Introduction

Unstable intertrochanteric hip fractures (AO 31A2) continue to be a challenge, as non-locking implants have shown a considerable rate of loss of reduction. Intramedullary fixation has been recommended, although screw cut-out has been identified as problematic. This study was performed to ascertain whether treatments with the established proximal femoral nail (PFN) and the newer PFNA with blade design (proximal femoral nail antirotation) have advantages over the use of the Percutaneous Compression Plate (PCCP, developed by Gotfried).

Patients with bilateral femur fractures are known to be at a high risk for the Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome; however the impact of fracture-associated soft tissue injury in the induction of systemic inflammation following bilateral femur fracture is poorly understood. To address this, the systemic inflammatory response and remote organ dysfunction following bilateral femur fracture with various degrees of soft tissue injuries were investigated in this study.

6–8 weeks old male C57/BL6 mice (n = 4–8 animals per group) were grouped as follows: Control-group (no anaesthesia, no femoral catheterisation); Sham-group (6 hour anaesthesia, femoral catheterisation); Fx-group (6 hour anaesthesia, femoral catheterisation, bilateral femur fracture with minor soft tissue injury); Fx+STI-group (6 hour anaesthesia, femoral catheterisation, bilateral femur fracture with severe soft tissue injury). Six hours after bilateral femur fracture serum levels of IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, IL-12, TNF-α, KC and MCP-1 were measured. Furthermore, IL-6 levels of homogenized liver tissue were assessed. Neutrophil accumulation in liver and lung was determined with a myeloperoxidase (MPO) assay. Changes in liver permeability were assessed by measuring the wet-dry-ratio.

The Fx+STI-group showed significantly increased serum cytokine levels as compared to the Fx- or Sham-group. The homogenized liver tissue of the Fx+STI-group showed significantly increased IL-6 levels as compared to the Sham-group. The MPO activity in lung and liver in the Fx+STI-group was significantly increased in comparison to the Fx- or Sham-group and in the Fx-group in comparison to the Sham-group. The wet-dry-ratio of the liver was significantly increased in the Fx+STI-group as compared to the Sham-group.

The degree of fracture-associated soft tissue injury appears to modify systemic inflammation following bilateral femur fracture and is able to induce remote organ dysfunction. These results may have implications that have been underestimated, thus warranting clinical follow-up studies.

We have undertaken a prospective study in patients with a fracture of the femoral shaft requiring intramedullary nailing to test the hypothesis that the femoral canal could be a potential source of the second hit phenomenon. We determined the local femoral intramedullary and peripheral release of interleukin-6 (IL-6) after fracture and subsequent intramedullary reaming.

In all patients, the fracture caused a significant increase in the local femoral concentrations of IL-6 compared to a femoral control group. The concentration of IL-6 in the local femoral environment was significantly higher than in the patients own matched blood samples from their peripheral circulation. The magnitude of the local femoral release of IL-6 after femoral fracture was independent of the injury severity score and whether the fracture was closed or open.

In patients who underwent intramedullary reaming of the femoral canal a further significant local release of IL-6 was demonstrated, providing evidence that intramedullary reaming can cause a significant local inflammatory reaction.

Technological advances and shorter rescue times have allowed early and effective resuscitation after trauma and brought attention to the host response to injury. Trauma patients are at risk of progressive organ dysfunction from what appears to be an uncontrolled immune response. The availability of improved techniques of molecular diagnosis has allowed investigation of the role of genetic variations in the inflammatory response to post-traumatic complications and particularly to sepsis.

This review examines the current evidence for the genetic predisposition to adverse outcome after trauma. While there is evidence supporting the involvement of different polymorphic variants of genes in determining the post-traumatic course and the development of complications, larger-scale studies are needed to improve the understanding of how genetic variability influences the responses to post-traumatic complications and pharmacotherapy.

Intramedullary nailing of metaphyseal fractures may be associated with deformity as a result of instability after fixation. Our aim was to evaluate the clinical use of Poller screws (blocking screws) as a supplement to stability after fixation with statically locked intramedullary nails of small diameter.

We studied, prospectively, 21 tibial fractures, 10 in the proximal third and 11 in the distal third in 20 patients after the insertion of Poller screws over a mean period of 18.5 months (12 to 29).

All fractures had united. Healing was evident radiologically at a mean of 5.4 ± 2.1 months (3 to 12) with a mean varus-valgus alignment of −1.0° (−5 to 3) and mean antecurvatum-recurvatum alignment of 1.6° (−6 to 11). The mean loss of reduction between placement of the initial Poller screw and follow-up was 0.5° in the frontal plane and 0.4° in the sagittal plane. There were no complications related to the Poller screw.

The clinical outcome, according to the Karström-Olerud score, was not influenced by previous or concomitant injuries in 18 patients and was judged as excellent in three (17%), good in seven (39%), satisfactory in six (33%), fair in one (6%), and poor in one (6%).