This review aimed to provide a comprehensive analysis of the etiology, epidemiology, pathology, and conventional treatment of heterotopic ossification (HO), especially emerging potential therapies. HO is the process of ectopic bone formation at non-skeletal sites. HO can be subdivided into two major forms, acquired and hereditary, with acquired HO predominating. Hereditary HO is a rare and life-threatening genetic disorder, but both acquired and hereditary form can cause severe complications, such as peripheral nerve entrapment, pressure ulcers, and disability if joint ankylosis develops, which heavily contributes to a reduced quality of life. Modalities have been proposed to treat HO, but none have emerged as the gold standard. Surgical excision remains the only effective modality; however, the optimal timing is controversial and may cause HO recurrence. Recently, potential therapeutic strategies have emerged that focus on the signaling pathways involved in HO, and small molecule inhibitors have been shown to be promising. Moreover, additional specific targets, such as small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) and non-coding RNAs, could be used to effectively block HO or develop combinatorial therapies for HO.
Humans ; Ossification, Heterotopic/genetics*

OBJECTIVE: To explore effectiveness of TiRobot-assisted screw implantation in the treatment of coracoid process fractures of the scapula. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data from 24 patients with coracoid process fractures of the scapula admitted between September 2019 and January 2024 and met selection criteria. Among them, 12 patients underwent TiRobot-assisted screw implantation (robot group) and 12 underwent manual screw implantation (control group) during internal fixation. There was no significant difference ( P>0.05) in baseline data such as gender, age, body mass index, disease duration, cause of injury, coracoid process fracture classification, and proportion of patients with associated injuries between the two groups. The incision length, operation time, intraoperative blood loss, hospital stay, accuracy of screw placement, coracoid process fracture healing time, and complications were recorded and compared, as well as pain visual analogue scale (VAS) score, and Constant-Murley score at last follow-up. RESULTS: The intraoperative blood loss and incision length in the robot group were significantly lower than those in the control group ( P<0.05); however, there was no significant difference in operation time and hospital stay between the two groups ( P>0.05). All patients were followed up 8-27 months (mean, 17.5 months), and the difference in follow-up time between the two groups was not significant ( P>0.05). At last follow-up, the VAS score for shoulder pain in the robot group was signifncatly lower compared to the control group, and the Constant-Murley score was significantly higher ( P<0.05). In the robot group, 16 screws were implanted intraoperatively, while 13 screws were implanted in the control group. Radiographic re-evaluation showed that the excellent and good rate of screw implantation was higher in the robot group (93.8%, 15/16) than in the control group (61.5%, 8/13), but the difference in the precision of screw implantation between the two groups was not significant ( P>0.05). Four patients in the robot group and 1 in the control group achieved double screws fixation; however, the difference in achieving double screws fixation between the two groups was not significant ( P>0.05). All fractures healed in both groups with 1 case of malunion in the control group. There was no significant difference in healing time between the two groups ( P>0.05). During follow-up, 1 patient in the control group experienced screw loosening and displacement. There was no significant difference in the incidence of screw loosening and fracture malunion between the two groups ( P>0.05). CONCLUSION Compared with manual screw implantation, TiRobot-assisted minimally invasive treatment of coracoid process fractures of the scapula can reduce intraoperative blood loss, shorten incision length, alleviate pain, and obtain better promote shoulder joint functional recovery.
Humans ; Male ; Female ; Retrospective Studies ; Fracture Fixation, Internal/instrumentation* ; Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures/instrumentation* ; Adult ; Middle Aged ; Fractures, Bone/surgery* ; Bone Screws ; Coracoid Process/surgery* ; Robotic Surgical Procedures/methods* ; Scapula/surgery* ; Treatment Outcome ; Operative Time ; Young Adult ; Length of Stay ; Blood Loss, Surgical

