Throughout the years treatment of patellar fractures have been held in much controversy and various treatment procedures have been described. In the literature, there are only a few studies that compare the results of the different treatment modalities. This study reviews our experience with patellar fractures and correlates results of different treatment modalities to grade of patellar comminution and to the length of follow-up. It consists of 114 patients (71 M, 43 F, 17–76 year old: mean- 43 years), followed for 2–9 years (mean- 3.5 years). Patients were treated by P.O.P. cast for undisplaced fractures (12 Pts), and by various surgical modalities for displaced or comminuted fractures such as O.R.I.F (53 Pts), partial patellectomy (37 Pts) and total patellectomy (12 Pts). Patients were evaluated by Lisholm functional score, by objective knee tests, and radiographically.Introduction
Materials & Methods
In recent years the age of world's population has risen and with it there has been a significant increase in the frequency of hip fractures in the elderly. These fractures are known to increase morbidity and mortality. However, little is known about the frequency and characteristics of patients who sustain a second hip fracture. We examined the incidence and the underlying associated medical disorders of patients with a second fracture in the other hip. This study consists of 132/1208 Pts. (10.9%) treated in our department between 1998–2006 that had a secondary hip fracture 1–9 years following the first hip fracture. We examined the most common complications following surgery of this type, the most common related illnesses among these patients, and the influence of post-surgical rehabilitative care on the patients' return to daily functioning.INTRODUCTION
MATERIAL & METHODS
All patients were allowed to weight bear from the first postoperative week. Physiotherapy was started immediately after operation and continued until normal knee and ankle function was regained. Dynamization was done in all cases 2 weeks before removal of frame. Following removal, the patients were advised to use crutches for an additional two weeks.
9/13 (69%) of young patients with 4 part fractures treated by closed percutaneous minimal fixation had good functional results. In four other patients the clinical results were poor and two of them developed AVN of the humeral head. 5/8 (62.5%) of young patients with 4 part fractures treated by ORIF and minimal fixation had good functional results. In three other patients the clinical results were poor and one of them developed AVN of the humeral head.
We immobilised the right hindlimbs of six-month-old female Wistar rats for four weeks using a biplanar external fixation bridging the knee. The untreated left limbs served as a control group. An additional group of rats was allowed to recover for four weeks after removal of the frame. Immobilisation caused reduction in the wet weights of approximately 50% in the gastrocnemius, quadriceps, soleus and plantaris muscles; this was not restored completely after remobilisation. There was an increase in the activity of acid phosphatase of approximately 85% in the gastrocnemius and quadriceps muscles whereas that of creatine phosphokinase was reduced by about 40%. These values returned to nearly normal after remobilisation. Histological and ultrastructural examination showed a marked myopathy of the gastrocnemius muscle after immobilisation although the morphology was largely restored after remobilisation. We conclude that after four weeks of remobilisation, hind-limb muscles do not return to preimmobilisation weights, although biochemical activities and ultrastructural appearance are largely restored.
We report an unusual complication of late dislocation of a total hip replacement. The femoral stem had completely migrated from the shaft. The insertion of a new long-stem prosthesis was successful.
We reviewed 31 of 33 consecutive patients with intra-articular fractures of the knee at 6 to 22 years (average 14). Of these, 77% had excellent or good results; the others had various degrees of degenerative osteoarthritis. There was no significant difference between the results after surgical or conservative treatment. Secondary degeneration was not related to cause or type of fracture, but its incidence increased with the patient's age at the time of injury, though not with the length of follow-up. Early mobilisation appeared to be beneficial in preventing later degenerative changes.
Experimentally produced fractures in long bones studied by light and electron microscopic histochemistry were found to heal by a process of enchondral calcification. There was intense proliferation in the cells of the cambium layer of the periosteum, with differentiation to chondroblasts and osteoblasts, suggesting that this layer was the primary tissue responsible for development of the callus. Cytoplasmic processes of the hypertrophic chondrocytes appeared to bud and produce matrix vesicles. Alkaline phosphatase activity was detected along the plasma membrane of the hypertrophic chondrocytes and around the matrix vesicles, before any signs of mineral deposition. Calcification took place by deposition of hydroxyapatite crystals in and around these matrix vesicles which frequently showed alkaline phosphatase activity. It is suggested that there is a close functional association between alkaline phosphatase activity and calcification in the process of fracture healing, which is another type of enchondral calcification mediated by matrix vesicles.