Aim

Gram negative bacteria (GNB) are emerging pathogens in chronic post-traumatic osteomyelitis. However, data on multi-drug (MDR) and extensively drug resistant (XDR) GNB are sparse.

Aim

Data on Prosthetic joint infection (PJI) caused by multi-drug resistant (MDR) or XDR (extensively drug resistant) Gram negative bacteria (GNB) are limited. Treatment options are also restricted. We conducted a multi-national, multi-center assessment of clinical data and factors of outcome for these infections.

Many studies describe the use of the Ilizarov ring fixator for lower limb lengthening and for the management of the 3-dimensional lower limb deformities in achondroplasia, and most confirm the efficacy of this technique. However, long term follow up of these achondroplastic patients is lacking. Most studies have focused on magnitude of lengthening, treatment time required and complications, but no study has analyzed the long term postoperative condition of these patients using an objective, functional method such as gait analysis.

Nineteen (19) achondroplastic patients, 12 males and 7 females, aged 19–38 years (mean 27.3 y) who have undergone tibia and femur lengthening, using the Ilizarov method, at the age of 9–19 years (mean 12.6 y), were evaluated 5–19 years (mean 10.1 y) after their last surgery, using 3-dimensional gait analysis. Nineteen (19) normal, height-matched subjects were used as controls. The VICON Nexus 8 Camera System was used to accurately measure spatiotemporal characteristics (walking velocity, stride length, step length, cadence) and kinematics (range of motion) of lower limb joints. Statistical comparison of deformity parameters between achondroplastic patients and normal population was done using the student t- test. A level of p<0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Walking velocity, step length and stride length were statistically significantly decreased (p<0.05) in achondroplastic patients compared to normal population values. The achondroplastic group presented with excessive anterior pelvic tilt (mean 21.9^o± 7.3), excessive pelvic rotation (range 28.7^o±7.8), decreased hip extension (mean 1.8^o±10.1) and decreased plantar flexion (mean 17.1^o±5.1) when compared to normal controls. There was no statistically significant difference in the knee kinematics between the operated achondroplastic patients and normal controls.

The achondroplastic patients present decreased values in their spatiotemporal characteristics compared to the normal subjects because, despite the height gain, their lower limbs remain shorter. Their excessive anterior pelvic tilt is attributed to their lordosis. Their excessive forward pelvic rotation is an attempt to increase stride and step length. The decreased hip extension is due to their anterior pelvic tilt. The correction of these patients genu varum restored knee kinematics to normal. In order to address the hip and pelvis deformities a proximal femoral osteotomy should be considered.

The Ilizarov method provides functional height gain and substantially corrects the three-dimensional lower limb deformities of achondroplastic patients especially around the knee joint but more planning needs to be implemented when the system is applied to correct the disease specific deformities of the hip and pelvis. Gait analysis is an objective tool that can be used to address these design issues.

To evaluate the functional outcome after complete median nerve transaction and repair, and sensory reeducation.

We studied 40 patients, aged 20 to 32 years, with median nerve neurotmesis at the wrist. Primary epineural microsurgical repair using 8-0 single strand sutures was done in all patients, and a hand and wrist cast was applied for 4 weeks. After cast removal all patients went through physical therapy for 1 month to restore motion and reduce stiffness of the injured hand. After reinnervation was completed, the patients were randomly allocated into 2 equal groups: Group A patients were instructed to a sensory re-education program; Group B patients had no further treatment. Clinical evaluation was done at 18 months postoperatively including the localization test (locognosia), the static and the moving 2 point discrimination tests, the Moberg’s pick-up test (stereognosia), and the hand grip and the opposition strength tests.

All patients were included in the postoperative evaluation. Hand grip and opposition strength, static and moving two point discrimination were not statistically significant between the two groups (p= 0.622, p= 0.112 and p= 0.340, respectively). The localization test was statistically significant in group A (p= 0.007), and a trend to statistical significance was observed regarding the Moberg’s pick up test in group A (90% statistical significance, p= 0.063).

Sensory reeducation is essential for patients with median nerve neurotmesis and repair, as it significantly re-educates localization and stereognosia in the shortest time following peripheral nerve injury and repair

In the peripheral nervous system of rats, a wide-variety of toxins has been studied to selectively target neurons projecting through a particular nerve. We employed 54 adult male rats to create a neuroma-in-continuity and to evaluate the effect of the immunotoxin OX7-saporin to inhibit neuroma-in-continuity formation. Materials and Methods: The left common peroneal, tibial or sciatic nerves were crushed by one 10-second application of a microforceps. At 3 and 6 weeks after nerve crush, the respective nerve was cut distal to the site of nerve crush, and microinjection of 2 μl of natural saline or 2 μl of the OX7-saporin was done.

