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Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is the leading cause of death and disability in polytrauma and is often accompanied by concomitant injuries. We conducted a retrospective matched-pair analysis of data from a 10-year period from the multicenter database TraumaRegister DGU\(^®\) to analyze the impact of a concomitant femoral fracture on the outcome of TBI patients. A total of 4508 patients with moderate to critical TBI were included and matched by severity of TBI, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) risk classification, initial Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), age, and sex. Patients who suffered combined TBI and femoral fracture showed increased mortality and worse outcome at the time of discharge, a higher chance of multi-organ failure, and a rate of neurosurgical intervention. Especially those with moderate TBI showed enhanced in-hospital mortality when presenting with a concomitant femoral fracture (p = 0.037). The choice of fracture treatment (damage control orthopedics vs. early total care) did not impact mortality. In summary, patients with combined TBI and femoral fracture have higher mortality, more in-hospital complications, an increased need for neurosurgical intervention, and inferior outcome compared to patients with TBI solely. More investigations are needed to decipher the pathophysiological consequences of a long-bone fracture on the outcome after TBI.
Purpose
Glioma patients face a limited life expectancy and at the same time, they suffer from afflicting symptoms and undesired effects of tumor treatment. Apart from bone marrow suppression, standard chemotherapy with temozolomide causes nausea, emesis and loss of appetite. In this pilot study, we investigated how chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) affects the patients' levels of depression and their quality of life.
Methods
In this prospective observational multicentre study (n = 87), nausea, emesis and loss of appetite were evaluated with an expanded MASCC questionnaire, covering 10 days during the first and the second cycle of chemotherapy. Quality of life was assessed with the EORTC QLQ-C30 and BN 20 questionnaire and levels of depression with the PHQ-9 inventory before and after the first and second cycle of chemotherapy.
Results
CINV affected a minor part of patients. If present, it reached its maximum at day 3 and decreased to baseline level not before day 8. Levels of depression increased significantly after the first cycle of chemotherapy, but decreased during the further course of treatment. Patients with higher levels of depression were more severely affected by CINV and showed a lower quality of life through all time-points.
Conclusion
We conclude that symptoms of depression should be perceived in advance and treated in order to avoid more severe side effects of tumor treatment. Additionally, in affected patients, delayed nausea was most prominent, pointing toward an activation of the NK1 receptor. We conclude that long acting antiemetics are necessary totreat temozolomide-induced nausea.
Background
Morphology and glenoid involvement determine the necessity of surgical management in scapula fractures. While being present in only a small share of patients with shoulder trauma, numerous classification systems have been in use over the years for categorization of scapula fractures. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the established AO/OTA classification in comparison to the classification system of Euler and Rüedi (ER) with regard to interobserver reliability and confidence in clinical practice.
Methods
Based on CT imaging, 149 patients with scapula fractures were retrospectively categorized by two trauma surgeons and two radiologists using the classification systems of ER and AO/OTA. To measure the interrater reliability, Fleiss kappa (κ) was calculated independently for both fracture classifications. Rater confidence was stated subjectively on a five-point scale and compared with Wilcoxon signed rank tests. Additionally, we computed the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) based on absolute agreement in a two-way random effects model to assess the diagnostic confidence agreement between observers.
Results
In scapula fractures involving the glenoid fossa, interrater reliability was substantial (κ = 0.722; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.676–0.769) for the AO/OTA classification in contrast to moderate agreement (κ = 0.579; 95% CI 0.525–0.634) for the ER classification system. Diagnostic confidence for intra-articular fracture patterns was superior using the AO/OTA classification compared to ER (p < 0.001) with higher confidence agreement (ICC: 0.882 versus 0.831). For extra-articular fractures, ER (κ = 0.817; 95% CI 0.771–0.863) provided better interrater reliability compared to AO/OTA (κ = 0.734; 95% CI 0.692–0.776) with higher diagnostic confidence (p < 0.001) and superior agreement between confidence ratings (ICC: 0.881 versus 0.912).
Conclusions
The AO/OTA classification is most suitable to categorize intra-articular scapula fractures with glenoid involvement, whereas the classification system of Euler and Rüedi appears to be superior in extra-articular injury patterns with fractures involving only the scapula body, spine, acromion and coracoid process.
Introduction
Reverse shoulder arthroplasty (RSA) leads to medialization and distalization of the centre of rotation of the shoulder joint resulting in lengthening of the deltoid muscle. Shear wave ultrasound elastography (SWE) is a reliable method for quantifying tissue stiffness. The purpose of this study was to analyse if deltoid muscle tension after RSA correlates with the patients' pain level. We hypothesized that higher deltoid muscle tension would be associated with increased pain.
Material and methods
Eighteen patients treated with RSA were included. Constant score (CS) and pain level on the visual analogue scale (VAS) were analysed and SWE was performed on both shoulders. All three regions of the deltoid muscle were examined in resting position and under standardized isometric loading.
