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

Background of study. Total Knee Replacement (TKR) is one of the commonest elective arthroplasty operations. Crepe dressings are used following TKR by most surgeons as it may provide comfort and hemostasis through external pressure however, may reduce early range of motion (ROM). Avoiding crepe dressings after TKR saves operating time, avoids bulky dressings (which may reduce ROM) and allows interventions such as cryotherapy in the early post-operative period. There are no published studies comparing the use of crepe dressing after TKR with an impermeable dressing alone. Materials and Methods. We did a retrospective study, analysing patients who had a TKR with the use of crepe dressings compared with patients who had an impermeable dressing alone. All patients had cruciate retaining PFC Implants through the medial para-patellar approach. We compared ROM (at initial physio contact and on discharge), rate of wound leakage, opioid requirements and duration of inpatient stay. Results. Data from 40 patients with similar demographics was analysed; 20 in each group. There was no significant difference in; the ROM at initial physiotherapy contact and at discharge (P< 0.01), rate of wound leakage, opioid use and pain score during inpatient stay. The duration of inpatient stay was shorter in patients in whom a crepe dressing was not used. Conclusion. Avoiding the use of Crepe dressings after TKR does not improve early ROM, pain scores, opioid use or wound leakage in the immediate post-operative period. The duration of inpatient stay was shorter without a crepe dressing. Therefore, both practices can be safely used in clinical practice

Pin site care in external fixation remains a major challenge. The ideal dressing regime still remains controversial as does the type of dressing. We present an audit following the use of a sponge compression dressing in comparison to previously used sterile gauze. All pins and wires were inserted using a standardised technique. Dressings were applied during surgery to prevent haematoma formation. The new sponge dressing was applied to the wire or half-pin sites and compressed to the skin by either pierced tubing over the wire or clips at the end of the procedure. Dressings were changed weekly unless the pin sites were discharging serous fluid or frankly infected, when they were changed as required. The pin sites were evaluated for evidence of infection or irritation using the good, bad or ugly grading system. Each evaluation was performed by two of the authors on two separate occasions to assess the inter- and intra-observer error. The results were compared to those previously reported using sterile gauze as the pin site dressing. 1035 pin sites were assessed. 985 pin sites were graded as “good” (95.2%), 49 “bad” (4.7%) and 1 “ugly”. The kappa values demonstrated excellent inter- and intra-observer correlation, 0.892 and 0.905 respectively. The previous study using gauze reported 600 pin sites with 514 graded “good” (85.7%), 80 “bad” (13.3%) and 6 “ugly” (1%). The use of compression sponge dressing appears to reduce the rate of pin site irritation and infection. Further anecdotal evidence by patients who have undergone surgical treatment using both techniques demonstrated a preference for the sponge dressings due to ease of dressing change and general comfort once applied. We therefore would recommend this type of dressing in the use of external fixation

A randomised controlled pre-clinical trial utilising an existing extremity war wound model compared the efficacy of saline soaked gauze to commercial dressings. The Flexor Carpi Ulnaris of anaesthetised New Zealand rabbits was exposed to high-energy trauma using computer-controlled jig and inoculated with 10. 6. Staphylococcus aureus 3 hours prior to application of dressing. After 7 days the animals were culled. Quantitative microbiological assessment of post-mortem specimens demonstrated statistically significantly reduced S aureus counts in groups treated with iodine or silver based dressings (2-way ANOVA p< 0.05). Clinical observations and haematology were performed during the study. Histopathological assessment of post-mortem muscle specimens included image analysis of digitally scanned haematoxylin and eosin stained tissue sections and subjective semi-quantitative assessment of pathology severity using light microscopy to grade muscle injury and lymph node activation. Tissue samples were also examined using scanning electron microscopy to determine the presence of bacteria and biofilm formation within the injured muscle. Non-parametric data were compared using Kruskal-Wallis. There were no bacteraemias, significantly raised white cell counts, abscesses, purulent discharge or evidence of contralateral axillary lymph node activation. All injured muscle specimens showed evidence of haemorrhage, inflammatory cell infiltration and fibrosis. All ipsilateral axillary lymph nodes were activated. There were no significant differences in the amount of muscle loss, size of the activated lymph nodes or in subjective semi-quantitative scoring criteria for muscle injury or lymph node activation. There was no evidence of bacterial penetration or biofilm formation. This study demonstrated statistically significant reductions in Staphylococcus aureus counts associated with iodine and silver dressings, and no evidence that these dressings cause harm. This was a time-limited study which was primarily powered to detect reduction in bacterial counts; however, there was no significant variation in secondary outcome measures of local or systemic infection over 7 days

