Orthoplastics

Introduction: Persons with paraplegia present complex challenges to anaesthetists. Complications experienced by these patients can require major orthoplastic surgery such as excision of infected bone and soft tissue due to pressure sores and soft tissue reconstruction. Anaesthetic strategies deemed both safe and acceptable to this population are essential. Case presentation: We report a case series of five procedures in four patients with complete chronic spinal cord injury (CSCI) who underwent operations in lateral position under standby anaesthesia and audio-visual distraction (AVD) with minimal sedation...

Management of open lower limb fractures with soft tissue defects can be a technically challenging orthopaedic problem. Limited availability of orthoplastic services means that alternatives to the fix and flap concept are required in order to prevent infected non-unions from developing. The proposed 'bayonet apposition' allows the surgeon to temporarily shorten the limb without angulating the limb or creating a bone defect and removing viable bone. The viable bone edges are overlapped in a bayonet-like manner in order to appose the wound and skin edges...

BACKGROUND: Open fractures of the lower limb represent a complex and varied array of injuries. The BOAST 4 document produced by BAPRAS and the BOA provides standards on how to manage these patients, and NICE have recently produced additional guidance. We aimed to assess concordance with these standards in a large cohort representative of UK orthoplastic centres. METHODS: Patients admitted to the orthoplastic units at Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital and Royal Stoke University Hospital with open lower limb fractures between 2009 and 2014 were included...

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of a cross-linking agent on the mechanical properties of self-cured orthodontic acrylic resin using PMMA powder (CPM-PMMA) with a compromised microstructure. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The mechanical properties of three sample groups were investigated in this study: CPM-PMMA, orthocryl and orthoplast. CPM-PMMA powder was prepared by suspension polymerization. It was mixed with a commercially available liquid (orthocryl) to yield a test specimen and to compare its flexural properties and Vicker hardness with the two commercial products...

Open fractures are severe, complex, limb-threatening and high-energy injuries, often involving lesions of both bone and soft tissues. Traditionally, treatment has been piecemeal by orthopaedic and plastic surgeons. This study aimed to prospectively investigate whether combining orthopaedic and plastic surgery in treating these injuries is more effective than the conventional orthopaedic care. A prospective multi-centre cohort study was conducted. Differences in the type of approach to severe limb trauma allowed a comparison between combined orthoplastic and traditional exclusively orthopaedic treatment...

INTRODUCTION: An exposed knee prosthesis is a limb threatening condition. Our unit manages such cases according to a multidisciplinary orthoplastic protocol. Whilst early prosthetic joint infection with dehiscence may be managed by Debridement, Antibiotics and Implant Retention (DAIR) and soft tissue coverage, the majority of these cases are chronic and in our unit are managed by Debridement, Explantation, Antibiotics (spacer and systemic) and Flap (DEAF). PATIENTS AND METHODS: We report our experience of managing 17 of these challenging cases, 16 DEAFs and one DAIR and flap...

The care and challenges of injured service have been well documented in the literature from a variety of specialities. The aim of this study was to analyse the surgical timelines of military and civilian traumatic amputees and compare the surgical and resuscitative interventions. A retrospective review of patient notes was undertaken. Military patients were identified from the Joint Theatre Trauma Registry (JTTR) in 2009. Civilian patients were identified using the hospital informatics database. Patient demographics, treatment timelines as well as surgical and critical care interventions were reviewed...

BACKGROUND: Tumor-related spinal surgery has been revolutionized by recent advances in spinal stabilization, modern neuroimaging, and perioperative intensive medicine. This study examines clinical outcomes and factors associated with complications following reconstruction of complex oncologic defects of the spine and sacrum, in an attempt to increase preoperative recognition of high-risk patients with diminished wound-healing capacity and to optimize clinical outcomes in this cohort. METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of fifty-five consecutive patients who underwent soft-tissue reconstruction with or without osseous stabilization of defects following spinal or sacral tumor resection at a quaternary referral center over a twelve-year period...

External nasal splinting is performed routinely after nasal bone fracture reductions, osteotomies, and rhinoplasties. Materials commonly used include plaster of Paris (POP), thermoplastic splints, self-adhesive padded aluminium splints, and Orthoplast, among many others. The disadvantages of these materials are described in this paper, and polyvinyl siloxane is recommended as an effective and more readily available alternative material to counter these pitfalls.

BACKGROUND: Grade III open fractures of the tibia represent a serious injury. It is recognised that combined management of these cases by experienced orthopaedic and plastic surgeons improves outcomes. Previous studies have not considered the timing of definitive soft tissue cover in relation to the definitive orthopaedic management. This paper reviews the outcomes in patients treated in an orthoplastic unit where the emphasis was on undertaking the definitive orthopaedic and plastic surgical procedures in a single stage, following initial debridement and temporary stabilisation as necessary...

