Aims. Ankle fractures are common injuries and the third most common fragility fracture. In all, 40% of ankle fractures in the frail are open and represent a complex clinical scenario, with morbidity and mortality rates similar to hip fracture patients. They have a higher risk of complications, such as wound infections, malunion, hospital-acquired infections, pressure sores, veno-thromboembolic events, and significant sarcopaenia from prolonged bed rest. Methods. A modified Delphi method was used and a group of experts with a vested interest in best practice were invited from the British Foot and Ankle Society (BOFAS), British Orthopaedic Association (BOA), Orthopaedic Trauma Society (OTS), British Association of Plastic & Reconstructive Surgeons (BAPRAS), British Geriatric Society (BGS), and the British Limb Reconstruction Society (BLRS). Results. In the first stage, there were 36 respondents to the survey, with over 70% stating their unit treats more than 20 such cases per year. There was a 50:50 split regarding if the timing of surgery should be within 36 hours, as per the hip fracture guidelines, or 72 hours, as per the open fracture guidelines. Overall, 75% would attempt primary wound closure and 25% would utilize a local flap. There was no orthopaedic agreement on fixation, and 75% would permit weightbearing immediately. In the second stage, performed at the BLRS meeting, experts discussed the survey results and agreed upon a consensus for the management of open elderly ankle fractures. Conclusion. A mutually agreed consensus from the expert panel was reached to enable the best practice for the management of patients with frailty with an open ankle fracture: 1) all units managing lower limb fragility fractures should do so through a cohorted multidisciplinary pathway. This pathway should follow the standards laid down in the "care of the older or frail orthopaedic trauma patient" British Orthopaedic Association Standards for Trauma and Orthopaedics (BOAST) guideline. These patients have low bone density, and we should recommend full falls and bone health assessment; 2) all open lower limb fragility fractures should be treated in a single stage within 24 hours of injury if possible; 3) all patients with fragility fractures of the lower limb should be considered for mobilisation on the day following surgery; 4) all patients with lower limb open fragility fractures should be considered for tissue sparing, with judicious debridement as a default; 5) all patients with open lower limb fragility fractures should be managed by a consultant plastic surgeon with primary closure wherever possible; and 6) the method of fixation must allow for immediate unrestricted weightbearing. Cite this article: Bone Jt Open 2024;5(3):236–242

Aims. The Open-Fracture Patient Evaluation Nationwide (OPEN) study was performed to provide clarity in open fracture management previously skewed by small, specialist centre studies and large, unfocused registry investigations. We report the current management metrics of open fractures across the UK. Method. Patients admitted to hospital with an open fracture (excluding phalanges or isolated hand injuries) between 1 June 2021 and 30 September 2021 were included. Institutional information governance approval was obtained at the lead site and all data entered using Research Electronic Data Capture software. All domains of the British Orthopaedic Association Standard for Open Fracture Management were recorded. Results. Across 51 centres, 1,175 patients were analyzed. Antibiotics were given to 754 (69.0%) in the emergency department, 240 (22.0%) pre-hospital, and 99 (9.1%) as inpatients. Wounds were photographed in 848 (72.7%) cases. Median time to first surgery was 16 hrs 14 mins (interquartile range (IQR) 8 hrs 29 mins to 23 hrs 19 mins). Complex injuries were operated on sooner (median 12 hrs 51 mins (IQR 4 hrs 36 mins to 21 hrs 14 mins)). Of initial procedures, 1,053 (90.3%) occurred between 8am and 8pm. A consultant orthopaedic surgeon was present at 1,039 (89.2%) first procedures. In orthoplastic centres, a consultant plastic surgeon was present at 465 (45.1%) first procedures. Overall, 706 (60.8%) patients required a single operation. At primary debridement, 798 (65.0%) fractures were definitively fixed, while 734 (59.8%) fractures had fixation and coverage in one operation through direct closure or soft-tissue coverage. Negative pressure wound therapy was used in 235 (67.7%) staged procedures. Following wound closure or soft-tissue cover, 509 (47.0%) patients received antibiotics for a median of three days (IQR 1 to 7). Conclusion. OPEN provides an insight into care across the UK and different levels of hospital for open fractures. Patients are predominantly operated on promptly, in working hours, and at specialist centres. Areas for improvement include combined patient review and follow-up, scheduled operating, earlier definitive soft-tissue cover, and more robust antibiotic husbandry. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2022;104-B(9):1073–1080

Aims

This study estimated trends in incidence of open fractures and the adherence to clinical standards for open fracture care in England.

