Clinical effect of minimally invasive technique of internal fixation device removal in patients with healed long tubular bone fractures

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical effect of minimally invasive technique applied to internal fixation removal in patients with healed long tubular bone fractures. METHODS: The records of patients with internal fixation of long tubular bone fracture who underwent the removal of the internal fixation device after fracture healing in The Second Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical College from May 2020 to December 2021 were reviewed. According to the different operation methods of taking out the internal fixation device, patients were divided into minimally invasive group (n=40) and traditional group (n=45). The perioperative indexes, levels of inflammatory factors tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), C-reactive protein (CRP), Karnofsky Performance Score (KPS), visual analog scale (VAS) pain score and complications were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: The drainage volume, bleeding volume, incision length and hospital stay in the minimally invasive group were significantly lower than those in the traditional group (P<0.05). The KPS score of minimally invasive group was significantly higher than that of traditional group at one week and one month after the operation, and the VAS score of minimally invasive group was significantly lower than that of traditional group at one day and one week after the operation (P<0.05). The levels of TNF-α and CRP in the observation group were significantly lower than those in the control group(P<0.05). There was one case of infection in the minimally invasive group, one case of secondary fracture and two cases of infection in the traditional group(P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Minimally invasive surgery for the removal of the internal fixation device in patients with healed long tubular bone fractures with internal fixation is associated with significantly improved clinical effect, relieved symptoms, reduced inflammatory response, and improved functional recovery of patients.