Der Unfallchirurg
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We show a comparison between two patient groups of the inpatient population suffering from femoral neck fractures registered in the external quality assurance between 1993 and 1997 and between 2005 and 2009. ⋯ The technique of operative treatment changed and while during the 1990s many patients with femoral neck fractures were treated by implanting a total endoprosthesis, in the 2000s treatment was dominated by the hemi prosthesis. During the two periods of study use of the osteosynthesis technique decreased. In conclusion, the study showed an obvious compression of performance in trauma surgery but despite everything there was a clear improvement of treatment quality with respect to complication rates.
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The management of gunshot wounds is a rare challenge for trauma surgeons in Germany and Central Europe as a result of the low incidence of this type of trauma. Penetrating injuries occur with an incidence of 5% in Germany. They are caused by gunshots or more commonly by knives or other objects, for example during accidents. Since even the number of patients who are treated at level 1 trauma centres is limited by the low incidence, the objective of this study was to assess the epidemiology and outcome of gunshot and stab wounds in Germany. ⋯ In Germany, gunshot and stab wounds have a low incidence and are mostly caused by violent crime or attempted suicide. Depending on the site of injury, they have a high mortality and are often associated with major haemorrhage. As a result of the low incidence of these types of trauma, further data and analyses are required which can provide the basis for an evaluation of the long-term quality of the management of patients with stab or gunshot wounds.
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Clinical Trial
[Fusion criteria for cages as vertebral body replacement in thoracolumbar fractures.]
No commonly accepted criteria to evaluate bony incorporation of cages as vertebral body replacement in thoracolumbar fractures exist. The goal of this study was a thorough radiological evaluation of the fusion process in posterior-anterior stabilized fractures. ⋯ The advocated criteria allow accurate assessment of bony incorporation of cages. Bony incorporation can be detected in and around the cages over time; however, only 57% of patients showed signs of bony fusion after 1 year.
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The authors present a case report of a 38-year-old man who suffered combined gunshot injuries of the heart and lungs from a small caliber gun. The gunshot resulted in combined injuries of a penetrating wound of the left lung, the right heart chambers and the right lung which were successfully managed despite a delay in surgery of several hours by pledget sutures of the heart wounds, wedge resection of the lingula and right lower lung lobectomy performed via a clamshell thoracotomy.
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The differential diagnosis of lumbar back pain includes a broad spectrum of vertebral and extravertebral pathologies. Even in cases of a traumatic event physicians should keep an extravertebral cause in mind. This is a case report on the coincidence of perforated sigma diverticulitis and traumatic spine compression fracture in an 85-year-old woman with acute back pain. The presence of free retroperitoneal gas in the computed tomography (CT) scan was of significant diagnostic importance.