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The aim of this study was to compare the clinical outcomes, biomechanical performance, and cost-effectiveness of finite element planning (FEP) with those of traditional (Trad) methods in the treatment of complex tibial plateau fractures in middle-aged and elderly patients to ultimately optimize treatment protocols, improve surgical efficiency, and reduce the economic burden on patients. Sixteen patients with complex tibial plateau fractures were randomly divided into FEP and Trad groups, with eight patients in each group. The FEP group underwent preoperative finite element analysis for personalized surgical planning and dual-plate fixation; the Trad group participated in traditional preoperative discussions and underwent a multi-plate fixation. Perioperative and postoperative indicators were collected from both groups, and the stress distribution and displacement under different internal fixation modes were evaluated using finite element analysis. Additionally, a cost-effectiveness analysis was conducted to compare the total costs of internal fixation and hospitalization. The surgical times were significantly shorter in the FEP group than in the Trad group (170.00 ± 59.52 vs. 240.00 ± 59.04 min, p  = 0.033), and patients in the Trad group had shorter times to ambulation (12.88 ± 0.99 vs. 14.25 ± 1.49 days, p  = 0.047). There were no significant differences between the groups in terms of postoperative orthopaedic scores, mobility indices, fracture healing times, or radiological indicators. Biomechanical analysis revealed that the multiplate fixation mode provided a more uniform stress distribution, but this difference was not statistically significant. In the FEP group, the total costs of internal fixation (4772.25 ± 217.31 vs. 8991.88 ± 2811.25 yuan, p  = 0.004) and hospitalization (34796.75 ± 9749.19 vs. 65405.14 ± 28684.80 yuan, p  = 0.013) were significantly lower. While ensuring clinical effectiveness, FEP demonstrated greater cost-effectiveness by shortening the surgery time and reducing internal fixation costs. Although the multiplate fixation mode was biomechanically superior to the dual-plate mode, it did not result in significant clinical advantages and was more costly. FEP improves the economic efficiency of treatment for complex tibial plateau fractures in middle-aged and elderly patients and is recommended. This study has certain limitations, such as a small sample size and a short follow-up period. Thus, larger-scale studies with longer-term follow-up data are needed to further validate these findings and explore whether all patient populations can benefit from these practices or if the benefits are limited to specific groups, such as elderly patients or those with certain types of fractures.

Summary The study rationale was to provide a detailed overview of the costs for femoral neck fracture treatment with internal fixation in the Netherlands. Mean total costs per patient at 2-years follow-up were €19,425. Costs were higher for older, less healthy patients. Results are comparable to internationally published costs. Introduction The aim of this study was to provide a detailed overview of the cost and healthcare consumption of patients treated for a hip fracture with internal fixation. A secondary aim was to compare costs of patients who underwent a revision surgery with patients who did not. Methods The study was performed alongside the Dutch sample of an international randomized controlled trial, concerning femoral neck fracture patients treated with internal fixation. Patient characteristics and healthcare consumption were collected. Total follow-up was 2 years. A societal perspective was adopted. Costs included hospital costs during primary stay and follow-up, and costs related to rehabilitation and changes in living situation. Costs were compared between non-revision surgery patients, implant removal patients, and revision arthroplasty patients. Results A total of 248 patients were included (mean age 71 years). Mean total costs per patient at 2-years follow-up were €19,425. In the non-revision surgery patients total costs were €17,405 ( N  = 137), in the implant removal patients €10,066 ( N  = 38), and in the revision arthroplasty patients €26,733 ( N  = 67). The main contributing costs were related to the primary surgery, admission days, physical therapy, and revision surgeries. Conclusions The main determinant was the costs of admission to a rehabilitation center/nursing home. Costs were specifically high in elderly with comorbidity, who were less independent pre-fracture, and have a longer admission to the hospital and/or a nursing home. Costs were also higher in revision surgery patients. The 2-years follow-up costs in our study were comparable to published costs in other Western societies.

