Salvage of Failed Proximal Interphalangeal Arthroplasty with Vascularised Toe Joint Transfer: Report of Two Cases.

Failed implants of the proximal interphalangeal joint may result in bone and soft tissue deficits and joint instability with limited reliable options for reconstruction besides an arthrodesis procedure. The purpose of this report is to illustrate the use of vascularized second toe joint for salvage of failed, multi-operated proximal interphalangeal joint in two active patients. Pre-existing scars are used to define the approach and choice of donor site. Flow through anastomosis was performed on the finger digital artery. At final follow-up, the transplanted joints achieved 80-90 degrees of motion and the patients were able to return to their desired level of activities. The procedure is a good alternative for the fit patient wanting to achieve a stable finger with preservation of motion in catastrophic failure of prosthetic proximal interphalangeal joint arthroplasty.

Arthroscopic Hemitrapeziectomy and Extensor Carpis Radialis Longus Suspensioplasty With Intermetacarpal Ligament Reconstruction for Thumb Carpometacarpal Joint Osteoarthritis: Surgical Technique.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV.

Arthroscopic Hemitrapeziectomy: Is an Internal Brace Worth It?

BACKGROUND: This article's purpose was to analyze clinical results obtained with thumb carpometacarpal (CMC) arthroscopic hemitrapeziectomy with temporary suspension with a Kirschner wire (K-wire). METHODS: Seventy thumb CMC arthroscopic hemitrapeziectomies with a mean age of 59 and 18 months of follow-up were performed in our center during a 13-year period. All of them followed the same protocol. Surgical technique is described. RESULTS: All patients were arthroscopically classified as Badia's III stage. No tendon interposition was used, and a K-wire was temporarily implanted for 5.1 weeks. Mean postsurgical Visual Analogue Scale of 1.6, Kapandji Opposition Score of 8.1, grip strength of 42.2 lbs, lateral pinch of 9.5 lbs, tip-to-tip pinch of 4.2 lbs and tripod pinch of 7.8 lbs were measured. All previous active workers resumed their previous job. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that thumb CMC arthroscopic hemitrapeziectomy with temporary suspension with K-wire reaches good results in terms of pain reduction, strength, and functionality, without the necessity of an internal brace which increases risks of a second metacarpal fracture.

Effectiveness and safety of a cement-on-cement removal system for hip and knee arthroplasty revision surgery.

Cement removal during hip or knee arthroplasty revision is challenging and not exempt of complications. Cement-on-cement procedure is among techniques developed to safe removal of cement from bone, and it could be a realistic solution. This cement-on-cement devices can provide advantages in removing bone cement during hip and knee arthroplasty septic and non-septic revision surgeries, and can be regarded as an effective and safe alternative. We present our experience using the cement-on-cement technique in 34 cases between 2010 and 2021, including revision surgeries for 20 knee and 14 hip arthroplasties. In 3 out of 34 cases the technique failed, with a success of 91%. Mean surgical time was 2.77 (SD 0.93) hours and blood transfusion was required in 23 cases. Success was achieved in every aseptic case. Of all patients, 60% were septic cases. Infection was considered to be eradicated in 70% (14/20) of patients with a septic revision. Cement-on-cement is a safe and effective alternative for cement removal during hip and knee arthroplasty revision. Level of evidence: III, retrospective case series.

Staphylococcus lugdunensis, a Not So Infrequent Pathogen in Orthopedic Surgery.

