Search

Objective: The purpose of this study is to analyze the radiological and functional outcome of complex proximal humerus fractures treated by open reduction and plate fixation, and how radiological parameters correlate with functional outcome. Design: Retrospective study. Setting: Level-1 trauma center. Patients/methods: One hundred twenty-seven patients were analyzed, with a mean follow-up of 5 (3–7) years. Outcome measurements: Radiological parameters studied were neck-shaft angle (NSA), greater tuberosity (GT) to articular surface (AS) distance, medial hinge reduction, and presence (or absence) of calcar screw. Functional outcome evaluated by DASH and Constant–Murley (C-M) score. Results: The mean age is 53.8 years. All patients had a union in 14 (12–18) weeks. The mean NSA is 135° (112–155°). One hundred and thirteen patients with an NSA of >120° had a good functional outcome. Fourteen patients with NSA ≤120° had shoulder abduction 4 mm and without calcar screw, varus collapse is observed. All patients had a good outcome on DASH score and 122 patients had good to excellent outcome on C-M score. Five patients with poor outcome on C-M score had NSA 4 mm, and absence of calcar specific screw. This “terrible triad” of proximal humerus fracture should be avoided during operative fixation.

Volar dislocation of PIP joint or MCP joint is a rare injury. They are seldom seen acutely and hence literature is sparse on the ideal method of management of these injuries. We had a patient who presented with a rare combination of volar dislocations of PIP and MCP joints of the ring finger with a classic dorsal dislocation of the PIP joint of the little finger. All dislocations underwent successful closed reduction in the acute stage followed by appropriate method of immobilisation and physiotherapy.

Case: A 48-year-old man with multiple injuries sustained a Gustilo type 3A right open distal humerus fracture with a 4-cm wound, contralateral radius shaft, and ilium fractures. Following wound irrigation on the day of injury, second look debridement showed crushed triceps and severe contamination extending into the distal humerus medullary canal. After 6 days of initial plate fixation, he developed signs of deep infection. Radical debridement twice resulted in a 10-cm bone defect, necessitating reconstruction with a Lambda-shaped free vascularized fibula for both columns., Conclusion: Lambda-shaped column reconstruction using free vascularized fibula flap yields satisfactory clinical and radiographic outcomes in metaphyseal distal humerus bone defects., Level of Evidence: V., Level of Clinical Care: Level I Tertiary trauma center., Competing Interests: Disclosure: The Disclosure of Potential Conflicts of Interest forms are provided with the online version of the article (http://links.lww.com/JBJSCC/C536)., (Copyright © 2025 by The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, Incorporated.)

Introduction and Aims: Arterial pseudoaneurysm is a rare yet potentially life-threatening complication that can arise as a late sequelae of penetrating injuries or orthopaedic procedures. We aim at sharing our institutional experience of managing 18 cases of lower limb arterial pseudoaneurysms in orthopaedic practice and to provide technical tips for emergency management of severe bleeding. A comprehensive literature review resulting from fractures and orthopaedic surgeries is also presented., Results: The study group consisted mainly of male patients with a mean age of 48.5 years. The mean duration between injury and pseudoaneurysm diagnosis was 86.7 days. CT angiography and USG Doppler were the main diagnostic modality. Among the cases, five resulted from fracture fragments and 13 from iatrogenic injuries. Surgical interventions varied based on the artery involved and included excision and ligation, bypass grafting with dacron or vein graft, primary repair, and amputation in two cases. Complications included one patient with blowout at the anastomotic site and another case of deep infection. The literature review encompassed 108 cases of pseudoaneurysm of lower limb associated with fractures and iatrogenic injuries during orthopaedic procedures. Clinical manifestations varied widely which included painful swelling, pulsatility, bleeding, and neurological deficits. CT angiography was the most utilized diagnostic modality, while therapeutic embolization was the most common treatment method., Conclusion: Iatrogenic arterial injuries contributed to more than 60% of the cases as per the literature review. The most frequent mechanisms related to instrumentation were the placement of the third and fourth screws of the DHS plate, and the distal screw of a short nail in treating pertrochanteric fractures. This can be avoided by external rotation and abduction of the limb during distal screw insertion. A high index of clinical suspicion is needed especially when bleeding from the hardware site is noted. A swelling in the previously operated site should raise a suspicion of pseudoaneurysm and incision and drainage must be avoided without further imaging (Duplex USG or CT angiography). This study highlights the importance of cautious surgical techniques to minimize the occurrence of vascular injuries during orthopaedic surgeries., Competing Interests: Declarations. Ethics approval: Approval was obtained from the Institutional ethics committee. Conflict of interest: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany.)