Objective:To explore the clinical efficacy of operative treatment of geriatric pelvic fractures.Methods:A retrospective study was conducted to analyze the clinical data of 55 geriatric patients with pelvic fracture who had been operatively treated at Department of Orthopaedic Trauma, Beijing Jishuitan Hospital from January 2020 to October 2023. There were 13 males and 42 females with an age of 72.0 (68.0, 83.3) years. By the AO/OTA classification, there were 47 cases of type B and 8 cases of type C; by the classification for fragility fractures of pelvis, there were 5 cases of type Ⅱ, 44 cases of type Ⅲ, and 6 cases of type Ⅳ. The patients received operative treatment 4.0 (3.0, 6.3) days after injury. Of the 10 patients treated by open reduction and closed reduction, the posterior ring was fixated by a plate in 7 and by screws in 3, and the anterior ring was fixated by either a plate, an external fixator or a minimally invasive anterior pelvic ring internal fixator except in the 2 cases receiving no fixation. Of the other 45 patients treated by closed reduction and fixation, the posterior ring was all fixated by screws except in the 2 cases receiving no fixation, and the anterior ring was fixated by either screws, an external fixator or a minimally invasive anterior pelvic ring internal fixator except in the 10 cases receiving no fixation. The major peri-operative complications, quality of fracture reduction, mortality, and functional recovery of the pelvis at the last follow-up were recorded.Results:There were no major peri-operative complications. According to the Matta criteria, the quality of fracture reduction was excellent in 31, good in 14, fair in 8 and poor in 2 cases, giving a good to excellent rate of 81.8% (45/55). Fifty-four cases were followed up for (15.4±9.1) months and 1 case was lost to the follow-up. Four cases died within 1 year after operation, giving a mortality of 7.4% (4/54). The modified Majeed score at the last follow-up was 69 (54, 76) for the 46 cases who had been followed up for longer than 4 months; the functional recovery of the pelvis at the last follow-up was rated as excellent in 27 cases, as good in 8 cases and as fair in 11 cases, giving a good to excellent rate of 76.1% (35/46) according to the criteria proposed by the faculty of the writers. The internal fixation failed in 3 cases during the follow-up.Conclusion:For the geriatric pelvic fractures, operative treatment can lead to satisfactory clinical outcomes.

Objective:To explore the feasibility and consistency of a new digital classification system of pelvic fractures named as JST classification based on close reduction techniques.Methods:A retrospective collection was conducted of the data from the 63 patients with pelvic fracture who had undergone surgical treatment after JST classification at Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Beijing Jishuitan Hospital from March 2021 to March 2023. Digital classification of the pelvic fractures was performed based on their locations and displacements. The classification first divides the pelvis into 4 parts: left half pelvis and right half pelvis; sacral Denis Ⅲ area and pubic symphysis. The symmetrical left and right sacral Denis Ⅰ and Denis Ⅱ areas are also included in the left/right half pelvis. Subsequently, the left half pelvis and right half pelvis are divided into 4 regions and marked by capitalized English letters: Sacrum Area (including Denis Ⅰ and Denis Ⅱ, denoted as S), Sacroiliac Joint Area (denoted as J), Iliac Area (denoted as I), and Pubic Area (denoted as P); to distinguish right/left, R and L are used as prefixes. The 2 asymmetric parts are also marked with English letters: Denis Ⅲ area of the sacrum (denoted as Sac), and pubic symphysis (denoted as C). Afterwards, the fracture line morphology and displacement in each region are marked digitally to form a complete JST classification system. The inter- and intra-observer reliabilities (Fleiss' and Cohen's Kappa) of the JST classification system were tested by 3 observers with more than 10 years of experience in pelvic fracture treatment.Results:Consistency analysis of the JST classification results showed that the mean κ value of the intra-observer reliability was 0.818 (from 0.658 to 0.946, P<0.001) and the inter-observer reliability 0.873 (from 0.674 to 1.000, P<0.001), both indicating excellent agreement. Of the 63 patients, 59 obtained successful closed reduction with the assistance of the Rossum Robot R-Universal intelligent orthopedic surgical robot system after fracture classification by the JST system, yielding a success rate of 93.7% (59/63). Conclusions:The new JST classification system for pelvic fractures demonstrates strong intra and inter-observer reliabilities compared with traditional classification systems. As JST classification system labels each fracture site and key bones, it is of great significance for the deep learning and intraoperative operations of intelligent fracture robots.

