ObjectiveTo summarize the effectiveness of nitinol memory alloy two foot fixator with autologous cancellous bone grafting in treating old scaphoid fracture and nonunion.MethodsBetween January 2013 and January 2017, 11 patients of old scaphoid fracture and nonunion were treated with nitinol memory alloy two foot fixator and autologous cancellous bone grafting. All patients were male with an average age of 26.1 years (range, 18-42 years). The fractures were caused by sport in 3 cases, falling in 7 cases, and a crashing object in 1 case. The interval between injury and operation was 6-18 months (mean, 8.9 months). Postoperative outcome measures included operation time, fracture healing time, grip strength, range of motion (ROM) of flexion, extension, ulnar deviation, and radial deviation, Mayo score, visual analogue scale (VAS) score, and the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (DASH) score.ResultsThe operation time was 35-63 minutes (mean, 48 minutes). All incisions had primary healing with no infection and loosening or breakage of internal fixator. All patients were followed up 12-30 months (mean, 20.7 months). X-ray films showed that fracture healing was achieved in all patients with an average time of 15 weeks (range, 12-25 weeks). All internal fixators were removed after 10-12 months of operation (mean, 11.2 months). At last follow-up, the grip strength, ROMs of flexion, ulnar deviation, and radial deviation were superior to those before operation (P<0.05), no significant difference was found in ROM of extension between pre- and post-operation (t=0.229, P=0.824). There were significant differences in above indexes between affected and normal sides (P<0.05). At last follow-up, the Mayo, VAS, DASH scores were also significantly superior to those before operation (P<0.05).ConclusionFor the old scaphoid fracture and nonunion, Ni-Ti arched shape-memory alloy fixator and autologous cancellous bone grafting can obtain good effectiveness, which is an effective treatment.
ObjectiveTo evaluate the effectiveness of nitinol memory alloy two foot fixator combined with Kirschner wire in the treatment of trans-scaphoid perilunate dislocation.MethodsBetween September 2011 and October 2018, 17 patients with trans-scaphoid perilunate dislocation were treated with nitinol memory alloy two foot fixator and Kirschner wire. There were 12 males and 5 females, with an average age of 32.6 years (range, 23-52 years). The disease duration was 8 hours to 9 days, with an average of 6.5 days. The causes of injury included 6 cases of falling injury, 4 cases of traffic accident injury, 3 cases of stress injury of wrist caused by sports, 2 cases of violent injury of wrist caused by machine impact, 1 case of military training injury, and 1 case of other injury. One case was complicated with nerve injury. According to Herbert’s classification, all the fractures were type B4. At 1 week before operation, 3 months, 6 months after operation and last follow-up, the wrist function was evaluated according to the Krimmer scale score.ResultsAll the 17 patients were followed up 10.5-48 months, with an average of 18.6 months. There was no loosening or infection of the internal fixator, no necrosis of the scaphoid and lunate. The periosteal dislocations of the patients were well reduced and the scaphoid fractures all healed. The healing time was 4-18 months, with an average of 11.3 months. The Krimmer wrist scores were 37.5±4.4, 61.3±7.2, 83.3±9.3, 87.3±8.2 at 1 week before operation, 3 months, 6 months after operation and last follow-up, respectively. The Krimmer wrist score at each time point after operation was significantly improved when compared with that before operation (P<0.05), and at 6 months after operation and last follow-up than at 3 months after operation (P<0.05). There was no significant difference between at 6 months and last follow-up (P>0.05). At last follow-up, the Krimmer wrist function was excellent in 13 cases, good in 2 cases, fair in 1 case, poor in 1 case, and the excellent and good rate was 88.23%.ConclusionNitinol memory alloy two foot fixator combined with Kirschner wire in the treatment of trans-scaphoid periosteal dislocation has definite effectiveness, simple operation, and good recovery of wrist function after operation.