ObjectiveTo investigate the clinical features of ankle fractures involving Tillaux-Chaput in adults, and to observe the surgical effectiveness. MethodsBetween May 2009 and May 2013, 15 adult patients with ankle fractures involving Tillaux-Chaput were treated by open reduction and internal fixation. There were 12 males and 3 females, with an average age of 32 years (range, 19-45 years). The causes included sport injury (8 cases), traffic accident injury (5 cases), and falling injury from height (2 cases). The left ankle was involved in 5 cases and the right side in 10 cases. There were 2 open fractures (Gustilo type I) and 13 close fractures. Five patients had single Tillaux-Chaput fractures. The mean time between injury and surgery was 8.5 days (range, 3 hours to 15 days). According to the Lauge-Hansen classification, there were 9 cases of supination-external rotation, 5 cases of pronation-external rotation, and 1 case of pronation-abduction. ResultsPrimary healing of incisions was obtained in 13 patients without infection and neurovascular injury; 2 patients had superficial infection which was cured after oral antibiotics and dressing change. All cases were followed up for 23 months on average (range, 13-36 months). X-ray films showed complete fracture healing at 10-16 weeks postoperatively (mean, 13 weeks) in all cases. The mean American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) score was 87 (range, 78-99), with an excellent and good rate of 80% (excellent in 9 cases, good in 3 cases, and fair in 3 cases). ConclusionOpen reduction and internal fixation for ankle fractures involving Tillaux-Chaput in adults can achieve excellent effectiveness.
ObjectiveTo evaluate the effectiveness of Othofix pertrochanteric fixator for fixation of intertrochanteric fracture. MethodA retrospective analysis was made on the clinical data from 36 cases of intertrochanteric fracture treated with Othofix pertrochanteric fixator (OPF group) and 47 cases treated with Gamma nail (Gamma group) between October 2012 and March 2015. There was no significant difference in gender, age, cause of injury, side, AO fracture classification, combined medical disease, and injury to operation time between 2 groups (P>0.05) . The operation time, intraoperative blood loss, hospitalization time, fracture union time, and complication rate were recorded and compared between 2 groups. Hip function was evaluated with Sanders post-trauma criteria. ResultsThe operation time, intraoperative blood loss, and hospitalization time of the OPF group were significantly less than those of the Gamma group (P<0.05) . All the cases were followed up 6-12 months (mean, 8.8 months) in 2 groups. Healing of incision by first intention was obtained. Bone union was achieved in 2 groups, and the fracture union time of the OPF group was significantly shorter than that of the Gamma group (t=14.780, P=0.000) . There was no deep wound or pin track infection in 2 groups. Superficial skin reactions developed around the screw and the pins in 14 cases (38.9%) of the OPF group, but no incision infection in the Gamma group, showing significant difference (χ2=22.010, P=0.001) . Mild varus of the hip and pin cutting-out occurred in 3 cases (8.3%) and 2 cases (5.6%) of the OPF group, and in 4 cases (8.5%) and 3 cases (6.4%) of Gamma group, showing no significant difference (χ2=0.001, P=0.960; χ2=0.025, P=0.830) . According to Sanders post-trauma criteria, the results were excellent in 16 cases, good in 15 cases, fair in 3 cases, and poor in 2 cases, with an excellent and good rate of 86.1% in the OPF group; the results were excellent in 22 cases, good in 20 cases, fair in 4 cases, and poor in 1 case, with an excellent and good rate of 89.4% in the Gamma group; and there was no significant difference (χ2=0.200, P=0.610) . ConclusionsThe Othofix pertrochanteric fixator has good effectiveness in the treatment of intertrochanteric fracture, which has the advantages of simple operation, less operation time, little bleeding, and early functional recovery.