Shotgun injury to the arm: a staged protocol for upper limb salvage.

Low-energy shotgun fractures involving the arm are complex injuries. Previously published reports have emphasized various problems associated with these injuries. This case report describes a low-energy shotgun wound managed by a staged treatment protocol involving: (1) a spanning external fixator and immediate soft tissue management, followed by (2) osteosynthesis and autogenous bone grafting and (3) epineural suturing of injured radial nerve, with a successful outcome.

Calcaneal fracture--standardized protocol of treatment.

Calcaneal fracture (CF) treatment results are not always satisfied. Our aim was to compare medium-term results between standardized and unstandardized protocol in treatment of displaced intra-articular CF. We evaluate experience of our Department where 50 patients with CF in last 5 years--Group X have been treated with standardized protocol, and compare their postoperative results with unstandardized treatment's effects in 50 patients with CF cured 5 years before--Group Y As based on Sanders classification, radiographic evaluation and Maryland Foot Score, postoperative results were satisfying in 100% X and 90% Y patients with intra-articular type I, in 86% X and 70% Y patients with type II, and sufficient in 75% X and 52% Y patients with type III, in 50% X and 33% Y patients with type IV.

[Establishing bone bank at Varazdin General Hospital].

Aim: Bone bank has to supply patients of our Department of Orthopedics and patients from Department of Traumatology with necessary bone grafts.

Methods: The paper describes in detail the establishment of Bone bank at Varazdin General Hospital.

Results: At Varazdin General Hospital, Department of Transfusion Medicine, in cooperation with Department of Surgery and Department of Orthopedics has been working on developing tissue banking for already 10 years.

[Loco typico radius fractures--personal experience].

Fractura radii loco typico (FRLT) is the fracture of the distal radius. That is the one of the most frequent fractures of locomotor system with the widest range of treatment in traumatology. Therapy depends on the stability of the fracture: nonoperative or operative.