Missed diagnosis of femoral deep artery rupture after femoral shaft fracture: A case report

BACKGROUND Vascular injury is a rare complication of femoral shaft fractures,and rupture of the deep femoral artery is more difficult to diagnose because of its anatomical location and symptoms.Despite its low incidence,deep femoral artery rupture can lead to life-threatening outcomes,such as compartment syndrome,making early identification and diagnosis critical.CASE SUMMARY A 45-year-old male patient was admitted to our hospital due to right lower limb trauma in a car accident,with complaints of severe pain and swelling on his right thigh.X-ray demonstrated a right femoral shaft fracture.During preparation for emergency surgery,his blood pressure and blood oxygen saturation dropped,and sensorimotor function was lost.Computed tomography angiography was performed immediately to confirm the diagnosis of rupture of the deep femoral artery and compartment syndrome,so fasciotomy and vacuum-assisted closure were performed.Rhabdomyolysis took place after the operation and the patient was treated with appropriate electrolyte correction and diuretic therapy.Twenty days after the fasciotomy,treatment with the Hoffman Type II External Fixation System was planned,but it was unable to be immobilized internally based on a new esophageal cancer diagnosis.We kept the external fixation for 1 year,and 3 years of follow-up showed improvement of the patient’s overall conditions and muscle strength.CONCLUSION For patients with thigh swelling,pain,anemia,and unstable vital signs,anterior femoral artery injury should be highly suspected.Once diagnosed,surgical treatment should be performed immediately and complications of artery rupture must be suspected and addressed in time.

Comparative Study between the Elastic Nail versus Hip Spica Cast in Early Treatment of Pediatric Femoral Shaft Fractures

Introduction: Femoral shaft fractures are among the most common pediatric injury, which have the highest incidence among other pediatric fractures, and treatment of them carries a lot of controversies. Aim of the study: To compare the outcome of fixation of femoral shaft fracture by elastic nail with Spica cast. Patient and method: This prospective comparative study was carried out in Sulaimani Teaching Hospital, in the period from the 10th of December 2011 to the 10th of June 2012, for two groups of children whose ages were between 4 - 12 years (average 6.61 years), sustained traumatic femoral shaft fractures with follow-up period of about 6 months. The first group was consisting of 30 children treated by Elastic Intramedullary Nail, while the second group was consisted of 30 children treated by hip Spica. The selection was made on random bases. Results: Age range was between 4 - 12 years and showed male predominance in both groups with ratio of about 2:1 while fracture site showed predominance of the midshaft pattern in both groups. This study showed highly significant deference (P value of 0.001) between the two groups (Spica group of 3 days versus Nail group median of rate 4.5 days) in the admission period. Our sample showed shortening of about 2 cm in 2 case in the Nail group (6.7%) versus 6 cases (20%) in Spica group. We reported 4 cases of wound infection (13.3%) and 4 cases of pin site irritation (13.3%) in nail group. A higher rate of malunion was observed in the Spica group (10 cases more than 10° angulation in coronal plane) while the Nail group reported 2 case more than 10° in coronal plane. The mean operative time for Nail group was 55 minutes while in Spica group was 30 minutes. We reported shorter time to start mobilization and walking with support or independently in the nail group (weight bearing time 7.2 weeks) compared with the Spica casting group (weight bearing time 7.5 weeks). Conclusion: Elastic nail fixation yields better outcome for femoral shaft fracture in form of easier child handling, parent’s satisfaction, and maintaining acceptable fracture alignment.