The benefits of the Lautenbach suction-instillation have been recognised as an adjunct to the eradication of bone and joint infection. With the wide acceptance of external suction dressings as a means of accelerating wound healing and evacuating exudates, there are advantages to a system which combines these benefits for deep cavities with the direct infusion of antibiotics to increase local tissue concentrations. This is particularly useful in the extensive tissue defects encountered with wide excision of musculoskeletal tumours and reconstruction with mega prostheses or bulk allograft (with many patients undergoing adjuvant chemo- and radiotherapy), and also in complex orthopaedic trauma cases with tissue loss. These situations are associated with a reported infection incidence of up to 40%. Materials. The results of use of the Lautenbach suction-instillation system were studied prospectively in 100 patients over a 7 year period. Results. Sixty cases followed wide excision of musculoskeletal tumours and 40 were caused by complex trauma. Due to logistics, many tumour cases were managed post-operatively in a septic orthopaedic ward. Immediate soft tissue cover was achieved in all tumour cases, utilising flaps where necessary, but cover was delayed for up to 3 weeks in some trauma cases. One late infection (2 years post-op) in a bulk allograft reconstructed sarcoma patient and 1 trauma infection were noted. Both were successfully eradicated with a secondary debridement & Lautenbach suction-instillation. Conclusion. The results of the use of this system to minimise infection under these difficult clinical circumstances are encouraging

Introduction. External fixators are attached to bones with percutaneous pins and wires inserted through soft tissues and bone increasing the risk of infections. Such infections compromise patient outcomes e.g., through pin loosening or loss, failure of fixator to stabilise the fracture, additional surgery, increased pain, and delayed mobilisation. These infections also impact the healthcare system for example, increased OPD visits, hospitalisations, treatments, surgeries and costs. Nurses have a responsibility in the care and management of patients with external fixators and ultimately in the prevention of pin-site infection. Yet, evidence on best practices in the prevention of pin-site infection is limited and variation in pin-site management practices is evident. Various strategies are used for the prevention of pin-site infection including the use of different types of non-medicated and medicated wound dressings. The aim of this retrospective study was to investigate the use of dry gauze or iodine tulle dressings for the prevention of pin-site infections in patients with lower limb external fixators. Methodology. A retrospective study of patients with lower limb external fixators who attended the research site between 2015–2022. Setting & Sample: The setting was the outpatient's (OPD) orthopaedic clinic in a University Teaching Hospital in Dublin, Ireland. Eligibility Criteria:. Over the age of 16, treated with an Ilizarov, Taylor Spatial frame (TSF) or Limb Reconstruction System (LRS) external fixators on lower limbs,. Pin-sites dressed with dry gauze or iodine tulle,. Those with pre-existing infected wounds close to the pin site and/or were on long term antibiotics were excluded. Follow Up Period: From time of external fixator application to first pin-site infection or removal of external fixator. Outcome Assessment: The primary outcome was pin-site infection, secondary outcomes included but were not limited to frequency of pin-site infection according to types of bone fixation, frequency of pin/wire removal and hospitalisation due to infection. Data analysis: IBM SPSS Version 25 was used for statistical analysis. Descriptive and inferential statistics were conducted as appropriate. Categorical data were analysed by counting the frequencies (number and percentages) of participants with an event as opposed to counting the number of episodes for each event. Differences between groups were analysed using Chi-square test or Fisher's exact test, where appropriate. Continuous variables were reported using mean and standard deviations and difference analysed using a two-sample independent t-test or non-parametric test (Mann-Whitney), where appropriate. Using Kaplan-Meier, survival analysis explored time to development of infection. Ethical approval: granted by local institute Research Ethics Committee on 12th March 2018. Results. During the study period, 97 lower limb external fixators were applied with 43 patients meeting the study eligibility criteria. The mean age was 38 (SD 14.1; median 37) and the majority male (n=32, 74%). At least 50% (n=25) of participants had an IIizarov fixator, with 56% (n=24) of all fixators applied to the tibia and fibula. Pin/wire sites were dressed using iodine (n=26, 61%) or dry gauze dressings (n=15, 35%). The mean age of participants in the iodine group was significantly higher than the dry gauze group (p=.012). The only significant difference between the iodine and dry gauze dressing groups at baseline was age. A total of 30 (70%) participants developed a pin-site infection with 26% (n=11) classified as grade 2 infection. Clinical presentation included redness (n=18, 42%), discharge (n=16, 37%) and pain (n=15, 35%). Over half of participants were prescribed oral antibiotics (n=28, 65%); one required intravenous antibiotics and hospitalization due to pin-site infection. Ten (23%) participants required removal of pin/wires; two due to pin-site infection. There was no association between baseline data and pin-site infection. The median time to developing an infection was 7 weeks (95%, CI 2.7 to 11.29). Overall, there were 21 (81%, n=26) pin-site infections in the iodine group and nine (60%, n=15) in the dry gauze group, difference in proportion and relative risk between the dressing groups were not statistically significant (RR 1.35, 95% CI 0.86–2.12; p= .272). There was no association between baseline data, pin-site infection, and type of dressing. Conclusions. At the research site, patients are referred to the OPD orthopaedic clinic from internal and external clinical sites e.g., from Hospital Consultants, General Practitioners and occasionally from multidisciplinary teams, throughout Ireland. Our retrospective observation study found that 97 lower limb external fixators were applied over a seven-year period which is lower than that reported in the literature. However, the study period included the COVID pandemic years (2020 and 2021) which saw a lower number of external fixators applied due to lack of theatre availability, cancelled admissions and social/travel restrictions that resulted in fewer accidents and lower limb trauma cases requiring external fixator application. The study highlighted a high infection rate with 70% of participants developing pin-site infection which is in keeping with findings reporting in other studies. Our study showed that neither an iodine nor dry gauze dressing was successful in preventing pin-site infection. In the iodine group 81% of participants developed infection compared to 60% in the dry gauze group. Given the lack of difference between the two groups consideration needs to be given to the continued use of iodine dressings in the prevention of pin-site infection. Pin-site infections result in a high portion of participants being prescribed antibiotics and, in an era, that stresses the importance of antimicrobial stewardship there is a need to implement effective infection prevention and control strategies that minimise infection. Further research is therefore needed to investigate more innovative medicated dressings such as those that contain anti-microbial or anti-bacterial agents

