Fracture distraction of more than three millimeters should not be tolerated when stabilizing tibial fractures with unreamed, small-diameter nails as this increases the odds of having a delayed union by twelve times (p < 0.001) and a nonunion by four times (p = 0.057). There was a significant increase of complications in the group of Grade III open fractures (p < 0.001), AO/OTA Type C fractures (p = 0.002), and to a lesser extent in distal fractures. However, the rate of severe complications resulting in major morbidity was low.
Infection is a common complication of juxtaarticular fractures treated with tensioned wire fixators. Excellent pin care is required. Aggressive management of infections with intravenous antibiotics and debridement will resolve infections occurring in patients treated with tensioned wire fixators. Septic arthritis is associated with wires placed less than one centimeter from the subchondral bone. Deep infection is associated with insidious swelling and excessive proliferative callus. Wire infections increase with prolonged frame time.
Treatment of extra-articular distal humerus shaft fractures with plating techniques is often difficult, as traditional centrally located posterior plates often encroach on the olecranon fossa, limiting distal osseous fixation. The use of a modified Synthes Lateral Tibial Head Buttress Plate (Synthes, Paoli, PA) allows for a centrally placed posterior plating of the humeral shaft that angles anatomically along the lateral column to treat far distal humeral shaft fractures. Fifteen patients treated in this manner were followed to radiographic and clinical union. There were no cases of instrumentation failure or loss of reduction.
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