Continuous local antibiotic perfusion for deep infection of the foot and ankle.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to report the outcome of deep infections of the foot and ankle, which are among the most challenging orthopedic conditions to treat, after continuous local antibiotic perfusion. METHODS: Eleven patients with deep foot and ankle infections were treated with continuous local antibiotic perfusion between January 2019 and March 2024. After surgical debridement, we performed continuous perfusion of high concentrations of gentamicin (60 mg/50 ml) directly into the infected bone and soft tissue for two weeks using bone marrow needles and double-lumen tubes. Patient characteristics, infection relapse, and adverse events were investigated. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 53 years (range 12-79 years), with six males and five females. The infections were controlled without additional surgeries in ten patients with a mean follow-up of 40 months (12-62 months). Two patients developed a fungal infection, of which one required an additional debridement surgery, and the other was treated with oral antifungal medication. No adverse events occurred due to high-concentration gentamicin. CONCLUSIONS: Short-term infection control was achieved using continuous local antibiotic perfusion; thus, it can be a treatment option for deep infections of the foot and ankle.

Continuous local antibiotic perfusion technique for surgical site infections after shoulder surgery.

Background: Continuous local antibiotic perfusion (CLAP) is a method for preserving tissue and function against surgical site infections (SSIs) after shoulder surgery. Methods: To describe the application of the novel CLAP technique to 10 patients with SSIs after shoulder surgery that were not controlled with repeated surgical débridement or elderly patients who are insufficient physical resilience for further surgeries. Results: CLAP, consisting of gentamicin, was performed for 2 weeks, after which the infection was well-controlled. The white blood cell count and C-reactive protein level improved rapidly within 1 week of initiating CLAP, after which the patients were switched to oral antibiotics for 3 months. None of the patients experienced any adverse events. Conclusion: CLAP for SSIs after shoulder surgery was successful in preserving implants and grafts. The SSIs were controlled with no adverse events. CLAP may be an important treatment option for SSIs after shoulder surgery.

DAIR in treating chronic PJI after total knee arthroplasty using continuous local antibiotic perfusion therapy: a case series study.

BACKGROUND: Antimicrobial agents are administered via intramedullary antibiotic perfusion (iMAP)/intrasoft tissue antibiotic perfusion (iSAP) to infected lesions to control osteoarticular and soft tissue infections. Continuous local antibiotic perfusion (CLAP) has been reported to be useful. This study aimed to investigate the outcomes of DAIR combined with CLAP for chronic PJI after total knee arthroplasty performed at our hospital. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Six patients (male; one case, female; five cases, mean age 79.5 years (70-94)) underwent CLAP for chronic PJI after TKA at our hospital between July 2020 and June 2022. They were followable for at least one year after surgery. Seven months (17-219), with a mean follow-up of 24.3 months (12-36). In addition to direct debridement and insert exchange, systemic antimicrobial treatment, and CLAP with gentamicin were performed using NPWT. We investigated the organisms causing the inflammation, the duration of iMAP/iSAP implantation, the maximum daily dose of GM, the maximum GM blood concentration, and the presence or absence of GM-induced adverse events. RESULT: Two of six patients had a recurrence of infection at five weeks and five months after initial CLAP and required repeat CLAP treatment, but all patients could preserve their components. The organisms responsible for the flare-ups were MSSA in three cases: ESBL-producing E. coli, mixed MSSA and streptococcal infection, Klebsiella pneumonia in one case each, and unknown pathogens in one case. CLAP therapy for all patients was administered eight times in 6 cases: iMAP, mean: 10.0 days (5-16); iSAP, mean: 19.3 days (15-28); GM dose, mean: 162.5 mg/day (80-240); and GM blood concentration, mean: 1.4 µg/mL (0.2-5.0). Adverse events included one case of reversible acute kidney injury during CLAP in a patient with recurrent infection. DAIR with CLAP for chronic post-TKA infection can be a useful treatment option to preserve components and allow the infection to subside, provided the implant is not markedly loosened.