Sternoclavicular joint infections are uncommon but severe and complex condition usually in medically complex and compromised hosts. These infections are challenging to treat with risks of infection extending into the mediastinal structures and surgical drainage is often faced with problems of multiple unplanned returns to theatre, chronic non-healing wounds that turn into sinus and the risk of significant clinical escalation and death. Percutaneous aspirations or small incision drainage often provide inadequate drainage and failed control of infection, while open drainage and washout require multidisciplinary support, due to the close proximity of the mediastinal structures and the great vessels as well as failure to heal the wounds and creation of chronic wound or sinus. We present our series of 8 cases over 6 years where we used the plan of open debridement of the Sternoclavicular joint with medial end of clavicle excision to allow adequate drainage. The surgical incision was not closed primarily, and a suction vacuum dressing was applied until the infection was contained on clinical and laboratory parameters. After the infection was deemed contained, the surgical incision was closed by local muscle flap by transferring the medial upper sternal head of the Pectoralis Major muscle to fill in the sternoclavicular joint defect. This technique provided a consistent and reliable way to overcome the infection and have the wound definitively closed that required no secondary procedures after the flap surgery and no recurrence of infections so far. We suggest that open and adequate drainage of Sternoclavicular joint staged with vacuum dressing followed by pectoralis major local flap is a reliable technique for achieving control of infection and wound closure for these challenging infections

