What Is the Normal Ulnar Bow in Adult Patients?

BACKGROUND: Rotation of the forearm is a result of the complex interaction among the radius, ulna, and interosseous membrane. Although the radius is recognized as curved, the ulna is generally thought of as a straight bone. To better describe normal anatomy, which may lead to more successful anatomic fixation of forearm fractures, we aimed to apply a method of measuring the normal ulnar bow and determine the mean ulnar bow in adults. QUESTIONS/PURPOSES: (1) To what degree is the ulna bowed in the coronal and sagittal planes in normal adult forearms? (2) To what degree is the radius bowed in the coronal plane in normal adult forearms? METHODS: Radiographs of the forearms of adults taken during a 1-year period were initially obtained retrospectively. These radiographs were performed for various reasons, including forearm pain and routine radiographic follow-up. Radiographs were excluded if evidence of a fracture or post-fracture fixation was found, if a patient had missing AP or lateral images, or if a suboptimal technique was used. The coronal and sagittal bow of the ulna was measured with a method adapted from previous studies that assessed radial bow using AP and lateral radiographs, respectively. Similar measurements were made in the coronal plane for the radius. All measurements were performed independently by the four authors. There was excellent interobserver reliability for ulnar bow in the coronal and sagittal planes (interclass correlation coefficient = 0.96 and 0.97, respectively) and for radial bow in the coronal plane (interclass correlation coefficient = 0.90). RESULTS: The mean maximal coronal ulnar bow was 7 ± 2 mm and was located at 75% of the ulnar length, measured proximally to distally. The location of coronal bow was consistently distal to the radial bow location. The mean maximal sagittal ulnar bow was 6 ± 3 mm and was located at 39% of the ulnar length. The mean maximal coronal bow of the radius was 14 ± 2.0 mm and was 59% of the total length of the radius from proximal to distal. CONCLUSIONS: The ulna is not a straight bone, as is commonly thought, but rather has a bow in both the coronal and sagittal planes. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Knowledge of the standard ulnar bow may be pivotal to prevent malunion of the ulna during surgery. Future research using these data in preoperative planning may lead to changes in plate contouring and clinical outcomes in forearm fracture management

Outcomes After Percutaneous Reduction and Fixation of Low-Energy Lisfranc Injuries.

Background:Lisfranc injuries are often missed initially or not anatomically reduced, leading to midfoot collapse, arthrosis, and pain. Operative management of these injuries is also fraught with complications, particularly with respect to the soft tissues. Wound dehiscence and infection are not uncommon. The goal of this study was to analyze the outcomes of a minimally invasive technique in reduction and percutaneous fixation of low-energy minimally displaced Lisfranc injuries and determine if it is a safe alternative to more traditional, open approaches.Methods:A retrospective review was performed for all patients who underwent minimally invasive Lisfranc treatment at a single institution over a 6-year period. Thirty-eight patients were identified in this series. All patients were skeletally mature and had a minimum follow-up of 3 years. Patients were assessed clinically and radiographically, in addition to undertaking patient-centric outcome scoring using the Foot and Ankle Ability Measure (FAAM) activities of daily living (ADL) and sports subscales at a mean follow-up of 66 months (range, 36-100). Patients were also asked to subjectively rate their percentage return to preinjury functional level at the time of final follow-up. There were 20 males and 18 females. Seventeen patients were injured participating in sports-related activities, 19 during falls, and 2 as a result of motor vehicle accidents. The average age at the time of surgery was 34.2 (range, 16-69) years. At final follow-up, 31 patients were available for assessment (81.6%).Results:The mean FAAM-ADL score was 94.2 (range, 40.5-100), and sports score was 90.4 (range, 0-100). Percentage recovery compared to their preinjury functional level averaged 91.4% (range, 40%-100%). There were no complications in this series. Twenty-two patients underwent screw removal electively at an average of 6.9 months following the index procedure. No patients had undergone any additional operative procedures, or had any objective evidence of midfoot collapse or arthritis at the time of final follow-up.Conclusion:Minimally invasive methods of treating low-energy Lisfranc injuries with less soft tissue stripping and disruption, as described in this series, were a valuable tool to optimize outcomes while minimizing the potential morbidity of more traditional, open techniques.Level of Evidence:Level IV, retrospective case series.</jats:sec

Orthopaedic trauma during COVID-19: Is patient care compromised during a pandemic?

