Background. Open fracture wounds are well known to be associated with infection & prolonged healing. Activity in scientific research to improve wound healing has often provided variable results. This study was done to question the de facto nature of Normal Saline as best irrigant in management of such wounds and to find out a better irrigant, if so, that does exist with due consideration to the mechanism by which saline dressings act. Material and methods. 30 patients with Grade 3 open fracture wounds were assessed over a period of three months according to Ganga Hospital Injury severity Score and were divided equally in study and control groups after adequate matching. A standard dressing protocol consisting of debridement and external fixation within 6 hours, avoidance of any antiseptic or surfactant agent, high-volume low-pressure pulsatile lavage irrigation and saline soaked gamgee pad packings with concerned solutions changed twice daily was done in respective groups. Follow-up was done by colour of healing granulation tissue, pus culture and soft tissue biopsy at Day 1, 3,7,10 & 14. Results. 6 out of 15(40%) wounds in study group were observed to have reached pink healthy granulation with low exudate by Day 14 as compared to only 3 out of 15(20%) in control group. The time taken to traverse from each stage of healing granulation was also observed to be smaller with 3% NaCl as compared to 0.9% NaCl. Although once healthy granulation stage was reached, further dressing with 3% NaCl in study group was shown to have worsening of granulation in about 33% of cases with none such observed in control. Conclusion. 3% NaCl is a better irrigant than 0.9% NaCl for dressing of Open trauma wounds during initial stages of dressing. Their effectivity in maintaining advanced granulation is although questionable, probably owing to its desiccative action

Abstract. Aims. The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the outcomes of fungal knee periprosthetic joint infection following knee arthroplasty. The secondary aim was to evaluate risk factors for acquiring a fungal PJI. Patients and Methods. This was a retrospective analysis of patients presenting with a confirmed fungal PJI of the knee in two tertiary centres. There were a total of 45 cases. Isolated fungal infections along with mixed bacterial and fungal infections were included. Mean follow up was 40 months (range 3–118). Results. The mean age at presentation was 69 years (range 46 to 87) and mean BMI was 31 kg/m2 (range 20 to 44). The median number of procedures that patients had on the affected limb from the index primary arthroplasty procedure was 6 (range 2–17). The median procedure number at which a fungal infection was identified was 5 (range 2–10). A history of prolonged antibiotic therapy (above 6 months total) was present in 37 patients (88%). During the study period 22 patients were infection free, 14 treated with lifelong suppression, 7 had above knee amputations and 6 had died. Overall infection cure rate was 49%. Conclusions. Patients with fungal PJI are generally poor hosts with multiple co-morbidities, long term exposure to antibiotics and high rates of open wounds and sinuses. The poor outcome associated with fungal PJI relative to bacterial PJI should be shared with patients in order to manage the expectations of this complex cohort

Introduction and Objective. Lower limb fractures are amongst the most common surgically managed orthopaedic injuries, with open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) as the conventional method of treatment of the fibula. In recent years, dedicated intramedullary implants have emerged for fibula fixation in tandem with the move towards minimally invasive surgery in high-risk patients. This is the largest multicentre review to date with the aim of establishing the clinical outcomes following intramedullary nail (IMN) fixation of the fibula and to identify the absolute indication for fibula IMN fixation. Materials and Methods. A retrospective study of adult patients in all UK hospitals, who underwent fibula nail fixation between 01/01/2018 and 31/10/2020 was performed. Primary outcome measures included time to union, infection rate, other post-operative complications associated with the fixation and length of hospital stay. The secondary outcome measure was to identify the indication for fibula nailing. Data tabulation was performed using Microsoft Excel and analysis was performed using SPSS Version 23 (SPSS Statistics). Results. 2 Major Trauma Centres (MTCs) and 9 Trauma Units (TUs) were eligible for inclusion. 102 patients were included and 91% were classified as ankle fractures of 68% (n=69) were Weber B, 24% (n=24) Weber C and 8% (n=9) were either distal tibial fractures with an associated fibula fracture or pilon fractures. The mean age was 64 years of which 45 were male patients and 57 were female. The average BMI was 30.03kg/m. 2. and 44% of patients were ASA 3. 74% of patients had poor pre-op skin condition including swelling and open wounds. The calculated infection rate for fibula nail was 4.9% and metal-work complication rate was 4.9%. The average time to union was 13 weeks and length of inpatient stay was 15 days (SD +/− 12 days). Conclusions. MEFNO has demonstrated that fibula nail is an ideal implant in patients who have a physiologically higher risk of surgery, poor skin condition and a complex fracture pattern. The time to union, complication and infection risks are lower than that reported in literature for ankle ORIFs

