The effect of femoral nailing on cerebral perfusion pressure in head-injured patients

Early vs Late Fixation of Extremity Fractures Among Adults With Traumatic Brain Injury

Importance

The optimal timing for fixation of extremity fractures after traumatic brain injury (TBI) remains controversial.

Objective

To investigate whether patients who underwent extremity fixation within 24 hours of TBI experienced worse outcomes than those who had the procedure 24 hours or more after TBI.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This cohort study used data from the Collaborative European NeuroTrauma Effectiveness Research in Traumatic Brain Injury (CENTER-TBI) study. Patients 16 years or older with TBI who underwent internal extremity fixation met inclusion criteria. To compare outcomes, patients who underwent the procedure within 24 hours were propensity score matched with those who underwent it 24 hours or later. Patients were treated from December 9, 2014, to December 17, 2017. Data analysis was conducted between August 1, 2022, and December 25, 2023.

Main Outcomes and Measures

The primary outcome was an unfavorable functional status at 6 months (Glasgow Outcome Scale-Extended [GOSE] score ≤4).

Results

A total of 253 patients were included in this study. The median age was 41 (IQR, 27-57) years, and 184 patients (72.7%) were male. The median Injury Severity Score (ISS) was 41 (IQR, 27-49). Approximately half of the patients (122 [48.2%]) had a mild TBI while 120 (47.4%) had moderate to severe TBI. Seventy-four patients (29.2%) underwent an internal extremity fixation within 24 hours, while 179 (70.8%) had the procedure 24 hours or later. At 6 months, 86 patients (34.0%) had an unfavorable functional outcome. After propensity score matching, there were no statistically significant differences in unfavorable functional outcomes at 6 months (odds ratio [OR], 1.12 [95% CI, 0.51-1.99]; P = .77) in patients with TBI of any severity. Similar results were observed in patients with mild TBI (OR, 0.71 [95% CI, 0.22-2.29]; P = .56) and moderate to severe TBI (OR, 1.08 [95% CI, 0.32-3.70]; P = .90).

Conclusions and Relevance

The outcomes of extremity fracture fixation performed within 24 hours after TBI appear not to be worse than those of procedures performed 24 hours or later. This finding suggests that early fixation after TBI could be considered in patients with mild head injuries.

Is delayed fixation worthwhile in patients with long bone fracture concomitant with mild traumatic brain injury? A propensity score-matched study

INTRODUCTION

Early definite treatment for orthopedic patients is strongly advocated. However, a consensus has not been reached on the optimal timing of long bone fracture fixation for patients with associated mild traumatic brain injury (TBI). Surgeons lack evidence on the basis on which they should decide on the operation timing.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed the data of patients with mild TBI and lower extremity long bone fractures from 2010 to 2020. The patients receiving internal fixation within and after 24 h were defined as the early- and delayed-fixation groups. We compared the discharge Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) scores, lengths of stay, and in-hospital complications. Propensity score matching (PSM) with multiple adjusted variables and a 1:1 matching ratio was applied to reduce selection bias.

RESULTS

In total, 181 patients were enrolled; 78 (43.1%) and 103 (56.9%) patients received early and delayed fracture fixation, respectively. After matching, each group had 61 participants and were statistically identical. The delayed group did not have better discharge GCS scores (early vs. delayed: 15.0 ± 0 vs. 15.0 ± 0.1; p = 0.158). The groups did not differ in their lengths of hospital stay (15.3 ± 10.6 vs. 14.8 ± 7.9; p = 0.789), intensive care unit stay (2.7 ± 4.3 vs. 2.7 ± 3.8; p = 0.947), or incidence of complications (23.0% vs. 16.4%; p = 0.494).

CONCLUSIONS

Delayed fixation for patients with lower extremity long bone fractures concurrent with mild TBI does not result in fewer complications or improved neurologic outcomes compared with early fixation. Delaying fixation may not be necessary to prevent the second hit phenomenon and has not demonstrated any clear benefits.

Factors influencing management of bilateral femur fractures: A multicenter retrospective cohort of early versus delayed definitive Fixation

INTRODUCTION

The purpose of our study was to evaluate the factors that influence the timing of definitive fixation in the management of bilateral femoral shaft fractures and the outcomes for patients with these injuries.

