Clinical outcomes and complications of S53P4 bioactive glass in chronic osteomyelitis and septic non-unions: a retrospective single-center study.

INTRODUCTION: Dead space management following debridement surgery in chronic osteomyelitis or septic non-unions is one of the most crucial and discussed steps for the success of the surgical treatment of these conditions. In this retrospective clinical study, we described the efficacy and safety profile of surgical debridement and local application of S53P4 bioactive glass (S53P4 BAG) in the treatment of bone infections. METHODS: A consecutive single-center series of 38 patients with chronic osteomyelitis (24) and septic non-unions (14), treated with bioactive glass S53P4 as dead space management following surgical debridement between May 2015 and November 2020, were identified and evaluated retrospectively. RESULTS: Infection eradication was reached in 22 out of 24 patients (91.7%) with chronic osteomyelitis. Eleven out of 14 patients (78.6%) with septic non-union achieved both fracture healing and infection healing in 9.1 ± 4.9 months. Three patients (7.9%) developed prolonged serous discharge with wound dehiscence but healed within 2 months with no further surgical intervention. Average patient follow-up time was 19.8 months ± 7.6 months. CONCLUSION: S53P4 bioactive glass is an effective and safe therapeutic option in the treatment of chronic osteomyelitis and septic non-unions because of its unique antibacterial properties, but also for its ability to generate a growth response in the remaining healthy bone at the bone-glass interface.

Internal fixation of intracapsular femoral neck fractures in elderly patients: mortality and reoperation rate.

BACKGROUND: A significant increase in the prevalence of intracapsular femoral neck fractures in the elderly population was reported but the best treatment is still debated. AIM: To evaluate the mortality rate and the reoperation rate of stable neck fractures treated with cannulated screw fixation in elderly patients. METHODS: This was a retrospective study of patients older than 60 years with a Garden I or II femoral neck fractures treated with cannulated screw fixation without capsulotomy. A total of 244 patients (246 hips) who underwent surgery between 2008 and 2018 were included. The average age at the time of surgery was 80 years (range 60-99 years). The mean ASA score was 2.64 (range 1-4). Mortality rate, complications, reoperation rate, the time elapsed between surgeries were recorded. RESULTS: The mortality rate was 50.0%. There were 16 mortalities (6.6%) in the first-month follow-up. We observed higher mortality rates in ASA 4 (80.8%). In 22 patients (8.9%), complications after surgery were observed, and in 11 patients (4.5%) underwent conversion surgery to hemiarthroplasty at a mean of 14.6 months (range 2-48 months) after the femoral screw fixation. Two patients were treated with hardware removal and Gamma Nail for a peri-implant subtrochanteric femur fracture. INTERPRETATION: Cannulated screw fixation should be considered a valid option in intraarticular femoral Garden I-II fractures in elderly patients. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV, therapeutic study.

Clinical presentation and surgical treatment of distal fibular non-union with talus chondral lesions in a pediatric patient: a case report.

BACKGROUND: In children, fracture non-union is uncommon yet, curiously, non-union of distal fibula fractures are rarely reported. Historically, the most common treatment of a lateral malleolus fracture after an ankle sprain is conservative, which usually leads to fracture union. However, even in clinically stable ankles, subsequent pain arising from fracture site could suggest non-union, thereby necessitating reexamination and possible secondary treatment. CASE PRESENTATION: We report the case of an 8-year-old girl with an epiphyseal distal fibula fracture complicated with a symptomatic non-union associated with the chondral flap of the talar dome after conservative treatment. Surgical excision of the fragment and chondroplasty was performed and resulted in an excellent clinical outcome. CONCLUSION: This case report illustrates the necessity of particularly meticulous evaluation of pediatric post-traumatic ankle pain. Surgical treatment as well as talar chondral evaluation should be taken into consideration in the treatment of pediatric distal fibular nonunion.

Curettage as first surgery for bone giant cell tumor : adequate surgery is more important than oncology training or surgical management by high volume specialized teams.

We reviewed the files of 203 patients with extremities GCTB treated with curettage as first surgery from 1990 to 2013. Median follow-up was 84.2 months. We evaluated whether the years of practice and training in orthopaedic oncology are associated with local recurrences, function and complications after curettage as first surgery for giant cell tumour of bone (GCTB). Local recurrences were not significantly different between orthopaedic oncology trained and non-trained orthopaedic surgeons and between orthopaedic surgeons with < 10 years and ≥ 10 years of practice. Function was not significantly different between orthopaedic oncology trained and non-trained surgeons and between orthopaedic surgeons with < 10 years and ≥ 10 years of practice. The only important univariate and multivariate predictor for local recurrence was PMMA adjuvant. Complications were not significantly different between orthopaedic oncology trained and non-trained orthopaedic surgeons and between orthopaedic surgeons with < 10 years and ≥ 10 years of practice. Curettage may be effectively performed as first surgery for GCTB by early-career (< 10 years of practice) non-trained orthopaedic oncology orthopaedic surgeons. PMMA adjuvant is recommended after appropriate curettage.