Results
Average patient age was 76 (range 64-84) years and average follow-up was 15 months (range 4-48). The average CS was 66 points (range 35-89) and the average pain level on the VAS was 1.8 (range 0.5-4.7). SWE revealed statistically significant higher muscle tension in the anterior and middle deltoid muscle region in patients after RSA compared to the contralateral non-operated side. There was a statistically significant correlation between pain level and anterior deltoid muscle tension.
Conclusion
SWE revealed increased tension in the anterior and middle portion of the deltoid muscle after RSA in a clinical setting. Increased tension of the anterior deltoid muscle portion significantly correlated with an increased pain level. SWE is a powerful, cost-effective, quick, dynamic, non-invasive, and radiation-free imaging technique to evaluate tissue elasticity in the shoulder with a wide range of applications.
Background
Traumatic separation of the pubic symphysis can destabilize the pelvis and require surgical fixation to reduce symphyseal gapping. The traditional approach involves open reduction and the implantation of a steel symphyseal plate (SP) on the pubic bone to hold the reposition. Despite its widespread use, SP-fixation is often associated with implant failure caused by screw loosening or breakage.
Methods
To address the need for a more reliable surgical intervention, we developed and tested two titanium cable-clamp implants. The cable served as tensioning device while the clamp secured the cable to the bone. The first implant design included a steel cable anterior to the pubic symphysis to simplify its placement outside the pelvis, and the second design included a cable encircling the pubic symphysis to stabilize the anterior pelvic ring. Using highly reproducible synthetic bone models and a limited number of cadaver specimens, we performed a comprehensive biomechanical study of implant stability and evaluated surgical feasibility.
Results
We were able to demonstrate that the cable-clamp implants provide stability equivalent to that of a traditional SP-fixation but without the same risks of implant failure. We also provide detailed ex vivo evaluations of the safety and feasibility of a trans-obturator surgical approach required for those kind of fixation.
Conclusion
We propose that the developed cable-clamp fixation devices may be of clinical value in treating pubic symphysis separation.
Older patients sustaining tibial head depression fractures often cannot follow the post-operative rehabilitation protocols with partial weight-bearing of the affected limb, leading to osteosynthesis failure, cartilage step-off and arthritis development. Therefore, the aim of this study was to analyse the biomechanical performance of different types of osteosyntheses alone and in combination with bone cement simulating cyclically high loading conditions of tibial head depression fractures. Lateral tibial head depression fractures (AO: 41-B2.2; Schatzker type III) were created in synthetic bones and stabilized using three different osteosyntheses alone and in combination with a commonly used bone cement (chronOS™): 2 screws, 4 screws in the jail technique and a lateral angle-stable buttress plate. After fixation, the lateral tibial plateau was axially loaded in two, from each other independent testing series: In the first test protocol, 5000 cycles with 500 N and in the end load-to-failure tests were performed. In the second test protocol, the cyclic loading was increased to 1000 N. Parameters of interest were the displacement of the articular fracture fragment, the stiffness and the maximum load. The osteosyntheses revealed a higher stiffness in combination with bone cement compared to the same type of osteosynthesis alone (e.g., 500 N level: 2 screws 383 ± 43 N/mm vs. 2 screws + chronOs 520 ± 108 N/mm, increase by 36%, p < 0.01; 4 screws 368 ± 97 N/mm vs. 4 screws + chronOS 516 ± 109 N/mm, increase by 40%, p < 0.01; plate: 509 ± 73 N/mm vs. plate + chronOs 792 ± 150 N/mm, increase by 56%, p < 0.01). Bone cement reduced the displacement of the plate significantly (500 N level: plate: 8.9 ± 2.8 mm vs. plate + chronOs: 3.1 ± 1.4 mm, reduction by 65%, p < 0.01; 1000 N level: 16.9 ± 3.6 mm vs 5.6 ± 1.3 mm, reduction by 67%, p < 0.01). Thus, the highest stiffness and lowest displacement values were found when using the plate with bone cement in both loading conditions (500 N level: 2 screws + chronOs 3.7 ± 1.3 mm, 4 screws + chronOs 6.2 ± 2.4 mm; 1000 N level: 2 screws + chronOs 6.5 ± 1.2 mm, 4 screws + chronOs 5.7 ± 0.8 mm). From a biomechanical perspective, plate osteosynthesis of tibial head depression fractures should always be combined with bone cement, provides higher stability than 2-screw and 4-screw fixation and is a valid treatment option in cases where extraordinary stability is required.