Summary We estimated the cost-effectiveness of hemiarthroplasty compared to internal fixation for elderly patients with displaced femoral neck fractures. Over 2 years, patients treated with hemiarthroplasty gained more quality-adjusted life years than patients treated with internal fixation. In addition, costs for hemiarthroplasty were lower. Hemiarthroplasty was thus cost effective. Introduction Estimating the cost utility of hemiarthroplasty compared to internal fixation in the treatment of displaced femoral neck fractures in the elderly. Methods A cost-utility analysis (CUA) was conducted alongside a clinical randomized controlled trial at a university hospital in Norway; 166 patients, 124 (75%) women with a mean age of 82 years were randomized to either internal fixation ( n  = 86) or hemiarthroplasty ( n  = 80). Patients were followed up at 4, 12, and 24 months. Health-related quality of life was assessed with the EQ-5D, and in combination with time used to calculate patients’ quality-adjusted life years (QALYs). Resource use was identified, quantified, and valued for direct and indirect hospital costs and for societal costs. Results were expressed in incremental cost-effectiveness ratios. Results Over the 2-year period, patients treated with hemiarthroplasty gained 0.15–0.20 more QALYs than patients treated with internal fixation. For the hemiarthroplasty group, the direct hospital costs, total hospital costs, and total costs were non-significantly less costly compared with the internal fixation group, with an incremental cost of €2,731 ( p  = 0.81), €2,474 ( p  = 0.80), and €14,160 ( p  = 0.07), respectively. Thus, hemiarthroplasty was the dominant treatment. Sensitivity analyses by bootstrapping supported these findings. Conclusion Hemiarthroplasty was a cost-effective treatment. Trial registration, NCT00464230.

Background Ankle fractures account for 9% of all fractures with a quarter of these occurring in adults over 60 years. The short term disability and long-term consequences of this injury can be considerable. Current opinion favours open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) over non-operative treatment (fracture manipulation and the application of a standard moulded cast) for older people. Both techniques are associated with complications but the limited published research indicates higher complication rates of fracture malunion (poor position at healing) with casting. The aim of this study is to compare ORIF with a modification of existing casting techniques, Close Contact Casting (CCC). We propose that CCC may offer an equivalent functional outcome to ORIF and avoid the risks associated with surgery. Methods/Design This study is a pragmatic multi-centre equivalence randomised controlled trial. 620 participants will be randomised to receive ORIF or CCC after sustaining an isolated displaced unstable ankle fracture. Participants will be recruited from a minimum of 20 National Health Service (NHS) acute hospitals throughout England and Wales. Participants will be aged over 60 years and be ambulatory prior to injury. Follow-up will be at six weeks and six months after randomisation. The primary outcome is the Olerud & Molander Ankle Score, a functional patient reported outcome measure, at 6 months. Follow-up will also include assessments of mobility, ankle range of movement, health related quality of life and complications. The six-month follow-up will be conducted face-to-face by an assessor blinded to the allocated intervention. A parallel economic evaluation will consider both a health service and a broader societal perspective including the individual and their family. In order to explore patient experience of their treatment and recovery, a purposive sample of 40 patients will also be interviewed using a semi-structured interview schedule between 6-10 weeks post treatment. Discussion This multicentre study was open to recruitment July 2010 and recruitment is due to be completed in December 2013. Trial registration Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN04180738 .

Background Fifth metatarsal (MT-V) stress fractures often exhibit delayed union and are high-risk fractures for non-union. Surgical treatment, currently considered as the gold standard, does not give optimal results, with a mean time to fracture union of 12-18 weeks. In recent studies, the use of bone marrow cells has been introduced to accelerate healing of fractures with union problems. The aim of this randomized trial is to determine if operative treatment of MT-V stress fractures with use of concentrated blood and bone marrow aspirate (cB + cBMA) is more effective than surgery alone. We hypothesize that using cB + cBMA in the operative treatment of MT-V stress fractures will lead to an earlier fracture union. Methods/Design A prospective, double-blind, randomized controlled trial (RCT) will be conducted in an academic medical center in the Netherlands. Ethics approval is received. 50 patients will be randomized to either operative treatment with cB + cBMA, harvested from the iliac crest, or operative treatment without cB + cBMA but with a sham-treatment of the iliac crest. The fracture fixation is the same in both groups, as is the post-operative care.. Follow up will be one year. The primary outcome measure is time to union in weeks on X-ray. Secondary outcome measures are time to resumption of work and sports, functional outcomes (SF-36, FAOS, FAAM), complication rate, composition of osteoprogenitors in cB + cBMA and cost-effectiveness. Furthermore, a bone biopsy is taken from every stress fracture and analysed histologically to determine the stage of the stress fracture. The difference in primary endpoint between the two groups is analysed using student’s t -test or equivalent. Discussion This trial will likely provide level-I evidence on the effectiveness of cB + cBMA in the operative treatment of MT-V stress fractures. Trial registration Netherlands Trial Register (reg.nr NTR4377 )