Similar local recurrence but better function with curettage versus resection for bone giant cell tumor and pathological fracture at presentation.

BACKGROUND: There are conflicting reports for the outcome of the patients with giant cell tumor of bone (GCTB) and pathological fracture at presentation treated with curettage or resection. This study compared local recurrence, complications, and function after curettage versus resection for these patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively studied the files of 46 patients with histologically confirmed GCTB of the extremities admitted and treated from 1982 to 2015. The median follow-up was 79.5 months (57.0-125.5 months). We evaluated local recurrence and type of surgery-related complications with imaging and function with the Musculoskeletal Tumor Society (MSTS) score. RESULTS: Overall local recurrence was 6.5%. There were one patient with curettage and two patients with resection; local recurrence rate was similar between the two procedures but the time to local recurrence was shorter after curettage. MSTS score was significantly better after curettage. Complications occurred in two patients after curettage and in five patients after resection; because of the low number of patients with complications, a statistical comparison was not possible; however, by direct comparison of the numbers, complications were more common after resection compared with curettage. CONCLUSION: Curettage is recommended for GCTB and pathological fracture at presentation because of similar local recurrence but better function compared with resection. The treating physicians should be aware and inform their patients for a shorter time to local recurrence after curettage and for more complications after resection.

Denosumab does not decrease the risk of lung metastases from bone giant cell tumour.

PURPOSE: There are conflicting reports on the effect of denosumab on lung metastases in patients with giant cell tumor (GCT) of bone. To address these reports, we performed this study to determine if denosumab prevents lung metastasis and to evaluate univariate and multivariate predictors for lung metastases in these patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively studied 381 GCT patients with surgery alone and 30 GCT patients with surgery and denosumab administration. The median follow-up was 85.2 months (IQR, 54.2-124.4 months). We evaluated lung metastases and local recurrences, univariate and multivariate predictors for lung metastases, response, and adverse events of denosumab administration. RESULTS: The occurrence of lung metastases was similar (surgery alone 4.7%, 18 patients; denosumab administration 3.3%, 1 patient); however, the occurrence of local recurrences was significantly higher in the patients with denosumab administration. Denosumab administration was not an important predictor for lung metastases; Campanacci stage and type of surgery were the only univariate predictors for lung metastases, and type of surgery and local recurrence were the only multivariate predictors for lung metastases. Histology showed viable tumour in all tumor specimens of the patients with denosumab administration. CONCLUSION: Denosumab does not decrease the risk of lung metastases in patients with bone GCT; the only important predictors for lung metastases in these patients are type of surgery and local recurrence. However, because the number of patients with lung metastases was small for a multivariate analysis, the possibility of denosumab's effect could not be completely eliminated.

Correction to: Denosumab does not decrease the risk of lung metastases from bone giant cell tumour.

Last and second name of an author have been mixed up. It shows Piergiuseppe as the last name, but his second name is Tanzi and the first name is Piergiuseppe.

Higher local recurrence rates after intralesional surgery for giant cell tumor of the proximal femur compared to other sites.

PURPOSE: The treatment of giant cell tumor (GCT) of bone remains controversial. Intralesional surgery (curettage) results in a higher rate of local recurrence, but better functional results compared to resection. The aim of this study was to assess whether the use of curettage was successful in the treatment of GCT of long bones. We evaluated the influence of adjuvant treatment, local tumor presentation, and demographic factors on the risk of recurrence. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the records of patients treated for GCT of long bones between 1990 and 2013, using curettage. No patient had any treatment other than surgery. After detailed curettage, the bone cavity was filled with bone allografts and/or cement. Recurrence rates, risk factors for recurrence and the development of pulmonary metastases were determined. The minimum follow-up was 24 months. RESULTS: We enrolled 210 patients with GCT of long bones treated by curettage. The rate of local recurrence was 16.2% (34/210 patients). The median follow-up was 89.2 months. In the multivariate analysis, no significant statistical effect on the local recurrence rate could be identified for gender, patient's age, Campanacci's grading, or cement versus bone allografts. The only independent risk factor related to the local recurrence was the site, with a statistically significant higher risk for patients with GCT of the proximal femur. CONCLUSIONS: Our observation on the correlation of tumor location and risk of local recurrence is new. We suggest that patients with GCT of bone in the proximal femur should be followed closely soon after surgery to identify any possible recurrence.

