PeekMed
As an orthopedic trauma surgeon, you might be surprised at how much further medical imaging can be utilized, especially when planning for diaphyseal fractures or simple bone reductions. How?
With advancements in medtech, CT or MRI scans now allow you to determine the best approach for treating a broken bone.
In addition, you can access not only specialized cutting tools for trauma bone reduction but also a vast templating database.
While these tools apply to many procedures, in this article, we will focus on how to perform a diaphyseal shaft fracture.
First, let’s cover the basics of a diaphyseal definition.
What do you need to know about a diaphyseal fracture
A diaphyseal fracture is a complex fracture of the bone that occurs along the shaft of a long bone. This is differentiated from the epiphyses at the ends of the bone.
These can be caused by high-energy traumatic events, such as a car accident. High-energy fractures are commonly related to the diaphyseal of the femur fractures, but the ulna and forearm are also frequently associated.
However, fractures from low energy like twisting or falls are also common. These affect especially children and are often verified on ankles.
These fractures, such as the proximal femur, for example, are treated with fixation devices – such as extramedullary and intramedullary fixation –, often defined as nails.
Depending on the implant device used, you need to determine the appropriate angle and model to use. That’s why preoperative planning is so important.
Classical strategies would involve printing the x-ray and having a radiographic ruler over the fracture to determine the nail diameter. However, using technology, this process has become faster, easier, and more accurate.
Quick planning of the diaphyseal shaft fracture angle
As a practical example, suppose you want to prepare for a small fragment planning on a distal tibial fracture after orthopedic trauma.
PeekMed allows you to automatically measure the angle between the long axes of fractures based on your unique patient anatomy.
To correctly measure the bone and plan the trauma reduction, only a few clicks will be needed.
After selecting this procedure in the sidebar, as well as, the side where you will perform the procedure, you must mark the points suggested by PeekMed.
And that’s it. The measurements made are displayed in the image you have loaded, providing the angle between the long axes of the two fractured parts of the long bone – Diaphyseal Shaft Fracture Angle (DSFA).
At this point, having all the insights that you need, you may now plan your minor fragment treatment with osteosynthesis – plates, nails, and screws.
Using PeekMed you may do this same procedure for every bone in the body. This may apply to an open fracture needing external fixation or a closed one where you might resource to an intramedullary nail.
This might come in handy even when you are far away from a femur diaphyseal fracture and orthopedic reduction in trauma incidents such as hip deformation.