INTRODUCTION: The standards for the management of open fractures of the lower limb published by the British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic surgeons (BAPRAS) and British Orthopaedic Association (BOA) were introduced to improve the treatment received by patients after open injury to the lower limb. These Standards were released after BAPRAS/BOA published Guidelines for the management of open tibial fractures. METHODS: We wished to determine the impact of these Standards upon the surgical management of open tibial fractures by comparing patients admitted to an orthoplastic centre in the 45 months concluding December 2009 (the Guidelines era) with those admitted during 2011 (the Standards era)...

An observational study was conducted of 105 patients presenting with an open fracture of the tibia or ankle to determine the impact of a dedicated orthoplastic operating list on our management of these injuries over the time period January 2012 to July 2014. There were 51 patients before and 54 after the introduction of the orthoplastic list. Significant improvements were noted in our ability to deliver a service in line with national guidelines across all Gustilo-Anderson grades of injury. Among patients with the most severe grades of injury (Gustilo types IIIB and IIIC), there was a trend towards an improved time to first skeletal stabilisation (29...

Lower limb orthopedic operations are frequently performed under regional anesthesia, which allows avoidance of potential side effects and complications of general anesthesia and sedation. Often though, patients feel anxious about being awake during operations. To decrease intraoperative anxiety, we use multimedia equipment consisting of a tablet device, noise-canceling headphones, and a makeshift frame, where patients can listen to music, watch movies, or occupy themselves in numerous ways. These techniques have been extensively studies in minimally invasive, short, or minor procedures but not in prolonged orthoplastic operations...

INTRODUCTION: Open injuries of the limbs offer challenges in management as there are still many grey zones in decision making regarding salvage, timing and type of reconstruction. As a result, there is still an unacceptable rate of secondary amputations which lead to tremendous waste of resources and psychological devastation of the patient and his family. Gustilo Anderson's classification was a major milestone in grading the severity of injury but however suffers from the disadvantages of imprecise definition, a poor interobserver correlation, inability to address the issue of salvage and inclusion of a wide spectrum of injuries in Type IIIb category...

Severe open fractures of the lower limbs are complex injuries requiring expert multidisciplinary management in appropriate orthoplastic centres. This study aimed to assess the impact of open fractures on healthcare utilisation and test the null hypotheses that there is no difference in healthcare utilisation between the year before and year after injury, and that there is no difference in healthcare utilisation in the year post-injury between patients admitted directly to an orthoplastic centre in keeping with the joint BOA/BAPRAS standards and those having initial surgery elsewhere...

INTRODUCTION: We reviewed the functional outcome of 68 patients with open ankle fractures managed in an orthoplastic specialist centre. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients managed at Frenchay Hospital over a 6 year period were divided into 3 groups: group P were patients initially seen and managed at Frenchay Hospital (an orthoplastic specialist centre), group S were patients stabilised at a different unit and referred for definitive management, while group R were patients managed in a different unit and referred following complications...

INTRODUCTION: The joint British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons/British Orthopaedic Association standards define best practice management in open diaphyseal fractures of the lower limb. The aim of our study was to review the regional approach and experience in South West England and Wales. A further objective was to evaluate service provision with regard to the standards' key recommendations. METHODS: A prospective audit was undertaken of open diaphyseal fracture patients...

BACKGROUND: A primary goal in traumatic lower extremity amputation management is preservation of limb length. Energy expenditure during ambulation directly correlates with residual limb length, preserved limb segments, and stable joint preservation. An additional factor affecting limb function includes achieving adequate residual limb soft tissue coverage. This report describes techniques for achieving a stable soft tissue envelope to facilitate limb length and joint preservation. METHODS: A series of traumatic amputation cases with inadequate soft tissue coverage are reviewed...

OBJECTIVE: To quantify, with high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC), the amount of residual monomer leached from different orthodontic acrylic materials prepared with two different manipulation methods. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eighty cylindrical specimens (5 × 25 mm) were divided into eight groups (n  =  10). The specimens were prepared with four acrylic materials-Orthocryl Neon Blue (Dentaurum), Orthocryl EQ (Dentaurum), Orthoplast (Vertex), and O-80 (Imicryl)-and with two different manipulation methods: doughing and spray-on...

Multimodal treatment of malignant tumors of the musculoskeletal system with R0 in sano resection plays a key role in prevention of local recurrence in soft tissue and bone sarcoma. In cases of unavoidable neuromuscular or osseous defects, current plastic and orthoplastic reconstruction techniques avoid limb amputation in the majority of patients. Clinical long-term results demonstrate that large resection defects do not necessarily result in impaired limb function if multidisciplinary procedures are integrated...