Avulsion fractures occur when tendons or ligaments are subjected to forces greater than they can withstand at the apophysis or enthesis, regardless of the fusion status. Given the diverse muscular structures around the pelvis and hip joint, which serve as origins for multiple muscles leading to the lower extremities, these areas are vulnerable to such injuries. Pelvic avulsion fractures commonly af-fect young athletes, but they can also occur in adults. Diagnosis typically involves assessing the trauma history, clinical examination, and radiographic imaging. In cases of unclear diagnosis, additional tests, such as computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging, may assist in treatment decisions and diagnosis. Although most avulsion fractures respond well to conservative treatment, surgical interven-tion may be preferred in severe displacements, significant retraction in active athletes, or when a faster recovery is necessary. Chronic or neglected injuries may lead to excessive osseous formation around the pelvis, causing impingement syndromes. Recognizing the characteristic radiological findings based on the pelvic anatomy aids in accurate diagnosis because chronic injuries might mimic tumors or infectious conditions, necessitating a careful differential diagnosis.

The anatomical quadrilateral surface buttress plate developed for the quadrilateral surface in an acetabular fracture, a type of fracture difficult to reduce using screws and plates due to its thinness, is a useful implant that makes surgical treatment easier. However, the anatomical structure is different for each patient, and it often does not match the contour of this plate, making detailed bending difficult. Here, we introduce a simple method for controlling the degree of reduction using this plate.

Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate the demographic factors and radiological characteristics of lesser trochanter splitting (LTS) irreducible intertrochanteric fractures and to report the clinical results of patients who underwent open reduction and internal fixation using dynamic hip screws (DHS). Methods: Inclusion criteria were as follows: AO/Orthopedic Trauma Association type 31A1.2, a fracture line originating from the outside of the greater trochanter that passes through the lesser trochanter, and patients who were followed up for more than 1 year with a confirmed presence or absence of bone union. A total of 13 cases were identified, accounting for 3.1% (13/416 intertrochanteric fractures). Patients were classified according to posterior sagging of the distal shaft fragment relative to the headneck fragment (posterior sagging group, 6; non-sagging group, 7). Demographic data, comorbidities, injury mechanism, type of anesthesia, operation time, blood loss, tip-apex distance, reduction quality, leg length discrepancy (> 5 mm), long lesser trochanter sign, postoperative complications, and presence of bony union were obtained by reviewing medical records and radiological findings. Results: The mean age of the patients was 50.4 ± 10.4 years, and 12 were men. Except for 1 case (slip down), all were induced by high-energy trauma. According to the grade of reduction quality, 5 cases (38.5%) had good reduction quality and 8 cases (61.5%) had acceptable reduction quality. There were no postoperative complications, and bony union was observed in all cases. The long lesser trochanter sign was observed in 5 cases (38.5%) and leg length discrepancy greater than 5 mm was not observed. Compared with the non-sagging group, the posterior sagging group had more head-neck fragments containing more than 1/2 of the lesser trochanter length, longer operation time, and more blood loss (p < 0.05). Compared to the non-sagging group, the posterior sagging group had worse reduction quality and more long lesser trochanter signs (p < 0.05). Conclusions Open reduction and internal fixation using DHS for the LTS irreducible intertrochanteric fractures can achieve good clinical and radiological outcomes. However, in the posterior sagging type, reduction can be more difficult with a longer operation time and higher likelihood of blood loss.

Methods: Ambulatory patients who underwent single-level PVP for thoracolumbar OVF with a follow-up of at least 24 months were retrospectively reviewed. The patients were divided into two groups depending on the presence of symptomatic recollapse at the cemented vertebra: (1) recollapsed (RC) group and (2) noncollapsed (NC) group. The patient characteristics and radiographic measurements associated with sagittal imbalance were analyzed at each follow-up visit. Results: Overall, 134 patients (RC group, n=28; NC group, n=106) were enrolled. The mean fracture-free interval was 3.2 months (range, 1.2–25.1 months). The multivariate binary logistic regression analysis identified low bone mineral density (p =0.047), degree of dynamic mobility within the vertebra (p =0.025), and sagittal imbalance as significant risk factors for recollapse (p =0.013; odds ratio, 5.405). The progression of sagittal imbalance and thoracolumbar kyphosis (T10–L2) was more significant in the RC and sagittal imbalance groups than in the NC group (both p =0.000). Conclusions Sagittal imbalance, lower bone mineral density, and dynamic mobility within the vertebra are associated with the recollapse of cemented vertebrae following PVP. Sagittal imbalance, rather than local kyphosis or thoracolumbar kyphosis, is particularly significant in that it results in more progressive collapse and sagittal deformity and is accompanied by substantial back pain and neurological deficits. Therefore, a stricter and more active management, including anti-osteoporosis medication, is required for the treatment of OVF with sagittal imbalance of the spine.

