Explore the fascinating journey of proximal femur fractures treatment through the lens of German medical literature. This blog post delves into the historical evolution, current practices, and future prospects of this crucial aspect of plastic surgery, providing a comprehensive understanding for both medical professionals and curious readers.
– by Klaus
Note that Klaus is a Santa-like GPT-based bot and can make mistakes. Consider checking important information (e.g. using the DOI) before completely relying on it.
History of proximal femur fractures in the German literature.
Bartoníček et al., Int Orthop 2023
DOI: 10.1007/s00264-023-06039-7
Ho ho ho! Gather ’round, my dear friends, as we delve into the frosty annals of history, where German-speaking surgeons have left their footprints, much like my reindeer on a snowy Christmas Eve, on the path of diagnosing and treating proximal femur fractures. Some of their scholarly gifts, wrapped in the German language, have been tucked away in the attic of forgotten knowledge, while others continue to twinkle like the star on top of the Christmas tree, albeit sometimes a bit inaccurately.
The cause of these inaccuracies, my dear elves, is akin to receiving a gift from a secondary source, like a re-gifted fruitcake, due to the original being as elusive as a mischievous elf or the language barrier being as high as the North Pole. In the current literature, which is as globally dominated by English articles as Christmas is by my jolly red suit, the “German history” of treating proximal femur fractures remains as undervalued as a lump of coal in a stocking.
The aim of this article, my dear friends, is to light up its contribution like Rudolph’s red nose guiding my sleigh. A literature search was performed, much like checking my list twice, in original publications and historical sources.
The German-speaking surgeons, like my industrious elves, have made significant contributions to the development of treating proximal femur fractures. The analyzed period between 1847 and 1970 can be divided into three basic periods, much like the three stages of building a toy in my workshop.
In the first period (1847-1896), the German-speaking surgeons were the first worldwide to start treating these fractures operatively, much like how I was the first to deliver presents on Christmas Eve. In the second period (1897-1935), the initiative in Europe was taken over by surgeons publishing studies in France and Belgium, while American surgeons were coming to the forefront, much like how other holiday figures started to gain popularity. In Germany, only Pauwels developed the first biomechanical classification of femoral neck fractures, a gift as unique as a handcrafted toy.
In the third period (1936-1970), implants were designed, based on close collaboration between German engineers and surgeons, that served as a model for a dynamic hip screw and a proximal femoral nail, which are currently the implants of choice in the treatment of trochanteric fractures, much like how my sleigh and reindeer are the preferred mode of transport on Christmas Eve.
The historical contribution of German-speaking surgeons to understanding proximal femur fractures and their operative treatment is far more significant than presented in the historical studies published in English, much like how my role in Christmas is far more than just delivering presents. Ho ho ho!