Aim. Bone infections often manifest with soft tissue complications such as severe scarring, fistulas, or ulcerations. Ideally, their management involves thorough debridement of infected bone and associated soft tissues, along with achieving stable bone structure, substantial tissue coverage, and long-term antibiotic therapy. The formation of a multidisciplinary team comprising orthopedic surgeons, plastic surgeons, and infectious disease specialists is essential in addressing the most complex cases. Method. We conducted a retrospective study during six years (2018-2023) at our university center. Focusing on the most challenging cases, we included patients with bone infections in the leg and/or foot requiring free flap reconstruction. Each patient underwent simultaneous bone debridement and reconstruction by the orthopedic team, alongside soft tissue debridement and free flap reconstruction by the plastic surgery team. Targeted antibiotic therapy for either 6 weeks (acute) or 12 weeks (chronic osteitis) was initiated based on intraoperative cultures. Additional procedures such as allografts, arthrodesis, or autografts were performed if necessary. We analyzed the rates of bone union, infection resolution, and limb preservation. Results. Forty-five patients were enrolled. Twenty-four patients (53.3%) had urgent indications (e.g., open infected fractures, osteitis, acute osteoarthritis, or wound dehiscence), while 21 (46.7%) underwent elective surgery (e.g., septic pseudarthrosis or chronic osteitis). Two patients underwent amputation due to flap failure (4.4%), and one patient was lost to follow-up. Follow-up of the remaining 42 patients averaged 28 months (range: 6–60 months). During this period, 35 patients (83.4%) experienced no recurrence of infection. Similarly, 35 patients (83.4%) achieved bone union. Overall, the rate of lower limb preservation was 93.3%. Conclusions. Managing bone infection coupled with soft tissue defects brings significant challenges. Although the majority of patients treated here belong to a complex framework based on the BACH classification, the outcomes achieved here appear to align with those of the simpler cases, thanks to optimal care with a dedicated septic ortho-plastic team. Our study demonstrates a notable success rate in treating infection, achieving bone consolidation, and preserving lower limb function

Introduction. Open fractures of the tibia are disabling injuries with a significant risk of deep infection. Treatment involves early antibiotic administration, early and aggressive surgical debridement, and may require complex soft tissue coverage techniques. The extent of disruption to the skin and soft-tissue envelope often varies, with ‘simple’ open fractures (defined by the Orthopaedic Trauma Society (OTS) open fracture severity classification) able to be closed primarily, whilst others may require shortening or soft-tissue reconstruction. This study aimed to determine whether OTS simple tibial open fractures received different rates of adequate debridement and plastic surgical presence at initial debridement, compared with OTS complex injuries, and whether rates of fracture-related infection, nonunion, or reoperation differed between the groups. Materials & Methods. A consecutive series of open tibia fractures managed at a tertiary UK Major Trauma Centre between January 2021 and November 2022 were included. Patient demographics, injury characteristics, timing of antibiotic delivery, timing and method of definitive fixation, and frequency of plastic surgical presence at initial debridement were retrospectively collected. The delivery of bone ends at initial debridement was used as a proxy for adequacy of surgical debridement. The primary outcome measure was rate of fracture-related infection, secondary outcomes included rates of reoperation, nonunion, and amputation. Chi2 Tests and independent samples T-tests were used to assess nominal and continuous outcomes respectively between simple and complex injuries. Ordinal data was assessed using nonparametric equivalent tests. Results. 79 patients with open fractures of the tibia were included. 70.8% of patients were male, with mean age 50.4 years (SD 19.2) and BMI 26.4 Kg/m2 (SD 6.0). Injuries were mostly sustained by low-energy falls (n = 28, 35.4%) and from road traffic accidents (n = 26, 32.9%). 27 (34.2%) were OTS simple open fractures. Simple open fractures were most commonly Gustillo-Anderson grade 1 (38.5%), or 2 (30.8%), whilst complex open fractures were mostly grade 3B (66.7%) (p < 0.001). Fracture-related infection rates in OTS simple and complex open fractures were 25.9% and 25.5% respectively (p = 0.967), and nonunion rates were 32% and 37.8% (p = 0.637). Primary amputation was less common in simple (0%) than in complex open fractures (20%, p = 0.012), there were no differences in delayed amputation rates (7.4% and 6% respectively, p = 0.811). Simple open fractures were less likely to have plastic surgeons present at initial debridement compared to complex open fractures (18.5% and 44%, p = 0.025), and less likely to have bone ends delivered through the skin at initial debridement (25.9% and 61.2%, p = 0.003). There were no differences in patient age, delays to antibiotic administration, or reoperation rates between OTS simple and OTS complex fractures (p > 0.05). Conclusions. Despite involving less significant soft tissue injury, OTS simple open tibia fractures had comparable deep infection and nonunion rates to complex fractures and received early plastic surgical input and adequate debridement less frequently. The severity of open fractures with less significant soft tissue injury may be underrecognized and therefore undertreated, although further prospective study is needed

