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Background Patient-reported health-related quality of life is an important outcome measure when assessing the quality of hip fracture surgery. The frequently used EQ-5D index score has unfortunately important limitations. One alternative can be to assess the distribution of each of the five dimensions of the patients’ descriptive health profile. The objective of this paper was to investigate health-related quality of life (HRQoL) after hip fractures. Methods Data from hip fracture operations from 2005 through 2012 were obtained from The Norwegian Hip Fracture Register. Patient reported HRQoL, (EQ-5D-3L) was collected from patients preoperatively and at four and twelve months postoperatively n  = 10325. At each follow-up the distribution of the EQ-5D-3L and mean pain VAS was calculated. Results Generally, a higher proportion of patients reported problems in all 5 dimensions of the EQ-5D-3L at all follow-ups compared to preoperative. Also a high proportion of patients with no preoperative problems reported problems after surgery; At 4 and 12 months follow-ups 71 % and 58 % of the patients reported walking problems, and 65 % and 59 % of the patients reported pain respectively. Patients with femoral neck fractures and the youngest patients (age < 70 years) reported least problems both preoperatively and at all follow-ups. Conclusions A hip fracture has a dramatic impact on the patients’ HRQoL, and the deterioration in HRQoL sustained also one year after the fracture. Separate use of the descriptive profile of the EQ-5D is informative when assessing quality of life after hip fracture surgery.

Category: Trauma; Ankle Introduction/Purpose: Several studies discuss the relation between prolonged time to surgery and postoperative complications in ankle fractures, but little is known about how a longer wait affects clinical outcomes. The present study, therefore, aims to assess the association between time from injury to surgery and patient-reported outcomes after operative treatment of severe ankle fractures. Methods: Patients treated operatively for low-energy ankle fractures which also involve the posterior malleolus from 2014 to 2016 were included. Patient charts were reviewed for patient demographics, type of trauma, fracture characteristics, treatment given, and complications. Ankle function was evaluated on a follow-up visit by clinical examination, radiographs and patient- reported outcome measures (SEFAS, RAND-36, VAS of Pain, VAS of Satisfaction). For analyses, patients were stratified based on time from injury to definitive surgery; Group 1: within the same day, Group 2: 1 to 7 days after injury, and Group 3: later than 7 days after injury. Results: Follow-up visits of 130 patients were performed at median 25 (Interquartile range (IQR), 19-34) months after surgery. Patient demographics and fracture characteristics were similar between groups. Median SEFAS was 40 in Group 1 (IQR 33-43), 41 (IQR 33-44) in Group 2, and 33 (IQR 27-42) in Group 3. The difference between Group 1 and 3 (p =.03), and between Group 2 and 3 (p =.04) was statistically significant. Group 1 had the highest rate of mechanical irritation and secondary surgery following malreduced fractures or missing syndesmotic fixation. Patients operated later than seven days from injury reported more pain than those treated earlier (p =.03). Conclusion: Time from injury to final surgery influenced clinical outcomes after these severe ankle fractures. Patients who waited more than seven days until definitive surgery had poorer clinical outcomes and more pain compared to those who had surgery within a week.

Aim The Gait Deviation Index (GDI) is a score derived from three-dimensional gait analysis (3DGA). The GDI provides a numerical value that expresses overall gait pathology (ranging from 0 to 100, where 100 indicates the absence of gait pathology). The aim of this study was to investigate the association between the GDI and different levels of gross motor function [defined as the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS)] and to explore if age, height, weight, gender and cerebral palsy (CP) subclass (bilateral and unilateral CP) exert any influence on the GDI in children with unilateral and bilateral spastic CP. Methods We calculated the GDI of 109 children [73 % boys, mean age 9.7 years (standard deviation, SD 3.5)] with spastic CP, classified at GMFCS levels I, II and III. Twenty-three normally developing children were used as controls [61 % boys, mean age 9.9 years (SD 2.6)]. Multiple linear regression analysis was performed. Results The mean GDI in the control group was 100 (SD 7.5). The mean GDI in the GMFCS level I group was 81 (SD 11), in the GMFCS level II group 71 (SD 11) and in the GMFCS level III group 60 (SD 9). Multiple linear regression analysis showed that gender, age and CP subclass had no significant correlation with the GDI, whereas height and weight had a slight impact. Conclusion This study showed a strong correlation between the GDI and GMFCS levels. The present data indicate that calculation of the GDI is a useful tool to characterise walking difficulties in children with spastic CP.

Purpose Despite few studies comparing Ponseti treatment and traditional treatment of clubfoot (talipes equinovarus), the Ponseti method is now accepted as standard treatment for this deformity. The Ponseti method was introduced in Norway in 2003 and the purpose of this multicenter-study was to compare the results of Ponseti treatment with the results of the previous treatment for clubfoot in Norway. Methods 90 children (134 clubfeet) treated with previous treatment (pre-Ponseti group), were compared to 115 Ponseti treated children (160 clubfeet) (Ponseti group). The previous treatment consisted of casting and surgery if needed. At 8–11 years of age, all children were examined by the same orthopaedic surgeon, the parents answered a questionnaire, all feet were X-rayed and information about surgical procedures was obtained from the patient records. Results The number of surgeries was higher in the pre-Ponseti group, and the number of extensive surgeries was 119 in the pre-Ponseti group compared to 19 in the Ponseti group. The range of motion in the ankle joint was better in the Ponseti group. Children in this group had better function, higher satisfaction and less pain according to patient and parent reported outcome measures. The incidence of moderate or severe talar flattening was higher in the pre-Ponseti group. Conclusion Ponseti treatment seems to be superior to the previous treatment in Norway, with regards to number and severity of operations, flexibility of the foot and ankle, parent/patient reported outcome and the presence of talar flattening on X-ray.

Purpose At Haukeland University Hospital (HUH), we used overhead skeletal traction for displaced supracondylar humerus fractures (SCHF) in children until closed reduction and crossed wire fixation was introduced in the early 1990s. Though there are obvious and well-documented benefits of wire fixation, the aim of this study was to document and compare the results and complication rates for both methods. Patients and methods One hundred and thirty-nine patients treated for SCHF between 1988 and 1998 were available for follow-up. Of these, 40 children were treated with a plaster cast, 46 with overhead skeletal traction and 45 with crossed wire fixation. Eight children were treated with open reduction and crossed wires. The mean time to follow-up was 7.1 years [standard deviation (SD) 3.2]. Results The length of hospital stay was 2 days for those treated with crossed wire fixation compared to 11 days for traction (P < 0.001). The rate of nerve injury in Gartland type 3 fractures was 19%. There was no significant difference in the number of complications or in the functional outcome after skeletal traction or wire fixation, but there were more reoperations in the traction group (P = 0.04). Patients treated solely with a plaster cast had a mean of 4° increased extension of the affected elbow compared to 1° in the crossed pin fixation group (P = 0.02). Though this has little clinical relevance, it does indicate improved reduction in the operated patients, as one would expect. Conclusions The introduction of crossed wire fixation has significantly reduced the number of days for which patients are hospitalised for SCHF. The rate of nerve injuries in Gartland type 3 fractures is high. Despite the fact that this study includes the first patients to be treated with crossed wire fixation at our institution, no significant increase in the risk of complications could be found compared to skeletal traction.