BACKGROUNDComputer-assisted procedures have recently been introduced for navigated femoral neck screw placement. Currently there is little information available regarding accuracy and efficiency of the different navigated procedures. The aim of this study was to compare two fluoroscopic navigation tracking technologies, a novel bi-planar robot navigation and standardized optoelectronic navigation, versus standard freehand fluoroscopic insertion in a Synbone hip model.

METHODSEighteen fixed Synbone hip models were divided into 3 groups. C-arm navigated cannulated screws (AO-ASIF, diameter 7.3 mm) were inserted using freehand targeting (control group). A novel bi-planar robot system (TINAV, GD2000) and an optoelectronic system (Stryker OTS Navigation System) were used for the navigated procedures (robot group and optoelectronic group). Accuracy was measured using radiographic evaluation including the measurement of screw parallelism and decentralization, and joint penetration. To evaluate the efficiency, the number of guidewire passes, operative time and fluoroscopic images taken were noted.

RESULTSThe two computer-assisted systems provided significantly improved accuracy compared to the freehand technique. Each of the parameters, including guidewire passes and number of fluoroscopy images, was significantly lower when using the computer-assisted systems than for freehand-unguided insertion (P <0.05), but operative time was significantly shorter when using freehand-unguided insertion than for the computer-assisted systems (P <0.05). Accuracy, operative time and number of fluoroscopy images taken were similar among the two navigated groups (P >0.05), but guidewire passes in the robot group were significantly less than in the optoelectronic group (P <0.05).

CONCLUSIONSBoth bi-planar robot navigation and optoelectronic navigation were similarly accurate and have the potential to improve accuracy and reduce radiation for freehand fluoroscopic targeting for insertion of cannulated screws in femoral neck fractures. Guidewire passes in the robot group were significantly less than in the optoelectronic group. However, both navigated procedures were associated with time-consuming registration and high rates of failed matching procedures.

Bone Screws ; Femoral Neck Fractures ; surgery ; Hip ; diagnostic imaging ; surgery ; Humans ; Radiography ; Surgery, Computer-Assisted ; methods

BACKGROUND: We assessed the frequency and types of ankle fractures that frequently occur during parachute landings of special operation unit personnel and analyzed the causes. METHODS: Fifty-six members of the special force brigade of the military who had sustained ankle fractures during parachute landings between January 2005 and April 2010 were retrospectively analyzed. The injury sites and fracture sites were identified and the fracture types were categorized by the Lauge-Hansen and Weber classifications. Follow-up surveys were performed with respect to the American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society ankle-hindfoot score, patient satisfaction, and return to preinjury activity. RESULTS: The patients were all males with a mean age of 23.6 years. There were 28 right and 28 left ankle fractures. Twenty-two patients had simple fractures and 34 patients had comminuted fractures. The average number of injury and fractures sites per person was 2.07 (116 injuries including a syndesmosis injury and a deltoid injury) and 1.75 (98 fracture sites), respectively. Twenty-three cases (41.07%) were accompanied by posterior malleolar fractures. Fifty-five patients underwent surgery; of these, 30 had plate internal fixations. Weber type A, B, and C fractures were found in 4, 38, and 14 cases, respectively. Based on the Lauge-Hansen classification, supination-external rotation injuries were found in 20 cases, supination-adduction injuries in 22 cases, pronation-external rotation injuries in 11 cases, tibiofibular fractures in 2 cases, and simple medial malleolar fractures in 2 cases. The mean follow-up period was 23.8 months, and the average follow-up American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society ankle-hindfoot score was 85.42. Forty-five patients (80.36%) reported excellent or good satisfaction with the outcome. CONCLUSIONS: Posterior malleolar fractures occurred in 41.07% of ankle fractures sustained in parachute landings. Because most of the ankle fractures in parachute injuries were compound fractures, most cases had to undergo surgical repairs.
Adult ; Ankle Fractures/classification/etiology/radiography/*surgery ; Ankle Injuries/etiology/radiography/*therapy ; Ankle Joint/radiography/*surgery ; Aviation ; Bone Plates ; Fracture Fixation, Internal ; Fractures, Comminuted/etiology/radiography/surgery ; Fractures, Open/etiology/radiography/surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Military Personnel ; Retrospective Studies ; Young Adult

Fractures, Bone ; diagnosis ; diagnostic imaging ; surgery ; therapy ; Humans ; Pelvic Bones ; diagnostic imaging ; injuries ; surgery ; Radiography

Scaphoid stress fracture is rare and occurs mainly in gymnasts. The current literature has only two reported cases: unilateral scaphoid stress fracture in a platform diver and bilateral scaphoid stress fracture in a gymnast. We herein report bilateral stress fracture of the scaphoid in a platform diver who presented with only one symptomatic side. Our patient was a 16-year-old competitive platform diver with an 18-month history of pain in the right wrist. Radiography revealed fracture of the right scaphoid at the waist. As part of our preoperative plan of measuring the scaphoid length to determine the appropriate screw, radiography of the contralateral side was performed, revealing an unexpected fracture of the left scaphoid. Due to the frequency of stress fractures in competitive sports, especially gymnastics, we recommend that bilateral scaphoid radiography be performed for athletes presenting with a unilateral scaphoid fracture, to avoid missing a fracture in the contralateral side.
Adolescent ; Diving ; injuries ; Fractures, Stress ; diagnostic imaging ; surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Radiography ; Scaphoid Bone ; injuries ; surgery

