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Between 2004 and 2009, 60 patients with proximal tibial fractures were included in this prospective study. All fractures were treated with the polyaxial locked-plate fixation system (DePuy, Warsaw, IN, USA). Clinical and radiographic data, including fracture pattern, changes in alignment, local and systemic complications, hardware failure and fracture union were analysed. The mean follow-up was 14 (12-36) months. According to the Orthopaedic Trauma Association (OTA) classification, there were five 41-A, 28 41-B and 27 41-C fractures. Fractures were treated percutaneously in 30% of cases. Double-plating was used in 11 cases. All but three fractures progressed to union at a mean of 3.2 (2.5-5) months. There was no evidence of varus collapse as a result of polyaxial screw failure. No plate fractured, and no screw cut out was noted. There was one case of lateral joint collapse (>10°) in a patient with open bicondylar plateau fracture. The mean Knee Society Score at the time of final follow-up was 91 points, and the mean functional score was 89 points. The polyaxial locking-plate system provided stable fixation of extra-articular and intra-articular proximal tibial fractures and good functional outcomes with a low complication rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Posttraumatic synostosis of the forearm bones is a rare but serious complication following fixation or even conservative treatment of adult forearm fractures. This is the second report in the English literature of such a complication at the pin-track site following external fixation of proximal forearm fractures. A 36-year-old male patient sustained an open fracture of his proximal right forearm after a road traffic accident. It was managed by external fixation of the ulna and plate fixation of the radius. At follow-up, a type 3 radio-ulnar synostosis at the pin-track site became evident, which was treated after 20 months with surgical resection of the bony bridge to regain the rotatory motion of his forearm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract In England, trauma is the leading cause of death across all age groups, with over 16,000 deaths per year. Major trauma implies the presence of multiple, serious injuries that could result in death or serious disability. Successive reports have documented the fact that the current ad hoc unstructured management of this patient group is associated with considerable avoidable death and disability. The reform of trauma care in England, especially of the severely injured patient, has already begun. Strong clinical leadership is embraced as the way forward. The present article summarises the steps that have been made over the last decade that led to the recent decision to move towards a long anticipated restructure of the National Health Service (NHS) trauma services with the introduction of Regional Trauma Networks (RTNs). While, for the first time, a genuine political will and support exists, the changes required to maintain the momentum for the implementation of the RTNs needs to be marshalled against arguments, myths and perceptions from the past. Such an approach may reverse the disinterest attitude of many, and will gradually evolve into a cultural shift of the public, clinicians and policymakers in the fullness of time.

Abstract A large number of scientists from a wide range of medical and surgical disciplines have reported on the existence and characteristics of the clinical syndrome of pelvic girdle pain during or after pregnancy. This syndrome refers to a musculoskeletal type of persistent pain localised at the anterior and/or posterior aspect of the pelvic ring. The pain may radiate across the hip joint and the thigh bones. The symptoms may begin either during the first trimester of pregnancy, at labour or even during the postpartum period. The physiological processes characterising this clinical entity remain obscure. In this review, the definition and epidemiology, as well as a proposed diagnostic algorithm and treatment options, are presented. Ongoing research is desirable to establish clear management strategies that are based on the pathophysiologic mechanisms responsible for the escalation of the syndrome's symptoms to a fraction of the population of pregnant women.