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the incidence rate of suicide deaths in elderly patients with pelvic fractures using a nationwide database and to analyze change in the risk of suicide death overtime after pelvic fractures compared to controls. Methods: We used the National Health Insurance Service-Senior cohort (NHIS-Senior) of South Korea. Cases and controls were matched for sex, age, history of hospital admission within 1 year, and presence of depression on the date of suicide death. Controls were collected by random selection at a 1 : 5 ratio from patients at risk of becoming cases when suicide cases were collected. Incident pelvic fractures were identified from the NHIS-Senior as follows: first admission during the observational period (2002–2015) to an acute care hospital with a diagnostic code of International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, 10th revision S321, S322, S323, S324, S325, or S328 and age 65–99 years. Conditional logistic regression analysis was performed to evaluate the association between pelvic fractures and the risk of suicide death. Results: A total of 2,863 suicide cases and 14,315 controls were identified. Suicide case patients had been more frequently exposed to steroids (odds ratio [OR], 1.32; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.21–1.45), benzodiazepines (OR, 1.76; 95% CI, 1.61–1.93), and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (OR, 1.18; 95% CI, 1.07–1.29). Pelvic fractures within 1 year from the date of suicide death were statistically significantly associated with increased risk of suicide (adjusted OR [AOR], 2.65; 95% CI, 1.29–5.45; p = 0.008) compared to controls. The risk of suicide death declined as the incidence date of pelvic fracture was more remote from the date of suicide death: AORs of 2.59 (95% CI, 1.33–5.04; p = 0.005) within 2 years and 2.13 (95% CI, 1.15–3.95; p = 0.017) within 3 years. However, there was no statistical significance in the increased risk of suicide death for pelvic fractures that had occurred ≥ 4 years ago (p > 0.05). Conclusions Pelvic fractures in the elderly population increased the risk of suicide death within 3 years, suggesting the need for psychiatric support among elderly patients with pelvic fractures.

Background: This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of Clostridium difficile colitis (CDC) in elderly patients with hip fractures using a nationwide cohort database and to analyze the effect of CDC on the all-cause mortality rate after hip fracture. Methods: This retrospective nationwide study identified subjects from the Korean National Health Insurance Service-Senior cohort. The subjects of this study were patients who were over 65 years old and underwent surgical treatment for hip fractures from January 1, 2002, to December 31, 2015. The total number of patients included in this study was 10,158. The diagnostic code used in this study was A047 of the International Classification of Diseases, 10th revision for identifying CDC. Procedure codes for C. difficile culture or toxin assay were BY021 and BY022. CDC patients were defined as follows: patients treated with oral vancomycin or metronidazole over 10 days and patients with procedure codes BY021 and BY022 or diagnostic code A047 after hip fracture. Incidence date (index date, time zero) of hip fracture for analyzing risk of all-cause mortality was defined as the date of discharge.A generalized estimating equation model with Poisson distribution and logarithmic link function was used for estimating adjusted risk ratios and 95% confidence intervals to assess the association between CDC and cumulative mortality risk. Results: The prevalence of CDC during the hospitalization period in the elderly patients with hip fractures was 1.43%. Compared to the non-CDC group, the CDC group had a 2.57-fold risk of 30-day mortality after discharge, and a 1.50-fold risk of 1-year mortality after discharge (p < 0.05). Conclusions The prevalence of CDC after hip fracture surgery in elderly patients was 1.43%. CDC after hip fracture in the elderly patients significantly increased the all-cause mortality rate after discharge.