Intramedullary bone pedestal formation contributing to femoral shaft fracture nonunion:A case report and review of the literature

BACKGROUND Femoral shaft fracture is a commonly encountered orthopedic injury that can be treated operatively with a low overall delayed/nonunion rate.In the case of delayed union after antegrade or retrograde intramedullary nail fixation,fracture dynamization is often attempted first.Nonunion after dynamization has been shown to occur due to infection and other aseptic etiologies.We present a unique case of diaphyseal femoral shaft fracture nonunion after dynamization due to intramedullary cortical bone pedestal formation at the distal tip of the nail.CASE SUMMARY A 37-year-old male experienced a high-energy trauma to his left thigh after coming down hard during a motocross jump.Evaluation was consistent with an isolated,closed,left mid-shaft femur fracture.He was initially managed with reamed antegrade intramedullary nail fixation but had continued thigh pain.Radiographs at four months demonstrated no evidence of fracture union and failure of the distal locking screw,and dynamization by distal locking screw removal was performed.The patient continued to have pain eight months after the initial procedure and 4 mo after dynamization with serial radiographs continuing to demonstrate no evidence of fracture healing.The decision was made to proceed with exchange nailing for aseptic fracture nonunion.During the exchange procedure,an obstruction was encountered at the distal tip of the failed nail and was confirmed on magnified fluoroscopy to be a pedestal of cortical bone in the canal.The obstruction required further distal reaming.A longer and larger diameter exchange nail was placed without difficulty and without a distal locking screw to allow for dynamization at the fracture site.Post-operative radiographs showed proper fracture and hardware alignment.There was subsequently radiographic evidence of callus formation at one year with subsequent fracture consolidation and resolution of thigh pain at eighteen months.CONCLUSION The risk of fracture nonunion caused by intramedullary bone pedestal formation can be mitigated with the use of maximum length and diameter nails and close follow up.

Treatment of long-segment fracture in middle-up part of femoral shaft with long proximal femoral nail anti-rotation of AO/ASIF

Objective To investigate the operative method and evaluate the clinical outcomes of long proximal femoral nail anti-rotation (PFNA-long) in treating long-segment fracture in middle-up part of femoral bone.Methods From June 2006 to

Comparison of three kinds of treatment for pediatric closed femoral shaft fracture

To compare and evaluate 3 kinds of treatments of pediatric closed femoral shaft fractures.Methods Seventy-nine patients were divided into 3 groups and treated using hip spica casting after skeletal traction,unilateral multifunctional fixation and plate fixation.The result were evaluated according to clinical function,time to union,complications,radiology examination and the economic cost.Results Both time to union and economic cost of the external fixation group were shorter than that of the skeletal traction group and plate fixation group.Conclusion The unilateral multi-functional external fixation is an ideal solution to pediatric close femoral shaft fractures.7 refs,3 tabs.

Treatment of pediatric femoral shaft fractures by stainless steel and titanium elastic nail system： A randomized comparative trial

Purpose： Literature suggests that the lower modulus of elasticity of titanium makes it ideal for use in children compared with stainless steel. Better fracture stability was observed in association with tita- nium nails on torsional and axial compression testing. However, stainless steel nails are stiffer than ti- tanium counterparts, which may provide a rigid construct when fixing paediatric femoral shaft fractures. Complications have been observed more frequently by various researchers when titanium nails are used for fracture fixation in patients with increasing age or weight. The concept of this study was to compare the functional outcome after internal fixation with titanium elastic nail system and stainless steel elastic nail system in paediatric femoral shaft fractures. Methods： The study was conducted on 34 patients admitted in the department of orthopaedics, LLRM Medical College ＆ SVBP Hospital, Meerut, India from January 2013 to August 2014. We included patients aged 5-12 years with fracture of the femoral shaft, excluding compound fractures, pathological fractures and other lower limb fractures. Patients were treated by titanium （n = 17） or stainless steel （n - 17） elastic nail system and followed up for one year. The clinical parameters like range of motion at hip and knee joints, time to full weight bearing on the operated limb and radiological parameters like time to union were compared between two groups. A special note was made of intra- and post-operative complications. Functional outcomes were analysed according to Flynn criteria. Results： Based on the Flynn criteria, 59% of patients had excellent results, 41% had satisfactory results, and no one showed poor results. There was no clinically significant difference between the two groups with respect to time to union and full weight bearing. But the incidence of puncture of the opposite cortex while inserting the nail and trying to advance it through the diaphysis during operation is greatly different. Only one such case was observed in titanium group but five in stainless steel group. Conclusion： Majority of paediatric femoral shaft fractures are now treated operatively by elastic stable intramedullary nails. Operative intervention results in a shorter hospital stay and has economic and social benefits over conservative treatment. The cost of stainless steel nail is one third the cost of tita- nium nail. However, the clinico-radiological results are not significantly different between titanium and stainless steel nails at one year follow-up as observed by our study.

