Introduction. A common acute orthopaedic presentation is an ulcerated or infected foot secondary to diabetic neuropathy. Surgical debridement or amputation are often required to manage this complication of diabetes. International literature indicates that amputation may lead to further complications and an increased mortality rate. The aim of this study is to investigate the mortality rate associated with different surgical interventions. This will inform surgical management of patients presenting with acute foot complications from diabetes. Methods. This is a retrospective review of patients with diabetic foot infections aged >16 years attending Middlemore Hospital over a 10-year period (2012–2021). Clinical records were examined to determine whether patients were managed with no surgery, surgery but not amputation, or amputation. We recorded relevant baseline characteristics and comorbidities. Regression models were used to determine factors associated with mortality. Results. Over the study period, 1260 patients were included in analysis. Patients were divided into three groups, a control group who received no surgical intervention (n=554), those receiving surgery but not amputation (n=269), and those who underwent amputation (n=437). After adjustment for potential confounders, mortality rates were significantly higher in those who underwent amputation compared with those who received surgical intervention without amputation. Survival probability at 1 year and 5 years was highest in the surgical intervention but not amputation group. Conclusion. It is clinically important that there is a lower mortality rate in patients who undergo surgical intervention without amputation. Treatment that aims to salvage the limb rather than amputate should be considered in management of patients with diabetic foot complications to optimise their care

Background. Patients with diabetes who sustain an ankle fracture are at increased risk for complications including higher rates of in-hospital mortality, in-hospital post-operative complications, length of stay and non-routine discharges. Aim. The purpose of this study was to retrospectively compare the complications associated with operatively treated ankle fractures in a group of patients with uncomplicated diabetes versus a group of patients with complicated diabetes. Complicated diabetes was defined as diabetes associated with end organ damage such as peripheral neuropathy, nephropathy and/or PAD. Uncomplicated diabetes was defined as diabetes without any of these associated conditions. Our hypothesis was that patients with uncomplicated diabetes would experience fewer complications than those patients with complicated diabetes. Methods. We compared the complication rates of ankle fracture repair in 46 patients with complicated diabetes and 59 patients with uncomplicated diabetes and calculated odds ratios (OR) for significant findings. At a mean follow up of 21.4 months we found that patients with complicated diabetes had 3.8 times increased risk of overall complications, 3.4 times increased risk of a non-infectious complication (malunion, nonunion or Charcot arthropathy) and 5 times higher likelihood of needing revision surgery/arthrodesis when compared to patients with uncomplicated diabetes. Open ankle fractures in this diabetic population were associated with a three times higher rate of complications and 3.7 times higher rate of infection. Conclusion. Patients with complicated diabetes have an increased risk of complications after ankle fracture surgery compared to patients with uncomplicated diabetes. Careful pre-operative evaluation of the neurovascular status is mandatory, since many patients with diabetes do not recognise that they have neuropathy and/or peripheral artery disease

Introduction. Knee arthroplasty provides not only pain relief but also an improvement in function and range of movement. Limited joint mobility (LJM), secondary to peri-articular connective tissues stiffness, is a common complication of diabetes mellitus. We therefore examined functional outcome post-total knee arthroplasty (TKA) in a cohort of subjects with and without diabetes mellitus. Method. The effect of TKA on indices of knee function (fixed flexion, maximum flexion, total ROM and knee society score) was examined in 367 subjects with type 2 diabetes and 367 subjects without diabetes. The groups were matched for age, sex, BMI and functional movement at baseline. Participants were examined at baseline (pre-operatively), 1, 5 and 10 years post-TKA. Results. There was no significant difference in fixed flexion, maximal flexion or total range of movement between the two groups at baseline. At 1 year the group with diabetes had a significantly lower maximal flexion (p < 0.001), total range of movement (p < 0.001) and Knee Society Score (p = 0.034). At 5 years post-arthroplasty a significant increase was observed in fixed flexion (p = 0.026) as well as a significant decrease in maximal flexion (p = 0.001) and total range of movement (p = 0.004) in the diabetic group. Ten years post-arthroplasty yielded similar results. Conclusion. Within one-year post-arthroplasty people with diabetes develop a poorer range of movement compared to controls. Between one to five years post-procedure a significant fixed flexion deformity occurred in those with diabetes. A sustained deterioration was observed up to 10 years post-procedure. This study is the first to demonstrate that the pre-operative presence of diabetes mellitus leads to a worse functional outcome post-knee arthroplasty

