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J Knee Surg 2021; 34(09): 987-996
DOI: 10.1055/s-0039-3402802
Original Article

Comparison of the Kirschner Wire Tension Band with a Novel Nickel–Titanium Arched Shape–Memory Alloy Connector in Transverse Patellar Fractures: A Retrospective Study

Yang Wang‡   *
1   Department of Emergency, Changhai Hospital, Naval Military Medical University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
2   Department of Orthopedics, Changhai Hospital, Naval Military Medical University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
,
Demeng Xia‡   *
1   Department of Emergency, Changhai Hospital, Naval Military Medical University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
,
Xi Luo‡   *
3   Department of Spine Surgery II, Changzheng Hospital, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
,
Hongyue Zhang
1   Department of Emergency, Changhai Hospital, Naval Military Medical University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
,
Jianghong Wu
1   Department of Emergency, Changhai Hospital, Naval Military Medical University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
,
Panyu Zhou
1   Department of Emergency, Changhai Hospital, Naval Military Medical University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
2   Department of Orthopedics, Changhai Hospital, Naval Military Medical University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
,
Shuogui Xu
1   Department of Emergency, Changhai Hospital, Naval Military Medical University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
2   Department of Orthopedics, Changhai Hospital, Naval Military Medical University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
› Author Affiliations
Funding The study was funded by National Natural Science Foundation of China (grant/award number: “no. 81672134, no. 81571887, and no. 81601910”).
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Abstract

This study aims to compare the clinical outcomes of the nickel–titanium arched shape–memory alloy connector (hereafter referred to as the ASC) and tension band fixation for the treatment of transverse patellar fractures. We retrospectively analyzed a total of 257 patients with transverse patellar fractures who were treated at our emergency orthopaedics department from March 2010 to March 2017. Either an ASC or the Kirschner wire (K-wire) tension band had been used to treat these fractures according to surgeons' experience and preference. We compared operative details, postoperative recovery, and postoperative knee function at 6 months. In terms of surgical duration, blood loss, incision length, length of hospital stay, and postoperative complications, patients in the ASC group showed significantly better results than patients in the K-wire group (p < 0.05). There were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of fracture healing time, knee mobility, and the Boström score at the postoperative 6-month evaluation (p > 0.05). Though, there were similar functional outcomes between two groups whose transverse patellar fractures were different methods, we found that the ASC method was a more reliable, more minimally invasive, and safer treatment option than the tension band wiring method using K-wires, resulting in less tissue damage, shorter surgical duration, shorter length of hospital stay, and fewer complications.

Keywords

patellar fracture - transverse fracture - nickel–titanium arched shape–memory alloy connector - the Kirschner wire tension band - comparison

* Contributed equally to the article.




Publication History

Received: 08 November 2018

Accepted: 27 November 2019

Article published online:
02 January 2020

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