Jos Stuyck

Septic Arthritis After Arthroscopic Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction A Retrospective Analysis of Incidence, Management and Outcome

BACKGROUND Septic arthritis after arthroscopic anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction is a rare complication. In the literature, several different managements are proposed. HYPOTHESIS The graft can be retained during treatment of a septic arthritis after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. STUDY DESIGN Case series; Level of evidence, 4. METHODS A retrospective analysis of knee joint infections occurring after arthroscopically assisted anterior cruciate ligament reconstructions was conducted. Fifteen patients were treated for postoperative septic arthritis of the knee after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction between 1996 and 2005. All patients underwent an urgent extensive arthroscopic debridement (wash-out and synovectomy) and parenteral antibiotics and oral antibiotics subsequently. Repetitive wash-outs were performed if necessary. The average time at follow-up for our series was 58 months (range, 9-99 months). RESULTS Only 1 graft was removed during debridement because it was nonfunctional. All other patients retained their anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. There was no reinfection. There were 2 traumatic reruptures. We evaluated 11 patients: in 6 patients the Lachman test showed a translation of more than 3 mm, but all patients had a firm endpoint and there was no subjective instability. Early signs of radiological degeneration were seen in 3 patients. The value for the Lysholm knee scoring scale was 83, on average, ranging from 57 to 100. Regarding the International Knee Documentation Committee score, 2 patients had a final evaluation of normal, 7 patients nearly normal, and 2 patients abnormal. CONCLUSION The graft can be retained during treatment of septic arthritis after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.Background Septic arthritis after arthroscopic anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction is a rare complication. In the literature, several different managements are proposed. Hypothesis The graft can be retained during treatment of a septic arthritis after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. Study Design Case series; Level of evidence, 4. Methods A retrospective analysis of knee joint infections occurring after arthroscopically assisted anterior cruciate ligament reconstructions was conducted. Fifteen patients were treated for postoperative septic arthritis of the knee after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction between 1996 and 2005. All patients underwent an urgent extensive arthroscopic debridement (washout and synovectomy) and parenteral antibiotics and oral antibiotics subsequently. Repetitive wash-outs were performed if necessary. The average time at follow-up for our series was 58 months (range, 9-99 months). Results Only 1 graft was removed during debridement because it was nonfunctional. All other patients retained their anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. There was no reinfection. There were 2 traumatic reruptures. We evaluated 11 patients: in 6 patients the Lachman test showed a translation of more than 3 mm, but all patients had a firm endpoint and there was no subjective instability. Early signs of radiological degeneration were seen in 3 patients. The value for the Lysholm knee scoring scale was 83, on average, ranging from 57 to 100. Regarding the International Knee Documentation Committee score, 2 patients had a final evaluation of normal, 7 patients nearly normal, and 2 patients abnormal. Conclusion The graft can be retained during treatment of septic arthritis after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.

Treatment of congenital pseudarthrosis with the Ilizarov technique.

Four patients with congenital pseudarthrosis in neurofibromatosis were treated with percutaneous transosseous fixation according to the Ilizarov method. Three tibias were first treated unsuccessfully with a Sofield procedure. After application of the Ilizarov fixator, consolidation was obtained in two cases after 6 and 19 months, respectively. A fourth case consisted of a congenital pseudarthrosis of the ulna, primarily treated with the Ilizarov system, which showed advanced consolidation after 4 months.

Does Implant Coating With Antibacterial-Loaded Hydrogel Reduce Bacterial Colonization and Biofilm Formation in Vitro?

BackgroundImplant-related infections represent one of the most severe complications in orthopaedics. A fast-resorbable, antibacterial-loaded hydrogel may reduce or prevent bacterial colonization and biofilm formation of implanted biomaterials.Questions/purposesWe asked: (1) Is a fast-resorbable hydrogel able to deliver antibacterial compounds in vitro? (2) Can a hydrogel (alone or antibacterial-loaded) coating on implants reduce bacterial colonization? And (3) is intraoperative coating feasible and resistant to press-fit implant insertion?MethodsWe tested the ability of Disposable Antibacterial Coating (DAC) hydrogel (Novagenit Srl, Mezzolombardo, Italy) to deliver antibacterial agents using spectrophotometry and a microbiologic assay. Antibacterial and antibiofilm activity were determined by broth microdilution and a crystal violet assay, respectively. Coating resistance to press-fit insertion was tested in rabbit tibias and human femurs.ResultsComplete release of all tested antibacterial compounds was observed in less than 96 hours. Bactericidal and antibiofilm effect of DAC hydrogel in combination with various antibacterials was shown in vitro. Approximately 80% of the hydrogel coating was retrieved on the implant after press-fit insertion.ConclusionsImplant coating with an antibacterial-loaded hydrogel reduces bacterial colonization and biofilm formation in vitro.Clinical Relevance A fast-resorbable, antibacterial-loaded hydrogel coating may help prevent implant-related infections in orthopaedics. However, further validation in animal models and properly controlled human studies is required.

Experimental study on internal fixation of femoral neck fractures

The relative strength and the failure mode of internal fixation by multiple pinning and nailing was investigated on 35 specimens. Internal fixation consisted of 3, 5 and 7 Knowles pins, a Smith-Petersen nail or a sliding nail plate. The strength of a specimen with a triflanged nail is only half of that with multiple Knowles pins. There is no significant difference in strength of 3, 5, or 7 pin specimens. The strength of an internal fixation with a sliding nail plate is not superior to the strength of multiple pinning. The mode of failure for the different types of internal fixation is primarily a crush fracture of the supporting trabecular bone at the femoral neck with downward and outward migration of the pins or nail. Except with the fixation with 3 pins where an initial bending could be observed, failure is not a plastic deformation of the internal fixation device.