Introduction

Forgotten knee is the terminology which is used to describe a post TKR patient who is completely unaware of his knee implant. Various factors like age, sex, BMI, pre operative pain, pre operative patella symptoms have been studied to see their cause effect relationship on the achievement of forgotten knee status by the patient. All the published data till to date shows no relationship between thetwo

Aim. Prosthetic joint infection (PJI) is a devastating and costly complication of total joint arthroplasty (TJA). Use of extended oral antibiotic prophylaxis (EOAP) has become increasingly popular in the United States following a highly publicized study (Inabathula et al) from a single center demonstrating a significant protective effect (81% reduction) against PJI in ‘high-risk’ patients. However, these results have not been reproduced elsewhere and EOAP use directly conflicts with current antibiotic stewardship efforts. In order to study the role of EOAP in PJI prevention, consensus is needed for what defines ‘high-risk’ patients. The revision TJA (rTJA) population is an appropriate group to study due to having a higher incidence of PJI. The purpose of the current study was to rigorously determine which preoperative conditions described by Inabathula et al. (referred to as Inabathula criteria (IBC)) confer a higher rate of PJI in patients undergoing aseptic rTJA. Method. 2,256 patients that underwent aseptic rTJA at a single high-volume institution between 2016–2022 were retrospectively reviewed. Patient demographics and comorbidities were recorded to determine if they had 1 or more ‘IBC’, a long list of preoperative conditions including autoimmune diseases, active smoking, body mass index (BMI)>35, diabetes mellitus, and chronic kidney disease (CKD). Reoperation for PJI at 90-days and 1-year was recorded. Chi-squared or Fischer's exact tests were calculated to determine the association between preoperative presence/absence of IBC and PJI. Multivariable logistic regressions were conducted to determine if specific comorbidities within the IBC individually conferred an increased PJI risk. Results. 1223 patients (54.2%) had at least one IBC condition. IBC-positive patients were more likely to be female, have an increased ASA score, and higher BMI. IBC-positive patients had a significant increase in PJI risk at both 90-days (relative risk (RR)=2.32, p<0.0001) and 1-year (RR=2.14, p=0.002) versus IBC-negative patients. Within IBC-positive patients, every additional IBC condition conferred a 1.8× odds increase for 90-day PJI (p<0.0001), and 1.76× odds increase in 1-year PJI (p<0.0001). Multivariable logistic regression identified active smoking, BMI>35, CKD, and diabetes mellitus as being independently associated with PJI development (p<0.05). Conclusions. Over half of rTJA patients meet IBC and could be eligible to receive EOAP in the United States. However, the specific presence of active smoking, BMI>35, CKD, and diabetes mellitus appear to be responsible for the increased risk of PJI. Prospective studies investigating EOAP use for patients with these specific conditions are urgently needed to prevent unnecessary antibiotic use

