Musculoskeletal Surgery

BACKGROUND: A persistent fracture gap following femoral nailing increases the risk of delayed and nonunion development. A forward-striking technique for reducing the gap in femoral nailing has been described, but its efficacy and therapeutic consequences have not been investigated in comparative studies. We provide the results of a comparative study that investigated the forward-striking technique's efficacy in terms of remaining fracture gaps and surgical outcomes. METHODS: Between 2017 and 2022, a retrospective cohort study was undertaken on 193 skeletal mature patients obtaining reamed femoral nailing for closed femoral shaft fractures...

PURPOSE: Surgical treatment of chronic Achilles tendon rupture is a technically challenging procedure. We aimed to compare the clinical outcomes, range of motion, and strength of ankle plantar- and dorsiflexors between two techniques for fixation of flexor hallucis longus tendon to the calcaneus: interference screw and suture-external button. METHODS: Twenty-five patients participated in this retrospective comparative study. All patients underwent short harvest FHL tendon transfer for chronic AT rupture were asked for a follow-up visit, at least one year following surgery...

The selection of graft type for anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction remains a topic of debate, taking into consideration patient characteristics, as well as the type and level of sports involvement. The aim of this scoping review was to investigate patient characteristics that might influence the selection of graft type for anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. PubMed and Scopus were searched to identify articles for inclusion. All included studies focused on one or more patient characteristics involved in the decision-making process regarding anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction autograft, including the hamstrings tendon (HT), patellar tendon (BPTB) and quadriceps tendon (QT)...

PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of retaining or sacrificing the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) in patients who undergo primary total knee replacement (TKR) with the medial congruent (MC) implant. METHODS: This retrospective study looks at patients who underwent TKR with the MC implant. Comparison was made between the group with the PCL sacrificed (MC-PCLS) and the group with the PCL retained (MC-PCLR). Range of motion (ROM), Oxford knee score (OKS), Knee society knee score (KS-KS) and Knee society function score (KS-FS) were recorded...

PURPOSE: The Oberlin II double fascicular nerve transfer has been evaluated extensively for objective outcomes for elbow flexion in brachial plexus injuries (BPI). However, there is limited information available on the recovery pattern of supination and patient-reported activity in the long-term. Our study aimed to assess the functional results with a minimum of five years of follow-up. METHODS: We evaluated patients with a minimum of five years after the Oberlin II procedure for post-traumatic BPI...

This systematic review compares Kirschner wires versus a single cannulated screw for the treatment of lateral humeral condyle fractures in children. The purpose of this review is to review the current literature on fixation of lateral condyle fractures of the humerus, and to ascertain whether there is a difference in clinical outcomes of these fractures when fixated with K-wires vs screws. This systematic review of the literature comparing surgical management of paediatric (0-17 years of age) lateral condyle fractures with K-wire versus screw fixation was performed using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines...

PURPOSE: To assess whether 5 mL would not be less effective than 10 mL when performing a suprascapular nerve block, regarding shoulder function and quality of life in primary adhesive capsulitis. METHODS: This is a pilot study of a randomized, controlled, double-blind clinical trial conducted at a single center. Patients with AC characterized by constant pain and restricted movements in anterior elevation, 0°/90° external rotation, and internal rotation were selected...

BACKGROUND: We created a Multicenter Survey for Italian orthopedics surgeons on how they approach leg length discrepancy when dealing with primary total hip arthroplasty. Aim of the study was to show how surgeons manage LLD and follow literature recommendations during clinical practice. METHODS: The Survey was composed of 25 questions divided in 4 sections: surgeon's profile, preoperative and intraoperative evaluation, postoperative management. In this paper, we report the absolute and relative frequencies of answers to section on "postoperative management...

PURPOSE: Quality of care in total knee arthroplasty (TKA) between implants was assessed using a novel composite outcome measure, early optimal recovery (EOR), to indicate ideal clinical outcomes and minimal healthcare resource utilization. METHODS: Patients that underwent primary TKA in the study group (ATTUNE® Knee System) or control group (LCS® COMPLETE Knee System) were included in this retrospective, single-center study. EOR was defined as no complications, no readmissions, no extra outpatient visits, ≤ 48 h length of hospital stay (LOS), and restored range of motion and pain perception at 3-month follow-up...

