Management of Chronic Osteomyelitis by an Orthoplastic Team: 7-Year Experience of a University Hospital.

BACKGROUND: Treating chronic osteomyelitis of the lower extremities is challenging. The treatment of acute lower limb trauma by orthoplastic teams has shown good results over the past few decades. This study aimed to characterize surgical outcomes of leg and heel chronic osteomyelitis by an orthoplastic team. METHODS: The cases of 113 consecutive leg and heel chronic osteomyelitis patients undergoing soft-tissue reconstruction with an orthopedic procedure were reviewed in this retrospective single-center observational study. The main objective was to assess surgical outcomes of skin healing and gait recovery at the 1-year follow-up. The secondary objective was to evaluate the global success rate at the last follow-up. RESULTS: The median follow-up was 19.7 months. A free flap was performed for 33 patients (29.2 percent) and a locoregional flap was used in 79 patients (69.9 percent). Seventy-two patients (63.7 percent) had chronic osteomyelitis on continuous bone. The others had a septic pseudarthrosis with a mean bone defect length of 42.9 mm. Forty-four patients (38.9 percent) underwent curettage only, eight (7.1 percent) underwent curettage and cement, 20 (17.7 percent) underwent curettage and bone fixation, and 39 (34.5 percent) underwent the Masquelet technique. At the 1-year follow-up, 72 patients (63.7 percent) had achieved skin healing and had recovered their gait. The success rate at all follow-up time points was 82.3 percent. The median time to achieve skin healing was 6.5 months and that to bone union in cases of septic pseudarthrosis was 7.9 months. CONCLUSION: Orthoplastic management of leg and heel chronic osteomyelitis patients with combined soft-tissue reconstruction using an orthopedic procedure was a viable strategy that offered good results even though the time to complete healing was long. CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Risk, III.

Congenital Pseudarthrosis of the Fibula: Controlling Ankle Valgus in a Heterogenous Condition.

BACKGROUND: Congenital pseudarthrosis of the fibula (CPF) is a rare disorder characterized by a deficiency in the continuity of the fibula and can lead to progressive ankle valgus malalignment. An existing classification system for CPF is imperfect and may contribute to heterogeneity in reporting and discrepancy of outcomes in the literature. METHODS: Fifteen patients with CPF treated at our institution between 1995 and 2017 were retrospectively identified. Only patients with dysplasia leading to spontaneous fracture or pseudarthrosis were included in this series. The median age at presentation was 2.5 years (range: 3 mo to 13.4 y). The median duration of follow-up from the initial presentation was 11.8 years (range: 2.0 to 24 y). Chart review and serial radiographs were analyzed to assess natural history and outcomes following surgery. RESULTS: The coexistence of tibial dysplasia in CPF is very common. Patients were classified into 3 groups based on the degree of tibial involvement-group 1: no evidence of tibial dysplasia, group 2: mild tibial dysplasia, and group 3: significant tibial dysplasia. Age at presentation and age at which fibular fracture occurred were progressively younger with a greater degree of tibial involvement (P<0.05). In the absence of surgical intervention, group 1 patients did not undergo progressive ankle valgus (defined as the valgus change in tibiotalar angle by ≥4 degrees), whereas all patients in groups 2 and 3 did (P<0.001). Fibular osteosynthesis was performed in 6 patients, with union seen only in group 1 patients. Ten patients underwent distal tibiofibular fusion, with no cases of nonunion seen. Distal tibiofibular fusion with or without medial distal tibial hemiepiphysiodesis halted the progression of ankle valgus in 8 of the 10 patients. Further progression of ankle valgus occurred only in patients who did not undergo concurrent medial distal tibial hemiepiphysiodesis and with considerable wedging of the distal tibial epiphysis at the time of fusion. CONCLUSIONS: Tibial dysplasia and CPF are intimately related. Grouping patients on this basis may help guide natural history and treatment and may explain discrepancies in findings in the literature. Fibular osteosynthesis, distal tibiofibular fusion, and medial distal tibial hemiepiphysiodesis may all have an important role in the treatment of CPF. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV-case series.

