Complications and mortality associated with olecranon fractures in the elderly: a retrospective cohort comparison from a large level one trauma centre

2021 ◽  
pp. 175857322199486
Author(s):  
J Parkes ◽  
R Limb ◽  
ST Quadri ◽  
JN Lamb ◽  
G Mohrir ◽  
...  

Background Olecranon fractures in the elderly have an increasing incidence. This retrospective study aims to identify the complications and survivorship of these patients. Methods All patients >70 years old treated for an olecranon fracture at our institution were identified between 2007 and 2019. Loss of reduction and/or metalwork loosening was recorded. Also noted were wound healing problems, deep/superficial infections, and any subsequent treatment including return to surgery and/or removal of metalwork. Results From a total of 177 cases, 28 presented with concomitant fractures (16%), half of which were hip fractures. The largest treatment group underwent tension band wiring ( n = 82, 46%, mean age 80.8 yrs). Twenty-one of these suffered failure of fixation (26%), all requiring return to surgery. The second largest treatment group underwent plating ( n = 50 28%, mean age 80.1 yrs). Four of these suffered failure of fixation (8%), all requiring return to surgery. Forty-four patients were treated non-operatively (25%, mean age 83.8 yrs). Two patients suffered other complications (4.5%). Overall 1 year survivorship was 0.82. Discussion Olecranon fractures in the elderly have higher than expected 1 year mortality rates. Operative management results in high complication rates, often requiring return to surgery for metalwork problems. Significant consideration of treatment options is required in this cohort.

2017 ◽  
Vol 99-B (7) ◽  
pp. 964-972 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. D. Duckworth ◽  
N. D. Clement ◽  
J. E. McEachan ◽  
T. O. White ◽  
C. M. Court-Brown ◽  
...  

2018 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 230949901880340 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wei Xiang Lim ◽  
Ernest Beng Kee Kwek

The majority of hip fractures in elderly patients are managed surgically with superior outcomes. However, for patients who refuse surgery or are deemed medically unfit, traction used to be the mainstay of nonsurgical treatment, which is associated with prolonged hospitalization and inpatient complications from immobility. This study, therefore, aims to evaluate the outcomes of an early wheelchair mobilization protocol as an alternative nonsurgical treatment option. This is a retrospective study of 87 elderly patients who were managed nonsurgically for their hip fractures over a 1-year period. The accelerated rehabilitation protocol did not have them on traction but were instead mobilized with assistance as soon as possible after admission. Variables collected electronically include patient demographics, fracture characteristics, inpatient mobilization milestones, inpatient complications, Modified Functional Ambulation Classification (MFAC), Modified Barthel Index (MBI) scores, and radiological findings. Patients who were younger, could sit up earlier and had a shorter length of stay, were able to ambulate better at 6 months ( p value < 0.05). Patients with femoral neck fractures and shorter length of stay had better MFAC scores. A total of 58% of patients with radiological follow-up had displacement of their fractures with age, type of fracture, and length of stay as predictors ( p value < 0.05) The Charlson’s score, day to sitting up, and day to transfer affect fracture healing ( p value < 0.05). The mean length of stay was 17 days and the 1-year mortality was 18%. Surgical therapy remains the preferred choice of management for patients with hip fractures. Early wheelchair mobilization leads to a shorter length of stay compared to traditional traction methods and comparable 1-year mortality rates with operative management. Despite this, complication rates remain high and only 48% of patients achieved ambulation by 1 year, with healing in only 24% of fractures.


Author(s):  
Victor Lu ◽  
Maria Tennyson ◽  
James Zhang ◽  
Azeem Thahir ◽  
Andrew Zhou ◽  
...  

