Open wounds of the Achilles tendon in tropical settings: 36 cases at the Donka University Hospital in Guinea Conakry.

The aim of this study was to analyze the epidemiologic, etiologic, and therapeutic aspects of open wounds of the Achilles tendon managed in the Donka University Hospital. This 3-year prospective included all patients admitted for an Achilles tendon injury. Closed injuries, suppurating wounds, and those that occurred more than 24 hours before admission were excluded. Surgical treatment consisted in debridement and tendon repair, with plaster cast protection for 6 weeks. The study included 36 patients with a mean age of 23.4 years, 29 of whom were male. The primary cause was traffic accidents (n = 21), mainly due to motorcycle taxis (n = 18). The mean follow-up was 9 months. Infection (7 cases) and skin necrosis (5 cases) were the main postoperative complications. The functional result, evaluated by the McComis score, was excellent in 20 cases, good or satisfactory in 10, and poor in 6 cases. Open injuries of the Achilles tendon are common in Guinea-Conakry and mostly due to motorcycle taxis. Outcome of surgical treatment depends on the severity of the injury. Infection and skin necrosis are frequent complications, and their management is challenging in this setting.

[African histoplamosis. A report of three pediatric cases]. / Trois cas pédiatriques d'histoplasmose africaine à Brazzaville.

Histoplasmosis duboisii (Histoplasma capsulatum var duboisii) is uncommon disease especially in children. It is observed in Africa where the incidence is unknown. The authors report a series of three pediatric cases. The report concerned 2 girls and one boy who were 3, 9 and 4 year-old, respectively. Symptoms evolved for more than two months in each case. At admission, we found fever and poor general condition. Observed lesions were lymphnodes localisation disseminated (cases 1 and 2), subcutaneous (cold abscess) and cutaneous simulating molluscum contagiosum (case 2), osteoarticular (cases 2 and 3), abdominal including peritoneal and hepatosplenic (case 1). In all cases, a mild leukocytosis was found and an accelerated erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) greater than 70mm. The HIV serology was negative. The treatment consisted of itraconazole in 2 cases and ketoconazole in one case. The evolution was insidious, leading to the discharge against medical advice. The death occurred at home in all cases. CONCLUSION: Histoplasmosis duboisii can realize two main clinical presentations (localized or disseminated), affecting the skin, lymph nodes, bones, sometimes the intra-abdominal organs. HIV serology is not always positive in disseminated forms. The evolution is unpredictable and capricious under antifungal treatment. The disease should be well explained to prevent a possible discharge against medical advice, often pejorative.

Evaluation des résultats de l'embrochage intra-focal selon Kapandji des fractures de Pouteau-colles

INTRODUCTION. Le but de ce travail etait d'evaluer les resultats des embrochages intra-focaux selon Kapandji des fractures de Pouteau-Colles realises dans la plupart des cas sous anesthesie locale et sans amplificateur de brillance. MATeRIEL ET MeTHODE. Il s'agissait d'une etude dynamique sur une periode de 12 mois qui a consiste a l'examen clinique complet et a la radiographie du poignet qui nous permettaient de calculer les indices radiologiques de face et de profil. Nos criteres d'inclusion concernaient les patients presentant une fracture de Pouteau-Colles vraie ages de 18 ans au moins; traites par embrochage intra-focal selon la technique de Kapandji effectivement suivis; revus et evalues. L'evaluation des patients se faisait apres un recul moyen de 9 semaines et nous avons utilise les criteres de Castaing.ReSULTATS. Pendant la periode d'etude nous avons enregistre 57 patients pour fracture de Pouteau Colles Parmi eux 35 ont ete operes selon la technique de Kapandji soit 61;4%. L'age moyen des patients etait de 38 ans. Nous avons note une predominance masculine de 16 hommes avec un sex-ratio de 1;2. Par rapport a la comminution posterieure (classification de Grumillier); nous avons note type I 34%; type II 43%; type III 23%. L'operation a ete realisee sans utilisation de l'amplificateur de brillance dans 74;3% des cas. A l'evaluation nous avons obtenu les resultats suivants ont ete obtenus :- Resultats subjectifs; 74;19% de tres bon et bon resultats ; 6;45% de mauvais resultats; - Resultats objectifs; 90;33% de tres bon et bon resultats ; 3;22% de mauvais resultats - resultats radiologiques; 83;88% de tres bon et bon resultats ; 6;45% de mauvais resultats. CONCLUSION.L'embrochage intra-focal selon Kapandji est une methode qui permet de traiter avec succes la plupart des fractures de Pouteau-Colles. L'aspect particulier de notre etude reside sur le fait que; cette technique chirurgicale s'etait executee dans la majeure partie des cas sous anesthesie locale et sans l'utilisation de l'amplificateur de brillance

[Floating elbows: anatomo-clinical aspect and review of treatment method]. / Coudes flottants: aspects anatomocliniques et l'analyse du traitement.

