Inadvertent screw stripping during ankle fracture fixation in elderly bone.

Poor screw purchase because of osteoporosis presents difficulties in ankle fracture fixation. The aim of our study was to determine if cortical thickness, unicortical versus bicortical purchase, and bone mineral density are predictors of inadvertent screw stripping and overtightening. Ten paired cadaver ankles (average donor age, 81.

Suture-button versus screw fixation in a syndesmosis rupture model: a biomechanical comparison.

Background: Flexible suture-button devices are used to stabilize the distal tibiofibular joint after syndesmotic rupture, but little is known about how they affect fibular motion during cyclic physiological loading. This study examined how much fibular motion occurs during cyclic loading of ankles repaired with suture-buttons or screws relative to one with intact ligaments.

Materials And Methods: Ten pairs of cadaveric legs with intact ligaments were tested in axial compression (750 N), external rotational torque (7.

Biomechanical analysis of sacroplasty: does volume or location of cement matter?

Background And Purpose: Currently, the effect of the volume of cement used during sacroplasty on the restoration of pelvic strength and stiffness is unknown. The purpose of this study was to measure that effect in a sacral insufficiency fracture model.

Materials And Methods: Twenty-five osteoporotic cadaveric pelves were potted, and sacral fractures were produced.

Visibility of surgical site marking after preoperative skin preparation.

Objective: It is important that during preoperative skin preparation surgical site markings are not erased. The effects of 2 common types of skin preparation solutions on surgical site markings were compared.

Methods: Fasciocutaneous skin flaps were harvested and 20 random combinations of 3 letters were written on the skin flaps with a black permanent marker.

Biomechanical comparison of expandable and locked intramedullary femoral nails.

Objectives: The expandable intramedullary (IM) nail does not require locking and fluoroscopy use is minimized. However, the lack of cross-locking screws may adversely affect the fixation's rotational stability. The purpose of our study was to compare the rotational stability afforded by an expandable nail with that of a standard locked nail.

Smoking increases failure rate of operation for established non-union of the scaphoid bone.

The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of smoking on the operative treatment of established non-union of the carpal scaphoid. Case notes and radiographs of patients undergoing bone grafting and screw fixation of scaphoid non-unions were reviewed. There were 34 patients that had undergone 37 operations for established non-union of the carpal scaphoid bone.

Predicting duration of Ilizarov frame treatment for tibial lengthening.

Aim: To predict duration of treatment for tibial lengthening, as a function of target length increase.

Method: Review of case notes and radiographs of patients undergoing Ilizarov method of tibial distraction osteogenesis.

Results: In the 27 cases suitable for analysis, the median age was 29.

Reduction of waiting times in A&E following introduction of 'fast-track' scheme for elderly patients with hip fractures.

Objective: To investigate the effect of a 'fast-track' scheme (FTS) on waiting times in A&E of elderly patients with hip fractures.

Design: Retrospective study of elderly patients admitted via A&E with a diagnosis of 'hip fracture' between May and July 2001. The control group was from the same 3-month period in the year before the introduction of the FTS.

Sequential hip fractures in elderly patients.

Osteoporotic hip fractures are an increasing cause of disability to elderly patients and expenditure to the NHS. The aim of this work was to determine whether the rate of sequential hip fractures in elderly patients has changed over the past 20 years. The design was to do a retrospective study of 186 patients admitted with a diagnosis of femoral neck fracture in order to determine how many had suffered a previous contralateral hip fracture.