Outcomes of the Treatment of Humeral Shaft Fractures by Closed Reduction and Internal Fixation With Multiple Intramedullary Kirschner Wires (K-wires)

Background Humeral shaft fractures are common orthopedic injuries, and their treatment options vary based on fracture characteristics. One surgical method involves closed reduction and internal fixation (CRIF) with multiple intramedullary (IM) Kirschner wires (K-wires), which remains less explored, especially in adults. This study aims to investigate the outcomes of the treatment of humeral shaft fractures by closed reduction and internal fixation with multiple flexible intramedullary K-wires. Materials and methods We conducted a retrospective study at King Abdulaziz Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, focusing on patients with traumatic humeral shaft fractures who underwent flexible intramedullary K-wire fixation. We analyzed nine patient records for demographic information, fracture location, type, mechanism of injury, intra-operative and post-operative factors, and complications. Results Fractures mostly affected the middle third of the humerus (55.6%) and were primarily transverse or oblique (77.8%). Motor vehicle accidents were the leading cause of injury (66.7%). Intra-operative time was 125 minutes on average, with minimal blood loss (78 mL). No participants required intra-operative blood transfusion. Complications following IM K-wire fixation were absent in all cases. Three patients had not yet undergone instrumental removal, and most reported mild or no pain during the final follow-up. All participants achieved a full range of motion for their elbows. All participants achieved complete radiological and clinical union (healing) of their fractures. Conclusion The use of multiple intramedullary K-wires for the treatment of humeral shaft fractures in this study demonstrated positive outcomes with low complication rates. This approach provides an effective option for managing these fractures, particularly in cases where surgical indications favor it.

Endocardial fibroelastosis in infants and young children: a state-of-the-art review

Endocardial fibroelastosis (EFE) is a rare cardiac condition characterized by excessive endocardial thickening secondary to fibroelastic tissues that commonly present in infants and young children. Most of endocardial fibroelastosis cases are secondary forms, which occur in conjunction with other cardiac diseases. Endocardial fibroelastosis has been associated with poor prognosis and outcomes. In light of recent advancements in understanding pathophysiology, several new data have revealed compelling evidence that abnormal endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition is the root cause of endocardial fibroelastosis. This article aims to review the recent development in pathophysiology, diagnostic workup, and management, and to discuss possible differential diagnoses.

Top 100 Cited Articles on Lumbar Spondylolisthesis: A Bibliographic Analysis

STUDY DESIGN

Bibliographic analysis.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study is to identify the most cited studies on lumbar spondylolisthesis and report their impact in spine field.

METHODS

Thomson Reuters Web of Science-Science Citation Index Expanded was searched using title-specific search "spondylolisthesis." All studies published in English language between 1900 and 2019 were included with no restrictions. The top 100 cited articles were identified using "Times cited" arranging articles from high to low according to citation count. Further analysis was made to obtain the following items: article title, author's name and specialty, country of origin, institution, journal of publication, year of publication, citations number, study design.

RESULTS

The citation count of the top 100 articles ranged from 68 to 589. All published between 1932 and 2016. Among 20 journals, Spine had the highest number of articles (49), with citation number of 6155 out of 13 618. Second ranked was Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery with 15 articles and total citations of 3023. With regard to the primary author's specialty, orthopedic surgeons contributed to the majority of top 100 list with 82 articles, and neurosurgery was the second specialty with 11 articles. The United States had produced more than half of the list with 59 articles. England was the second country with 7 articles. Surgical management of degenerative lumbar spondylolisthesis was the most common discussed topic.

CONCLUSION

This article identifies the top 100 influential articles on lumbar spondylolisthesis and recognizes an important aspect of knowledge evolution served by leading researchers as they guided today's clinical decision making in spondylolisthesis.

Excision of pediatric craniopharyngioma: pattern of recurrence in 35 patients at a tertiary care hospital in Saudi Arabia

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Craniopharyngiomas are benign tumors of central nervous system which are known to affect both adults and children. Despite their benign origin, the recurrence is still one of the main postoperative challenges. The aim of this study was to investigate in retrospect factors related to recurrence of craniopharyngioma in a tertiary center in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We conducted a review of charts of all craniopharyngioma patients operated in neurosurgery department at King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Center in Riyadh (KFSH-RC). Age at surgery, gender, body mass index, symptoms at presentation, hormonal data, tumor characteristics and location, presence of hydrocephalus, previous treatments, neuroimaging features, surgical results, and recurrence were abstracted from the medical charts of the patients retrospectively.

RESULTS

In all, 70.6% of patients had gross total resection (GTR). The recurrence after GTR in our series was 25% which considered low when compared to most surgical series. From all above studied variables, VP shunt insertion at presentation was constantly significant in both uni- and multi-variable analysis.

CONCLUSION

In this study, we analyzed several factors to determine if they had any significant correlation with recurrence. Only VP shunt insertion was found significant. Further researches are needed to verify these factors and to discover others.