Abstract Purpose Fragility ankles fractures in the geriatric population are challenging to manage, due to fracture instability, soft tissue compromise, and patient co-morbidities. Traditional management options include open reduction internal fixation, or conservative treatment, both of which are fraught with high complication rates. We aimed to present functional outcomes of elderly patients with fragility ankle fractures treated with retrograde ankle fusion nails. Methods A retrospective observational study was performed on patients who underwent intramedullary nailing with a tibiotalocalcaneal nail. Twenty patients met the inclusion criteria of being over sixty and having multiple co-morbidities. Patient demographics, AO/OTA fracture classification, intra-operative and post-operative complications, time to mobilisation and union, AOFAS and Olerud-Molander scores, and patient mobility were recorded. Results There were seven males and thirteen females, with a mean age of 77.82 years old, five of whom are type 2 diabetics. Thirteen patients returned to their pre-operative mobility state, and the average Charlson Co-morbidity Index (CCI) was 5.05. Patients with a low CCI are more likely to return to pre-operative mobility status (p = 0.16; OR = 4.00). All patients achieved radiographical union, taking on average between 92.5 days and 144.6 days. The mean post-operative AOFAS and Olerud-Molander scores were 53.0 and 50.9, respectively. There were four cases of superficial infection, four cases of broken or loose distal locking screws. There were no deep infections, periprosthetic fractures, nail breakages, or non-unions. Conclusion Tibiotalocalcaneal nailing is an effective and safe option for managing unstable ankle fractures in the elderly. This technique leads to lower complication rates and earlier mobilisation than traditional fixation methods.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
pp. 215145932199662
Author(s):  
Omid Nazifi ◽  
Rajitha Gunaratne ◽  
Harry D’Souza ◽  
Aaron Tay

Purpose/Background: Olecranon fractures are common, particularly in the elderly osteoporotic population. Although various techniques of fixation are available, the gold standard—tension band wiring (TBW)—has high complication and reoperation rates. We sought to identify current evidence for the use of high-strength suture tension banding methods to determine whether they reduce complications and reoperation rates while maintaining fixation. Methods: A systematic review of several databases was performed according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. The databases included Cochrane, PubMed, MEDLINE and Embase. We searched for evidence of at least Level I to IV (according to NHMRC) of the use of tension band suturing or anchors in the surgical treatment of displaced olecranon fractures. We also analyzed the cost of fixation in our institute. Results: Four hundred and forty articles were identified. Of these, 9 met the inclusion criteria. One hundred thirty-one subjects had an average age of 66 years. All the studies showed that high-strength suture tension banding/anchoring maintained fixation with displaced olecranon fractures, reducing the complication rates and showed minimal reoperation rates. There was also a significant cost advantage of the suture tape construct mainly due to avoiding subsequent removal of metal. Conclusion: Tension band suturing or anchoring displaced olecranon fractures may be an alternative cost effective method to TBW in maintaining fixation, reducing metalware complications and reducing re-operation rates. Level of Evidence: IV.


2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Fischer ◽  
T. Maleitzke ◽  
C. Eder ◽  
S. Ahmad ◽  
U. Stöckle ◽  
...  

AbstractAs one of the leading causes of elderly patients’ hospitalisation, proximal femur fractures (PFFs) will present an increasing socioeconomic problem in the near future. This is a result of the demographic change that is expressed by the increasing proportion of elderly people in society. Peri-operative management must be handled attentively to avoid complications and decrease mortality rates. To deal with the exceptional needs of the elderly, the development of orthogeriatric centres to support orthogeriatric co-management is mandatory. Adequate pain medication, balanced fluid management, delirium prevention and the operative treatment choice based on comorbidities, individual demands and biological rather than chronological age, all deserve particular attention to improve patients’ outcomes. The operative management of intertrochanteric and subtrochanteric fractures favours intramedullary nailing. For femoral neck fractures, the Garden classification is used to differentiate between non-displaced and displaced fractures. Osteosynthesis is suitable for biologically young patients with non-dislocated fractures, whereas total hip arthroplasty and hemiarthroplasty are the main options for biologically old patients and displaced fractures. In bedridden patients, osteosynthesis might be an option to establish transferability from bed to chair and the restroom. Postoperatively, the patients benefit from early mobilisation and early geriatric care. During the COVID-19 pandemic, prolonged time until surgery and thus an increased rate of complications took a toll on frail patients with PFFs. This review aims to offer surgical guidelines for the treatment of PFFs in the elderly with a focus on pitfalls and challenges particularly relevant to frail patients.