Diabetes mellitus is a risk factor for complications after operative management of ankle fractures. Generally, diabetic sequelae such as neuropathy and nephropathy portend greater risk; however, the degree of risk resulting from these patient factors is poorly defined. We sought to evaluate the effects of the diabetic sequelae of neuropathy, chronic kidney disease (CKD), and peripheral vascular disease (PVD) on the risk of complications following operative management of ankle fractures. Using a national claims-based database we analyzed patients who had undergone operative management of an ankle fracture and who remained active in the database for at least two years thereafter. Patients were divided into two cohorts, those with a diagnosis of diabetes and those without. Each cohort was further stratified into five groups: neuropathy, CKD, PVD, multiple sequelae, and no sequelae. The multiple sequelae group included patients with more than one of the three sequelae of interest: CKD, PVD and neuropathy. Postoperative complications were queried for two years following surgery. The main complications of interested were: deep vein thrombosis (DVT), surgical site infection, hospital readmission within 90 days, revision internal fixation, conversion to ankle fusion, and below knee amputation (BKA). We identified 210,069 patients who underwent operative ankle fracture treatment; 174,803 had no history of diabetes, and 35,266 were diabetic. The diabetic cohort was subdivided as follows: 7,506 without identified sequelae, 8,994 neuropathy, 4,961 CKD, 1,498 PVD, and 12,307 with multiple sequelae. Compared to non-diabetics, diabetics without sequelae had significantly higher odds of DVT, infection, readmission, revision internal fixation and conversion to ankle fusion (OR range 1.21 – 1.58, p values range Compared to uncomplicated diabetics, diabetics with neuropathy alone and diabetics with multiple sequelae were found to have significantly higher odds of all complications (OR range 1.18 – 31.94, p values range < 0.001 - 0.034). Diabetics with CKD were found to have significantly higher odds of DVT, readmission, and BKA (OR range 1.34 – 4.28, p values range < 0.001 - 0.002). Finally, diabetics with PVD were found to have significantly higher odds of DVT, readmission, conversion to ankle fusion, and BKA (OR range 1.62 - 9.69, p values range < 0.001 - 0.039). Diabetic patients with sequelae of neuropathy, CKD or PVD generally had higher complication rates than diabetic patients without these diagnoses. Unsurprisingly, diabetic patients with multiple sequalae are at the highest risk of complications and had the highest odds ratios of all complications. While neuropathy is known to be associated with postoperative complications, our analysis demonstrates that CKD represents a significant risk factor for multiple complications following the operative management of ankle fractures and has rarely been discussed in prior studies

To describe the longitudinal trends in patients with obesity and Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) undergoing TKA and the associated impact on complications and lengths of hospital stay. We identified patients who underwent primary TKA between 2006 – 2017 within the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) database. We recorded patient demographics, length of stay (LOS), and 30-day major and minor complications. We labelled those with an obese Body Mass Index (BMI ≥ 30), hypertension, and diabetes as having MetS. We evaluated mean BMI, LOS, and 30-day complication rates in all patients, obese patients, and those with MetS from 2006-2017. We used multivariable regression to evaluate the trends in BMI, complications, and LOS over time in all patients and those with MetS, and the effect of BMI and MetS on complication rates and LOS, stratified by year. 270,846 patients underwent primary TKA at hospitals participating in the NSQIP database. 63.71% of patients were obese (n = 172,333), 15.21% were morbidly obese (n = 41,130), and 12.37% met criteria for MetS (n = 33,470). Mean BMI in TKA patients increased at a rate of 0.03 per year (0.02-0.05; p < 0 .0001). Despite this, the rate of adverse events in obese patients decreased: major complications by an odds ratio (OR) of 0.94 (0.93-0.96; p < 0 .0001) and minor complications by 0.94 (0.93-0.95; p < 0 .001). LOS also decreased over time at an average rate of −0.058 days per year (-0.059 to −0.057; p < 0 .0001). The proportion of patients with MetS did not increase, however similar improvements in major complications (OR 0.94 [0.91-0.97] p < 0 .0001), minor complications (OR 0.97 [0.94-1.00]; p < 0 .0330), and LOS (mean −0.055 [-0.056 to −0.054] p < 0 .0001) were found. In morbidly obese patients (BMI ≥ 40), there was a decreased proportion per year (OR 0.989 [0.98-0.994] p < 0 .0001). Factors specifically associated with major complications in obese patients included COPD (OR 1.75 [1.55-2.00] p < 0.0001) and diabetes (OR 1.10 [1.02-1.1] p = 0.017). Hypertension (OR 1.12 [1.03-1.21] p = 0.0079) was associated with minor complications. Similarly, in patients with MetS, major complications were associated with COPD (OR 1.72 [1.35-2.18] p < 0.0001). Neuraxial anesthesia was associated with a lower risk for major complications in the obese cohort (OR 0.87 [0.81-0.92] p < 0.0001). BMI ≥ 40 was associated with a greater risk for minor complications (OR 1.37 [1.26-1.50] p < 0.0001), major complications (1.11 [1.02-1.21] p = 0.015), and increased LOS (+0.08 days [0.07-0.09] p < 0.0001). Mean BMI in patients undergoing primary TKA increased from 2006 - 2017. MetS comorbidities such as diabetes and hypertension elevated the risk for complications in obese patients. COPD contributed to higher rates of major complications. The obesity-specific risk reduction with spinal anesthesia suggests an improved post-anesthetic clinical course in obese patients with pre-existing pulmonary pathology. Encouragingly, the overall rates of complications and LOS in patients with obesity and MetS exhibited a longitudinal decline. This finding may be related to the decreased proportion of patients with BMI ≥ 40 treated over the same period, possibly the result of quality improvement initiatives aimed at delaying high-risk surgery in morbidly obese patients until healthy weight loss is achieved. These findings may also reflect increased awareness and improved management of these patients and their elevated risk profiles