Modified Masquelet's technique with nail and allograft: A case report.

The large bone defect treatment is a challenge issue in modern orthopaedic trauma surgery. One of the most used technique is the Masquelet's technique. In this case report we used a modified Masquelet technique to fill a six centimeters bone gap in the proximal femur. A 18-year-old boy with a septic pseudoarthrosis was treated with a two stages procedure: in the first step we used a hollow antibiotic spacer and an intramedullary nail. In the second step, we used both omologous (6 cm of bone allograft) and autologous bone graft with a new intramedullary nail. Immediate partial weight bearing was allowed and after 3 months the patient started walking with complete weight bearing. A year later the fracture had healed uneventfully. The modification of the Masquelet Technique that we have made allows the patient to immediately weight bearing safely, speeding up the functional recovery. Further studies are needed to standardize this type of combined technique.

Transpseudarthrosis Osteotomy with Interbody Fusion for Kyphotic Spinal Pseudarthrosis in Ankylosing Spondylitis by a Single Posterior Approach: A Retrospective Study and a Brief Relevant Literature Review.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the safety and efficacy of transpseudarthrosis osteotomy with interbody fusion in the treatment of Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS) patients with kyphotic spinal pseudarthrosis by a single posterior approach. METHODS: Twelve consecutive patients with spinal pseudarthrosis underwent transpseudarthrosis osteotomy and interbody fusion with a polyetheretherketone (PEEK) cage by a single posterior approach. The operative time, intraoperative blood loss, and complications were recorded. Radiographic and clinical results were assessed preoperatively and at the final follow-up. RESULTS: The average operative time was 201.9 min and the mean blood loss was 817.5 ml. The visual analogue scale (VAS) improved significantly from 6.7 preoperatively to 1.1 at the final follow-up. The average correction of the segmental kyphosis at the level of the pseudarthrosis was 22.3°. Bony fusion was achieved in all patients, and there was no obvious loss of correction at follow-up. CONCLUSION: Transpseudarthrosis osteotomy at the level of the pseudarthrosis can be safely performed and surgical repair of pseudarthrosis with interbody fusion by a single posterior approach was feasible.

Coxa vara in postseptic arthritis of the hip in children.

The behavior and treatment of coxa vara and pseudarthrosis of the proximal femur secondary to sepsis is not well described. The aim of this study is to describe the pathoanatomy for coxa vara and pseudarthrosis in postseptic hips, evaluate progression of neck shaft angle (NSA), and discuss treatment. This is a retrospective case series of 20 patients (21 hips). There were 11 hips with predominant avascular necrosis of the capital femoral epiphysis without pseudarthrosis (type 1) and 10 with pseudarthrosis (type 2). The interobserver κ value was 0.79. There was a decrease in NSA from 110.3° to 99.3° during an average follow-up duration of 5.2 years (range: 2-14 years). The average change in NSA between the initial presentation and the final follow-up was 5.5° in type 1 and 17.1° in type 2. Nine patients underwent a surgical intervention. In cases where subtrochanteric valgus osteotomy was performed, the mean preoperative NSA was 94° and the mean NSA at the final follow-up was 128°; all operated pseudarthroses healed without bone grafting. Acetabuloplasty is not necessary in most cases.

