Journal of Orthopedic and Spine Trauma
Volume:9 Issue: 1, Mar 2023

Segmental tibial bone defects (STBD) represent a dilemma for the trauma surgeon; these defects could result from trauma, after debridement for infection, or after tumor resection. We aimed in this review to shed some light on the various reconstruction options without the need to use a circular fixator. Reconstruction options rely on various factors related to the patient, the surgeon, and the nature of the defect (location and size). Various reconstruction techniques include simple bone grafting (autograft or allografts), bone transport [distraction osteogenesis (DO)], induced membrane technique, and vascularized fibular graft. Fixation could be performed using either internal or external fixators; the latter could be a circular or a unilateral frame. Although circular frames (Ilizarov) fixators reported good results, they are still considered cumbersome, need special attention, carry pin tract infection risk, and could not be tolerated by patients. Hence, various other options were introduced, such as bone transport over an intramedullary nail (IMN), rail monolateral external fixator, and tibialisation of the ipsilateral fibula.

Dislocations around the elbow joint can be isolated (termed a simple elbow dislocation), or occur with concurrent ligamentous and/or bony injuries. In cases of a simple elbow dislocation, surgery is rarely required. Patients should be evaluated radiographically for a concentric reduction, immobilized for 7-10 days, and begin early range of motion activities. In patients who return for follow-up with no bony injuries but a loss of concentric reduction, surgical treatment is recommended. This may consist of static or dynamic external/internal fixation or direct repair of the damaged ligamentous structures. Fractures associated with elbow dislocations may be difficult to identify and require computed tomography (CT) scans to characterize. A terrible triad injury consists of a radial head fracture, coronoid fracture, and ulnohumeral dislocation. This may be associated with lateral collateral ligament (LCL) and/or medial collateral ligament (MCL) injuries. These injuries require operative treatment with open reduction and internal fixation of the coronoid, fixation or replacement of the radial head, and repair of damaged ligamentous structures, depending on the specific injuries.

There are several surgical strategies which have been proposed to treat the osteoporotic patient with vertebral fracture, ranging from vertebral body cement augmentation, percutaneous/mini-open short segment pedicle screw fixation, and cortical bone trajectory screw to kyphotic deformity correction surgery. Minimally invasive spine surgery has the potential benefits of faster recovery, reduced blood loss, less postoperative wound pain, lower infection risk, and shorter length of hospital stay. Novel surgical techniques such as percutaneous instrumentation fixation, cortical bone trajectory technique, screw cement augmentation, and vertebral body augmentation are developed. However, various complications have been reported, including pedicle fracture, instrumentation loosening, adjacent-level disc degeneration with herniation, and progressive junctional kyphosis. The purpose of this review was to outline various advancements in minimally invasive spinal surgery for patients with osteoporosis. Minimally invasive surgical techniques for fixation including percutaneous instrumentation, cortical bone trajectory technique, screw cement augmentation, and vertebral body augmentation have benefited patient with osteoporosis. Studies and discussions about short-segment pedicle screw fixation (one level above and below the fracture level) have shown that it provides enough stability for thoracolumbar burst fractures. There are also complications, including cement embolism, adjacent vertebral fracture, neuraxial anesthesia, and infection, which have been observed with the above technique. With the advancement of instrument and technique, the complication rate decreased in recent studies. Minimally invasive fixation still has many advantages for patients with osteoporosis. Many of these studies and strategies only have evidence from biomechanical and cadaveric studies and require further clinical trials to establish their clinical efficacy.

Displaced femoral neck fractures in the young are difficult to treat. The complexity of the fractures for closed or open reduction requires careful surgical planning and experience. Acceptable reduction criteria in this fracture is crucial and should be followed strictly in order to get the favorable outcomes. Various reduction techniques have been described ranging from closed reduction by traction table or closed reduction with minimal direct manipulation with instruments to direct open reduction. This manuscript describes the mini open reduction, Watson-Jones and Smith-Petersen approaches, and some modifications in terms of indications, advantages, and disadvantages of each approach for the decision-making in these complex fractures.

