Flexible flat foot is considered one of the commonest normal variants in children's orthopaedic practice. The weightbearing foot is usually regarded as flexible on the basis of results from clinical and radiographic examination as well as measured foot-ground pressure pattern.

Our aim was to compare the pedobarographic and radiographic findings of normal arched and symptomatic flexible flat feet and investigate if there were sensitive markers that could be used in selecting patients for surgical correction.

We retrospectively collected data from eighteen patients (ten to sixteen year old). Our control group consisted of ten patients (twenty feet) with normal arched feet and the study group of eight patients (fifteen feet) with symptomatic flat feet who were awaiting surgical correction.

The mean and standard deviations of three radiographic markers (Calcaneal pitch, Naviculocuboid overlap and lateral Talo-1st metatarsal angle) in addition to foot pressures measured at the hindfoot, medial/lateral/total midfoot (MMF, LMF, TMF), forefoot and the percentage of weight going through the MMF over the TMF (medial midfoot ratio (MMFR) during the mid-stance gait phase are reported. In addition, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of the pedobarographic parameters were estimated.

There was a significant difference in the Naviculocuboid overlap (P<0.001 T test) and Calcaneal pitch (P<0.05 T test) between both groups. The flat feet group had significantly higher MMF, LMF, TMF and MMFR (P < 0.001 Mann-Whitney). LMF had the highest sensitivity and negative predictive value (94%) whereas MMF, TMF and MMFR had the highest specificity and positive predictive value (100%).

Compared to our control group, patients with symptomatic flexible flat feet had significantly higher pressures distributed in the midfoot, in particular in the medial midfoot. Pedobarography appears to be a sensitive and specific tool that can be used, in conjunction with clinical and radiographic findings, in diagnosing flat feet.

Our study suggests that pedobarography could be used to measure the degree of deformity before and after surgical intervention.

We examined the rates of infection and colonisation by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) between January 2003 and May 2004 in order to assess the impact of the introduction of an MRSA policy in October 2003, which required all admissions to be screened. Emergency admissions were treated prophylactically and elective beds ring-fenced. A total of 5594 admissions were cross-referenced with 22 810 microbiology results. The morbidity, mortality and cost of managing MRSA-carrying patients, with a proximal fracture of the femur were compared, in relation to age, gender, American Society of Anaesthesiologists grade and residential status, with a group of matched controls who were MRSA-negative.

In 2004, we screened 1795 of 1796 elective admissions and MRSA was found in 23 (1.3%). We also screened 1122 of 1447 trauma admissions and 43 (3.8%) were carrying MRSA. All ten ward transfers were screened and four (40%) were carriers (all p < 0.001). The incidence of MRSA in trauma patients increased by 2.6% per week of inpatient stay (r = 0.97, p < 0.001). MRSA developed in 2.9% of trauma and 0.2% of elective patients during that admission (p < 0.001). The implementation of the MRSA policy reduced the incidence of MRSA infection by 56% in trauma patients (1.57% in 2003 (17 of 1084) to 0.69% in 2004 (10 of 1447), p = 0.035). Infection with MRSA in elective patients was reduced by 70% (0.56% in 2003 (7 of 1257) to 0.17% in 2004 (3 of 1806), p = 0.06). The cost of preventing one MRSA infection was £3200.

Although colonisation by MRSA did not affect the mortality rate, infection by MRSA more than doubled it. Patients with proximal fractures of the femur infected with MRSA remained in hospital for 50 extra days, had 19 more days of vancomycin treatment and 26 more days of vacuum-assisted closure therapy than the matched controls. These additional costs equated to £13 972 per patient.

From this experience we have been able to describe the epidemiology of MRSA, assess the impact of infection-control measures on MRSA infection rates and determine the morbidity, mortality and economic cost of MRSA carriage on trauma and elective orthopaedic wards.