20-year trends of distal femoral, patellar, and proximal tibial fractures: a Danish nationwide cohort study of 60,823 patients

Primary Total Knee Arthroplasty for Fractures Around the Knee

Primary arthroplasty for fractures of the femoral neck is a very common procedure and even the gold standard for the geriatric patient. In contrast, primary arthroplasty for perigenicular fractures is a rare event. On the other hand, it can be a therapeutic option, especially for geriatric patients with prior osteoarthritis or complex fractures and severe osteoporosis.The operative procedure can be complex and requires experience in primary and revision arthroplasty as well as suitable implants and good preoperative planning.There are case series reporting primary arthroplasty in a total of approximately 200 cases of both distal femoral and proximal tibial fractures. Complication rates are between 0 and 90% and mostly concern wound healing problems and infections. From a functional point of view, predominantly good results and a range of motion of 100° can be achieved.Primary arthroplasty can be a therapeutic option for selected cases of perigenicular fractures and gives good functional results. The most frequent complications are wound healing problems and infections.

Biomechanical comparison of intramedullary nail and plate osteosynthesis for extra-articular proximal tibial fractures with segmental bone defect

Purpose: Proximal tibial fractures are common, but the current available internal fixation strategies remain debatable, especially for comminuted fractures. This study aimed to compare the biomechanical stability of three internal fixation strategies for extra-articular comminuted proximal tibial fractures. Methods: A total of 90 synthetic tibiae models of simulated proximal tibial fractures with segmental bone defects were randomly divided into three groups: Single lateral plating (LP), double plating (DP) and intramedullary nailing (IN). Based on the different number of fixed screws, the above three groups were further divided into nine subgroups and subjected to axial compression, cyclic loading and static torsional testing. Results: The subgroup of intramedullary nailing with five proximal interlocking screws showed the highest axial stiffness of 384.36 ± 35.00 N/mm. The LP group obtained the lowest axial stiffness performance with a value of 96.59 ± 16.14 N/mm. As expected, the DP group offered significantly greater biomechanical stability than the LP group, with mean static axial stiffness and mean torque increasing by approximately 200% and 50%, respectively. According to static torsional experiments, the maximum torque of the DP subgroup was 3,308.32 ± 286.21 N mm, which outperformed all other groups in terms of torsional characteristics. Conclusion: Utilizing more than four distal screws did not provide improved biomechanical stability in the LP or DP groups, while a substantial increase in the biomechanical stability of DP was obtained when an additional medial plate was used. For the intramedullary nailing group, increasing the number of proximal interlocking screws could significantly improve biomechanical stability, and the intramedullary nailing with three proximal interlocking screws had similar static and cyclic stiffness as the DP group. The intramedullary nailing with five proximal screws had better axial stability, whereas DP had better torsional stability.

A review of Risk Factors for Post-traumatic hip and knee osteoarthritis following musculoskeletal injuries other than anterior cruciate ligament rupture

Post-traumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA) is a common form of osteoarthritis that might occur after any joint trauma. Most PTOA publications mainly focus on anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries. However, many other traumatic injuries are associated with PTOA, not only for the knee but also for the hip joint. We aim to identify and summarize the existing literature on the musculoskeletal injuries associated with knee and hip PTOA and their risk factors in determining those with a worse prognosis, excluding ACL injuries. Despite the narrative nature of this review, a systematic search for published studies in the last twenty years regarding the most relevant injuries associated with a higher risk of PTOA and associated risk factors for OA was conducted. This review identified the six more relevant injuries associated with knee or hip PTOA. We describe the incidence, risk factors for the injury and risk factors for PTOA of each. Meniscal injury, proximal tibial fracture, patellar dislocation, acetabular, femoral fractures and hip dislocations are all discussed in this review.

The incidence of musculoskeletal injuries: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Aims

The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to gather epidemiological information on selected musculoskeletal injuries and to provide pooled injury-specific incidence rates.

Methods

PubMed (National Library of Medicine) and Scopus (Elsevier) databases were searched. Articles were eligible for inclusion if they reported incidence rate (or count with population at risk), contained data on adult population, and were written in English language. The number of cases and population at risk were collected, and the pooled incidence rates (per 100,000 person-years) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated by using either a fixed or random effects model.