Surgical factors contributing to nonunion in femoral shaft fracture following intramedullary nailing

Purpose： To explore the possible surgical factors related with nonunion in femoral shaft fracture following intramedullary nailing. Methods： We retrospectively analyzed totally 425 patients with femoral shaft fracture in level I urban trauma center, including 254 males and 171 females, with an average age of 37.6 （ranging from 21 to 56） years old. The inclusion criteria included： （1） traumatically closed fracture of femoral shaft, with preoperative films showing non-comminuted fracture, such as transverse fracture, oblique fracture or spiral fracture; （2） closed reduction and fixation with interlocking intramedullary nail at 3-7 days after trauma; （3） complete follow-up data available. The relationship between the following factors （fracture site, reduction degree, direction of nail insertion and nail size） and nonunion was studied. Results： The incidence of femoral nonunion was 2.8%; in patients with closed simple fracture undergoing interlocking intrameduallary nailing, including 11 cases of hypertrophic nonunion. Nonunion was related significantly to distal fracture, unsatisfactory reduction and unreamed nail （p 〈 0.05）. There was no significant difference between antegrade nail and retrograde nail （p 〉 0.05）. Conclusions： Nonunion in femoral shaft facture following interlocking intramedullary nailing is related to fracture site, fracture reduction and nail diameter. The choice of reamed nails or unreamed nails depends on the fracture site and reduction degree.

Pediatric femoral shaft fractures treated by flexible intrameduUary nailing

Background： Nowadays pediatric femoral fractures are more commonly managed with operative treatment rather than conservative treatment because of more rapid recovery and avoidance of prolonged immobilization. Children between the ages of 5-13 years are treated either by traction plus hip spica and flexible/elastic stable retrograde intramedullary nail, or external fixators in the case of open fractures. The aim of this study is to evaluate the outcome of pediatric femoral shaft fractures treated by stainless steel flexible intramedullary nail in children between 5 and 13 years of age. Methods： There were 32 cases of femoral shaft fractures which were all fixed with stainless steel flexible intramedullary nail under fluoroscopy. Long leg cast was applied at the time of fixation. Partial weight bearing was started 2 weeks after surgery. Patients were evaluated in follow-up study to observe the alignment of fracture, infection, delayed union, nonunion, limb length discrepancy, motion of knee joint, and time to unite the fracture. Results： We were able to follow up 28 out of 32 patients. The patients were 8.14 years of age on average. The mean hospital stay after operation was 4 days and fracture union time was 9.57 weeks. There were 3 cases of varus angulation, 2 cases of anterior angulation, and 4 cases of limb lengthening. Conclusion： Patients aged between 5 and 13 years treated with flexible intramedullary nail for closed femoral shaft fracture have rapid union and recovery, short rehabilitation period, less immobilization and psychological impact, and cost-effective.

