Written Exam - Fracture Fixation Methods Part 1 Flashcards
what is this instrument?
kern bone holding forceps
what is this instrument?
self-retaining retractors - gelpi retractors
what is this instrument?
soft tissue elevators
what instrument is this?
jacob’s chuck & key
regardless of method used, what is always necessary when using pins & bones?
must always use bone holding forceps to drive the pin into the bone & use a clamp as a brace to drive against
what is the desired drill settings for orthopedic surgeries?
high torque & low speed - decreases friction, won’t necrose the bone, & won’t cause complications at the bone/pin interface
what is a direct method in fracture fixation?
precise reconstruction of bone column - using IM pins & full cerclage wires
what is an indirect method in fracture fixation?
precise reconstruction isn’t desired or possible - external skeletal fixation
what types of fractures are suitable for cerclage wire & IM pin placement?
two piece long oblique fractures or spiral fractures
how many twists should remain after cutting the cerclage wire?
at least 2
how do you determine how many wires should be placed & how do you determine how tight the wires should be?
length of the fracture line - at least twice the bone diameter & spaced 2 bone diameters apart
use a periosteal elevator to try & shift the wires up & down the bone - if they shift, retighten them (if indicated)
how does a surgeon determine the length of an IM pin after it has been applied in the medullary canal?
use another pin that is the same size to determine the length
when is it appropriate to use a single IM pin as a sole means of fracture fixation?
never
how does a surgeon decide when to apply an IM pin in normograde or retrograde fashion?
fracture location & desired position for pin in the bone that is fractured
how does a surgeon decide on the size & length of an IM pin?
based on the size of the medullary cavity of the bone that is fractured & location/length of the fracture within the bone
if the surgeon was presented with a long oblique fracture of the radius, why would an IM pin & cerclage be disregarded as a fixation method?
there are no safe entry/exit points for the IM pin
the radius has a small intramedullary canal
how would you propose to use a drill in a sterile surgery if you did not have access to a sterilization method that is used for orthopedic drills (referral to a specialist is not an option!)?
sterilized pins & bits to be used
use an autoclave pouch to sterilize the drill
if your bit or pin is wobbling when the power (trigger is pulled) is applied, what could be the reason?
pin is either bent or not centered
when & why is the reverse function used in the drill?
backing up a transosseous pin - if you forcefully pull out the pin, you will strip all of the threads from the bone & it won’t be tight anymore
what degree of force should be used for drilling into bone?
steady, light pressure
what are IM pins good for?
support bending forces in all planes - so small increases in the diameter of the pin result in an exponential increase in bending support
what is the recommended size of IM pin to be used? why?
one that is no greater than 70% of the IM cavity at the most narrow point - want to avoid damaging the bone blood supply & negatively impact bone healing
why should IM pins never be used as a single method of internal fracture fixation?
they do not prevent rotation/shear or counteract axial forces (compressive & distractive)
what is the strength of the IM pin?
ability to resist bending forces