Results

The screening of titles yielded 206 articles eligible for inclusion in the study. Of these, 173 (84%) articles provided sufficient information to be included in the pooled incidence rates. Incidences of fractures were investigated in 154 studies, and the most common fractures in the whole adult population based on the pooled incidence rates were distal radius fractures (212.0, 95% CI 178.1 to 252.4 per 100,000 person-years), finger fractures (117.1, 95% CI 105.3 to 130.2 per 100,000 person-years), and hip fractures (112.9, 95% CI 82.2 to 154.9 per 100,000 person-years). The most common sprains and dislocations were ankle sprains (429.4, 95% CI 243.0 to 759.0 per 100,000 person-years) and first-time patellar dislocations (32.8, 95% CI 21.6 to 49.7 per 100,000 person-years). The most common injuries were anterior cruciate ligament (17.5, 95% CI 6.0 to 50.2 per 100,000 person-years) and Achilles (13.7, 95% CI 9.6 to 19.5 per 100,000 person-years) ruptures.

Conclusion

The presented pooled incidence estimates serve as important references in assessing the global economic and social burden of musculoskeletal injuries. Cite this article: Bone Joint Res 2022;11(11):814–825.

Changes in operative treatment of tibia fractures in Finland between 2000 and 2018: A nationwide study

INTRODUCTION

Incidences of different tibia fractures are not well reported. Possible changes in the operative treatment methods have also not been studied. The aim of this nationwide registry study is to determine the incidence of operatively treated tibia fractures and investigate the possible changes in treatment methods in Finland between 2000 and 2018.

METHODS

All patients aged 16 years or older with operatively treated tibia fractures in Finland from 2000 to 2018 were included. The incidence of operatively treated proximal, diaphyseal, and distal tibia fractures per 100,000 person years by age, sex, mechanism of injury, and study year was calculated. Data were extracted from the Finnish National Hospital Discharge Register.

RESULTS

A total of 5996 proximal, 6874 diaphyseal, and 5658 distal tibia fractures were reported during the 18-year study period, resulting in incidences of 7.2/100,000, 8.1/100,000, and 6.9/100,000 person years for operatively treated proximal, diaphyseal, and distal tibia fractures, respectively. Over the study period, a clear change in fixation method in distal tibia fractures was found as plating became popular in the beginning of the 21st century. During the last 5 years of the study period, nailing and plating were equally used.

CONCLUSIONS

Operatively treated proximal tibia fractures are most common among older females while diaphyseal fractures are most frequent in young male patients. Distal tibia fractures occur most often among middle-aged people.

Risk of peripheral artery occlusive disease in patients with lower leg fracture who received fixation and non-fixation treatments: A population cohort study

Background

The risk of peripheral artery occlusive disease (PAOD) in patients with lower leg fracture who underwent fixation procedures is not yet completely understood. Therefore, the current study aimed to examine the risk of subsequent PAOD in patients with lower leg fracture who received fixation and non-fixation treatments.

Methods

We included 6538 patients with lower leg fracture who received non-fixation treatment and a matched cohort comprising 26152 patients who received fixation treatment from the National Health Insurance Database. Patients were frequency matched according to age, sex, and index year. The incidence and risk of PAOD in patients with lower leg fracture who received fixation and non-fixation treatments were evaluated via the stratification of different characteristics and comorbidities.

Results

Non-fixation treatment, male sex, older age (≥ 50 years old), diabetes mellitus, and gout were associated with a significantly higher risk of lower extremity PAOD compare to each comparison group, respectively. Moreover, there was a significant correlation between fixation treatment and a lower risk of lower extremity PAOD in women (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] = 0.58, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.38–0.90), women aged > 50 years (aHR = 0.61, 95% CI = 0.38–0.96), and patients with coronary artery disease (aHR = 0.43, 95% CI = (0.23–0.81). Further, patients with fixation treatment had a significantly lower risk of lower extremity PAOD within 2 years after trauma (aHR = 0.57, 95% CI = 0.34–0.97). The Kaplan–Meier analysis showed that the cumulative incidence of PAOD was significantly higher in the non-fixation treatment group than in the fixation treatment group at the end of the 10-year follow-up period (log-rank test: P = 0.022).