Aim. There are no studies in literature that analyze the effectiveness of closed-incisional negative pressure wound therapy (ciNPWT) in the treatment of bone and joint infections (BJI). The aim of the study was to evaluate the efficacy and the safety of the application of ciNPWT in the postsurgical wound management of patients with osteoarticular infections. Method. We conducted a perspective single-center study on patients with BJI treated between 01/2022 and 10/2022 with ciNPWT dressing application at the end of the surgical procedure. All patients were treated by a multidisciplinary team (MDT) approach and operated by the same surgical equipe. Inclusion criteria were: presence of periprosthetic joint infection (PJI), fracture-related infection (FRI), osteomyelitis (OM), septic arthritis (SA) surgically treated, after which ciNPTW was applied over the closed surgical wound. 30 patients (19M, 11F) have been analyzed with mean age of 56,10±17,11 years old; BJIs were all localized in the lower limb (16 PJI, 12 FRI, 1 SA, 1 OM). Results. We considered the following clinical local pre-operative parameters: presence of fistula (10 patients, 33,33%), presence of erythema (18 patients, 60%), presence of previous flap in the incisional site (7 patients, 23,33%). In 11 cases (36,67%) more than 3 previous surgical procedures were performed in the surgical site. The following surgical procedures were performed: 8 debridement and implants removal, 7 DAIR, 3 one-stage exchange, 6 two-stage exchange, 3 spacer exchange, 3 resection arthroplasty. Nineteen patients (63,34%) showed no occurrence of any local post-operative complication (erythema, hematoma, wound breakdown, wound blister, necrosis). Seven (23,33%) patients showed the presence of one or more postoperative complications that didn't require additional surgery. We observed four (13,33%) failures, defined as the need for further surgical procedures following the onset of a local complication: two patients had a wound breakdown before wound closure and two had a recurrence of infection after an uneventfully wound closure. All failures were within the group of joint infection (PJI+SA) and were affected by a multi drug resistant pathogen. Conclusions. In our series four patients required further surgery, but only two cases were related to incisional wound problems, that is consistent with aseptic joint revision surgeries data that are available in literature (3.4%-6.9%)[1-2]. Patients affected by BJI are a group with significant high risk of failure and therefore the use of ciNPWT should be considered. However, randomized clinical trials are needed to establish the superiority of the ciNPWT dressing over the standard one

Aim. This was a multicenter, randomized, clinical trial to compare the 90-day 1) incidence of surgical site complications (SSC); 2) health care utilization (the number of dressing changes, readmission, and reoperation); and 3) the patient-reported outcomes (PRO) in high-risk patients undergoing revision total knee arthroplasty (rTKA) with postoperative closed incision negative pressure wound therapy (ciNPT) versus a standard of care (SOC) silver-impregnated occlusive dressing. Method. A total of 294 rTKA patients (15 centers) at high-risk for wound complications were prospectively randomized to receive either SOC or ciNPT (n = 147 each). The ciNPT system was adjusted at 125 mmHg of suction. Investigated outcomes were assessed weekly up to 90 days after surgery. A preset interim analysis was conducted at 50% of the intended sample size, with planned discontinuation for clear efficacy/harm if a significance of p < 0.005 was attained. Results. A total of 242 patients completed the required follow-up (ciNPT: n = 124 (84.4%); SOC: n = 118 (80.3%)). Demographics, baseline comorbidities, causes of revision (prosthetic joint infection, aseptic loosening, implant-related, and periprosthetic fractures), and duration of treatment were similar in both cohorts (p > 0.05). Intention to treat analysis demonstrated lower rates of SSC with ciNPT (3.4%) compared to SOC (14.3%) (p = 0.0013) (Table 1 – not included in the proceeding). Similar outcomes were obtained with the modified intention to treat analysis (p = 0.0013). The ciNPT cohort exhibited lower readmission rates (p = 0.0208), and number of dressing changes (p = 0.0003). Conversely, differences in the 90-day incidence of SSI and measured patient-reported outcomes did not reach statistical significance (p > 0.05). Conclusions. ciNPT mitigates the risk of SSC and readmission among high-risk rTKA patients. The lower frequency of dressing changes within the ciNPT cohort may provide added value for healthcare utilization without compromising pain and function. For the table, please contact authors directly