Abstract Background: Staphylococcus lugdunensis is a coagulase-negative staphylococci that is considered normal skin microbiota. It has been described as a cause of soft tissue infections but is not a common micro-organism as the cause of orthopedic surgery-related infections. This study describes the characteristics, treatment, and results of musculoskeletal infection by Staphylococcus lugdunensis treated in our institution. Methods: We performed a descriptive, retrospective observational study. Clinical records of all musculoskeletal infections treated in our department between 2012 and 2020 were reviewed. We selected those patients with a positive monomicrobial culture for Staphylococcus lugdunensis. Risk factors for infection, patient's medical records, previous surgery performed, time from surgery to infection, culture antibiogram, antibiotic and surgical treatment for the infection, and recovery rate were registered for the analysis. Results: Of the 1,482 patients with musculoskeletal infections diagnosed in our institution, 22 had a monomicrobial positive culture of Staphylococcus lugdunensis after an orthopedic surgery representing 1.5% of all orthopedic infections. Ten patients underwent arthroplasty, six underwent fractures synthesis, three had foot surgeries, two had anterior cruciate ligament reconstructions, and one had spine surgery. All patients needed surgery and antibiotic treatment with a mean of two surgeries. The most used antibiotic scheme was levofloxacin-rifampicin. The mean follow-up was 36 months. Ninety-six percent of the patients achieved a complete clinical and analytical recovery. Conclusions: Although musculoskeletal infections caused by Staphylococcus lugdunensis are not common, we have observed a statistically significant incidence increase of Staphylococcus lugdunensis in recent years. If managed with appropriately aggressive surgical treatment and correct antibiotic therapy, good results can be obtained.

Reconstruction of delayed distal biceps ruptures with a dermal matrix.

OBJECTIVES: Distal biceps tear is uncommon, with well-recognized risk factors and typical clinical presentation. Delays in surgical treatment lead to several challenges, such as tendon retraction and tendon degeneration. We present a surgical technique using a sterilized acellular dermal matrix, which provides a solution for a challenging pathology. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We present a detailed surgical technique of distal biceps reconstruction with acellular dermal matrix, performed in 4 patients, with an average time to diagnosis of 36 days (range, 28-45 days). Demographics, clinical data, range of motion and subjective satisfaction were collected. RESULTS: At a mean follow-up of 18 months, all 4 patients showed full range of motion and strength, complete recovery and previous work resumed without pain. No complications appeared during this time. CONCLUSIONS: Delayed distal biceps tear reconstruction by acellular dermal matrix showed promising results. Meticulous surgical technique using this matrix provided excellent reconstruction, with very solid anatomical repair and exceptionally good fixation, good clinical outcome and satisfied patients. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: IV.

Clinical Outcomes of Trapeziometacarpal Arthrodesis with a Mean 3-Year Follow-up.

Background This paper's purpose was to analyze clinical results obtained with trapeziometacarpal arthrodesis and complications comparing different osteosynthesis systems. Methods Thirty-seven trapeziometacarpal arthrodesis were performed in our center in a 7-year period, with a mean age of 52 years and 34 months of follow-up. The implants were distributed homogenously into three groups, using bone grafts in 12.5% of them. Results A 75% achieved complete consolidation with a mean postsurgical Visual Analog Scale (VAS) of 2.4, Kapandji Opposition Score (KOS) of 8.1, lateral pinch strength of 12.1 kg, tripod pinch strength of 3.6 kg, and tip-to-tip strength of 1.5 kg. Consolidation was not achieved in nine patients, of which five were asymptomatic, three reoperated on trapeziectomy and tenosuspension, and one rearthrodesis. No statistical association was found between the implant used and pseudoarthrosis ( p = 0.17), VAS ( p = 0.06), or KOS ( p = 0.45). Conclusions Trapeziometacarpal arthrodesis reduces pain for well-chosen patients. Nonunion has low clinical significance in most cases and does not seem to depend on the use of allograft or the type of implant but on an appropriate surgical technique.

Does a New Antibiotic Scheme Improve the Outcome of Staphylococcus aureus-Caused Acute Prosthetic Joint Infections (PJI) Treated with Debridement, Antibiotics and Implant Retention (DAIR)?