Conclusion

Patients with lower leg fracture who received non-fixation treatment had a significantly higher risk of PAOD than those who received fixation treatment. Moreover, the risk of PAOD was higher in women aged > 50 years, as well as in coronary artery disease patients who received non-fixation treatment than in those who received fixation treatment. Therefore, regular assessment of vessel patency are recommended for these patients. Nevertheless, further studies must be conducted to validate the results of our study.

Suture tension band fixation vs. metallic tension band wiring for patella fractures - A biomechanical study on 19 human cadaveric patellae

PURPOSE

Traditional tension band fixation of patella fracture is associated with high reoperation rates. The purpose of the study was to assess strength of fixation in patella fractures treated with either a non-metallic all suture-based technique or traditional metallic tension band wiring.

METHODS

Ten paired human cadaveric specimens were included. A transverse fracture was created, reduced and fixated with a non-metallic or metallic approach. Non-metallic fixation was done according to a previously published technique, metallic fixation was done according to AO description. Specimens were fixed in 90° of flexion and underwent 200 cycles of loading by pulling the Quadriceps tendon to 300 Newton. Fracture displacement was optically monitored. Primary outcome was fracture displacement after 200 cycles compared to the first cycle. Subsequently, load-to-failure was assessed by a monotonic pull to 1000 N.

RESULTS

For cyclic loading analysis, one specimen from each group was excluded due to machine synchronization, resulting in a total population of 18 specimens. Median (min-max) fracture displacement was 0.65 mm (0.06-1.3) in the non-metallic group and 0.68 mm (0-1.23), (p=0.931) in the metallic group. No difference in displacement was found between the two groups in the repeated measures analysis of variance (p=0.5524). For load-to-failure analysis one specimen was excluded due to machine synchronization, resulting a total population of 19 specimens. 2/9 specimens failed in the non-metallic group (at 979 and 635 N) and 2/10 failed in the metallic group (745 and 654 N).

CONCLUSION

Non-metallic technique is a biomechanically viable alternative to traditional tension band fixation and it can hopefully lead to fewer implant-related complications.

Combined Medial Plate and Intramedullary Nailing for the Fixation of Extra-Articular Proximal Tibial Fractures: a Biomechanics Study

Purpose: The extra-articular proximal tibial fractures continue to have high malunion rates despite development in intramedullary nailing (IMN) technology. Combined plate and IMN fixation can increase mechanical stability. The purpose of this study was to investigate combined plate and IMN for the treatment of extra-articular proximal tibial fracture using a biomechanical model.

Methods: A 10-mm defective osteotomy was created in the fourth-generation composite tibia to simulate extra-articular proximal tibial fractures (AO/OTA 41A2). The fractures were stabilized with IMN alone (IMN group), IMN with supplementary medial plate (M-IMN group), and IMN with supplementary lateral plate (L-IMN group). The biomechanical properties of each specimen were tested under axial compression loading, bending stress, and cyclic loading. The maximum displacement of the fragments and implant-bone construct failure was recorded.

Results: The maximum displacement of the M-IMN group was significantly less than either the L-IMN or IMN group in both axial compression loading and bending stress (p < 0.05 for both comparisons). All specimens in the three groups survived in 10,000 cyclic loading without hardware deformation. The maximum stiffness of failure was similar between the M-IMN and L-IMN groups, but the IMN group was statistically lower than either the L-IMN or the IMN group (p < 0.05).

Conclusion: The results indicated that combined medial plate and IMN fixation could effectively increase the mechanical stability of proximal tibial fractures.

Epidemiology, classification and treatment of patella fractures: an observational study of 3194 fractures from the Swedish Fracture Register

Background

Basic epidemiological data on patella fractures derived from large nationwide and multicenter studies are scarce. This observational register study describes patient epidemiology, fracture classification and treatment of patella fractures in adults in a Swedish population.

Methods

We conducted an observational study on data derived from the Swedish Fracture Register (SFR) on all patella fractures classified as non-periprosthetic and non-pathological, registered between 2014 and 2018 in individuals aged ≥ 18years. Epidemiological data on sex, age, side, seasonal variation, trauma mechanism, fracture classification (according to AO/OTA), and treatment were analyzed.

