Publications by authors named "Ponsen K"

Introduction: Patients with pelvic fragility fractures suffer from high morbidity and mortality rates. Despite the high incidence, there is currently no regional or nationwide treatment protocol which results in a wide variety of clinical practices. Recently, there have been new insights into treatment strategies, such as early diagnosis and minimally invasive operative treatment.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Trauma is one of the main causes of death in younger people and ongoing disability worldwide. In Europe, while there is generally good organization of trauma reception and acute treatment, rehabilitation from major musculoskeletal injuries is less well defined and provided. This article documents the diverse approaches to rehabilitation after major injury in 6 European nations.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Introduction: Low-energy fragility fractures of the pelvis (FFP) are an underestimated entity, yet increasing in incidence. The bleeding risk for pelvic fractures in high-energy trauma is well known, resulting in adequate treatment guidelines and clear protocols. This is not the case for FFPs but this risk is presumably low.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Introduction: Fragility fractures of the pelvis (FFP) in elderly patients are an underappreciated injury with a significant impact on mobility, independency, and mortality of affected patients and is a growing burden for society/health care. Given the lack of clinical practice guidelines for these injuries, the authors postulate there is heterogeneity in the current use of diagnostic modalities, treatment strategies (both operative and nonoperative), and follow-up of patients with FFP. The goal of this study was to assess international variation in the management of FFP.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Proximal femoral fractures in frail patients have a poor prognosis. Despite the high mortality, little is known about the quality of dying (QoD) while this is an integral part of palliative care and could influence decision making on nonoperative- (NOM) or operative management (OM). To identify the QoD in frail patients with a proximal femoral fracture.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Unlabelled: Hip fractures are associated with significant healthcare costs. In frail institutionalized patients, the costs of nonoperative management are less than operative management with comparable short-term quality of life. Nonoperative management of hip fractures in patients at the end of life should be openly discussed with SDM.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Fragility fractures represent a growing global problem, including in the United Kingdom and European countries. Reports demonstrate the benefits of national guidance and organized fragility fracture programs through fracture liaison services to deliver care to patients who sustain these injuries. The challenge of assembling multidisciplinary teams, providing routine screening of appropriate patients, and monitoring therapies where there is a known compliance problem, remains an obstacle to the success of fragility fracture treatment programs to all.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Introduction: Proximal femoral fractures are common in frail institutionalised older patients. No convincing evidence exists regarding the optimal treatment strategy for those with a limited pre-fracture life expectancy, underpinning the importance of shared decision-making (SDM). This study investigated healthcare providers' barriers to and facilitators of the implementation of SDM.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Purpose: Additional CT imaging for fragility fractures of the pelvis (FFP) has a high detection rate for concomitant posterior ring fractures (cPRFs). However, the clinical value of routine additional CT imaging is unknown. This study aimed to determine the additional clinical value of routine CT imaging by changes in treatment policy and to establish the predictive value of pain localized around the sacroiliac joint (SIJ) for cPRFs.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Importance: Decision-making on management of proximal femoral fractures in frail patients with limited life expectancy is challenging, but surgical overtreatment needs to be prevented. Current literature provides limited insight into the true outcomes of nonoperative management and operative management in this patient population.

Objective: To investigate the outcomes of nonoperative management vs operative management of proximal femoral fractures in institutionalized frail older patients with limited life expectancy.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Purpose: The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has caused major healthcare challenges worldwide resulting in an exponential increase in the need for hospital- and intensive care support for COVID-19 patients. As a result, surgical care was restricted to urgent cases of surgery. However, the care for trauma patients is not suitable for reduction or delayed treatment.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The world was not prepared for the global of pandemic in early 2020 with the arrival of COVID 19. Europe has some of the most developed health care systems in the world and this article explains the initial response to the pandemic from an orthopaedic and trauma viewpoint from 8 nations. Italy reported the first cluster in February, which then rapidly spread around the continent, requiring a rapid reorganization of services.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

European countries have established health care systems but are struggling with the increasing rise of fragility fractures in their aging population. In trying to address this significant burden, countries are establishing national guidelines and standards, focusing on hip fractures, which represent the significant cost for this patient group. This has evolved with the establishment of national audits and guidelines.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Purpose: The amount of studies performed regarding a link between socioeconomic status (SES) and fatal outcome after traumatic injury is limited. Most research is focused on work-related injuries without taking other important characteristics into account. The aim of this study is to examine the association between SES and outcome after traumatic injury.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: A necrotizing soft-tissue infection (NSTI) is a rare but severe infection with a high mortality rate of 12%-20%. Diagnosing is challenging and often delayed. Treatment consists of surgical debridement of all necrotic tissue and administration of antibiotics.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Posterior sternoclavicular luxations are uncommon and potentially life threatening. When clinically suspected, a computed tomography angiography is the gold standard to investigate whether important structures located in the mediastinum are at risk. A fast reduction should be performed to reduce pain and prevent acute and late complications.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Pelvic fractures are potentially life-threatening injuries with high mortality rates, mainly due to intractable pelvic arterial bleeding. However, concomitant injuries are frequent and may also be the cause of significant blood loss. As treatment varies depending on location and type of hemorrhage, timely imaging is of critical importance.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Orthopaedic surgeons and trauma surgeons in the Netherlands are implanting 65,000 joint replacements and treating nearly 300,000 fractures per year. For many travellers with a metal implant - but also for the physicians who are treating them - it is unclear what the consequences will be when they have to go through airport security checks. These checks follow a fixed procedure in accordance with European rules which involves travellers passing through a number of visible and invisible barriers.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Introduction: The (modified) Stoppa approach for acetabular fracture surgery has gained significant popularity and early results have been encouraging but clinical outcome at extensive follow-up is scarce. The purpose of this study is to provide an update on our experience with this approach for operative treatment of acetabular fractures and to assess clinical outcome at mid-term follow-up.

Methods: In this retrospective study, all patients treated operatively for an acetabular fracture using the Stoppa approach over a 10-year period were included.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: The acute recovery phase after hip fracture surgery is often complicated by severe pain, postoperative blood loss with subsequent transfusion, and delirium. Prevalent comorbidity in hip fracture patients limit the use of opioid-based analgesic therapies, yielding a high risk for inferior pain treatment. Postoperative cryotherapy is suggested to provide an analgesic effect, and to reduce postoperative blood loss.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Purpose: To examine nationwide epidemiology of pelvic fractures in the Netherlands and to compare characteristics and outcome of older versus younger patients as well as predictors for in-hospital mortality.

Methods: Retrospective review of pelvic fracture patients admitted to all Dutch hospitals (2008-2012) utilizing National Trauma Registry. Average annual incidence of (minor and major) pelvic fractures was calculated for the population.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • The study investigates the effectiveness of continuous-flow cryocompression therapy for elderly patients undergoing hip fracture surgery.
  • It aims to reduce pain, morphine use, and blood loss, potentially improving recovery times and long-term outcomes.
  • Involving 160 patients, the trial compares this therapy against standard care to assess various post-surgery complications and recovery metrics.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objective: To investigate whether a mental disorder increases the occurrence of complications in patients after 'a fall from a height'.

Design: Retrospective descriptive study.

Methods: Data on all patients admitted following a 'fall from a height' in the period 2004-2012 was retrieved from the trauma registry of the Academic Medical Center (AMC) in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF