Orthopaedics & Trauma Calculators

Determines need for C-spine imaging in alert, stable trauma patients. More sensitive and specific than NEXUS.

Anatomical scoring of injury severity. Sum of squares of top 3 AIS scores from 6 body regions. Score >15 = major trauma.

Classifies open fractures by wound size and contamination to guide antibiotic selection and surgical management.

Classifies ankle fractures by level of fibular fracture relative to the ankle syndesmosis to guide management.

Classifies intracapsular femoral neck fractures into 4 types based on displacement. Guides surgical management (fixation vs arthroplasty).

Laboratory Risk Indicator for Necrotising Fasciitis (LRINEC). Distinguishes NF from severe cellulitis using blood results.

20-item patient-reported outcome measuring functional difficulty in lower extremity conditions. Used pre- and post-operatively and in rehabilitation to track recovery.

Guides surgical vs conservative management of thoracolumbar fractures. Score ≥ 5 suggests surgery; ≤ 3 conservative; 4 = clinical judgement.

Decision rule for knee X-ray after acute knee injury. Complements the Ottawa Knee Rules. X-ray indicated if: age < 12 or > 50, OR mechanism (fall or blunt trauma) + one of the criteria.

Structured 4-window ultrasound assessment to detect free fluid (haemoperitoneum, haemopericardium) in trauma. Extended FAST (eFAST) adds bilateral pleural windows.

Anatomically-based severity scoring system for traumatic injuries. Codes each injury on a 6-point scale from minor (1) to maximum/unsurvivable (6). Foundation for Injury Severity Score (ISS) calculation.

Estimates probability of survival after trauma by combining the Injury Severity Score (ISS), Revised Trauma Score (RTS), age, and mechanism of injury. Used for trauma audit and benchmarking.

Physiological trauma scoring tool based on Glasgow Coma Scale, systolic blood pressure, and respiratory rate. Used for field triage and as component of TRISS survival probability calculation.

Predicts the need for amputation in patients with traumatic lower limb injury. Score ≥7 = amputation predictive (97% sensitivity for amputation indication). Assesses skeletal/soft tissue injury, limb ischaemia, shock, and age.

Estimates total body surface area (TBSA) burned using the Wallace Rule of Nines. Adult values differ from paediatric. Used to guide fluid resuscitation (Parkland Formula), hospital admission, and burn centre referral criteria.

SVS (Society for Vascular Surgery) WIfI classification system for chronic limb-threatening ischaemia (CLTI). Grades Wound severity, Ischaemia, and foot Infection. Guides amputation risk and benefit of revascularisation.

Canadian Association of Radiologists and Osteoporosis Canada (CAROC) system for 10-year major osteoporotic fracture risk. Uses BMD T-score, age, sex, and clinical risk factors. Simplified alternative to FRAX in Canadian practice.

Classifies open fractures by wound size and contamination level. Guides antibiotic choice and surgical management.

Predicts likelihood of successful limb salvage vs amputation in mangled extremity injuries. MESS >= 7 predicts 100% amputation.

Classifies femoral neck fractures by displacement. Guides surgical decision: internal fixation (Garden I-II) vs hemiarthroplasty/THA (Garden III-IV).

Classifies proximal humerus fractures by number of displaced parts. Guides conservative vs surgical management.

Classifies paediatric supracondylar humerus fractures. Guides management: observation vs closed reduction vs ORIF. Neurovascular assessment essential.

Classifies ankle fractures by mechanism (supination vs pronation) and stage of ligament/bone injury. Guides surgical vs conservative management.

Classifies pilon (tibial plafond) fractures by articular comminution and soft tissue injury. High-energy injuries require staged fixation.

Estimates 10-year probability of hip and major osteoporotic fracture. Guides DEXA scan referral and bisphosphonate initiation per NOGG/NICE guidelines.

Classification of growth-plate (physis) fractures in children (Salter & Harris 1963). Higher type = greater risk of growth arrest, deformity, and need for operative fixation.

Predicts risk of pathological fracture in long bones with metastatic disease (Mirels 1989). Sums 4 features each scored 1–3. Score ≥9 = prophylactic fixation recommended.

12-item patient-reported outcome for knee arthroplasty / OA (Dawson 1998). Each item 0–4 (0 = severe, 4 = none). Total 0–48. Used pre- and post-op in NJR.

12-item patient-reported outcome for hip arthroplasty / OA (Dawson 1996). Each item 0–4. Total 0–48 (higher = better).

12-item patient-reported outcome for shoulder pathology (Dawson 1996). Each 0–4. Total 0–48 (higher = better).

Composite shoulder outcome score (Constant 1987). Pain (15) + ADL (20) + Range of motion (40) + Strength (25) = 100 points.

Six-type classification of tibial plateau fractures (Schatzker 1979). Higher type = greater energy and worse prognosis.

Classifies femoral neck fractures by angle of fracture line from horizontal (Pauwels 1935). Higher angle = more shear stress, worse prognosis, more likely to fail with screws alone.