Brachial plexus tumours (BPT) and peripheral nerve sheath tumours (PNST) are largely benign in nature, with malignant tumours being rare and presenting significant surgical challenges. Excision of benign tumours may relieve pain and other symptomology. This retrospective study analysed data from 138 PNST and 92 BPT patients managed by a single consultant orthopaedic or plastic surgeon experienced in nerve tumour surgery between January 1999 to December 2019. The most common benign tumours were schwannomas and neurofibromas, with sarcomas being the most common malignant tumour. In the PNST group 30 patients were managed by observation only. Twenty patients underwent trucut biopsy, 21 patients underwent biopsy and surgical excision and 56 patients underwent surgical excision only. There were nine complications, with two significant neurological deficits requiring further surgical intervention. No recurrence of tumours occurred in this group. In the BPT group 16 patients were managed by observation only. Seven patients underwent trucut biopsy, 16 patients biopsy and surgical excision and 44 BPT patients underwent surgical excision only. Sixteen patients had complications with two significant complications requiring urgent further surgical intervention. Seven patients had recurrence of tumours which presented as metastases, with three patients requiring further surgery to remove recurrence of tumours. BPT patients are more complex and present with both benign and malignant lesions and are therefore more prone to complications due to the complex nature of the surgery and higher recurrence rate of tumours than PNST. Benign tumours in both groups can be safely managed conservatively if patients’ symptomology is acceptable

Introduction. Open fractures are managed in the UK guided by standards issued by the BOAST-4 standards. A study was undertaken to evaluate compliance with these standards in a regional trauma unit (MTU), and compared following upgrading to a Major Trauma Centre (MTC). Methods. Compliance was assessed against 11 of the 15 BOAST-4 standards (7, 9, 10 and 15 were not assessed). Patients were included with open diaphyseal tibial fractures (AO 42-), admitted to the department in the year before and the year after the Major Trauma Centre opened. Results. A total of 78 patients were evaluated; 30 within the MTU and 48 as a MTC. Of the 11 standards assessed, 6 (at least in part), achieved 100% compliance in the MTU study, and 5 in the MTC study. Compliance was poor for; antibiotic use in relation to definitive wound closure, formulating a joint plan, and undergoing surgery on a planned trauma list. In contrast, following MTC status antibiotic compliance had improved, as had evidence of joint planning, although antibiotic administration time on admission had declined. Consultant-level orthopaedic and plastic surgeon involvement at first intervention had improved, although plastic surgical input remained predominantly registrar-led. Time from injury to definitive stabilisation improved following MTS status. Discussion. This study demonstrates improvements in many aspects of care for open fracture since the MTC opened. However, further improvements can be made, particularly regarding the early treatment pathway. Since this audit a plastic surgeon with specific interest in lower limb reconstruction has been appointed

Introduction. Open fractures are fortunately rare but pose an even greater challenge due to poor soft tissues, in addition to poor bone quality. Co-morbidities and pre-existing medical conditions, in particular, peripheral vascular diseases make them often unsuitable for free flaps. We present our experience in treating severe open fractures of tibia with Acute Intentional Deformation (AID) to close the soft tissues followed by gradual correction of deformity to achieve anatomical alignment of the tibia and fracture healing with Taylor Spatial Frame. Materials and Methods. We treated 4 geriatric (3 female and 1 male) patients with Gustillo-Anderson III B fractures of the tibia between 2017–18. All were unfit to undergo orthoplastic procedures (free flap or local flaps). The age range is 69 yrs to 92 years. Co-morbidities included severe rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis and heart failure. The procedure involved wound debridement, application of two ring Taylor Spatial Frame, acute deformation of the limb on the table to achieve soft-tissue closure/approximation. Regular neurovascular assessments were performed in the immediate post-operative period to monitor for compartment syndrome and nerve compression symptoms. After 7–10 days of latent period, the frame was gradually manipulated, according to a method we had previously published, to achieve anatomical alignment. The frame was removed in clinic after fracture healing. Results. Time in frame ranged from 1.5 months to 7 months. In one patient (92 yr old with an open fracture of the ankle) hindfoot nail was inserted after soft-tissue closure was achieved at 1.5 months, and frame removed. We achieved complete healing of soft tissue wounds without any input from plastic surgeons in all patients. All fractures healed in anatomical alignment. 3 patients had one episode of superficial pin infection each requiring 5 days of oral antibiotics. None of the patients developed a deep infection. Conclusions. Acute intentional deformation (AID) with Taylor Spatial Frame achieves good closure of soft tissues in physiologically compromised geriatric patients who were deemed unfit for plastic surgery. We also achieved fracture healing in all four cases without any major complications