Adult ; Clavicle ; injuries ; surgery ; Fractures, Bone ; diagnostic imaging ; surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Radiography

Phalangeal neck fractures occur almost exclusively in children. We present the case of a 49 years old man with a dislocated fracture of the neck of the middle phalanx with the distal fragment rotated at 180? due to a traumatic circular saw injury to the left index, which was solved by anatomical reduction and bone fixation with two 1.5 mm Synthes screws and a temporary transarticular K-wire at the distal interphalangeal joint. Zone I flexor digitorum profundus repair was performed using a modification of the Kessler 4-strands core suture and a full-thickness skin graft from the hypothenar eminence was taken to cover the skin gap. At 6-month follow-up the patient was pain-free and with a total active movement equivalent to 190? No radiological signs of avascular necrosis of the head of the middle phalanx or nonunion of the distal fragment was detectable with recovery to the previous manual work. Owing to the position of the phalangeal head maintained in position by the collateral ligaments an anatomic reduction from dorsal approach is difficult to be performed and a longitudinal traction can render the reduction harder too. The volar approach permits an easier reduction of the fracture through a derotation of the distal fragment facing palmar.
Finger Phalanges ; diagnostic imaging ; injuries ; surgery ; Fractures, Bone ; diagnostic imaging ; surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Radiography

Adolescent ; Bone Plates ; Fracture Fixation, Internal ; instrumentation ; Fractures, Bone ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Patella ; injuries ; surgery ; Radiography

We performed endoscopic bone grafting for eight patients of delayed union and nonunion which developed after femoral and humeral shaft fractures. The mean interval from initial intervention to endoscopic bone grafting was 7.3 months. Six patients of delayed union and nonunion healed at 4.1 months on average. Two patients had unsatisfactory healing and eventually underwent non-endoscopic revisional surgery. There was no intraoperative on postoperative complication. Endoscopic bone grafting can be a less invasive alternative, obtaining rapid bone union in cases of compromised healing of the diaphyseal fracture.
Adult ; Bone Transplantation* ; Case Report ; Endoscopy* ; Female ; Femoral Fractures/surgery* ; Femoral Fractures/radiography ; Femoral Fractures/physiopathology ; Human ; Humeral Fractures/surgery* ; Humeral Fractures/radiography ; Humeral Fractures/physiopathology ; Male ; Middle Age ; Time Factors ; Wound Healing*

Complex segmental femoral fractures are usually not amenable to closed reduction. The purpose of this study was to evaluate a series of patients who had undergone four pins assisted reduction and intramedullary nail fixation to determine the therapeutic effect of this closed reduction technique. Between December 2010 and January 2013, 15 consecutive patients with segmental femoral fractures were treated with four pins assisted reduction at our hospital. The patient was placed in a supine position on a radiolucent fracture table and a gentle traction was attempted on the limb. Usually, the proximal fracture segment exhibited the typical deformity of flexion, external rotation, and abduction, the middle segment exhibited adduction and distal fracture segment exhibited flexion. Four Schanz pins were placed percutaneously to fix one cortex and did not penetrate into the medullary cavity, and the "T" sharp handles were fixed on the Schanz pins. The fragments were then reduced by reversing the deforming forces for segmental fractures by two assistants. And then, the reduction could be easily achieved and intramedullary nail fixation was performed. Radiographs were evaluated for the quality of the reduction and fracture union. Closed reduction was achieved in all patients using the four pins technology. All 15 fractures united uneventfully. No patient had a rotational malunion or limb length discrepancy at the time of the last follow-up. Thirteen of the fifteen (86.7%) patients had anatomic reduction and two of them (13.3%) had minor varus alignment of 3° and 5°. Knee stiffness was observed in 2 patients and no implant failure was observed. Surgical treatment of complex segmental femoral fractures with four pins assisted reduction and intramedullary nail fixation techniques can result in excellent reductions and a high union rate.
Adult ; Bone Nails ; Femoral Fractures ; diagnostic imaging ; surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Radiography

PURPOSE: Presence of a cephalomedullary nail (CMN) in the medullary canal has been thought as advantageous in the control of femoral neck shortening (FNS) and lag screw sliding in trochanteric fracture compared to extramedullary fixation system. However, researches on the factors that influence the degree of FNS after cephalomedullary nailing are lacking. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We observed 95 patients (mean age, 75+/-2.8 years) with trochanteric fractures who were treated with a CMN, and evaluated the relationship between FNS and patient factors including age, gender, fracture type (AO/OTA), bone mineral density, medullary canal diameter, canal occupancy ratio (COR=nail size/canal diameter), and tip-apex distance using initial, immediate postoperative, and follow-up radiography. RESULTS: Univariate regression analyses revealed that the degree of FNS was significantly correlated with fracture type (A1 versus A3, p<0.001), medullary canal diameter (p<0.001), and COR (p<0.001). Multiple regression analyses revealed that FNS was strongly correlated with fracture type (p<0.001) and COR (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: Presence of a CMN in the medullary canal could not effectively prevent FNS in patients with low COR and in A3 type fracture.
Aged ; *Bone Nails ; Female ; Femur Neck/*radiography ; Hip Fractures/radiography/*surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Orthopedic Procedures/*methods ; Regression Analysis