IS FUNCTIONAL OUTCOME BETTER AFTER ARTHROPLASTY FOR TROCHANTERIC FRACTURES IN OLDER ADULTS?

Objectives: This article evaluated functional recovery and mortality after surgery to repair trochanteric fracture with regard to treatment technique through one year of follow-up. Method: Eighty consecutive patients with trochanteric fractures were divided into two groups according to treatment technique (osteosynthesis and arthroplasty). We evaluated patient data including age, sex, time to surgery, total hospital stay, transfusion volume, and functional status according to FIM (Functional Independence Measure) scores. Scores for FIM were assessed three times: prior to fracture, six months after surgery, and one year after surgery. Results: Patients who received osteosynthesis had shorter hospital stays than arthroplasty patients. The arthroplasty group had significantly higher functional independence six months after surgery, while no difference was detected one year after surgery. Patient age, transfusion volume, and FIM scores were detected as significant predictors of mortality. Conclusion: Trochanteric fractures lead to unavoidable functional loss, although this can be reduced in the short term by treating with arthroplasty instead of osteosynthesis. Age, transfusion and functional situation predict one-year mortality for patients with trochanteric fractures. The patient's functional situation must be considered when choosing treatment for trochanteric fractures in order to reduce patient morbidity

Biomechanical comparison of three different fixation techniques for anterior column posterior hemitransverse acetabular fractures using anterior intrapelvic approach

Objectives: The aim of this study was to biomechanically compare three different fixation methods for the fixation of anterior column posterior hemitransverse type acetabular fracture (ACPHT). Methods: ACPHT fracture models were created on twenty-four foam cortical shell artificial hemipelvis models. Three fixation methods were assessed - Group 1: posterior column lag screws over a suprapectineal plate; Group 2: Posterior column lag screws over a suprapectineal plate and an infrapectineal plate; Group 3: A suprapectineal plate and a vertical infrapectineal plate. Stiffness and displacement amounts of fixation methods under dynamic and static axial loading conditions were measured. Results: In the dynamic and static tests, Group 3 showed the less stable fixation compared to Group 2. There was no statistically significant difference between the stiffness values of the fixation groups. In the static tests, there was no statistically significant difference between Group 1 and 2, although less displacements were obtained in Group 2. Conclusions: A combination of posterior lag screws over a suprapectineal plate and an infrapectineal plate supporting the pelvic brim along both sides of the linea terminalis resulted in a better fixation construct than a suprapectineal plate accompanying with a vertical infrapectineal plate provide better stability with less fracture displacement.Turkish Society of Orthopaedics and Traumatology; Turkish Orthopaedics Research Counci