Injury management

This chapter provides an overview of injury management for the orthopaedic and trauma patient. It covers the principles of casting, including safe application, potential complications, and care of casts, orthotic appliances, and braces. It includes the principles of traction, including Thomas splint traction, and external fixation. It also incorporates pin site management and the care and education of the patient with an external fixator. The chapter acts as pre-reading for Chapter 10.

2012 ◽  
Vol 94 (2) ◽  
pp. 112-115 ◽  
Author(s):  
D Marsland ◽  
AP Sanghrajka ◽  
B Goldie

INTRODUCTION Rolando fractures are often difficult to manage because of their inherent instability. We describe a simple technique for the treatment of this fracture using the principle of ligamentotaxis, with a static, two-pin external fixator spanning the trapeziometacarpal joint, and present the results of a single-surgeon case series. METHODS Eight consecutive patients (mean age: 32.8 years) with Rolando fractures were treated using a Hoffmann II® Micro small bone external fixator using blunt ended 2.0mm half pins, inserted into the trapezium and diaphysis of the first metacarpal. Functional outcome was assessed with the Quick Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (QuickDASH) score at a mean time of 2.7 years following the fracture (range: 4 months – 6.0 years). The mean time to frame removal was 28 days. RESULTS There were three cases of superficial pin site infection. Follow-up x-rays at four months did not demonstrate significant joint incongruity or malunion in any case. The mean QuickDASH score was 7.95 and all patients returned to their previous levels of activity. CONCLUSIONS Although external fixation risks pin site infection, the results of this study support the use of spanning trapeziometacarpal external fixation for Rolando fractures as it reliably gives excellent functional outcomes.


2011 ◽  
Vol 4 (6) ◽  
pp. 370-372 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul Dayton ◽  
Dustin B. Prins ◽  
Nathan Hensley ◽  
Jeffrey Wienke

Pin tract inflammation and/or infection are common with the use of external fixation devices. Pin sites need to be managed to help prevent complications. There are a variety of regimens proposed for pin care in the literature. The authors present an efficient and simplified approach for addressing pin care protocol using cord locks with the use of compression sponges for external fixation devices. This method obviates the need for extensive bandaging and makes pin care easy for the patient to carry out. A brief review of the current evidence on pin care is presented, and an evidence-based pin care protocol is presented. Level of Evidence: Therapeutic, Level V


2020 ◽  
pp. 1-3
Author(s):  
Garg Uttam Kumar ◽  
Shukla S. K ◽  
Pathak S. K ◽  
Usmani I. A

Twenty-two patients had a severe open fracture of the tibia that was initially treated by external fixation and subsequently by locking plate. The external fixation had been maintained for an average of fifty-nine days (range, 15 to 240 days). The mean interval between removal of the external fixator and plating was twenty-six days (range, 10 to 44 days). five out of twelve patients who had an infection at one or more of the pin sites, developed one superficial and four deep infection. In comparison, only one of the ten patients who had not had a pin-site infection had a superficial infection. An analysis of other variables, including the duration of external fixation, wound coverage, other injuries, and the type of fracture, showed that none was a predictor of infection either at the pin sites or around the plate. We concluded that a pin-site infection that develops during external fixation is a contraindication to the subsequent plating in patients who have a fracture of the tibia.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hongfeng Sheng ◽  
Weixing Xu ◽  
Bin Xu ◽  
Hongpu Song ◽  
Di Lu ◽  
...  

UNSTRUCTURED The retrospective study of Taylor's three-dimensional external fixator for the treatment of tibiofibular fractures provides a theoretical basis for the application of this technology. The paper collected 28 patients with tibiofibular fractures from the Department of Orthopaedics in our hospital from March 2015 to June 2018. After the treatment, the follow-up evaluation of Taylor's three-dimensional external fixator for the treatment of tibiofibular fractures and concurrency the incidence of the disease, as well as the efficacy and occurrence of the internal fixation of the treatment of tibial fractures in our hospital. The results showed that Taylor's three-dimensional external fixator was superior to orthopaedics in the treatment of tibiofibular fractures in terms of efficacy and complications. To this end, the thesis research can be concluded as follows: Taylor three-dimensional external fixation in the treatment of tibiofibular fractures is more effective, and the incidence of occurrence is low, is a new technology for the treatment of tibiofibular fractures, it is worthy of clinical promotion.


