Tip-apex distance (TAD) has long been discussed as a metric for determining risk of failure in fixation of peritrochanteric hip fractures. This study seeks to investigate risk factors including TAD for hospital readmission one year after hip fixation surgery.

A retrospective review of proximal hip fractures treated with single screw intramedullary devices between 2016 and 2020 was performed at a 327 bed regional medical center. Patients included had a postoperative follow-up of at least twelve months or surgery-related complications developing within that time.

44 of the 67 patients in this study met the inclusion criteria with adequate follow-up post-surgery. The average TAD in our study population was 19.57mm and the average one year readmission rate was 15.9%. 3 out of 6 patients (50%) with a TAD > 25mm were readmitted within one year due to surgery-related complications. In contrast, 3 out of 38 patients (7.9%) with a TAD < 25mm were readmitted within one year due to surgery-related complications (p=0.0254). Individual TAD measurements, averaging 22.05mm in patients readmitted within one year of surgery and 19.18mm in patients not readmitted within one year of surgery were not significantly different between the two groups (p=0.2113).

Our data indicate a significant improvement in hospital readmission rates up to one year after hip fixation surgery in patients with a TAD < 25mm with a decrease in readmissions of over 40% (50% vs 7.9%). This result builds upon past investigations by extending the follow-up time to one year after surgery and utilizing hospital readmissions as a metric for surgical success. With the well-documented physical and financial costs of hospital readmission after hip surgery, our study highlights a reduction of TAD < 25mm as an effective method of improving patient outcomes and reducing financial costs to patients and medical institutions.

Our study seeks to determine whether characteristics of radiographs taken post-reduction of a forearm fracture can indicate future risk of refracture or loss of reduction. We hypothesize that reducing forearm fractures too precisely may be counterproductive and provide less benefit than reductions left slightly offset prior to cast immobilization.

We conducted a retrospective review of 1079 pediatric patients treated for forearm fractures between January 2014 and September 2021 in a 327 bed regional medical center. Percent fracture displacement, location, orientation, comminution, fracture line visibility and angle of angulation were determined by AP and lateral radiographs. Percent fracture displacement was derived by: (Displacement of Bone Shafts / Diameter) x 100% = %Fracture Displacement.

Patients treated with closed reduction were reduced from a mean displacement of 29.26±36.18% at an angulation of 22.67±16.57 degrees to 7.88±9.07% displacement and 3.89±6.68 degrees angulation post-reduction. Patients developing complications including a loss of reduction or refracture were found to have post-operative radiographs with a lower percent displacement (0.50±1.12) than those not developing complications (8.65±9.21)(p=0.0580). Post-reduction angulation (p=1.000), average reduction in angulation (p=1.000) and average reduction in displacement percent(p=0.2102) were not significantly associated with development of complications.

Percent displacement of radial shafts was seen to be the most important metric to monitor in post-operative radiographs for patients undergoing closed reduction of a forearm fracture. We theorize a slight displacement provides greater surface area for osteoblastic expansion and callus formation leading to a decreased risk of refracture or loss of reduction. While our sample size precludes our ability to measure the ideal amount of post-reduction displacement for optimal healing, our results demonstrate that some degree of shaft displacement is required for optimal healing conditions.

This study was conducted to investigate the characteristics, complications, radiologic features and clinical course of patients undergoing reduction of forearm fractures in order to better inform patient prognosis and postoperative management.

We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 1079 pediatric patients treated for forearm fractures between January 2014 and September 2021 in a 327 bed regional medical center. A preoperative radiological assessment and chart review was performed. Percent fracture displacement, location, orientation, comonution, fracture line visibility and angle of angulation were determined by AP and lateral radiographs. Percent fracture displacement was derived by: (Displacement of Bone Shafts / Diameter) x 100% = %Fracture Displacement. Angle of angulation and percent fracture displacement were calculated by averaging AP and lateral radiograph measurements.

80 cases, averaging 13.5±8.3 years, were identified as having a complete fracture of the radius and/or ulna with 69 receiving closed reduction and 11 receiving fixation via an intramedullary device or percutaneous pinning. Eight patients (10%) experienced complications with four resulting in a refracture and four resulting in significant loss of reduction (LOR) without refracture. Fractures in the proximal ⅔s of the radius were associated with a significant increase in complications compared to fractures in the distal ⅓ of the radius (31.6% vs 3.4%) (P=.000428). Likewise, a higher percent fracture displacement was associated with a decreased risk of complications (28.7% vs 5.9% displacement)(P=0.0403). No elevated risk of complications was found based on fracture orientation, angulation, fracture line visibility, forearm bone(s) fractured, sex, age or arm affected.

Our result highlights radius fracture location and percent fracture displacement as markers with prognostic value following forearm fracture. These measurements are simply calculated via pre-reduction radiographs, providing an efficient method of informing risk of complications following forearm fracture.

Background

The transverse acetabular ligament (TAL) has been described as an anatomic landmark to guide in the positioning of the acetabular component during total hip arthroplasty. On plain films, the radiographic teardrop (RT) has similarly been utilized as a measure of appropriate cup positioning. The goal of this study is to quantify the distance and location between the anatomic TAL and RT landmarks to aid in the positioning of acetabular component.

Introduction: In most areas of surgery there has been a move in recent years towards less invasive operative techniques. However, minimally invasive surgery (MIS) is not automatically ‘better’ surgery. Several MIS techniques for correcting hallux valgus have been described. We present our experience with an MIS chevron type osteotomy, Akin osteotomy and distal soft tissue release. This technique utilises rigid internal screw fixation (without the need for k wire fixation). This is the first such series to be reported in the United Kingdom.

