External fixation-minimal osteosynthesis: indications, role, and place in war surgery

Fracture union rates across a century of war: a systematic review of the literature

INTRODUCTION

Fractures have been a common denominator of the injury patterns observed over the past century of warfare. The fractures typified by the blast and ballistic injuries of war lead to high rates of bone loss, soft tissue injury and infection, greatly increasing the likelihood of non-union. Despite this, no reliable treatment strategy for non-union exists. This literature review aims to explore the rates of non-union across a century of conflict, in order to determine whether our ability to heal the fractures of war has improved.

METHODS

A systematic review of the literature was conducted, evaluating the rates of union in fractures sustained in a combat environment over a 100-year period. Only those fractures sustained through a ballistic or blast mechanism were included. The review was in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses. Quality and bias assessment was also undertaken.

RESULTS

Thirty studies met the inclusion criteria, with a total of 3232 fractures described across 15 different conflicts from the period 1919-2019. Male subjects made up 96% of cases, and tibial fractures predominated (39%). The lowest fracture union rate observed in a series was 50%. Linear regression analysis demonstrated that increasing years had no statistically significant impact on union rate.

CONCLUSIONS

Failure to improve fracture union rates is likely a result of numerous factors, including greater use of blast weaponry and better survivability of casualties. Finding novel strategies to promote fracture healing is a key defence research priority in order to improve the rates of fractures sustained in a combat environment.

External fixation for primary and definitive management of open long bone fractures: the Syrian war experience

AIMS

To report on the experience of one field hospital in using external fixation as a primary and definitive treatment for open long bone fractures during the Syrian war.

METHODS

A total of 955 patients with open long bone fractures (femur, tibia, humerus) who were operated and followed up at a field hospital in Aleppo, Syria, from 2011 to 2016, were retrospectively reviewed. Different types of uniplanar and some multiplanar external fixators were used solely as a primary and definitive tool until bone union was achieved. Union rate and infection rate were reported in association with age, gender, Gustilo/Anderson classification, type of fixator, and presence of neurovascular injuries.

RESULTS

Out of 955 patients, 404 (42.3%) continued to follow up until bone union or until removal of the external fixator. The average age was 27.5 ± 11 years, with 91.6% males and 8.2% females. The overall union rate was 68.3% (276/404), with 60.9% (95/156) in open femur, 70.3% (137/195) in open tibia, and 83% (44/53) in open humerus fractures. The overall infection rate was 16.7% (67/401), with 18.6% in open femur, 18.1% in open tibia, and 5.8% in open humerus fractures.

CONCLUSION

The use of external fixation for definitive treatment of open long bone shaft fractures caused by high energy trauma during times of wars or conflicts is reliable and should be used in early frontline intervention and in areas with limited access to resources.

Temporary and definitive external fixation of war injuries: use of a French dedicated fixator

PURPOSE

External fixation is the recommended stabilization method for both open and closed fractures of long bones in forward surgical hospitals. Specific combat surgical tactics are best performed using dedicated external fixators. The Percy Fx (Biomet) fixator was developed for this reason by the French Army Medical Service, and has been used in various theatres of operations for more than ten years.

METHODS

The tactics of Percy Fx (Biomet) fixator use were analysed in two different situations: for the treatment of French soldiers wounded on several battlefields and then evacuated to France and for the management of local nationals in forward medical treatment facilities in Afghanistan and Chad.

RESULTS

Overall 48 externals fixators were implanted on 37 French casualties; 28 frames were temporary and converted to definitive rigid frames or internal fixation after medical evacuation. The 77 Afghan patients totalled 85 external fixators, including 13 temporary frames applied in Forward Surgical Teams (FSTs) prior to their arrival at the Kabul combat support hospital. All of the 47 Chadian patients were treated in a FST with primary definitive frames because of delayed surgical management and absence of higher level of care in Chad.

CONCLUSION

Temporary frames were mostly used for French soldiers to facilitate strategic air medical evacuation following trauma damage control orthopaedic principles. Definitive rigid frames permitted achieving treatment of all types of war extremity injuries, even in poor conditions.