Purpose: The choice of irrigating fluid and delivery pressure remains controversial. Identifying surgeons’ preferences in techniques and the rationale for their choices may aid in focusing educational activities to the orthopaedic community as well as planning future clinical trials. Our objective was to clarify current opinion with regard to the irrigation of open fracture wounds. Method: We mailed and delivered a cross-sectional survey using a sample-to-redundancy strategy to members of the Canadian Orthopaedic Association and attendees of an international fracture course (AO, Davos, Switzerland) to examine surgeons’ preferences in the initial management of open fracture wounds. Results: Of the 1,764 surgeons who received the questionnaire, 984 (55.8%) responded. In the management of open wounds, most surgeons surveyed, 676 (70.5%), favoured normal saline alone, however 16.8% used Bacitracin. Many surgeons, 695 (71%) used low pressures when delivering the irrigating solution to the wound, however variation exists in what constituted high versus low pressure lavage. Surgeons supported the need for a clinical trial evaluating outcomes following both the use of different irrigating solutions as well as irrigating pressures [803 (84.8%) and 730 (77.6%) respectively]. Conclusion: The majority of surgeons favour both normal saline and low pressure lavage for the initial management of open fracture wounds

To determine if immediate closure of open wounds is safe, we examined our results over a five year period. Of the two hundred and ninety-seven open fractures, two hundred and fifty-five (86 %) were closed immediately. Grade III open fractures accounted for 24.2% of cases. The superficial infection rate was 10.9%. The combined deep infection and osteomyelitis rate was 4.7%. Neither region of injury, Gustilo grade, velocity of trauma, nor time to primary closure had a significant influence on the incidence of infection. Primary closure may be a safe practice and could be accepted as a viable treatment plan in the care of most open fractures. The purpose of this study was to determine if immediate primary closure of open fracture wounds is a safe practice without increased deep infections and delayed/ nonunions?. There was neither an increase in deep infection nor delayed union/non-union. Benefits include a decreased requirement for repeat debridements and soft tissue procedures, minimized surgical morbidity, hospital stay, and cost of treatment. Primary closure may be a safe practice in the care of most open fractures. The standard of care has been to leave traumatic wounds open after initial emergent surgical debridement. Due to orthopedic advancements and current resource limitations, treatment at our institution has evolved to immediate closure of all open wounds after adequate irrigation and debridement. Of the two hundred and ninety-seven open fractures, two hundred and fifty-five (86 %) were closed immediately after irrigation and debridement. Grades 3a, 3b and 3c open fractures accounted for 24.2% of cases. The superficial infection rate of primary closure was 10.9 %. All cases resolved with oral antibiotics. The combined deep infection and osteomyelitis rate was 4.7%. Neither region of injury, Gustilo grade, velocity of trauma, nor time to primary closure had a significant influence on the incidence of infection. The study reviewed all open fractures presenting to a Level One Trauma center over a five-year study period. Patients were followed until fracture union or complication resolution. Multiple variables were examined including patient demographics, injury mechanism, fracture location, Gustilo classification, time to antibiotic administration, surgical debridement and wound closure, and method of wound closure. Outcome measurement included infection or union problems

