The Austin Moore Prosthesis (AMP) is a recognised treatment option in the management of displaced intracapsular femoral neck fractures in elderly patients. Peri-prosthetic femoral fractures are a potential complication of both cementless and cemented hemiarthroplasty and can occur intra-operatively or at any stage following implant insertion.

Over a two-year period, 244 patients underwent hemiarthroplasty for a displaced intracapsular femoral neck fracture. Seventy patients had an AMP inserted whilst 174 patients were treated using a cemented Thompson stem. All of the AMP’s were inserted by, or under the supervision of an orthopaedic consultant.

Five patients (7%) from the AMP group sustained a periprosthetic femoral fracture. Four required revision surgery. The remaining case was managed non-operatively.

When compared to the cemented Thompson hemiarthroplasties performed over the same time period, despite the operating time being significantly less, the number of periprosthetic femoral fractures was significantly greater with the AMP. Furthermore, the early mortality rate was significantly higher for the AMP group who, were also significantly older and more likely to require postoperative blood transfusion. There was no significant difference in gender or ASA grade between the two groups.

These findings suggest that for displaced intracapsular femoral neck fractures in elderly patients, when hemiarthroplasty is the treatment of choice, a cemented prosthesis is preferable.

Introduction The aim of the study was to investigate the incidence, in Australia, of popliteal artery injury during knee surgery; to assess the distance from the popliteal artery to the posterior tibia in flexion and extension; and to investigate the influence of major trauma or surgery on the anatomy.

Methods A questionnaire was sent to Australian members of the ANZ Society of Vascular Surgeons. Duplex ultrasound studies were obtained through the Vascular Laboratory University of Melbourne. Studies in extension and 90° of flexion assessed the distance from the popliteal artery to the posterior tibia. Twelve persons with normal knees were assessed bilaterally. Eight patients with a posterior cruciate ligament deficient knee were assessed bilaterally. Seventy vascular surgeons responded documenting 115 popliteal artery injuries occurring during knee surgery. There were 69 lacerations, 27 thromboses, 13 AV fistula and 19 false aneurysms. In 12 normal people (24 knees) the popliteal artery was 5.5 mm (2.9 to 9.9) from the tibia in extension and 5.7 mm (2.9 to 10.0) in 90° of flexion. In ten of 24 knees the artery moved closer in flexion. In the eight posterior cruciate ligament deficient knees the artery was 4.7 mm (2.7 to 6.9) from the tibia in extension and 3.8 mm (2.6 to 4.5) at 90° of flexion. In all eight PCL knees the artery moved closer in flexion. In normal knees the popliteal artery may move closer to the tibia in flexion, the average distance being about 5.5 mm.

Conclusions The popliteal artery is closer to the knee joint following trauma or surgery and specifically closer in flex-ion than in extension. Risks of injury are significant.

Open tibial fractures have traditionally been treated as surgical emergencies. However, the “golden eight hour rule” for emergent treatment of these injuries is based more on historic principles and in-vitro data.

A substantial number of open tibial fractures referred to our hospital from the peripheral referral units have transport times in excess of eight hours. These circumstances provide the source for the present study of the effect of delay in initial treatment on the final outcome in terms of infection, delayed union, non-union, malalignment and failure of fixation.

Between January 1998 and June 2001, 53 open tibial fractures were treated at our institution. The fractures were classified using the Gustilo classification. All patient had a minimum of one year’s follow-up. Patients were categorized into 4 groups based on the time delay from injury to surgery, namely those treated within 6 hours of injury, 6 to 12 hours, 12 to 18 hours and > 18 hours following injury. Following recognized methods of surgical toilet and wound debridement, treatment modalities included intramedullar nailing, external fixation and cast application.

There were 22 Grade 1, 22 Grade II and 9 Grade 3 open fractures. Twenty-three received treatment within 6 hours of injury, 10 between 6 to 12 hours, 6 between 12 to 18 hours and 14 at more than 18 hours following injury.

Forty three percent of cases with complications were in the group of patients treated within 6 hours of injury, 29% were in those treated between 6 to 12 hours, 7% were in those treated between 12 to 18 hours and 21% were in those treated at > 18 hours following injury.

27% of Grade I open fractures, 14% of Grade II fractures and 55% of Grade III fractures developed complications.

Our experience indicates that the incidence of complications correlates more with the severity of the injury rather than with time from injury to treatment. In spite of early treatment, fractures treated within 6 hours of injury developed more complications in our series. Delays of 6 to 18 hours did not reflect a proportional increase in incidence of complications.

A Salter innominate osteotomy is used to treat acetabular dysplasia, but reports of its effects on the position of the femoral head are few and conflicting. Lateral shift would increase the resultant forces acting on the joint and be detrimental. We studied 15 Salter innominate osteotomies and demonstrated that a correctly performed osteotomy does not significantly alter the distance from the centre of the femoral head to the midline of the body. Stereophotogrammetry was used in three patients to delineate the axis of rotation of the distal acetabular fragment and determine the locus of movement of the centre of the femoral head about it. Our results explain why the Salter osteotomy does not lateralise the femoral head.