Purpose SARS-CoV-2 is an RNA virus responsible for COVID-19 pandemic. Some authors described the set of persistent symptoms COVID-related as "Long-COVID Syndrome." Several cases of post-COVID-19 osteonecrosis (ON) are described. Our primary aim was to study the hypothetical correlation between SARS-CoV-2 infection and ON; our secondary aim was to understand if ON can be considered part of Long-COVID. Materials and methods We performed a systematic review following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviewers and Meta-analysis (PRISMA) guidelines...

BACKGROUND: Surgery is the gold standard treatment of displaced olecranon fracture, but it presents a high rate of complications, especially in the elderly, including wound breakdown and fixation failure. Conservative treatment of these fractures has recently been proposed with good functional outcomes. The aim of this retrospective study was to compare the functional results and level of satisfaction of displaced olecranon fractures which were managed surgically or conservatively in geriatric patients...

OBJECTIVE: This retrospective study compares two techniques of fixation of midshaft clavicle fractures: nail fixation versus plate fixation. We compared titanium elastic nail fixation with plate fixation in patients with uncomplicated midshaft clavicle fractures. METHODS: In total, 84 patients were included in our study: 35 in the nail fixation group and 49 in the plate fixation group. We compared the 12-month postoperative shoulder function and scar assessment...

PURPOSE: The close proximity of the radial nerve to the humerus poses a risk during upper arm surgery. Although the general course of the radial nerve is well-known, its exact position in relation to anatomical reference points remains poorly investigated. This study aimed to develop a standardized protocol for the sonographic and clinical identification of the radial nerve in the upper arm. The ultimate goal is to assist surgeons in avoiding iatrogenic radial nerve palsy. METHODS: A total of 76 measurements were performed in 38 volunteers (both sides)...

INTRODUCTION: Elbow fractures, characterized by their complexity, present significant challenges in post-surgical recovery, with rehabilitation playing a critical role in functional outcomes. This study explores the efficacy of rehabilitative interventions in enhancing joint range of motion (ROM) and reducing complications following surgery for both stable and unstable elbow fractures. METHODS: A cohort of 15 patients, divided based on the stability of their elbow fractures and whether they received post-operative rehabilitation, was analyzed retrospectively...

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PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the anterior tibial translation (ATT) in the prone position after total knee arthroplasty (TKA). METHODS: Fifty subjects (50 knees) undergoing bi-cruciate substituting (BCS)-TKA (Journey II: Smith and Nephew) and age-gender matching 50 subjects (50 knees) undergoing posterior stabilizing (PS)-TKA, were included in this study. Approximately, six months after surgery, and when the subjects had recovered their range of knee motion, following the Mae's method, accurate lateral radiographic imaging of the knee was performed with full knee extension in both supine and prone positions...

PURPOSE: Distal radius fractures are the most common upper limb fractures in adults (up to 18% of all fractures in the Emergency Department). Conservative management is possible for the majority, the preferred surgical technique being volar plate fixation. Dorsal bridge plating (DBP) is an alternative method of treatment for complex fractures. DBP acts as an internal fixator and can be used in patients needing early rehabilitation. This systematic review assesses the demographics, functional and radiological outcomes and complications of using DBP in patients with distal radius fractures compared to volar plate fixation...

BACKGROUND: We created a multicenter survey for Italian orthopedic surgeons on how they approach leg length discrepancy (LLD) when dealing with primary total hip arthroplasty. Aim of the study was to show how surgeons manage LLD and follow the literature recommendations during clinical practice. METHODS: The survey was composed of 25 questions divided into four sections: 1-surgeon's profile, 2-preoperative and 3-intraoperative evaluation, and 4-postoperative management...

Ankle fractures are common injuries that can significantly impact mobility and quality of life. Rehabilitation following ankle fracture treatment is crucial for recovery, yet adherence to regimens remains a challenge. Behaviour Change Techniques (BCTs) have been suggested to improve adherence, but their effectiveness in ankle fracture rehabilitation is not well established. This review aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of BCTs in the rehabilitation of ankle fracture patients. We conducted a comprehensive search across multiple databases, including MEDLINE and EMBASE, focusing on Randomised Controlled Trials (RCTs) that incorporated BCTs into rehabilitation interventions...

Necrotising fasciitis is an uncommon life-threatening surgical emergency. While most commonly seen in the lower limb it can also affect the upper limb. This article reviews and summarises the current literature on necrotising fasciitis in the upper limb, covering common predisposing factors, clinical presentations, scoring systems, common organism types and the timing of surgical treatment. The key to managing this condition continues to be early clinical diagnosis and aggressive surgical debridement to attempt to reduce the morbidity and mortality of this condition...