Lisfranc fracture dislocations are complex lesions which, when combined with additional trauma of the ankle and foot region, create a difficult to treat injury pattern. This article presents a case of a patient with Lisfranc fracture dislocation combined with metatarsophalangeal dislocation of the second toe and ankle fracture-dislocation. The sequence of medical acts and complications included: reduction of dislocations, cast immobilization, compartment syndrome and fasciotomies, external fixator application, fasciotomies closure, and final internal fixations. The following examinations were performed: radiography, computed tomography (CT), and intracompartmental pressure measurement. Despite the compartment syndrome incidence, which was effectively managed, the patient regained an ankle- and foot-pain-free full range of motion. Although this is an isolated case of a rare injury, several recommendations can be made. Early CT scan should be used for injuries of the Lisfranc joints to fully assess the distorted anatomy of the midfoot and forefoot, which is essential for preoperative planning, medicolegal issues, and prognosis of the injury. The use of a spanning external fixator, especially in complex injuries as the one described, should be preferred to cast immobilization and should be performed as a priority surgical procedure early on in the patient's admission. The development of compartment syndrome should be monitored and intracompartmental pressures measured especially in unconscious patients. There should be a high degree of suspicion for early complications in complex fracture patterns, even if the initial clinical assessment is reassuring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Posttraumatic synostosis of the forearm bones is a rare but serious complication following fixation or even conservative treatment of adult forearm fractures. This is the second report in the English literature of such a complication at the pin-track site following external fixation of proximal forearm fractures. A 36- year-old male patient sustained an open fracture of his proximal right forearm after a road traffic accident. It was managed by external fixation of the ulna and plate fixation of the radius. At follow-up, a type 3 radio-ulnar synostosis at the pin-track site became evident, which was treated after 20 months with surgical resection of the bony bridge to regain the rotatory motion of his forearm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Despite the availability of clinical guidelines for hip fracture patients, adherence to these guidelines is challenging, potentially resulting in suboptimal patient care. The goal of this study was (1) to evaluate and benchmark the adherence to recently established quality indicators (QIs), and (2) to study clinical outcomes, in fragile hip fracture patients from different European countries., Methods: This observational, cross-sectional multicenter study was performed in 10 hospitals from 9 European countries including data of 298 consecutive patients., Results: A large variation both within and between hospitals were seen regarding adherence to the individual QIs. QIs with the lowest overall adherence rates were the administration of systemic steroids (5.4%) and tranexamic acid (20.1%). Indicators with the highest adherence rates (above 95%) were pre-operative (99.3%) and post-operative haemoglobin level assessment (100%). The overall median time to surgery was 22.6 h (range 15.7-42.5 h). The median LOS was 9.0 days (range 5.0-19.0 days). The most common complications were delirium (23.2%) and postsurgical constipation (25.2%)., Conclusion: The present study shows large variation in the care for fragile patients with hip fractures indicating room for improvement. Therefore, hospitals should invest in benchmarking and knowledge-sharing. Large quality improvement initiatives with longitudinal follow up of both process and outcome indicators should be initiated., Competing Interests: Declarations. Ethical approval: This study is performed in accordance with the ICH-GCP principles (International Conference on Harmonization Guidelines on Good Clinical Practice), the latest version of the Declaration of Helsinki the Oviedo Convention on Human Rights and Biomedicine and applicable laws and regulations. This study was conducted with ethical approval from the ethics committee research UZ/KU Leuven under S63113. Informed consent: the data from the patient records were retrospectively collect, which did not require informed consent. Patient identifiers were removed from the dataset. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Purpose: To evaluate the clinical outcomes of the use of tibiotalocalcaneal nail for the treatment of complex distal tibia and ankle fractures in elderly people, in a major trauma centre., Methods: Elderly patients (age > 65) with distal tibia or ankle fractures that underwent stabilization with a tibiotalocalcaneal nail were eligible to participate. Exclusion criteria were patients that died or were lost to follow-up and cases in which the nail was used in a chronic setting, such as malunion and non-union. Main parameters evaluated were fracture union, complications and functional outcomes. The functional outcome was assessed using the Olerud-Molander Ankle Score (OMAS). The minimum follow-up was 12 months., Results: Thirty-two consecutive patients (12 males) with a mean age of 80.2 years (range 66-98) met the inclusion criteria and formed the basis of this study. Fracture union was achieved in 93.8% of the cases at a mean time of 3.9 months (range 2-8). Two patients developed surgical site infections and underwent reoperation before union. The overall complication rate was 25.1%, while the respective reintervention rate was 18.8%. In terms of functional outcomes, the mean OMAS score was 45, ranging from 20 to 70., Conclusion: Tibiotalocalcaneal nailing can be considered as an acceptable less invasive option with good functional outcomes for the treatment of complex distal tibia and ankle fractures in frail patients with problematic local soft tissues., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Objectives: To determine whether open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) of periprosthetic Vancouver B2 fractures can lead to successful fracture healing in selected patients, when attention is given to the surgical exposure and the creation of a balanced extramedullary construct., Design: Retrospective., Setting: Two Level-1 trauma centers in Germany and United Kingdom., Methods: Patients with a B2 fracture receiving solely ORIF using a polyaxial locking plate were included for analysis. Patients with other fracture types, or treated with other methods, or with follow-up less than 12 months were excluded. Clinical characteristics, including the Charlson index, the American Society for Anesthesiologists score, and their preinjury functional levels, were recorded. Main outcome measures were 1-year mortality, revision rate, and radiological healing according to the Beals-Tower criteria., Results: A total of 32 patients (mean age ,79 ± 12 years) were enrolled. Six patients died within the first year (1-year mortality: 19%), and 5 were unavailable for follow-up studies. The remaining 21 patients had a mean follow-up of 30 months. Of 21, 20 had an excellent/good result using the criteria of Beals-Tower. One patient required revision surgery due to loosening and secondary subsidence of the stem., Conclusion: ORIF can be offered to selected patients suffering from B2 fractures, especially if their functional demand is limited, and perioperative risk high for revision arthroplasty. In this challenging cohort of patients, ORIF was a safe and effective therapeutic option., Level of Evidence: Therapeutic Level IV. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence., Competing Interests: P. Biberthaler, N. Kanakaris, and P. V. Giannoudis are instructors in instructional courses for Zimmer Biomet. C. Kirchhoff receives sponsorship from Zimmer Biomet for instructional courses. The remaining authors report no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 The Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.)