Periprosthetic Joint Infection Following Reverse Shoulder Arthroplasty Treated With Continuous Local Antibiotic Perfusion: A Case Report.

Prosthetic joint infection (PJI) is a crucial complication of reverse shoulder arthroplasty (RSA). Continuous local antibiotic perfusion (CLAP) with a high-concentration antimicrobial pharmacy administration method has recently received attention owing to its effectiveness in the treatment of bone and soft tissue infections. We herein report a case of PJI following RSA that was successfully treated with CLAP without removal of the entire implant. A 73-year-old woman with comorbidities of diabetes mellitus and hypertension underwent RSA. The wound was found to be swollen eight weeks after RSA, and purulent content that was positive for Propionibacterium granulosum was identified. Blood samples indicated a mildly elevated inflammatory response. With a diagnosis of PJI spread from the intra-articular to subcutaneous regions without implant loosening, the patient underwent surgical treatment nine weeks after RSA. The contaminated tissues were thoroughly debrided, and the prosthetic joint was preserved by replacing the glenosphere and polyethylene liner. Intra-soft tissue antibiotic perfusion (iSAP) tubes and effluent drains were placed intra-articularly and subcutaneously, and gentamicin was infused continuously for 12 days. In addition, ceftriaxone and rifampicin were administered. The patient was subsequently treated with minocycline and sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim or clindamycin for eight weeks. The inflammatory reaction became negative six weeks postoperatively, and the patient had no recurrence at 15 months postoperatively. Treatment of PJI is considered a long-lasting, challenging process. This case report supports the feasibility of using CLAP in the treatment of PJI.

Treatment experience with continuous local antibiotic perfusion for periprosthetic joint infection.

BACKGROUND: Antibiotic concentrations 100-1000 times higher than the minimum inhibitory concentration are necessary for eradicating biofilms in periprosthetic joint infections (PJI). Achieving this with intravenous antibiotics is challenging, but continuous local antibiotic perfusion (CLAP) can increase the local concentration of antibiotics. Although there are several reports on CLAP therapy in the fracture-related infection, there are only few reports on its application in PJI. Here, we report our experience with CLAP therapy for PJI. METHODS: Eight patients with PJI (two males and six females, with mean age of 73.5 years [±11.6]) were treated at our department, and their clinical characteristics were analyzed. The parameters considered were the classification of PJI, surgical procedure, duration of CLAP, duration of transvenous antibiotic administration, time of CRP-negative status, whether the infection resolved or recurred, and whether there were complications due to CLAP. RESULTS: Initial surgery included total knee arthroplasty in five cases, unicompartmental knee arthroplasty in one case, and total hip arthroplasty in two cases. There were four cases of early postoperative infection, two of acute delayed infection, and two of chronic delayed infection. The surgical procedures performed were two-stage revision for two patients, and debridement, antibiotics, and implant retention (DAIR) for the other six. The mean durations of CLAP and transvenous antibiotic administration were 8.5 (±2.4) and 22.4 days (±13.7), respectively, and the mean time to CRP-negative status was 23.3 days (±10.7). All eight patients successfully resolved without additional irrigation or debridement, and no recurrence was observed at the last follow-up after discontinuation of oral antibiotics. No systemic side effects of gentamicin or other complications associated with CLAP were observed. CONCLUSION: All patients achieved infection resolution with the combined use of CLAP. This suggests that CLAP is a useful treatment option for PJI.

Intra-soft tissue and intramedullary antibiotic perfusion in combination with negative pressure wound therapy.