Aims. This study aimed to investigate the risk of postoperative complications in COVID-19-positive patients undergoing common orthopaedic procedures. Methods. Using the National Surgical Quality Improvement Programme (NSQIP) database, patients who underwent common orthopaedic surgery procedures from 1 January to 31 December 2021 were extracted. Patient preoperative COVID-19 status, demographics, comorbidities, type of surgery, and postoperative complications were analyzed. Propensity score matching was conducted between COVID-19-positive and -negative patients. Multivariable regression was then performed to identify both patient and provider risk factors independently associated with the occurrence of 30-day postoperative adverse events. Results. Of 194,121 included patients, 740 (0.38%) were identified to be COVID-19-positive. Comparison of comorbidities demonstrated that COVID-19-positive patients had higher rates of diabetes, heart failure, and pulmonary disease. After propensity matching and controlling for all preoperative variables, multivariable analysis found that COVID-19-positive patients were at increased risk of several postoperative complications, including: any adverse event, major adverse event, minor adverse event, death, venous thromboembolism, and pneumonia. COVID-19-positive patients undergoing hip/knee arthroplasty and trauma surgery were at increased risk of 30-day adverse events. Conclusion. COVID-19-positive patients undergoing orthopaedic surgery had increased odds of many 30-day postoperative complications, with hip/knee arthroplasty and trauma surgery being the most high-risk procedures. These data reinforce prior literature demonstrating increased risk of venous thromboembolic events in the acute postoperative period. Clinicians caring for patients undergoing orthopaedic procedures should be mindful of these increased risks, and attempt to improve patient care during the ongoing global pandemic. Cite this article: Bone Jt Open 2023;4(9):704–712

Aims. Medical comorbidities are a critical factor in the decision-making process for operative management and risk-stratification. The Hierarchical Condition Categories (HCC) risk adjustment model is a powerful measure of illness severity for patients treated by surgeons. The HCC is utilized by Medicare to predict medical expenditure risk and to reimburse physicians accordingly. HCC weighs comorbidities differently to calculate risk. This study determines the prevalence of medical comorbidities and the average HCC score in Medicare patients being evaluated by neurosurgeons and orthopaedic surgeon, as well as a subset of academic spine surgeons within both specialities, in the USA. Methods. The Medicare Provider Utilization and Payment Database, which is based on data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ National Claims History Standard Analytic Files, was analyzed for this study. Every surgeon who submitted a valid Medicare Part B non-institutional claim during the 2013 calendar year was included in this study. This database was queried for medical comorbidities and HCC scores of each patient who had, at minimum, a single office visit with a surgeon. This data included 21,204 orthopaedic surgeons and 4,372 neurosurgeons across 54 states/territories in the USA. Results. Orthopaedic surgeons evaluated patients with a mean HCC of 1.21, while neurosurgeons evaluated patients with a mean HCC of 1.34 (p < 0.05). The rates of specific comorbidities in patients seen by orthopaedic surgeons/neurosurgeons is as follows: Ischemic heart disease (35%/39%), diabetes (31%/33%), depression (23%/31%), chronic kidney disease (19%/23%), and heart failure (17%/19%). Conclusion. Nationally, comorbidity rate and HCC value for these Medicare patients are higher than national averages for the US population, with ischemic heart disease being six-times higher, diabetes two-times higher, depression three- to four-times higher, chronic kidney disease three-times higher, and heart failure nine-times higher among patients evaluated by orthopaedic surgeons and neurosurgeons. Cite this article: Bone Joint Open 2020;1-6:257–260