Purpose: Even though hip fracture care pathways have evolved, mortality rates have not improved during the last 20 years. This finding together with the increased frailty of hip fracture patients turned hip fractures into a major public health concern. The corresponding development of an indicator labyrinth for hip fractures and the ongoing practice variance in Europe call for a list of benchmarking indicators that allow for quality improvement initiatives for the rapid recovery of fragile hip fractures (RR-FHF). The purpose of this study was to identify quality indicators that assess the quality of in-hospital care for rapid recovery of fragile hip fracture (RR-FHF)., Methods: A literature search and guideline selection was conducted to identify recommendations for RR-FHF. Recommendations were categorized as potential structure, process, and outcome QIs and subdivided in-hospital care treatment topics. A list of structure and process recommendations that belongs to care treatment topics relevant for RR-FHF was used to facilitate extraction of recommendations during a 2-day consensus meeting with experts (n = 15) in hip fracture care across Europe. Participants were instructed to select 5 key recommendations relevant for RR-FHF for each part of the in-hospital care pathway: pre-, intra-, and postoperative care., Results: In total, 37 potential QIs for RR-FHF were selected based on a methodology using the combination of high levels of evidence and expert opinion. The set consists of 14 process, 13 structure, and 10 outcome indicators that cover the whole perioperative process of fragile hip fracture care., Conclusion: We suggest the QIs for RR-FHF to be practice tested and adapted to allow for intra-hospital longitudinal follow-up of the quality of care and for inter-hospital and cross-country benchmarking and quality improvement initiatives., (© 2021. International Osteoporosis Foundation and National Osteoporosis Foundation.)

We consider the prediction of future research collaborations as a link prediction problem applied on a scientific knowledge graph. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first work on the prediction of future research collaborations that combines structural and textual information of a scientific knowledge graph through a purposeful integration of graph algorithms and natural language processing techniques. Our work: (i) investigates whether the integration of unstructured textual data into a single knowledge graph affects the performance of a link prediction model, (ii) studies the effect of previously proposed graph kernels based approaches on the performance of an ML model, as far as the link prediction problem is concerned, and (iii) proposes a three-phase pipeline that enables the exploitation of structural and textual information, as well as of pre-trained word embeddings. We benchmark the proposed approach against classical link prediction algorithms using accuracy, recall, and precision as our performance metrics. Finally, we empirically test our approach through various feature combinations with respect to the link prediction problem. Our experimentations with the new COVID-19 Open Research Dataset demonstrate a significant improvement of the abovementioned performance metrics in the prediction of future research collaborations.