Background Proximal humeral fractures, which occur mainly in older adults, account for approximately 4 to 5% of all fractures. Approximately 40% of these fractures are displaced fractures involving the surgical neck. Management of this group of fractures is often challenging and the outcome is frequently unsatisfactory. In particular it is not clear whether surgery gives better outcomes than non-surgical management. Currently there is much variation in the use of surgery and a lack of good quality evidence to inform this decision. Methods/Design We aim to undertake a pragmatic UK-based multi-centre randomised controlled trial evaluating the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of surgical versus standard non-surgical treatment for adults with an acute closed displaced fracture of the proximal humerus with involvement of the surgical neck. The choice of surgical intervention is left to the surgeon, who must use techniques that they are fully experienced with. This will avoid 'learning curve' problems. We will promote good standards of non-surgical care, similarly insisting on care-provider competence, and emphasize the need for comparable provision of rehabilitation for both groups of patients. We aim to recruit 250 patients from a minimum of 18 NHS trauma centres throughout the UK. These patients will be followed-up for 2 years. The primary outcome is the Oxford Shoulder Score, which will be collected via questionnaires completed by the trial participants at 6, 12 and 24 months. This is a 12-item condition-specific questionnaire providing a total score based on the person's subjective assessment of pain and activities of daily living impairment. We will also collect data for other outcomes, including general health measures and complications, and for an economic evaluation. Additionally, we plan a systematic collection of reasons for non-inclusion of eligible patients who were not recruited into the trial, and their baseline characteristics, treatment preferences and intended treatment. Discussion This article presents the protocol for a multi-centre randomised controlled trial. It gives extensive details of, and the basis for, the chosen methods, and describes the key measures taken to avoid bias and to ensure validity. Trial Registration Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN50850043

Nondisplaced scaphoid waist fractures treated with prolonged plaster immobilisation often lead in transient joint stiffness and to a delay in return to sport and work activity. The long time off work increases the work off compensation costs. Internal fixation of scaphoid fractures has resulted in a shorter time to union and to return to work and sports. This prospective study compares cast immobilisation with screw fixation and the direct cost with indirect cost of conservative and minimally invasive treatment of undisplaced scaphoid fractures. Forty-seven patients with an acute nondisplaced waist fracture of the scaphoid were allocated into either cast immobilisation or internal screw fixation for this study. Cost data concerning the groups of nonoperated and operated patients were analysed. Range of wrist motion, grip strength, DASH-score, time to fracture union, return to work time and the needed physiotherapy at the final follow-up at 6 months were evaluated. Twenty-one patients were included in the group of screw fixation and 23 patients were included in the group of cast immobilisation. At final follow-up there was no significant difference in the range of motion of the wrist or in grip strength. The operatively treated group had a better mean DASH-score than the conservative group. Fracture union was seen in the screw fixation group at a mean of 43 days and in the cast immobilisation group at a mean of 74 days (P < 0.5). The average time of return to work was 8 days for patients who had an internal screw fixation, while those treated with a cast returned to work at a mean of 55 days (P < 0.5). In total the internal fixation of undisplaced scaphoid fractures is less expensive than conservative treatment. Internal screw fixation of nondisplaced scaphoid fractures had a shorter time to bony union and the patients returned earlier to work compared with cast immobilisation. Although it is assumed that operative treatment is more expensive, in this study the cost was not found to be higher.

Background Strategies to protect the brain from postoperative delirium (POD) after hip fracture are urgently needed. The development of delirium often is associated with the loss of independence, poor functional recovery, and increased morbidity, as well as increases in length of hospital stay, discharges to nursing facilities, and healthcare costs. We hypothesize that xenon may reduce the burden of POD, (i) by avoiding the need to provide anesthesia with a drug that targets the γ-amino-butyric acid (GABA) A receptor and (ii) through beneficial anesthetic and organ-protective effects. Methods and design An international, multicenter, phase 2, prospective, randomized, blinded, parallel group and controlled trial to evaluate the incidence of POD, diagnosed with the Confusion Assessment Method (CAM), in older patients undergoing hip fracture surgery under general anesthesia with xenon or sevoflurane, for a period of 4 days post surgery (primary outcome) is planned. Secondary objectives are to compare the incidence of POD between xenon and sevoflurane, to evaluate the incidence of POD from day 5 post surgery until discharge from hospital, to determine the time to first POD diagnosis, to evaluate the duration of POD, to evaluate the evolution of the physiological status of the patients in the postoperative period, to evaluate the recovery parameters, to collect preliminary data to evaluate the economical impact of POD in the postoperative period and to collect safety data. Patients are eligible if they are older aged (≥ 75 years) and assigned to a planned hip fracture surgery within 48 h after the hip fracture. Furthermore, patients need to be willing and able to complete the requirements of this study including the signature of the written informed consent. A total of 256 randomized patients in the 10 participating centers will be recruited, that is, 128 randomized patients in each of the 2 study groups (receiving either xenon or sevoflurane). Trial registration EudraCT Identifier: 2009-017153-35; ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01199276

