A series of 28 cases of fractures of the small tubular bones of the hand, including Bennetts fracture, were treated with the minor unilateral multifunctional external fixator. After manipulation, a hole was drilled on the proximal and distal parts of the fractured bone. Hand in functional position, the external fixator was set in place. Functional exercises were begun after the fixation. The patients were follwed up for two to six months. The average healing time was thirtyfive days. The average healing time for Bennett’s fractures was twentyeight days, and for the fractures of metacarpal bone was forty-two days. There were no deformity and complication of infection following external fixation.The functional recovery of the hands was satisfactory. The fixator had the following advantages: It was simple and had tight fixation; fractures with infection, was still indicated and could be adjusted according to the clinical purpose.
Objective To explore the effectiveness of mini external fixators combined with bone cement spacers in the treatment of gouty hallux rigidus with bone defects. Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 21 male patients diagnosed with gouty hallux rigidus and bone defects, treated with mini external fixators combined with bone cement spacers between January 2017 and December 2024. The age ranged from 35 to 72 years, with an average age of 61.1 years. The disease duration was 12-35 years, with an average of 18.2 years. The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) gout score ranged from 16 to 23, with an average of 18.6. All 21 cases of hallux rigidus were classified as grade 3 according to the Coughlin classification. Clinical efficacy was evaluated preoperatively and at 6 months postoperatively using the visual analogue scale (VAS) score for pain, the dorsiflexion angle of first metatarsophalangeal joint in a weight-bearing state, and the American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society (AOFAS) score. Radiological evaluation was performed by measuring the hallux valgus angle (HVA) using weight-bearing X-ray films and the tophi volume using dual-energy CT. Results The operation time ranged from 30 to 56 minutes, with an average of 42.05 minutes. The intraoperative blood loss varied between 10 and 30 mL, averaging 20 mL. All 21 patients were followed up 6-15 months, averaging 9.3 months. One patient experienced delayed wound healing due to the liquefaction of residual tophus; no other patients exhibited complications such as wound or pin tract infections, skin necrosis, fractures, or metastatic metatarsalgia. Six patients experienced acute gout attacks 4-7 days postoperatively, which were effectively alleviated through symptomatic treatment. At 6 months after operation, patients showed significant improvements in HVA, tophus volume, VAS scores, AOFAS scores, and the dorsiflexion angle of first metatarsophalangeal joint compared to preoperative values, with significant differences (P<0.05). ConclusionMini external fixator combined with a cement spacer is an effective treatment for gouty hallux rigidus with bone defects.