METHODS

Patients with bilateral femur fractures treated between 1998 to 2019 at ten level-1 trauma centers were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were grouped into early or delayed fixation, which was defined as definitive fixation of both femurs within or greater than 24 hours from injury, respectively. Statistical analysis included reversed logistic odds regression to predict which variable(s) was most likely to determine timing to definitive fixation. The outcomes included age, sex, high-volume institution, ISS, GCS, admission lactate, and admission base deficit.

RESULTS

Three hundred twenty-eight patients were included; 164 patients were included in the early fixation group and 164 patients in the delayed fixation group. Patients managed with delayed fixation had a higher Injury Severity Score (26.8 vs 22.4; p<0.01), higher admission lactate (4.4 and 3.0; p<0.01), and a lower Glasgow Coma Scale (10.7 vs 13; p<0.01). High-volume institution was the most reliable influencer for time to definitive fixation, successfully determining 78.6% of patients, followed by admission lactate, 64.4%. When all variables were evaluated in conjunction, high-volume institution remained the strongest contributor (X² statistic: institution: 45.6, ISS: 8.83, lactate: 6.77, GCS: 0.94).

CONCLUSION

In this study, high-volume institution was the strongest predictor of timing to definitive fixation in patients with bilateral femur fractures. This study demonstrates an opportunity to create a standardized care pathway for patients with these injuries.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level III.

Early versus late intramedullary nailing for traumatic femur fracture management: meta-analysis

INTRODUCTION

There is no consensus yet on the impact of timing of femur fracture (FF) internal fixation on the patient outcomes. This meta-analysis was conducted to evaluate the contemporary data in patients with traumatic FF undergoing intramedullary nail fixation (IMN).

METHODS

English language literature was searched with publication limits set from 1994 to 2016 using PubMed, Scopus, MEDLINE (OVID), EMBASE (OVID), Web of Science, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL). Studies included randomized controlled trials (RCTs), prospective observational or retrospective cohort studies, and case-control studies comparing early versus late femoral shaft fractures IMN fixation. Variable times were used across studies to distinguish between early and late IMN, but 24 h was the most frequently used cutoff. The quality assessment of the reviewed studies was performed with two instruments. Observational studies were assessed with the Newcastle-Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale. RCTs were assessed with the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool.

RESULTS

We have searched 1151 references. Screening of titles and abstracts eliminated 1098 references. We retrieved 53 articles for full-text screening, 15 of which met study eligibility criteria.

CONCLUSIONS

This meta-analysis addresses the utility of IMN in patients with FF based on the current evidence; however, the modality and timing to intervene remain controversial. While we find large pooled effects in favor of early IMN, for reasons discussed, we have little confidence in the effect estimate. Moreover, the available data do not fill all the gaps in this regard; therefore, a tailored algorithm for management of FF would be of value especially in polytrauma patients.

Timing of femoral shaft fracture fixation following major trauma: A retrospective cohort study of United States trauma centers

BACKGROUND

Femoral shaft fractures are common in major trauma. Early definitive fixation, within 24 hours, is feasible in most patients and is associated with improved outcomes. Nonetheless, variability might exist between trauma centers in timeliness of fixation. Such variability could impact outcomes and would therefore represent a target for quality improvement. We evaluated variability in delayed fixation (≥24 hours) between trauma centers participating in the American College of Surgeons (ACS) Trauma Quality Improvement Program (TQIP) and measured the resultant association with important clinical outcomes at the hospital level.