Background Evidence on the most effective and cost-effective management of ankle fractures is sparse but evolving. A recent large RCT in older patients with unstable fractures found that management with close-contact-casting was functionally equivalent and more cost-effective than internal fixation. We describe temporal and geographic variation in ankle fracture management and estimate the potential savings if close-contact-casting was used more often in older patients. Methods Patients admitted to hospital in England between 2007/08 and 2016/17 with an ankle fracture were identified using routine hospital episode statistics. We tested whether the use of internal fixation, and the proportion of internal fixations using intramedullary implants, changed over time. We estimated the potential annual cost savings if patients aged 60+ years were treated with close-contact-casting rather than internal fixation, in line with emerging evidence. Results Over the 10-year period, there were 223,465 hospital admissions with a primary ankle fracture diagnosis. The incidence (per 100,000) of internal fixation was fairly consistent over time in younger (33.2 in 2007/08, 30.9 in 2016/17) and older (36.5 in 2007/08, 37.4 in 2016/17) patients. The proportion of internal fixations which used intramedullary implants increased in both age groups (17.0–19.5% < 60 years; 15.2–17.4% 60+ years). In 2016/17, the cost of inpatient hospital care for ankle fractures in England was over £63.1million. If 50% of older patients who had an internal fixation instead had close-contact-casting, we estimate that approximately £1.56million could have been saved. Conclusions Despite emerging evidence that non-surgical and surgical management achieve equivalent functional outcomes in older patients, the rate of surgical fixation has remained relatively stable over the decade. The health service could achieve substantial savings if a higher proportion of older patients were treated with close-contact-casting, in line with recent evidence.

Background Metastatic bone disease is a substantial burden to patients and the healthcare system as a whole. Metastatic disease can be painful, is associated with decreased survival, and is emotionally traumatic to patients when they discover their disease has progressed. In the United States, more than 250,000 patients have metastatic bone disease, with an estimated annual cost of USD 12 billion. Prior studies suggest that patients who receive prophylactic fixation for impending pathologic fractures, compared with those treated for realized pathologic fractures, have decreased pain levels, faster postoperative rehabilitation, and less in-hospital morbidity. However, to our knowledge, the relative economic utility of these treatment options has not been examined. Questions/purposes We asked: (1) Is there a cost difference between a cohort of patients treated surgically for pathologic fractures compared with a cohort of patients treated prophylactically for impending pathologic lesions? (2) Do these cohorts differ in other ways regarding their utilization of healthcare resources? Methods We performed a retrospective study of 40 patients treated our institution. Between 2011 and 2014, we treated 46 patients surgically for metastatic lesions of long bones. Of those, 19 (48%) presented with pathologic fractures; the other 21 patients (53%) underwent surgery for impending fractures. Risk of impending fracture was determined by one surgeon based on appearance of the lesion, subjective symptoms of the patient, cortical involvement, and location of the lesion. At 1 year postoperative, four patients in each group had died. Six patients (13%) were treated for metastatic disease but were excluded from the retrospective data because of a change in medical record system and inability to obtain financial records. Variables of interest included total and direct costs per episode of care, days of hospitalization, discharge disposition, 1-year postoperative mortality, and descriptive demographic data. All costs were expressed as a cost ratio between the two cohorts, and total differences between the groups, as required per medical center regulations. All data were collected by one author and the medical center’s financial office. Results Mean total cost was higher in patients with pathologic fractures (cost unit [CU], 642 ± 519) than those treated prophylactically without fractures (CU, 370 ± 171; mean difference, 272; 95% CI, 19–525; p = 0.036). In USD, this translates to a mean of nearly USD 21,000 less for prophylactic surgery. Mean direct cost was 41% higher (nearly USD 12,000) in patients with a pathologic fracture (CU, 382 ± 300 versus 227 ± 93; mean difference, 155; 95% CI, 9–300; p = 0.038). Mean length of stay was longer in patients with pathologic fractures compared with the group treated prophylactically (8 ± 6 versus 4 ± 3 days; mean difference, 4; 95% CI, 1–7; p = 0.01). Conclusions These findings show economic and clinical value of prophylactic stabilization of metastatic lesions when performed for patients with painful lesions compromising the structural integrity of long bones. Patients sustaining a pathologic fracture may represent a more severe, sicker demographic than patients treated for impending pathologic lesions. Level of Evidence Level IV, economic and decision analysis.