2016 ◽  
Vol 1 (13) ◽  
pp. 162-168
Author(s):  
Pippa Hales ◽  
Corinne Mossey-Gaston

Lung cancer is one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers across Northern America and Europe. Treatment options offered are dependent on the type of cancer, the location of the tumor, the staging, and the overall health of the person. When surgery for lung cancer is offered, difficulty swallowing is a potential complication that can have several influencing factors. Surgical interaction with the recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) can lead to unilateral vocal cord palsy, altering swallow function and safety. Understanding whether the RLN has been preserved, damaged, or sacrificed is integral to understanding the effect on the swallow and the subsequent treatment options available. There is also the risk of post-surgical reduction of physiological reserve, which can reduce the strength and function of the swallow in addition to any surgery specific complications. As lung cancer has a limited prognosis, the clinician must also factor in the palliative phase, as this can further increase the burden of an already compromised swallow. By understanding the surgery and the implications this may have for the swallow, there is the potential to reduce the impact of post-surgical complications and so improve quality of life (QOL) for people with lung cancer.


Author(s):  
Antonio Klasan ◽  
Sven Edward Putnis ◽  
Wai Weng Yeo ◽  
Darli Myat ◽  
Brett Andrew Fritsch ◽  
...  

AbstractDespite multiple studies, there remains a debate on the safety of bilateral total knee arthroplasty (BTKA) in the average age patient, with a paucity of data on the outcome of BTKA in an elderly population. This study included 89 patients aged 80 years and older undergoing sequential BTKA over 14 years were identified in a prospectively collected database. Two matched comparison groups were created: patients under 80 undergoing sequential BTKA and patients over 80 undergoing unilateral TKA (UTKA). An analysis of complications, mortality, revision, and patient-reported outcome measures was performed. Mean age of the elderly cohorts was similar: 82.6 for BTKA and 82.9 for UTKA. The average age BTKA cohort had a mean age of 69.1. Complication rates were higher in bilateral cohorts, more so in the elderly BTKA cohort. Pulmonary embolism (PE) was observed in bilateral cohorts only. In these patients, history of PE and ischemic heart disease was a strong predictive factor for developing a major complication. There was no difference in revision rates and infection rates between the three cohorts, and no difference in patient survivorship between the two elderly cohorts. Through the combination of low revision and high survivorship rates and comparable clinical outcomes, this article demonstrates that simultaneous BTKA is an appropriate option to consider for an elderly patient, with proper patient selection and perioperative management. The demonstrated risk groups show that emphasis on patient selection should be focused on medical history rather than chronological age.


2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Maike Grootenhaar ◽  
Dominique Lamers ◽  
Karin Kamphuis-van Ulzen ◽  
Ivo de Blaauw ◽  
Edward C. Tan