Background: This study compared the effects of hip fractures on mortality according to sex and age in a nationwide cohort of elderly patients with hip fractures and controls. Methods: Patients with hip fractures and matched controls were selected from the National Health Insurance Service-Senior cohort. Time-dependent propensity score matching was estimated from a Cox proportional hazards model with January 1, 2005, as the baseline and hip fracture as an event. Patients were matched by age and sex to participants at risk of developing a hip fracture at time zero. The effect size is presented as hazard ratio (HR) using a Cox proportional hazards model with a robust variance estimator that accounts for clustering within the matched pairs. Results: Altogether, 14,283 patients with incident hip fractures and 28,566 matched controls were identified. The HR of male sex in hip fractures was 1.31 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.22−1.40; Pinteraction<0.01). Moreover, the HR of age group in hip fractures was 0.73 (95% CI, 0.66−0.80; Pinteraction<0.01) between the 65 to 74 and 75 to 84 years groups, 0.76 (95% CI, 0.71−0.81; Pinteraction<0.01) between the 75 to 84 and ≥85 years groups, and 0.55 (95% CI, 0.50−0.61; Pinteraction<0.01) between the 65 to 74 and ≥85 years groups. Conclusions Male sex increases the risk of death in elderly patients with hip fractures versus matched controls, but the increased risk of death with age in hip fractures was decreased compared to that in matched controls.

Background: The purpose of this study was to compare the mortality rate between patients undergoing hemiarthroplasty (HA) and those undergoing total hip arthroplasty (THA) in two age groups: patients aged 65–79 years (non-octogenerian) and patients aged ≥ 80 years (octogenarian). Methods: We identified elderly (aged ≥ 65 years) femoral neck fracture patients who underwent primary THA or HA from January 1, 2005 to December 31, 2015 in South Korea using the Health Insurance and Review and Assessment database; the nationwide medical claim system of South Korea. We separately compared the mortality rate between the HA group and THA group in two age groups. A generalized estimating equation model with Poisson distribution and logarithmic link function was used to calculate the adjusted risk ratio (aRR) of death according to the type of surgery. Results: The 3,015 HA patients and 213 THA patients in younger elderly group, and 2,989 HA patients and 96 THA patients in older elderly group were included. In the younger elderly group, the mortality rates were similar between the two groups. In older elderly group, the aRR of death in the THA group compared to the HA group was 2.16 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.20–3.87; P = 0.010) within the in-hospital period, 3.57 (95% CI, 2.00–6.40; P < 0.001) within 30-days, and 1.96 (95% CI, 1.21–3.18; P = 0.006) within 60-days. Conclusions In patients older than 80 years, THA was associated with higher postoperative mortality compared to HA. We recommend the use of HA rather than THA in these patients.

Pediatric ankle fractures are defined as damage to the metaphysis, epiphyseal plate, and epiphysis of the distal tibia and fibula. Although the injury mechanism could be similar, the fracture patterns and treatment of pediatric ankle fractures are different from those of adults. In children, growth plate injuries are more common with a force that would cause sprains in adults because the ligaments are stronger than the growth plate cartilage in children. In the adolescent period, unique fractures, called “transitional fractures”, occur while the physis is closed. For a diagnosis, plain images of the anteroposterior, lateral, and mortise views are essential. Stress radiographs, ultrasound, and magnetic resonance imaging can be used for suspected ligament injuries. The treatment goal is to restore the articular congruity, normal bony alignment, and preserve the epiphyseal plate to ensure normal growth. Pediatric ankle fractures frequently lead to premature physeal arrest, angular deformities, malunion, and posttraumatic arthritis even after anatomic reduction. Treating surgeons should follow-up children for a sufficient time and explain to the caregiver the possible complications before treatment.

Pediatric ankle fractures are defined as damage to the metaphysis, epiphyseal plate, and epiphysis of the distal tibia and fibula. Although the injury mechanism could be similar, the fracture patterns and treatment of pediatric ankle fractures are different from those of adults. In children, growth plate injuries are more common with a force that would cause sprains in adults because the ligaments are stronger than the growth plate cartilage in children. In the adolescent period, unique fractures, called “transitional fractures”, occur while the physis is closed. For a diagnosis, plain images of the anteroposterior, lateral, and mortise views are essential. Stress radiographs, ultrasound, and magnetic resonance imaging can be used for suspected ligament injuries. The treatment goal is to restore the articular congruity, normal bony alignment, and preserve the epiphyseal plate to ensure normal growth. Pediatric ankle fractures frequently lead to premature physeal arrest, angular deformities, malunion, and posttraumatic arthritis even after anatomic reduction. Treating surgeons should follow-up children for a sufficient time and explain to the caregiver the possible complications before treatment.