Injury
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Careful distal locking screw insertion into the subchondral zone is necessary to obtain proper mechanical strength of unstable distal radius fractures using volar locking plating. However, subchondral zone screw insertion increases the risk of intra-articular screw penetration, which may remain unrecognized during surgery due to complex distal radial anatomy. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the role of fluoroscopic guidance with a 45° supination oblique view technique for placing distal screws into the subchondral zone during volar locking plating for unstable distal radius fractures and to explore the factors associated with poor screw placement. ⋯ The 45° supination oblique view technique is a useful fluoroscopic guiding technique for accurate and safe distal screw placement in the subchondral zone in volar locking plate fixation for distal radial fractures. However, a decreased teardrop angle or extended lunate fossa should be corrected before distal screw insertion to avoid intra-articular screw placement.
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Periprosthetic femoral re-fractures (PFRFs) represent an emerging challenge for orthopaedic surgeons, since their incidence is growing in the last years, but very few experiences about their management have been currently published. The present study aims to (1) introduce, for the first time, an etiologic classification for PRFRs and (2) to provide surgical and pharmacological tips for the correct management of these injuries. Periprosthetic femoral re-fractures (PFRFs) could be classified into traumatic-PFRFs (T-PFRFs) and pathological-PFRFs (P-PFRFs). ⋯ P-PFRFs, on the other hand, define re-fractures occurring on a previous periprosthetic non-union or delayed union: the new fracture line appears in the same district of the old one. According to the etiologic factors influencing the P-PFRFs pathogenesis, it is possible to define re-fractures caused by mechanical failures, biological failures, septic failures and multifactorial failures, i.e., a combination of the previously mentioned concerns. A successful postoperative outcome, following the surgical management of PFRFs, requires the correct identification of all the underlying causes, which should be promptly and appropriately managed.
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The role of external fixation in Damage Control Orthopaedics has been well described. Temporary external fixation has been recommended to provide relative bone stability while the soft tissue heals, prior to formal open reduction and internal fixation. Temporary bridging external fixation, that spans the joint, is recommended as primary skeletal stabilization in complex intra-articular and peri-articular fractures, in extensive peri-articular soft-tissue damage around the knee, ankle, elbow and wrist joints. ⋯ The purpose of this article is to present our experience in using temporary hip spanning external fixation during primary treatment of six patients suffered from complex open intra-articular and peri-articular fractures of the proximal femoral bone with extensive soft tissue damage due to war blast or high-velocity gunshot trauma. Primary management was based on the concept of Advanced Trauma Life Support and Damage Control Orthopaedics. Conversion to definitive bone reconstruction was performed on the next stage of the treatment after general and local stabilization.
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Surgical treatment of ankle fractures comes with a substantial risk of complications, including infection. An unambiguously definition of fracture-related infections (FRI) has been missing. Recently, FRI has been defined by a consensus group with a diagnostic algorithm containing suggestive and confirmatory criteria. The aim of the current study was to report the prevalence of FRI in patients operated for ankle fractures and to assess the applicability of the diagnostic algorithm from the consensus group. ⋯ Level III - retrospective cohort study.
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Few studies on early functional outcomes following acute care after traumatic brain injury (TBI) are available. The aim of this study was to develop and validate a predictive model for functional outcomes at discharge for TBI patients using machine learning methods. ⋯ We established a random forest model that performed well in predicting early functional outcomes following acute care after TBI. The model has utility for informing decision-making regarding patient management and discharge planning and for facilitating health care quality assessment and resource allocation for TBI treatment.