Nickel-titanium shape-memory sawtooth-arm embracing fixator for periprosthetic femoral fractures

Abstract

Purpose We reviewed data to determine outcomes for 21 consecutive Vancouver type B1 or type C periprosthetic fractures that we treated between 2001 and 2008 using a nickel-titanium shape-memory sawtooth-arm embracing fixator. Methods The study participants were 12 men and 9 women (mean age, 70.8 years; range, 42-85 years). The average duration of follow-up monitoring was 39.7 months (range, 1-78 months). In five cases, cables and screws were used for further stabilisation. No bone grafting was performed for any of the patients. Results Results were satisfactory, except for one patient who died one month after surgery from a cause unrelated to arthroplasty. Bone union was achieved in the remaining 20 cases within an average of 5.25 months. No implant failures or malunions occurred in any of the patients. The average Harris hip score at the final follow-up examination was 79.3 points. Conclusions Our results show that the embracing fixator is a valid alternative treatment for Vancouver type B1 or type C periprosthetic femoral fractures.

Management of Vancouver B2 and B3 femoral periprosthetic fractures using a modular cementless stem without allografting

“…Zhao et al [21] reviewed data to determine outcomes for 21 consecutive Vancouver types B1 or C periprosthetic fractures using a nickel-titanium shape-memory sawtootharm embracing fixator. The average duration of follow-up was 39.7 months.…”

Design factors of femur fracture fixation plates made of shape memory alloy based on the Taguchi method by finite element analysis

“…Kawakita et al introduced a clinical research where bone fixation plates made of shape memory alloy were applied to rats. Su et al, Xin et al, Yan et al, and Li et al designed a prototype bone fixation plate made of shape memory alloy and applied it to patients to treat femur fracture. It is considered, however, that the previously reported researches are not sufficient to explain the design factors of femur fracture fixation plates made of shape memory alloy.…”

Efficacy of nickel‑titanium memory alloy in the treatment of multiple rib fracture combined with sternal fracture

“…Some literature reported that the needs for analgesia between patients treated with rib fracture surgery and non-surgical patients were not different before treatment, but after treatment, patients who underwent surgery required fewer analgesics than non-surgical patients (22). With internal fixation, patients in study group had free movement and sputum, which is conducive to the maintenance of a clear airway to reduce the incidence of postoperative pulmonary infection and atelectasis (23); while in the control group, patients might suffer from respiratory muscle atrophy with the use of the ventilator, and were incapable of timely sputum excretion due to severe pain or inconvenient movement, prone to atelectasis and repeated pulmonary infection (24), which contributed to longer hospitalization time and more cases of pulmonary infection and atelectasis in control group than study group. Study by Zhang et al (25) proved that patients who underwent surgical treatment of flail chest and pulmonary contusion enjoyed a shorter hospitalization time than non-surgical patients, which agrees with the results of this study.…”