Introduction: The subtrochanteric region is known for its unique biomechanical properties that contribute to challenges in fracture reduction. To ensure optimal fracture healing, achieving robust mechanical stability is essential. There are very few studies in the literature describing the treatment of subtrochanteric fracture nonunion., Purpose: To analyze the outcomes of two techniques of revision fixation of nonunion in subtrochanteric femur fracture, namely, nail-plate fixation and plate-structural fibula graft fixation., Methods: This was a retrospective analysis of subtrochanteric femur nonunion between January 2011 and December 2019. The demographic details, details of the index surgery, details of the revision surgery and the time to final union were collected. The nonunion was divided based on the level of the fracture into high subtrochanteric and low subtrochanteric. Two revision techniques were used: plate-structural fibula graft for high subtrochanteric and nail-plate construct for low subtrochanteric femur fractures RESULTS: Out of the 54 patients that were included, there was malalignment in 53.70 %, medial comminution in 46.3 %, distraction at the fracture site in 44.4 %, lateral trochanteric wall break in 37.03 % and implant failure in 70.37 % of the patients. There were 20 high subtrochanteric and 34 low subtrochanteric fractures. Union was achieved in 53 patients (98.14 %). The mean LEFS score was 71.4 in the nail-plate group and 66.2 in the plate-structural fibula graft group (p 0.003)., Conclusion: The treatment of subtrochanteric femur fracture nonunion can be a daunting task. The goal is to correct the varus and restore the medial support which will prevent the occurrence of collapse and another failure. We were able to achieve this with both the nail-plate and the plate- structural fibula graft revision methods., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest All authors confirm that there is no conflict of interest, (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Despite the availability of multiple treatment options, management of tibial bone loss continues to be a challenge. Free vascularized fibula graft (FVFG) with a skin paddle offers better advantages over the other methods. We aimed to study the functional outcomes and QALY of patients with large tibial bone defects following FVFG with a locking plate., Materials and Methods: We analyzed 26 consecutive patients with large tibial bone defects treated by free vascularized fibular graft (FVFG) and stabilization using a long locking plate between 2009 and 2018. All were followed up for a mean period of 42 months (24 to 120 months). Bony union, graft hypertrophy, and complications such as stress fracture and infections were assessed. Multivariate regression analysis was performed to identify any association between demographic factors, injury characteristics, treatment-related factors, and fibular hypertrophy. Additionally, The EQ-5D quality-of-life (QOL) indices were obtained using the SF-12 score to evaluate the patients' overall quality of life., Results: The mean age of the patients at the time of presentation was 36.26 yrs (range, 18-60 years). The cause of bone loss was open injury in 16 patients and infected nonunion in 10 patients. Complete union was achieved in 25 patients (96 %) without any requirement of additional surgical procedures. The mean union time of the graft was 4.04 months (range, 3-6 months). The mean fibular hypertrophy calculated by De Boer index was 0.61 %, 11 %, 28.24 % and 52.52 % at 3,6 months and 1 and 2 years respectively. Patients with metaphyseal bone loss have significant fibular hypertrophy. Participants in our study experienced a quality of life equivalent to 0.88 (range 0.79-0.99) of perfect health., Conclusions: FVFG with skin paddle and LCP fixation for massive tibial bone loss achieved satisfactory outcome and QALY even in the challenging healthcare environment of South India, a developing country.It maintains alignment, promotes graft hypertrophy, and prevents stress fractures., Level of Evidence: Level 4 LEVEL OF CLINICAL CARE: Level I Tertiary trauma centre., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: Coronal shear fractures of the distal humerus involving the capitellum and trochlea are rare injuries. Internal fixation with headless compression screws provides a stable construct facilitating early mobilisation. Our study aimed to identify the key determinants of both radiological and functional outcomes of patients with distal humerus coronal shear fractures treated with internal fixation., Methods: A retrospective analysis of 61 patients with distal humerus coronal shear fractures who were treated surgically was done. Demographics, fracture morphology, time to surgery, operative details such as surgical approach and implant used, quality of reduction, time to union, and associated complications from hospital records. Radiological outcomes were assessed using plain radiographs, and the functional outcomes were by Oxford Elbow Score (OES) and Mayo Elbow Performance Index (MEPI)., Results: Patients with anatomical reduction of the fracture had better functional outcomes and range of motion. The presence of posterior comminution of capitellum resulted in poorer outcomes (p = 0.03). Delayed presentation did not alter the outcome when the anatomical reduction was achieved. Myositis ossificans was noted in nine patients and non-union in five patients. Two patients developed avascular necrosis of the capitellum and arthritis of the elbow joint., Conclusion: Anatomical reduction and posterior comminution are the two key determinants of the functional outcome in these coronal shear fractures of the distal humerus. Early mobilisation following a stable fixation is crucial in achieving a good outcome., (© 2024. The Author(s) under exclusive licence to SICOT aisbl.)

Introduction: Our primary aim of the study was to assess the results of a treatment protocol for aseptic femoral shaft nonunion treated by three techniques - Exchange Nailing (EN), Plate Augmentation (PA), and Exchange Nailing combined with Plate augmentation (NP). The secondary objective was to assess the radiological outcome, duration of surgery (DOS) and need for blood transfusion (BT) in all the three groups., Materials and Methods: We analyzed 330 patients treated for AFNU between Jan 2007 and Dec 2019. Using a simple treatment algorithm, EN, PA and NP were performed in 24,183 and 123 patients respectively. Patients in all the three groups were assessed for radiological-union (union rate and time to union), DOS and BT., Results: Of these 330 patients, 327 (99 %) patients achieved radiological union at a mean duration of 6.07 months. Union rate is highest with NP followed by PA and EN. The union rate in patients with NP, PA and EN were 100 %, 99.5 % and 91.7 % respectively (p < 0.01). Time to union was lowest for NP followed by PA and EN (p < 0.001).The mean time to union for NP, PA and EN were 3.76, 7.2and 9.21 months respectively (p < 0.001). The mean DOS in minutes for NP, EN and PA was 107, 94 and 82 respectively (p < 0.01). The mean need for BT in the form of packed red blood cells for NP, PA and EN were 1.95, 1.87 and 1.38 units respectively (p < 0.01)., Conclusion: Following a simple algorithm to decide treatment protocol on a case-to case basis helps to achieve good results in an optimal time period. When compared with EN and PA, NP is associated with 100 % union rate with least time to union making NP a reasonably effective procedure with a very high success rate., Level of Evidence: IV., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest All authors confirm that there is no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Introduction: Primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) is an intrinsic abnormality of the parathyroid glands in which there is an inappropriate secretion of parathormone (PTH), resulting in skeletal resorption and bone loss. The characteristic bony changes of fibrotic cystic lesions are called Brown's tumors. Clinical dilemmas exist due to the varied clinical presentation of hypercalcemia with multiple lytic lesions mimicking metastatic bone disease. The 99 mTc sestamibi scanning is the imaging modality of choice used for the preoperative localization of parathyroid adenomas. Surgery provides a definitive treatment, and the bony lesions resolve completely over a period of time., Case Report: We present four cases of PHPT where they presented with multiple lytic lesions and were evaluated for metastatic deposits. The diagnosis was confirmed with a biopsy. They were successfully treated by excision of the parathyroid gland. A high index of suspicion will avoid misdiagnosis and inappropriate treatment., Conclusion: PHPT must be considered as a differential diagnosis for multiple osteolytic bone lesions. Diagnosis can be aided by a thorough clinical examination, including an assessment for neck swelling, and laboratory testing of serum calcium levels and PTH levels. Surgical excision of the hyperactive gland serves as the definitive treatment for this condition, with bony lesions regressing gradually over time., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest: Nil, (Copyright: © Indian Orthopaedic Research Group.)

Open fractures are an emergency where the principal aim of the treatment is to maximise the restoration of limb function while preventing the dreaded consequences of infection and non-union. The decision-making process for open injuries is influenced by a variety of criteria, such as patient age, injury features, systemic response, activity level, comorbidities, and functional requirements. A collaborative orthoplastic approach to treating these injuries is essential for minimizing complications and need to be considered as a single specialty in early and long-term management. It has been shown that early prophylactic systemic antibiotics, wound irrigation, aggressive debridement of contaminated and devitalized tissue, and appropriate fracture fixation decreases the complications in all grades of open fractures. The advantages of Gram-negative antibiotics, the use of local antibiotics, intraoperative wound cultures, the "fix and flap" approach, and Negative Pressure Wound Therapy are few of the treatment options that are still controversial. The aim of this review is to provide a comprehensive review and practice guidelines regarding the management of open fractures., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2023.)

