Osteoporosis is a common disease that leads to a reduction in bone density and increases the risk of fractures. Stable surgical treatment is particularly important for these fractures. The aim of ...this study was to examine the influence of bone density in the area of the proximal ulna on the failure of the fixation technique of K-wires in tension band wiring (TBW). We provided 10 ulna specimens with TBW and biomechanically examined the pull-out strength of bi- and tricortical K-wires. Bone density measurement was performed using qCT. In the paired t-test, the tricortical group showed a significantly higher pull-out strength in relation to bone density than the bicortical group (p = 0.001). Furthermore, the Pearson correlation showed a high influence of bone density on pull-out strength in the tricortical group (r = 0.544), but without significance (p = 0.100).Our work shows that bone density has a direct effect on the pull-out strength of K-wires in TBW. TBW should therefore be used as osteosynthesis technique, especially in young patients with non-osteoporotic bones. In the case of osteoporotic fractures, alternative procedures should be preferred.
Deep sternal wound infection is a rare but feared complication of median thoracotomies and is usually caused by microorganisms from the patient's skin or mucous membranes, the external environment, ...or iatrogenic procedures. The most common involved pathogens are Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis and gram-negative bacteria. We aimed to evaluate the microbiological spectrum of deep sternal wound infections in our institution and to establish diagnostic and treatment algorithms.
We retrospectively evaluated the patients with deep sternal wound infections at our institution between March 2018 and December 2021. The inclusion criteria were the presence of deep sternal wound infection and complete sternal osteomyelitis. Eighty-seven patients could be included in the study. All patients received a radical sternectomy, with complete microbiological and histopathological analysis.
In 20 patients (23%) the infection was caused by S. epidermidis, in 17 patients (19.54%) by S. aureus, in 3 patients (3.45%) by Enterococcus spp., in 14 patients (16.09%) by gram-negative bacteria, while in 14 patients (16.09%) no pathogen could be identified. In 19 patients (21,84%) the infection was polymicrobial. Two patients had a superimposed Candida spp.
Methicillin-resistant S. epidermidis was found in 25 cases (28,74%), while methicillin-resistant S. aureus was isolated in only three cases (3,45%). The average hospital stay for monomicrobial infections was 29.93 ± 13.69 days and for polymicrobial infections was 37.47 ± 19.18 (p = 0.03). Wound swabs and tissue biopsies were routinely harvested for microbiological examination. The increasing number of biopsies was associated with the isolation of a pathogen (4.24 ± 2.22 vs. 2.18 ± 1.6, p < 0,001). Likewise, the increasing number of wound swabs was also associated with the isolation of a pathogen (4.22 ± 3.34 vs. 2.40 ± 1.45, p = 0.011). The median duration of antibiotic treatment was 24.62 (4-90) days intravenous and 23.54 (4-70) days orally. The length of antibiotic treatment for monomicrobial infections was 22.68 ± 14.27 days intravenous and 44.75 ± 25.87 days in total and for polymicrobial infections was 31.65 ± 22.29 days intravenous (p = 0.05) and 61.29 ± 41.45 in total (p = 0.07). The antibiotic treatment duration in patients with methicillin-resistant Staphylococci as well as in patients who developed an infection relapse was not significantly longer.
S. epidermidis and S. aureus remain the main pathogen in deep sternal wound infections. The number of wound swabs and tissue biopsies correlates with accurate pathogen isolation. With radical surgical treatment, the role of prolonged antibiotic treatment remains unclear and should be evaluated in future prospective randomized studies.
Background
The shoulder joint is one of the most freely movable joints in the human body and has therefore high importance for upper limb functionality. Several techniques have been developed to ...replace the glenohumeral joint including humeral hemiarthroplasty, anatomical total shoulder arthroplasty, and reverse total shoulder arthroplasty, depending on the underlying pathology. For the soft tissue reconstruction, the innervated latissimus dorsi musculocutaneous flap is a reliable solution flap in shoulder and arm reconstruction.
Case presentation
We present the case of a 16‐year‐old male patient with a complete destruction of the shoulder joint and soft tissues after ballistic trauma. We performed the reconstruction of the shoulder joint using a humeral hemiarthroplasty with a mesh fixation to the remaining glenoid. The soft tissue coverage and the restoration of the deltoid muscle function were insured with a pedicled innervated latissimus dorsi musculocutaneous flap. One year postoperatively, the patient showed a good function of the shoulder joint with an excellent aesthetical result and no pain.
Conclusion
The pedicled latissimus dorsi musculocutaneous flap can safely restore the shoulder function, while the humeral hemiarthroplasty with mesh fixation can be a reliable solution for the reconstruction of a completely destructed shoulder joint.
The completely destroyed shoulder joint can be functionally reconstructed using humeral hemiarthroplasty with mesh fixation and pedicled innervated latissimus dorsi flap.
Deep sternal wound infection (DSWI) is a rare, yet devastating complication after cardiac surgery. While the surgical treatment always implies the soft tissue and bone debridement, there is little ...data about this procedure. The aim of our study was to evaluate the impact of the radical sternectomy on the outcome in patients with DSWI and to identify the risk factors which could influence the result. The surgical techniques of piecemeal sternectomy and the newly developed en bloc sternectomy were also evaluated.
The study was developed as a retrospective cohort study. 86 patients with DSWI who received a radical sternal resection at our institution between March 2018 and December 2021 were included.