METHODS AND FINDINGS

A retrospective cohort study was performed using data derived from the ACS TQIP database. Adults with severe injury who underwent definitive fixation of a femoral shaft fracture at a level I or II trauma center participating in ACS TQIP (2012-2015) were included. Patient baseline and injury characteristics that might affect timing of fixation were considered. A hierarchical logistic regression model was used to identify predictors of delayed fixation. Hospital variability in delayed fixation was measured using 2 approaches. First, the random effects output of the hierarchical model was used to identify outlier hospitals where the odds of delayed fixation were significantly higher or lower than average. Second, the median odds ratio (MOR) was calculated to quantify heterogeneity in delayed fixation between hospitals. Finally, complications (pulmonary embolism, deep vein thrombosis, acute respiratory distress syndrome, pneumonia, decubitus ulcer, and death) and hospital length of stay were compared across quartiles of risk-adjusted delayed fixation. We identified 17,993 patients who underwent definitive fixation at 216 trauma centers. The median injury severity score (ISS) was 13 (interquartile range [IQR] 9-22). Median time to fixation was 15 hours (IQR 7-24 hours) and delayed fixation was performed in 26% of patients. After adjusting for patient characteristics, 57 hospitals (26%) were identified as outliers, reflecting significant practice variation unexplained by patient case mix. The MOR was 1.84, reflecting heterogeneity in delayed fixation across centers. Compared to hospitals in the lowest quartile of delayed fixation, patients treated at hospitals in the highest quartile of delayed fixation suffered 2-fold higher rates of pulmonary embolism (2.6% versus 1.3%; rate ratio [RR] 2.0; 95% CI 1.2-3.2; P = 0.005) and required greater length of stay (7 versus 6 days; RR 1.15; 95% CI 1.1-1.19; P < 0.001). There was no significant difference with respect to mortality (1.3% versus 0.8%; RR 1.6; 95% CI 1.0-2.8; P = 0.066). The main limitations of this study include the inability to classify fractures by severity, challenges related to the heterogeneity of the study population, and the potential for residual confounding due to unmeasured factors.

CONCLUSIONS

In this large cohort study of 216 trauma centers, significant practice variability was observed in delayed fixation of femoral shaft fractures, which could not be explained by differences in patient case mix. Patients treated at centers where delayed fixation was most common were at significantly greater risk of pulmonary embolism and required longer hospital stay. Trauma centers should strive to minimize delays in fixation, and quality improvement initiatives should emphasize this recommendation in best practice guidelines.

In-hospital mortality from femoral shaft fracture depends on the initial delay to fracture fixation and Injury Severity Score: a retrospective cohort study from the NTDB 2002-2006

BACKGROUND

Optimal surgical timing for definitive treatment of femur fractures in severely injured patients remains controversial. This study was performed to examine in-hospital mortality for patients with femur fractures with regard to surgical timing, Injury Severity Score (ISS), and age.

METHODS

The National Trauma Data Bank version 7.0 was used to evaluate in-hospital mortality for patients presenting with unilateral femur fractures. Patients were stratified into four groups by surgical timing (ST) and four groups by ISS. χ tests were used to evaluate baseline interrelationships. Binary regression was used to examine the association between time to surgery, ISS score, age, and mortality after adjusting for patient medical comorbidities, and personal demographics.

RESULTS

A total of 7,540 patients met inclusion criteria, with a 1.4% overall in-hospital mortality rate. For patients with an isolated femur fracture, surgical delay beyond 48 hours was associated with nearly five times greater mortality risk compared with surgery within 12 hours (adjusted relative risk, 4.8; 95% confidence interval, 1.6-14.1). Only severely injured patients (ISS, 26+) had higher associated mortality with no delay in surgical fixation (ST1 < 12 hours) relative to ST2 of 13 hours to 24 hours with an adjusted relative risk of 4.2 (95% confidence interval, 1.0-16.7). The association between higher mortality rates and surgical delay beyond 48 hours was even stronger in the elderly patients.

CONCLUSION

This study supports the work of previous authors who reported that early definitive fixation of femur fractures is not only beneficial, particularly in the elderly, but also consistent with more recent studies recommending at least 12-hour to 24-hour delay in fixation in severely injured patients to promote better resuscitation.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Therapeutic study, level III.

Surgical strategies in polytraumatized patients with femoral shaft fractures - comparing a German and an Australian level I trauma centre

BACKGROUND

Femoral shaft fractures are one of the most common injuries in multiple trauma patients. Due to their prognostic relevance, there is an ongoing controversial discussion as to the optimal treatment strategy in terms of Damage Control Orthopaedics (DCO) and Early Total Care (ETC). We aimed to describe the differences in fracture management and clinical outcome of multiple trauma patients with concomitant femoral shaft fractures treated at a German and an Australian level I trauma centre using the same inclusion criteria.

METHODS

Polytraumatized patients (ISS ≥ 16) with a femoral shaft fracture aged ≥ 16 years treated at a German and an Australian trauma centre between 2003 and 2007 were included. According to ETC and DCO management principles, we evaluated demographic parameters as well as posttraumatic complications and clinical outcome.