Introduction: Fracture of the base of the ulnar styloid has shown to have higher incidence of TFCC tears and DRUJ instability leading to nonunion and impaired function. Poorer functional outcomes of the distal radius fracture have been attributed to the untreated associated ulnar styloid fractures while some studies have shown no difference. Thus, the treatment remains controversial. However, it has been shown that fractures at the base of the ulnar styloid have a higher incidence of tears in the triangular fibrocartilage complex (TFCC) and instability in the distal radioulnar joint (DRUJ), which can lead to nonunion and impaired function. Despite this, there are currently no studies comparing the outcomes of surgically and conservatively treated patients., Methods: A retrospective study was conducted to analyze the outcomes of intra-articular distal radius fractures associated with base of ulnar fracture treated with distal radius LCP fixation. The study included 14 patients who were treated surgically and 49 patients who were treated conservatively, with a minimum follow-up of 2 years. Radiological parameters such as union and amount of displacement, VAS score for ulnar-sided wrist pain, functional assessment using the modified Mayo score and the quick DASH questionnaire and complications were analyzed., Results: At the final follow-up, the mean scores for pain (VAS), functional outcomes (modified Mayo score), disability (QuickDASH score), range of motion, and non-union rate were found to be statistically insignificant (p > 0.05) between the surgically treated and conservatively treated groups. However, patients with non-union had statistically significant higher scores for pain (VAS), greater post-operative displacement of the styloid, poorer functional outcomes, and higher disability (p < 0.05)., Conclusion: While there was no significant difference in ulnar-sided wrist pain and functional outcomes between the surgically treated and conservatively treated groups, the conservatively treated cases had a higher risk of non-union, which can negatively impact functional outcomes. The amount of pre-operative displacement was found to be a key factor in predicting non-union and can be used as a guide for determining the management of this type of fracture., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Case: Two patients who sustained multiple injuries after a road traffic accident developed cutaneous mucormycosis after a superficial abrasion. In the first case, the patient was diabetic with poorly controlled glycemic status. In the second case, the patient was young and immunocompetent with no known risk factors., Conclusion: Although there are few case reports of posttraumatic cutaneous mucormycosis, there is no single report describing its occurrence after a superficial abrasion. Cutaneous mucormycosis can be fatal if not identified early and treated aggressively. A high index of suspicion, timely diagnosis, and repeated debridement with antifungal therapy provided good functional outcomes in both patients., Competing Interests: Disclosure: The Disclosure of Potential Conflicts of Interest forms are provided with the online version of the article (http://links.lww.com/JBJSCC/C121)., (Copyright © 2023 by The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, Incorporated.)

Introduction: Distraction osteogenesis is a safe and reliable option for managing bone defects of the tibia following major open fractures. Even though the Limb Reconstruction System (LRS) is a popular option, it may result in malalignment, necessitating an additional procedure to correct the alignment. The objective of the study is to assess the efficacy of a novel surgical technique in minimising malalignment., Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study conducted at a level 1 tertiary trauma centre consisting of 35 patients with primary bone loss following open tibia fractures. A uniplanar LRS frame was applied using a combined spacer rod with plate technique. Radiological assessment of docking site characteristics (translation, angulation) and functional assessment using ASAMI score was done., Results: The mean distraction regenerate length was 8.4 ± 3.45 cm. At the docking site, 18 patients did not have any deformity, 13 had a minor deformity of ≤ 5°, 2 had a moderate deformity of 6°-10° and 2 with a severe deformity > 10°. Circumferential docking was seen in 88.5% (31/35). According to the ASAMI functional scoring, 13 patients had excellent outcomes, 19 had good, one had fair, and two had poor outcomes. Six patients had pin tract infections, three had deep infections, and 17 had a delayed union. Our study had a lower incidence of malalignment compared to similar studies in the literature., Conclusion: The use of this simple and economical intra-operative technique allowed for much higher precision in aligning the fracture ends, thus minimising the docking site malalignment., Level of Evidence: III., Level of Clinical Care: Level I Tertiary trauma centre., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany.)

Introduction: Humerus shaft nonunions are very disabling and challenging to treat. The current study aims to analyse the rate of union and the incidence of complications following a consistent protocol in treating humerus shaft nonunion., Methodology: We did a retrospective analysis of 100 patients with humerus shaft nonunion treated over an eight-year period from 2014 to 2021. The mean age was 42 years (range 18-75 years). There were 53 male and 47 female patients. The average time interval from injury to nonunion surgery was 23 months (range 3 months to 23 years). The series included 12 recalcitrant nonunions and 12 patients with septic nonunion. All patients underwent freshening of fracture edges to increase the contact surface area, stable fixation with a locking plate and intramedullary iliac crest bone grafting. Infective nonunions were treated in a staged manner, following a similar treatment protocol after the elimination of infection in the first stage., Results: Complete union was achieved in 97% of the patients with a single procedure. One patient achieved union after an additional procedure, while two patients were lost to further follow-up. The mean time to union was 5.7 months (range 3-10 months). Three patients (3%) had postoperative radial nerve palsy, which recovered completely within 6 months. Three patients (3%) had a superficial surgical site infection, while one patient (1%) developed a deep infection., Conclusion: Intramedullary cancellous autologous grafts combined with stable fixation by compression plating achieve a high union rate with minimal complications., Level of Evidence: III., Level of Clinical Care: Level I Tertiary trauma centre., Competing Interests: Conflict of interestJayaramaraju Dheenadhayalan, Kavinkumar Vembanan, Agraharam Devendra, Ramesh Perumal, Vasudeva Nagashree, Aditya H Kumar, and Shanmuganathan Rajasekaran declare that they have no conflicts of interest., (© Indian Orthopaedics Association 2023, Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.)

Case: Thoracic penetration of the medial half of clavicle fracture is rare and can be life-threatening and limb-threatening because of its proximity to the pleura and neurovascular structures. We report an unusual presentation of the medial portion of clavicle fracture locked under the first rib associated with the pneumothorax and global brachial plexus palsy successfully reduced by gentle manipulation. Partial injury to the subclavian vein was repaired. Nerve transfer was performed for brachial plexus palsy. The patient showed good functional recovery., Conclusion: Reduction of locked intrathoracic clavicle fracture was performed safely by gentle manipulation. Subsequent appropriate interventions for the brachial plexus palsy led to a good outcome., Competing Interests: Disclosure: The Disclosure of Potential Conflicts of Interest forms are provided with the online version of the article (http://links.lww.com/JBJSCC/B792)., (Copyright © 2022 by The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, Incorporated.)