In all nerve specimens of the control group and the saline-injection experimental subgroups, gross observation showed a thickened area at the site of nerve crush. Histology showed features consistent with a neuroma-in-continuity. In 11 of the 14 nerve specimens of the OX7-saporin injection experimental subgroups, gross observation showed a narrowed area at the site of nerve crush. Histology showed prevention of neuroma-in-continuity formation as seen by wiping out of almost all nerve fibers, leaving an empty tube encasing by connective tissue.

This study supports the hypothesis that intraneural injection of the OX7-saporin may inhibit neuroma-in-continuity formation

Purpose: To evaluate knee proprioception following Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) reconstruction using two different autografts.

Materials and methods: Forty patients, (34 male, 6 female), aged between 17–54 years old (mean: 31), with complete ACL tears were subjected to ligamentous reconstruction. Group A (20 patients) underwent reconstruction with 4 strand hamstrings graft whilst in the remaining 20 patients (group B) bone-patellar tendon-bone graft was used. Proprioception was assessed by the Joint Position Sense (JPS) of the knee for predetermined angles (15°, 45° and 75°) as well as by the threshold to detection of passive movement (TTDPM) at 15° and 45° in flexion and extension using an isokinetic dynamometer (Con-Trex, MJ, Switzerland). The examination was performed pre-operatively and 3, 6 and 12 months after surgery, on both knees of all patients.

The t-test was utilised for statistical analysis.

Results: ACL deficient knees presented with significantly poor TTDPM values at a starting angle of 15° moving into flexion and extension. The JPS findings were statistically different between injured and uninjured knees (p< 0.05).

The TTDPM at 15° and JPS findings of the injured leg, before and 6, 12 months after reconstructive surgery, were statistically different (p< 0.05) for both groups.

There was no statistically significant difference for both JPS and TTDPM at 15° in flexion and extension between the findings in reconstructed and uninjured knees, at 6 and 12 months post-operatively in both groups.

No difference was found when comparing proprioceptive improvement following ACL reconstruction between the two different autograft groups.

Conclusions: Both JPS at 15°, 45°, and 75° and TTDPM at 15° in flexion and extension are impaired in ACL deficient knees. There is improvement of these proprioceptive parameters following operative reconstruction of the ACL using both hamstrings and patellar tendon grafts. No particular graft seems to be preferable in terms of proprioceptive improvement as assessed by JPS and TTDPM.

Six patients underwent wide segmental resection and limb salvage surgery for primary or metastatic bone tumors involving the diaphysis of the femur, the tibia and the humerus using a modular intramedullary diaphyseal segmental defect fixation system. There were 4 men and 2 women with a mean age of 62 years (range, 40 to 77 years).

Histological diagnosis included adamantinoma, dedifferentiated synovial sarcoma attached to the tibia, multiple myeloma, and metastatic renal cell carcinoma, myeloid carcinoma of the thyroid gland and metastatic adenocarcinoma of the stomach.

The mean follow-up was 16 months (range, 11 to 24 months). At the latest examination, 5 patients were free of local or distant disease; one patient had deceased with distant disease, without evidence of local recurrence. Revision surgery was necessary in one patient because of mechanical loosening of the proximal fixation of the prosthesis. The mean increase of the Enneking rating from the pre to the postoperative status was 87.82%.

The intramedullary diaphyseal segmental defect fixation system used herein is associated with a satisfactory functional and oncological outcome after wide resection of diaphyseal bone tumors.

Purpose: To present a series of 49 patients which underwent single or two staged complete spondylectomy, vertebral body reconstruction and segmental spinal stabilization due to spinal tumors.

Materials and Methods: From 1992 to 2002, 49 patients with primary or metastatic spinal tumors were treated. There were 36 females and 13 males with mean age at operation of 53.5 years (19 – 80). The preoperative classification was Frankel E in 17 cases, B – D in 31 cases and A in one case. Five patients had nerve root dysfunction and one, classified as Frankel E, had sphincter inadequacy. The parts of the spine involved were lower cervical in 7 cases, thoracic in 10, thoracolumbar in 15 and lumbar in 17 cases. The operations were two staged in 36 cases and single staged in 13 cases. In the cervical spine, titanium cylinders filled with methylmethacrylate were used. For the rest of the spine, the most commonly used instruments were the Kaneda device, followed by the Miami–MOSS system. Bone graft was used in five benign tumors. Mean follow – up was 62.3 months.

Results: One patient died during the anterior procedure and in another it had to be interrupted, whereupon he died one week later. Two patients died due to their underlying pathology in the 6th post–operative month. Complications included wound healing problems in 9 patients and local recurrence in one patient. There were no neurological deteriorations or instrument failures. The majority of patients experienced improvement in their neurological status, reduction of pain or both. Most patients were functionally improved and spinal alignment was maintained in all.

