Is the Use of Spreaders an Accurate Method for Ligament Balancing?

Background: To analyze 2 methods of manual spreader gap assessment accuracy, visual vs blinded, compared with a controlled tensioner in total knee arthroplasty. Methods: Twenty-two fresh frozen cadaver knees were used to perform total knee arthroplasty by 22 surgeons. Extension and flexion gaps were measured with empirical manual force application with spreaders in 2 different manners: (1) surgeons were blinded to gap geometry formation-blind method group (BM) and (2) surgeons viewed them-viewing method group (VM). A tensioner was used to measure the corresponding ligament tension applied during spreader measurements and to measure the extension and flexion gaps with standard force of 100 and 80 N (tensioner method [TM]) in each femorotibial compartment. Results: All measurements with spreaders (VM and BM) presented extension and flexion gaps oversized and asymmetric (P < .0001), when compared with the same gaps measured with the tensioner. Approximately 63% (P = < 0.001) and 77.3% (P = .161) of the VM group and 68.2% (P = .018) and 77.3% (P = .161) of the BM group demonstrated asymmetry for extension and flexion gaps up to 3 mm to the TM. Gaps measured in the VM group presented results with slightly less oversizing and asymmetries than the measurements in the BM group compared with TM, although significantly different (P < .0001). Conclusion: The assessment of extension and flexion gaps with empirical manual applied force spreaders produced oversized and asymmetric gaps compared with the use of tensioner. No visual influence was observed during the spreader applied empirical manual force compared with the blinded assessment. (C) 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.Heart Hosp, Dept Orthoped & Traumatol, Knee Surg, Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilUniv Fed Sao Paulo, Sch Med, Knee Surg Dept, Sao Paulo, BrazilAlvorada Hosp, Knee Surg, Dept Orthoped & Traumatol, Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilUniv Fed Sao Paulo, Sch Med, Knee Surg Dept, Sao Paulo, BrazilWeb of Scienc

Trauma na infância e adolescência: epidemiologia, tratamento e aspectos econômicos em um hospital público Epidemiology, treatment and economical aspects of multiple trauma in children and adolescents in a public hospital

INTRODUÇÃO: A realização deste trabalho foi motivada pela escassez de artigos encontrados na literatura que estudam o politrauma na infância e na adolescência.. O objetivo é descrever o perfil epidemiológico das lesões traumáticas na infância tratadas num centro de trauma, avaliar os aspectos econômicos relacionados com o gasto hospitalar e o tempo de internação de acordo com o tratamento realizado. MATERIAIS E MÉTODOS: analisamos todos os prontuários do hospital Geral de Pirajussara no período de dezembro de 2005 a dezembro de 2006. Obtivemos 182 pacientes, sendo 71% do sexo masculino e 29% do feminino; 48% brancos e 52% não brancos. RESULTADOS: houve predominância dos indivíduos do sexo masculino com 71% dos pacientes. O mecanismo de trauma mais freqüente foi a queda (36%). A média de dias de internação foi 4,1 dias, com gasto estimado de R$649,50 para cada paciente. A taxa de mortalidade foi de 2,74$ 649.50 for each patient. The most expensive and the longest periods of hospital therapy were associated to skull trauma and femoral fracture; the economic impact increased when associated lesions were present. The mortality rate was 2.74% with 5 deaths, with skull trauma being accounted for 80% of the deaths, while child abuse accounts for 40%. CONCLUSION: the pediatric population exhibits particular characteristics that make it unique concerning trauma injuries' epidemiology and handling