This week in Orthopaedic Trauma

Sep 21–27, 2026 · 27 new studies, 10 reviews · Orthopaedic Trauma archive · All weeks

The new Orthopaedic Trauma research The Reduction sent the week of Sep 21–27, 2026, with the week’s most recent reviews, each with a one-line summary.

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New research

  1. Determining a Timeline for Returning to Driving After a Right Femoral Fracture: A Braking Simulator-Based Study.

    Journal of Orthopaedic Trauma · Sep 25 2026 · PubMed

    Braking simulator testing after right femoral fracture surgery showed most patients didn't meet safe driving reaction/force thresholds until beyond 125 days postoperatively, informing return-to-driving counseling.

  2. Cerclage for Fracture Reduction is Not Associated with Nonunion in Vancouver B or C Periprosthetic Femur Fractures with Stable Implants: A Multicenter Retrospective Study.

    Journal of Orthopaedic Trauma · Sep 23 2026 · PubMed

    In a multicenter study of Vancouver B/C periprosthetic femur fractures with stable implants, using cerclage wiring for fracture reduction during locked plating was not associated with increased nonunion, infection, or revision rates.

  3. Complications following operative versus nonoperatively managed isolated distal third ulna shaft fractures: a retrospective single-institution cohort study.

    Archives of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery · Sep 23 2026 · PubMed

    In this retrospective cohort of 56 isolated distal ulna shaft fractures, operative and nonoperative treatment had similar union rates and complications, suggesting both are reasonable options in selected patients.

  4. Pre-Reduction Position of Posterior Wall Fragment is Associated with Intra-Articular Displacement.

    Journal of Orthopaedic Trauma · Sep 23 2026 · PubMed

    In 44 acetabular fracture-dislocations, posterior wall fragments positioned medial and inferior to the femoral head before reduction were strongly associated with becoming intra-articular after closed reduction, informing surgical planning.

  5. Ceftriaxone versus cefazolin plus gentamicin for antibiotic prophylaxis in Gustilo-Anderson type III open lower extremity fractures.

    Journal of Orthopaedic Trauma · Sep 23 2026 · PubMed

    In a retrospective cohort of Gustilo-Anderson type III open lower extremity fractures, ceftriaxone monotherapy showed infection and complication rates similar to cefazolin plus gentamicin, supporting it as a simpler prophylaxis option.

  6. Extra-Articular Malunions and Nonunions of the Scapular Body and Neck: A Comparison of Functional Outcomes Before and After Reconstruction.

    Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery (American) · Sep 23 2026 · PubMed

    Surgical reconstruction of symptomatic scapular neck/body malunions and nonunions achieved universal union and significantly improved DASH scores, flexion, and abduction, though about a quarter needed further surgery.

  7. Identification of biomechanical alterations associated with nonunion after tibial shaft fractures using musculoskeletal simulation based on motion capture and instrumented insole data.

    Archives of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery · Sep 22 2026 · PubMed

    Musculoskeletal simulation of gait data in 13 tibial shaft fracture patients showed nonunion cases had greater limb asymmetry in push-off moment, joint forces, and plantar flexor muscle forces than those who healed.

  8. Ability of Deep Learning to Predict Surgical Recommendations for Distal Radial Fractures: A Feasibility Study.

    Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery (American) · Sep 22 2026 · PubMed

    A combined CNN and random forest AI model predicted hand surgeons' operative versus nonoperative recommendations for distal radius fractures with 87% accuracy using pre-reduction radiographs and clinical data, showing feasibility for point-of-care decision support.

  9. A Novel Scoring System Can Estimate the Risk of Posttraumatic Osteonecrosis After Femoral Neck Fracture Fixation in Adults Younger Than 65 Years.

    Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research · Sep 22 2026 · PubMed

    A new 8-point scoring system (FNF-ON8) using five preoperative variables better predicted osteonecrosis risk after femoral neck fracture fixation in patients under 65 than the Garden classification.

  10. Equivalence of Outcomes Between Ambulatory and Hospital-Based Arthroplasty in Younger and Older Adults.

    Journal of Arthroplasty · Sep 21 2026 · PubMed

    In a propensity-matched cohort of over 7,000 TJA patients, ambulatory surgery center outcomes were comparable to inpatient hospital outcomes even in patients 75 and older, suggesting age alone shouldn't exclude ASC eligibility.

  11. Radiographic Outcomes of Distal Radial Fractures in Patients Older Than 90 Years: Preoperative and Postoperative Correlations.

    HAND · Sep 21 2026 · PubMed

    In nonagenarians undergoing distal radius fracture surgery, radiographic alignment was well maintained with acceptable complications (15%), though correlation between radiographic parameters and functional outcome was weak, supporting surgery as a safe option in selected elderly patients.