RESULTS

Seventy-three patients were treated at the German and 134 patients at the Australian trauma centre. DCO was performed in case of increased injury severity in both hospitals. Prolonged mechanical ventilation time, and length of ICU and hospital stay were demonstrated in DCO treatment regardless of the trauma centre. No differences concerning posttraumatic complications and survival were found between both centres. Survival of patients after DCO was similar to those managed using ETC despite a greater severity of injury and lower probability of survival. There was no difference in the incidence of ARDS. DCO was, however, associated with a greatly increased length of time on mechanical ventilation and length of stay in the ICU.

CONCLUSION

We found no differences concerning patient demographics or clinical outcomes in terms of incidence of ARDS, MODS, or mortality. As such, we propose that comparability between German and Australian trauma populations is justified. Despite a higher ISS in the DCO group, there were no differences in posttraumatic complications and survival depending on ETC or DCO treatment. Further research is required to confirm whether this is the case with other countries, too.

Femur shaft fracture fixation in head-injured patients: when is the right time?

The ideal timing and modality of femur shaft fracture fixation in head-injured patients remains a topic of debate. Several groups advocate the immediate definitive fixation of femur fractures ("early total care"), whereas others support the concept of "damage control orthopaedics" with temporary fracture fixation by means of external fixation and staged, planned conversion to internal fixation. The present review was designed to address this unresolved controversy by outlining the underlying immunopathophysiology of traumatic brain injury and providing clinical recommendations on the timing of femur shaft fracture fixation in patients with severe head injuries.

Safety and efficacy of damage control external fixation versus early definitive stabilization for femoral shaft fractures in the multiple-injured patient

BACKGROUND

Optimal timing and treatment of patients with concomitant head, thoracic, or abdominal injury and femoral shaft fracture remain controversial. This study examines acute patient outcomes associated with early total care with intramedullary nailing (ETC group) versus damage control external fixation (DCO group) for multiple-injured patients with femoral shaft fractures. We propose DCO as a safe initial treatment for the multiple-injured patient with femur shaft fractures.

METHODS

This study was a retrospective review of the trauma registry and multisystem organ failure registry data at a Level I trauma center. Two cohorts were identified to compare multiple-injured patients with femoral shaft fractures treated with early total care and damage control orthopaedic surgery. Primary outcome measures included mortality, pulmonary complications (adult respiratory distress syndrome [ARDS] score), transfusion requirements, and multiple organ failure (MOF score). Operative time, estimated blood loss, intensive care unit length of stay (LOS), and hospital length of stay (LOS) were also compared.

RESULTS

During the study period, 462 patients with 481 femoral shaft fractures were identified. Of 462 patients with femoral shaft fractures, 97 met the inclusion criteria (42 ETC and 55 DCO). The DCO group had a significantly shorter operative time (22 minutes vs. 125 minutes) and less estimated blood loss from their operative procedure (37 mL vs. 330 mL). There was no significant difference between the groups for ARDS, lung scores, MOF, MOF score, intensive care unit LOS, or hospital LOS.

CONCLUSION

Fracture fixation method did not have an impact on the incidence of systemic complications in multiple-injured patients with femoral shaft fractures. Although minimal differences were noted between DCO and ETC groups regarding systemic complications, DCO is a safer initial approach, significantly decreasing the initial operative exposure and blood loss.

Effects of the neurological wake-up test on intracranial pressure and cerebral perfusion pressure in brain-injured patients

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the effects of the neurological "wake-up test" (NWT), defined as interruption of continuous propofol sedation and evaluation of the patient's level of consciousness, on intracranial pressure (ICP) and cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP) in patients with severe subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) or traumatic brain injury (TBI).

METHODS

A total of 127 NWT procedures in 21 severely brain-injured adult patients with either TBI (n = 12) or SAH (n = 9) were evaluated. ICP and CPP levels prior to, during and after the NWT procedure were recorded.

