Outcome Analysis of Intramedullary Nailing Augmented with Poller Screws for Treating Difficult Reduction Fractures of Femur and Tibia: a Retrospective Cohort Study

Purpose. Poller screws may serve as an adjunctive reduction tool and aid fracture reduction while augmented with intramedullary (IM) nailing for treating diaphyseal or metaphyseal fractures of the femur and tibia. However, there is no consistent conclusion about whether the method of using IM nailing augmented with poller screws is more advantageous than using IM nailing alone. Methods. A total of 96 patients who received IM nailing with or without supportive poller screw for treating long-bone fractures in lower limbs and who experienced difficulties in performing reduction or IM insertion during the surgical process were included in this retrospective cohort study (33 patients with poller screws in group A versus 63 patients without poller screws in group B). Patient demographics including age, gender, and body mass index; injury-related data including fracture location, classification, and injury mechanism; operation-related data including American Society of Anesthesiologists, duration of operation, poller screw time, method of anesthesia, and volume of intraoperative hemorrhage; outcomes including fracture healing time; and incidence of outcomes of nonunion, malunion, infection, and secondary surgical procedures were evaluated. Results. Fracture healing time of patients in group A was significantly shorter than that of group B ( 18.3 ± 4.8 weeks versus 24.3 ± 3.0 weeks, p = 0.023 ). Union rate was higher (100.0% versus 87.3%, p = 0.048 ), and malunion rate and secondary surgical procedure rate were lower (both are 3.0% versus 19.0%, p = 0.031 ) in group A than that of group B. Conclusion. Poller screw augmentation of IM nailing is a favourable option to shorten fracture healing time and to reduce complication rates in terms of nonunion, malunion, and secondary surgical procedure in the treatment of both diaphyseal/metaphyseal fractures of the femur or tibia while compare with those treated by IM nailing alone.

Fixation of distal tibia fracture through plating, nailing, and nailing with Poller screws: A comparative biomechanical-based experimental and numerical investigation

The goal of this study was to investigate two commonly used methods of fixation of distal metaphyseal tibia fractures, plating and nailing as well as the less frequently employed nailing with Poller screws, from a biomechanical perspective. Despite numerous studies, the best method to repair fractures of tibia the remains up for of debate. This study includes an in vitro experimental phase on human cadaveric tibias followed by a finite element analysis. In the experimental phase, under partial weight-bearing axial loading, the axial stiffness of the bone-implant construct and interfragmentary movements for each of the fixation methods, bone-plate, bone-nail, and bone-nail-Poller screw, were measured and compared with each other. Shear interfragmentary movement and stress distribution in the bone-implant construct for the three mentioned fixation methods were also determined from FE models and compared with each other. Results of in vitro experiments, i.e., the exertion of axial loading on the tibia-plate, tibia-nail, and tibia-nail-Poller screw, showed that utilization of tibia-nail and tibia-nail-Poller screw led to a stiffer bone-implant construct, and consequently, lower interfragmentary movement, compared to the tibia-plate construct ( p values for tibia-nail and tibia-nail-Poller screw, and for both axial stiffness and interfragmentary movement, compared to those of tibia-plate construct, were less than 0.05). Numerical analyses showed that nailing produced less undesirable shear interfragmentary movement, compared to the plating, and application of a Poller screw decreased the shear movements, compared to tibia-nail. Furthermore, using the finite element analysis, maximum von Mises stress of adding a screw in tibia-nail, tibia-plate, and tibia-nail-Poller screw, was found to be: 51.5, 78.6, and 60.5 MPa, respectively. The results of this study suggested that from a biomechanical standpoint, nailing both with and without a Poller screw is superior to plating for the treatment of distal tibia fractures.

REAMED INTRAMEDULLARY EXCHANGE NAILING FOR ASEPTIC NON- UNION OF ISTHMUS & ENHANCED DISTAL FIXATION EXCHANGE NAILING FOR NON- UNION OF DISTAL THIRD SHAFT FEMUR FRACTURES.