Site-Dependent Osseointegration of Biodegradable High-Purity Magnesium for Orthopedic Implants in Femoral Shaft and Femoral Condyle of New Zealand Rabbits

Magnesium （Mg） has been widely accepted as osteoconductive biomaterial, but osseointegration of Mg device at different implantation sites is still unclear. In the present study, high-purity magnesium （HP Mg） pins were implanted into femoral shaft and condyle of New Zealand rabbits concurrently. 2, 8, 12 and 16 weeks after surgery, rabbit femurs were harvested for micro-computed tomography （micro-CT） scanning and subsequent histological examinations. HP Mg pins were retrieved for scanning electron microscope and energy dispersive spectrum （SEM/EDS） analyses. HP Mg pins at both implantation sites performed stable corrosion with mineral deposition and bone incorporation on surface. However, difference in distribution of contact osteogenesis centers and biological properties of peri-implant bone tissues was detected between femoral shaft and femoral condyle. In femoral condyle, contact osteogenesis centers originated from both periosteum and cancellous bones and the whole HP Mg pin was encapsuled in trabecular bone at 16 weeks. Meanwhile, bone volume to total bone volume （BV/TV） and bone mineral density （BMD） of peri-implant bone tissues were above those of normal bone tissues. In femoral shaft, contact osteogenesis centers were only from periosteum and direct bone contact was confined in cortical bone, while BV/TV and BMD kept lower than normal. Furthermore, new formation of peri-implant bone tissues was more active in femoral condyle than in femoral shaft at 16 weeks. Therefore, although HP Mg performed good biocompatibility and corrosion behavior in vivo, its bioadaption of osseointegration at different implantations sites should be taken into consideration. Bone metaphysic was suitable for Mg devices where peri-implant bone tissues regenerated rapidly and the biological properties were close to normal bone tissues.

Comparison of two kinds of intramedullary nails in the treatment of femoral shaft fractures in adults

Intramedullary nails have been widely used in treating femoral shaft fractures. However, end caps falling into soft tissue intraoperatively may cause trouble to surgeons, prolong operative time and increase radiation exposure. Additionally, difficulties may be encountered when removing nails because of callus formation over the nail tip. We performed a prospective study to compare two types of nails in managing femoral shaft fractures. Methods Group I consisted of seventy-four patients with unilateral femoral shaft fractures treated with cannulated interlocking anatomical femoral intramedullary nails. Group II consisted of seventy-eight patients treated with cannulated interlocking anatomical femoral intramedullary nails with tail wires. The patients＇ ages, fracture severity, duration of operation, fluoroscopy time, blood loss and falls of end caps into soft tissue were recorded. Nails were removed after fracture healing. The duration of operation and blood loss during nail removal were recorded. Results There were no significant differences between groups with respect to age and fracture severity （P 〉0.05）. End caps fell into soft tissue 17 times in 15 cases in group I and 21 times in 16 cases in group I1. An average of seven minutes was spent recovering a lost cap in group I. In group II, all lost caps were recovered immediately. The duration of operation and fluoroscopy time in group II was significantly less than in group I （P 〈0.05）. Asymptomatic palpable nodules were detected in 4 cases in group I1. Nail removals were performed on 58 patients in group I and 69 patients in group I1. The duration of operation, blood loss and complications in group II were less than in group I （P〈0.05）. Conclusion Intramedullary nails with tail wires facilitate both fracture fixation and nail removal, which can be used to treat femoral shaft fractures with less radiation exposure, shorter surgical time and fewer complications.

The efficacy of augmentative anti-rotational plating plus decortication and autogenic bone grafting for aseptic nonunion after intramedullary nailing of femoral shaft fracture

Background:Femoral interlocking intramedullary(IM)nailing fixation is an effective method for the treatment of femoral shaft fractures.Aseptic nonunion of femoral shaft fracture after IM nailing is uncommon.Currently,the treatment for aseptic femoral shaft nonunion is controversial.The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical effect of augmentative antirotational plating plus decortication and autogenic bone grafting for aseptic femoral shaft nonunion after IM nailing failure.Methods:A retrospective study was conducted on 25 cases of aseptic femoral shaft fracture nonunion treated with IM nailing from January 2015 to August 2019.All patients were treated by leaving the nail in situ,debridement of nonunionsites,decortication,autogenous iliac bone grafting,and augmentative antirotational plating fixation.The time to fracture union and complications were recorded.Results:All patients were followed up for 12–18 months.The union rate after revision surgery was 100%.The average union time was 5.5months(range,4-10).Subjective pain symptoms had disappeared in all patients.There were no incision infections or internal fixator fatigue fractures.Average scores of the physical function and bodily pain components of the SF-36 were 95.5(range,91-98)and 94.1(range,90-97),respectively.No other obvious complications occurred postoperatively.Conclusion:Augmentative antirotational plating plus decortication and autogenic bone grafting is an excellent choice for treating femoral shaft fracture nonunion after IM nailing;this approach has an overall high union rate and few complications.