The calcaneal beak fracture is a rare avulsion fracture of the tuber calcanei characterized by a solid bony fragment at the Achilles tendon insertion. Treatment usually requires osteosynthesis. However, lack of biomechanical understanding of the ideal fixation technique persists. A beak fracture was simulated in synthetic bones and assigned to five different groups of fixation: A) 6.5-mm partial threaded cannulated screws, B) 4.0-mm partial threaded cannulated screws, C) 5.0-mm headless cannulated compression screws, D) 2.3-mm locking plate, and E) 2.8-mm locking plate. Different traction force levels were applied through an Achilles tendon surrogate in a material-testing machine on all stabilized synthetic bones. Outcome measures were peak-to-peak displacement, total displacement, plastic deformation, stiffness, visual-fracture-line displacement, and mode of implant failure. The 2.3- and 2.8-mm plating groups showed a high drop-out rate at 100 N tension force and failed under higher tension levels of 200 N. The fracture fixation using 4.0-mm partial threaded screws showed a significantly higher repair strength and was able to withhold cyclic loading up to 300 N. The lowest peak-to-peak displacement and the highest load-to-failure and stiffness were provided by fracture fixation using 6.5-mm partial threaded cannulated screws or 5.0-mm headless cannulated compression screws. As anticipated, large 6.5-mm screw diameters provide the best biomechanical fixation. Surprisingly, the 5.0-mm headless cannulated compression screws yield reliable stability despite the absent screw head and washer. When such large screws cannot be applied, 4.0-mm screws also allow reasonable fixation strength. Plate fixation should be implemented with precaution and in combination with a restrictive postoperative motion protocol. Finally, clinical cases about the surgical application and recovery are included.
The trauma center of the University Hospital Wuerzburg has developed an advanced trauma pathway based on a dual-room trauma suite with an integrated movable sliding gantry CT-system. This enables simultaneous CT-diagnostics and treatment of two trauma patients. The focus of this study was to investigate the quality of the concept based on defined outcome criteria in this specific setting (time from arrival to initiation of CT scan: tCT; time from arrival to initiation of emergency surgery: tES). We analyzed all trauma patients admitted to the hospital’s trauma suite from 1st May 2019 through 29th April 2020. Two subgroups were defined: trauma patients, who were treated without a second trauma patient present (group 1) and patients, who were treated simultaneously with another trauma patient (group 2). Simultaneous treatment was defined as parallel arrival within a period of 20 min. Of 423 included trauma patients, 46 patients (10.9%) were treated simultaneously. Car accidents were the predominant trauma mechanism in this group (19.6% vs. 47.8%, p < 0.05). Prehospital life-saving procedures were performed with comparable frequency in both groups (intubation 43.5% vs. 39%, p = 0.572); pleural drainage 3.2% vs. 2.2%, p = 0.708; cardiopulmonary resuscitation 5% vs. 2.2%, p = 0.387). At hospital admission, patients in group 2 suffered significantly more pain (E-problem according to Advanced Trauma Life Support principles©; 29.2% vs. 45.7%, p < 0.05). There were no significant differences in the clinical treatment (emergency procedures, vasopressor and coagulant therapy, and transfusion of red blood cells). tCT was 6 (4–10) minutes (median and IQR) in group 1 and 8 (5–15.5) minutes in group 2 (p = 0.280). tES was 90 (78–106) minutes in group 1 and 99 (97–108) minutes in group 2 (p = 0.081). The simultaneous treatment of two trauma patients in a dual-room trauma suite with an integrated movable sliding gantry CT-system requires a medical, organizational, and technical concept adapted to this special setting. Despite the oftentimes serious and life-threatening injuries, optimal diagnostic and therapeutic procedures can be guaranteed for two simultaneous trauma patients at an individual medical level in consistent quality.
(1) Background: molecular tumor boards (MTBs) are crucial instruments for discussing and allocating targeted therapies to suitable cancer patients based on genetic findings. Currently, limited evidence is available regarding the regional impact and the outreach component of MTBs; (2) Methods: we analyzed MTB patient data from four neighboring Bavarian tertiary care oncology centers in Würzburg, Erlangen, Regensburg, and Augsburg, together constituting the WERA Alliance. Absolute patient numbers and regional distribution across the WERA-wide catchment area were weighted with local population densities; (3) Results: the highest MTB patient numbers were found close to the four cancer centers. However, peaks in absolute patient numbers were also detected in more distant and rural areas. Moreover, weighting absolute numbers with local population density allowed for identifying so-called white spots—regions within our catchment that were relatively underrepresented in WERA MTBs; (4) Conclusions: investigating patient data from four neighboring cancer centers, we comprehensively assessed the regional impact of our MTBs. The results confirmed the success of existing collaborative structures with our regional partners. Additionally, our results help identifying potential white spots in providing precision oncology and help establishing a joint WERA-wide outreach strategy.
Operative treatment of ruptured pubic symphysis by plating is often accompanied by complications. Trans-obturator cable fixation might be a more reliable technique; however, have not yet been tested for stabilization of ruptured pubic symphysis. This study compares symphyseal trans-obturator cable fixation versus plating through biomechanical testing and evaluates safety in a cadaver experiment. APC type II injuries were generated in synthetic pelvic models and subsequently separated into three different groups. The anterior pelvic ring was fixed using a four-hole steel plate in Group A, a stainless steel cable in Group B, and a titan band in Group C. Biomechanical testing was conducted by a single-leg-stance model using a material testing machine under physiological load levels. A cadaver study was carried out to analyze the trans-obturator surgical approach. Peak-to-peak displacement, total displacement, plastic deformation and stiffness revealed a tendency for higher stability for trans-obturator cable/band fixation but no statistical difference to plating was detected. The cadaver study revealed a safe zone for cable passage with sufficient distance to the obturator canal. Trans-obturator cable fixation has the potential to become an alternative for symphyseal fixation with less complications.