Aim. Negative-pressure wound therapy (NPWT) is often propagated as treatment option for fracture-related infection (FRI). After surgical debridement and repeated NPWT dressing changes, the wounds are often closed by free flaps. Sometimes even healing by secondary intention seems an alternative. Recently, concerns have been raised on the long-term use of NPWT as it could be related to bacterial overgrowth and possible re-infection. The purpose of this study was to conduct a retrospective evaluation of the influence of long-term NPWT on tissue culture results and outcome in FRI patients. Method. Between January 1. st. , 2015 and December 31st, 2018, a total of 852 patients were treated with NPWT for different indications on the Department of Trauma Surgery. Inclusion criteria for this study were patients with a closed fracture, stabilized with osteosynthetic fixation and complicated with a confirmed FRI according to the FRI consensus definition. Patients were included when they received at least three NPWT dressing changes in the operating room. Exclusion criteria were patients younger than 18 years, or the absence of cultures results from dressing changes. Results. During the study period 23 patients met the inclusion criteria. According to the tripartite classification of Willenegger and Roth, one patient had an early, 14 a delayed and 8 patients a late onset FRI. Overall, 139 NPWT dressing applications were performed, with an average amount of six per patient. In 14 patients (61%) and 57 dressing changes (41%), at least 2 tissue cultures showed the same pathogen or at least one, in case of highly virulent organisms (e.g. S. aureus) during a single dressing exchange. Coagulase-negative staphylococci were present in 33% of the cases, followed by Enterococcus spp. (21%), S. aureus (16%), non-fermentative gram negative bacilli (14%) and Enterobacteriaceae (7%). Furthermore, 17 exchanges showed polymicrobial growth. Five patients had repeatedly significant growth of the same pathogen despite adequate antimicrobial therapy, within this group one patient was immunocompromised. Conclusions. In a large amount of patients (61%), a significant number of positive culture results could be acquired, even in the presence of adequate local and systemic antimicrobial therapy. The clinical relevance of these results remains unclear. This said, it seems important to limit the duration of NPWT as prolonged treatment could increase bacterial overgrowth and possible (re-)infection. Therefore, a rapid definitive soft tissue coverage should be encouraged. Future larger prospective clinical trials are required

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

Aims. Tissue adhesives (TAs) are a commonly used adjunct to traditional surgical wound closures. However, TAs must be allowed to dry before application of a surgical dressing, increasing operating time and reducing intraoperative efficiency. The goal of this study is to identify a practical method for decreasing the curing time for TAs. Methods. Six techniques were tested to determine which one resulted in the quickest drying time for 2-octyle cyanoacrylate (Dermabond) skin adhesive. These were nothing (control), fanning with a hand (Fanning), covering with a hand (Covering), bringing operating room lights close (OR Lights), ultraviolet lights (UV Light), or prewarming the TA applicator in a hot water bath (Hot Water Bath). Equal amounts of TA were applied to a reproducible plexiglass surface and allowed to dry while undergoing one of the six techniques. The time to complete dryness was recorded for ten specimens for each of the six techniques. Results. Use of the Covering, OR Lights, and Hot Water Bath techniques were associated with a 25- (p = 0.042), 27- (p = 0.023), and 30-second (p = 0.009) reduction in drying time, respectively, when compared to controls. The UV Light (p = 0.404) and Fanning (p = 1.000) methods had no effect on drying time. Conclusion. Use of the Covering, OR Lights, and Hot Water Bath techniques present a means for reducing overall operating time for surgeons using TA for closure augmentation, which can increase intraoperative efficiency. Further studies are needed to validate this in vivo. Cite this article: Bone Jt Open 2022;3(8):607–610

Introduction. The purpose of this study was to analyse the efficacy and complications associated with the use of Calcium Sulphate synthetic bone graft in a paediatric population. There are no published articles on the use in children. Materials & Methods. A retrospective review was undertaken of the notes, microbiology, and X-Rays of 17 cases (in 15 patients) of calcium sulphate use in paediatric patients. As well as patient demographic data, data collected included indication, use of additional agents (antibiotics), return to theatre, and wound complications. Major complications were also assessed for. Results. There were 17 cases, in 15 patients, in our case series where calcium sulphate synthetic bone graft was used. The average patient age was 12.0 years (range 5 years – 17 years). Indications for use included likely infection (12), possible infection (3), and 2 elective finger cases (enchondroma and osteotomy). The humerus was the most common target site (5), followed by the femur (4), tibia (3), calcaneum (2), finger (2) and metatarsal (1) also included. There were positive intra-operative microbiology samples for eleven cases (Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis). Antibiotics were used in all cases except the elective finger surgery, and choice ranged between vancomycin, gentamicin, or a combination of both. Two patients required return to theatre for management of ongoing deep infection, although one case was later deemed to be non-infective osteomyelitis. Seven patients had undergone debridements prior to the definitive one with calcium sulphate (5 without Calcium Sulphate, 2 with Calcium Sulphate). Three patients experienced wound issues in the form of discharge/leakage, all were managed with dressings and did not require return to theatre. Conclusions. Calcium Sulphate synthetic bone graft, with addition of antibiotics, is an efficacious treatment in the paediatric population and is not associated with any major complications. Wound discharge should be observed for, and patients/parents warned about this, but only as per the adult population

