Clinical and imaging features of a subchondral insufficiency fracture of the femoral head after internal fixation of a femoral neck fracture: a comparison with those of post-traumatic osteonecrosis of the femoral head

Effect of Combining Operating Room Nursing Based on Clinical Quantitative Assessment with WeChat Health Education on Postoperative Complications and Quality of Life of Femoral Fracture Patients Undergoing Internal Fixation

Objective

To explore the effect of combining operating room nursing based on clinical quantitative assessment with WeChat health education on postoperative complications and quality of life (QOL) of femoral fracture patients undergoing internal fixation.

Methods

Ninety femoral fracture patients treated in our hospital (July 2018 to July 2021) were chosen as the research objects and split into the control group (routine intervention) and the study group (combination of operating room nursing based on clinical quantitative assessment and WeChat health education) according to the nursing intervention modes, with 45 cases each. After nursing, the postoperative complications and QOL of patients were compared between the two groups.

Results

No statistical between-group differences in general data were observed (P > 0.05); the hospital stay, weight-bearing time, and fracture healing time were obviously shorter in the study group than in the control group (P < 0.05); 1 d after surgery, the VAS pain status was not significantly different between the two groups (P > 0.05), and 2 d and 3 d after surgery, the VAS scores were significantly lower in the study group than in the control group (P < 0.05); 1 d after surgery, the Harris scores of patients in the two groups were close and did not present statistical difference (P > 0.05), and 8 weeks after surgery, the Harris score was significantly higher in the study group than in the control group (P < 0.05); the scores on self-care agency such as self-concept, self-care skills, sense of self-care responsibility, and health knowledge level were significantly higher in the study group than in the control group (P < 0.05); compared with the control group, the probability of occurring incision infection, lung infection, pressure sore, swelling and pain, and other complications was significantly lower in the study group (P < 0.05).

Conclusion

Implementing operating room nursing based on clinical quantitative assessment combined with WeChat health education to femoral fracture patients undergoing internal fixation can effectively improve their postoperative clinical indicators, reduce their postoperative pain sensation and complication incidence, and effectively promote the joint motion range, which is conducive to enhancing their self-care agency and QOL.

Subchondral fracture of the femoral head in children: Differential diagnosis of pediatric hip pain

This report describes clinical and radiographic characteristics of two pediatric patients with a presumptive diagnosis of subchondral fracture of the femoral head made based on their clinical course and imaging findings. An 8-year-old boy and an 8-year-old girl had subchondral fracture in the femoral head without osteonecrosis, which was verified by contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging. Although complete disappearance of the fracture line was confirmed in the boy, the girl had a residual femoral head deformity after conservative treatment. Subchondral fracture of the femoral head should be included in the differential diagnosis of pediatric hip pain.

Subchondral insufficiency fractures of the femoral head: systematic review of diagnosis, treatment and outcomes

Subchondral insufficiency fractures of the femoral head (SIFFH) are a cause of femoral head collapse leading to degenerative hip disease. SIFFH is often mistaken for osteonecrosis given similar clinical and radiographic features. These similarities often lead to missed or delayed diagnosis which can often delay or change management. The purpose of this article is to systematically review the spectrum of demographics, diagnostic and treatment options, including hip preservation in young patient populations. A systematic review was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. All related peer-reviewed publications from January 1999 to January 2019 were reviewed using the following databases: Medline, EMBASE, Scopus and Web of Science. The systematic review identified 54 articles, encompassing 482 patients (504 hips) diagnosed with SIFFH. One hundred and seventy-six (35%) males and 306 (63%) females were included, with a mean age of 53.6 ± 17.5 years and mean body mass index of 23.4 ± 4.0 kg/m². Mean follow-up was 23.4 ± 15.9 months. Treatment decisions were 256 (55%) non-operative, 157 (34%) total hip arthroplasty (THA), 24 (5%) transtrochanteric anterior rotational osteotomy, 9 (2%) hip arthroscopy, 7 (2%) hip resurfacing, 3 (1%) bone grafting, 3 (1%) hemiarthroplasty and 1 (1%) tantalum rod insertion. Overall, 35% of SIFFH hips were converted to THA at latest follow-up. A majority of SIFFH patients had symptom resolution with non-operative management. Failure most often resulted in THA. In younger patients, hip preservation techniques have shown promising early results and should be considered as an alternative.

Emerging roles of MicroRNAs in osteonecrosis of the femoral head

Osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH) is one of the most common orthopaedic diseases. The exact pathogenic mechanism of ONFH is still unknown. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of non-coding RNAs that negatively modulate gene expression at post-transcriptional level. An increasing number of studies have shown that miRNAs play crucial roles in different physiological processes, including development, cell proliferation, differentiation and metabolism. Recently, multiple studies demonstrated that miRNAs are involved in the pathogenesis of ONFH. In this review, we summarize dysregulated miRNAs and their functions in ONFH. Furthermore, we discuss their potential clinical applications for diagnosis and treatment of ONFH.