OBJECTIVE: Intra-soft tissue and intramedullary antibiotic perfusion (iSAP and iMAP), which combine continuous administration of antibiotic solution to the wound and negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT), have been reported to be a useful management approach for hard-to-heal ulcers in the field of orthopaedic surgery. We report the efficacy of this treatment and discuss the key points. METHOD: The recipients of this treatment had contaminated fresh severe trauma with a high risk of infection, or hard-to-heal ulcers which were expected to be difficult to manage with conventional NPWT alone. Continuous administration of 1200µg/ml of gentamicin (GM) solution to the wound was performed along with NPWT. The GM solution was administered subcutaneously using a small catheter for iSAP, while intramedullary administration used a bone marrow needle for iMAP. RESULTS: iSAP was employed in all 10 patients who took part, and iMAP in three of these patients. The average treatment time was 13.6 days with iSAP and 9.3 days with iMAP. The mean serum GM level during the therapy was 1.02µg/ml. Moderate GM-induced acute kidney injury was suspected in one case, but resolved spontaneously after GM administration was stopped. Favourable wound bed preparation was achieved in all cases without recurrence of infection. CONCLUSION: Combination with continuous suction by NPWT is able to keep the local concentration of antibiotic above the minimum inhibitory concentration of biofilm-coated bacteria within the wound. We have referred to this treatment as continuous local antibiotic perfusion. Further investigation of local pharmacodynamics in the wound and side-effects of this treatment are warranted.

Retroperitoneal Continuous Local Antibiotic Perfusion for Refractory Pyogenic Vertebral Osteomyelitis: A Case Report.

Pyogenic vertebral osteomyelitis (PVO) is a prevalent infection in the elderly, frequently complicated by iliopsoas and epidural abscesses. Traditional treatments are often ineffective for refractory cases. In this report, a 76-year-old man with PVO, iliopsoas, and epidural abscess was unresponsive to antibiotics, presenting with severe lower back pain and functional impairments. A two-stage surgical intervention was implemented: anterior debridement, autogenous bone graft fixation, and novel application of retroperitoneal continuous local antibiotic perfusion (CLAP), followed by posterior fixation. A contrast test verified correct CLAP perfusion into the iliopsoas abscess and intervertebral disc space. Substantial improvements were noted postoperatively, including a marked reduction in pain, inflammation, and the size of both abscesses. In conclusion, this case demonstrates the feasibility and effectiveness of retroperitoneal CLAP in treating refractory PVO, offering a potential innovative solution for cases resistant to conventional therapies.

Continuous Local Antibiotic Perfusion (CLAP) for Post-operative Infection of Open Tibial Fractures: A Case Report.

Introduction: We encountered a case of post-operative infection of an open tibial fracture that was controlled by continuous local antibiotic perfusion (CLAP), a novel method of fracture-related infection (FRI) that we have developed. CLAP is a procedure in which a bone marrow needle and a double lumen tube are placed in the infected area, and an appropriate concentration of antimicrobial agent is continuously administered and perfused. Case Report: The patient was a 78-year-old woman. She was hit by a motor vehicle and fell to the farmyard floor. She suffered multiple traumas, including a lower leg open fracture, multiple rib fractures, clavicle fracture, pelvic fracture, mandibular fracture, and liver injury. Her tibial fracture was a Gustilo-Anderson type IIIA open fracture. After debridement and external fixation of the tibial open fracture on the same day, open reduction and internal fixation with an intramedullary nail was performed 3 days after the injury. Twelve days after the injury, local heat and redness were observed at the nail insertion wound and the posteromedial calf, and a purulent clot was discharged from the open wound. We performed curettage of the lesion and retained the implant. CLAP was then constructed to perfuse local antibiotics along the nail and large hematoma area. Locally, the inflammation improved and the inflammatory response became negative 3 weeks after the initiation of CLAP. Six months after surgery, bony union was achieved. At present, 3.5 years after the internal operation, there is no sign of infection, and the patient has returned to her pre-injury life with no abnormalities in motor function. Conclusion: CLAP may be a novel treatment method that can be expected to achieve bone healing while preserving the implant in FRI cases after open tibial fracture.

Continuous local antibiotic perfusion: A treatment strategy that allows implant retention in fracture-related infections.