2002 ◽  
Vol 40 (3) ◽  
pp. 31-52 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lorri A. Lee ◽  
Sam R. Sharar ◽  
Arthur M. Lam

2012 ◽  
Vol 140 (11-12) ◽  
pp. 732-737 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ivan Golubovic ◽  
Zoran Vukasinovic ◽  
Predrag Stojiljkovic ◽  
Zoran Golubovic ◽  
Sonja Stamenic ◽  
...  

Introduction. Open segmental fractures of the tibia are rare but severe injuries. In these fractures the wide zone of injury (damage of all structures of the lower leg) creates very unsuitable biological conditions for healing of the fracture. Objective. The aim of our work was to present the results of treatment of patients with segmental open fractures of the tibia treated by external fixation. Methods. We analyzed treatment results of 21 patients with open segmental tibial fractures who were treated using the method of external fixation at the Clinical Center Nis from January 1, 1995 to July 31, 2010. The average age of the patients was 53 years; the youngest patient was 27 years and the oldest one 80 years. According to the Gustilo open fracture classification, there were 3 (14.3%) type I, 6 (28.6%) type II, 8 (38.1%) type IIIA, and 4 (19.0%) type IIIB. All the patients were treated by a unilateral type Mitkovic external fixator by Traffix Company. Results. Union was attained in 16 (76.2%) fractures without severe complications (pseudoarthrosis, chronic osteitis and angular deformities of over 10 degrees). Among severe complications associated with open segmental tibial fractures, in two cases we registered septic pseudoarthrosis, in one aseptic pseudoarthrosis and in two large angular deformities of the tibia after union, with a valgus of over 10 degrees and extremity shortening of over 2 cm which required additional surgery. Conclusion. External fixation by the use of Mitkovic external fixator is one of the methods of choice in the treatment of open segmental tibial fractures, which incorporated with antibiotic therapy provides good biomehanical conditions for segmental fracture healing that enables good stability of the segmental tibial fracture and decreases the risk of deep infections.


2005 ◽  
Vol 62 (1) ◽  
pp. 11-15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sasa Milenkovic ◽  
Milorad Mitkovic ◽  
Mile Radenkovic

Aim. To present the possibility of a successful use of external skeletal fixation in treating the open and closed tibial shaft fractures with Mitkovic?s external fixator. Methods. External fixation was used in 115 patients with 118 fresh tibial shaft fractures, 82 males (71.3%) and 33 females (28.7%), average age 43.92 years (16?84). Open tibial shaft fractures were present in 37 (31.36%). All the fractures were treated with Mitkovic?s external fixator type M 20. Results. The results of external fixation were excellent or good in 94.07% of the cases, and bad in 5.08%. Pin tract infection appeared in 7 (5.93%) patients. In only 3 cases an external fixator was removed and treatment continued with the functional braces. Nonunion occurred in 6 (5.08%) patients, of which 4 were with open fractures (2 Gustilo type IIIB, 1 Gustilo type IIIA, 1 Gustilo type II) and 2 with the segment fractures. Compartment syndrome was observed in 1 (0.85%) patient with closed fracture. Malunion was found in 2 (1.69%) patients. Conclusion. External fixation of tibial shaft fractures is a simple and effective method to enable the safe healing of fractures, early mobilization of the patients, early weight-bearing, as well as early rehabilitation. Fixation of tibial shaft fractures was unilateral with convergent pins orientation, and there was also a possibility of compression and distraction.


Author(s):  
Ali Güleç ◽  
Mehmet Ali Acar ◽  
Bahattin Kerem Aydin ◽  
Teyfik Demir ◽  
Mustafa Özkaya