Abstract Background Non-operative management (NOM) is generally accepted as a treatment method of traumatic paediatric splenic rupture. However, considerable variations in management exist. This study analyses local trends in aetiology and management of paediatric splenic injuries and evaluates the implementation of the guidelines proposed by the American Paediatric Surgical Association (APSA) in a level 1 trauma centre. Methods The charts of paediatric patients with blunt splenic injury (BSI) who were admitted or transferred to a level 1 trauma centre between 2003 and 2020 were retrospectively assessed. Information pertaining to demographics, mechanism of injury, injury description, associated injuries, intervention and outcomes were analysed and compared to international literature. Results There were 130 patients with BSI identified (63.1% male), with a mean age of 11.3 ± 4.0 and a mean Injury Severity Score (ISS) of 21.6 ± 13.7. Bicycle accidents were the most common trauma mechanism (23.1%). Sixty-four percent were multi-trauma patients, 25% received blood transfusions, and 31% were haemodynamically unstable. Mean injury grade was 3.0, with 30% of patients having a high-grade injury. In total, 75% of patients underwent NOM with a 100% efficacy rate. Total splenectomy rate was 6.2%. Four patients died due to brain damage. Patients with a high-grade BSI (grades IV–V) had a significantly higher ISS and longer bedrest and more often presented with an active blush on computed tomography (CT) scans than patients with a low-grade BSI (grades I–III). Non-operative management was mainly the choice of treatment in both groups (76.6% and 79.5%, respectively). Haemodynamic instability was a predictor for operative management (OM) (p = 0.001). Predictors for a longer length of stay (LOS) included concomitant injuries, haemodynamic instability and OM (all p < 0.02). Interobserver agreement in the grading of BSI is moderate, with a Cohens Kappa coefficient of 0.493. Conclusion Non-operative management has proven to be a realistic management approach in both low- and high-grade splenic injuries. Consideration for operative management should be based on haemodynamic instability. Compared to the anticipated length of bedrest and hospital stay outlined in the APSA guidelines, the Netherlands can reduce the length of bedrest and hospital stay through their non-operative management. Level of evidence Therapeutic study, level III


2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (13) ◽  
pp. 2963
Author(s):  
Corina Kim-Fuchs ◽  
Daniel Candinas ◽  
Anja Lachenmayer

Background: The incidence and mortality of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICCA) is increasing worldwide and curative treatment options are limited due to the aggressive tumor biology and often late diagnosis. Resection of the primary tumor remains the only curative therapy available, as the benefit of palliative chemotherapy and radiotherapy is relatively small. In contrast to hepatocellular carcinoma, minimal-invasive thermal tumor ablation, and in particular stereotactic tumor ablation for small primary cancers or metastases, is not established and data are scarce. Methods: We conducted a literature review in the field of ICCA ablation and retrospective analysis of 10 patients treated by stereotactic microwave ablation (SMWA) for either primary ICCA or liver metastases of ICCA. Results: While current guidelines have no consensus for ablation of primary ICCA, some state that it might be an option in inoperable patients or those with recurrent disease. The literature review revealed 11 studies on microwave ablation for ICCA reporting that MWA for ICCA ≤ 5 cm might be safe and could be a treatment option for patients who are not candidates for surgery. No data has been published on stereotactic microwave ablation (SMWA) for ICCA. The analyses of our own data of 10 patients treated by SMWA for primary ICCA (n = 5) or recurrent ICCA (n = 5) show that the treatment is safe and efficient with short hospital stays and low complication rates. Conclusion: Although thermal ablation, and in particular SMWA, might be a minimally invasive and tissue-sparing curative treatment alternative for small ICCA in the diseased liver and ICCA metastases, the oncologic benefit still needs to be shown in larger studies with longer follow-up.


Author(s):  
Madeleine Willegger ◽  
Markus Schreiner ◽  
Alexander Kolb ◽  
Reinhard Windhager ◽  
Catharina Chiari

SummaryPainful orthopedic conditions associated with extreme tall stature and leg length discrepancy (LLD) include back pain and adopting bad posture. After failure of conservative treatment options, blocking of the growth plates (epiphysiodesis) around the knee emerged as gold standard in patients with tall stature and LLD in the growing skeleton. Surgical planning includes growth prediction and evaluation of bone age. Since growth prediction is associated with a certain potential error, adequate planning and timing of epiphysiodesis are the key for success of the treatment. LLD corrections up to 5 cm can be achieved, and predicted extreme tall stature can be limited. Percutaneous epiphysiodesis techniques are minimally invasive, safe and efficient methods with low complication rates. In general, a multidisciplinary approach should be pursued when treating children and adolescents with tall stature.


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