Aim. Fracture-related infection (FRI) is an important complication following surgical fracture management. Key to successful treatment is an accurate diagnosis. To this end, microbiological identification remains the gold standard. Although a structured approach towards sampling specimens for microbiology seems logical, there is no consensus on a culture protocol for FRI. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of a structured microbiology sampling protocol for fracture-related infections compared to ad-hoc culture sampling. Method. We conducted a pre-/post-implementation cohort study that compared the effects of implementation of a structured FRI sampling protocol. The protocol included strict criteria for sampling and interpretation of tissue cultures for microbiology. All intraoperative samples from suspected or confirmed FRI were compared for culture results. Adherence to the protocol was described for the post-implementation cohort. Results. In total 101 patients were included, 49 pre-implementation and 52 post-implementation. From these patients 175 intraoperative culture sets were obtained, 96 and 79 pre- and post-implementation respectively. Cultures from the pre-implementation cohort showed significantly more antibiotic use during culture sampling (P = 0.002). The post-implementation cohort showed a tendency more positive culture sets (69% vs. 63%, P = 0.353), with a significant difference in open wounds (86% vs. 67%, P = 0.034). In all post-implementation culture sets causative pathogens were cultured more than once per set, in contrast to pre-implementation (P <0.001). Despite stricter tissue sampling and culture interpretation criteria, the number of polymicrobial infections was similar in both cohorts, approximately 29% of all culture sets and 44% of all positive culture sets. Significantly more polymicrobial cultures were found in early infections in the post-implementation cohort (P = 0.048). This indicates a better yield in the new protocol. Conclusions. A standardised protocol for intraoperative sampling for bacterial identification in FRI is superior than an ad-hoc approach. This was the combined effect of no antibiotics around sampling, more tissue samples with the ‘no touch-technique, increased awareness for both surgeon and microbiologist and stricter criteria for diagnosis. It resulted in more microbiologically confirmed infections and more certainty when identifying causative pathogens

Current treatment modalities for chronic non-healing leg ulcers are time consuming, expensive, and only moderately successful. The use of sub-atmospheric pressure dressings, available commercially as the vacuum-assisted closure (VAC) device, has been shown to be an effective way to accelerate healing of various wounds. There is patented computer-controlled system technology available that is established V.A.C.(KCI Concepts, San Antonio, Texas) treatment. Reducing costs associated with wound treatments is therefore becoming an increasingly important issue in health care. This study included 45 patients with open wounds of the lower extremity with exposed tendon, bone, hardware or with osteomyelitis. Fifteen wounds were the result of trauma. Thirty wounds were non-traumatic (twenty dehisced or infected orthopedic surgical wounds, five pressure sores and five miscellaneous wounds). We use the vacuum therapy as a tool to bridge the period between debridement and definite surgical closure in full-thickness wounds. Treatment efficacy was assessed by semi-quantitative scoring of the wound conditions (signs of rubor, calor, exudate and fibrinous slough) and by wound surface area measurements. In our technique, the system consist of a sterilized simple foam sponge, a vacuum drain, two blood infusion kit and a negative pressure aquarium air pump, one liter salin bottle, an steril drape. It’s mean applying time ten minutes and mean cost at the first time 36 dollars consecutive seances 11 dollars (the aquarium air pump 15 dollars – an electrical engineer change it positive to negative air pressure mode). Forty-five patients who needed open wound management before surgical closure were included in this study. Healing was characterized by development of a clean granulating wound bed (“ready for surgical therapy”) and reduction of wound surface area. To quantify bacterial load, cultures were collected. The total quantitative bacterial load was generally stable. However, nonfermentative gram negative bacilli showed a significant decrease in vacuum-assisted closure-treated wounds, whereas Staphylococcus aureus showed a significant increase in vacuum-assisted closure-treated wounds. Succesfull wound closure was obtained 43 of 45 patients. 41 wounds were closed with split-thicknees skin graft. The median time to complete healing was 31 days (27.5 to 34.5) and wound bed preparation was 7 days (5.8 to 8.2) in the non-computerized V.A.C. therapy, similar with the computerized therapy 29 (25.5 to 32.5–7 days 5.7 to 8.3) This study shows a positive effect of vacuum-assisted closure therapy on wound healing, expressed as a significant reduction of wound surface. The costs of computerized wound care were higher than our techique of V.A.C. and similar clinical results at the end

