Background: There is limited evidence that syndesmotic implant removal (SIR) is beneficial. However, many surgeons advocate removal based on studies suggesting improved motion. Methodologic difficulties make the validity and applicability of previous works questionable. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of ankle dorsiflexion after SIR using radiographically measured motion before and after screw removal utilizing a standardized load. Methods: All patients undergoing isolated SIR were candidates for inclusion. Dorsiflexion was measured radiographically: (1) immediately before implant removal intraoperatively, (2) immediately after removal intraoperatively, and (3) 3 months after removal. A standardized torque force was applied to the ankle and a perfect lateral radiograph of the ankle was obtained. Four reviewers independently measured dorsiflexion on randomized, deidentified images. A total of 29 patients met inclusion criteria. All syndesmotic injuries were associated with rotational ankle fractures. There were 11 men (38%) and 18 women (62%). The mean, and standard deviation, age was 50.3 ± 16.9 years (range 19-80). Results: The mean ankle dorsiflexion pre-operatively, post-operatively, and at a 3-month follow-up was 13.7 ± 6.6 degrees, 13.3 ± 7.3 degrees and 11.8 ± 11.3 degrees, respectively ( P = .466). For subsequent analysis, 5 patients were excluded because of the potential confounding effect of retained suture button devices. Analysis of the remaining 24 patients (and final analysis of 21 patients who had complete 3-month follow-up) demonstrated similar results with no statistically significant difference in ankle dorsiflexion at all 3 time points. Conclusion: Removal of syndesmotic screws may not improve ankle dorsiflexion motion and should not be used as the sole indication for screw removal. Level of Evidence: Level II, prospective cohort study.
Purpose The Surgical Apgar Score (SAS) is a simple tally based on intra-operative heart rate, blood pressure and blood loss; it predicts 30-day major postoperative complications and mortality in different surgical fields, but no validation has been performed in general orthopaedic surgery. Methods A prospective assessment of the SAS in 723 consecutive patients undergoing major and intermediate orthopaedic procedures was performed in an 18-month period. The SAS was calculated immediately after surgery, and the occurrence of major complications or death was registered within a 30-day follow-up. Results Thirty-seven patients had ≥1 complication (5.12 %). The complication rate did not augment as the score decreased (SAS 9-1006.56 %; SAS 7-802.62 %; SAS 5-6 07.21 %; SAS ≤4 010.2 %), the relative risk did not augment as the score decreased and the likelihood ratio did not increase with decreasing SAS values, except in the subgroup of patients undergoing spine surgery. The Cstatistic was 0.59 (95 % confidence interval 0.48-0.69), a weak discriminatory value. Using a threshold of 7 to define high-risk and low-risk patients, the SAS allowed risk stratification only for spine surgery. Conclusions The SAS does not predict 30-day major complications and death in patients undergoing general orthopaedic surgery, but it is useful in the subgroup of patients undergoing spine surgery.
Background: Considerable debate exists regarding how soft-tissue edema should influence timing of surgery for ankle and other lower extremity fractures. Assessment of swelling is subjective, and timing varies among surgeons. However, timing of surgery is one of the few modifiable factors in fracture care. Ultrasonography can objectively measure swelling and help determine optimal timing. The purposes of this study were to determine whether objective measures of swelling, timing to surgery, and patient-specific risk factors correlated with wound complications and to try to create a prediction model for postoperative wound complications based on identified modifiable and nonmodifiable risk factors. Methods: Patients with closed ankle and other lower extremity fractures requiring surgery with an uninjured, contralateral extremity were included. Demographic information and sonographic measurements on both lower extremities were obtained pre-operatively. Subjects were followed for 3 months and wound complications were documented. A predictive algorithm of independent risk factors was constructed, determining wound complication risk. Given that patients with ankle fractures made up the majority of the study cohort (75/93 or 80%), a separate statistical analysis was performed on this group. A total of 93 subjects completed the study, with 75/93 sustaining ankle fractures. Results: Overall wound complication rate was 18.3%. Timing to surgery showed no correlation with wound complications. A heel-pad edema index >1.4 was independently associated with wound complications. Subgroup analysis of ankle fractures demonstrated a 3.4× increase in wound complications with a heel-pad edema index >1.4. Tobacco history and BMI >25 were independent predictors of wound complications. An algorithm was established based on heel-pad edema index, BMI >25, and tobacco history. Patients with none of the 3 factors had a 3% probability of a wound complication. Patients with 1/3, 2/3 and 3/3 factors had a 12-36%, 60-86% and 96% probability of a wound complication, respectively. Conclusions: Timing to surgery had no correlation with wound complications. Heel-pad edema index >1.4, BMI >25, and tobacco-use correlated with wound complications. When separately analyzing the cohort that sustained ankle fractures, the heel-pad edema index of >1.4 was still demonstrated to be predictive of wound complications corresponding to a 3.4× increase in wound complication rates (11.1% vs 37.5%). Risk of wound complications significantly increased with each factor. In patients with increased BMI and/or tobacco use, resolution of heel edema may significantly reduce wound complications in lower extremity trauma. Level of Evidence: Level II, prognostic, prospective cohort study.
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