Cost-Effectiveness of Cement Augmentation Versus No Augmentation for the Fixation of Unstable Trochanteric Fractures

Feasibility biomechanical study of injectable Biphasic Calcium Phosphate bone cement augmentation of the proximal femoral nail antirotation (PFNA) for the treatment of two intertrochanteric fractures using cadaveric femur

This study evaluated the feasibility of the femoral bone after fixation using biphasic calcium phosphate cement-augmentation of the proximal femoral nail antirotation (PFNA) compared with PFNA without cement. This study presented to compare the stiffness, fatigue testing, and compressive strength between stable (AO31-A2.1) and unstable (AO31-A3.3) intertrochanteric fractures treated by cement augmented PFNA of the cadaveric femoral. Biphasic calcium phosphate cement was injected to align and compatible with PFNA and the reconstructive procedure was monitored the cement placement using x-ray imaging during operation. The testing demonstrated that the cement could be injected through a small needle (13 G, 16 cm length, 1.8 mm inner diameter) within a suitable operating time. The feasibility study of the biomechanical testing was divided into three tests: stiffness test, fatigue cyclic load, and compression test. The results showed that the cement-augmented specimens exhibited higher stiffness than the control specimens without cement. The cement-augmented specimens also showed lower strain energy during the fatigue test, resulting in higher compressive strength (4730.7 N) compared to the control specimens (3857.4 N). There is a correlation between BMD and fracture load and the increase in compression load of the cement-augmented femoral compared to the controls as well as an increase in strain energy of fatigue cyclic testing was found. Biphasic calcium phosphate cement-augmented of the PFNA biomechanically enhanced the cut-out resistance in intertrochanteric fracture. This procedure is especially efficient for unstable intertrochanteric fracture suggesting the potential benefits of using biphasic calcium phosphate cement in medical applications.

Retrospective evaluation of radiological and clinical outcomes after surgical treatment of proximal femoral fractures utilizing PFNA and PFNA augmented

INTRODUCTION

The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical and radiological outcomes after surgical treatment of proximal femoral fractures utilizing the Proximal Femoral Nail Antirotation (PFNA), with the main focus on complications and reoperations. The secondary aim was to compare the outcomes of patients with and without cement augmentation of the cephalomedullary nails.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

All patients with an acute proximal femoral fracture consequently treated with a PFNA between January 2011 and Dezember  2018 were evaluated. Clinical and radiological data were assessed for intra- and postoperative complications, including treatment failure. In addition, intra- and postoperative radiographs were used to determine the position of the implant, and any migration, via Tip-Apex-Distance (TAD) and the caput-collum-diaphyseal angle (CCD). The accuracy of the fracture reduction was rated according to Baumgaertners criteria.

RESULTS

Two hundred sixty-four consecutive patients (mean age 78.8 ± 12.0; 73.1% female) were included. The predominant OTA/AO fracture classification was 31A1 (153 cases, 58.0%). The average duration of surgery was 63.1 ± 28.0 min and showed no significant differences between PFNA and PFNA with augmentation. The implant positioning was rated as good in 222 cases (84.1%). Two hundred sixty-three patients (99.6%) showed evidence of healing within the time frame of three months postoperatively, one case of delayed union healed after secondary dynamization. During the observational period, 18 patients (6.8%) required a total of 23 additional surgeries. Overall, a lower reoperation rate was observed following the use of the augmentation option (2/86 patients (2.3%) vs. 16/178 patients (9.0%), p = 0.04). In particular, there were no cases of cut-out or cut-through among patients who underwent augmentation as part of osteosynthesis.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall reoperation rate after surgical treatment of proximal femoral fractures utilizing the Proximal Femoral Nail Antirotation (PFNA) was 6.8%, with 23 additional surgeries performed in 18 patients. The usage of the PFNA with augmentation showed equally good implant positioning, excellent healing rates and fewer postoperative complications compared to the PFNA implant alone with a similar overall duration of surgery.

Cement augmentation for proximal humerus fractures: a meta-analysis of randomized trials and observational studies

INTRODUCTION

It is unclear if elderly patients treated with plate osteosynthesis for proximal humerus fractures benefit from cement augmentation. This meta-analysis aims to compare cement augmentation to no augmentation regarding healing, complications, and functional results.

METHODS

PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched for randomized clinical trials and observational studies. Effect estimates were pooled across studies using random effects models. The primary outcome is overall complication rate. Stratified analyses were performed for types of complication (implant-related or systemic). Secondary outcomes include re-interventions, hospital stay, operation time, functional scores, and general quality of life.

RESULTS

Five observational studies and one randomized controlled trial with a total of 541 patients were included. The overall complication rate was significantly lower in the augmented group (15.6% versus 25.4%, OR 0.54 (95%CI 0.33-0.87)). This was caused by a reduction of implant-related complications (10.4% vs. 19.9%, OR 0.49 (95%CI 0.28, 0.88)). No difference in humeral head necrosis was found. Data on re-intervention, hospital stay, and operation time was limited but did not show significant differences. No impact on functional scores and general quality of life was detected.

CONCLUSION

This meta-analysis shows that cement augmentation may reduce overall complications, mainly by preventing implant-related complications. No difference was detected regarding need for re-intervention, functional scores, general quality of life, and hospital stay. This is the first meta-analysis on this topic. It remains to be seen whether conclusions will hold when more and better-quality data becomes available.

Nail fixation of unstable trochanteric fractures with or without cement augmentation: A cost-utility analysis in the United States: Cost-utility of cement augmentation

OBJECTIVES

Recent clinical studies have shown favorable outcomes for cement augmentation for fixation of trochanteric fracture. We assessed the cost-utility of cement augmentation for fixation of closed unstable trochanteric fractures from the US payer's perspective.