Background: In blunt trauma, orthopedic injuries are often associated with cerebral and torso injuries. The optimal timing for definitive care is a concern. The aim of the study was to develop evidence-based guidelines for damage-control orthopedic (DCO) and early total care (ETC) of pelvic and long-bone fractures, closed or open, and mangled extremities in adult trauma patients with and without associated injuries., Methods: The literature since 2000 to 2016 was systematically screened according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and meta-analyses protocol. One hundred twenty-four articles were reviewed by a panel of experts to assign grade of recommendation and level of evidence using the Grading of recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation system, and an International Consensus Conference, endorsed by several scientific societies was held., Results: The choice between DCO and ETC depends on the patient's physiology, as well as associated injuries. In hemodynamically unstable pelvic fracture patient, extraperitoneal pelvic packing, angioembolization, external fixation, C-clamp, and resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta are not mutually exclusive. Definitive reconstruction should be deferred until recovery of physiological stability. In long bone fractures, DCO is performed by external fixation, while ETC should be preferred in fully resuscitated patients because of better outcomes. In open fractures early debridement within 24 hours should be recommended and early closure of most grade I, II, IIIa performed. In mangled extremities, limb salvage should be considered for non-life-threatening injuries, mostly of upper limb., Conclusion: Orthopedic priorities may be: to save a life: control hemorrhage by stabilizing the pelvis and femur fractures; to save a limb: treat soft tissue and vascular injuries associated with fractures, stabilize fractures, recognize, and prevent compartmental syndrome; to save functionality: treat dislocations, articular fractures, distal fractures. While DCO is the best initial treatment to reduce surgical load, ETC should be applied in stable or stabilized patients to accelerate the recovery of normal functions., Level of Evidence: Systematic review of predominantly level II studies, level II.

Introduction: Cigarette smoke has negative effects on bone metabolism and fracture repair. However, no study has reviewed effects of nicotine on bone and fracture repair independent of other constituents of cigarette smoke. The authors review the existing evidence of the effect of nicotine on 'bone' and 'bone cells' and fracture repair, drawing conclusions relevant to clinical practice and future research., Areas Covered: A literature review was conducted using PRISMA guidelines and PubMed, Cochrane, MEDLINE/OVID, EMBASE, NHS Evidence and Google scholar databases. Articles were included if they specifically investigated the effects of nicotine on 'bone' or fracture repair in animal or human models or in vitro effects on 'bone cells'. A total of 64 papers were included in this review, of which 15 were human in vitro studies and 49 animal studies wherein 9 were in vitro and 40 in vivo. In vivo studies of the effects of nicotine in animals demonstrated widespread effects on bone including osteoneogenesis, osseointegration, steady-state skeletal bone and genes and cytokines relevant to bone cell physiology and bone homeostasis. In these studies, nicotine's effects are predominately negative, inhibiting bone cell metabolism and fracture repair, whereas most in vitro studies reported biphasic responses in all bone cells except osteoclastic cells., Expert Opinion: The review suggests that nicotine has effects on osteoneogenesis, osseointegration and steady-state skeletal bone in animal in vivo models, as well as effects on all 'bone cells', via several mechanisms in both animal and human cell in vitro studies. The effect of nicotine is dose-dependent, with higher concentrations having predominantly negative effects, whereas at low concentrations a stimulatory effect is seen. Stimulatory effects on certain cells may indicate a possible, limited therapeutic role; advice regarding smoking cessation perioperatively should remain due to the other harmful components of cigarette smoke, but there may be scope for allowing the use of nicotine patches instead of complete abstention. Further research into clinical outcomes is required before the exact response of bone and fracture repair in humans to nicotine is known.

