Medial epicondyle fractures of the humerus account for 11%-20% of all elbow injuries in children. Although intra-articular incarceration of the medial epicondyle occurs in 5%-18% of medial epicondyle fractures associated with an elbow dislocation, the mechanism of intrusion of the fracture fragment is unknown. We report a case of an irreducible elbow fracture and dislocation due to incarceration of the medial epicondyle fragment of the humerus, classified as a Watson-Jones type 3 fracture of the medial epicondyle, and present the mechanism of the intra-articular incarceration of the medial epicondyle fragment. The patient was a 9-year-old boy who injured his right elbow in a fall, and was diagnosed with a Watson-Jones type 3 fracture of the medial epicondyle. As we could not achieve a good reduction under fluoroscopic imaging, surgery was immediately performed using a medial approach. We discovered that the incarcerated fracture fragment was attached to the flexor-pronator muscles, the medical collateral ligament (MCL), and the anterior articular capsule. The medial epicondyle was fixed with Kirschner-wires augmented with tension band wiring. After fixation, there was no remaining instability. After 4 months the patient's fracture had proceeded to union and the internal fixation was removed. After 30 months he was asymptomatic and able to perform all of his daily life activities without any limitation. Our case, a Watson-Jones type 3 medial epicondyle fracture, is suggestive of the mechanism of incarceration of the medial epicondyle fragment into the elbow joint. Our findings support the idea that the attachment of both the MCL and the articular capsule can result in the entrapment of a fracture fragment in the elbow joint.
We report the use of costal osteochondral grafting with a pins and rubbers traction system (PRTS) for treatment of a complex cartilage defect of the proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joint in a 41-year-old male carpenter who had inadvertently incompletely severed his finger with a power saw. The skin laceration extended to the dorsal aspect of his ring finger and resulted in incomplete loss of the ulnar condyle and comminution of the radial condyle of the proximal phalanx of the PIP joint. The diagnosis was intraarticular PIP joint open fracture of the left ring finger with a 60% defect of the proximal phalanx joint surface. Three weeks after the injury, PIP joint reconstruction was performed with a costal osteochondral graft harvested at the osteochondral junction of the fifth rib. The volar side of the proximal phalanx cortex and the condyles of the proximal phalanx on each side, which included the origin of the collateral ligaments, were preserved. The graft was shaped to match the defect, and biplane fixation with three miniscrews was subsequently performed. Last, a PRTS was attached. At 6 months postoperatively, the patient returned to his job; at 12 months postoperatively, the joint was stable and free of pain.This technique enabled preservation of joint stabilizers and rigid fixation of the graft, resulting in a good outcome. Our modified costal osteochondral graft with a PRTS is useful for severe intra-articular fractures of the PIP joint and should be considered before salvage procedures. (J Nippon Med Sch 2020; 87: 37 42)
Compared with the conventional IMHS, the Asian IMHS is smaller, has increased variations in the shaft/neck angle of the lag screw, and has a titanium-alloy construction, allowing magnetic resonance imaging. The intraoperative fracture may have occurred because of the configuration of the distal interlocking screw in the Asian IMHS. Breakage of the implant likely occurred because the nail was too small in diameter, and too short in length for the unstable AO 31-A3 fracture. If careful attention is paid to the configuration of its distal interlocking screw intraoperatively and a nail of appropriate size is selected, the Asian IMHS is better suited than the conventional IMHS for treating Japanese patients, who generally have a small physique, because of its many variations in size and angle.
This study developed an original colorimetric device with high validity. Browning of articular cartilage increased with age, but this study did not detect pentosidine-caused browning. Further study is needed to clarify the factors associated with browning of cartilage.
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