Objective:To elucidate the recent therapeutic efficacy of the intelligent fracture reduction robotic system in managing pelvic fractures.Methods:A retrospective evaluation of 49 pelvic fracture patients treated using the intelligent fracture reduction robotic system at Beijing Jishuitan Hospital's trauma orthopedics department between March 2021 and December 2022 was conducted. The cohort included 30 males and 19 females, with a mean age of 51.51±18.71 years (20-92 years range). Fractures were classified according to the Tile system: B1 type in 2 cases, B2 in 7, B3 in 3, C1 in 30, and C2 in 3. The median interval between injury and surgery was 6 days, with a range of 2-22 days. The robotic system assisted in pelvic fracture reduction and stabilization surgeries. Preoperative and postoperative evaluations involved pelvic CT scans, anteroposterior, inlet, and outlet radiographic images. Fracture displacement and reduction outcomes were assessed via X-ray imagery. Data captured included intraoperative blood loss, duration of surgery, fracture stabilization techniques, and postoperative monitoring period. The Majeed scoring system gauged functional outcomes.Results:Of the patients, 48 underwent minimally invasive interventions with robotic assistance, while one case necessitated open reduction and internal fixation due to an unsuccessful reduction. The duration between injury and operation ranged from 2 to 22 days. Average surgical time stood at 206.5±7.1 minutes (105-440 min range), and median intraoperative blood loss was 100ml (10-600 ml range). Using the Matta reduction criteria, 30 postoperative cases exhibited excellent and 9 good outcomes for posterior pelvic ring displacement, translating to a 93% (38/41) positive rate. For anterior pelvic ring shifts, 45 showed excellent and 3 good outcomes, culminating in a 100% (48/48) success rate. Follow-up for the 48 cases lasted 11.0 months (3-23 months range), with the Majeed functional score averaging 81.9±17.0 points (42-100 point range). 27 cases scored excellent, and 11 good, yielding a combined positive outcome rate of 79.2% (38/48).Conclusion:Employing the intelligent fracture reduction robotic system in pelvic fracture treatments facilitates minimally invasive interventions and yields favorable short-term clinical results.

Objective:To explore the short-term efficacy of fixation with a 3D printed individualized custom-made plate in the treatment of elderly patients with periprosthetic femoral fracture.Methods:Retrospectively analyzed were the 5 elderly patients with periprosthetic femoral fracture who had been treated by fixation with a 3D printed individualized custom-made plate from January 2022 to July 2022 at Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Beijing Jishuitan Hospital. There were 3 males and 2 females, aged 81, 86, 77, 91 and 87 years, respectively. One left and 4 right limbs were affected. Vancouver classification: type B1 ( n=3), type B2 ( n=1), and type C ( n=1). The time from operation to injury was 5, 6, 10, 5 and 7 days, respectively. Preoperatively, the femur affected, prosthesis and individualized plate with a greater trochanteric hook, loop cable channel and bone-like trabecular microporous structure were custom-made by 3D printing according to 1:1 models. Virtual operations were simulated to formulate surgical protocols. The operation time, length of surgical incision, intraoperative blood loss and transfusion, hospital stay, hip function and complications at the last follow-up were recorded. Results:The 5 patients were followed up for 12, 7, 10, 3 and 6 months, respectively. There were no events of superficial incision or deep prosthesis infection. Respectively, the operation time was 1.8, 1.7, 2.3, 2.0 and 3.3 h; the length of surgical incision 31, 30, 38, 27 and 30 cm; the intraoperative bleeding volume 400, 300, 300, 500 and 600 mL; the length of hospital stay 8, 9, 15, 14 and 11 d. Four patients received intraoperative blood transfusion of 300, 900, 150 and 1, 050 mL, respectively. One patient died of a heart attack 3 months after discharge; another patient developed dyskinesia at the contralateral limb 3 months after discharge due to cerebral infarction and died of recurrent cerebral infarction 7 months after discharge. At the last follow-up, the Harris hip scores of 3 patients were 86, 77 and 69 points, respectively. None of the patients had complications like breakage or loosening of implants.Conclusion:In the treatment of elderly patients with periprosthetic femoral fracture, fixation with a 3D printed individualized custom-made plate may lead to fine limb function and good short-term curative efficacy.