Seudoartrosis congénita de clavícula bilateral. Caso clínico / Bilateral congenital seudarthrosis of the clavicle. A clinical case

La seudoartrosis congénita de clavícula es una rara malformación de etiología todavía no aclarada. La afectación bilateral es excepcional. Aun siendo una malformación congénita su diagnóstico puede prolongarse hasta avanzada la niñez, presentando los pacientes una deformidad indolora del tercio medio de la clavícula en ausencia de traumatismo previo. El tratamiento es controvertido, y puede ser quirúrgico o no según la repercusión funcional y estética. Presentamos un caso de afectación bilateral y analizamos la bibliografía encontrada al respecto (AU)

Congenital pseudarthrosis of the clavicle is a rare malformation in which the aetiology is still unclear. Bilateral involvement is exceptional. Although it is a congenital malformation, it may not be diagnosed until late childhood, with patients presenting with a painless deformity of the middle third of the clavicle in the absence of prior trauma. The treatment is controversial, and may be surgical, depending on the functional impact and aesthetics. A case of bilateral involvement is presented, together with a review of the relevant literature (AU)

Femoral overgrowth in children with congenital pseudarthrosis of the Tibia.

BACKGROUND: Having observed a tendency towards femoral overgrowth (FO) of the affected limb in children with atrophic-type congenital pseudarthrosis of the tibia (CPT), we aimed to identify the incidence of, contributors to, and patterns of FO among such children. METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated 55 children with CPT, 22 with prepseudarthrosis and 33 with atrophic-type CPT from 1989 to 2012. FO was defined as an affected femoral segment ≥10 mm longer than the contralateral segment. We investigated FO incidences in prepseudarthrosis versus atrophic-type CPT. Sex, laterality, coexistence of neurofibromatosis type 1, development of frank pseudarthrosis, extent of tibial shortening, shortening in foot height, deformity severity, distraction osteogenesis (DO) treatment, refracture, increased femoral neck-shaft angle, tibiofemoral angle, and ankle valgus angle were investigated to identify potential contributors to FO. Patterns of FO were also determined. RESULTS: At initial presentation, 11 patients exhibited a mean of 13 mm (10-23) of FO. However, the nature of FO changed over time during the follow-up period (mean, 10.8 years; range, 4.3-19.3). At the last follow-up, 14 patients presented with a mean of 12 mm (10-18) of FO. With the exception of one patient, all patients with FO presented with atrophic-type CPT. Frank pseudarthrosis, DO treatment, and increased femoral neck-shaft angle were significantly associated with FO (p = 0.016, p = 0.001, and p = 0.005, respectively). Diverse patterns of FO were observed. CONCLUSIONS: FO of the affected limb is frequently encountered in patients with atrophic-type CPT. A compensatory response to frank pseudarthrosis, DO treatment, and neurofibromatosis may play a role in the diverse patterns of FO.

Foot and Ankle Function at Maturity After Ilizarov Treatment for Atrophic-Type Congenital Pseudarthrosis of the Tibia: A Comprehensive Outcome Comparison with Normal Controls.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to evaluate clinical outcomes and the biomechanical function of the foot and ankle at skeletal maturity of patients treated for atrophic-type congenital pseudarthrosis of the tibia (CPT) compared with healthy young adult controls. METHODS: Twenty-four patients (mean age of 19.1 years) who had undergone Ilizarov treatment for unilateral atrophic-type CPT were compared with twenty-four controls (mean age of 19.6 years). All participants were evaluated using validated outcome questionnaires, radiographs, physical examination, instrumented motion analysis including a multisegmental foot model, and pedobarographic measurement. RESULTS: Within the CPT group, the mean score of the American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society (AOFAS) ankle-hindfoot scale was 89.9 (range, 76 to 100), and the mean score of the Oxford Ankle Foot Questionnaire (OAFQ) was 42.8 (range, 15 to 60). Motion analysis and pedobarographic measurement showed differences in biomechanical function of the foot and ankle on the side affected by CPT: a slower walking speed due to the short stride length; decreased dorsiflexion in hallux motion; increased hindfoot pronation in the presence of forefoot supination; diminished ankle push-off power; delayed time to heel-rise; and decreased forefoot pressure relative to hindfoot pressure. However, sagittal motion of the hindfoot and forefoot on the affected side was relatively well preserved. Subgroup analysis demonstrated no significant differences in terms of clinical outcome scores and most biomechanical parameters between the tibiofibular synostosis group and the intact-fibula group. CONCLUSIONS: Children with atrophic-type CPT can obtain satisfactory foot and ankle function at maturity after successful Ilizarov treatment. Early stabilization of the ankle mortise by fibular stabilization and preservation of ankle mobility during and after treatment is thought to be crucial to maintaining function of the ankle in patients with CPT. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Capturing the wide variety of impaired fracture healing phenotypes in Neurofibromatosis Type 1 with eight key factors: a computational study.