Purpose: We performed a prospective study to document, by intra-operative manipulation under anaesthesia (MUA) of the pelvic ring, the stability of lateral compression type 1 injuries that were managed in a Level-I Trauma Centre. The documentation of the short-term outcome of the management of these injuries was our secondary aim., Methods: A total of 63 patients were included in the study. Thirty-five patients (group A) were treated surgically whereas 28 (group B) were managed nonoperatively. Intraoperative rotational instability, evident by more than two centimetres of translation during the manipulation manoeuvre, was combined with a complete sacral fracture in all cases., Results: A statistically significant difference was present between the length of hospital stay, the time to independent pain-free mobilisation, post-manipulation pain levels and opioid requirements between the two groups, with group A demonstrating significantly decreased values in all these four variables (p < 0.05). There was also a significant difference between the pre- and 72-hour post-manipulation visual analogue scale and analgesic requirements of the group A patients, whereas the patients in group B did not demonstrate such a difference., Conclusion: LC-1 injuries with a complete posterior sacral injury are inheritably rotationally unstable and patients presenting with these fracture patterns definitely gain benefit from surgical stabilisation.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of emergency transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) in controlling retroperitoneal arterial haemorrhage associated with unstable pelvic fractures., Methods: A systematic review of the English literature yielded 21 eligible studies published from 1979 to 2010. Evaluation of clinical and methodological heterogeneity was based on recording certain descriptive characteristics in the component studies. Statistical heterogeneity was detected using Cochran chi-square and I square tests and, when absent, a pooled estimate of effect size for each outcome of interest was calculated. The principal outcomes of interest were efficacy rate of TAE to control intrapelvic bleeding, mortality rates and frequency of associated complications., Results: All component studies were assigned a low to moderate quality score. Methodological and clinical heterogeneity was evident across component studies, but not strongly associated with the observed results. The efficacy rate of TAE ranged from 81 to 100%, while the frequency of repeat TAE for effective control of haemorrhage was 10% (95% CI: 7-13%, range: 0-19%). TAE was associated with an overall mortality ranging from 7 to 47%, and a 0-25% mortality due to intrapelvic bleeding (pooled estimate of effect size: 6%, 95% CI: 4-8%). A very low rate of associated complications were recorded in the component studies (pooled estimate of effect size: 1.1%, 95% CI: 0.1-2.1%)., Conclusion: TAE is an efficient acute intervention for controlling severe arterial bleeding related to pelvic trauma with a low complication rate. Repeat of the procedure is occasionally necessary before the effective haemorrhage control., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Bone infection in adults is a potentially devastating complication following trauma or surgery. The clinician should diagnose osteomyelitis based on certain clinical manifestations and on laboratory and imaging findings. For pathogen identification, the treating surgeon should take appropriate tissue samples. Close collaboration with microbiologists is of paramount importance to dictate the appropriate duration and type of antibiotics to be administered. Treatment of acute osteomyelitis requires surgical debridement and prolonged course of antibiotics. Debate exists regarding the maintenance or the removal of any internal fixation device. Treatment of chronic osteomyelitis is more complicated. For its eradication the treatment course is often prolonged and frustrating. Based on the current literature an algorithm of treatment for both acute and chronic bone infections is recommended., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The last two decades extensive research evidence has been accumulated regarding the pathophysiology of trauma and the sequelae of interventions that follow. Aim of this analysis has been to collect and categorise the existing data on the so-called "second hit" phenomenon that includes the biochemical and physiologic alterations occurring in patients having surgery after major trauma. Articles were extracted from the PubMed database and the retrieved reports were included in the study only if pre-specified eligibility criteria were fulfilled. Moreover, a constructed questionnaire was utilised for quality assessment of the outcomes. Twenty-six articles were eligible for the final analysis, referring to a total of 8262 patients that underwent surgery after major trauma. Sixteen retrospective clinical studies including 7322 patients and 10 prospective ones, including 940 patients were evaluated. Several variables able to reproduce a post-operative second hit were identified; mostly related to pulmonary dysfunction, coagulopathy, fat or pulmonary embolism, and the inflammatory immune system. Indicative conclusions were extracted, as well as the need for further prospective randomised trials. Suggestions on the content and the rationale of future studies are provided., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Reconstruction of diaphyseal bone defects still represents a major clinical challenge. Several approaches are used with the common objective to regenerate bone loss and restore function. The methods most commonly used are the vascularised fibula autograft and the Ilizarov bone transfer technique. Recently, Masquelet proposed a procedure combining induced membranes and cancellous autografts. The aim of this article was to briefly describe the technique, to review the current evidence and to discuss the tips and tricks that could help the surgeons to improve outcome. Future directions to increase its effectiveness and expand its application are also being discussed. However, predicting the outcome of reconstruction of bone defects remains difficult; and the patient should always be informed that, although potential complications are mostly predictable, in most of the cases the reconstruction process is long and difficult., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Posttraumatic arthritis primarily affects younger individuals, leading to reduced physical activity, chronic pain, and prolonged symptomatic treatments. The management of post-traumatic arthritis after fracture, dislocation or ligament rupture continues to be one of the most challenging clinical entities in orthopaedic and trauma surgery. Therapies to address early symptoms include anti-inflammatory agents, pain killers, corticosteroid or hyaluronic acid joint injections but these offer only temporary pain relief with hardly any mid or long term benefit. There are many surgical options for the treatment of posttraumatic arthritis. For the early stages, arthroscopic debridement should be considered. At late stages, corrective osteotomies or arthrodesis are strongly recommended for the young patients. In older patients arthroplasties remain the treatment of choice.