Objective:To compare the short-term efficacy between our self-designed intelligent robot-assisted minimally invasive reduction system and conventional freehand reduction assisted by fluoroscopy in the treatment of unstable pelvic fractures by robot or fluoroscopy-assisted internal fixation with percutaneous screws.Methods:A prospective randomized controlled trial was conducted to include eligible 35 patients with unstable pelvic fracture who were admitted to Department of Orthopaedic Trauma, Beijing Jishuitan Hospital from December 2021 to October 2022. They were randomized into 2 groups. The observation group[17 cases, 10 males and 7 females with an age of (44.0±17.4) years] was treated with robot-assisted minimally invasive reduction, followed by robot-assisted or fluoroscopic internal fixation with percutaneous screws; the control group[18 cases, 12 males and 6 females with an age of (38.8±15.0) years] was treated with freehand reduction assisted by fluoroscopy, followed by robot-assisted or fluoroscopic internal fixation with percutaneous screws. The 2 groups were compared in terms of operation time, intraoperative bleeding, successful reduction, reduction quality, incidence of surgical complications and postoperative functional scores.Results:The 2 groups were comparable because there were no significant differences in the preoperative general data between them ( P>0.05). The intraoperative fluoroscopy frequency[(32.4±17.5) times] and fluoroscopy time [(19.8±10.4) s] in the observation group were significantly lower or shorter than those in the control group [(60.8±26.6) times and (38.2±16.1) s], and the rate of successful reduction in the observation group was 100.0% (17/17), significantly higher than that in the control group[72.2% (13/18)] ( P<0.05). There was no significant difference between the 2 groups in intraoperative bleeding, operation time, reduction error, excellent and good rate of reduction after operation by Matta scoring, or Majeed functional score at 12 weeks after operation ( P>0.05). Conclusion:In the treatment of unstable pelvic fractures, since our self-designed intelligent robot-assisted minimally invasive reduction system can plan autonomously the reduction paths and accomplish minimally invasive reduction of the fracture with 3D images real-time monitoring, it is advantageous over conventional reduction methods in a higher success rate and less radiation exposure.

Objective:To investigate the early clinical effectiveness of using customized 3D printed acetabular augment to repair large acetabular bone defects in delayed total hip arthroplasty after failed treatment of acetabular fractures.Methods:A retrospective study was conducted to analyze the 6 patients who had undergone 3D printed acetabular augment to reconstruct acetabular bone defects in delayed total hip replacement from July 2021 to January 2023 after failed treatment of acetabular fractures. They were all males, with an age of (51.3±15.0) years. Paprosky classification: 2 cases of type ⅡB, 1 case of type ⅡC, and 3 cases of type ⅢA. Recorded were surgical time, intraoperative bleeding, hospitalization time, and visual analogue scale (VAS), and modified Merle d'Aubigné & Postel score, Harris hip score, and leg length discrepancy at the last follow-up.Results:For the 6 patients, the mean surgical time was (222.5±46.9) min, the mean intraoperative bleeding 1,100 (1,000, 2,625) mL, the mean hospitalization time (9.0±4.5) d, and the mean follow-up time (11.8±7.9) months. At the last follow-up, the VAS [(2.5±1.0) points] significantly decreased compared with the preoperative value [(6.2±0.8) points], the modified Merle d'Aubigné & Postel score [(13.2±2.1) points] and Harris hip score [(67.8±15.3) points] significantly increased compared with the preoperative values [(6.7±0.8) and (34.2±8.4) points], the vertical position of center of rotation [(22.5±5.2) mm] and the horizontal position of center of rotation [(40.7±2.6) mm] were significantly reduced compared with the preoperative values [(38.1±14.2) and (53.1±10.0) mm] ( P<0.05). At the last follow-up, the leg length discrepancy was (6.2±3.6) mm, showing no statistically significant difference from the preoperative value [(18.7±1.7) mm] ( P>0.05). At the last follow-up, no clear line at the cup-bone or augment-bone interface, or no possible prosthetic loosening or displacement was observed on the X-ray films. Conclusion:In delayed total hip arthroplasty after failed treatment of acetabular fractures, the customized 3D printed augment for repair of large bone defects in the acetabulum can reconstruct the normal rotation center of the hip joint, provide reliable stability for the cup prosthesis, and enable patients to obtain significant improvements in hip function.