RESULTS

During the NWT, ICP increased from 13.4 +/- 6 mmHg at baseline to 22.7 +/- 12 (P < 0.05) and the CPP increased from 75.6 +/- 11 to 79.1 +/- 21 mmHg (P < 0.05) in TBI patients. Eight patients showed a reduced CPP during the NWT due to increased ICP. In SAH patients, ICP increased from 10.6 +/- 5 to 16.8 +/- 8 mmHg (P < 0.05) and the CPP increased from 76.9 +/- 13 to 84.6 +/- 15 mmHg (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

When continuous propofol sedation was interrupted and NWT was performed in severely brain-injured patients, the mean ICP and CPP levels were modestly increased. A subset of patients showed more pronounced changes. To date, the role of the NWT in the neurointensive care of TBI and SAH patients is unclear. Although the NWT is safe in the majority of patients and may provide useful clinical information about the patient's level of consciousness, alternate monitoring methods are suggested in patients showing marked ICP and/or CPP changes during NWT.

Timing of Surgery After Multisystem Injury With Traumatic Brain Injury: Effect on Neuropsychological and Functional Outcome

OBJECTIVE

The optimal timing for noncranial surgery after multisystem injury is not known. Early surgery may lead to decreased pulmonary complications and length of stay, but also predispose to secondary brain injury if decreased cerebral perfusion occurs intraoperatively. Previous work has not consistently evaluated neuropsychological or functional outcome. We sought to determine whether 6-month neuropsychological and functional outcome was associated with timing of noncranial surgery after traumatic brain injury.

MATERIALS

We performed a cohort study to evaluate the effect of timing of non-neurosurgical operative interventions on neuropsychological and functional outcome, morbidity, and mortality. Early surgery was defined as <or=24 hours after injury, and late surgery, >24 hours after injury but during the same admission. Patients with a nonoperative brain injury and an operative facial or orthopedic fracture were selected from two randomized trials previously performed at our Level I trauma center. Data were abstracted from medical records and outcome had been prospectively gathered as part of the two clinical trials.

RESULTS

Patients undergoing early or late surgery had similar demographics, overall injury severity, traumatic brain injury severity, and admission characteristics. The early group had more open orthopedic fractures, but also underwent multiple operations more often than did the late group. At 6 months postinjury, patients in the early group had a better composite neuropsychological score than did those in the late group on unadjusted analysis and after including a propensity score. After adjusting for potential confounders, this difference was significant. No significant differences in return to work or Glasgow Outcome Score were noted. The late group had a higher incidence of pneumonia and a longer hospital stay (p<0.10).

CONCLUSIONS

In traumatic brain injury patients with multisystem trauma, early timing of orthopedic and facial fracture fixation under general anesthesia was not associated with worse neuropsychological or functional outcome when compared with the outcomes associated with late surgery. Clinical conclusions may be limited by inherent selection bias and unmeasured confounding. However, these results contribute to equipoise regarding timing of surgery after multiple injuries, and emphasize the need for a randomized trial.

[Traumatic brain injury: impact on timing and modality of fracture care]

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) represents the major "killing factor" after trauma in young individuals. Those patients who survive the initial injury are highly susceptible to secondary insults to the injured brain which are mainly caused by hypotension and/or hypoxia in the early resuscitative period. Furthermore, a potent inflammatory cascade is initiated within the injured brain which leads to the development of brain edema and delayed neuronal cell death. This profound endogenous neuroinflammatory response after TBI, which is phylogenetically aimed at repairing lesioned tissue and defending the brain from invading pathogens, is in large part responsible for the extent of secondary brain damage and adverse outcome. Thus, the optimal management of the multiply injured patient, based on a thorough understanding of the pathophysiological alterations after TBI, should avoid an iatrogenic "second hit" which may be devastating to the injured brain. The standard approach of "early total care" for isolated fractures should be strictly avoided in brain-injured patients in favor of an "orthopedic damage control" concept with temporary external fixation of long bone fractures and priority given to early transfer to intensive care. The present review provides an up-to-date overview on the neuroinflammatory pathophysiology of brain injury and its implications for an optimized concept of fracture care in TBI patients.

Traumatic brain injury and stabilisation of long bone fractures: an update

In the era of "damage control orthopaedics", the timing and type of stabilisation of long bone fractures in patients with associated severe traumatic brain injury has been a topic of lively debate. This review summarises the current evidence available regarding the management of these patients. There appear to be no clear treatment guidelines. Irrespective of the treatment protocol followed, if secondary brain damage is to be avoided at all times, ICP monitoring should be used, both in the intensive care unit and in the operating theatre during surgical procedures, since aggressive ICP management appears to be related to improved outcomes. Treatment protocols should be based on the individual clinical assessment, rather than mandatory time policies for fixation of long bone fractures.