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of exchange nailing in isthmus and exchange nailing with poller screw fixation & multiplanar interlocking screws for Distal Third shaft femur aseptic non union. The evaluation was addressed by measuring the clinical, functional and radiological outcome of our treatment methods in both non union groups. Design: Retrospective study. Methods: Between 2006 to 2014, 55 patients with Non Union of shaft femur were operated using a standardised protocol at our institute and followed up for functional and radiological outcome. 5 patients were lost to follow up and thus were excluded from this study. Out of 50 patients, 29 were cases of Isthmus Non union and remaining 21 were cases of Distal Third Non union. Our approach in Isthmus group was closed Exchange nailing with 2mm larger nail with medullary reaming. Some needed isthmus when radiological signs of healing were delayed. In Distal Third group, poller screws were used in conjugation with reamed exchange nailing with a 2mm larger diameter nail and interlocking screws in different planes. Out of the 50 patients, 48 were men and 2 women. Their mean post surgical procedure period at presentation of non union was 11.60 months. Results: Out of a total 55, 5 were lost to follow up- all from isthmus group. In isthmus group, healing was observed in 25 out of 29 patients with union achieved in a mean of 7.60 months. Delayed union was seen in 3 patients and addressed with dynamisation of distal screws leading to union in all cases in a mean of 13 months without further intervention.1 patient had superficial infection which resolved with debridement at 4 months. 1 patient required additional bone grafting for persistent non union and healed at 18 months. Non union was encountered in 3 patients who refused further treatment and accepted functional limitations. Harris Hip Score for this group was 87.40. In Distal Third group, all 21 patients achieved union in a mean time of 10.30 months. No patients required further revisions however 4 patients had superficial infection which was treated with antibiotics and debridement. No further complications were encountered in this group of patients and bony union was uneventful otherwise. Harris Hip Score of this group was 92.40. Conclusion: Using exchange nailing for isthmus and poller screw augmentation for Distal Third Shaft Femur Non union yields excellent clinical, functional and radiological outcome. Exchange nailing with or without poller screw augmentation is a less invasive method to treat aseptic non union of shaft femur fractures without additional complications. Keywords: Nonunion, exchange nailing, poller screw, femoral non union, aseptic non union.

Systematic review on the outcomes of poller screw augmentation in intramedullary nailing of long bone fracture

Various technical tips have been described on the placement of poller screws during intramedullary (IM) nailing; however studies reporting outcomes are limited. Overall there is no consistent conclusion about whether intramedullary nailing alone, or intramedullary nails augmented with poller screws is more advantageous. We conducted a systematic review of PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases. Seventy-five records were identified, of which 13 met our inclusion criteria. In a systematic review we asked: (1) What is the proportion of nonunions with poller screw usage? (2) What is the proportion of malalignment, infection and secondary surgical procedures with poller screw usage? The overall outcome proportion across the studies was computed using the inverse variance method for pooling. Thirteen studies with a total of 371 participants and 376 fractures were included. Mean follow-up time was 21.1 months. Mean age of included patients was 40.0 years. Seven studies had heterogenous populations of nonunions and acute fractures. Four studies included only acute fractures and two studies examined nonunions only. The results of the present systematic review show a low complication rate of IM nailing augmented with poller screws in terms of nonunion (4%, CI: 0.03–0.07), coronal plane malunion (5%, CI: 0.03–0.08), deep (5%, CI: 0.03–0.11) and superficial (6%, CI: 0.03–0.11) infections, and secondary procedures (8%, CI: 0.04–0.18). When compared with the existing literature our review suggests intramedullary nailing with poller screws has lower rates of nonunion and coronal malalignment when compared with nailing alone. Prospective randomized control trial is necessary to fully determine outcome benefits. Cite this article: EFORT Open Rev 2020;5:189-203. DOI: 10.1302/2058-5241.5.190040

Radiologic Outcomes of Intramedullary Nailing in Infraisthmal Femur-Shaft Fracture with or without Poller Screws

Background. Intramedullary nails have been the treatment of choice for acute femur-shaft fractures in adults. However, the infraisthmal location has a high risk of nonunion and is easy to malalign. This study evaluated radiologic outcomes of initial supportive use of poller screws in combination with antegrade femoral nailing in infraisthmal femur-shaft fracture. Methods. A total of 49 patients who had undergone antegrade nailing with or without supportive poller-screw insertion for infraisthmal femur-shaft fracture were included in this retrospective cohort study (23 patients with poller screws in group 1 versus 26 patients without poller screws in group 2). Patient demographics including sex, age, classification, mechanism of injury, operative time, poller-screw time, and radiologic outcomes, including union rate, time to union, and number of malunions, were evaluated. Results. Union rate in group 1 (95.6%) was significantly higher than that in group 2 (84.6%) (p = 0.04). Time to union was 19.8 weeks in group 1 and 20.3 weeks in group 2 (p = 0.31). Conclusion. Initial supportive insertion of two poller screws after nailing took a mean of 21minutes additionally but could lessen the risk of nonunion significantly in this study. We believe that these findings may have important clinical relevance for the treatment of infraisthmal femur-shaft fracture.