Conclusion: Spinal tumor resection and spinal reconstruction provide stability, early weight bearing, symptom remission and neurological improvement.

Purpose: To describe the diagnostic planning and treatment modalities of six patients with this rarest of sacral fractures. Due to the low incidence of these injuries, there is no literature evidence concerning their management.

Materials and Methods: Six patients with a transverse fracture of the sacrum with anterior displacement. All patients were admitted with bowel and bladder dysfunction, perineal anesthesia, sensory and motor deficits at the lower extremities. Prompt diagnosis of the sacral fracture was obtained in five of the six patients.

Results: Operative treatment including extensive lumbosacral laminectomies, spine instrumentation and fusion was performed in all cases. Neurological recovery was almost complete in one patient, partial in 4 patients and absent in one patient.

Conclusions: A more favorable clinical outcome can be achieved when operative treatment is implemented using lumbosacral decompression by laminectomy, dural repair and posterolateral instrumented fusion with bone grafting. Although reduction of the fracture was not ideal in many of these patients, long term clinical and radiographic follow – up as well as neurological improvement were rewarding.

The management of localized soft tissue sarcomas remains complex. This is a retrospective review of a single institution experience with manual afterloaded brachytherapy following intra-operative implantation of the tumor bed during surgery.

Ten patients over a 4-year period had resection for localized soft-tissue sarcomas and desmoids with insertion of intra-operative brachytherapy implants combined with resection for localized soft-tissue sarcomas. Manual afterloading of the implant with iridium wires was done postoperatively in all patients. The low dose rate brachytherapy dose varied from 13 to 20 Gy. Supplementary external beam radiation was administered pre-operatively or postoperatively to bring the total dose of adjuvant irradiation to 60–65 Gy.

After a median follow-up period of 30 months, the 4-year local disease-free survival rate was 80%. The 4-year actuarial survival rate was 85%. There were no failures within the high-dose region of the implant. No patients had locoregional failures. One patient developed distant metastases. No serious side effects were noticed. Pro-phylactic intramedullary nailing was done in 1 patient. Pathological fractures occurred in 2 patients. All patients had good cosmetic and functional outcomes.

Intra-operative implantation of the tumor bed in combination with tumor resection for soft-tissue sarcomas results in a high degree of local control with acceptable complications. This modality offers the patient a high chance of avoiding a more radical surgical procedure such as limb amputation.

The purpose of this study was to propose a new classification based on the structural, anatomical and biomechanical properties of the odontoid process, to evaluate the outcome and to suggest the adequate treatment in relation to the specific fracture type.

The files of 97 patients with odontoid process fractures admitted to our institution were reviewed. The external and internal anatomy of the axis has been studied. The fractures were classified according to the proposed new classification. The method was tested for reliability and validity. Mean follow-up was 14 years.

Intraobserver and interobserver agreement was excellent with intraclass correlation coefficients at levels of 0.98 and 0.85 respectively. Four types of odontoid process fractures are distinguished; type A fractures are avulsion fractures involving the tip of the odontoid; type B fractures are fractures of the neck between the lower edge of the transverse ligament and the line connecting the medial corners of the upper articular facets of the axis; type C fractures involve the area between the previously mentioned line and the base of the odontoid process (type C1) or extend to the body of the axis (type C2); type D fractures are complex fractures involving more than one level of the odontoid process.

Classification of odontoid process fractures has to be reconsidered as novel imaging technology has shown new patterns of fractures. Computed tomography scan with image reconstruction is mandatory. The analysis of the imaging data in the present study justifies the new classification.

Intraarticular osteoid osteomas account for approximately 13% of osteoid osteomas. The hip is the commonest location of intraarticular osteoid osteomas.

We present 16 patients with intra-articular osteoid osteomas of the hip treated with RFA. These were 13 men and 3 women, with a mean age of 27 years (range, 16–48 years). Eight osteoid osteomas were located in the femoral head, 6 in the femoral neck, and 2 in the acetabulum.

The approximate mean duration of the procedure was 82 min (range, 50–125 min). The mean hospitalization time was 8.7 h (range, 6–12 h). All patients had pain improvement within the first 24 h. Five patients had pain relief within the first 3 days, 9 patients within the first week, and 2 patients within 2 weeks post-procedural. Twelve patients continued to have some restriction of their physical activities up to one month after the operation. All patients returned to their previous status of physical activity within the first 2 to 3 months post-procedural. At the latest follow-up, there were no residual or recurrent symptoms. Five patients complained for mild pain, which was probably due to hip synovitis that resolved within a week. One patient experienced transient paresthesias and pain in the buttock at the site of the trocar and electrode insertion.

Intra-articular osteoid osteomas have clinical and imaging features significantly different from those seen in extra-articular lesions. CT-guided percutaneous RFA is a simple minimally invasive, safe and effective method for most intra-articular osteoid osteomas.