Surgical site infections (SSIs) are associated with significant consequences in orthopaedic surgery, where their presence can lead to ultimate revision of the implant. Furthermore, infections and impaired wound healing can prolong length of hospital stay following orthopaedic surgery, which can place additional financial burdens on healthcare systems. The current analysis was conducted to determine whether the use of the PICO single-use negative pressure wound therapy (sNPWT) system after orthopaedic surgery reduced the incidence of SSIs and length of hospital stay compared with using conventional dressings. A systematic literature review (SLR) was performed using the PubMed, Embase and Cochrane Library databases. English-language studies comparing PICO sNPWT to conventional dressings published from 2011 to August 2018 with ≥10 patients in each treatment arm were included. Reference lists of included studies were searched for further relevant studies. Meta-analyses were performed using a fixed effect (I. 2. < 50%) or random effects model (I. 2. ≥ 50%). The SLR identified 6,197 studies, of which 5 relevant studies (607 patients) were included. The odds of an SSI were reduced by 57% (odds ratio [OR]: 0.43; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.21–0.86; p = 0.02) and there was consistency between studies (I. 2. = 0%). Three studies reported on length of hospital stay. The mean difference between patient groups indicated that PICO sNPWT was associated with a 1-day reduction in hospital stay (mean difference [MD]: −0.99; 95% CI: −1.32 to −0.65; p < 0.00001) and there was again consistency between studies (I. 2. = 0%). These results suggest that the use of PICO sNPWT system after closed surgical incisions can reduce the incidence of SSIs and shorten the duration of hospital stay when used in orthopaedic patient populations

Aim. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic presents significant challenges to healthcare systems globally. Orthopaedic surgeons are at risk of contracting COVID-19 due to their close contact with patients in both outpatient and theatre environments. The aim of this review was to perform a literature review, including articles of other coronaviruses, to formulate guidelines for orthopaedic healthcare staff. Methods. A search of Medline, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, World Health Organization (WHO), and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) databases was performed encompassing a variety of terms including ‘coronavirus’, ‘covid-19’, ‘orthopaedic’, ‘personal protective environment’ and ‘PPE’. Online database searches identified 354 articles. Articles were included if they studied any of the other coronaviruses or if the basic science could potentially applied to COVID-19 (i.e. use of an inactivated virus with a similar diameter to COVID-19). Two reviewers independently identified and screened articles based on the titles and abstracts. 274 were subsequently excluded, with 80 full-text articles retrieved and assessed for eligibility. Of these, 66 were excluded as they compared personal protection equipment to no personal protection equipment or referred to prevention measures in the context of bacterial infections. Results. There is a paucity of high quality evidence surrounding COVID-19. This review collates evidence from previous coronavirus outbreaks to put forward recommendations for orthopaedic surgeons during the COVID-19 pandemic. The key findings have been summarized and interpreted for application to the orthopaedic operative setting. Conclusion. For COVID-19 positive patients, minimum suggested PPE includes N95 respirator, goggles, face shield, gown, double gloves, and surgical balaclava. Space suits not advised. Be trained in the correct technique of donning and doffing PPE. Use negative pressure theatres if available. Minimize aerosolization and its effects (smoke evacuation and no pulse lavage). Minimize further unnecessary patient-staff contact (dissolvable sutures, clear dressings, split casts)