Results

3194 patella fractures were analyzed, occurring at a median age of 67 (range 19–100) years. 64% of all patients were female. Most fractures were caused by low-energy trauma, with 70% due to falling from a standing height. 1796 (56%) of the fractures were transverse compared to 845 (26%) vertical fractures. Most fractures (N=2148, 67%) were treated non-operatively. Operative treatment consisted mainly of Tension Band Wiring (TBW) performed in 774 (24%) patients.

Conclusions

Patella fractures mainly occur in elderly women (> 65 years), commonly caused by low-energy trauma. The main treatment is non-operative (67%), except for transverse (AO/OTA C3) fractures. TBW remains the most used operative treatment of choice. These results may help health care providers, researchers and clinicians better understand the panorama of patella fractures in Sweden.

Immediate Full Weight-Bearing Versus Partial Weight-Bearing After Plate Fixation of Distal Femur Fractures in Elderly Patients. A Randomized Controlled Trial

Introduction

After surgery for distal femur fractures in elderly patients, weight-bearing is commonly restricted. Immediate non-restrictive weight-bearing might have beneficial effects. There are no randomized studies on the topic. The purpose of this study was to compare the functional outcome between immediate full weight-bearing (FWB) as tolerated and partial weight-bearing (PWB) during the first 8 weeks following plate fixation of distal femur fractures in elderly patients.

Methods

Patients aged 65 years or older with distal femur fractures of AO/OTA types 33 A2, A3, B1, B2, C1, and C2 were included. Exclusion criteria were impaired cognitive function, concomitant injuries, or inability to follow the postoperative regimen. Internal fixation was achieved with an anatomical lateral distal femur plate applied as a strictly bridge-plating construct. The primary outcome measure was the function index of the short musculoskeletal functional assessment (SMFA) after 52 weeks from injury.

Results

Thirty-two patients were randomized to FWB (n = 11) or PWB (n = 21). After 16 and 52 weeks, there were no differences in the mean SMFA function index between FWB and PWB (36 vs 43, P = .42 and 52 vs 40, P = .18, respectively) nor in the mean EuroQol 5-dimension index or range of motion (ROM). Overall, the SMFA function index was higher at 52 weeks compared with before injury (44 vs 30, P = .001) as was the mean bothersome index (37 vs 21, P = .011). There was no clear difference in the occurrence of adverse events between the treatment groups.

Conclusions

There were no differences in functional outcome, adverse events, or ROM between immediate FWB and PWB following plate fixation for a distal femur fracture in elderly patients. A distal femur fracture has a negative effect on the functional status of elderly patients that persists at least up to 1 year following injury.

Long-Term Incidence of Total Knee Arthroplasty after Open Reduction and Internal Fixation of Proximal Tibial and Distal Femoral Fractures: A Nationwide Cohort Study

Knee fractures often require open reduction internal fixation (ORIF) for knee function recovery. More than one fifth of patients with knee fractures subsequently develop posttraumatic arthritis, and over 5% of them need total knee arthroplasty (TKA). We conducted this nationwide retrospective cohort study using the data of 2,000,000 people in the general population who received TKA and were followed up in the 17-year period 2001-2017, through random sampling of the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database. We matched the ORIF and non-fracture groups by a propensity score, based on age, sex, index date of surgery, and comorbidities enrolled in CCI calculated at a 1:1 ratio. The average proportion of subjects receiving TKA after ORIF for distal femoral or proximal tibial fractures was 2.0 per 1000 person-years, which was significantly higher than that in the non-fracture group. Patients aged 20-65 years and males represented a significantly higher proportion of subjects receiving TKA after ORIF than that in the non-fracture group. The proportion of subjects receiving TKA for the 20-65-year subgroup of the ORIF group was 4%, and that for the male subgroup was 1.5%; both rates increased over the 17-year follow-up period. More aggressive intraoperative and postoperative adjuvant therapies may be necessary for these subgroups.

Comparison of intramedullary nailing fixation and percutaneous locked plating fixation for the treatment of proximal tibial fractures: A meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

This meta-analysis aimed to systematically compare the clinical outcomes of intramedullary nailing (IMN) fixation and percutaneous locked plating (PLP) fixation in the treatment of proximal tibial fractures.