PURPOSE: Fracture-related infections are difficult to treat because of the formation of biofilms around implants. Systemic antibiotics are notoriously ineffective against biofilms due to their insufficient penetration of tissues with poor vascularity. The goal of treating fracture-related infections is to achieve bone union while retaining the implant. Our proposal of continuous local antibiotic perfusion is a sustained local delivery system of sufficient antibiotics to bone and soft tissue infection sites, including to bone marrow via needles as intra-medullary antibiotics perfusion and to soft-tissue via double-lumen subcutaneous tubes as intra-soft tissue perfusion. METHODS: In this study, we examined the outcomes of 40 patients treated for fracture-related infections using continuous local antibiotic perfusion between 2015 and 2021 at Steel Memorial Hirohata Hospital, Himeji, Japan. RESULT: The antibiotic used for continuous local antibiotic perfusion was gentamicin in all cases. Implant removal was required in five patients. Two patients required toe amputation and knee arthrodesis, while the remaining 38 patients achieved fracture union. Only one case of transient acute renal injury as a systemic side effect was observed, but it soon resolved. The blood concentration of gentamicin could be adjusted to less than the trough level. CONCLUSIONS: Continuous local antibiotic perfusion is a novel local drug delivery system that has the potential of delivering sufficient concentrations of antibiotics with few systemic side effects; it is a useful option for the treatment of fracture-related infections.

Potential of Continuous Local Antibiotic Perfusion Therapy for Fracture-Related Infections.

INTRODUCTION: Fracture-related infections (FRIs) are challenging for orthopedic surgeons, as conventional surgical treatment and systemic antimicrobial therapy cannot completely control local infections. Continuous local antibiotic perfusion (CLAP) is a novel and innovative therapy for bone and soft-tissue infections, and is expected to eradicate biofilms by maintaining a sustained high concentration of antimicrobial agents at the infected site. If CLAP therapy can eradicate infection even in cases with implants while preserving the implants, it would be an ideal and effective treatment for local refractory infections. This study aimed to evaluate the usefulness of novel CLAP therapy for FRIs. METHODS: Nine patients treated with CLAP therapy were retrospectively analyzed. The mean age was 65.9 (43-82) years, and the mean follow-up period was 14.9 (6-45) months. In all cases, the infected sites were related to the lower extremities (tibia, n = 6; fibula, n = 1; hip joint, n = 1; foot, n = 1). All patients underwent similar procedures for this therapy combined with negative-pressure wound therapy after thorough irrigation and debridement of infected tissues. RESULTS: The pathogens identified were Staphylococcus aureus (methicillin-resistant S. aureus, n = 5; methicillin-susceptible S. aureus, n = 1), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (n = 3), Enterococcus faecalis (n = 2), Corynebacterium (n = 1), and Enterobacter (n = 1); pathogens were not detected in one case. The mean duration of CLAP was 17.0 (7-35) days. In all cases, implants were preserved until bone union was achieved. Five cases relapsed; however, infection was finally suppressed in all cases by repeating this method. No side effects were observed. CONCLUSION: This novel case series presents treatment outcomes using CLAP therapy for FRIs. This method has the potential to control the infection without removing the implants, because of the sustained high concentration of antimicrobial agents at the infected site, and could be a valuable treatment option for refractory FRIs with implants, in which bone union has not been achieved.

Continuous local antibiotic perfusion for patients with surgical site infection after instrumented spinal surgery; a novel technique to retain the implants.

OBJECTIVES: To describe the novel technique of continuous local antibiotic perfusion (CLAP) for a surgical site infection (SSI) after instrumented spinal surgery. METHODS: CLAP was applied to 4 continuous patients at our institution who developed SSI after instrumented spinal surgery. RESULTS: All 4 patients were successfully treated and the infection was controlled. The implant was retained in all patients. The duration of CLAP ranged from 2 to 3 weeks. The blood level of the antibiotic used (gentamicin) at 1 week after the initiation of CLAP did not increase in any patient. No other adverse events occurred in any patient. Dramatic improvements in laboratory parameters, including the white blood cell (WBC) counts and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were seen in every patient at 1 week after the initiation of CLAP. CONCLUSIONS: CLAP controlled the infection without severe adverse events in all 4 patients, and the implants were retained. Despite its cost and the discomfort of patients, CLAP may become an option for the treatment of SSIs after instrumented spinal surgery. A large number of case series are needed to verify the efficacy of CLAP for patients with SSIs after instrumented spinal surgery.

