[Translated article] Comparative clinical and biomechanical study of different types of osteosynthesis in the treatment of distal femur fractures.

Introduction And Objectives: Distal femoral fractures represent a problem due to their high number of complications. The aim was to compare the results, complications and stability achieved with retrograde intramedullary nailing and the angular stable plate in the treatment of distal femoral diaphyseal fractures.

Material And Method: A clinical and experimental biomechanical study was carried out using finite elements.

Comparative clinical and biomechanical study of different types of osteosynthesis in the treatment of distal femur fractures.

Introduction And Objectives: Distal femoral fractures represent a problem due to their high number of complications. The aim was to compare the results, complications and stability achieved with retrograde intramedullary nailing and the angular stable plate in the treatment of distal femoral diaphyseal fractures.

Material And Method: A clinical and experimental biomechanical study was carried out using finite elements.

Influence of plate size and screw distribution on the biomechanical behaviour of osteosynthesis by means of lateral plates in femoral fractures.

Distal femoral fractures are fractures associated with high rates of morbidity and mortality, affecting to three different groups of individuals: younger people suffering high-energy trauma, elderly people with fragile bones and people with periprosthetic fractures around previous total knee arthroplasty. They have been classically treated with conventional plates and intramedullary nails and more recently with locked plates that have increased their indications to more types of fractures. The main objective of the present work is the biomechanical study, by means of finite element simulation, of the stability achieved in the osteosynthesis of femoral fractures in zones 4 and 5 of Wiss, by using locked plates with different plate lengths and different screw configurations, and analysing the effect of screw proximity to the fracture site.

Biomechanical behavior of retrograde intramedullary nails in distal femoral fractures.

Fractures of the distal femur affect three different groups of individuals: younger people suffering high-energy trauma, elderly people with fragile bones and people with periprosthetic fractures around previous total knee arthroplasty. Main indications of intramedullary nailing are for supracondylar fractures type A or type C of the AO classification. The main objective of the present work is to analyze, by means of FE simulation, the influence of retrograde nail length, considering different blocking configurations and fracture gaps, on the biomechanical behavior of supracondylar fractures of A type.

[Changes in CIRUGIA ESPANOLA Letters to the Editor between 2000 and 2007].

Objectives: To describe the frequency and bibliographic characteristics of letters to the editor in the journal, Cirugía Española published between 2000 and 2007 and to compare the differences in the periods between 2000-2003 and 2004-2007.

Materials And Method: A descriptive and cross-sectional study, using the letters to the editor published in Spanish surgery between 2000 and 2007, as observation units. The variables considered were: the number of letters according to the volume and year of publication, substantive content of the paper, text length, graphics resources use, number of signatories and their professional profile, institutions of the authors, by origin and number of Autonomous Communities and number of bibliographical references.

[Frequency and characteristics of letters to the editor published in Farmacia Hospitalaria (1995-2006)].

Objective: To describe the frequency and bibliographical characteristics of letters to the editor published in the Farmacia Hospitalaria journal (hospital pharmacy) between 1995 and 2006.

Method: Descriptive and comprehensive study on documents classified as letters to the editor, which were published between 1995 and 2006. Using journal issues as a source, the following variables were identified: number of letters/year, main content, text length (words), language, use of graphs, number of authors and their professional experience, number of participating institutions, origin in terms of autonomous community, number of bibliographical references and their origin.

Graves' ophthalmopathy after subtotal thyroidectomy and radioiodine therapy.

Forty-five patients with Graves' ophthalmopathy were studied prospectively. Twenty-one patients (42 orbits; group 1) were treated surgically by subtotal thyroidectomy and 24 (48 orbits; group 2) received radioiodine therapy. All patients underwent tests of thyroid function, ophthalmological examination, and axial and coronal computed tomography before and 12 months after treatment.

[Minimally aggressive surgery in advanced cancer of the colon].

We evaluated minimally aggressive surgery in the treatment of metastasic cancer of the colon in 6 patients: 2 females and 4 males, with an average age of 71.8. Preoperative studies showed cancer of the colon (right colon = 4; sigmoid colon = 2) with multiple hepatic metastasis.

[Xanthogranulomatous cholecystitis].

Ten cases of xanthogranulomatous cholecystitis are presented, 5 women and 5 men, from a total of 439 cholecystectomies (2.2%). In 50% of cases the clinical course was consistent with acute cholecystitis; in 30%, gallbladder cancer was suspected preoperatively; and in 70% of cases cancer was suspected during surgery but intraoperative biopsies showed no malignancy.

[Treatment of distal venous thrombosis of the lower extremity with "moderated" doses of heparin].

The effectiveness of a therapeutic protocol, using 15,000 to 22,500 IU/day of heparin by subcutaneous injection, to treat the distal postoperative vein thrombosis on the lower limb, was evaluated. The study was made on 427 patients, which were analyzed by the Fibrinogen I125 marked accumulation test, to give an early diagnostic and follow-up of their thrombosis (thrombus lysis, stabilization or expansion). Treatment made, showed its efficacy preventing from proximal expansion, as well as avoiding pulmonary embolism and postphlebitic syndrome.

[Prevention of thromboembolic disease and post-transfusional complications using normovolemic hemodilution in arthroplasty surgery of the hip].

A prospective randomized study was conducted to evaluate the effect of moderate normovolemic haemodilution in arthroplastic surgery of the hip, to prevent postoperative deep vein thrombosis and the need for postoperative transfusion. The patients (n = 151) were divided into three groups: 48 patients received Dextran + Acetylsalicylic Acid as a prevention of the thromboembolic complications (Group I). 57 patients received a low dose of Heparin according to the Kakkar protocol (Group II).

[Is appendiceal surgery performed by residents safe?].

An evaluation was made of the participation of residents in appendicular surgery as compared to staff surgeons, the evolution of results over the residency period and the influence of the presence of experienced surgeons together with residents during the emergency operation. Seven groups were made according to the surgeons involved. Parietal, intraabdominal and general complications of each group were quantitated, as well as postoperative hospitalization and mortality.

[Prevention of deep venous thrombosis in hip surgery].

The prophylactic effectiveness of aggregation inhibitors, low heparin dosage, and preoperative normovolaemic haemodilution was studied by the authors in the context of three comparable groups of patients with deep phlebothrombosis. All patients received hip joint substitutes, including artificial heads of the hip in cases of femoral collum fractures or total hip prosthesis in cases of arthrosis deformans. Patients were monitored by fibrinogen tests and ascending phlebography.