Resolvin E1 and Cytokines Environment in Skeletally Immature and Adult ACL Tears.

The intra-articular synovial fluid environment in skeletally immature patients following an ACL tear is complex and remains undefined. Levels of inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines change significantly in response to trauma and collectively define the inflammatory environment. Of these factors the resolvins, with their inherent anti-inflammatory, reparative, and analgesic properties, have become prominent. This study examined the levels of resolvins and other cytokines after ACL tears in skeletally immature and adult patients in order to determine if skeletal maturity affects the inflammatory pattern. Skeletally immature and adult patients with an anterior cruciate ligament injury and meniscal tears were prospectively enrolled over a 5-month period. Synovial fluid samples were obtained before surgery quantifying Resolvin E1, IL-1ß, TNF-α, and IL-10 by ELISA. Comparisons between skeletally immature patients and adults, the influence of meniscal tear, growth plate maturity and time from trauma were analyzed. Skeletally immature patients had significantly greater levels of Resolvin E1 and IL-10 compared with adults with an isolated anterior cruciate ligament lesion. Among the injured skeletally immature patients Resolvin E1 levels were greater in the open growth plate group compared with those with closing growth plates. Moreover, levels of Resolvin E1 and IL-10 appeared to decrease with time. Our results suggest that skeletally immature patients have a stronger activation of the Resolvin pattern compared to adult patients and that synovial fluid Resolvins could play an antinflammatory role in the knee after anterior cruciate ligament lesion and that its activity may be synergistic with that of IL-10.

Denosumab for Bone Giant Cell Tumor of the Distal Radius.

There are conflicting reports regarding the outcome and effect of denosumab for distal radius giant cell tumor of bone (GCTB). The authors performed this study to evaluate the behavior of distal radius GCTB in relation to the type of treatment and the administration of denosumab. The files of 72 patients with distal radius GCTB treated from 1984 to 2018 were reviewed. Fourteen patients were administered denosumab. Surgical treatment consisted of curettage (25 patients) or resection (47 patients) and allograft or vascularized fibular head graft reconstruction. Median follow-up was 63.1 months (interquartile range [IQR], 35.5-107.1 months). The authors evaluated local recurrences, metastasis, function, and complications. The local recurrence rate was 30.6% at a median of 14.0 months (IQR, 10-19 months), with no difference between curettage and resection. The local recurrence rate was significantly higher in the patients who received denosumab. The metastasis rate was 9.7% at a median of 41.0 months (IQR, 15-114 months), with no difference regarding denosumab administration. Function was significantly better in patients after curettage. The complication rate was 25%; vascularized fibular graft reconstruction was associated with fewer complications. This study found that denosumab increases the risk of local recurrence after curettage, function is better after curettage, and vascularized fibular graft is the optimal reconstruction after resection of distal radius GCTB. [Orthopedics. 2020;43(5):284-291.].

Denosumab May Increase the Risk of Local Recurrence in Patients with Giant-Cell Tumor of Bone Treated with Curettage.

BACKGROUND: Recent clinical studies have suggested that denosumab is associated with tumor response and reduced surgical morbidity in patients with giant-cell tumor of bone (GCTB). We therefore evaluated the recurrence-free survival rate of patients who had GCTB in an extremity and were treated with surgery and denosumab, to determine the influence of denosumab and clinical factors on the risk of local recurrence. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 408 patients treated for GCTB in an extremity in a single institution from 1990 through 2013. Two hundred and forty-seven patients underwent curettage (intralesional surgery) with a high-speed burr, and 161 underwent resection. Phenol adjuvant was used in 221 of the 247 patients who had curettage. We also reviewed the medical records of 30 patients treated surgically (25 with curettage and 5 with resection) and with denosumab from 2010 through 2013 and compared their clinical results with 378 historical control subjects. The overall minimum duration of follow-up was 24 months. RESULTS: The local recurrence rates were 60% (15) of 25 patients treated with curettage and denosumab and 16% (36) of 222 patients treated with curettage alone. The joint preservation rates were 80% (20) of 25 patients treated with curettage and denosumab and 94% (209) of 222 patients treated with curettage alone. Univariate and multivariable analyses showed that denosumab was the only independent factor associated with a poor prognosis when recurrence-free survival and joint preservation were considered. The overall median duration of follow-up was 85.6 months (interquartile range, 54.3 to 125.1 months). Viable tumor was present in all 30 specimens from patients treated with denosumab. CONCLUSIONS: There was a higher rate of recurrence in the cohort exposed to denosumab. Because there were substantial differences in the cohorts and randomization was not applied, however, causation could not be evaluated. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.