Our results show that the DAA for THA is not superior to posterior approach when 'Enhanced Recovery' pathway is used. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2016;98-B:754-60.

Objectives: To compare the efficacy of plain x-ray images and computed tomography (CT) to assess the morphology of the lateral wall (LW) component of intertrochanteric (IT) femur fractures and determine predictors of early fixation failure.Design: Retrospective cohort study.Setting: Level-one trauma center.Patients/Participants: One hundred forty-two adult patients with IT fractures treated with either a sliding hip screw (SHS) or a cephalomedullary nail (CMN) who had both pre-op plain x-ray images and CT scans with at least 6 weeks of follow-up were reviewed.Intervention: Preoperative CT scan and plain radiographs of the affected hip.Main Outcome Measurements: Lateral wall assessment based on plain x-rays versus CT imaging in relation to implant failure.Results: One hundred forty-two patients met inclusion criteria, 105 patients treated with a CMN, and 37 with a SHS. There was a poor correlation between the assessment of the LW on plain x-ray images and CT scans. Failures in the SHS group were significantly associated with all CT measurements (P < .05) but not with plain film LW assessment (P = .66). Fifteen patients had an early implant failure (6 CMN, 9 SHS). There were no statistically significant associations between any radiographic measurement (plain images and CT) and CMN failures.Conclusions: Plain film images are not accurate for assessing lateral wall morphology/integrity and are not predictive of SHS implant failures. Our novel CT measurements were effective at detecting lateral wall patterns at risk for treatment failure with SHS implants.Level of Evidence: Level III

Background: Drains are used in plastic surgery to remove excess fluid while ameliorating complications. However, there is a paucity of evidence supporting guiding parameters on when to discontinue a drain. The aim of our study was to determine whether two of the most common parameters, drain volume 24 hours before removal or postoperative day, are valid indicators for drain removal. Methods: A retrospective chart review was conducted for surgical operations performed by our division between July 2014 and May 2019. Of the 1308 patients, 616 had a drain and a complete record. Demographics, medical history, operative time, antibiotic use, anatomic site, donor/recipient, and complication type were recorded. Complications were defined as events that deviated from expected postoperative course or required pharmacological/procedural intervention. T -test and Chi square were used to analyze data. Results: In total, 544 patients were in the no complication group, and 72 were in the complication group. The complication group patients had drains removed later than patients in the no complication group (15.7 days versus 12.5 days, P = 0.0003) and had similar final 24-hour drain volumes versus patients in the no complication group (16.7 mL versus 18.8 mL, P = 0.2548). The complication group had more operations on the pelvis (11% versus 2.1%; P = 0.000017) or thigh (8.5% versus 3.4%; P = 0.029). Conclusions: Our data suggest neither postoperative day nor 24-hour volume before drain removal are valid indicators for removal. Late removal correlates with more complications; however, persisting output leading to later removal may be predictive of an impending complication rather than delays in drain removal causing the complication.

Category: Trauma; Ankle Introduction/Purpose: Intramedullary fixation of the distal fibula in unstable ankle fractures provides an alternative treatment strategy to traditional techniques and may reduce the complication profile. While often reserved for soft-tissue protection or elderly patients, the indications for this technique continue to expand. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the radiographic outcomes of ankle fractures treated with intramedullary fixation of the distal fibula with screw or flexible fixation of the syndesmosis. Methods: A retrospective case-series was performed of patients >18 years old with unstable ankle fractures treated at a single institution. Patients were treated with intramedullary fixation of the distal fibula and screw or suture-button fixation of the syndesmosis if indicated. Radiographic parameters measured included the medial clear space, tibiofibular overlap, tibiofibular clear space, talocrural angle, and fracture displacement. Fracture pattern, comorbidities, and postoperative complications were also assessed. Results: Fourteen patients (6 males, 8 females) with torsional ankle fractures (71% SER-IV patterns) were included in the study with a mean follow-up period of 5 months. Five patients had suture-button fixation and one patient had trans-syndesmotic screw fixation of the syndesmosis. All patients had improvement in radiographic parameters following surgical stabilization. Medial clear space decreased from a mean of 5.6 +- 3.1mm to 2.8 +- 0.79mm (p<0.0001). Tibiofibular overlap increased from 0.4 +- 2.7mm to 3.0 +- 1.5mm (p<0.05). Fracture displacement of the fibula decreased from 3.5 +- 1.8mm to 0.61 +- 1mm (p<0.0001). There was no statistically significant difference between preoperative and postoperative tibiofibular clear space and talocrural angle measurements. There were no lateral wound complications, revision surgeries, or hardware complications. Conclusion: This case-series demonstrates the successful use of intramedullary fixation of distal fibula fractures in unstable ankle injuries with good radiographic and clinical outcomes. The use of an intramedullary device does not preclude trans-syndesmotic screw or suture-button fixation of concomitant syndesmotic injuries. Orthopedic surgeons can consider this treatment strategy as an alternative to traditional techniques.