Objective:To evaluate open reduction and internal fixation via the anterior approaches in the treatment of geriatric acetabular fractures.Methods:Retrospectively analyzed were the clinical data of 74 consecutive patients with acetabular fracture who had been treated by open reduction and internal fixation via the anterior approaches from June 2018 to December 2020. The patients were divided into 2 groups. In the geriatric group (≥65 years old): 16 patients [8 males and 8 females with an age of (74.0±5.9) years]; 7 both column fractures, 4 anterior column fractures, and 5 anterior column plus posterior hemi-transverse fractures according to the Letournel-Judet classification; time from injury to operation: (6.1±3.4) d. In the young group (<65 years old): 58 patients [48 males and 10 females with an age of (46.7±10.9) years]; 28 both column fractures, 14 anterior column fractures, 8 anterior column plus posterior hemi-transverse fractures, 5 T type fractures and 3 transverse fractures; time from injury to operation: (5.4±2.7) d. The 2 groups were compared in terms of operation time, intraoperative blood loss, postoperative reduction, operative complications, and functional results.Results:The 2 groups were comparable because there was no significant difference in the preoperative general data like fracture Letournel-Judet classification or dome impaction between them ( P>0.05). The intraoperative blood loss in the geriatric group was (715.6±285.0) mL, significantly less than that in the young group [(1,008.6±463.9) mL]( P<0.05). In the geriatric and young groups, respectively, the operation time was (167.2±44.3) min and (172.9±56.6) min, 3 and 6 cases had main operative complications, the good to excellent rate of postoperative reduction was 87.5% (14/16) and 84.5% (49/58), and the follow-up time was (26.6±10.7) months and (23.6±10.1) months, all showing no significant difference ( P>0.05). According to the improved Merle d'Aubigné & Postel scoring system, the hip function at the last follow-up was evaluated as excellent in 5 cases, as good in 10 cases, and as fair in 1 case in the geriatric group while as excellent in 21 cases, as good in 33 cases, and as fair in 2 cases (the other 2 cases were lost) in the young group, showing no statistically significant difference between the 2 groups ( P>0.05). Conclusion:Open reduction and internal fixation via the anterior approaches is as safe and effective for the geriatric patients with acetabular fracture as for the young and middle-aged ones.

Objective:To evaluate the emergency iliosacral screw fixation assisted by TiRobot for unstable posterior pelvic ring fracture.Methods:The 26 patients with unstable pelvic fracture were analyzed retrospectively who had undergone emergency iliosacral screw fixation at Department of Orthopedics & Traumatology, Beijing Jishuitan Hospital from June 2018 to December 2020. They were divided into 2 groups depending on whether orthopaedic TiRobot was used to assist screw insertion. In the observation group of 14 cases subjected to TiRobot-assisted insertion of iliosacral screws, there were 10 males and 4 females with an age of (45.9 ± 10.1) years; in the control group of 12 cases subjected to conventional manual insertion of iliosacral screws, there were 9 males and 3 females with an age of (49.2 ± 11.3) years. All the surgeries were conducted within 24 hours after injury. The 2 groups were compared in terms of screw insertion time, pin insertion, intraoperative blood loss, fluoroscopy time, postoperative screw position, fracture reduction and Harris hip score at the final follow-up.Results:The 2 groups were comparable because there was no significant difference between them in their preoperative general clinical data or follow-up time ( P>0.05). The screw insertion time [(16.1 ± 3.4) min] and fluoroscopy time [(8.1 ± 3.3) s] in the observation group were significantly shorter than those in the control group [(26.4 ± 5.4) min and (25.2 ± 7.4) s], and the pin insertions [1 (1, 2) times] and intraoperative blood loss [(10.5 ± 6.4) mL] in the former were significantly less than those in the latter [6 (3, 8) times and (24.8 ± 6.7) mL] (all P<0.05). Postoperatively, the sacroiliac screw position was excellent in 18 cases and good in 2 in the observation group while excellent in 14 cases, good in 2 and poor in 2 in the control group; the fracture reduction was excellent in 12 cases, good in one and fair in one in the observation group while excellent in 10 cases, good in one and fair in one in the control group, showing insignificant differences in the above comparisons ( P>0.05). There was no significant difference either in the Harris hip score at the final follow-up between the 2 groups ( P>0.05). Conclusion:Compared with conventional manual insertion of iliosacral screws, emergency iliosacral screw fixation assisted by TiRobot can effectively decrease surgical time and reduce operative invasion due to a higher accuracy rate of screw insertion.