Purpose: Purpose of this study was to report the etiology, diagnosis, surgical management, and outcome of pseudoaneurysm associated with orthopedic trauma., Methods: A retrospective review was conducted of all patients presenting to a Level 1 trauma center between 2013 and 2019. Clinical records were reviewed for the mechanism of primary injury, associated fracture pattern, time of presentation, site of involvement, etiology of the pseudoaneurysm, diagnosis, management, and complications. We identified 14 patients with pseudoaneurysm of peripheral arteries following orthopedic trauma., Results: The mean interval between primary injury and the manifestation of clinical symptoms was 88.5 days (range, 16-304 days). There were 3 upper limb injuries and 11 lower limb injuries. The presenting symptoms were pain associated with excessive extremity swelling in most of the patients. A significant drop in hemoglobin (mean fall- 2.9 g/dL) was noted in nine patients. Most common artery involved was the superficial branch of femoral artery and posterior tibial artery followed by the brachial artery. Fractured bone spike was the cause of injury in eight patients and iatrogenic injury in six patients. Diagnosis was confirmed by CT angiography with duplex scan in eight patients, duplex scan alone in one patient, MRI along with duplex scan in one patient. The remaining four patients were diagnosed intraoperatively. Excision of the pseudoaneurysm and ligation of the involved minor arteries was done in eight patients. Surgical repair of the major artery with critical vascular injury was done in six patients. One patient underwent secondary amputation following the anastomotic blowout., Conclusion: Early diagnosis of pseudoaneurysm requires knowledge and a high index of suspicion. Surgical reconstruction of major arteries should always be done and ligation of major vessels can lead to catastrophes. Excision of pseudoaneurysm can be done when minor arteries are involved with the presence of good collateral circulation., Level of Study: Level IV Study., (© 2020. Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Background: Our aim was to examine the outcome of gamma-irradiated intercalary structural allografts combined with autologous cancellous grafts in treating large metaphyseal bone defects of the distal femur following open injuries., Methods: We prospectively included 20 consecutive patients with large metaphyseal bone defects of >4 cm located in the region of the distal femur following open injuries treated between 2010 and 2018, with a mean follow-up of 2 years (range, 2 to 10 years). Of these patients,18 were men and 2 were women. The mean age was 39 years (range, 22 to 72 years). The mean length of the bone defects was 10.1 cm (range, 5.5 to 14.5 cm), and all were in the metaphysis of the distal femur. The surgical technique included initial early debridement and external fixation followed by reconstruction of the bone defect using structural allograft combined with autologous cancellous bone graft harvested from the iliac crest and locking plate fixation. Definitive fixation was performed at an average period of 22.5 days (range, 3 to 84 days) after injury. Osseous union, rate of infection, complications, need for secondary procedures, and functional outcome using the Lower Extremity Functional Scale (LEFS) at the final follow-up were assessed., Results: After excluding 1 patient who was lost to follow-up, 19 patients with complete follow-up were available for analysis. Of those, 13 patients (68%) achieved complete union at both ends of the allograft with host bone without any further intervention. Three patients (16%) developed aseptic nonunion of the proximal end of the allograft requiring 1 additional procedure each to achieve union. Four patients (21%) developed a deep surgical site infection. Of those, 1 elderly patient required above-the-knee amputation following uncontrolled diabetes and infection. A second patient required 2 additional procedures, and a third patient needed 4 additional procedures to achieve union. The fourth patient developed infection after achieving union, and the infection subsided after debridement and implant removal. The mean LEFS score for all 19 patients was 55 (range, 41 to 75)., Conclusions: Use of allograft was a reasonable single-stage alternative solution for massive distal femoral bone defects, which united without additional surgery in two-thirds of the patients and without limb-length discrepancy., Level of Evidence: Therapeutic Level IV. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence., Competing Interests: Disclosure: The Disclosure of Potential Conflicts of Interest forms are provided with the online version of the article (http://links.lww.com/JBJS/G723)., (Copyright © 2021 by The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, Incorporated.)

Aims: The aim of this study was to assess whether it is possible to predict the mortality, and the extent and time of neurological recovery from the time of the onset of symptoms and MRI grade, in patients with the cerebral fat embolism syndrome (CFES). This has not previously been investigated., Methods: The study included 34 patients who were diagnosed with CFES following trauma between 2012 and 2018. The clinical diagnosis was confirmed and the severity graded by MRI. We investigated the rate of mortality, the time and extent of neurological recovery, the time between the injury and the onset of symptoms, the clinical severity of the condition, and the MRI grade. All patients were male with a mean age of 29.7 years (18 to 70). The mean follow-up was 4.15 years (2 to 8), with neurological recovery being assessed by the Glasgow Outcome Scale and the Mini-Mental State Examination., Results: In all, seven who had early-onset CFES (< 24 hours), and a severe Takahashi grade on MRI, died. There was a significant association between the time of onset of neurological signs and mortality (p = 0.035). Mortality was also significantly associated with a severe Takahashi grade (p < 0.001). Among the 27 surviving patients, 26 (96.3%) recovered completely. One (3.7%) had a cognitive deficit. The mean time to recovery was 4.7 weeks (2 to 13), with late recovery aftereight eight weeks being recorded in three patients., Conclusion: There was a significantly increased rate of mortality in patients with CFES who had an early onset of symptoms and a severe grade on MRI. Complete neurological recovery can be expected in most patients with CFES who survive. Cite this article: Bone Joint J  2022;104-B(1):142-149.

Case: We report 3 adult men (aged 28, 34, and 71 years) with successfully salvaged mangled injuries around the shoulder with high threshold for amputation. Assessment by Mangled Extremity Severity Score, Ganga Hospital Open Injury Severity Score, and Orthopaedic Trauma Association-Open Fracture Classification open injury scores predicted amputation. However, extended salvage was performed by orthoplastic approach. Two of them had superior shoulder suspensory complex (SSSC) injury. The QuickDASH score was high in 2 patients with SSSC injury and a good score in the third patient who achieved good shoulder motion., Conclusion: "Orthoplastic approach" achieves successful limb salvage in severely mangled shoulder injuries. Volume of muscle crush injury and double disruption of SSSC injury were the main determinants of outcome., Competing Interests: Disclosure: The Disclosure of Potential Conflicts of Interest forms are provided with the online version of the article (http://links.lww.com/JBJSCC/B510)., (Copyright © 2021 by The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, Incorporated.)