Introduction Management of bedsores in traumatic paraplegia has been a challenge since time immemorial. Conventional serial debridement and dressings require prolong hospitalization, imply posible complications and are an economic burden. Modalities like hyperbaricoxygen, electrical stimulation, altered cultured keratinocytes are cumbersome, expensive, and not readily available. Negative pressure to promote wound healing is under evolution. This study evaluates the effect of negative pressure in bedsore management. Methods The Negative Pressure Device (NPD) included sterilized foam, a low power continuous suction apparatus (Romovac) and a transparent polyurethane adhesive dressing. NPD was exclusively a bedside procedure. The perforated end of a drainage tube was placed on the wound surface and other end exited 10 cms away from wound margin, connected to Romovac. Sterilized foam was trimmed to size and geometry of wound as cover. Opsite closed the wound with an airtight seal. The bellow of Romovac was charged to attain negative pressure. Recharging was done after five to six hours. The wound inspected and dressings changed every five to seven days. Results NPD converted an open wound into a close controlled wound. By drawing away fluid from the wound it prevented collection of secretions and decreased purulence. Negative pressure increased vascularity, enhanced granulation tissue and rapidly reduced the size and depth of wound. Airtight sealing prevented soiling and odor enabling universal acceptance. In controlled based study, NPD: Reduced the frequency of dressing from once daily to once in five to seven days (cost effective). Reduced bacterial contamination and substantially increased granulation tissue. Serial microbial assessment of wound revealed efficacy in controlling bacterial growth and achieving a sterile culture within 10 days. Prooved itself to be an efficient and painless method of serial debridement. Reduced wound size and depth to one third of the original within three weeks. Was well tolerated by patients. The drawbacks of NPD were: Failure in low sacral bedsores close to the natal cleft. Difficulty in getting an airtight seal using Opsite. The tendency of the sterile foam to disintegrate, making the secretions viscous and clogging the drain. Tendency to increase bleeding, during changes of dressings, from the exuberant granulation tissue which formed. Conclusions NPD is a bedside procedure, easy to apply, with minimal side effects. It reduces the frequency of dressings and duration of hospitalization. By converting an open wound into a close-controlled wound it decreases purulence, hastens recovery and prevents soiling and the characteristic odor. The NPD apparatus suggested is innovative, cost-effective

Hip fracture in the elderly is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Significant intra-operative blood loss and the subsequent need for transfusion significantly contribute to patient morbidity. Making a surgical incision with diathermy reduces wound related blood loss, by coagulating small vessels as tissue is incised, however no study to date has looked at the use of diathermy in making surgical incisions around the hip. In addition, the increasing prevalence of blood borne infections makes the exclusion of sharps from the operative field an attractive option. The aim of this study was to compare diathermy incision with traditional wound opening using a scalpel to incise all layers. 50 patient undergoing hemiarthroplasty for fractured neck of femur were recruited prospectively. Patients on warfarin were excluded from the study while those on aspirin were not. After informed consent was obtained patients were randomized to scalpel or diathermy incision by coin toss. In the diathermy group the dermis was incised with the scalpel and all further layers with the diathermy, while in both groups diathermy as used for haemostasis. All patients received prophylactic antibiotics at induction and for 24 hours post-op. Wounds were closed in a standard fashion using absorbable sutures for closing fascia and fat layers and surgical staples for skin. Intra-operative parameters measured included: 1) Time to open wound – defined as time taken to open wound from skin incision to complete opening of the fascia lata and achieve haemostasis. 2) Wound length and depth. 3) Wound related blood loss – swabs used while creating and closing the wound were weighed separately. 4) Total operative blood loss. Post-operatively all wound related complications were recorded. Statistical analysis was performed using the un-paired Student t-test parametric data. Both groups were similar in relation to age, sex and pre-operative aspirin use. Intra-operatively neither wound sizes nor time taken to create the wound were statistically significantly different. In the scalpel group wound related blood loss represented over 30% of the total operative blood loss as compared with only 18.5% in the diathermy group. Post-operatively there were no wound infections or dehiscences in either group, however 4 patients in the scalpel group developed significant wound ooze that responded to conservative treatment. There were no significant wound problems in the diathermy incision group. This prospective study has shown that the use of diathermy incision for hip hemiarthroplasty significantly reduces wound related blood loss and the incidence of post-operative wound ooze. We conclude that the routine use of diathermy to make incisions around the hip is effective in reducing wound related bleeding without adverse effects on wound healing or infection rate