METHODS

We searched PubMed, Embase, Cochrane library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), China Science and Technology Journal Database (VIP), and Wan Fang to select relevant articles up to March 29, 2020 without language limit. Continuous variables were estimated by weighted mean difference (WMD) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) and dichotomous outcomes were calculated by relative risk (RR) with 95% CI. Moreover, heterogeneity analysis was evaluated. Furthermore, publication bias assessment and sensitivity analysis were conducted. Stata 11.0 software was used to perform the statistical analysis.

RESULTS

Ten studies involving 667 cases (321 from IMN fixation group and 346 from PLP fixation group) were included. The type of fractures involved in the included articles was extra-articular proximal tibia fractures. IMN fixation method achieved significantly shorter union time (WMD = -2.88, 95% CI: -3.23 to -2.53, p < 0.001) and full weight-bearing time (WMD = -2.81, 95% CI: -3.64 to -1.97, p < 0.001) than PLP fixation method. Meanwhile, IMN fixation resulted in lower risks of infection (RR = 0.50, 95% CI: 0.27 to 0.91, p = 0.02) and total complications (RR = 0.36, 95% CI: 0.22 to 0.60, p < 0.001) than PLP fixation. No significant differences were found in the incidence of nonunion (p = 0.33), malunion (p = 0.38), and osteofascial compartment syndrome (OCS, p = 0.62) between the two groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Compared to PLP fixation, IMN fixation had several advantages in treating proximal tibial fractures, including the short time of union and full weight-bearing, as well as a low risk of infection and total complications.

Changing epidemiology of lower extremity fractures in adults over a 15-year period - a National Hospital Discharge Registry study

Background

Demographic changes led to an increasingly ageing population in Germany and thus to possible changes in the frequency of fractures. The primary aim of this study was to report changes in fracture rates of the lower extremities in Germany in 2002 compared to 2017 and to evaluate those changes.

Methods

Inpatient data from the German National Hospital Discharge Registry (ICD10) for 2002 and 2017 were evaluated. Changes in total counts and incidence rates were analysed for fractures in the following locations: femoral neck, pertrochanteric, subtrochanteric, distal femur, femoral shaft, proximal and distal tibia, tibial shaft, medial and lateral malleolus, and other parts of the lower leg (including bi- and trimalleolar fractures), calcaneus, talus, other tarsal bones, metatarsal bones, greater toe, lesser toe, other fractures of foot or unspecific fractures of foot and toe. Patients were classed into age groups by sex: 15–24, 25–34,35–44, 45–54, 55–64, 65–74, 75–84, 85–90 and >  90 years.

Results

The total count for lower extremity fractures in men and women increased slightly by 4.5% from 305,764 in 2002 to 319,422 in 2017. Hip and femur fractures increased by 23.5% from 150,565 in 2002 to 185,979 in 2017. The number of these fractures among men increased by 46% and among women by 15.3%. The total count of lower leg fractures decreased by 15.4% from 131,162 in 2002 to 110,924 in 2017. Especially, younger age groups showed a decline for all tibial segments and ankle fractures. For both sexes, the number of lower leg fractures in those 75 years or older increased in all lower leg fracture locations. Most femur and lower leg fractures occurred in women. The incidence of fractures rose sharply from 2002 to 2017, especially for older cohorts.

Conclusion

The total numbers of lower extremity fractures increased slightly in 2017 compared to 2002 – especially hip and femur fractures among men. The incidence of almost all lower extremity fracture types among older people increased during this time. Women were particularly affected. Therefore, focused prevention programmes should be considered including an extended fracture spectrum in the elderly.

Risk factors for refracture of the femoral shaft in children after removal of external fixation

Background

External fixation is the primary treatment option in children for femoral shaft fractures, such as open femoral or multiple fractures. One complication is refracture, which is the biggest limitation of fixation devices. This study aims to investigate the risk factors associated with refracture after the removal of external fixation devices and decrease the frequency of refracture.

