Objective To investigate an effect of the Fixion expandable intramedullary nail on treatment of the closed fracture of the tibial shaft, and to compare the Fixion nail with the traditional locked intramendullary nail.Methods From September 1, 2005 to August 31, 2006, 79 patients (53 men, 26 women; aged 17-57 years, 37 years on average) with the closed fracture of the tibial shaft were treated with the Fixion expandable intramedullary nail, and the effect of the nail was evaluated. According to the AO classification, the patients were typed as Type 42A or Type 42B. And the patients were divided into the following two groups: the expandable intramedullary nail group (n=31) and the traditional locked intramedullary nail group (n=48). Of the 31 patents in the first group, 24 were of Type 42A and 7 were of Type 42B; of the 48 patients in the second group, 37 were of Type 42A and 11 were of Type 42B. All the patients were followed up after operation. Observation was made on the time of the bony callus development and the time of the clinical healing of the bone,and on whether there was the bone malunion, late healing, disunion or infection. The limb function was also evaluated.Results The follow-up of all the 79 patients for 4-15 months averaged 10.3 months revealed that in the expandable intramedullary nail group, the average operating time was 35 minutes (range, 20-60 minutes), with no requirement of blood transfusion. The X-ray examination showed that the bony callus developed as early as 4 weeks after operation. The clinical healing time of the bone was 3-8 months, averaged 5 months. All the patients in this group had the healing by first intention. Evaluatedby the Johner-Wruhs method, an excellent result was found in 28 patients, goodin 3 patients, and poor in none of the patients, with an excellent/good rate of100%. In the traditional locked intramedullary nail group, the average operating time was 75 minutes (range, 45-110 minutes), with no requirement of blood transfusion. The X-ray examination showed that the bony callus developed as early as 4.5 weeks after operation. The clinical healing time was 3-12 months, averaged 5.8 months. In this group, 46 patients had the healing by first intention and 2 patients had the healing by second intention. Evaluated by the JohnerWruhs method,an excellent result was found in 35 patients, good in 11 patients, and fair in 2 patients, with an excellent/good rate of 95.8%.Conclusion The expandable intramedullary nail treatment has advantages of less invasion, simpler manipulation, earlier weightbearing of the bone, quicker healing ofthe bone fracture, and fewer complications. This kind of treatment is worth popularizing in the medical practice if the indication is strictly controlled.
Objective To summarize the surgical learning curve and preliminary operative experience of dual-robotic navigated minimally invasive treatment on pelvic fractures by TiRobot and Artis Zeego. Methods Between July 2019 and February 2021, 90 patients with pelvic fractures were treated with dual-robotic navigated minimally invasive surgery by TiRobot and Artis Zeego. There were 64 males and 26 females, with an average age of 46.5 years (range, 13-78 years). Body mass index was 14.67-32.66 kg/m2 (mean, 23.61 kg/m2). Causes of injuries included traffic accident in 43 cases, falling from height in 37 cases, low-energy injuries such as flat falls in 10 cases. The interval between injury and surgery was 1-36 days (mean, 7.3 days). According to the location of the implanted screws, the patients were divided into sacroiliac screw group (n=33), acetabular screw group (acetabulum anterior/posterior column, n=24), composite screws group (sacroiliac and acetabulum anterior/posterior column, n=33). According to the screw implantation time and accuracy, the surgical learning curve was plotted, and the differences in the relevant indicators between learning stage and skilled stage were compared. Results All 90 patients successfully completed the operation, the intraoperative bleeding volume was 5-200 mL (median, 20 mL). There was no vascular or nerve injury. All incisions healed by first intention. The screw implantation time ranged from 7.5 to 33.0 minutes (mean, 18.92 minutes), and the screw implantation accuracy ranged from 1.1 to 1.8 mm (mean, 1.56 mm). According to the learning curve, the practice stage of 3 groups was reached after 7, 10, and 11 cases, respectively. With the accumulation of surgical experience, the screw implantation time had a significant downward trend. Compared with the learning stage, the screw implantation time on skilled stage in 3 groups significantly shortened (P<0.05), but the difference in the screw implantation accuracy was not significant (P>0.05). Conclusion TiRobot and Artis Zeego assisted pelvic fracture surgery is safe and efficient, which helps the surgeon to quickly master the pelvic channel screw surgery, and the operation time is significantly shortened on the premise of ensuring the implantation accuracy.