For the treatment of patients with multilevel deformities when there are contraindications for an acute single step correction the external fixation should be applied including orthopedic hexapods. At the same time a separate orthopedic hexapod is used for each level of deformity. This leads to a significant bulkiness of the overall frame assembly. Calculation of deformity correction in the presence of an intermediate fragment (fragments) and practical implementation of correction represent by no means a simple task.Purpose of the study – to perform a clinical approbation of “spring” technique for multilevel correction of long bones deformities and to evaluate the results.Materials and methods. The authors developed an original technique for correcting multilevel deformities using a single orthopedic hexapod. During the procedure the hexapod struts are fixed only to the proximal and distal rings, and the intermediate ring (rings) is fixed to the adjacent supports using the springs – a so-called “spring” technique. The new method has been successfully tested in the treatment of 7 patients with 2 and 3-level deformities of long bones.Results. The reported correction accuracy was 97.6%. The fixation period averaged 47 weeks (from 37 to 54 weeks). In 2 cases the authors observed soft tissues inflammation around of transosseous elements eradicated by the administration of antibiotics. In one patient with post-traumatic deformity a premature consolidation was observed at one of the levels which required re-osteotomy with further correction using two hexapods.Conclusion. Preliminary results demonstrated that the use of simultaneous correction of deformities at several levels applying one orthopedic hexapod Ortho-SUV and springs simplifies correction calculations, provides optimal timing for deformity correction while maintaining the minimal frame dimensions.

Наличие обширного дефекта костей, образующих коленный сустав (ДОКС), является одним из показаний к ампутации и экзопротезированию. Альтернативой является выполнение реконструктивных операций, в основе которых лежит метод Илизарова. Приведен пример лечения пациентки с ДОКС 16 см, укорочением правой нижней конечности 12 см, гипотрофическим дистракционным регенератом правой большеберцовой кости 6 см и хроническим остеомиелитом правого бедра. Общий срок лечения составил 67 мес. (5,5 лет). Период остеосинтеза (период дистракции + период фиксации) составил 43 мес. (3,5 года). Осложнения, возникшие в процессе лечения, не повлияли на получение хорошего анатомического и функционального результатов. Ключевые слова: артродез, дефект кости, коленный сустав, метод Илизарова, хронический остеомиелит An extensive bone defect of the knee joint (BDKJ) is one of indications to amputation and exo-prosthesis. Reconstructive procedure with the Ilizarov method is an alternative. We present a case of a female patient with BDKJ of 16 cm, shortening of the right lower extremity of 12 cm, 6 cm hypotrophic distraction regenerate bone of the right lower leg and chronic osteomyelitis of the right femur. The total length of treatment was 67 months (51/2 years). The length of osteosynthesis including distraction and fixation stages was 43 months (31/2 years). Complications developed during the treatment did not interfere with a good anatomical and functional outcome achieved.

Relevance. Deep infection after knee arthroplasty requires radical surgical treatment of the infection site, removal of endoprosthesis components, and an antimicrobial spacer placement. If revision knee arthroplasty is impossible, the «gold standard» for this kind of patients is knee joint arthrodesis. The purpose of the study was the comparative analysis of knee joint fusion by external and internal fixation. Materials and Methods. The analysis of 60 cases of knee arthrodesis was carried out. The patients were divided into two groups with 30 patients in each. In the first group, knee arthrodesis was performed with long locking nail, in the second group — with external ring fixation. We compared the groups by intraoperative and drainage blood loss, the inpatient treatment duration, the terms of fusion and complications registered. The patients quality of life was evaluated using the SF-36 questionnaire before surgery, for the periods of 3, 6, and 12 months after the surgery. Results. The comparison of two methods of knee arthrodesis showed that blood loss in the internal fixation compared with external one, was 2.03 times more, the duration of inpatient treatment was 1.4 times less, and the total number of complications was 4.4 times less. However, the complications that affected the treatment outcome in long nail group were 1.5 times more. The differences in the average time of ankylosis formation were not statistically significant (p<0.05). The functional results of the treatment in 3 months after surgery in the group with internal fixation were much better. In 6 months after surgery the quality of life had no significant differences. In 12 months follow-up the indices in both groups were the same. Conclusion. The results of our study suggests us to think, knee joint arthrodesis by long fusion nail should be prefereble. If the nail insertion is technically impossible, and there is the high risk of deep infection recurrence, the external osteosynthesis should be used.

No abstract