Necrotizing Fasciitis (NF) is a life-threatening infectious condition which requires expedient diagnosis to proceed with urgent surgical debridement. However, it can be difficult to establish an early diagnosis and expedite operative management as signs and symptoms are often non-specific and may mimic other pathology. Scoring systems such as The Laboratory Risk Indicator for Necrotizing Fasciitis (LRINEC) have been proposed to incorporate laboratory findings to predict whether a soft tissue infection is likely to be NF. Recent studies have found the sensitivity and specificity of the LRINEC tool to be lower than originally cited by the LRINEC authors in a validation cohort. Furthermore, there seems to be a predilection for certain geographic locations of patients with NF transferred to our tertiary care center for management, however, to our knowledge, geographic risk factors for NF have not been reported. This study also aims to determine the morbidity and mortality rate of NF at our Canadian tertiary hospital in recent years. Comorbidities such as smoking, diabetes, and steroid use will be analyzed for any correlation with developing NF. Identification of patient factors in correlation with laboratory values may help identify patients at higher risk for having NF upon their presentation to the emergency department. A resultant earlier diagnosis of necrotizing soft tissue infections would allow for earlier surgical debridement and positively influence patient outcomes. A retrospective chart review of 125 cases of NF at Kingston Health Sciences Centre from 2005 to 2017 was carried out to assess the validity of the LRINEC in our population and to examine the effect of comorbid factors such as smoking, diabetes, and corticosteroid use on the development of NF. The study cohort included patients treated by all surgical disciplines at our institution over twelve years. A separate cohort of 125 cellulitis or abscess cases was analyzed to assess the validity of the LRINEC tool in differentiating necrotizing fasciitis from non-necrotizing infections such as cellulitis and soft tissue abscess. The 30-day mortality rate of NF treated at our institution during the study period was 21%. Advanced age was found to be a significant risk factor for death within 30 days of diagnosis (p=0.001). Smoking and steroid use were both found to increase risk for developing NF (p=0.01 and p=0.03, respectively). Diabetes did not appear to increase risk NF. There was no statistical difference in mortality rates between males and females with NF. The sensitivity of LRINEC in detecting NF was only 47% with a specificity of 74%. The mortality rate of NF at our center is similar to that of other countries in recent years. Males and females have nearly equal mortality rates from NF. Smoking and steroid use appear to increase risk for developing NF, while diabetes may not. The LRINEC assessment tool alone may underestimate risk for developing NF, however, use of other clinical factors such as comorbidity analysis will further aide in the diagnosis of NF allowing for earlier surgical debridement

There is growing interest in the peri-operative management of patients with indications for hip and knee arthroplasty in the setting of modifiable risk factors such as morbid obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and smoking. A recent survey of the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons (AAHKS) found that 95% of respondents address modifiable risk factors prior to surgery. The aim of this study was to poll Australian arthroplasty surgeons regarding their approach to patients with modifiable risk factors. The survey tool used in the AAHKS study was adapted for use in the Australian context and distributed to the membership of the Arthroplasty Society of Australia via Survey Monkey. Seventy-seven survey responses were received, representing a response rate of 64%. The majority of respondents were experienced, high volume arthroplasty surgeons. Overall, 91% of respondents restricted access to arthroplasty for patients with modifiable risk factors. Seventy-two percent of surgeons restricted access for excessive body mass index, 85% for poor diabetic control, and 46% for smoking. Most respondents made decisions based on personal experience or literature review rather than hospital or departmental pressures. Despite differences in healthcare systems, our findings were similar to those of the AAHKS survey, although their responses were more restrictive in all domains. Differences were noted in responses concerning financial considerations for potentially underprivileged populations. The survey is currently being administered by arthroplasty societies in six other countries, allowing comparison of orthopaedic practice across different healthcare systems around the world. In conclusion, over 90% of Australian arthroplasty surgeons who responded to the survey address modifiable risk factors prior to surgery

The aim of this investigation is to firstly quantify the burden of disease, and secondly qualify the organisms being cultured during debridement to establish their sensitivities to available antibiotics. This study will also look at the concomitant burden of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Diabetes Mellitus (DM) in cases of hand sepsis, to establish whether these two disease processes require special consideration and treatment tailoring. The method employed to collect the data will be retrospective collection of patient information, using random sampling. Included patients will be adult patients who undergo debridement and have a sample registered on the National Health Laboratory System (NHLS). The daily intake sheet will be used to collect patients details and these details will then be used to collect results of intra-operative specimens using the NHLS. These patient details will also be used to check patients’ HIV results and HBA1c (Glycated Haemoglobin A1c) results. Majority of the specimens revealed Methicillin Sensitive Staphylococcus Aureus (MSSA), with a reassuringly low rate of Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) when compared to international data. The yield of patients tested for HIV or DM was lower than expected, despite this being the standard of care. The projected impact of this study will be assessment of the current burden of disease and then clarification of our current management strategy, in order to assess if it would be possible to change to a more cost-effective antibiotic with a narrower spectrum of bacteria coverage. The potential exists to not only implement cost saving measures, but also promote antibiotic stewardship by decreasing the practice of empiric broad-spectrum antibiotic use

