title: [Resorbable rods and screws of polyglycolide in stabilizing malleolar fractures. A clinical study of 600 patients].
abstract: Absorbable internal fracture fixation implants have been in large-scale clinical use since 1984. The main advantage of these devices is that no subsequent operation for implant removal is required. In this study the results obtained in a series of 600 patients with displaced malleolar fractures who were operated on over a 6-year period (1985-1990) using rods or screws made of polyglycolide were analysed. Rod fixation was used in 63% and screw fixation in 37% of the patients. Recovery was uneventful in 91.5%. Bacterial wound infection occurred in 1.2% and failure of fixation necessitating reoperation in 0.8% (5 patients). In 4 of these 5 patients a refixation procedure with AO devices was performed. In one elderly patient with failed fixation talocrural arthrodesis had to be done. A sterile inflammatory foreign-body reaction complicated the course in 6.5%. The incidence of these reactions was higher during the early years of the study, when the implants contained an aromatic quinone dye, than later, when stain-free implants were used. The foreign-body reactions were transient and did not significantly influence the ultimate results of treatment. During the 6-year period the use of absorbable implants has made it possible for resources corresponding to several hundred hardware removal procedures to be used for other purposes.
authors.affiliation: Unfallchirurgische Universitätsklinik, Helsinki, Finnland.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Böstman
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hirvensalo
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Partio
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Törmälä
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rokkanen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016512:Ankle Injuries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D001863:Bone Screws; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005593:Fracture Fixation, Internal / Q000295:instrumentation*; D006801:Humans; D004204:Joint Dislocations / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011100:Polyglycolic Acid; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011859:Radiography; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D011100:Polyglycolic Acid
vernacular_title: Resorbierbare Stäbchen und Schrauben aus Polyglykolid bei der Stabilisierung von Malleolarfrakturen. Eine klinische Studie an 600 Patienten.