We evaluated the peripheral release of inflammatory mediators after femoral fracture and subsequent intramedullary reaming using the RIA reamers. IL-6 was elevated after trauma, and reaming with RIA induced a measurable second hit response. However, despite a higher ISS, the levels of IL-6 in the RIA group were similar to the levels measured in a group of patients where reaming of the femoral canal was performed using conventional reamers. There was one death related to fat embolism syndrome in the conventional reamers group. However, the overall incidence of complications was low and similar between the 2 groups of studied patients. In polytrauma patients, large scale studies are desirable to evaluate further the immuno-inflammatory response using the RIA reamers prior to the instrumentation of the femoral canal., (Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Fracture non-unions often complicate orthopaedic trauma. BMPs (bone morphogenetic proteins) are currently considered the most appealing osteoinductive agents. Applications of BMP-7 since January 2004 were prospectively recorded in a multicentre registry of aseptic femoral non-unions. The study included 30 patients who had undergone a median of 1 revision operation before BMP-7 application and who were followed up for a median 24 months. In 23/30 cases the application of BMP-7 was combined with revision of the fixation, and in 12 it was combined also with autograft. Non-union healing was verified in 26/30 cases in a median period of 6 months. No adverse events were associated with BMP-7 application. Our case series supports the safety and efficacy of BMP-7 in femoral non-unions. Multicentre networks and systematic, long-term follow-up of patients may improve understanding of this promising osteoinductive bone substitute., (Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

This article describes the case of a 69-year-old patient with an occult acetabular fracture complicated by an ipsilateral femoral neck fracture occurring within 2 months. The acetabular fracture remained undiagnosed at examination due to insufficient clinical and radiographic data interpretation. The patient was assured of early mobilization that led to a fall and subsequent hip fracture. We focus on the potential reasons for the nondiagnosis of the acetabular fracture. Acetabular fractures in the elderly may occur after low-energy injuries. The lack of history of violent injury may lead to an incorrect diagnosis. Plain anteroposterior (AP) pelvis radiographs alone may prove an insufficient tool, especially in the hands of inexperienced personnel. As is characteristic, a retrospective review of the AP pelvis radiograph obtained after the first fall in our case revealed the undisplaced fracture of the anterior column that was missed initially. Combined fractures of the hip and the acetabulum are rarely described in the literature and are usually addressed by total hip arthroplasty (THA) alone. Similar fracture patterns that develop in 2 stages (2 injuries), as the 1 presented herein, are even more rare. The uniqueness of this combined fracture required a unique surgical treatment. The senior surgeon (P.V.G.) addressed the acetabular fracture separately to graft the anterior column fracture and facilitate union, as it was already 8 weeks old and the second fall had generated a further gap between the fragments. Stable fixation was felt appropriate prior to the THA. Thus, a double surgical approach was used. Six weeks postoperatively, the patient was able to perform full weight-bearing mobilization without an antalgic gait pattern. At 6-month follow-up, radiographs showed the metalwork to be in place with no displacement, and the fracture had progressed to union.

Trauma patients often present in a state of haemorrhagic shock. Blood products remain the gold standard of resuscitation, but allogeneic blood transfusions (ABTs) are associated with several risks. The stimulating effect of recombinant-erythropoietin (EPO-A) on erythropoiesis has raised interest in its administration as an alternative. The existing evidence on the early use of EPO-A in the acute phase of trauma patients management consists of only 14 publications. The level of evidence of these studies and the number of treated patients was not found to be adequate to support its generalised use, despite their favourable results. Its safety profile, the preliminary proofs of its efficacy, and the additional cyto-protective properties of EPO-A strongly encourage further controlled studies assessing its use in the acute setting of initial trauma management.

Translation of the achievements of basic science into everyday clinical practice remains a major issue in contemporary medicine, and is addressed through a new discipline, translational research, which aims to bridge the gap between basic and clinical research. Translational research encompasses laboratory studies, clinical demands, public health and health management, policies and economics; it is crucial in the evolution of contemporary biomedical science; and its interventions follow the political-economic, ethical-social and educational-scientific approaches. Translational research can progress through reorganisation of academic teams in a translational way. New academic posts translationally orientated are urgently needed, particularly in the field of trauma medicine, where lack of awareness of this new evolution is evident.