Abstract. Extended Trochanteric Osteotomy (ETO) improves surgical exposure and aids femoral stem and bone cement removal in Revision Total Hip Replacement (RTHR) surgery. The aim of this study was to identify healing rates and complications of ETO in RTHR. Methods. From 2012 to 2019 we identified patients who underwent ETO for RTHR. Data collected demographics, BMI, diabetes, anticoagulants, indication for ETO, surgical approach, length of ETO and complications. Descriptive analysis of patient demographics, multiple linear regression analysis was performed to assess ETO complications. Results. There were 63 patients with an average age of 69 years. Indications for ETO were aseptic loosening (30), infection (15), periprosthetic fracture (9), recurrent dislocation (5), broken implant (4). There were 44 cemented and 19 uncemented femoral stem that underwent ETO. Average time from index surgery was 12 years (less than a year to 38 years). All procedures were through posterolateral approach and all ETO were stabilised with cables. Average length of ETO was 12.5cm. BMI varied from 18 to 37. There were 5 diabetics and 16 on anticoagulants. All but one ETO went on to unite. Other complications included infection, dislocations, lateral thigh pain and significant limp. Discussion. Fixation of ETO can be with either wires or cables or plate with cables/screws. Advantages of cables are no irritation over greater trochanter, no disruption of gluteus medius/vastus lateralis continuity, reproducible tension in cables and use of torque limiter minimises loss of tension in cables

Introduction. Circular external frames (CEF) are commonly used for a wide variety of indications, often when other devices are not appropriate. Circular frames are particularly associated with pin-site infection (PSI). Currently there is a gap in the available literature surrounding the risk of frame use with in-situ prosthetic joints. This retrospective study investigated the incidence of prosthetic joint infection (PJI) in a series of patients with in-situ arthroplasties treated with CEF. Materials & Methods. From a departmental database of 1052 frames performed from March 2007-March 2023, the outcomes of 34 patients (40 frames) with in-situ arthroplasties at the time of CEF were reviewed (mean follow-up 70 months). Patient identification was by review of all local and regional imaging. The primary outcome was development of PJI during or following CEF and subsequent need for surgical intervention. Secondary outcomes were development of superficial pin site or deep bone infection (without PJI). Results. Of 40 frames used to treat 34 patients, no PJIs were detected. Average patient age was 67 (range 55–82). 22 had cardio-respiratory disease, 11 diabetes, 15 smoked and 8 were immunosuppressed. 53 arthroplasties were in situ at the time of treatment, 12 involving the same bone as the frame. Average time in frame was 253 days. 23 patients developed PSI, 2 required a further procedure for persistent deep bone infection not involving the arthroplasties. Conclusions. Although this study involves a relatively low numbers of patients, our results are reassuring that circular frame management in patients with in-situ arthroplasty does not represent an unacceptable risk of PJI. We hope to promote these findings and encourage multi-centre collaboration to expand on the available evidence to better answer this important yet under-reported clinical question