One of the most commonly used treatments for acute prosthetic joint infection (PJI) is DAIR (debridement, antibiotics and implant retention), which comprises the debridement and the retention of the implant, followed by antibiotic treatment. The efficacy of DAIR remains unclear, as the literature has demonstrated variable success rates, ranging from 26% to 92%. The Staphylococcus aureus is one of the most closely related causative microorganisms, especially with acute and late-acute PJI; it has been identified as one of the most significant predictors of DAIR failure. The current guidelines consider the use of vancomycin as the therapy of choice, but it requires the close control of possible side effects. The aim of this study is to determine if a new combination of antibiotics (a highly bactericidal initial combination followed by an antibiofilm scheme) decreases the failure of DAIR-treated acute prosthetic joint infection (PJI) caused by Staphylococcus aureus. A retrospective analysis of cases of orthopedic infections during a nine-year period (2011-2019) was performed. A total of 45 acute PJI cases caused by S. aureus were diagnosed. The results of two antibiotic schemes were compared: a novel scheme comprising 5 days of daptomycin (10 mg/kg/24 h) + cloxacillin (2 g/6 h) followed by levofloxacin (500 mg/24 h) + rifampicin (600 mg/24 h), versus a traditional, less bactericidal scheme of vancomycin (1000 mg/12 h) plus rifampicin (600 mg/24 h) or levofloxacin (500 mg/24 h) plus rifampicin (600 mg/24 h). Twenty-two out of the twenty-four patients treated with the new scheme (91.6%) were free of infection after 24.8 months of mean follow-up, whereas fourteen out of twenty-one patients (66.6%) were free of infection after 46.6 months of follow-up. This difference was statistically significant (p = 0.036). Demographic comparisons demonstrated homogeneous features, except the Charlson score, which was higher in the novel scheme group (p = 0.047). The combination of high-dose daptomycin and cloxacillin, followed by levofloxacin plus rifampicin, together with surgical treatment, shows better results when compared with other antibiotic schemes for treating acute PJI caused by S. aureus in which DAIR was performed.

Surgical Technique of a Cement-On-Cement Removal System for Hip and Knee Arthroplasty Revision Surgery.

Cement removal during hip or knee arthroplasty revision surgery is technically demanding and prone to severe complications such as periprosthetic fractures, incomplete cement removal, or perforations. Several alternative techniques have been developed to enable complete, accurate, and safe removal of cement from bone, including osteotomies and cortical windows, endoscopic instruments, ultrasound devices, lithotripsy, and laser-assisted removal. We describe a cement-on-cement technique with a sterile, single-use tool for cement removal. The cement is removed piece by piece using a specifically designed device, without osteotomies or cortical windows.

Critical adjustments in a department of orthopaedics through the COVID-19 pandemic.

PURPOSE: SARS-CoV-2's new scenario has forced health systems to work under extreme stress urging to perform a complete reorganization of the way our means and activities were organized. The orthopaedic and trauma units have rescheduled their activities to help SARS-CoV-2 units, but trauma patients require also treatment, and no standardized protocols have been established. METHODS: A single-centre cross-sectional study was performed in a tertiary hospital. Two different periods of time were analyzed: a two week period of time in March 2019 (pre-SARS-CoV-2) and the same period in March 2020 (SARS-CoV-2 pandemic time). Outpatient's data, emergency activity, surgical procedures, and admissions were evaluated. Surgeons' and patient's opinion was also evaluated using a survey. RESULTS: A total of ~ 16k (15,953) patients were evaluated. Scheduled clinical appointments decreased by ~ 22%. Urgent consultations and discharge from clinics also descended (~ 37% and ~ 20% respectively). Telemedicine was used in 90% of outpatient clinical evaluations. No elective surgical procedures during SARS-CoV-2 time were scheduled, and subtracting the effect of elective surgeries, there was a reduction of inpatient surgeries, from ~ 85% to ~ 59%. Patients delayed trauma assistance more than 48 hours in 13 cases (35%). Pre-operative admission for hip fractures decreased in ten hours on average. Finally, surveys stated that patients were more in favour than surgeons were to this new way to evaluate orthopaedic and trauma patients based strongly on telemedicine. CONCLUSION: Detailed protocols should be standardized for surgical departments during the pandemic. This paper offers a general view in how this virus affects an orthopaedic unit and could serve as a protocol and example for orthopaedic and trauma units. Even in the worst scenario, an orthopaedic and trauma unit could offer an effective, efficient, and quality service. SARS-CoV-2 will set up a new paradigm for health care in orthopaedics and trauma.