A large number of aids have been conceived and introduced into clinical practice (nutritional supplements, local dressings, technical innovations) aimed at facilitating and optimising wound healing in both acute and chronic wound settings. Among these advances, negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) has been introduced during the last 30 years, and has been analysed in over 400 manuscripts of the English, Russian and German literature. Until very recently, vacuum assisted closure (VAC) (KCI, TX, USA) has been the only readily available commercial device that provides localised negative pressure to the wound and is the predominant agent used to deliver NPWT featured in this review. We conducted a comprehensive review of the existing clinical evidence of the English literature on the applications of NPWT in the acute setting of trauma and burns of the lower extremity. Overall, 16 clinical studies have been evaluated and scrutinised as to the safety and the efficacy of this adjunct therapy in the specific environment of trauma. Effectiveness was comparable to the standard dressing and wound coverage methods. The existing clinical evidence justifies its application in lower limb injuries associated with soft tissue trauma.

Open fracture management represents an orthopaedic emergency. Early aggressive management of these debilitating injuries within the first 6h has been encouraged in order to minimise the risk of infection and long term sequelae. Debridement and wash-out of the wound, followed by stabilisation of the bony elements and closure of the soft-tissue envelope are all considered essential. However, the available scientific evidence supporting the timing of this multistage approach of open fracture management, and the "Six-hour rule" itself, are unclear. This review article analyses the available evidence regarding the impact of the timing of wound debridement and closure of open fractures of the lower extremity.

Albumin is one of the oldest known and studied human proteins. It is characterised by diverse physiological and biochemical properties that render it relevant to many aspects of the disordered vascular and cellular functions after trauma. Apart from the ability to maintain the colloid oncotic pressure, human serum albumin has multiple effects, including antioxidant activity and binding affinity for drugs and toxic substances, inhibition of apoptosis and modulation of trauma-induced inflammatory response. According to the current state of knowledge, there are conflicting results regarding the benefits of albumin administration in critically ill patients. Further investigations are warranted to resolve the continued uncertainty about the safety and efficacy of human serum albumin in specific clinical circumstances and selected populations of severely injured patients.

A review of the existing evidence on economic costs of treatment of long-bone fracture non-unions has retrieved 9 papers. Mostly the tibial shaft non-unions have been utilised as models for these economic analyses. Novel treatment strategies like BMP-7 grafting, Ilizarov ring external fixation or supplementary use of therapeutic ultrasound devices have been compared with standard methods of treatment focusing on direct and indirect costs and expenses. A cost-identification query was conducted and revealed costs of pound 15,566, pound 17,200 and pound 16,330 for humeral, femoral, and tibial non-unions respectively on a "best-case scenario". The existing scientific evidence can only imply the extent of the economic burden of long-bone non-unions. Further systematic studies are needed to assess the direct medical, direct non-medical, indirect, and monetised quality of life and psychosocial costs of non-unions.

Background: To determine the role of pelvic fractures in auditing mortality resulting from trauma., Study Design: This retrospective case-control study based on autopsy-evaluated circumstances of the deaths of patients with pelvic fractures., Results: Of 2,583 patients injured in motor-vehicle collisions, 655 (25.4%) constituted the pelvic fracture (PFx) group, and 1,928 (74.6%) constituted the control group. One-third of the PFx group's fatalities had an Injury Severity Score (ISS) of 75 and were not preventable. The PFx group had a substantially higher median ISS than the control group (50 versus 34; p < 0.0001). Four hundred fifty-four patients (69.3%) in the PFx group with ISS 16 to 74 had substantially higher rates of associated injuries. Nearly half of the PFx group patients with ISS

Objectives: This study was designed to confirm the clinical observation that patients undergoing reamed intramedullary nailing develop a high temperature in the early postoperative period and to further investigate this reaction by studying the alteration of biologic markers, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein (CRP), during the early postoperative period., Design: Body temperature, ESR, and CRP were monitored on admission, preoperatively, and postoperatively (1st, 3rd, and 10th days) in 30 consecutive patients who sustained isolated, closed femoral, or tibial diaphyseal fractures and were treated with reamed intramedullary nailing (study group). The same biologic parameters were monitored in 35 consecutive patients who sustained isolated, closed, intertrochanteric fractures of the femur at the same period of time and were treated with a Dynamic Hip Screw(R) (control group). Polytrauma patients or patients with pathologic problems or complications that could influence the results were excluded from the study., Results: Body temperature, ESR, and CRP rise significantly (P < 0.0001) after reamed intramedullary nailing., Conclusions: Reamed intramedullary nailing causes significant inflammatory reaction that warrants further investigation. Knowledge that biologic markers are altered after reamed intramedullary nailing could help toward better postoperative management and undisturbed commencement of a physiotherapy program, and also toward better assessment and diagnosis of early postoperative complications, such as infection.