Internal fixation in a combat theater hospital

Limited data are available on the use of internal fixation in combat zone hospitals. The authors performed a retrospective review of 713 surgical cases during 2 Operation Enduring Freedom deployments to a Level III theater hospital in 2007 and 2009 to 2010. The epidemiology and short- to intermediate-term outcomes of patients treated with internal fixation devices were studied. The authors found that, with judicious use, internal fixation under a damage control protocol in a combat theater hospital can be performed with acceptable complication rates.

Amputation in emergency situations: indications, techniques and Médecins Sans Frontières France's experience in Haiti

PURPOSE

The decision to amputate is always difficult but becomes even harder in emergency situations, which usually present extra complicating factors.

MSF EXPERIENCE

These include human factors (related to both the surgeon and the patient); poor or nonexistent medical facilities, especially in war conditions or resource-poor countries; and cultural and religious considerations. Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has developed a quick medical and logistical response that relies on surgical protocols adapted to emergency situations, together with complete "kits" of medical equipment, supplies and inflatable facilities.

CONCLUSION

Our response to Haiti's 2010 earthquake relied on these tools but also highlighted the need to develop more detailed protocols that will help our teams on the ground.

Damage control orthopaedics in the context of battlefield injuries: the use of temporary external fixation on combat trauma soldiers

INTRODUCTION

The purpose of this study was to analyze the use of temporary external fixation within the perspective of a damage control orthopedics attitude in the management of battlefield extremity injuries.

HYPOTHESIS

Damage control orthopaedics (DCO) is a valuable treatment option for easy and rapid limb fracture stabilization in an unfavorable surgical environment.

METHODS

Sixteen French soldiers wounded on the battlefield between 2004 and 2009 and managed by damage control orthopedics were included in this retrospective series. All patients were males with a mean age of 30 years (20-53 years). Eighteen external fixators were applied on the theater of operations for multiple injuries (five cases), closed fractures of the pelvis or long bones (three cases) and open osteoarticular lesions (ten cases).

RESULTS

After medical evacuation from original theater, conversion to internal fixation was possible in five cases. External fixation was maintained in thirteen cases due to the severity of the lesions or infectious complications. Bone union was achieved in all cases. The mean time for bone union was 2.8 months (2 to 3 months) in case of conversion to internal fixation, and 6.3 months (1.5 to 17 months) when external fixation was extended. To achieve bone union, three devices were removed after a three or four month period and converted to rigid internal fixation associated with bone grafting. No case of septic complication was observed after early conversion. The only case of post-conversion infection occurred after three months of external fixation. After a mean follow-up of 19 months (6 to 49 months) all patients recovered functional autonomy and thirteen could return to duty.

CONCLUSION

When possible, early conversion from external to internal fixation improves bone union and functional recovery after war limb injuries in properly selected patients.

Influence of adjuvant hyperbaric oxygen therapy on short-term complications during surgical reconstruction of upper and lower extremity war injuries: retrospective cohort study

AIM

To determine the effects of hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy on short-term complications of complex war wounds to the upper and lower extremities in patients who were and those who were not treated according to North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) emergency war surgery recommendations.

METHOD

We retrospectively analyzed data of 388 male patients undergoing reconstructive surgery for Gustilo type III A, B, and C war wounds to the extremities at the Department of Reconstructive Surgery, Split University Hospital Center, between 1991 and 1995. The occurrence of main wound complications (deep infection, osteomyelitis, skin grafts lyses, and flap necrosis) during hospitalization and time from wounding to granulation formation were analyzed with respect to the use of HBO therapy as a risk factor. Odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) was calculated for the occurrence of wound complications with respect to HBO therapy and adjusted for NATO surgical strategy by logistic regression.