  12. Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries With Segond Fractures Are Associated With Lateral Meniscus Oblique Radial Tears and Residual Rotational Instability but Not Anatomic Internal Tibial Rotation, Compared With Those Without Segond Fractures.

    Arthroscopy · Sep 20 2026 · PubMed

    ACL injuries with Segond fractures show more lateral meniscus oblique radial tears and greater residual rotational instability postoperatively, despite similar clinical outcomes.

  13. Diagnosis and Treatment of Concomitant Lateral Condyle and Medial Epicondyle Fractures With Elbow Dislocation in Children.

    Journal of Pediatric Orthopaedics · Sep 18 2026 · PubMed

    In 12 pediatric patients with combined lateral condyle and medial epicondyle fractures with elbow dislocation, surgical treatment tailored to injury mechanism yielded excellent outcomes in most cases.

  14. A comparative study on the clinical efficacy and complications of proximal femoral nail antirotation and femoral neck system in the treatment of basicervical femoral neck fracture (AO/OTA 31-B3).

    Archives of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery · Sep 18 2026 · PubMed

    In basicervical femoral neck fractures, PFNA resulted in fewer implant-related complications and better Harris Hip Scores than the femoral neck system, despite FNS having shorter surgery and less blood loss.

  15. Intramedullary Nailing Following Tibia Lengthening With External Fixator in Fibular Hemimelia Reduces the Risk of Fractures.

    Journal of Pediatric Orthopaedics · Sep 18 2026 · PubMed

    In fibular hemimelia patients undergoing tibial lengthening, prophylactic intramedullary nailing at fixator removal eliminated regenerate fractures (0% vs 25% with cast alone) without added infection risk.

  16. Longer hospital stay but similar one-year mortality and readmission after combined proximal humerus and proximal femur fragility fractures: a Propensity-Score-Matched Cohort Study.

    Archives of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery · Sep 16 2026 · PubMed

    Combined proximal humerus and femur fragility fractures required roughly twice the hospital stay of isolated humerus fractures but showed similar one-year mortality and readmission rates, suggesting benefit from shared orthogeriatric pathways.

  17. Fracture-related infection after lateral versus posterolateral approaches in AO/OTA type 44B fractures: A retrospective cohort study.

    Injury · Sep 11 2026 · PubMed

    In 427 ankle fractures, posterolateral and lateral approaches showed similar fracture-related infection rates, so approach choice should be based on fracture morphology, not infection risk.

  18. Prognostic value of baseline RDW-CV in critically ill patients with pelvic fractures: A retrospective cohort study.

    Injury · Sep 09 2026 · PubMed

    In ICU patients with pelvic fractures, elevated baseline RDW-CV independently predicted higher 30-, 90-, and 365-day mortality, supporting its use as a simple early risk-stratification marker.

  19. Stress displacement and surgical benefit in Beckmann 7-9 pelvic ring injuries: A retrospective multicenter analysis.

    Injury · Sep 09 2026 · PubMed

    In stability-indeterminate LC1 pelvic fractures with 12-16mm stress displacement, surgery reduced early adverse outcomes, but the finding was statistically fragile and needs prospective confirmation before changing practice.

  20. Factors associated with U-type sacral fractures in geriatric patients: A retrospective cohort study.

    Injury · Sep 09 2026 · PubMed

    In geriatric sacral fractures, spondylosis/spondylolisthesis, prior independent ambulation, and atraumatic mechanism independently predicted U-type (spinopelvic dissociation) morphology, identifying a distinct at-risk profile.

  21. Periarticular Hardware Retention does not Increase Reoperation Risk in Conversion Total Knee Arthroplasty.

    Journal of Arthroplasty · Sep 02 2026 · PubMed

    Retrospective study found retained periarticular hardware in conversion TKA increased operative time, blood loss, and early complications but not reoperation risk or two-year PROMs.

  22. Does Contralateral Elbow Radiography Improve Diagnostic Accuracy of Paediatric Elbow Fractures amongst Emergency Residents?

    Journal of Hand Surgery (Asian-Pacific) · Aug 31 2026 · PubMed

    In a trial of 28 emergency residents, targeted education—not contralateral elbow radiographs—significantly improved diagnostic accuracy for pediatric elbow fractures.

  23. Radiological and clinical outcomes following pelvic support osteotomy with limb length equalization in children.

    Journal of Pediatric Orthopaedics B · Aug 27 2026 · PubMed

    Pelvic support osteotomy with limb length equalization improved Harris Hip Scores substantially in children with septic hip sequelae, but significant osteotomy angle remodeling—especially in younger patients—may require repeat surgery.