BACKGROUND: The Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) placed unprecedented pressure on the healthcare system. Many institutions implemented a government-mandated restructured set of safety and administrative protocols to treat urgent orthopaedic trauma patients. The objective of this study was to compare two cohorts of patients, a COVID group and non-COVID control group, and to evaluate the effectiveness of safety measures outlined in the Rutgers Orthopaedic Trauma Patient Safety Protocol (ROTPSP). Secondary outcomes were to elucidate risk factors for complications associated with fractures and COVID-19. METHODS: Patients treated for orthopaedic traumatic injuries were retrospectively identified between March and May 2020, and compared to a series of patients from the same time period in 2018. Main outcome measures included surgical site infections (SSI), length of stay (LOS), post-operative LOS (poLOS), presentation to OR time (PORT), and length of surgery. RESULTS: After review, 349 patients (201 non-COVID, 148 COVID) undergoing 426 surgeries were included. Average LOS (11.91 days vs. 9.27 days, p = 0.04), poLOS (9.68 days vs. 7.39 days, p = 0.03), and PORT (30.56 vs. 25.59 h, p \u3c 0.01) was significantly shorter in the COVID cohort. There were less SSI in the COVID group (5) compared to the non-COVID group (14) (p = 0.03). Overall complications were significantly lower in the COVID group. Patients receiving Cepheid tests had significantly shorter LOS and poLOS compared to patients receiving the RNA and DiaSorin tests (p \u3c 0.01 and p \u3c 0.01, respectively). The Cepheid test carried the best benefit-to-cost ratio, 0.10, p \u3c 0.05. CONCLUSION: The restructuring of care protocols caused by COVID-19 did not negatively impact perioperative complication rates, PORT or LOS. Cepheid COVID test type administered upon admission plays an integral role in a patient\u27s hospital course by reducing both length of stay and hospital costs. This information demonstrates we can continue to treat orthopaedic trauma patients safely during the COVID-19 pandemic by utilizing strict safety protocols

Distal Humerus Traction Radiographs: Is the Interobserver and Intraobserver Reliability Comparable With Computed Tomography?

OBJECTIVES: To compare the interobserver and intraobserver reliability of traction radiographs with 2-dimensional computed tomography (2D CT) in distal humerus fracture classification and characterization. DESIGN: Randomized controlled radiographic review of retrospectively collected data. SETTING: Academic Level 1 trauma center. PATIENTS/PARTICIPANTS: Skeletally mature patients with intra-articular distal humerus fractures with both traction radiographs and CT scans were reviewed by 11 orthopaedists from different subspecialties and training levels. INTERVENTION: The intervention involved traction radiographs and 2D CT. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: The main outcome measurements included interobserver and intraobserver reliability of fracture classification by the OTA/AO and Jupiter-Mehne and determination of key fracture characteristics. RESULTS: For the OTA/AO and Jupiter-Mehne classifications, we found a moderate intraobserver agreement with both 2D CT and traction radiographs (κ = 0.70-0.75). When compared with traction radiographs, 2D CT improved the interobserver reliability of the OTA/AO classification from fair to moderate (κ = 0.3 to κ = 0.42) and the identification of a coronal fracture from slight to fair (κ = 0.2 to κ = 0.34), which was more pronounced in a subgroup analysis of less-experienced surgeons. When compared with 2D CT, traction radiographs improved the intraobserver reliability of detecting stable affected articular fragments from fair to substantial (κ = 0.4 to κ = 0.67). CONCLUSIONS: Traction radiographs provide similar diagnostic characteristics as 2D CT in distal humerus fractures. For less-experienced surgeons, 2D CT may improve the identification of coronal fracture lines and articular comminution