Standard radiographic assessments of distal radius fractures miss involvement of the distal radioulnar joint: a diagnostic study.

Introduction: Distal radius fractures account for one-fifth of all fractures in the emergency department. Their classification based on standard radiographs is common practice although low inter-observer reliabilities and superiority of computer tomography (CT) scanning in evaluation of joint congruency have been reported.

Materials And Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 96 displaced distal radius fractures scheduled for open reduction and internal fixation using standard radiographic assessment.

[Spinal cord injuries in infants and juveniles].

Trauma of the infant or juvenile spine is a very rare occurrence (less than 2%). Nevertheless, it is almost always dramatic. In 21 years 1630 patients with spinal cord injuries were treated.

Intubating laryngeal mask and rapid sequence induction in patients with cervical spine injury.

The Intubating Laryngeal Mask (FastrachTM), a modified conventional laryngeal mask airway, and its prototype cuffed silicone tube, continue to be an appropriate intubating tool in combination with fibreoptic bronchoscopy in the emergency situation. This is an account of two patients with suspected cervical spine fracture admitted to our emergency room in a haemodynamically unstable condition and requiring a rapid sequence induction of anaesthesia, in whom we successfully applied this newly developed intubating device for the first time. Provided that there are no intubation difficulties, direct laryngoscopy is still the fastest method of securing an airway; however, this procedure leads to an extension of the cervical spine, which may be hazardous in the case of a cervical spine injury.

Unreamed nailing of tibial fractures with the solid tibial nail.

In 1993 a solid 7.5-mm tibial nail was developed and is composed of a wrought stainless steel alloy. In a preclinical testing series its static and dynamic mechanical properties proved to be superior to other small diameter nails.

[Treatment and results of pathologic fractures. A collaborative study from 1965 to 1985 of 16 Austrian hospitals].

A total of 595 patients treated over a 20-year period in 16 Austrian hospitals for pathologic fractures, most caused by metastases of malignant disease, were analysed retrospectively. It appeared that women were affected by pathologic fractures 2.5 times as often as men.