  24. Endoprosthetic reconstruction versus osteosynthesis for metastatic disease of the proximal femur: a population-based cohort study.

    Journal of Bone Oncology · Aug 24 2026 · PubMed

    In this Danish cohort of 281 patients with proximal femur metastases, endoprosthetic reconstruction had lower implant failure and better overall survival than osteosynthesis, though revision rates were similar.

  25. Delayed Distal Radioulnar Joint Dysfunction after Pediatric Forearm Fractures: A Systematic Review.

    Journal of Wrist Surgery · Jun 24 2026 · PubMed

    Systematic review finds delayed DRUJ dysfunction can follow pediatric forearm fractures, often with malunion, improving after corrective osteotomy, highlighting need for long-term wrist follow-up.

  26. Assessment of the Standard Rotational Profile of the Radius and Ulna with Computed Tomography Imaging for the Treatment of Forearm Malunions.

    Journal of Wrist Surgery · Apr 28 2026 · PubMed

    CT-based measurements in uninjured forearms establish a normal rotational profile of the radius and ulna to aid preoperative planning for malunion/nonunion correction.

  27. The Relationship Between Prone Range of Motion and Measured Femoral Version on Advanced Imaging in Adolescent Patients.

    Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons · Mar 11 2026 · PubMed

    In 146 adolescents, prone hip rotation only moderately correlated with CT/MRI-measured femoral version, so exam alone shouldn't substitute for imaging when precise version matters.

Recent reviews

  1. When Is a Volar Plate Not Enough? Indications for Alternative Fixation Techniques in Distal Radius Fractures.

    HAND · Sep 2026 · PubMed

    This review outlines complex distal radius fracture patterns where volar locking plates alone are insufficient and describes alternative fixation strategies like dorsal plating and fragment-specific constructs.

  2. AC Joint Reconstruction Using Cortical Suture Button and Semitendinosus Allograft.

    Journal of Orthopaedic Trauma · Aug 01 2026 · PubMed

    This technique review describes AC joint reconstruction combining a cortical suture button with semitendinosus allograft, citing theoretical biomechanical advantages over other methods.

  3. Management of Intraoperative Fractures During Primary Direct Anterior Total Hip Arthroplasty.

    Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons · Jul 07 2026 · PubMed

    This review outlines DAA-specific risk factors and decision-making strategies for managing intraoperative acetabular and femoral fractures during direct anterior total hip arthroplasty.

  4. Restoring rotational balance of the paediatric forearm: lessons from post-traumatic malunion.

    Journal of Hand Surgery (European) · Jun 2026 · PubMed

    This review argues that treating pediatric forearm malunion should focus on restoring overall rotational balance—accounting for soft tissue and remodeling—rather than relying solely on radiographic deformity correction.

  5. Reconstructive and salvage techniques for proximal interphalangeal joint fracture dislocations.

    Journal of Hand and Microsurgery · Jan 2026 · PubMed

    This review outlines reconstructive (osteochondral graft-based) and salvage surgical options for proximal interphalangeal joint fracture dislocations and proposes an algorithm to guide surgeons in choosing between them.

  6. Injuries, Risk Factors, and Prevention Strategies in Bicycle Motocross (BMX): A Scoping Review.

    Sports Health · 2025 · PubMed

    This scoping review of 37 studies found BMX injury surveillance is inconsistent and mostly limited to elite competitions, highlighting a need for rigorous community-based studies to guide prevention strategies.

  7. Management of Tibia Pilon Fractures With Ring External Fixation.

    Journal of Orthopaedic Trauma · Dec 01 2025 · PubMed

    This review highlights how modern circular (ring) external fixation techniques offer effective, sometimes superior, management for complex tibial pilon fractures with severe soft tissue or bone loss.

  8. Bone Transport With Balanced Cable Transport.

    Journal of Orthopaedic Trauma · Dec 01 2025 · PubMed

    Balanced cable transport is a newer bone transport technique that reduces external fixator time, pin complications, and scarring while speeding healing at regenerate and docking sites compared to classic Ilizarov methods.

  9. Evaluation and Management of Knee Dislocations in Low-income Settings: Evidence-based Strategies and Practical Considerations.

    JAAOS Global Research & Reviews · Oct 01 2025 · PubMed

    This review offers practical, cost-conscious strategies for diagnosing and managing knee dislocations in low-resource settings, including simplified imaging, implantless fixation, and adapted rehabilitation protocols.

  10. The projected economic burden and complications of revision hip and knee arthroplasties: Insights from national registry studies.

    Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy · Sep 2025 · PubMed

    Registry data show rising septic revision rates and costs (up to $37,297 per case) for hip/knee arthroplasty, underscoring need for standardized infection prevention and reporting.

← Week of Sep 14–20, 2026

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