Congenital pseudarthrosis of the tibia (CPT) is a rare disease which normally presents itself during early childhood by anterolateral bowing of the tibia and spontaneous tibial fractures. Although the exact etiology of CPT is highly debated, 40-80% of CPT patients are carriers of a mutation in the Neurofibromatosis Type 1 (NF1) gene, which can potentially result in an altered phenotype of the skeletal cells and impaired bone healing. In this study we use a computational model of bone regeneration to examine the effect of the Nf1 mutation on bone fracture healing by altering the parameter values of eight key factors which describe the aberrant cellular behaviour of Nf1 haploinsufficient and Nf1 bi-allelically inactivated cells. We show that the computational model is able to predict the formation of a hamartoma as well as a wide variety of CPT phenotypes through different combinations of altered parameter values. A sensitivity analysis by "Design of Experiments" identified the impaired endochondral ossification process and increased infiltration of fibroblastic cells as key contributors to the degree of severity of CPT. Hence, the computational model results have added credibility to the experimental hypothesis of a genetic cause (i.e. Nf1 mutation) for CPT.

[High bone consolidation rates after humeral head-preserving revision surgery in non-unions of the proximal humerus]. / Hohe knöcherne Ausheilungsraten nach kopferhaltender Revision von proximalen Humeruspseudarthrosen.

BACKGROUND: Fractures of the subcapital and proximal humerus shaft region are common fractures of the human skeleton. Their treatment should provide an early functional after-care of the shoulder joint, that is prone to arthrofibrosis. Although the upper extremity is not weight-bearing the occurrence of proximal humerus non-unions leads to severe impairment with inability to work and restrictions of activity of daily life. The aim of this study was to investigate whether an operative revision of proximal humerus non-unions with reosteosynthesis and application of distant autologous bone grafts can lead to sufficient bone healing. The second aim was to find out whether patients achieved an acceptable functional outcome, as alternatively patients could be treated by reconstruction with a shoulder prosthesis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 27 patients (female = 15, male = 12) with reosteosynthesis of the proximal humerus and proximal humeral shaft due to non-union after initially operative fracture treatment were included between 2008 and 2014. Average age of patients was 56 years (23-87), 48% had no comorbidities, while 52% of the patients had at least 1 comorbidity such as diabetes, hypertension or nicotine abusus. The mean number of prior surgical intervention was 1.2 (1-3). The mean time between initial surgery and re-osteosynthesis was 12.3 months. Patients with signs of infection pseudarthrosis were excluded. The initial type of osteosynthesis was with plates (n = 16; thereof PHILOS Plate n = 14), and intramedullary nails (T2, Targon Nail, PHN, Seidel Nail; n = 11). Revision surgery was done with plate osteosynthesis (n = 26; thereof PHILOS Plate n = 4; LC Plate n = 10; angle plate n = 12). In 23 patients (89%) a distant bone transplantation was done from the iliac crest, and 1 patient received allogenous bone. Three patients (11%) received bone morphogenetic protein 7 (BMP 7) in combination with distant bone graft. Intraoperative swabs from the pseudarthrosis area showed no bacterial pathogen after 14 days of incubation. DASH score and Constant score were used to evaluate the functional outcome after revision surgery. Bone healing was determined by standard X-rays and evaluated by a modified radiological score. RESULTS: 89% of the patients could be followed for an average of 28 months and the radiological follow-up was at 9 months. The radiological score showed very good (50%), or good results, and a sufficient bone healing was shown in 25 of 27 patients (93%). The pseudarthrosis revision surgery failed in two cases (n = 1 persisting non-union; n = 1 humeral head necrosis after re-operation with angle plate). DASH scores provided a mean of 40 ± 28.8 with a range from 0-97 points, and the results from the Constant score provided 45 ± 25.4. The analysis with variation of age showed a trend for better results in female patients < 60 years of age. As complications after bone graft 3 patients had persistent local dysesthesia (11%), in one case fracture of the iliac bone occurred that healed with conservative treatment. CONCLUSION: The pseudarthrosis revision surgery with humeral head preserving re-osteosynthesis with bone transplantation is an effective treatment for non-unions of the proximal humerus and the proximal humeral shaft and the current results showed high bone consolidation rates. As the functional results remained limited after revision an individual treatment decision should be made concerning the most appropriate therapy. While a shoulder prosthesis may be considered in the aged patient, a revision strategy with reosteosynthesis should be considered particularly in younger patients.