Aims. Open fractures of the tibia are a heterogeneous group of injuries that can present a number of challenges to the treating surgeon. Consequently, few surgeons can reliably advise patients and relatives about the expected outcomes. The aim of this study was to determine whether these outcomes are predictable by using the Ganga Hospital Score (GHS). This has been shown to be a useful method of scoring open injuries to inform wound management and decide between limb salvage and amputation. Methods. We collected data on 182 consecutive patients with a type II, IIIA, or IIIB open fracture of the tibia who presented to our hospital between July and December 2016. For the purposes of the study, the patients were jointly treated by experienced consultant orthopaedic and plastic surgeons who determined the type of treatment. Separately, the study team (SP, HS, AD, JD) independently calculated the GHS and prospectively collected data on six outcomes for each patient. These included time to bony union, number of admissions, length of hospital stay, total length of treatment, final functional score, and number of operations. Spearman’s correlation was used to compare GHS with each outcome. Forward stepwise linear regression was used to generate predictive models based on components of the GHS. Five-fold cross-validation was used to prevent models from over-fitting. Results. The mean follow-up was 11.4 months (3 to 31). The mean time to union was 9.7 months (3 to 21), the mean number of operations was 2.8 (1 to 11), the mean time in hospital was 17.7 days (5 to 84), the mean length of treatment was 92.7 days (5 to 730), the mean number of admissions was 1.7 (1 to 6), and the mean functional score (Lower Extremity Functional Score (LEFS)) was 60.13 (33 to 80). There was a significant correlation between the GHS and each of the outcome measures. A predictive model was generated from which the GHS could be used to predict the various outcome measures. Conclusion. The GHS can be used to predict the outcome of patients who present with an open fracture of the tibia. Our model generates a numerical value for each outcome measure that can be used in clinical practice to inform the treating team and to advise patients. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2020;102-B(1):26–32

To propose a national specification for hospitals which offer treatment of complex bone and joint infections to adults. Patients with bone and joint infections are treated in a wide variety of hospitals in the UK. A few have developed services with infection physicians, microbiology laboratory support and dedicated orthopaedic and plastic surgeons working together to deliver a multidisciplinary care pathway. However, many patients are treated in non-specialist units leading to multiple, often unsuccessful procedures with long hospital stays, high costs and additional pain and disability. Inappropriate antibiotic therapy without adequate surgery risks antibiotic resistance. A draft specification was written defining the types of patients who should be referred to a specialist unit for treatment. A description of the components which must be available to treat these cases (staffing, expertise, diagnostic support, outcome assessment and governance structure) was proposed. This draft was circulated to infection units in the UK for consideration and agreed with the Health Department in England. Complex bone and joint infections would be best served nationally by 3–6 networks, each with a single specialist centre. This is similar to national arrangements for bone sarcoma treatment. Patients to be referred will include those with:. Chronic osteomyelitis (long bone, pelvis, spine). Chronic destructive septic arthritis. Complex prosthetic joint infections (multiple co-morbidities, difficult/multi-resistant organisms, multiply operated or failed revision surgery). Infected fractures and non-unions. Specialist units should have:. Orthopaedic surgeons who specialise in infection (joint revision, Ilizarov techniques, etc). Infection physicians who can treat medically unwell patients with complex co-mordidities and multi-resistant infections. Plastic surgeons with experience in difficult microsurgical reconstruction techniques. Scheduled (at least weekly) meetings of all of the above, with a radiologist to discuss new referrals and complex cases. A home IV therapy service. Dedicated in-patient beds staffed by infection trained staff. Multi-disciplinary (one-stop) out-patient clinics. Quality measures assessed, including PROMS, clinical success rates, and functional outcome. Education and research programmes. This service specification is a tool for developing regional units. It facilitates the creation of designated centres in a national network (hub and spoke model). This service specification has been agreed and published by NHS England