Intra-medullary antibiotics perfusion (iMAP) for the control of fracture-related infection early after osteosynthesis.

PURPOSE: In our hospital, cases of bone and soft tissue infections have been treated with continuous local antibiotics perfusion that allows for continuous circulation of antibiotics throughout the infected lesion. We termed this treatment "intramedullary antibiotics perfusion (iMAP)" for bone infection such as fracture-related infection (FRI) and "intrasoft tissue antibiotics perfusion" for soft tissue infection. Many cases are treated with both modalities. To introduce iMAP, this study focused on the patients with FRI treated with iMAP and reviewed their treatment outcomes. METHODS: We included 10 patients with FRI treated with iMAP between 2004 and 2017. The iMAP needles were inserted near the infected lesion, and an aminoglycoside antimicrobial was continuously administered. Patient characteristics, pathogenic bacteria, administered antibiotics, duration of administration, concentrations of antibiotics in blood and leachate fluid, fracture union rate, implant retention rate, and complications were studied. RESULTS: The mean age of patients was 59.9 years, and the mean follow-up period was 2.5 years. Affected bones were the tibia (n = 8), humerus (n = 1), and fibula (n = 1). Deep infections developed on average 29.9 days after osteosynthesis. Pathogenic bacteria were methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (n = 6), methicillin-resistant S. aureus (n = 2), and unknown (n = 2). Average iMAP duration was 17.1 days. In all patients, infection was eradicated while preserving the implants, and fracture union was achieved without complications. CONCLUSION: iMAP is a novel local drug delivery system allowing high concentrations of antibiotics to be administered without complications and is useful in the treatment of FRI.

Treatment of Chronic Osteomyelitis of the Femur by Intramedullary Antibiotic Perfusion (iMAP): A Case Report.

Introduction: Chronic osteomyelitis is difficult to cure definitively, because local areas are often covered with sequestrum and scar tissues with a poor blood flow; these may render systemic antibiotic administration ineffective. We present a case of chronic osteomyelitis that was successfully treated with continuous local antibiotic perfusion (CLAP) through an intramedullary antibiotic perfusion (iMAP) pin. Case Presentation: A 65-year-old man who suffered an episode of the right femoral osteomyelitis at the age of 15 years experienced a relapse at the age of 63 years. Systemic administration of antibiotics could not control the infection; thus, a surgery was performed. A bone marrow needle (i.e., an iMAP pin; diameter: 3 mm) was percutaneously inserted, from the front, distally and proximally to the cystic lesion in the distal femur. After washing through the iMAP pins, the pins were left indwelling. A closed drain tube was placed on the bone surface, which was close to the fistula of the bone marrow lesion. CLAP therapy was then initiated. Gentamicin was continuously infused through the iMAP pin at a rate of 2 mL/h and drained using the tube. Accordingly, 2.4 mg/mL, 1.2 mg/mL, and 1.2 mg/mL of gentamicin were administered for 4 days using two iMAP pins, for 5-8 days using two iMAP pins, and for 9-15 days using one iMAP pin, respectively, with a syringe pump. The iMAP pins and the drain tube were removed 15 days after the initiation of the CLAP therapy. The C-reactive protein level normalized 25 days postoperatively. The patient recovered full range of motion of the knee joint and recreational sports activity without recurrence of osteomyelitis for 5 years after the therapy. Conclusions: CLAP therapy allows local administration of a sufficient concentration of antibiotics and device removal after treatment is simple. This may be a novel treatment for chronic osteomyelitis.