Der Unfallchirurg
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A healthy, right-handed 34-year-old man was injured by repeated direct blows delivered to his left upper arm with a baseball bat. These blows led to a posterior dislocation of the elbow joint, associated with fractures of the radial head and the coronoid process. There was bone loss on the fractured joint surface of the olecranon, with simultaneous ipsilateral trauma to the ulna. ⋯ The results of treatment are often poor, especially because of persisting instability and stiffness of the elbow following a long period of immobilisation. Few studies have been concentrated on this topic up to now. We report on the functional and radiological results 24 months after the treatment of this rare, open "shock triad in the elbow."
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We report a 30-year-old patient suffering a plantar dislocation fracture after he dropped a heavy weight on his foot. The patient was treated immediately after diagnosis was secured by CT scan. Median approach and dermatofasciotomy of the foot were followed by anatomic reduction of the fractures and the Lisfranc dislocation and fixed by internal osteosynthesis. ⋯ Plantar dislocation is a very rare direction of comminuted Lisfranc dislocation fractures. The outcome may be favorable with early reduction and stable internal fixation of the fractures. One always has to be aware of the major soft tissue trauma associated with complex Lisfranc dislocation fractures.
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Analysis of the results and presentation of a treatment concept of a helicopter emergency medical service (HEMS) in prehospital acute care of entrapped motorists. ⋯ For both the emergency control center personnel and the emergency medical technicians (EMT), a case of motorist entrapment must be considered as a trigger mechanism of injury, activating a sophisticated and time-sensitive prehospital acute care and transportation service. In the German emergency medical service this involves primarily the HEMS. Even in cases of potentially critically injured entrapped motorists, the prehospital adherence to"the golden hour of shock" is made possible, despite the resulting higher personnel and equipment expenses.
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Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is seldom observed in the lower extremities. A case of a 19-year-old patient with typical symptoms in the lower leg and foot after surgical treatment of an acetabular fracture is described. Differential diagnostic evaluation should include CRPS in patients with persistent or progressive pain in the distal extremity after acetabular fracture. Early diagnosis and therapy contribute significantly to a successful outcome.
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Transarticular dorsal screw fixation of atlantoaxial instability in the elderly is seldom described in the literature. This study presents the results of this technique in patients aged at least 70 years. A modified method of indirect screw fixation is used in which soft tissue dissection is reduced compared to the classic procedure. ⋯ The presented technique of transarticular C1-C2 screw fixation is associated with reliable fusion rates and good functional results. The procedure can be recommended for atlantoaxial instability in the elderly.