Materials and methods

Retrospectively reviewed clinical data of 165 patients treated at our hospital for fresh femoral shaft fractures with external fixation between May 2009 and February 2018 were included in this study. Patients with pathological fractures, fractures of the femoral neck, fractures that were fixed using plates or elastic stable intramedullary nailing, and old fractures, as well as those who underwent postoperative femoral surgery were excluded. Potential risk factors included: patient age, gender, and weight, fracture sides, open or closed fracture, fracture sites, reduction methods, operation time, perioperative bleeding, number and diameter of the screws, and immobilization time. These factors were identified by univariate and logistic regression analyses.

Results

Femoral shaft refracture developed in 24 patients. Univariate analysis revealed that refracture was not statistically significantly associated with any of the above factors, except AO Pediatric Comprehensive Classification of Long Bone Fractures (PCCF) classification type 32-D/4.2 and L2/L3 ratio (L2, length of femur fixed by the two screws farthest from the fracture line; L3, the total length from the greater trochanter to the distal end of femur; P < 0.001 and P = 0.0141, respectively). Multivariate analysis showed that PCCF classification type 32-D/4.2 and L2/L3 ratio were also independent risk factors for femoral refracture.

Conclusions

Femoral shaft refracture is relatively common in children treated with external fixation. Because of the limited number of cases in this study, we cautiously concluded that the PCCF classification type 32-D/4.2 and L2/L3 ratio were independent risk factors for femoral shaft refracture in these patients.

Level of evidence

IV

Surveillance ultrasonography for conservative treatment of femoral shaft fractures in young children

BACKGROUND

The treatment for femoral shaft fracture (FSF) depends on the age of the patient. While the Pavlik harness is the first choice for patients under 6 months of age, spica casting is preferred for patients over 6 months and under preschool age. Minimally-invasive surgery using elastic stable intramedullary nails is also used in some cases. Skin traction is another treatment choice for some patients who are not candidates for the above methods. This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of surveillance ultrasonography (US) for the conservative treatment of FSFs in young children.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This retrospective study included 92 children who were diagnosed with FSF in our hospital from April 2017 to May 2019. After applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria, they were divided into US surveillance (A) and control (B) groups. All patients received conservative treatment by skin traction. For group A, US was used to assess the femur fractures and adjust its reduction on days 1, 3, 5, 7, 10, and 14 until the fracture stabilized. For group B, the fractures were checked by radiographs on days 1, 3, 5, 7, 10, and 14 until the callus appeared. The FSF angle was measured using anteroposterior and lateral radiographs.

RESULTS

All patients were followed up for 18 months. The radiographic evaluation of both groups at the final follow-up showed a significant difference in the FSF angle. The radiograph times and accumulated radiation also showed significant differences between the two groups. However, there was no significant difference in the incidence of complications.

CONCLUSIONS

For FSF closed reduction, surveillance US is a better option compared to radiographs in children treated by skin traction. This approach can significantly decrease exposure to X-ray radiation and improve the reduction.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

III.

Tibial plateau fractures in Belgium: epidemiology, financial burden and costs curbing strategies

PURPOSE

We describe the incidence of tibial plateau fractures and the evolution of its management and financial burden in Belgium, perform a similar audit at University Hospitals Leuven, and define strategies to curb the increasing cost.

METHODS

National data on tibial plateau fractures were collected from the NIHDI and compared to our performance. Several clinical parameters, such as age, sex, treatment modality and length-of-stay, were included. The total healthcare costs are considered as the sum of hospitalization costs and ambulatory care costs.

RESULTS

Between 2006 and 2018, a total number of 35,226 tibial plateau fractures were diagnosed in Belgium and 861 at our center. The incidence increased 41% over time (mean 25/100,000 persons per year). The mean rate of surgery in Belgium was 37% and slightly decreased over time, due to a larger increase of non-operatively treated tibial plateau fractures. The rate of surgery at the UHL was 49%. Surprisingly, the average cost per patient was equal for operatively and non-operatively treated patients in Belgium, and driven by the length-of stay.

CONCLUSION

Since length-of-stay is the main driver of the total healthcare costs of tibial plateau fractures, guidelines on appropriate length-of-stay can help to decrease variability and curb the total healthcare costs, particularly of the non-operatively treated patients. Our performance was in line with this.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level IV.