This article is more than 5 years old. Information may no longer be current.
IM device linked with reduced embolic debris in treatment of femoral shaft fractures
Click Here to Manage Email Alerts
Patients with isolated femoral shaft fractures who underwent antegrade intramedullary nailing with a reamer-irrigator-aspirator device had a modest reduction of embolic debris during the reaming and nailing insertion segments of the procedure, according to results.
Michael D. McKee, MD, FRCS(C), and colleagues randomly assigned 22 patients with isolated femoral shaft fractures to undergo antegrade intramedullary nailing with either standard reamers or the reamer-irrigator-aspirator system (Synthes Inc.). To assess embolic events in the right atrium, researchers intraoperatively monitored patients with a continuous transesophageal echocardiogram. The operative procedure was divided into preoperative, reduction, guidewire passage, reaming, nail insertion and postoperative stages.
Results showed no significant differences in emboli during the preoperative, reduction, guidewire passage or postoperative stages between the two groups. However, researchers noted the reamer-irrigator-aspirator device group had a modest reduction in total emboli score during the reaming and nail insertion stages. While researchers found the reamer-irrigator-aspirator device group had a significant reduction in the amount of emboli during the reaming segments, no significant differences were found in the duration or size of the emboli at any time during the study. This reduction of emboli in the reamer-irrigator-aspirator device group was not correlated with any difference in physiologic parameters, according to results. – by Casey Tingle
Disclosures: McKee reports he is a consultant for Zimmer Biomet, Stryker and Acumed, and receives royalties from Stryker. Please see the full study for a list of all other authors’ relevant financial disclosures.
Click Here to Manage Email Alerts