nails in patients with displaced proximal humeral fractures. Our hypothesis was that there would be no difference between these two implants with regard to clinical outcome and complications. We performed a systemic review of PubMed, EMBASE, Clinical Trials Registry, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials and Google Scholar to identify all relevant randomized controlled trials, prospective and retrospective comparative studies on April 26, 2017. The studies of locking plates compared to intramedullary nails in patients with displaced proximal humeral fractures were included. We conducted a meta-analysis of shoulder functional scores, range of motion, pain scores, and complications. This meta-analysis included 13 comparative studies with 958 patients (529 in the locking plate group and 429 in the intramedullary nail group). A significantly greater external rotation (MD =9.67; 95% CI, 4.22-15.12; P=0.0005) and a significantly higher penetration rate (RR =1.75; 95% CI, 1.11-2.77; P=0.02) were observed in the locking plate group compared with the intramedullary nail group. Constant-Murley scores, DASH scores and total complication rate were comparable between the two groups. Moreover, there were no significant differences in forward elevation, VAS scores, and other complications. Current evidence indicates that locking plates and intramedullary nails have similar performance in terms of the functional scores and total complication rate. No superior treatment was suggested between locking plates and intramedullary nails for displaced proximal humeral fractures.

Surgical outcome of intramedullary nailing in patients with complete atypical femoral fracture: A multicenter retrospective study

BackgroundManagement of atypical femoral fracture on bisphosphonate therapy still remains controversy and is reported high rate of complications. The aim of this study was to evaluate the outcome of intramedullary nailing in patients with atypical femoral fracture who took bisphosphonate more than one year through the multicenter retrospective study. MethodsWe gathered 75 atypical femoral fractures from seven institutions between 2009 and 2014. Among them 46 atypical femoral fractures which met the inclusion criteria was evaluated in this study. The average age was 70.1 years (53–80) and the average duration of bisphosphonate use was 5.1 years (1–15 years). Medical records and radiographs were reviewed to determine time to union, union rate, need for revision surgery, restoration of ambulatory function, and complications. ResultsTwenty-nine (63%) fractures healed within 6 months without complications. The average time to union except two non-union was 24.9 weeks (11–48 weeks). Two patients (4.3%) underwent revision surgery for non-union and there was no implant failure. Thirty-seven (80.4%) patients achieved their pre-fracture ambulatory function at the final follow up. ConclusionsAlthough the incidence of delayed bone healing is high in atypical femoral fracture on bisphosphonate therapy even treated with intramedullary nailing, the incidence of revision surgery and implant failure was relatively lower than those of extramedullary devices.

Enfekte psödoartrozda antibiyotikli polimetilmetakrilat çimento kaplı intramedüler çivi ile fiksasyon tekniğinin etkinliği

Objective: Non-union accompanied by infection requires both the treatment of infection and stabilization of the fracture. This study examined the efficacy of a fixation technique using antibiotic impregnated polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) cement-coated intramedullary nail in patients with infected pseudarthrosis of the femur or tibia. Material and Methods: Fourteen patients with Cierny-Mader stage 4 infected non-union of the femur or tibia were included. Patients were treated with local debridement, antibiotic containing PMMA cement-coated intramedullary nail application and systemic antibiotics. They were followed-up for union and recovery of infection. Results: Femoral and tibial pseudarthrosis were present in 3 and 11 patients, respectively. Eleven patients had hypertrophic and three patients had atrophic infected non-union. The mean duration of follow-up was 24.7 months (range: 8-37 months). During follow-up, infection improved in 85.7% of the cases (12 patients). Union was achieved in 10 (71.4%) patients during follow-up. Ten over 11 patients (90.9%) with hypertrophic pseudarthrosis achieved union. On the other hand, none of the patients with atrophic pseudarthrosis achieved union. Conclusion: Considering the high-dose local antibiotic effect and the advantage of stabilization with intramedullary nail, antibiotic impregnated PMMA cement-coated locked intramedullary nail application may be recommended in the treatment of hypertrophic pseudarthrosis. However, regarding the treatment of atrophic pseudarthrosis, it seems to be effective for the treatment of infection but ineffective for bone union. Larger trials are warranted.