Purpose: The optimal choice of irrigating solution or irrigating pressure in the initial management of open fracture wounds remains controversial. FLOW compared the effect of castile soap versus normal saline, and low versus high pressure pulsatile lavage on one year re-operation rates in patients with open fracture wounds. Method: We conducted a multicenter, blinded, two-by-two factorial, pilot randomized trial of 111 patients with open fracture wounds receiving either castile soap solution or normal saline and either high or low pressure pulsatile lavage. The primary outcome, reoperation within one year, included infections, wound healing problems, and nonunions. Secondary outcomes included all operative and non-operative infections, wound healing problems, nonunion and functional outcomes. We followed the intention to treat principle. Results: Eighty-nine patients (80.2%) completed the 12-month follow-up. As anticipated in this small-sample-size pilot study, results were compatible with substantial benefit and substantial harm: the hazard ratio (HR) for reoperation with castile soap was 0.77, 95% CI 0.35 to 1.69, p=0.52; with low pressure lavage, the hazard ratio for the risk of reoperation was 0.56, 95% CI 0.25 to 1.27, p=0.17. Secondary outcomes showed a significant relative risk reduction for nonunion of 63% in favour of castile soap (p=0.036), and a trend for a relative risk reduction for nonunion of 44% in favour of low pressure lavage (p=0.22). Conclusion: The FLOW pilot study suggests the possibility of an important reduction in reoperation rates for both castile soap and low pressure pulsatile lavage. Our findings provide compelling rationale for continued investigation in a pivotal FLOW trial of 2280 patients

The optimal choice of irrigating solution or irrigating pressure in the initial management of open fracture wounds remains controversial. FLOW compared the effect of castile soap versus normal saline, and low versus high pressure pulsatile lavage on one year re-operation rates in patients with open fracture wounds. We conducted a multicentre, blinded, two-by-two factorial, pilot randomised trial of 111 patients with open fracture wounds receiving either castile soap solution or normal saline and either high or low pressure pulsatile lavage. The primary outcome, re-operation within one year, included infections, wound healing problems, and nonunions. Secondary outcomes included all operative and non-operative infections, wound healing problems, nonunion and functional outcomes. We followed the intention to treat principle. Eighty-nine patients (80.2%) completed the 12-month follow-up. As anticipated in this small-sample-size pilot study, results were compatible with substantial benefit and substantial harm. The hazard ratio (HR) for re-operation with castile soap was 0.77 (95% Confidence Interval (CI) 0.35 to 1.69, p=0.52). With low pressure lavage, the hazard ratio for the risk of re-operation was 0.56, 95% CI 0.25 to 1.27, p=0.17. Secondary outcomes showed a significant relative risk reduction for nonunion of 63% in favour of castile soap (p=0.036), and a trend for a relative risk reduction for nonunion of 44% in favour of low pressure lavage (p=0.22). Functional outcome scores showed no significant differences at any time point between groups. The FLOW pilot randomised controlled trial demonstrated the possibility that the use of low pressure may decrease the re-operation rate for infection, wound healing problems, or nonunion. Our findings provide compelling rationale for continued investigation in a pivotal FLOW trial of 2280 patients

