BACKGROUND Anatomical variations of the sternal angle and anomalies of the sternum are unique happenings of major clinical significance.It is known that misplaced sternal angles may lead to inaccurate counting of ribs and create challenges with intercostal nerve blocks and needle thoracostomies. Sternal foramina may pose a great hazard during sternal puncture, due to inadvertent cardiac or grea...

The management of recalcitrant nonunion of the scaphoid can be frustrating. Recent understanding of the vascular anatomy of the distal radius has helped in the management of these problems. Vascularized bone grafting for scaphoid nonunion has improved the union rates. Consequently, familiarity with this procedure is an important tool for any surgeon who treats scaphoid nonunion. Although there ...

The use of crutches following a sternotomy raises the concern of sternal dehiscence. We discuss secure reinforced sternal closure, classify sternal distractional forces and discuss the postoperative mobilization process.

BACKGROUND Deep sternal wound infection after cardiac surgery carries high morbidity and mortality. Our strategy for deep sternal wound infection is aggressive strenal debridement followed by vacuum-assisted closure (VAC) therapy and omental-muscle flap reconstrucion. We describe this strategy and examine the outcome and long-term quality of life (QOL) it achieves. METHODS We retrospectively ...

Introduction. Although fractures of humeral shaft show excellent results with conservative management, nonunion does occur. Case Report. We bring forth the case of a young male with a 1.5-year-old hypertrophic nonunion of the humerus mimicking an enchondroma. The initial X-ray images of the patient appeared to be an enchondroma, which only on further evaluation and histopathological analysis wa...

The authors report the results of long-term follow-up in 29 patients treated for non-union of the carpal navicular with a modified Murray technique performed through a lateral approach. Mean patient age at surgery was 22.5 years. Average time from injury to surgery for nonunion was 18 months. In 5 cases, mild signs of osteoarthritis of the radioscaphoid joint (scaphoid nonunion advanced collaps...

Treatment of atrophic nonunions is a challenge to orthopaedic surgeons. Growth factors potentially are valuable factors for improvement of tissue healing. The use of growth factors, however, is limited by their short half-lives. Gene therapy has the potential to improve the treatment. This study aimed to establish and validate an atrophic nonunion model in a rabbit for the use of a percutaneous...

BACKGROUND Low energy distal femur fractures often occur in a fragile elderly population that is prone to local and systemic complications following operative treatment of extremity fractures. The nonunion rate and early complication rate following laterally based locked plating in this specific fracture are not well described. METHODS We conducted a retrospective cohort study conducted at th...

OBJECTIVES Nonunion is one of the most troublesome complications to treat in orthopaedics. Former authors believed that atrophic nonunion occurred as a result of lack of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). We evaluated the number and viability of MSCs in site of atrophic nonunion compared with those in iliac crest. METHODS We enrolled five patients with neglected atrophic nonunions of long bones c...

The purpose of this study is to report our experience with the treatment of femoral shaft fracture nonunion and to define poor prognostic indicators in the treatment of this complication. The records and available radiographs of 111 patients treated for nonunion of the femoral shaft in our institution were retrospectively reviewed. The mean duration of follow-up after establishment of nonunion ...