Tratamiento de la pseudoartrosis recalcitrante de húmero en pacientes de edad avanzada / Treatment of recalcitrant humeral nonunion in elderly patients

Fundamento: La pseudoartrosis de húmero, cuando varios intentos previos para su curación ya han fracasado, es un reto. Si asociamos la osteoporosis severa propia de pacientes ancianos, las dificultades se multiplican. El objetivo es estudiar la mejor opción para esta situación. Material y método: Analizamos la evolución de cinco pacientes con los siguientes criterios de inclusión: pseudoartrosis de la diáfisis del húmero intervenida sin éxito previamente al menos en dos ocasiones y/o haber permanecido en dicha situación más de 18 meses, asociado a osteoporosis severa en personas mayores de 65 años. Fueron tratados mediante desbridamiento del foco y estabilización con placas bloqueadas asociando injerto óseo. Resultados: Todos los casos consolidaron tras un seguimiento medio de 19 meses (8-36 meses). Conclusiones: En la pseudoartrosis de húmero en ancianos con hueso osteoporótico, las placas bloqueadas han demostrado que proporcionan una fijación estable y duradera, superior a la de las placas tradicionales a compresión. En nuestra experiencia hay que considerarlas también como una opción válida en situaciones de máxima precariedad ósea y biológica, como sucede en las pseudoartrosis recalcitrantes(AU)

Background: Humeral nonunion that persists through various unsuccessful attempts at management, presents a real challenge. When combined with severe osteoporosis in elderly patients, the problems only increase. This study aims to investigate the best option for treating this combination of factors. Materials and method: This study analyses the outcomes of five patients with the following inclusion criteria: nonunion of the humeral diaphysis, after at least two unsuccessful interventions and/or after a period of 18 months or more, associated with severe osteoporosis in patients aged over 65. All cases were treated by debridement of the site of nonunion and stabilisation with locking plates and bone graft. Results: All cases consolidated after a mean follow-up period of 19 months (8-36 months). Conclusions: In cases of humeral nonunion in elderly patients with osteoporotic bones, locking plates have been proven to provide consistent, long-term stability, with better results than traditional compression plates. The authors consider that locking plates should be considered as a valid option in cases of extreme bone and biological instability, as is the case in recalcitrant humeral nonunion (AU)

Results of revision surgery after pedicle subtraction osteotomy for fixed sagittal imbalance with pseudarthrosis at the prior osteotomy site or elsewhere: minimum 5 years post-revision.

