Purpose
Orthopaedic surgeons frequently assess images for the long bones fracture healing progress.
Radiologists are involved rarely in the assessment of a typical cases.
The staging of healing methods are not unified,
however several methods,
modalities and measures are taken to attempt to fracture healing quantitation.
Methods and Materials
The study was aimed to assess what kind of imaging modalities and features are most frequently used by orthopaedic surgeons.
Potential respondents were invited to this Internet based survey by personal emails.
Surgeons were asked how they assess fracture healing stage based on images.
Results
Responses were obtained from 80 surgeons (response rate 36,86%) in average age 41,7 .
Reliability of the survey was satisfactory Cronbach’s Coefficient Alpha = 0,88.
Ninety two and half percent of surgeons always rely on radiographic modalities.
76,25% always assess the presence of distinct fracture line and the presence of external callus.
75,00% assess the presence of periosteal reaction and its subsequent incorporation into the cortex.
Obliteration of the fracture line or cortical continuity remains important for 61,25% of surgeons.
Bridging (partial or whole) at...
Conclusion
There is no unified model of fracture healing assessment with imaging modalities among orthopaedic surgeons.
Quantifications,
measurements and scoring,
regardless their Evidence Based Medicine utility remain not widely used in clinical practice.
References
1.
Bhandari M,
Guyatt GH,
Swiontkowski MF,
Tornetta P,
3rd,
Sprague S,
Schemitsch EH.
A lack of consensus in the assessment of fracture healing among orthopaedic surgeons.
J Orthop Trauma 2002;16:562-6.
2.
Corrales LA,
Morshed S,
Bhandari M,
Miclau T,
3rd.
Variability in the assessment of fracture-healing in orthopaedic trauma studies.
J Bone Joint Surg Am 2008;90:1862-8.
3.
Glinkowski W,
Gorecki A.
Clinical experiences with ultrasonometric measurement of fracture healing.
Technol Health Care 2006;14:321-33.
4.
Glinkowski W.
Web-based support for fracture healing evaluation and monitoring....
Personal Information
Acknowledgement:
This study is supported by project funded by National Science Center N403 171340