A new adjustable parallel drill guide for internal fixation of femoral neck fracture: a developmental and experimental study

A Novel Navigation Device for Precise Percutaneous Placement of the Guidewire in Femoral Neck Fracture Cannulated Screw Fixation Surgery

The accuracy of screw placement is a key factor for the stability of the cannulated screws used in the fixation of femoral neck fractures. In this study we designed a navigation device for ensuring the screw reaches the ideal position for optimal fixation. From March 2019 to September 2020, 66 patients with femoral neck fracture were enrolled and divided into 2 groups, one group was treated using the traditional free-hand cannulated screw fixation and the other using the new navigation device with assisted fixation. The effectiveness of the 2 methods was compared based on surgery duration, intraoperative bleeding, number of fluoroscopic examination and guidewire insertion attempts, screw parallelism, and effective fixation area. Fracture healing, complications and hip joint function were assessed after operation. The new navigation device reduced the duration of surgery without causing additional intraoperative bleeding, and significantly reduced number of fluoroscopy examination and guidewire insertion attempts (4.00±1.58 vs. 6.09±1.94 with traditional surgery). The accuracy of screw implantation was improved, as demonstrated by increased screw parallelism (0.71±0.57° vs. 1.66 ±1.01° with traditional surgery) and higher effective fixed area (64.88±10.52 vs. 58.61±9.19 mm2 with traditional surgery). In the postoperative follow-up, except for one case of femoral head necrosis and one case of bone nonunion in the traditional surgical group, the other patients showed fracture healing. There was no significant difference in hip joint function between the 2 groups. The new navigation device enables rapid and accurate guidewire positioning for cannulated screw fixation through simple operation procedures, resulting in good prospect for clinical transformation.

Application of Robot Positioning for Cannulated Screw Internal Fixation in the Treatment of Femoral Neck Fracture: Retrospective Study

Background

Femoral neck fracture is a common type of hip fracture. Conventional surgical treatment aims at fixing the fracture site with screws and then gradually promoting bone healing. A robot-assisted orthopedic surgery system is computer technology applied to surgical treatment.

Objective

This study aimed to explore the therapeutic effect and prognostic value of percutaneous cannulated screw internal fixation using robot-assisted positioning in patients with femoral neck fractures.

Methods

From July 2018 to September 2019, 42 cases of femoral neck fracture admitted to the Second Affiliated Hospital of Luohe Medical College were randomly and averagely divided into control and study groups. The patients in the control group were treated with conventional percutaneous cannulated screw internal fixation, while the patients in the study group were treated with robot-assisted percutaneous cannulated screw fixation during surgical treatment. We compared the treatment conditions and results of the operation between the 2 groups. The Harris score was used to evaluate the treatment efficacy. The state of fracture healing was followed up and compared between the 2 groups.

Results

The duration of the operation was shorter, there was less fluoroscopy use, and there were fewer drilled holes in the study group than in the control group (all, P<.001). There was no statistical difference in the amount of intraoperative bleeding between the 2 groups (P=.33). The Harris score (P=.045) and number of excellent and good ratings (P=.01) were significantly higher in the study group than in the control group. The difference in the fracture healing rate between the 2 groups was not statistically significant (P=.23). The fracture healing duration of the study group was shorter than that of the control group (P=.001).

Conclusions

The use of robotic positioning aids in the treatment of femoral neck fractures with percutaneous cannulated screw fixation can effectively improve the efficiency of surgery, shorten the duration of surgery, and reduce the radiation damage to patients. Meanwhile, it improves postoperative treatment and recovery rates of the patients and shortens the fracture healing time.

Introduction of a guide based on a femoral neck section for fixation with multiple screws: a cadaveric study

BACKGROUND

The design and application of assisted instrumentation for internal fixation of femoral neck fractures with multiple screws are still evolving. A novel guide based on a femoral neck section was designed to improve the accuracy of screw placement, and its efficacy was evaluated.

METHODS

A guide based on a femoral neck section was designed for assisted fixation of femoral neck fractures with multiple screws. Femoral specimens from 10 adults (20 femurs) underwent assisted internal fixation for a femoral neck fracture with 3 cannulated screws using the new guide technique or conventional technique. The accuracy of screw orientation and entry point, the accuracy of optimal screw positioning, and drilling attempts, operative time, and fluoroscopy time were recorded.

RESULTS

Among all 20 specimens, 60 screws were inserted successfully. Screw parallelism, operative time, and fluoroscopy time showed no statistical difference between the new guide technique and conventional technique (P > 0.05). The accuracy of optimal screw positioning was determined by the contained screw area ratio, distance between screws, distance from the centre of the femoral neck section, distance between screws and the femoral neck cortex, and Drilling attempts were statistical significantly better (data in the first three were larger and in the latter two was smaller) with the new guide technique, than with conventional technique (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

This new, two-dimensional, fluoroscopy-assisted, percutaneous guide technique enables accurate and optimal screw positioning in internal fixation of femoral neck fractures, compared with conventional technique.