Introduction: Open tibial fractures are rare and difficult-to-treat injuries because of the involvement of bony, skin and neuromuscular injury along with co-morbidities. Often, during the management of very severe cases these injuries, the question arises, should we amputate or salvage the limb? This question has been explored previously in civilian and military contexts in the US and UK but remains unstudied in the alternative sociocultural and economic context of the developing world., Methods: We studied 78 adult patients with severe open tibial fracture that presented to our institution, a Level 1 trauma center in India, from February 2018 to June 2019. 20 patients underwent above-knee amputation (AKA), 16 underwent below-knee amputation (BKA), and 42 underwent limb salvage. We assessed injury severity using [our institution's] Open Injury Severity Score (GHOISS), which has separate sub-scores for bony injury, skin injury, neuromuscular injury and co-morbidities, and patients were only included with GHOISS > 13. We assessed functional outcome measures as well as economic costs as primary cost levied by our institution and other secondary costs., Results: Salvage (LEFS: mean=51, SF-12 PCS: mean=48, SF-12 MCS: mean=49) provided better outcomes to BKA (LEFS: mean=39, p=0.005, SF-12 PCS: mean=40, p=0.003, SF-12 MCS: mean=43, p=0.052) and AKA (LEFS: mean=31, p<0.001, SF-12 PCS: mean=34, p<0.001, SF-12 MCS: mean=43, p=0.043). Primary costs were higher for limb salvage (index: mean=$3100, total: mean=$4400) than both BKA (index: mean=$2500, p=0.012, total: mean=$2600, p<0.001) and AKA (index: mean=$2800, p=0.020, total: mean=$3200, p<0.001). Secondary costs were higher for limb salvage than both BKA and AKA (p<0.001). Patients who underwent salvage were more likely to return to work at 36 months post-injury compared to below-knee amputees (adjusted OR=0.11, p=0.010)., Conclusions: Limb salvage results in better functional outcomes compared with amputation at a higher upfront cost but a likely lower lifetime cost. Unlike other literature on the topic, amputation carries a heavy mental and physical toll in India, likely due to sociocultural differences and stigma. Amputation is a difficult decision for patients to accept and results in poorer outcomes; therefore, we believe that limbs should be aggressively salvaged in our developing country., Study Design: Therapeutic Level II Prospective Cohort Study., (Copyright © 2021. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

As the brachial plexus traverses the costoclavicular space, it is susceptible to compression by pathologies affecting the clavicle. Clavicle nonunions with hypertrophic callus may cause a delayed onset of brachial plexus palsy. We present a rare case of a floating shoulder injury causing medial and posterior cord brachial plexus palsy two months after initial injury. After the diagnosis was established, the patient was treated successfully with expeditious brachial plexus decompression, callus excision, and rigid osteosynthesis, with healing of the clavicle nonunion and scapular fracture, and recovery of sensory and motor deficits.

Background: Various open injury scores have been devised to aid the difficult decision of salvage or amputation following open fractures of the lower limb. Our aim of the study was to compare the performance of mangled extremity severity score (MESS), limb salvage index (LSI), orthopaedic trauma association-open fracture classification (OTA-OFC) and Ganga hospital score (GHS) in our population of type IIIB injuries., Materials and Methods: A total of 219 patients with 225 type IIIB open fractures of the tibia were studied prospectively between July 2016 and June 2017. The decision of salvage or amputation was taken by a combined consensus of senior orthopaedic and plastic surgeons, blinded to the scores. All four open injury scores were calculated by an independent reviewer following initial debridement. The follow-up period was one to two  years., Results: After final follow-up, there were 193 (85.7%) successfully salvaged limbs, 19 primary amputations without attempt of debridement (8.4%), three primary delayed amputations within 72 hours (1.3%) and six secondary amputations after 72 hours from initial debridement (2.7%). Of these, four patients died within one  year and were excluded. All four scores performed well for salvage, while GHS was superior when considering amputation. MESS, LSI and OTA-OFC underscored amputations, since these scoring systems award more points for vascular injuries. There were both salvaged and amputated patients around the threshold value of amputation for all scores, which was only acknowledged by GHS in its unique 'grey zone'. It includes patients who are neither easily salvageable nor definitely requiring amputation., Conclusion: The performance of the GHS was superior to MESS, LSI and OTA-OFC in our study, since it was developed for type IIIB injuries and includes the 'grey zone', where decisions need to be undertaken on a case to case basis., Clinical Relevance: GHS has an improved ability to determine amputation in IIIB open tibia fractures.

Introduction: Diaphyseal tibial fractures distal to a well-fixed tibial component although rare present a significant challenge and optimal treatment remains controversial. Displaced periprosthetic tibial shaft fractures are ideally treated with open reduction internal fixation with plate osteosynthesis. However, this treatment method is associated with weight-bearing restrictions, which can be difficult for elderly patients with multiple comorbidities and balance impairment. We present our experience of internal fixation with an intramedullary nail that uses an inferior entry point, standard intramedullary tibial nail, and conventional instrumentation., Materials and Methods: Between 2017 and 2018, three patients with acute tibial shaft fractures distal to a TKA (Felix Type 3A) were treated with an intramedullary nail. Preoperative planning involved assessing proximal tibia to ensure adequate room for implant and instrumentation. The average patient age was 66.3 years (range 59-72 years) and all patients were males. All the patients sustained fractures of distal tibial and fibula diaphysis, after a road traffic accident. There were no complications intraoperatively, and all procedures were completed uneventfully. One patient underwent additional fixation of the fibula., Results: All patients achieved a radiological fracture union after an average of 20.6 weeks. There were no fixation failures, or nonunions postoperatively. There were no new symptoms relative to the TKA that could be attributed to the tibial nailing procedure., Conclusion: We recommend that this technique can be used primarily for this fracture pattern distal to a TKA, provided there is adequate space to accommodate the nail and instrumentation proximally anterior to the tibial tray., Competing Interests: Conflict of InterestThe authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of this article., (© Indian Orthopaedics Association 2020.)

Aims: Open fractures of the tibia are a heterogeneous group of injuries that can present a number of challenges to the treating surgeon. Consequently, few surgeons can reliably advise patients and relatives about the expected outcomes. The aim of this study was to determine whether these outcomes are predictable by using the Ganga Hospital Score (GHS). This has been shown to be a useful method of scoring open injuries to inform wound management and decide between limb salvage and amputation., Methods: We collected data on 182 consecutive patients with a type II, IIIA, or IIIB open fracture of the tibia who presented to our hospital between July and December 2016. For the purposes of the study, the patients were jointly treated by experienced consultant orthopaedic and plastic surgeons who determined the type of treatment. Separately, the study team (SP, HS, AD, JD) independently calculated the GHS and prospectively collected data on six outcomes for each patient. These included time to bony union, number of admissions, length of hospital stay, total length of treatment, final functional score, and number of operations. Spearman's correlation was used to compare GHS with each outcome. Forward stepwise linear regression was used to generate predictive models based on components of the GHS. Five-fold cross-validation was used to prevent models from over-fitting., Results: The mean follow-up was 11.4 months (3 to 31). The mean time to union was 9.7 months (3 to 21), the mean number of operations was 2.8 (1 to 11), the mean time in hospital was 17.7 days (5 to 84), the mean length of treatment was 92.7 days (5 to 730), the mean number of admissions was 1.7 (1 to 6), and the mean functional score (Lower Extremity Functional Score (LEFS)) was 60.13 (33 to 80). There was a significant correlation between the GHS and each of the outcome measures. A predictive model was generated from which the GHS could be used to predict the various outcome measures., Conclusion: The GHS can be used to predict the outcome of patients who present with an open fracture of the tibia. Our model generates a numerical value for each outcome measure that can be used in clinical practice to inform the treating team and to advise patients. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2020;102-B(1):26-32.

