Der Unfallchirurg
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Comparative Study
[Femoral head preserving therapy in medial femoral neck fractures. A clinical study of the effects of treatment method on the outcome].
The main problem with fractures of the femoral neck is the high incidence of avascular necrosis and non-union. While the rate of pseudarthroses has been lowered by treatment with stable compression screws, no effect of this technique on the incidence of head necrosis is evident. The reasons for this are rupture of vessels, wide dislocation of fragments and diminution of blood supply owing to intracapsular hematoma. ⋯ With the opening of the capsule and evacuation of the hematoma pressure on the blood vessels is relieved. The analysis of data recorded in 81 patients treated with open reduction and stable internal fixation revealed that poor functional results and avascular necrosis occur especially in fractures of Garden's stages III and IV that are operated on longer than 6 h after the trauma is sustained. Therefore, the operation should be performed as soon as possible as an emergency procedure to reduce the likelihood of such severe complications.
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Compartment syndrome in the thigh is an uncommon condition. Most of the patients have multiple injuries. The main etiological factors are ipsilateral fractures of the femur and isolated severe soft-tissue injuries following blunt trauma. ⋯ Dermatofasciotomy does not lead to severe complications. In the follow-up there is no functional loss or neurological deficit. The indications for decompressive fasciotomy should be broad.
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Only a small number of cases of compartment syndrome in the upper arm has been reported in the literature. The authors have reviewed 14 patients with 14 cases of compartment syndrome treated at their institution from 1980 to 1988. In the majority of cases in this series, compartment syndrome was caused by blunt, high-energy trauma. ⋯ In this series, 2 patients died of their injuries and three arms had to be amputated. At final follow-up after an average of 45 months (range 11-91 months) the functional result was dependent mainly on the severity of the associated injuries. Patients with isolated compartment syndrome had full recovery of upper limb function.
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Between 1973 and 1988 50 patients with injuries of the popliteal artery were treated at the Medical School of Hannover University. While 26 patients with dislocations of the knee joint had mild soft tissue injuries, most of the 24 patients with periarticular fractures of the tibia and/or femur showed excessive soft tissue damage. In both groups 11 patients who were admitted with prolonged ischemia had to undergo amputations. ⋯ Moreover, all patients with ischemia of more than 6 h duration required fasciotomy. It can be concluded that fasciotomy will probably be necessary in patients with injuries of the popliteal artery and (a) severe soft tissue damage of the thigh and/or lower leg with compartment pressure of more than 30 mmHg; (b) ischemia of more than 6 h duration; (c) combined injuries of the popliteal vein and artery; (d) reconstruction of severely injured extremities. In general, fasciotomy should always be considered after reconstruction of the popliteal artery.
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In a limited number of surgically treated patients with blunt trauma to the internal carotid artery (ICA), intimal lesions were found at the intersection of the ICA with the hypoglossal nerve (CN XII). Therefore, these clinical findings were investigated in an anatomic study. In two-thirds of these cases, the congenital "anomalous" relationship of ICA and CN XII caused a strangulation phenomenon during extreme turning manoeuvres of the head and neck. On the basis of our clinical intraoperative findings, anatomic studies und reports in the literature, a further mechanism of vascular injury is suggested in this area.