We randomised 40 elderly patients of mean age 74 years with displaced three- or four-part fractures of the humerus to either conservative treatment or tension-band osteosynthesis. At one year and after three to five years, clinical follow-up showed no functional differences between the two groups of patients, with optimal function achieved within one year. There were major complications only in the surgically-treated group. Radiological review showed that surgery had improved the position of the fractured humeral head, but this was not reflected in improved function. Semi-rigid fixation with tension-band wiring of displaced multifragment fractures of the proximal humerus in the elderly did not improve the functional outcome when compared with conservative treatment.

No abstract

No abstract

In a prospective, randomized study, 34 patients (25 male, 9 female; mean age 27 +/- 8 years) with unilateral anterior cruciate ligament ruptures and arthroscopic reconstruction with patellar tendon grafts were allocated at random to either early active motion only (AM; n = 17) or active motion in combination with continuous passive motion (CPM; n = 17). Range of motion was measured with a goniometer and joint swelling with a tape measure, preoperatively and at 6 weeks postoperatively. Neither associated injuries nor the age of the patients differed in the two groups. There was no difference in the range of motion between the two groups at 6 weeks' follow-up. Joint swelling was more pronounced in the AM group both preoperatively and at 6 weeks' follow-up. In this investigation the range of motion was not improved by CPM. The difference in joint swelling between the two groups may be explained by a persistent preoperative variation in joint effusion due to an imbalanced distribution of acute and chronic cases.