Background: Salvaging the forearm is a major challenge in cases of massive bone loss from injuries in which the extremity is severely mangled or following bone resection secondary to pathological tissue excision. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the role of one-bone forearm (OBF) reconstruction as a salvage option in these difficult situations., Methods: A total of 38 patients with forearm segmental bone loss (acute and chronic) treated between 1995 and 2014 were included (range of follow-up, 2 to 20 years). Sixteen of the patients, 8 with avulsion amputations and 8 with severely mangled extremities, were managed in the emergency department because they required immediate replantation and revascularization, respectively. In the chronic setting, bone loss was due to infection with nonunion in 16 patients, tumor of the radius in 2 patients, and pseudarthrosis of the forearm in 4 patients. The surgical technique included conversion to OBF by achieving union between the distal part of the radius and the proximal part of the ulna in the majority of cases, with distal radioulnar joint (DRUJ) fusion in 4 cases, and ulna to carpals in 5 cases. Direct bone contact was achieved in 16 patients, a free vascularized fibular graft was used to bridge the bone gap in 10 patients, and 12 patients required iliac crest bone-grafting., Results: The mean patient age was 35.5 years (range, 6 to 87 years); there were 23 male and 15 female patients. Among those who underwent OBF for acute injuries, the mean time to union was 7.3 months; 14 patients had complete union, and 2 patients had infection with nonunion requiring secondary procedures. As assessed using the criteria of Chen, 10 patients had a grade-I functional outcome, 3 patients had a grade-II outcome, and 3 patients had a grade-III outcome. In the elective group of 22 patients, the average time to union was 7.1 months. Nonunion was reported for 2 patients. On the basis of the Peterson scoring system, the outcome was excellent for 12 patients, good for 6 patients, fair for 2 patients, and poor for 2 patients., Conclusions: OBF reconstruction is a viable surgical treatment alternative. It is a demanding reconstruction but functions better and is cosmetically more appealing than a forearm amputation., Level of Evidence: Therapeutic Level IV. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Purpose: Fibrous dysplasia (FD) of the proximal femur can result in severe deformity and disability. The results of surgical management in such situations have been reported to be poor. We present a novel, five-step surgical treatment to correct proximal femoral deformity in FD., Material and Methods: This study is a review of prospectively collected data of cases of proximal femur polyostotic FD managed at our institute from 2012 onward. We managed three patients with FD involving four femora (one patient had bilateral disease). Mean age at presentation was 16 years with an average follow-up of 46 months. All underwent five steps, that is, (1) curettage/excision of the lesion, (2) allograft in intramedullary region, (3) lateral closing wedge valgus osteotomy, (4) fixation with extramedullary implant, and (5) augmentation of osteotomy site with autograft. Functional outcome was assessed using Harris Hip Score preoperatively and at the final follow-up., Results: The neck shaft angle was corrected from an average of 91.7° to 152.1°, while the Harris Hip Score improved from an average of 59 to 95. There was no clinical or radiological evidence of recurrence of disease or deformity in any patient till the last follow-up., Conclusion: This five-step technique ensures good functional and radiological outcomes in the management of proximal femur FD.

Introduction: The intact lateral wall plays a key role in stabilization of trochanteric fracture. Hence extreme precaution should be taken to prevent lateral wall damage during DHS fixation. Present study is aimed at evaluating the determinants of lateral wall fracture and its effect on outcome in intertrochanteric fracture femur treated with DHS., Material and Methods: This is a prospective study involving intertrochanteric fractures treated with DHS fixation from July 2013 to June 2014. Out of 135 patients 49(36.3%) had stable fractures and 86(63.7%) unstable fractures. Cortical thickness index (CTI) was measured to evaluate osteoporosis. Lateral wall thickness in anteroposterior radiograph was also measured.All patients underwent 135° DHS fixation.Postoperative x-rays are assessed for implant position, intactness of the lateral wall, tip apex distance (TAD) and medialization. Functional outcome was measured at the end of fracture union by modified Harris hip score and Parkers mobility score. Clinical information including age, gender, fracture classification, TAD, lateral wall thickness and functional outcome of the patients were subjected to statistical analysis., Results: 34 (19.5%) patients had lateral wall fractures. Medialization was found in 22 out of these 34 (64.7%) patients. The mean preoperative lateral wall thickness of these patients is 19.2mm, compared with 26.8mm in patients with intact lateral wall (p<0.001). The mean values of CTI and TAD are comparable in both the groups. In patients with intact lateral wall, mean Harris hip score is 73.1 compared to 65.5 in lateral wall fracture group (p<0.001). Preinjury mobility status was achieved in 70.2% of intact lateral wall patients, whereas only 32.3% (11) achieved that in lateral wall fracture group. Threshold for lateral wall thickness that could predict lateral wall fracture was found to be 21mm with 95% sensitivity and 88.2% specificity., Conclusion: Lateral wall fractures during DHS fixation are not uncommon and osteoporosis has no bearing on its occurrence. It alone can lead to poor radiological and functional outcome independent of TAD. Lateral wall thickness is a reliable predictor of intra operative lateral wall fracture during DHS fixation and nailing is a good option especially when lateral wall thickness is <21mm., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: The cerclage passer instrument was introduced for aiding percutaneous reduction in spiral femur fractures, thereby overcoming the risk of devascularization of the fracture ends commonly associated with traditional open cerclage wiring techniques. This may, however, predispose to iatrogenic vascular injuries owing to the proximity of the vessels and several other factors. We report four cases with femoral artery (superficial and deep) injuries caused by the cerclage passer in proximal femur and distal femur shaft fractures and incidence of these injuries in our institution., Methods: Retrospective analysis of hospital records of femoral fractures from 2011 to 2015. All cases of femoral fractures and periprosthetic femoral fractures with cerclage wiring done using the standard or the Synthes ® cerclage passer were included. Cases with wiring done for trochanteric fractures and other locations were excluded., Results: Incidence of vascular injuries due to the cerclage passer in proximal femur shaft fractures was 1.59%, whereas in distal femur shaft fractures it was 7.14%. There were two patients with a deep femoral artery (DFA) system injury and two with a superficial femoral artery (SFA) injury caused by the cerclage passer (Synthes) in two proximal femur shaft and two distal femur shaft fractures, respectively. End-to-end anastomosis for the SFA and ligation for DFA system injuries were used, with an uneventful postoperative period in all patients., Conclusion: Caution and accuracy is imperative to avoid vascular injuries while using the cerclage passer in femur fractures, and strict vigilance is essential for early identification and prompt management.