Aim. Calcaneal osteomyelitis is an uncommon and challenging condition. In this systemic review we aim to analyse the concomitant use of bone debridement and soft tissue management for patients diagnosed with calcaneal osteomyelitis. Method. A complete computerised and comprehensive literature search of Pubmed and Cochrane database was undertaken from January 2000 to October 2018. During the review, studies were screened for information about the surgical and antimicrobial treatment, the complications, the reinfection rate and the functional outcome of patients with calcaneal osteomyelitis. Results. Of the 20 studies included, seven (35%) described bone treatment only, six (30%) soft tissue treatment only, five (25%) soft tissue and bone treatment, and two (10%) focused on prognostic factors and differences in outcomes between diabetic and non-diabetic patients. In the studies with bone treatment only, infection recurrence ranged from 0 to 35% and the amputation rate from 0 to 29%. If soft tissue coverage was also needed, both the reinfection rate and amputation rate ranged from 0 to 24%. Studies presenting the functional status showed preservation or even improvement of the preoperative ambulatory status. Conclusions. Calcaneal osteomyelitis is difficult to treat. A multidisciplinary approach involving orthopaedic surgeons, plastic surgeons and infectious disease physicians is necessary for treatment success. Based on the localisation and size of the bone and soft tissue defect, decision for surgical treatment should be made

We report our experience in treating victims of the recent Earthquake Disaster in Pakistan. Our experience was based on 2 humanitarian missions to Islamabad. First in October 2005, 16 days after the earthquake and the second in January 2006, three months later. The mission consisted of a team of orthopaedic and a second team of plastic surgeons. The orthopaedic team bought all the equipment for application of Ilizarov External Fixators (IEF). We treated patients who had already received basic treatment in the region of the disaster and subsequently had been evacuated to Islamabad. During the first visit we treated 12 injured limbs in 11 patients. 7 of these were children (ages 6 – 14). All the cases were complex and severe multifragmentary fractures associated with crush injuries. All of the fractures involved the tibia, which were treated with IEF. Nine fractures were type 3b open injuries. Eight were infected requiring debridement of infected bone and acute shortening of the limb segment. After stabilization, the plastic surgeons provided soft tissue cover. During the second, we reviewed all patients treated during our first mission. In addition we treated 13 new patients [Table 3] with complex non – unions. Eight out of 13 non-unions were deemed to be infected. All patients had previous treatment with monolateral fixators (AO type) as well as soft tissue coverage procedures, except one patient who had had a circular fixator (Ilizarov) applied by another team. All these patients had revision surgery with circular frames

Periprosthetic infection with extensive bone loss is a complex situation. The appropriate management of large bone defects has not been established. Without reconstruction amputation/disarticulation is the likely outcome. Aim of the study was to Analyse preliminary results of direct exchange endoprosthetic reconstruction for periprosthetic infection associated with segmental bone defects. Study of patients with periprosthetic infection and severe osteolysis treated by direct exchange tumour prostheses between June, 2005 and May, 2008 (4 – Distal femoral & 2 – Total femoral Replacements). Microbiological evidence of infection was confirmed with regular monitoring of radiograph, crp, esr and wcc. Community based antibiotic therapy was provided by infectious disease team based in our institution. The mean age and follow up were 74.2 years and 26.5 months respectively. Mean duration of antibiotics was 6 weeks intravenous(community based) and 3.5 months oral. 1 patient required intervention by plastic surgeons at index procedure. Radiographs at 6, 12 & 24 months showed no changes from immediate post-op. CRP, ESR and WBC count were within normal limits at the end of antibiotic therapy. One patient required prolonged pain relief with poor mobility due to instability in the opposite knee. One patient had infection recurrence. Knee range of movements averaged full extension to 95 degrees. The mean oxford knee scores pre and post operatively were 58 and 39.4 respectively. We conclude that salvage endoprosthetic reconstruction has provided effective pain relief, stability and improved mobility in our experience. It has provided an oppourtunity to avoid amputation. Multidisciplinary support from plastic surgeons and specialist microbiologists is essential