Revision surgery and surgery in previously operated areas are associated with an increased infection risk. In such situations, aggressive surgical debridement may be necessary to control and eradicate the infection. Full thickness defects resulting from such debridement present as a challenge. In most cases, an association of various methods, both surgical and non-surgical, is necessary. Our goal is to describe the use of vaccum dressings as an effective way to deal with extensive and infected dorsolumbar surgical defects, while avoiding the use of myocutaneous flaps. This is a retrospective and descriptive case report based on data from clinical records, patient observation and analysis of complementary exams. We present the case of a 57-years-old obese woman with prior history of double approach with posterior instrumentation and spine arthrodesis (D3 to L4) due to severe dorsolumbar adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. She presented to our consult 42 years after surgery, complaining of lower back pain. Clinical observation and imaging exams demonstrated degenerative disc disease in L5-S1 and L5 anterolisthesis. There was also distal instrumentation breakage (right L4 pedicular screw and contralateral rod) with pseudarthrosis suspicion. Distal instrumentation was removed and no pseudarthrosis was found. Therefore, posterior instrumentation and arthrodesis was performed, from L4 to S1. Surgery went without complications. One week after surgery, patient developed fever and inflammatory signs at the surgical incision, with purulent oozing. Escherichia coli and Proteus mirabilis were identified as the causative agents. Decision was made to remove both lumbar and distal dorsal instrumentation and perform aggressive debridement and lavage, with debridement surgery being repeated twice. Finally, a full thickness defect with approximately 20cm long and 6cm wide resulted from the debridement. A vacuum dressing was then applied, for 5 weeks, with progressive decrease in clinical and analytical inflammatory parameters and wound closure. Four months after the initial surgery, patient was discharged with complete defect closure and reepithelialization. This dressing technique provided a sound solution for defect resolution, as well as an important aid for infection control. It proved to be a viable option in an extensive defect, when surgical flap techniques and traditional dressing techniques could not provide a complete solution

Cyanoacrylate tissue compounds are marketed as a surgical wound dressing with a variety of properties including microbiological impermeability. This study compares the bacteriological impermeability of cyanoacrylates and a commonly used occlusive adhesive dressing using a technique established in several other studies. Cyanoacrylate compound and an occlusive dressing were applied to both CLED and CROM agar plates. S. Aureus and E. Coli was then applied in a range of concentrations. The work demonstrated that cyanoacrylate compound provides as occlusive a barrier to microbiological penetration as adhesive dressings

Periprosthetic infection involving TKR has been projected to rise as the burden of implanted TKR continues to grow. A study by Kurtz et al. found a significant increase in the annual incidence of TKR infection, 2001 (2.05%) to 2.18% in 2009. Thus, deep prosthetic infection around a TKR remains a significant problem that has not been solved, even as technologies improve and the operation is more commonly performed. The economic hospital cost of periprosthetic TKR infection is approximately $100,000 US for a two-stage removal and reimplantation; by the year 2020, it is estimated that 48,000 of these operations will be necessary. The total annual hospital cost for PJI treatment is expected to be over $1 billion by 2020, and does not include the doctor, pharmacologic, and physical therapy fees. Many factors have been found to be associated with an increased risk of PJI. This lecture will focus upon the peri-, intra-, and post-operative factors that have been found historically to carry an increased or decreased risk of infection. Preoperative factors that have been found to affect the risk of infection include: perioperative administration of intravenous antibiotics, patient nutrition, weight, and hemoglobin A1C in diabetic patients. Intraoperative factors include the duration of surgery, the use of antibiotic impregnated cement, and the use of dilute povidone/iodine solution irrigation. Postoperatively, wound care with antimicrobial agents, and a resistance to transfusing blood seem to lower the risk of infection. Yang et al. found that diabetes mellitus carried a 1.6x greater risk of TKR infection, in a meta-analysis of 11 cohort studies. In a registry study of over 32,000 TKA, increasing BMI from 25 kg/m2 to 35 kg/m2 was found to be associated with a greater risk of wound infection in TKR patients, increasing from 3 to 4.1%. Preoperative colonization with MRSA has been found by several investigators to be a risk for surgical site infection, despite attempts at eradication. Operatively, a wash of the surgical site for 3 minutes with a dilute solution of betadine has been found by Brown et al. to have decreased the incidence of periprosthetic joint infection from 0.97% to 0.15%. Postoperatively, the type of dressing placed over the incision may play a role; Grosso et al. found a significantly reduced rate of PJI (0.33% vs. 1.58%) when a silver impregnated, antimicrobial, dressing was used as compared to standard xeroform gauze. Finally, patients who received an allogeneic blood transfusion were found to have a higher risk of PJI (1.67%) than those who did not (0.72%)