Periprosthetic joint infections (PJIs) and osteosynthesis-associated infections (OSIs) present significant challenges in trauma and orthopaedic surgery, substantially impacting patient morbidity, mortality, and economic burden. This concern is heightened in patients with pre-existing comorbidities, such as diabetes mellitus, which are not always modifiable at presentation. A novel intraoperative strategy to prevent these infections is the use of Defensive Antibacterial Coating (DAC), a bio-absorbable antibiotic-containing hydrogel applied to implant surfaces at implantation, acting as a physical barrier to prevent infection. The purpose of this study is to assess the use of a commercially available hydrogel (DAC), highlighting its characteristics that make it suitable for managing PJIs and OSIs in orthopaedics and traumatology. Twenty-five patients who underwent complex orthopaedic procedures with intraoperative application of DAC between March 2022 and April 2023 at a single hospital site were included. Post-operative assessment encompassed clinical, laboratory, and radiographic examinations. In this study, 25 patients were included, with a mean age of 70 ± 14.77 years and an average ASA grade of 2.46 ± 0.78. The cohort presented an average Charleston Comorbidity score of 5.45 ± 2.24. The procedures included 8 periprosthetic fractures, 8 foot and ankle surgeries, 5 upper limb surgeries, and 4 elective hip and knee surgeries. Follow-up assessments at 6 weeks and 6 months revealed no evidence of PJI or OSI in any patients, nor were any treatments for PJI or OSI required during the interim period. DAC demonstrated efficacy in preventing infections in high-risk patients undergoing complex orthopaedic procedures. Our findings warrant further investigation into the use of DAC in complex hosts with randomized control trials

Diabetic foot problems are a common cause for hospitalisation in this group and up to 25% of diabetic patients will be affected. Prevalence of diabetes is rising, currently affecting 680000000 people worldwide. The enormity of this problem mandates any strategy that shortens therapeutic period and enhances success rates. Cerament G has been used in our unit as a treatment adjunct in diabetic foot treatment. Successful treatment is viewed as eradication of infection and a functional foot. Retrospective review of 40 months practice with 115 patients. Inclusion: all diabetic feet requiring surgery Cerament G used, protocol driven Microbiology pathway. Exclusion: Primary closure not possible. Cerament G not used. Outcome assessed in three groups: Total failure (further surgery required); slow to heal (healing by secondary intention); healed without problems. Healed 99 (eradication of infection and return to function), failure to heal 16 (success rate: 86.1%). Infection was the cause of failure in only in 2.6% (13 failures due to patient noncompliance or poor vascularity). Accepted success rate in treating osteomyelitis in diabetic feet is 68% (medical treatment only), combination of surgery and medical is 86%. Eradication of infection is the only end point return to function is not addressed. This study shows Cerament G with surgery/systemic antibiotics provides a 97.4% success rate. Therapeutic drivers in this field have been determined traditionally by Physicians and Vascular Surgeons (resection rather than reconstructive surgery.) Our assertion is that eradicating infection in a functionally useless foot is a waste of health resources. Our strategy is always the delivery of an intact functional foot residuum. Cerament G as an adjunct allows this goal in a cost-effective manner

Abstract. Aim. To identify the difference in infection rates in ankle fracture surgery in Laminar and Non Laminar flow theatres. Background. The infection rates in ankle fracture surgery range between 1–8%. The risk factors include diabetes, alcoholism, smoking, open fractures, osteoporotic fractures in the elderly, and high BMI. Laminar flow has been shown to reduce infections in Arthroplasty surgeries. Therefore, it has become mandatory to use in those procedures. However, it's not the same with ankle fracture surgery. Materials and Methods. It was a retrospective study. The data was collected over a 5 year period between 2015 and 2020. It was collected from Blue spier, Panda, and theatre register. There were 536 cases in each group i.e. Laminar flow (LF) and Non-Laminar flow (NLF). The variables looked at were: 1. Superficial and deep infection rates in LF and NLF theatres, 2. The number of open fractures, 3. Type of ankle fractures (Bimalleolar, Trimalleolar), 4. The number of infected cases who had external fixation prior to ORIF, 5. The number of cases that had Plastics reconstructive procedures, and 6. The grade of the operating surgeon. Conclusions. Superficial infection rate between NLF and LF was not significantly different 11.5% vs 10.3%. The deep infection rate was statistically significant against NLF theatres at 6.34% vs 4.29%. The open fracture was a major contributing factor for deep SSI (14.7% vs 26%). The application of an external fixator in LF and NLF theatres did not alter the infection. rates. Bimalleolar fractures were associated with a higher infection rate