Background: Anterior pelvic external fixation is associated with pin site infections, aseptic loosening with loss of reduction, frame bulkiness hindering patient mobilization and consequent difficulties in inpatient nursing. We performed a single-center prospective series to evaluate the feasibility, safety, limitations and midterm radiologic and functional outcomes of an alternative minimally invasive pelvic internal fixation technique using an anterior subcutaneous pelvic internal fixator (INFIX) and percutaneous iliosacral screws in unstable pelvic ring fractures., Methods: Fifteen consecutive patients with vertically and/or rotationally unstable pelvic fractures, presenting to a Level-1 trauma center were treated with closed reduction, appropriate posterior stabilization with percutaneous iliosacral screws and anterior INFIX application. Outcomes were analyzed with respect to the quality of fracture reduction (Matta's radiologic criteria), ease of inpatient nursing, patient mobility and comfort, functional outcomes at final follow-up (Majeed score, SF-12 score), social reintegration and complications., Results: Most common injury pattern was AO/OTA type 61-C pelvic fracture in thirteen patients. Mean procedure time and intra-operative blood loss were, 57.1+/-4.9 min (range,51-68 min) and 115.3+/-26.7 ml (range,80-170 ml) respectively. Mean follow-up was 34.9+/-4.1 months (range,31-42 months). Fracture reduction was excellent in twelve and good in three patients (Matta's criteria). Functional outcomes were excellent in eight and good in seven patients (Majeed score). Mean SF-12 scores for physical and mental health were 48.58+/-5.61 and 50.89+/-3.97 respectively. Thirteen patients returned to their pre-injury jobs. All fifteen patients reintegrated into society without any restrictions. INFIX was removed at a mean post-operative period of 7.3+/-1.5 months (range,5.5-11 months). Complications included, lateral femoral cutaneous nerve irritation(n = 1), superficial wound infection(n = 1) and loss of reduction(n = 2)., Conclusion: Minimally invasive pelvic stabilization using INFIX and percutaneous iliosacral screws is easy to learn and apply, achieves good fracture reduction and definitive stabilization with minimum complications and offers excellent functional outcomes at a minimum follow-up of 31 months., Level of Evidence: Level IV.

Introduction: Femoral neck fractures are a common occurrence in lower limb amputees. Good post-operative results of hip hemiarthroplasty have been described in below-knee amputees. However, to our knowledge, very few such cases have been reported in above-knee amputees., Case Report: We present a case of a 75-year-old male patient who underwent above-knee amputation of the right lower limb for severe crush injury right leg and a bipolar hemiarthroplasty for an ipsilateral fracture neck of femur sustained in the same road traffic accident. The treatment of neck of femur fracture in above-knee amputee patients is always a challenge for the orthopedic surgeon. We described the surgical technique in an attempt to overcome the challenges encountered in such a setting., Conclusion: While performing a hemiarthroplasty in an above-knee amputee, we recommend the use of two perpendicularly placed Schanz pins distally in the subtrochanteric area for control and also as a guide for verifying the version during prosthesis placement., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest: Nil

Introduction: Open injuries of the limbs offer challenges in management as there are still many grey zones in decision making regarding salvage, timing and type of reconstruction. As a result, there is still an unacceptable rate of secondary amputations which lead to tremendous waste of resources and psychological devastation of the patient and his family. Gustilo Anderson's classification was a major milestone in grading the severity of injury but however suffers from the disadvantages of imprecise definition, a poor interobserver correlation, inability to address the issue of salvage and inclusion of a wide spectrum of injuries in Type IIIb category. Numerous scores such as Mangled Extremity Severity Score, the Predictive Salvage Index, the Limb Salvage Index, Hannover Fracture Scale-97 etc have been proposed but all have the disadvantage of retrospective evaluation, inadequate sample sizes and poor sensitivity and specificity to amputation, especially in IIIb injuries., Methods: The Ganga Hospital Open Injury Score (GHOIS) was proposed in 2004 and is designed to specifically address the outcome in IIIb injuries of the tibia without vascular deficit. It evaluates the severity of injury to the three components of the limb--the skin, the bone and the musculotendinous structures separately on a grade from 0 to 5. Seven comorbid factors which influence the treatment and the outcome are included in the score with two marks each. The application of the total score and the individual tissue scores in management of IIIB injuries is discussed., Results: The total score was shown to predict salvage when the value was 14 or less; amputation when the score was 17 and more. A grey zone of 15 and 16 is provided where the decision making had to be made on a case to case basis. The additional value of GHOIS was its ability to guide the timing and type of reconstruction. A skin score of more than 3 always required a flap and hence it indicated the need for an orthoplastic approach from the index procedure. Bone score of 4 and 5 will require complex reconstruction procedures like bone transport, extensive bone grafting or free fibular graft. Regarding the timing of reconstruction, injuries with a score of 9 or less indicated a low violence trauma and were amenable for early soft tissue reconstruction whereas injuries with a score of 10 or more indicated high violence injuries where a staged reconstruction policy must be followed., Conclusions: Ganga Hospital Open Injury Score was found to be highly useful in decision making regarding salvage in IIIB injuries. The individual tissue scores were also useful to provide guidance regarding the timing and type of bone and soft tissue reconstruction.

The management of a persistent pink pulseless hand after a satisfactory closed reduction in a pediatric supracondylar fracture of the humerus is controversial. Several recent publications have recommended vascular exploration in contrast to a more conservative approach accepted traditionally. We report the results of seven patients with a mean follow-up of 36.6 months with a persistent pulseless, but well-perfused hand postreduction. All patients were managed conservatively without vascular exploration. A palpable return of the radial pulse was seen in six patients at 3 weeks and at 6 weeks follow-up in the other patient with no long-term dysfunction. We believe that the management of a persistent pink pulseless hand remains a 'watchful expectancy'. Surgical exploration should be recommended only if there is either severe pain in the forearm persisting for more than 12 h after the injury or if there are signs of a deteriorating neurological function.

Background: Intra-articular loose bodies following simple dislocations can lead to early degeneration. Nonconcentric reduction may indicate retained loose bodies and offer a method to identify patients requiring exploration so that this undesirable outcome can be avoided., Materials and Methods: One hundred and seventeen consecutive simple dislocations of the hip presenting to the hospital from January 2000 to June 2006 were assessed for congruency after reduction by fluoroscopic assessment of passive motion in the operating room as well as with good quality radiographs. Computerized tomography (CT) scan with 2-mm cuts was done for confirmation of reduction and to identify the anatomy of loose bodies. Patients with nonconcentric reduction underwent open exploration to identify the etiology of the dislocation and for removal of loose bodies. Thomson and Epstein clinical and radiological criteria were used to assess the outcome., Results: Twelve of the one hundred and seventeen (10%) dislocations had incongruent reduction, which was identified by the break in Shenton's line and increase in medial joint space in seven patients, increase in the superior joint space in three patients, or increase in the joint space as a whole in two patients. CT scan identified the origin of the osteocartilaginous fragment as being from the acetabulum in six patients, the femoral head in four, and from both in one. One patient had an inverted posterior labrum. Following debridement, congruent reduction was achieved in all patients. At an average follow-up of 5 years (range: 2 years 5 months to 8 years), the outcome as evaluated by Thompson and Epstein clinical criteria was excellent in eleven cases and good in one case; the radiological outcome was excellent in eight cases and good in four cases., Conclusions: Intra-articular loose bodies were identified by nonconcentric reduction in 12 out of 117 patients with simple hip dislocation. Careful evaluation by fluoroscopy and good quality radiographs are indicated following reduction of hip dislocations.