Clinical evaluation of the Copan ESwab for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus detection and culture of wounds

The screening for and diagnosis of bacteriological infections often involves the collection and transportation of swab samples. The Copan ESwab was compared with the dry cotton Copan swab for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) screening (n = 200 paired samples) and with the Amies agar gel swab (Copan) for the sampling of burn and orthopaedic wounds (n = 203 paired samples) in terms of Gram staining and bacterial recovery. Gram stains performed with ESwab liquid showed significantly more Gram-negative rods, streptococci, Gram-positive cocci, Gram-positive rods, polymorphonuclear cells, lymphocytes and red blood cells than Gram stains from dry swabs. Bacterial recovery was significantly higher with ESwab (p < 0.01, for both MRSA screening and wounds, quantitative/semi-quantitative method). This lead to a slightly higher detection rate of MRSA (128 vs. 124 MRSA-positive ESwabs and dry swabs, respectively, p = 0.50) and a higher detection rate of coagulase-negative Staphylococcus spp. (44 isolates with ESwab vs. 29 with Amies gel swab, p = 0.001) and Enterococcus spp. (15 isolates with ESwab vs. 7 isolates with Amies gel swab, p = 0.005) with ESwab (quantitative method). We confirmed that ESwab has a high performance for Gram stains and a higher bacterial recovery than dry and Amies gel swabs when using clinical samples for MRSA screening and wound sampling.

Chronic osteomyelitis: diagnosis with technetium-99m-d, l-hexamethylpropylene amine oxime labelled leucocytes.

To evaluate the diagnostic value of technetium-99md,l-hexamethylpropylene amine oxime (HMPAO) labelled leucocytes in combination with a99mTc-methylene diphosphonate (MDP) bone scan in the detection of chronic osteomyelitis, we retrospectively reviewed 55 patients. Prior to the99mTc-d,I-HMPAO labelled leucocyte scan, all patients underwent a99mTc-MDP bone scan. The correct diagnosis was confirmed by long-term clinical follow-up (n=29) or by bacteriological cultures (n=26). We found an overall sensitivity of 94%, a specificity of 91% and an accuracy of 92% for99mTc-d,l-HMPAO labelled leucocyte scintigraphy in the diagnosis of chronic osteomyelitis. When the patients were divided into three groups according to the location of the infection, our study results showed a sensitivity and specificity for the central location (containing active bone marrow) of 94% and 100% respectively; for the peripheral location (hands and feet) both parameters were 100%, and for the middle location (all sites between the central and the peripheral location) the values were 92% and 81% respectively. Specificity and accuracy were significantly lower in the middle location than in the central and peripheral locations. The results of our study confirm that a99mTc-d,l-HMPAO labelled leucocyte scan in combination with an99mTc-MDP bone scan is a reliable way to diagnose chronic osteomyelitis, except for vertebral osteomyelitis.

Conservative treatment of femoral shaft fractures in patients with total hip arthroplasty

Over a period of 20 years, 34 patients with a total hip arthroplasty were treated conservatively for a femoral shaft fracture. Thirty-five fractures were treated by traction followed by cast-brace or by cast-brace alone. Sound healing was obtained in 33 fractures. Problems were angular malalignment jeopardizing revision surgery in cases of loosening, long hospitalization, and a considerable complication rate. As a consequence, the authors no longer recommend conservative treatment as the first choice for these difficult fractures.

Clinical study on internal fixation of femoral neck fractures.

A clinical study on the results of internal fixation of femoral neck fractures treated by multiple Knowles pinning was undertaken and correlated with the results of an experimental study. Experimentally, failures were produced by downwards migration of the Knowles pins. This phenomenon accounts for the settling of the femoral head on the neck and the frequency of non-union or malunion in patients with subcapital fractures. The type of fracture, type of reduction and age correlate with failure rate. This has to be explained by biomechanical considerations based upon the mode of failure of the internal fixation. A Garden stage III and IV, a varus or anatomical reduction of the fracture and an old age predispose to failure of the internal fixation and consequent non-union.

Salmonella typhi osteomyelitis

Salmonella infections in man can be divided in five clinical groups: enteric fever, septicaemia without localization, focal disease, gastroenteritis and the carrier state. Salmonella typhi is mostly associated with enteric fever and the carrier state. Bone infections due to S. typhi have been reported relatively seldom. They usually occur as the result of metastatic spread during septicaemia or, more rarely, after direct inoculation. Two patients with S. typhi osteomyelitis of the forearm without evidence of a primary infection or direct inoculation are presented here.

Partial calcanectomy: A procedure to cherish or to reject?

BACKGROUND Large ulcers on the heel often lead to major amputations. When a conservative treatment fails, a partial or subtotal calcanectomy is a possible treatment option. METHODS 24 Patients were evaluated regarding limb salvage and infection eradication. Fourteen of these completed a questionnaire regarding functional outcome and satisfaction. RESULTS Only 1 of 24 patients needed a below-knee amputation. Three patients did not heal and still have minor drainage of the wounds. However, hospital stay was long and in many cases additional surgery was necessary. Recurrences are seen, especially in patients with impaired sensation of the foot. In the fourteen patients who completed the questionnaire, pain was not a major problem. Many patients use orthotics and external support. The majority, however, is satisfied with the procedure and would consider the same treatment again. CONCLUSION Calcanectomy still has a place in the treatment of osteitis of the calcaneus.