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective review of pedicle subtraction osteotomy (PSO) cases. OBJECTIVE: To report our results, radiographic and clinical outcomes at a minimum 5 years following revision surgery for pseudarthrosis after a PSO. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: To our knowledge, there is no report on the results of revision surgery for pseudarthrosis after a PSO. METHODS: Eighteen consecutive patients with pseudarthrosis after PSO (16 females/2 males; average age at surgery, 49.8 yr) treated with revision surgery at one institution were analyzed (average follow-up, 6.5 yr; range, 5-12 yr). Radiographic and clinical outcomes analysis was performed. RESULTS: Sagittal vertical axis (SVA) and lumbar lordosis (LL) improved significantly after revision surgery (SVA, P = 0.000; LL, P = 0.024) and were maintained until ultimate post-revision follow-up (SVA, P = 0.170; LL, P = 0.729). Proximal junctional angle (P = 0.828), thoracic kyphosis (P = 0.828), and PSO angle (P = 0.717) achieved by the primary surgery were also maintained until ultimate post-revision. We increased the number of rods and/or changed them to 6.35-mm diameter in all patients. There were significant improvements post-revision in Oswestry Disability Index (45 vs. 37.9, P = 0.041) and Scoliosis Research Society pain subscale (2.6 vs. 3.1, P = 0.047) but not in Scoliosis Research Society total score or other subscales. Pelvic incidence greater than 60° demonstrated a trend toward poorer Oswestry Disability Index and Scoliosis Research Society scores (P > 0.05), but there were no significant differences between SVA greater or less than 11 cm. CONCLUSION: Revision surgery for pseudarthrosis after PSO can provide acceptable radiographic and clinical outcomes at a minimum 5 years post-revision. Successful surgical outcomes may be achieved by using an increased number or size of implants and ample bone graft for complete fusion after revision surgery. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4.

[Low-intensity pulsed ultrasound for treatment of fractures and nonunions - current evidence and insights from basic research and clinical application]. / Niedrigintensiver gepulster Ultraschall zur Behandlung von Frakturen und Pseudarthrosen - Evidenz und Erkenntnisse aus Forschung und Klinik.

In Germany, 800,000 fractures are treated per year, and up to 10 % of these patients may suffer subsequently from a delayed union or a nonunion at the fracture site. Surgical treatment of these complications is tedious and associated with high costs. Therefore non-operative treatment is recently receiving more scientific and clinical attention. The adjuvant treatment with ultrasound has been propagated for the past years to enhance fracture healing and bony union, and has been discussed controversially. This review article demonstrates the significance of the low intensity pulsed ultrasound application in fracture treatment, on the basis of basic science results, animal experiments and the results of clinical trials.

Dynamic radiographic criteria for detecting pseudarthrosis following anterior cervical arthrodesis.

BACKGROUND: While interspinous motion analysis is commonly used to determine the status of an anterior cervical fusion, the accuracy of this technique is unclear. We believed that three questions needed to be answered. What degree of image magnification is ideal? How much motion should be considered "adequate" for making dynamic radiographs? What is the optimal amount of interspinous motion for detecting pseudarthrosis? METHODS: We performed a retrospective study of 125 patients (109 fused segments and 153 pseudarthrotic segments) who had undergone reexploration with confirmation of fusion status. Interspinous motion at each operatively treated level and one superjacent level was measured by two independent investigators twice. Reliabilities of interspinous motion analysis at different magnification rates (25%, 100%, 150%, and 200%) were evaluated for fifty randomly selected segments to determine the optimal magnification, which we used for the remainder of the measurements. Fusion status was also determined on computed tomography (CT) by two other raters. We compared the intraoperative findings with those based on dynamic radiographs (with use of cutoff values of 1 and 2 mm of interspinous motion as the indication of pseudarthrosis) and CT. RESULTS: On radiographs, both 150% and 200% magnification yielded higher interobserver and intraobserver reliabilities compared with 25% and 100% magnification, and the reliabilities at 150% and 200% were similar to each other, so subsequent measurements were made at 150%. The cutoff value of interspinous motion for detecting pseudarthrosis was 0.9 mm as determined with receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. Compared with CT, interspinous motion of ≥ 1 mm showed relatively low sensitivity (79.5%) and negative predictive value (77.1%) and similar specificity (97.0%) and positive predictive value (97.4%). Using interspinous motion of ≥ 2 mm as the cutoff decreased the sensitivity and negative predictive value to 46.6% and 56.8%, respectively. Our evaluation of what constituted adequate dynamic motion for making the radiographs showed that, with use of interspinous motion of ≥ 1 mm as the cutoff for detecting pseudarthrosis, superjacent interspinous motion of ≥ 4 mm increased the sensitivity and negative predictive value (86.3% and 83.4%) compared with those associated with alternative cutoffs of superjacent interspinous motion (≥ 3.5, ≥ 5, and ≥ 6 mm), and the specificity (96.1%) and positive predictive value (96.9%) were reasonable. CONCLUSIONS: Use of interspinous motion of ≥ 1 mm as the cutoff for detection of anterior cervical pseudarthrosis on radiographs magnified 150% and made with superjacent interspinous motion of ≥ 4 mm yielded accuracies comparable with those of CT.