Optimal concentration of mesenchymal stem cells for fracture healing in a rat model with long bone fracture

BACKGROUND There is still no consensus on which concentration of mesenchymal stem cells(MSCs)to use for promoting fracture healing in a rat model of long bone fracture.AIM To assess the optimal concentration of MSCs for promoting fracture healing in a rat model.METHODS Wistar rats were divided into four groups according to MSC concentrations:Normal saline(C),2.5×10^(6)(L),5.0×10^(6)(M),and 10.0×10^(6)(H)groups.The MSCs were injected directly into the fracture site.The rats were sacrificed at 2 and 6 wk post-fracture.New bone formation[bone volume(BV)and percentage BV(PBV)]was evaluated using micro-computed tomography(CT).Histological analysis was performed to evaluate fracture healing score.The protein expression of factors related to MSC migration[stromal cell-derived factor 1(SDF-1),transforming growth factor-beta 1(TGF-β1)]and angiogenesis[vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF)]was evaluated using western blot analysis.The expression of cytokines associated with osteogenesis[bone morphogenetic protein-2(BMP-2),TGF-β1 and VEGF]was evaluated using real-time polymerase chain reaction.RESULTS Micro-CT showed that BV and PBV was significantly increased in groups M and H compared to that in group C at 6 wk post-fracture(P=0.040,P=0.009;P=0.004,P=0.001,respectively).Significantly more cartilaginous tissue and immature bone were formed in groups M and H than in group C at 2 and 6 wk post-fracture(P=0.018,P=0.010;P=0.032,P=0.050,respectively).At 2 wk post fracture,SDF-1,TGF-β1 and VEGF expression were significantly higher in groups M and H than in group L(P=0.031,P=0.014;P<0.001,P<0.001;P=0.025,P<0.001,respectively).BMP-2 and VEGF expression were significantly higher in groups M and H than in group C at 6 wk postfracture(P=0.037,P=0.038;P=0.021,P=0.010).Compared to group L,TGF-β1 expression was significantly higher in groups H(P=0.016).There were no significant differences in expression levels of chemokines related to MSC migration,angiogenesis and cytokines associated with osteogenesis between M and H groups at 2 and 6 wk post-fracture.CONCLUSION The administration of at least 5.0×10^(6)MSCs was optimal to promote fracture healing in a rat model of long bone fractures.

Treatment of ipsilateral femoral neck and shaft fractures

Objective：To investigate the clinical characteristics, treatment options and causes of misdiagnosis of ipsilateral femoral neck and shaft fractures. Methods： Among 20 patients with ipsilateral femoral neck and shaft fractures, 19 were treated operatively and 1 was treated conservatively. Sixteen cases of femoral shaft fractures were treated by open reduction and internal fixation with compressive plate, and 2 cases were treated with interlocking intramedullary nailing. Eighteen femoral neck fractures were treated with cannulated screws. Another patient was treated with proximal femoral nail to fix both the neck and shaft. Delayed diagnosis for femoral neck frac-tures occurred in 2 cases preoperatively. Results： A total of 19 patients were followed up. The follow up period ranged from 5 to 48 months with an average of 15 months. All the fractures were healed. Conclusion： For case of femoral shaft fracture caused by high energy injury, an AP pelvic film should be routinely taken. Once the femoral neck fracture is recognized, operative reduction and fixation should be performed in time. Femoral neck and shaft fractures should be fixed separately.