RESULTS

Of 388 patients, 310 (80%) were initially treated according to the NATO surgical strategy and 99 (25%) received HBO therapy. Deep soft-tissue infection developed in 196 (68%) patients who did not receive HBO therapy and in 35 (35%) who received it (P<0.001, xi(2) test). Osteomyelitis developed in 214 (74%) patients who did not receive HBO therapy and in 62 (63%) who received it (P=0.030). Skin graft lysis occurred in 151 (52%) patients who did not receive HBO therapy and in 23 (23%) who received it (P<0.001). Flap necrosis occurred in 147 (51%) patients who did not receive HBO therapy and in 15 (15%) who received it (P<0.001). Median time to granulation formation was 9 (5-57) days in patients who received HBO therapy, and 12 (1-12) days in those who did not (P<0.001, Mann-Whitney test). These results were consistent over the groups of patients stratified according to the wound severity and remained unaltered after the adjustment for NATO surgical strategy. The effect of HBO therapy was greater in non-NATO than in NATO treated patients in case of deep soft-tissue infection (OR, 10.7 vs OR, 3.8; P=0.031 for interaction).

CONCLUSION

HBO therapy reduced the frequency of wound complications in patients with Gustilo type III wounds and shortened the time to granulation formation. HBO therapy was more effective in non-NATO than in NATO treated patients for the prevention of deep soft-tissue infection but not flap necrosis.

Is staged external fixation a valuable strategy for war injuries to the limbs?

High-energy weapons or blast injuries usually result in substantial tissue damage and are serious medical and public health problems. We report our experience with staged external fixation for war injuries to the extremities. Forty-seven patients with 64 high-energy limb fractures caused by war weapons were retrospectively reviewed. The fractures were associated with severe soft tissue damage. There were 14 Gustilo-Anderson Type IIIA fractures, 40 Type IIIB fractures, and 10 Type IIIC fractures. Soft tissue débridement followed by axial realignment of the fractured bones with immediate skeletal stabilization using the AO/ASIF unilateral tubular external fixator was performed on the day of admission. The primary tubular fixators were exchanged 5 to 7 days later for Ilizarov frames. Delayed primary closure, skin grafts, or flaps were used for soft tissue coverage. The mean followup was 40 months, and the Ilizarov/hybrid external fixator was the definitive treatment in all patients. Bone union was achieved at an average of 8 months in 58 (90.6%) fractures. Three patients had nonunions and one patient required an amputation. Two patients were lost to followup. Staged external fixation is a valuable strategy for treatment of war injuries to the extremities.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Therapeutic study, Level IV. See the Guidelines for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Ballistic Fractures During The 2003 Gulf Conflict - Early Prognosis And High Complication Rate

BACKGROUND

Ballistic fractures are devastating injuries often necessitating extensive reconstructive surgery or amputation, particularly if associated with high-energy transfer wounds. Infective complications are common, particularly in the austere environment encountered in war. We present the management and early outcome of these injuries with reference to the mechanism of injury and bony injury.

METHOD

Data on ballistic fractures was collected prospectively during the 'war-fighting' phase of the 2003 Gulf Conflict, between 19th March and 20th May. Fractures were scored using the Red Cross Fracture classification and early outcome analysed.

RESULTS

Thirty-nine patients, with 50 ballistic fractures, were treated by British military surgeons. Patients were predominantly Iraqi (90%) and 50 per cent of ballistic fractures were caused by bullets. Seventeen upper limb fractures and 33 lower limb fractures were sustained. There were seven traumatic amputations, and a further 2 limbs were amputated primarily. Methods of primary stabilisation for the remaining 41 fractures were: external fixation (22%), POP (14.5%), K-wires (14.5%) traction (10%), and no stabilisation (39%). Seven individuals were evacuated early after primary surgery, hence 43 ballistic fractures were available for follow-up. 13/43 (30%) of wounds became infected, 5/43 (11.5%) were deep infections necessitating surgical drainage. There were 4 late amputations (9.5%), 3 of which had initially been managed by external fixation. Infection occurred significantly more often in gunshot fractures (10/21, 48%), wounds closed primarily against the principles of war surgery (415, 80%) and intra-articular fractures (3/3, 100%) (p=0.022, 0.024 and 0.023 respectively). Differing methods of stabilisation had no bearing on the rate of postoperative infection.

CONCLUSION

Ballistic fractures remain a challenge for trauma surgeons in times of war and still have a poor prognosis. Further work is required to determine the optimal treatment of these injuries during conflicts. In addition, there still seems to be a continued need to re-learn the principles of war surgery in order to minimise complications and optimise functional recovery.