[Use of Bone Morphogenetic Proteins (BMPs) for the Treatment of Pseudarthroses - Efficiency and Therapy Failure]. / Einsatz der Bone morphogenetic Proteins (BMPs) zur Behandlung von Pseudarthrosen - Effizienz und Therapieversagen.

In the therapy for pseudarthroses of the proximal tibia, the human recombinant bone morphogenetic proteins (BMP-2 and BMP-7) have been used for several years. Despite their limited and specified use as local mediators of bone healing, no conclusions regarding the therapeutic success can be made beforehand. The regulatory mechanisms have turned out to be much more complex and patient-specific than had been assumed before. To help understand the cell biological processes (signalling) and the current possibilities of predicting a successful use of BMP, this article summarises the relevant findings.

Degenerative change at the pseudarthrosis after trapeziectomy at 6-year followup.

BACKGROUND: Simple trapeziectomy has a well-documented history of success for the management of osteoarthritis at the trapeziometacarpal joint. There is concern, however, that late-onset failure can occur as a result of the development of degenerative disease at the scaphoid-metacarpal pseudarthrosis. QUESTIONS/PURPOSES: The purpose of this study was to determine whether (1) radiographic changes of degenerative joint disease progressed; (2) the pseudarthrosis height diminished between 1 year and 6 years after either simple trapeziectomy or trapeziectomy with ligament reconstruction and tendon interposition (LRTI); and 3) the presence of degenerative changes were associated with inferior scores on standardized outcomes instruments. METHODS: Using cases from an earlier randomized trial, the 1-year and 6-year stress radiographs of the pseudarthrosis between the distal pole of the scaphoid and the base of the thumb metacarpal were assessed for degenerative change in 25 thumbs that had undergone simple excision of the trapezium and 29 that had undergone trapeziectomy + LRTI for painful trapeziometacarpal joint osteoarthritis. Degenerative change was graded according to a Kellgren and Lawrence system, and clinical results were assessed using the Patient Evaluation Measure (PEM), Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) questionnaires, and thumb key pinch strength. RESULTS: One of the 29 thumbs treated with trapeziectomy + LRTI and seven of the 25 thumbs treated by simple excision of the trapezium exhibited increased degenerative change at their final followup. A pseudarthrosis space was preserved in 22 of the 25 simple trapeziectomies and 28 of the 29 trapeziectomies + LRTI. The presence of degenerative change did not adversely affect the outcome as measured by the PEM, the DASH, or thumb key pinch strength. CONCLUSIONS: Increased degenerate-like changes were observed after simple excision of the trapezium but these did not influence the clinical outcome. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level II, therapeutic study. See Guidelines for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Pseudoarthrosis and fracture: interaction between severe vitamin D deficiency and primary hyperparathyroidism.