Patients & Methods: A consecutive series of twenty three patients (30 feet) with mild to moderate HV deformity were included in the study and were independently assessed clinically and radiographically and scored using the AOFAS scoring system, visual analogue score for pain and a subjective outcome score. All surgery was performed by a single surgeon (DR) using a high-speed burr to create the osteotomies. The osteotomy was fixed with a rigid screw. The mean age was 59 (24–75), and 90% were female. All patients had minimum follow-up of three months (mean 7.5, range 5–12).

Results: The mean AOFAS score improved from 39.3 (median 44, range 25–57) preoperatively to 89.9 (median 92, range 77–100) postoperatively. The mean visual analogue score improved from 7 to 1. 82% of patients were very satisfied / satisfied with the procedure. There were no cases of infection, two cases of type 1 complex regional pain syndrome and two screws required removal.

Conclusion: This small series represents the senior author’s learning curve with this new technique and as such, these early MIS results compare well with outcomes reported with modern open techniques for mild to moderate hallux valgus deformities. A randomised study to compare open and closed techniques is now being undertaken.

Introduction: The emergence of Independent Sector Treatment Centres (ISTCs) in the UK for the provision of elective orthopaedic services began in 2002–3. Within our trust the bulk of elective orthopaedic surgery is performed in an ISTC however there is a small but significant cohort of patients who are deemed not suitable for treatment at the ISTC. Patients with a BMI (body mass index) ≥40 or an ASA (American society of anaesthesiologists) grade of 3 or more are automatically rejected. With increasing levels of obesity and an aging population the size of the reject cohort is going to rise. These patients are then returned to the NHS to be placed on a new (complex elective) waiting list for their surgery. The aim of this study was to assess the early outcomes and complications following primary knee arthroplasty on our high risk patients.

Methods: A retrospective review of a consecutive series of 214 primary knee arthroplasties in patients rejected from the ISTC was performed. Data (demographics, ASA grade, BMI, length of stay, complications, range of knee movement and requirement for HDU/ICU) were collected from preoperative assessments, inpatient notes, anaesthetic charts, discharge summaries and follow up clinic letters. All patients were followed up for a minimum of 6 months.

Results: 155 (72%) patients were female. 140 (65%) had ASA of 3 or more. 88 (41%) had a BMI of 40 or more. Median length of stay was 8 days (6 to 11 IQR) and did not vary with increasing BMI but increased to 10 days in the ASA 3 and 12 days in the ASA 4 group. There were a total 90 complications in 71 patients. The most common complications were 22 superficial wound infections (10.3%), 11 Pneumonias (5.1%), and 9 symptomatic DVTs (4.2%). There were 16 severe complications (2 Deep infections, 4 PEs, 2 CVAs, 4 acute renal failures and 4 dislocations) in 15 patients. Patients with a BMI < 40 had a total complication rate of 38% (7.9% severe) compared with 26% (5.7% severe) in BMI ≥40 group. Patients with an ASA < 3 had a complication rate of 31% (4.1% severe) vs. 34% (8.6% severe) in patients with an ASA ≥ 3. HDU/ICU beds were required postoperatively for 20 patients (9 planned and 11 unplanned). At six months 72% achieved a knee range of movement ≥ 0 to 90 degrees. Surgeons who performed high volumes of surgery in this difficult group had lower complications then lower volume surgeons.

Conclusion: This is one of the largest consecutive groups of high risk patients undergoing primary total knee arthroplasty. Our results show that elevated BMI does not appear to adversely affect complication rates in knee arthroplasty in our series although ASA grades of 3 and 4 are associated with increased length of stay and complication rates. It is also clear that small groups of surgeons operating on these difficult patients may reduce complications.

Staphylococcus aureus is the bacterial pathogen which is responsible for approximately 80% of all cases of human osteomyelitis. It can invade and remain within osteoblasts. The fate of intracellular Staph. aureus after the death of the osteoblast has not been documented.

We exposed human osteoblasts to Staph. aureus. After infection, the osteoblasts were either lysed with Triton X-100 or trypsinised. The bacteria released from both the trypsinised and lysed osteoblasts were cultured and counted. Colonies of the recovered bacteria were then introduced to additional cultures of human osteoblasts.

The number of intracellular Staph. aureus recovered from the two techniques was equivalent. Staph. aureus recovered from time zero and 24 hours after infection, followed by lysis/trypsinisation, were capable of invading a second culture of human osteoblasts.

Our findings indicate that dead or dying osteoblasts are capable of releasing viable Staph. aureus and that Staph. aureus released from dying or dead osteoblasts is capable of reinfecting human osteoblasts in culture.

A retrospective study of patients with osteosarcoma was undertaken to determine whether there was a relationship between biopsy and survival. Fifty-seven patients treated at the Karolinska Hospital, Stockholm, between 1938 and 1959 were included in this study, all of whom were less than thirty years old, had a metaphysial osteosarcoma in a long bone but had no pulmonary metastases at the time of diagnosis; all were treated by amputation. No clinical variants of osteosarcoma were included. Twenty-four of the fifty-seven patients had an amputation without a prior biopsy; the others had biopsies before amputation. These two groups were fairly closely matched in age, sex, site and size of tumour, and in the level of amputation; some patients in each group received radiation before operation. Evaluation of these two groups of patients revealed that the performance of a biopsy, with or without a delay of not more than thirty days between the biopsy and the definitive operation, had no adverse effect on survival.