The etiology of the flexion contracture is related to recurrent effusions present in a knee with end-stage degenerative joint disease secondary to the associated inflammatory process. These recurrent effusions cause increased pressure in the knee causing pain and discomfort. Patients will always seek a position of comfort, which is slight flexion. Flexion decreases the painful stimulus by reducing pressure in the knee and relaxing the posterior capsule. Unfortunately, this self-perpetuating process leads to a greater degree of contracture as the disease progresses. Furthermore, patients rarely maintain the knee in full extension. Even during the gait cycle the knee is slightly flexed. As their disease progresses, patients limit their ambulation and are more frequently in a seated position. Patients often report sleeping with a pillow under their knee or in the fetal position. All of these activities increase flexion contracture deformity. Patients with excessive deformity >40 degrees should be counseled regarding procedural complexity and that increasing constraint may be required. Patients are seen preoperatively by a physical therapist and given a pre-arthroplasty conditioning program. Patients with excessive flexion contracture are specifically instructed on stretching techniques, as well as quadriceps rehabilitation exercises. The focus in the postoperative physiotherapy rehabilitation program continues toward the goal of full extension. Patients are instructed in appropriate stretching regimes. Patients are immobilised for the first 24 hours in full extension with plaster splints, such as with a modified Robert Jones dressing. This dressing is removed on postoperative day one. The patient is then placed in a knee immobiliser and instructed to wear it at bed rest, during ambulation and in the evening, only removing for ROM exercises. In cases of severe flexion deformity >30 degrees, patients are maintained in full extension for 3–4 weeks until ROM is begun. Patients are encouraged to use a knee immobiliser for at least the first 6 weeks postoperatively. Treating patients with flexion contracture involves a combination of bone resection and soft tissue balance. One must make every effort to preserve both the femoral and tibial joint line. In flexion contracture the common error is to begin by resecting additional distal femur, which may result in joint line elevation and mid-flexion instability. The distal femoral resection should remove that amount of bone being replaced with metal. Attention should be directed at careful and meticulous balance of the soft tissues and release of the contracted posterior capsule with re-establishment of the posterior recess, which will correct the majority of flexion contractures. Inability to achieve ROM after TKA represents a frustrating complication for both patient and surgeon. Non-operative treatments for the stiff TKA include shoe lift in contralateral limb, stationery bicycle with elevated seat position, extension bracing, topical application of hand-held instruments to areas of soft tissue-dysfunction by a trained physical therapist over several outpatient sessions, and use of a low load stretch device. Manipulation under anesthesia is indicated in patients after TKA having less than 90 degrees ROM after 6 weeks, with no progression or regression in ROM. Other operative treatments range from a downsizing exchange of the polyethylene bearing to revision with a constrained device and low-dose irradiation in cases of severe arthrofibrosis

Extremity injury and complications such as wound infection remain a significant problem for the military. This study investigates the anti-microbial efficacy of four dressings used in militarily relevant complex extremity injury. Under general anaesthesia, the flexor carpi ulnaris of 24 New Zealand White rabbits was exposed to a high-energy impact and then inoculated with 10. 6. colony forming units of Staphylococcus aureus. Dressings: gauze soaked in saline, Chlorhexidine, Betadine or Acticoat¯, were randomised and applied 3 hours post injury, to replicate casualty evacuation. Once recovered, animals were checked at least twice daily and body temperature recorded. Analgesia was administered once a day. At 48hrs animals were culled, the muscle harvested and analyzed by a blinded investigator. Group sizes of 6 were required to detect a statistically significant effect of a mean one log reduction in bacterial counts at 48 hours. No dressing gave a significant reduction in bacterial counts at 48 hours. A paired t-test of contamination versus recovered dose gave p values of 0.903, 0.648, 0.396 and 0.336 for saline, Acticoat¯, chlorhexidine and iodine respectively. Contamination dose between groups compared using ANOVA showed no significant difference (p=0.566). Recovered bacterial loads between groups revealed no significant difference (p=0.280). This study indicates that over a 48 hour period, dressings with reported anti-bacterial properties offer no advantage over saline soaked gauze in reducing the bacterial burden in a contaminated soft tissue injury. Future work will extend the study temporally and introduce multiple contaminants