Clinic records of 37 manipulations in 767 consecutive primary total knee arthroplasties (TKAs) were analyzed to identify any predictors of manipulation outcome. Factors studied were sex, age, body mass index, tibiofemoral alignment, surgical history, smoking history, range of motion before TKA and manipulation, intraoperative lateral release, implant design and manufacturer, and manipulation interval. Measures of outcome were gains in extension and flexion from manipulation and range of motion at 1-year follow-up. Patients gained an average of 4 degrees of extension and 22 degrees of flexion after manipulation, resulting in average extension of 1 degree and average flexion of 105 degrees at 1-year follow-up. Restored flexion was similar to that measured preoperatively. Manipulation was most effective in patients manipulated within 8 weeks, with full extension and <90 degrees of flexion prior to manipulation, and those receiving a lateral release during arthroplasty. Potential for benefit from manipulation appears to be reduced in patients with large flexion contractures but with adequate flexion. Patients with flexion contractures regained only approximately 80% of the extension they lacked before manipulation. Only 12 of 18 patients (67%) with flexion contractures regained full extension. Manipulation is successful at regaining flexion and restoring function for patients of all levels of flexion deficiency. At least 90 degrees of flexion was regained in 20 of 23 patients (87%) who lacked it at manipulation.

The literature on sternal injuries and their treatment is low. Combinations of sternum and spine injuries have not yet been processed systematically in literature. Thus, there is no concerted standard of therapeutic options. The very rare occurrence of this injury combination often leads to this injury type being forgotten in the primary evaluation of casualties.

In conclusion, it can be confirmed that HRA patients resume normal braking capacity at an earlier stage in their rehabilitation process than THA patients. Patients recommended for HRA recover braking capacity at the latest six weeks after surgery. This capacity clearly depends on the better preoperative status of the HRA patients and is not determined by a faster recovery rate. General patient-related advantages as well as biomechanical aspects of HRA have thus no influence on the recovery rates of braking capacity during the first three months after surgery. Due to the increasing outpatient rehabilitation regime after HRA, further studies are necessary to detect the turning point after surgical impairment within the first six weeks after surgery. Concerning the THA patients we recommend a longer safety distance when driving a car for up to three months after the operation. However, patients, especially those assigned to THA, should be made aware of their most likely already existing preoperative deficit. For clinical practice a rough estimation of postoperative braking capacity seems to be possible based on group assignment (HRA/THA). Nevertheless, deviators cannot be detected by this group classification. As driving simulator systems usually are not available in hospitals, a more accurate prognosis, i.e., based on established clinical scores, would be helpful.

This result encourages us to prefer the minimally invasive head-conserving therapy of medial hip head fractures, especially for treatment of Pauwell's I and II injuries.

No abstract