Supracondylar humerus fractures are common fractures around the elbow. Open fractures, comminuted metaphyseal fractures and also fractures with bone loss may need to be treated with external fixators. The aim of this study is to compare two different external fixators, tubular external fixators and polymethyl methacrylate with K wires external fixators, with regard to stiffness and stability for metaphyseal-diaphyseal osteotomies of distal humerus close to the joint. Six matched pairs (24 specimens) of second-generation sawbone humerus were prepared in a standard fashion to create a metaphyseal fracture, 5 cm proximal to the distal joint line of humerus and were randomly divided into two groups of 12 specimens each. Each sawbone humerus was osteotomized transversely at the mid-olecranon fossa with a 2-mm oscillating saw to simulate a Gartland type III fracture. The osteotomy was then reduced and stabilized using two different external fixation methods: carbon tubular external fixator with Schanz screws and methyl methacrylate with multiple K wires. Three-point bending and torsion tests were performed on the specimens. Bending and torsional stiffness of specimens were obtained for the fixation methods. According to the results of the study, the methyl methacrylate group has provided higher stiffness than classical tubular fixator with Schanz screws in three-point bending test (7.79 ± 2.33 N/mm vs 3.78 ± 1.18 N/mm, p = 0.006). The methyl methacrylate group also showed better stiffness in torsion test (0.12 ± 0.042 N m/° vs 0.067 ± 0.013 N m/°, p = 0.02). We determined for the first time in literature that external fixation with methyl methacrylate was significantly superior to the classical tubular external fixator with Schanz screws with regard to stiffness and stability under three-point bending and torsional loads. Moreover, methyl methacrylate is inexpensive and easily applied.


2018 ◽  
Vol 47 (1) ◽  
pp. 133-141
Author(s):  
Barak Rinat ◽  
Eytan Dujovny ◽  
Noam Bor ◽  
Nimrod Rozen ◽  
Guy Rubin

Objective High-grade pediatric supracondylar humerus fractures are commonly treated with closed reduction and internal fixation with percutaneous pinning. When this fails, open reduction followed by internal fixation is the widely accepted procedure of choice. Use of a lateral external fixator was recently described as an optional procedure, but evidence is scarce. Methods We investigated the outcomes of upper limbs treated by either open reduction with internal fixation or closed reduction and external fixation. Results Twenty-one patients completed the long-term follow-up; 11 underwent open reduction, and 10 underwent external fixation. Most patients in both groups reported excellent satisfaction. In both groups, the modified Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand score was extremely low and the average elbow range of motion was almost identical. Radiographic analysis consisting of Baumann’s angle and the carrying angle revealed no statistical difference between the two groups. Discussion Optional treatment using a linear external fixator for complex nonreducible supracondylar humerus fractures yielded acceptable clinical and radiographic results, as with open reduction. Our sample size was small, but the promising results may assist in the implementation of an alternative surgical procedure, especially in more complicated cases involving flexion-type fractures or severe soft tissue damage and swelling.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dejan Blažević ◽  
Janoš Kodvanj ◽  
Petra Adamović ◽  
Dinko Vidović ◽  
Zlatko Trobonjača ◽  
...  

Abstract BackgroundGood clinical outcomes for locking plates as an external fixator to treat tibial fractures have been reported. However, external locking plate fixation is still generally rarely performed. This study aimed to compare the stability of external locking plate fixator with that of conventional external fixator for extraarticular proximal tibial fractures, using finite element analysis. MethodsThree models were constructed: (1) external locking plating of proximal tibial fracture with lateral proximal tibial locking plate and 5-mm screws (ELP), (2) conventional external fixation of proximal tibial fracture with an 11-mm rod and 5-mm Schanz screws (EF-11), and (3) conventional external fixation of proximal tibial fracture with a 7-mm rod and 5-mm Schanz screws (EF-7). The stress distribution, displacement at the fracture gap, and stiffness of the three finite element models at 30-, 40-, 50-, and 60-mm plate–rod offset from the lateral surface of the lateral condyle of the tibia were determined. ResultsThe conventional external fixator showed higher stiffness than did the external locking plate fixator. In all models, the stiffness decreased as the distance of the plate–rod from the bone surface increased. The maximum stiffness was 121.06 N/mm in the EF-11 model with 30-mm tibia–rod offset. In the EF-7 model group, the maximum stiffness was 40.00 N/mm in the model with 30-mm tibia–rod offset. In the ELP model group, the maximum stiffness was 35.79 N/mm in the model with 30-mm tibia–plate offsetConclusionsExternal locking plate fixation is more flexible than conventional external fixation, which can influence secondary bone healing. External locking plate fixation requires the placement of the plate as close as possible to the skin, which allow low-profile design, because the increased distance of the plate from bone can be too flexible for bone healing.


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