The average age of the cohort was 67.3 ± 7.4 years, and 23.3% of patients were female. The average length of stay trended shorter after en bloc sternectomy (median 26 days) compared to piecemeal sternectomy (37 days). There were no significant differences between the piecemeal and en bloc sternal resection techniques. Anticoagulant and antiplatelet drugs had no significant influence on bleeding and transfusion rates. Obese patients showed an increased risk for postoperative bleeding requiring reintervention. Transfusion of packed red blood cells was significantly associated with lower hemoglobin values before surgery and ASA Class 4 compared to ASA Class 3. The in-hospital mortality was 9.3%, with female sex and reintervention for bleeding as significant risk factors. Nine patients developed an infection relapse as a chronic fistula at the level of clavicula or ribs, with ASA Class 4 as a risk factor.
Radical sternectomy is a safe procedure to treat DSWI with compromised sternal bone. Both piecemeal and en bloc techniques ensure reliable results, while complications and mortality appear to be patient-related.
Extensive loss of soft tissue and bone due to neoplasia, trauma, or infection in extremities often leads to amputation.
We present the case of a 72-year-old female patient presenting with an extended ...cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma of the lower leg, developed on top of necrobiosis lipoidica. After achieving the R0 resection, a 26 × 20-cm soft tissue and 15-cm tibial bone defect resulted. The contralateral leg had been lost due to the same disease 18 years before. We achieved a successful reconstruction of the leg using a pedicled fibula transplantation, an extended anterolateral thigh perforator flap, and an internal fixation with plate and screws. Two years after the original surgery, the patient is relapse-free and mobile, with adequate function of the reconstructed foot.
Our case presented a unique combination of pedicled fibula transplantation and free extended ALT perforator flap to reconstruct an extensive defect after resection of a rare cSCC on top of NL. In selected cases, the boundaries of limb salvage can be pushed far beyond the current standards of treatment.
Background and Aims
Negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) has gained a central role in the treatment of deep sternal wound infections (DSWIs) after median thoracotomy. Our study aims at proving the ...safety of using NPWT with instillation and dwell time (NPWTi‐d) in the treatment of DSWI.
Methods
We retrospectively evaluated the patients who were treated at our institution between March 2018 and November 2021 for DSWI after radical sternectomy using NPWT or NPWTi‐d. The NPWTi‐d was applied to start the first postoperative day using 75 mmHg negative pressure for 3 h, followed by instillation of sodium hypochlorite <0.08% with a 3‐min dwell time.
Results
The NPWTi‐d group showed a shorter length of stay (29.39 ± 12.09 vs. 39.54 ± 17.07 days; p = 0.049), a shorter elapsed time between the debridement and the flap coverage (7.18 ± 4.27 vs. 11.86 ± 7.7 days; p = 0.003) and less operative or nonoperative dressing changes (1.73 ± 1.14 vs. 2.68 ± 56; p < 0.001). The in‐hospital mortality was 8.2%, with no significant differences between the two groups (p = 1).
Conclusion
NPWTi‐d can be safely employed in the treatment of DSWI. Further prospective randomized studies need to establish the role of NPWTi‐d in the control of infection and biofilm as well as in wound healing.
Key points
Negative pressure wound therapy with instillation and dwell time is a safe and helpful tool in the treatment of deep sternal wound infections. Our retrospective cohort analysis showed in 87 patients that the use of instillation and dwell time results in fewer dressing changes, faster flap coverage, and fewer hospitalization days with the same complication rate compared to the classical NPWT therapy.
Currently, there are no established adjuvant drugs for the acceleration of peripheral nerve regeneration. In this paper, we reviewed the literature from the last 10 years and described the drugs ...proved to accelerate the functional and histological regeneration of the peripheral nerves, either after trauma or in neuropathy experimental models. The vast majority of the studies were experimental with very few small clinical studies, which indicates the need for prospective randomized studies to identify the best drugs to use as adjuvants for nerve regeneration.
Complex injuries of fingers with bone and soft tissue loss often result in amputation. We present here a case of thumb reconstruction in a severely injured thumb with bone and dorsal soft tissue ...loss. Primarily a radical debridement of devascularized tissue was performed and a spacer was implanted, to ensure tissue decontamination and induce a Masquelet’s bone membrane. After 6 weeks the spacer was replaced with autologous cancellous bone and a pedicled Foucher neurovascular flap was used to augment the soft tissues. Eight months postoperatively the patient showed a great outcome with thumb length preservation, excellent range of motion and aesthetics. This novel technique facilitates finger and especially thumb preservation without the risk of infection. The Masquelet technique can hereby be safely used for reconstruction of finger injuries and the microsurgical flap coverage can be postponed for the secondary procedure, without compromising the bone regeneration.
Soft-tissue defects caused by radiation injury are a challenging task for the reconstructive surgeon, due to the extent of the soft-tissue damage and the associated injuries of the local blood ...vessels and bone tissue. We present the application of the versatile deep inferior epigastric perforator (DIEP) flap for the coverage of an extended lateral thigh soft-tissue defect after the surgical resection of an undifferentiated pleomorphic high-grade sarcoma, neoadjuvant chemotherapy, and adjuvant chemo- and radiotherapy. A double-pedicled free DIEP flap (756 cm) was harvested and anastomosed to the transverse branch of the lateral femoral circumflex artery and a lateral branch of the popliteal artery (P1). The flap survived completely without serious complications, and the patient was able to walk with crutches 3 months postoperatively. This is the first case report of a free bipedicled DIEP flap for the coverage of a thigh defect in a male patient.
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