This study aimed to assess and follow up on patients who had peritrochantric hip fractures during the first wave of the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) outbreak in Iran. These patients were compared to patients from the previous year during the same period. Their prognosis and one-year mortality rates were also compared.

In this two-center, retrospective cohort study, patients aged over 60 years with a proximal femoral fracture admitted to the hospital between March 2019 and April 2020 were included. The primary outcome was one-year mortality.

The patients counted 146, and we had access to all of them. Seventy-four were from the year 2019, and 72 were from the year 2020. There was no significant difference between the two groups regarding age, sex, type of fracture, or the American Society of Anesthesiology (ASA) score in the analytical investigation. Regarding patient mortality at this time, our one-year mortality rate in patients hospitalized before the COVID-19 era was 29.7%, compared to 51.5% in the COVID-19 period.

The one-year mortality rate for patients with hip fracture increased considerably during the COVID-19 pandemic. Comorbidity and ASA score were related to mortality in this patient population. This increase in mortality may be attributable to postoperative complications, including coagulopathy and proper health care limitation.

“Sagittal balance” is defined by the anatomic relationship between the pelvis and the spine in the sagittal plane to keep the center of gravity over the feet. It is important to calculate the anatomical parameters of cervical, thoracic, lumbar, and spinopelvic regions and how any static and dynamic changes could affect the sagittal balance to understand the conditions necessary for such a balance. One of the effective changes in sagittal balance is aging, which leads to changes in spine parameters and further activation of compensatory mechanisms. Understanding the relationships between these parameters, especially in pathological cases, helps correct spine sagittal imbalance.

Rice bodies can be found in rheumatic diseases, infectious diseases, and osteoarthritic joints. Rice bodies' most common locations include the subacromial bursa of the shoulder and the knee, while rice body synovitis of the wrist extensor tendons is uncommon. We have presented the case of tuberculous tenosynovitis with rice body formation in the extensor tendon sheaths of the hand and wrist.

Case Report: 

A 51-year-old man presented with swelling and mild pain in the dorsal side of left wrist, hand, and proximal phalanx of the second finger. He stated a history of traumatic injury to the proximal phalanx of the index finger. Radiographs showed a soft-tissue mass shadow, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed edema and soft tissue swelling around extensor tendons extending into the distal forearm and ulnar side of the second finger in favor of tenosynovitis. Laboratory test results were normal. The patient had a negative Mantoux test result and no history of mycobacterial exposure. Surgical exploration of the lesion revealed rice bodies in the synovial sheath of extensor tendons in the wrist, extending distally to the dorsal aspect of the hand, especially the radial side. Removal of the rice bodies and complete excision of the sheath and tenosynovectomy was performed.

As in our case, even in the absence of past tuberculosis (TB) infection or exposure, Mycobacterium TB (MTB) should be considered in the differential diagnosis of long-standing extensor tenosynovitis in the hand and wrist.

Trochlea fracture usually happens with other fractures such as capitellum fracture or medial or lateral condyle fracture and isolated trochlea fracture is very rare because of its location and there are only a few cases of isolated trochlea fracture that have been reported.

Case Report: 

We present here a 40-year-old man who suffered from an isolated trochlea fracture due to falling from three meters height on his flexed left elbow. After examination, imaging, and setting up a plan for surgery, the patient's fragment was fixed with two Herbert screws through anterior approach and after five years of follow-up which was the longest follow-up that had been reported, the patient’s elbow range of motion was 5° to full flexion with Mayo Elbow Performance Index (MEPI) of 85/100 and Disabilities of Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (DASH) score of 13.6/100.

Isolated trochlea fracture is very rare, and it is best treated with open reduction and secure internal fixation using anterior or medial approaches.