Introduction. Open tibial fractures (OTF) rank first among lower limb fractures in sub-Saharan Africa and bone infection remains the main challenge. The aim of this study was to identify the factors associated with chronic bone infection after OTF in a limited-resource setting. Methods. Patients aged 18 years and older, who underwent OTF treatment in a tertiary care hospital during the period from December 2015 to December 2020 were included in this retrospective study. Patients were contacted via phone calls and invited for a final clinical and radiological evaluation. Patients who met diagnostic criteria of chronic osteomyelitis were identified. Logistic regression was used to determine the predictive factors of OTF related chronic osteomyelitis. Results. With a mean follow-up period of 29.5±16.6 months, 33 patients out of 105 (31.4%) presented with chronic osteomyelitis. We found that time to first debridement within 6 hours (OR=0.18, 95% CI: 0.05 – 0.75, p=0.018) and severity of OTF according to Gustilo-Anderson classification (OR=2.06, 95% CI:1.34 – 3.16, p=0.001) were the independent predictive factors of chronic bone infection. Neither age, gender, socio-economic level, polytrauma, HIV status, diabetes mellitus, time to definitive surgery, were associated with chronic osteomyelitis. Conclusion. The rate of chronic bone infections after OTF is still high in the sub-Saharan African context. In addition to the overall improvement in the management of open leg fractures in those settings, emphasis should be placed on very early initial debridement to reduce the burden of these infections. Keys words. open tibial fractures, chronic bone infection, predictive factors

Introduction. Fracture related infection (FRI) is a challenging complication to manage in an orthoplastic setting. Consensus guidelines have been created to standardise the diagnosis of FRI and comprise confirmatory and suggestive criteria. In this study, the aim is to assess the diagnostic criteria and management of FRI with a particular focus on soft tissue reconstruction. Materials & Methods. A retrospective study to identify the outcomes of FRI in the lower limb over a five year period at a Major Trauma Centre. Fracture specific information that was analysed includes: open versus closed, fractured bone(s) and site, initial fracture management, method of diagnosis and soft tissue management. Results. A total of 40 patients were identified, 80% of whom were male (n= 32). The mean age for FRI diagnosis was 54 years (range 18–83 years). In our patient cohort, 10% were immunosuppressed and another 12.5% had a formal diagnosis of Diabetes Mellitus. A diagnosis of acute FRI (i.e. < six weeks from time of injury) was made in 9 patients (22.5%). Chronic FRI was noted in 25 patients (62.5%). There was equal incidence of FRI in patients with closed fractures and open fractures (42.5%). Tibia and fibula fractures were most common (87.5%, n=35). Regardless of fractured bone(s), the more distal the fracture the higher the incidence of FRI (60% distal versus 12.5% proximal). Gram-positive cocci were the most commonly identified pathogens, identified in 25% of patients. Five patients underwent free flap reconstruction, two patients received pedicled muscle flaps and another two patients received split thickness skin grafts. Conclusions. The diagnosis of FRI can be confirmed through the presence of a combination of confirmatory and suggestive criteria. We advocate a staged approach in the management of FRI with radical wound excision and temporary coverage followed by definitive soft tissue reconstruction

Patients awaiting resolution of swelling and oedema prior to ankle surgery can represent a significant burden on hospital beds. Our study assessed whether external pneumatic intermittent compression (EPIC) can reduce delays to surgery. Our prospective randomised controlled trial (n= 20) compared outcomes of patients treated with EPIC vs control group managed with ice and elevation. Included were patients aged <18 years with isolated closed ankle fractures admitted for management of swelling prior to surgery. Excluded were open fractures, injuries to contralateral leg, diabetes, absent pulses, peripheral vascular disease, inability to consent, no requirement for admission. Eligible patients were randomised to active or control arms. All patients were managed initially with reduction and back slab application. Patients in active arm fitted with EPIC (Hydroven 3000) device over the back slab. Assessment by treating team determined the time at which patient is assessed ready for surgery. Patients in the treatment arm were assessed as ready for surgery sooner, (123 hrs vs 168hrs, T score = 1.925, P 0.035) and had a shorter time to surgery (167 hrs vs 216 hrs, T score = 1.748, P 0.047) Length of stay was reduced bud did not reach statistical significance. (259 hrs vs 269 hrs, T score 0.229, P 0.41). Our results showed a statistically and clinically significant reduction in time that patients were assessed ready for surgery and time to surgery in the treatment cohort. We conclude that although further data is needed to achieve an adequately powered study and assess the safety profile of the EPIC, incorporation of EPIC into routine clinical practice has the potential for significant cost savings