Free-hand distal locking of intramedullary nails: How to quickly achieve perfect circles without specific instrumentation.

Introduction: Intramedullary locked nails are mainly used for the fixation of mid-shaft fractures in the long bones. But inserting the distal locking screws by the free-hand technique may require high exposure to radiation. Our method achieves perfect circles on radiographs on the first attempt for lower limb fractures without any specific instrumentation.

Compared efficiency of trauma versus scheduled orthopaedic surgery operating rooms in a university hospital.

Background: The objective of this study was to contribute to an OR efficiency optimisation effort by comparing a trauma OR versus a scheduled surgery OR in a lower limb orthopaedic surgery department.

Hypothesis: The main hypothesis is that efficiency is lower in the trauma OR than in the scheduled surgery OR. The secondary hypothesis is that efficiency of the trauma OR is lower during weekends.