Margaret M McQueen

BACKGROUND: When treating complex radial head fractures, important goals include prevention of elbow or forearm instability, with restoration of radiocapitellar contact essential. When open reduction and internal fixation cannot achieve this, radial head replacement is routinely employed, but the frequency of and risk factors for prosthesis revision or removal are not well defined.

QUESTIONS/PURPOSES: We determined (1) the frequency of prosthesis revision or removal after radial head ...

BACKGROUND: The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) model of the consequences of disease identifies three health outcomes, impairment, activity limitations and participation restrictions. However, few orthopaedic health outcome measures were developed with reference to the ICF. This study examined the ability of a valid and frequently used measure of upper limb function, namely the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand Questionnaire (DASH), to ...

BACKGROUND: Nonunion is a rare complication of a fracture of the clavicle, but its occurrence can compromise shoulder function. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of and risk factors for nonunion in a cohort of patients who were treated nonoperatively after a clavicular fracture.

METHODS: Over a fifty-one-month period, we performed a prospective, observational cohort study of a consecutive series of 868 patients (638 men and 230 women with a median age of 29.5 years; ...

The relationship between fall-related fractures and social deprivation was studied in 3,843 patients. The incidence of fractures correlated with deprivation in all age groups although the spectrum of fractures was not affected by deprivation. The average age and the prevalence of hip fractures decreased with increasing deprivation.IntroductionThis study examines the relationship between social deprivation and fall-related fractures. Social deprivation has been shown to be a predisposing ...

AIMS: The fundamental concept of open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) of ankle fractures has not changed appreciably since the 1960s and, whilst widely used, is associated with complications including wound dehiscence and infection, prominent hardware and failure. Closed reduction and intramedullary fixation (CRIF) using a fibular nail, wires or screws is biomechanically stronger, requires minimal incisions, and has low-profile hardware. We hypothesised that fibular nailing in the ...

OBJECTIVES: To compare the surgical complications and functional outcome of the Gamma nail intramedullary fixation device versus the Richards sliding hip screw and plate device in intertrochanteric femoral fractures.

DESIGN: A prospective, randomised controlled clinical trial with observer blinding.

SETTING: A regional teaching hospital in the United Kingdom.

PATIENTS: All patients admitted from the local population with intertrochanteric fractured femurs were included. There were 400 ...

BACKGROUND: The aim of our study was to document the estimated sensitivity and specificity of continuous intracompartmental pressure monitoring for the diagnosis of acute compartment syndrome.

METHODS: From our prospective trauma database, we identified all patients who had sustained a tibial diaphyseal fracture over a ten-year period. A retrospective analysis of 1184 patients was performed to record and analyze the documented use of continuous intracompartmental pressure monitoring and ...

BACKGROUND: The aim of this single-center, single-blinded, prospective randomized trial was to compare the outcomes of tension-band wire (TBW) and plate fixation for simple isolated, displaced fractures of the olecranon.

METHODS: We performed a prospective randomized trial involving 67 patients who were ≥16 to <75 years of age and had an acute isolated, displaced fracture of the olecranon. Patients were randomized to either TBW (n = 34) or plate fixation (n = 33) and were evaluated at 6 ...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Bridging external fixation is used more frequently than non-bridging fixation in the management of unstable distal radius fractures, despite evidence from randomized controlled trials of better outcome with the latter technique. This study was designed to investigate the generalizability of the technique of non-bridging external fixation, and to define the indications for the use of each technique and their complications.

METHODS: 641 patients with unstable ...

OBJECTIVES: To determine if there are differences in demographics, referral patterns, and operative findings between patients with and without a fracture who develop an acute compartment syndrome.

DESIGN: Retrospective cohort.

SETTING: Orthopaedic trauma unit, university teaching hospital.

METHODS: This study examines 164 cases of acute compartment syndrome over an 8-year period. Of these, 13 patients had a diagnosis of crush syndrome and are excluded from this study. The remaining 38 ...

Techniques for fixation of fractures of the lateral malleolus have remained essentially unchanged since the 1960s, but are associated with complication rates of up to 30%. The fibular nail is an alternative method of fixation requiring a minimal incision and tissue dissection, and has the potential to reduce the incidence of complications. We reviewed the results of 105 patients with unstable fractures of the ankle that were fixed between 2002 and 2010 using the Acumed fibular nail. The ...

BackgroundReported revision of internal fixation for undisplaced intracapsular hip fractures is between 12 and 17 % at 1 year. This risk is greater for elderly patients, for whom mortality after such a fracture is also higher. Our purpose was to identify predictors of fixation failure and mortality for elderly patients sustaining undisplaced intracapsular hip fractures, and to assess whether their socioeconomic status affected their outcome.MethodsDuring a 3-year period we prospectively ...

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to define the epidemiological characteristics of proximal radial fractures.

METHODS: Using a prospective trauma database of 6,872 patients, we identified all patients who sustained a fracture of the radial head or neck over a 1-year period. Age, sex, socioeconomic status, mechanism of injury, fracture classification, and associated injuries were recorded and analyzed.

RESULTS: We identified 285 radial head (n = 199) and neck (n = 86) fractures, with a ...

BACKGROUND: The role of osteoporosis and osteopenia in the etiology of fractures of the distal part of the radius is well established, but any link between osteoporosis and the severity of the distal radial fracture has not been extensively investigated. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between the degree of osteoporosis and the severity of distal radial fractures.

METHODS: All patients over fifty-five years of age with a low-energy distal radial fracture were ...