A young woman with severe vitamin D deficiency presented with proximal muscle weakness, fragility fracture and pseudoarthrosis. On evaluation, she was found to have hypercalcaemia, a single parathyroid adenoma and an undetectable 25-hydroxyvitamin D level. She received parenteral cholecalciferol and subsequently underwent curative parathyroidectomy. Postoperatively, she had hungry bone syndrome, which she gradually recovered from with calcium and calcitriol replacement. Notably, her calcium levels were in the lower limit of normal range and associated with elevated alkaline phosphatase levels at postoperative Day 14. Follow-up for the next four years showed that the patient had remarkable symptomatic and radiological improvements. In this report, we discuss the pathophysiological interactions between vitamin D deficiency and associated primary hyperparathyroidism.

Pseudoartrosis humeral en fractura obstétrica tras osteomielitis aguda hematógena / Humeral pseudoarthrosis in obstetric fracture after acute hematogenic osteomyelitis

Introducción: La infección neonatal es una causa importante de morbimortalidad en la primera semana de vida a consecuencia de la exposición a microorganismos genitales maternos durante el parto. La sepsis neonatal se presenta como enfermedad fulminante y multisistémica, destacando la infección por klebsiella pneumoniae, con una mortalidad aproximada del 60%. Su asociación con un cuadro de osteomielitis aguda hematógena (OAH) es de difícil diagnóstico, con posibles complicaciones severas. Este cuadro de OAH asociado a fractura obstétrica precisa de intervención quirúrgica, tanto por su entidad infecciosa como por su posible evolución a pseudoartrosis. Caso clínico: Recién nacido a término con pérdida de bienestar fetal e ingreso en UCI por sepsis neonatal, con absceso en brazo izquierdo que drena espontáneamente y toma de cultivo positiva para klebsiella pneumoniae. Se comienza tratamiento antibiótico con cefotaxima y vancomicina sin mejoría tras 20 días, decidiéndose tratamiento quirúrgico con limpieza y estabilización mediante fijador externo con evolución favorable de su cuadro sistémico. A nivel de la fractura obstétrica se apreció falta de unión ósea con evolución a pseudoartrosis atrófica, por lo que se decidió reintervención con aporte de injerto óseo autólogo de cresta ilíaca y nueva fijación externa, con unión completa del foco a los dos meses y resolución del caso. Conclusión: La fractura obstétrica asociada a OAH es un cuadro poco frecuente que debe ser diagnosticado y tratado quirúrgicamente, con posibles complicaciones como la pseudoartrosis del foco fracturario (AU)

Introduction: Neonatal infection is an important morbimortality cause that occurs in the first week of life and it is a consequence to maternal genital microorganisms during partus. Neonatal sepsis is a sudden and multisystemic disease, standing out the infection by klebsiella pneumoniae, with an approximate mortality of 60%. Its association with acute hematogenic osteomyelitis has a difficult diagnose with severe income complications. Acute hematogenic osteomyelitis associated with an obstetric fracture needs surgical treatment because of its infectious importance and its possible evolution to pseudoarthrosis. Case report: Newborn with a loss of fetal wellness and entrance to intensivity care unit because of neonatal sepsis, with an abscess in his left arm that drains spontaneously and a positive biopsy to klebsiella pneumoniae. Antibiotic treatment with cefotaxime and vancomycin is started without any improvement after 20 days. Surgical treatment is decided with a cleaning procedure and stabilisation with external fixator, with a proper evolution of his sistemic clinic. Related to the obstetric fracture, non-union is appreciated with an evolution to atrophic pseudoarthrosis. A new surgical intervention is decided with the contribution of autologous bone graft from iliac crest and a new external fixator, with a complete bone union in two months and the clinical case solution. Conclusion: Obstetric fracture associated to acute hematogenic osteomyelitis is a low frequency episode that must be diagnosed and surgically treated with external fixation and autologous bone graft, with possible complications as pseudoarthrosis (AU)