Failures of treatment of osteoid osteoma (OO) are related to errors in exact localization and incomplete excision of the nidus. We report the successful percutaneous excision of OO in five patients (upper end of femur - 3, tibia - 2). All patients had a minimally invasive reflective array fixed to the same bone followed by registration of anatomy by Iso-C three-dimensional (3D) C-arm. A tool navigator was used to plan the keyhole incision then a sleeve was introduced which allowed the usage of burr and curette to remove the tumor. After excision, the 3D C-arm was again used intraoperatively to confirm the complete eradication of the nidus. Adequate material for histology was obtained in four patients that confirmed the diagnosis of OO. In one child postexcision scans were successful in identifying incomplete removal requiring further excision of the nidus. All patients achieved excellent pain relief and were asymptomatic at an average follow-up of 3.2 years. 3D C-arm-based navigation offers the advantage of excellent localization, percutaneous excision, and intraoperative confirmation of adequate excision.

Between June 1999 and May 2003 we undertook direct primary closure of the skin wounds of 173 patients with Gustilo and Anderson grade-IIIA and grade-IIIB open fractures. These patients were selected from a consecutive group of 557 with type-III injuries presenting during this time. Strict criteria for inclusion in the study included debridement within 12 hours of injury, no sewage or organic contamination, no skin loss either primarily or secondarily during debridement, a Ganga Hospital open injury skin score of 1 or 2 with a total score of ten or less, the presence of bleeding skin margins, the ability to approximate wound edges without tension and the absence of peripheral vascular disease. In addition, patients with polytrauma were excluded. At a mean follow-up of 6.2 years (5 to 7), the outcome was excellent in 150 (86.7%), good in 11 (6.4%) and poor in 12 (6.9%). A total of 33 complications occurred in 23 patients including superficial infection in 11, deep infection in five and the requirement for a secondary skin flap in three. Six patients developed nonunion requiring further surgery, one of whom declined additional measures to treat an established infected nonunion. Immediate skin closure when performed selectively with the above indications proved to be a safe procedure.

Study Design: A retrospective clinical study for prognostic purposes., Objective: To study the morphological changes that dictate the variable progression of childhood spinal tuberculosis., Summary of Background Data: Posttuberculous kyphosis in children either improves or deteriorates during growth. Associated morphological changes in the kyphosis fusion mass and the uninvolved adjacent levels have not been described in literature., Methods: The study group consisted of 61 children with 63 spinal lesions selected from a prospective multicenter clinical trial. These children were followed up for a uniform period of 15 years at regular intervals. Anterior and posterior heights of the kyphosis fusion mass were measured. Relative difference in anteroposterior growth was analyzed by calculating the anteroposterior ratio of heights. Wedge angle and height-width ratio of uninvolved adjacent vertebrae along with changes in the morphology of disk spaces above and below the lesion were also analyzed., Results: An increase in the anteroposterior ratio of kyphosis fusion mass leading to a decrease in kyphosis was seen in 30 lesions. A decrease in the anteroposterior ratio leading to an increase in kyphosis was noticed in 16 lesions. Overgrowth of the kyphosis fusion mass resulting in formation of large vertebral bodies was noticed in 7 lesions. No change was noticed in 10 lesions. Interestingly, changes were also noticed in 234 adjacent vertebral bodies uninvolved by the disease process: anterior wedging (n = 53), growth alteration of ring apophysis (n = 26), decrease in anteroposterior diameter (n = 26), longitudinal overgrowth (n = 40), attrition at the point of contact resulting in irregular bodies (n = 44), and posterior wedging in the region of compensatory curve (n = 45). Changes in disk spaces were noted at 136 levels, the most common finding being an opening of the disk space anteriorly (n = 126) due to formation of compensatory lordotic curves. The secondary changes leading to an increase in deformity were observed significantly more in lesions with a deformity angle of more than 30 degrees and a vertebral body loss of more than 1, and in lesions of the thoracolumbar region. Children younger than 10 years differed from those 11 years or older by having a significantly more severe disease and more number of morphological changes with growth in both the fusion mass and the adjacent segments., Conclusions: Notable morphological changes occurred in both the kyphosis fusion mass and the uninvolved levels above and below the lesion in children with healed spinal tuberculosis. These changes occurred during growth, after complete healing of the disease was achieved, and were responsible for the variability in progression of the deformity during growth seen in these children. Our results imply that all children with spinal tuberculosis must be followed up regularly till the entire growth potential is completed.

Limb-injury severity scores are designed to assess orthopaedic and vascular injuries. In Gustilo type-IIIA and type-IIIB injuries they have poor sensitivity and specificity to predict salvage or outcome. We have designed a trauma score to grade the severity of injury to the covering tissues, the bones and the functional tissues, grading the three components from one to five. Seven comorbid conditions known to influence the management and prognosis have been given a score of two each. The score was validated in 109 consecutive open injuries of the tibia, 42 type-IIIA and 67 type-IIIB. The total score was used to assess the possibilities of salvage and the outcome was measured by dividing the injuries into four groups according to their scores as follows: group I scored less than 5, group II 6 to 10, group III 11 to 15 and group IV 16 or more. A score of 14 to indicate amputation had the highest sensitivity and specificity. Our trauma score compared favourably with the Mangled Extremity Severity score in sensitivity (98% and 99%), specificity (100% and 17%), positive predictive value (100% and 97.5%) and negative predictive value (70% and 50%), respectively. A receiver-operating characteristic curve constructed for 67 type-IIIB injuries to assess the efficiency of the scores to predict salvage, showed that the area under the curve for this score was better (0.988 (+/- 0.013 SEM)) than the Mangled Extremity Severity score (0.938 (+/- 0.039 SEM)). All limbs in group IV and one in group III underwent amputation. Of the salvaged limbs, there was a significant difference in the three groups for the requirement of a flap for wound cover, the time to union, the number of surgical procedures required, the total days as an in-patient and the incidence of deep infection (p < 0.001 for all). The individual scores for covering and functional tissues were also found to offer specific guidelines in the management of these complex injuries. The scoring system was found to be simple in application and reliable in prognosis for both limb-salvage and outcome measures in type-IIIA and type-IIIB open injuries of the tibia.