Aim. Antibiotic prophylaxis is critical for the prevention of fracture related infection (FRI) in trauma patients, particularly those with open wounds. Administration of prophylactic antibiotics prior to arrival at the hospital (e.g. by paramedics) may reduce intraoperative bacterial load and has been recommended; however scientific evidence for pre-hospital administration is scarce. Methods. The contaminated rabbit humeral osteotomy model of Arens was modified to resemble the sequence of events in open fractures. In an initial surgery representing the “accident”, a 2mm mid-diaphyseal hole was created in the humerus and the wound was contaminated with a clinical Staphylococcus aureus strain (mean 1.6×106 Colony Forming Units, CFU). The animals were allowed recover for 4 hours mimicking the period from trauma to debridement. At this time, a second procedure was performed in order to debride and irrigate the wound, and to fix a complete osteotomy that was made through the initial defect. Three test groups were included (n=8 rabbits per group): 1) no antibiotic therapy; 2) standard “in-hospital” antibiotic prophylaxis (24 hours therapy starting 30 minutes before surgery); 3) “pre-hospital” antibiotics (single dose 15 minutes after the “accident”). The antibiotic used was cefuroxime and was administered in a weight-adjusted dosage. Results. In the absence of any antibiotic administration (group 1), high bacterial counts were identified at fixation (1.89×106 CFU) and at euthanasia (day 7, 7.70×107 CFU) in all rabbits. When 24 hours of antibiotics were administered commencing “in hospital” (group 2), the bacterial load during fixation surgery was slightly reduced (CFU 9.88×105) and 50% of animals were infected at euthanasia. When one single shot of antibiotics was administered in the “pre-hospital” setting (group 3), the bacterial load during fixation surgery was significantly lower than for both groups 1 and 2(CFU 2.34×103) yet all animals were infected at euthanasia. Conclusions. Early pre-hospital administration of antibiotics significantly reduced the bacterial load in the operative field at the time of debridement compared to regular prophylaxis. However, continuation of systemic antibiotics is necessary in order to prevent infection in this model

Aims

To identify variables independently associated with same-day discharge (SDD) of patients following revision total knee arthroplasty (rTKA) and to develop machine learning algorithms to predict suitable candidates for outpatient rTKA.

Aims

To explore the efficacy of extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) in the treatment of osteochondral defect (OCD), and its effects on the levels of transforming growth factor (TGF)-β, bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)-2, -3, -4, -5, and -7 in terms of cartilage and bone regeneration.

Aims

Ankle fractures are common injuries and the third most common fragility fracture. In all, 40% of ankle fractures in the frail are open and represent a complex clinical scenario, with morbidity and mortality rates similar to hip fracture patients. They have a higher risk of complications, such as wound infections, malunion, hospital-acquired infections, pressure sores, veno-thromboembolic events, and significant sarcopaenia from prolonged bed rest.

Infection and re-fracture are well-described complications following open paediatric forearm fractures. The purpose of this paper is to determine if patient, injury, and treatment characteristics can be used to predict the occurrence of these complications following the surgical management of paediatric open forearm fractures. This is an IRB-approved retrospective review at a single-institution paediatric level 1 trauma centrefrom 2007–2013 of all open forearm fractures. Medical records were reviewed to determine the type of open fracture, time to administration of initial antibiotics, time from injury to surgery, type of fixation, length of immobilisation, and complications. Radiographs were studied to document fracture characteristics. 262 patients with an average age of 9.7 years were reviewed. There were 219 Gustillo-Anderson Type 1 open fractures, 39 Type 2 fractures, and 4 Type 3 fractures. There were 9 infections (3.4%) and 6 re-fractures (2.3%). Twenty-eight (10.7%) patients returned to the operating room for additional treatment; 21 of which were for removal of implants. Contaminated wounds, as documented within the medical record, had a greater chance of infection (21% vs 2.2%, p=0.002). No difference in infection rate was seen with regard to timing of antibiotics (p=0.87), timing to formal debridement (p=0.20), Type 1 versus Type 2 or 3 open fractures (3.4% vs 5.0%, p=0.64), 24 hours vs. 48 hours of post-operative IV antibiotics (5.2% vs 3.5%, p=0.53), or when comparing diaphyseal, distal, and Monteggia fracture patterns (3.6 vs 2.9% vs 5.9%, p=0.81). There was no difference in infection rate when comparing buried or exposed intramedullary implants (3.5% vs 4.2%, p>0.99). Rate of re-fracture was not increased based on type of open wound (p>0.99) or fracture type (0.4973), although 5 of the 6 re-fractures were in diaphyseal injuries. In this series of open paediatric both bone forearm fractures, initial wound contamination was a significant risk factor for subsequent infection. The rate of infection did not vary with timing of antibiotics or surgery, type of open fracture, or length of post-operative antibiotics. A trend to higher re-fracture rates in diaphyseal injuries was noted. Surgeons should consider planned repeat irrigation and debridement for open forearm fractures with obviously contaminated wounds to reduce the subsequent infection risk

Negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) is commonly used to manage severe open fracture wounds. The recently completed X randomized controlled trial (RCT) evaluated the effect of NPWT versus standard wound management on 12-month disability and rate of deep infection among patients with severe open fractures of the lower limb and reported no differences. Using data from the Y trial of open fracture patients, we aimed to evaluate the impact of NPWT on the odds of having deep infections and health-related quality of life (HRQL). Our analyses included participants from the Y trial who had Gustilo II and III lower extremity fractures. To adjust for the influence of injury characteristics on type of dressing received, a propensity score was developed from the dataset. A one-to-one matching algorithm was then used to pair patients with a similar propensity for NPWT. Mixed effects logistic regression was used to evaluate the association between type of wound dressing and development of a deep infection requiring operative management (dependent variable) in the matched cohort. Gustilo type, irrigation solution, fracture location, mechanism of injury, and degree of contamination were included as adjustment variables. To determine any differences in HRQL between the NPWT and standard wound dressing groups, we conducted two multi-level models with three levels (centre, patient, and time) and included Short Form-12 (SF-12) Physical Health Component (PCS) and SF-12 Mental Health Component (MCS) as dependent variables. Gustilo type, irrigation solution, fracture location, mechanism of injury, degree of contamination, and pre-injury SF-12 scores were included as adjustment variables. All tests were 2-tailed with alpha=0.05. After applying propensity score-matching to adjust for the influence of injury characteristics on type of dressing used, there were 270 matched pairs of patients available for comparison. The odds of developing a deep infection requiring operative management within 12 months of initial surgery was 4.22 times higher in patients who received NPWT compared to those who did not receive NPWT (Odds Ratio (OR) 4.22, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) 2.26–7.87. 1,329 participants were included in our HRQL analysis and those treated with NPWT had significantly lower SF-12 PCS at all follow-up visits (6w, 3m, 6m, 12m) post fracture (p=0.01). Participants treated with NPWT had significantly lower SF-12 MCS at 6-weeks post-fracture (p=0.03). Unlike the X trial, our analysis found that patients treated with NPWT had higher odds of developing a deep infection requiring operative management and that being treated with NPWT was associated with lower physical quality of life in the 12 months post-fracture. While there may have been other potential adjustment variables not controlled for in this analysis, our results suggest that the use of this treatment should be re-evaluated

Background:. Severe kyphosis in myelomeningocoele patients results in seating problems, early satiety and ultimately pressure sores over the prominence. Kyphectomy and sagittal correction can improve these morbidities. Aim:. To evaluate the outcome of kyphectomy surgery in meningomyelocoele children. Methods:. A retrospective review was performed of a single surgeon series of paediatric myelomeningocele patients who underwent kyphectomy surgery. All the patients had posterior fusion, employing pedicle screws and sub laminar wiring. All the posterior fusions extended to the pelvis either to include S1 or the ilium. Prior to surgery, three children had open wounds over the apex of the deformity. Despite prone nursing, these failed to heal. These were closed primarily intra-operatively without the requirement of flaps. Results:. Seven children (four males, three females) were identified with an average age of 9.5 (8–13) years. The kyphosis was corrected from a mean range of 110° (88°–180°) to post-operative range of 5°–45°. The operative time averaged 240 min (165–284 min) with an estimated blood loss average of 957 ml (500–2550 ml). All the patients recovered well and no short-term complications were experienced except one transient CSF leak intra operatively. Two patients presented with sub-acute delayed infection requiring removal of instrumentation once the spine had fused. There was one case of instrumentation failure. All patients had improved wheel chair seating. Conclusion:. Kyphectomy in myelomeningocele is an infrequently required procedure which is effective in sagittal correction and improved seating with an acceptable complication rate