The purpose of this study is the biomechanical comparison of five C1 – C2 posterior arthrodesis techniques. Ten adult human cadaveric upper cervical spine specimens were sectioned at the C3 level. The occiput and C3 vertebra were potted in PMMA. The specimens were tested intact; after destabilizing with odontoid transection and sectioning of the transverse and capsular ligaments; and after stabilization with Brooks-Jenkins cable fixation, Brooks-Jenkins with unilateral transarticular screw, Gallie posterior wire construct with unilateral transarticular screw, Brooks-Jenkins with bilateral screws, and Gallie with bilateral screws. Data were analysed with special attention paid to the motion at C1 – C2. The neutral zone (NZ) and range of motion (ROM) were measured in the main plane of each motion, as well as in coupled planes. In flexion / extension and lateral bending, the ROM and NZ increased significantly in the injured specimens as compared to the intact (p< 0.0001).

In axial torsion, there was no significant difference between the intact and injured spines at C1 – C2 level. In the different fixation systems, the ROM and NZ were significantly lower than in injured and intact spines in all motions (p< 0.01), except the lateral bending in intact spine. Among the 5 instrumentations, the NZ and ROM in flexion / extension for the Gallie construct with one screw were significantly higher than for the Brooks-Jenkins construct with one or two screws (p< 0.05). In axial torsion, the Gallie construct with one screw displayed a larger NZ and ROM than any of the other four constructs (p< 0.05).

Background: Amputation of the distal fibula for malignant tumors is accepted practice. Few studies have reported limb salvage surgery for malignant tumors of the distal fibula. After distal fibulectomy, the main concerns are local recurrence of the tumor and ankle instability and deformity related to total resection of the lateral malleolus. Our objective was to analyze the oncologic and functional outcome of lateral malleolus en bloc resection for malignant tumors of the distal fibula, with special attention to operative techniques, reconstruction methods, and postoperative complications.

Methods: The authors identified ten patients who had malignant tumors of the distal fibula requiring total resection of the lateral malleolus. The patients’ medical records, operative reports, radiographs, and the histologic specimens were reviewed. There were four children (mean age, 7.5 years) and six adults (mean age, 42.16 years). The distal metaphysis was involved in seven patients and the epiphysis in three. There were four osteosarcomas, three chondrosarcomas, two Ewing sarcomas, and one adamantinoma. The most common symptoms at presentation were a palpable mass in nine patients, ankle pain in six, and pathologic fracture in one. The mean duration of symptoms before diagnosis and treatment was nineteen months. All patients had operative treatment; two patients with osteosarcoma had perioperative chemotherapy and one patient with Ewing sarcoma had radiotherapy and chemotherapy and another patient with Ewing sarcoma had chemotherapy only. Two types of “en bloc” resection of the distal fibula were performed. Wide (type II) extra-articular resection was performed in seven patients. Marginal (type I) intra-articular resection of the distal fibula was performed in three patients. After resection, a primary ankle arthrodesis was performed in four adults and postoperative bracing without any reconstruction in four children and two adults.

Results: Within a mean follow-up time of 14.4 years (range, three to thirty years), tumor recurred locally in two patients after a marginal type I resection of a chondrosarcoma, and in one after a type II wide extra-articular resection of an osteosarcoma. All ten patients were disease-free at latest follow-up examination. Six patients had reoperation. A below-knee amputation was performed in three patients for chronic osteomyelitis, for local recurrence of chondrosarcoma, and for a late adamantinoma of the tibia. One patient had further soft tissue and bone reconstructive surgery for lateral talus subluxation and cavovarus deformity. Another patient required ankle arthrodesis for recurrent ankle instability and ankle joint degenerative changes. One patient had wide re-resection for local recurrence of an osteosarcoma. All ten patients were ambulatory at latest follow-up evaluation. Four adult patients who underwent primary arthrodesis and one child who had no initial reconstruction and had late ankle arthrodesis had a satisfactory outcome, with an ISOLS functional score of 27.6 (92%). Two adolescents who had postoperative bracing without any soft tissue reconstruction had an ISOLS functional score of 24 (80%) with no ankle pain and satisfactory function; they used an ankle-foot orthosis during sports activities. Three patients who subsequently required below-knee amputation used a below-knee prosthesis for ambulation.

Conclusions: Limb salvage surgery for high-grade malignant tumors of the distal fibula can be achieved by wide extra-articular resection. For low-grade malignant tumors or high-grade tumors responding to adjuvant therapy, a more conservative marginal intra-articular resection may be adequate. Primary arthrodesis is indicated in adults after wide extra-articular resection. In children, repair of the lateral soft tissues and reconstruction of the tibiofibular mortise is necessary after tumor resection to avoid late ankle deformity or instability.