METHODS

The cost-utility model comprised a decision tree to simulate clinical events over 1 year after the index fixation surgery, and a Markov model to extrapolate clinical events over patients' lifetime, using a cohort of 1,000 patients with demographic and clinical characteristics similar to that of a published randomized controlled trial (age ≥75 years, 83 % female). Model outputs were discounted costs, quality-adjusted life years (QALYs), and incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) over a lifetime. Deterministic and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were performed to assess the impact of parameter uncertainty on results.

RESULTS

Fixation with augmentation reduced per-patient costs by $754.8 and had similar per-patient QALYs, compared to fixation without augmentation, resulting in an ICER of -$130,765/QALY. The ICER was most sensitive to the utility of revision surgery, mortality risk ratio after the second revision surgery, mortality risk ratio after successful index surgery, and mortality rate in the decision tree model. The probability that fixation with augmentation was cost-effective compared with no augmentation was 63.4 %, 58.2 %, and 56.4 %, given a maximum acceptable ceiling ratio of $50,000, $100,000, and $150,000 per QALY gained, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Fixation with cement augmentation was the dominant strategy, driven mainly by reduced costs. These results may support surgeons in evidence-based clinical decision making and may be informative for policy makers regarding coverage and reimbursement.

Percutaneous helical plate fixation in humeral shaft fractures with proximal extension

BACKGROUND

Humeral shaft fractures with extension to the proximal third are increasingly frequent and technically more demanding. Surgical management of proximal metaphyseal junction humeral fractures is challenging. The aim of this study was to assess the safety, reproducibility, and possibility of early and completed rehabilitation in the percutaneous treatment with helical plates in humeral shaft fractures with proximal extension.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

This was a descriptive, retrospective, single-centre cohort study based on consecutive patients with proximal metaphyseal junction humeral fractures (MIPO-helical-plate-Broggi's cohort). Surgical technique (minimally invasive approach and osteosynthesis): percutaneous treatment with a twisted plate (helical plates).

STUDY VARIABLES

i): Intraoperative and postoperative (up to 1 year after surgery) safety; ii) Reproducibility of the surgical technique [number (percentage) of patients with surgical technique success]. The surgical technique success was defined as the recovering without neurovascular, implant failures and infection issues after one year follow up; and iii) Early and completed (3 months) rehabilitation [number (percentage) of patients]. A descriptive analysis was performed.

RESULTS

Between April 2010 to January 2022, we received 443 humeral shaft fractures at our unit. Of these, 350 fractures were treated surgically. 157 (44.9%) were treated using the minimally invasive approach and osteosynthesis technique with extramedullary implants, of which 46 (46/157, 29.3%, 9 men and 37 women) were performed with almost orthogonally twisted Philos® helical plates. The median (range) age was 67 (51-94) years.

STUDY OUTCOMES

i) Safety: None intraoperative events were gathered. No neurovascular, implant failure and infection issues were reported one year after surgery.; ii) Reproducibility of the surgical technique: only 1 failure (2%, 95%CI:0-11%), who was reoperated; and iii) Early and 3 month of rehabilitation was completed in 45 (98%, 95%CI:89-100%) patients. Forty-five (98%, 95%CI:89-100%) patients recovered their previous function the year after surgery.

CONCLUSIONS

The treatment of humeral shaft fractures with proximal extension based on a minimally invasive approach and osteosynthesis: percutaneous treatment with a twisted plate (helical plates), as this is a submuscular and extraperiosteal technique, is a safe and reproducible technique, and promotes early rehabilitation. In our opinion, it is surgical technique whose main requirement is a good knowledge of topographic anatomy.

Failure of Fixation in Trochanteric Hip Fractures: Does Nail Design Matter?

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to compare clinical outcomes of patients with trochanteric hip fractures treated with specific different cephalomedullary nail (CMN) designs.

METHODS

A scoping review of the English literature was performed. Inclusion criteria were studies comparing perioperative and postoperative outcomes of trochanteric hip fractures fixated by CMNs for one of the following CMN designs: short versus long nails, blade versus screw fixation, dual versus single lag screw fixation, and application of cement augmentation. Inclusion criteria consisted of human comparative clinical trials (randomized and observational). Exclusion criteria included noncomparative studies, studies comparing CMN with non-CMN devices or with arthroplasty, studies with less than 3 months follow-up, studies that did not provide relevant clinical outcome measures, biomechanical, finite element analyses, animal, or in vitro publications. Data regarding reoperations, peri-implant fractures, mechanical failure, nonunion, infection rates, and functional outcomes were reviewed.

RESULTS

Twenty-two studies met the inclusion criteria and formed the basis of this study. Failure of fixation rates and reoperation rates for each of the nail designs selected for evaluation is presented, in addition to specific outcome measures relevant to that nail design which was explored: peri-implant fracture-short versus long nails, and specific mechanism of failure-blade versus plate.

CONCLUSIONS

Decreased failure of fixation and reoperations rates were found for integrated dual lag screw fixation. Similar fixation failure and reoperation rates were found for the long versus short nails and for blade versus screw fixation.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Diagnostic, Level IV.

Reverse Obliquity Intertrochanteric Femur Fractures: Technical Tips to Avoid Failure

SUMMARY

Reverse obliquity intertrochanteric femur fractures represent a substantial proportion of all trochanteric hip fractures. These challenging fracture patterns are unique, with their primary fracture plane from distal-lateral to proximal-medial. The use of modern cephalomedullary fixation has yielded successful results, although technical factors including avoiding malreduction and preventing collapse remain challenging. The use of adjunctive techniques including cerclage wires, colinear clamps, and mini-fragment plates can facilitate reduction efforts. The purpose of this article was to review technical tips and common pitfalls in the operative treatment of reverse obliquity intertrochanteric femur fractures.