Infection is a potentially disastrous complication of total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Although advances in surgical technique and antibiotic prophylaxis have reduced the incidence of infection to approximately 1% in primary TKA, there is still a substantial number of patients. Treatment options include antibiotic suppression, irrigation and debridement with component retention (with or without polyethylene exchange), one-stage or two-stage revision, resection arthroplasty and rarely arthrodesis or amputation. Salvage of prostheses has always been associated with low rates of success. It was reported a success rate of 27% for open debridement. It is suitable for selective cases where infection occurs within the first 4–6 weeks of primary TKA or in the setting of acute hematogenous gram positive infection with stable implants. With the advances in arthroscopic technique, arthroscopy after TKA has become an accepted method to assess and manage the complications of TKA. Arthroscopic treatment for infected TKA was reported and the successful rate was similar or better than open debridement in selected situations. We used arthroscopic debridement combined with continuous antibiotic irrigation and suction to treat acute presentation of infected TKA with acceptable result. From 2010∼2013, we has performed arthroscopic debridement and continuous antibiotic irrigation system for seven patients with infected TKA. All of the seven patients had no open wounds nor sinuses and no radiological evidence of prosthetic instability or evidence of osteomyelitis. Most of the surgical intervention was performed within two weeks from the onset of symptoms. Arthroscopic debridement was performed with a shaver using a multiportal technique (anterolateral, anteromedial, superolateral, superomedial, posterolateral, posteromedial) and a continuous antibiotic irrigation system was used to dilutes concentration of the causative microorganism and keep high local bactericidal concentration of antibiotics. We evaluated the efficacy by using follow up of the C-reactve protein (CRP) test, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) test and physical examination. Successful treatment was defined as prosthesis retention without recurrent infection by the final follow-up. Six of seven infected TKA were cured without recurrence at a mean follow-up of 23 months (range, 6–41 months). One case with rheumatoid arthritis under long-term steroid therapy had recurred after episode of upper respiratory tract infection for 3 times. However, the infection was controlled by arthroscopic debridement and retention of the prosthesis was achieved. We emphasize the importance of posterior portal to ensure adequate arthroscopic debridement. It is imperative to make early diagnosis and treatment for infected TKA. We should make more effort to preserve the prosthesis in acute infection(within 2 weeks). With the advantage of minimal morbidity, arthroscopic treatement shoulder be an alternative to open debridement

There have been a worldwide change in the susceptibility patterns of antibiotics by many community-acquired microorganisms including those associated to wound infection after open fractures. However, the current antibiotic prophylaxis practice adopted by orthopedic surgeons to prevent infectious complications following open fractures has not changed, since Gustilo and Andersen classification was published several decades ago. Few studies have addressed the current pattern of infectious organisms identified in open fracture wounds and its susceptibility to antibiotics that have been empirically used. We aim to study the incidence of community-acquired resistant organisms isolated in lower extremities open fracture and analyze if antibiotic therapy based upon identified resistant pathogens, would decrease surgical site infection (SSI) rates. In a prospective, single center cohort study, from August 2013 to March 2015 at a tertiary public university institution, 136 subjects presenting Gustilo type II or III lower extremities open fractures were randomly assigned in two arms. Both arms were submitted to surgical debridement, fracture stabilization, and empirical antibiotic therapy, but subjects on Group II had at least three samples of tissue cultures collected during debridement. Patients previously treated at an emergency department other them ours were excluded. When resistant bacteria was identified, antibiotic therapy was modified according to antibiogram tests. The primary outcome was to compare the infection rates between these two groups, after early 60-days follow up. We included 136 patients with Gustilo-II (43.4%), –III, (34.5%) open fractures, of which 86% were male, with median age of 33.7 years, and 69.1% presented no comorbidities. Group II (collection of tissue cultures) accounted 36.7% of patients, and among them bacterial growth were detected in 36% (16/50). Microorganism resistant to empirical antibiotic therapy was identified in 18% (9/50), including Staphylococcus aureus, coagulase-negative Staphylococci, Enterococcus sp, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella sp, Serratia sp, Escherichia coli, and Enterobacter sp. Median duration of antibiotic treatment was eleven days. During 60-days of follow up, 71 patients (52.2%) were evaluated for signs of infection using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention criteria, of which 63.4% (45/71) and 36.6% (26/71) were on Group I and II, respectively. No significant difference in the rates of SSI was observed between the study arms (19.2% vs 22.2%, respectively, P = 0.95). We detected higher rates of bacterial resistance on Gustilo type II and III open fracture wounds, but adjusting antibiotic therapy towards these contaminants did not affected the rates of infection afterwards