INTRODUCTION: Floating elbows are rare pathologies that cause a number of problems to manage. The current treatment tendency is surgical. The orthopedic treatment is a good management option when the technical plateau is limited. METHODS: We performed an 18-month prospective study that included patients with floating elbows. Two treatment methods were used and chosen following predefined indication criteria. The final evaluation was made on average 10 months (minimum 6 and maximum 18 months) according to the functional classification of the mayo clinic. RESULTS: In 18 months, we treated 8 patients with floating elbow, who were all victims of traffic accidents. On an anatomo-clinical level, real floating elbows accounted for 37.5% of all cases, the rest were derived pathologies. Among these derived pathologies, the association of diaphyseal fracture of the humerus with a lesion of one or both forearm bones represented 50% of the cases. Regarding skin condition, open fractures were present in 37.5% of all patients. At the final evaluation we obtained two unsatisfactory results in patient treated surgically. No orthopedic treatment achieved an excellent final result, but they ranged between good and fair. CONCLUSION: This study shows that the orthopedic treatment maintains its position as valid treatment for floating elbows. Nevertheless it is important to master the technique and recognize its limits.

INTRODUCTION: Les coudes flottants sont des pathologies rares qui posent assez de problèmes de prise en charge. La tendance actuelle du traitement est celle de la chirurgie mais le traitement orthopédique est un bon moyen quand on a un plateau technique limité. MATÉRIEL ET MÉTHODE: Nous avons fait une étude prospective de 18 mois qui consistait à faire la prise en charge des patients présentant des coudes flottants. Deux méthodes de traitement ont été utilisées avec des critères d'indication préalablement définis. L'évaluation définitive s'est faite en moyenne en 10 mois avec des extrêmes de 6 et 18 mois et selon la classification fonctionnelle de mayo clinic. RÉSULTATS: En 18 mois, nous avons traité 8 patients présentant des coudes flottants qui étaient tous des victimes d'accidents de circulation. Sur le plan anatomopathologique, les coudes flottants vrais représentaient 37,50% les autres étaient des dérivées. Parmi ces dérivées, l'association de la diaphyse humérale à l'un ou les deux os de l'avant bras représentait 50%. Par rapport à l'état cutané, 37,50% des patients avaient de fractures ouvertes au niveau de l'avant bras. A l'évaluation finale nous avons obtenu 2 mauvais résultats issus du traitement chirurgical, les autres étant des bons et moyens résultats. CONCLUSION: Cette étude montre à suffisance que le traitement orthopédique garde sa place dans le traitement des coudes flottants, mais il faut avoir la maitrise de la technique et connaître ses limites.

[Intramedullary pinning of the radius in acute Galeazzi's fractures in adults: 23 case reports]. / Embrochage centromédullaire du radius dans les fractures récentes de Galeazzi chez l'adulte : À propos de 23 cas.

OBJECTIFS: Consensual treatment of the Galeazzi's fracture is a plate osteosynthesis of the radius more or less associated to the confection of a plaster cast in distal radio-ulnar joint (DRUJ) dislocation. The authors are reporting in this study the clinical and functionnal results of the intra-medullary pinning of the radius in this type of fracture in adult. METHODS: During a prospective study from January 2003 to December 2006, 23 patients (20 men and three women), average-aged of 32 years (16-70 years) presenting with a Galeazzi's fracture were treated by an intra-medullary pinning of the radius. The DRUJ dislocations were locked 17 times by a brachio-ante-brachio-palmar plaster cast in the supination position, and six times by an ulno-radial pinning. Only the 16 over-aged patients presenting with closed recent fractures were included in this study. The DRUJ dislocation was ranked according to Mansat, the radial fracture according to Müller (AO). The assessment of the treatment results used Mestdagh's criteria. In this study, each pseudarthrosis of the radius was considered as a failure. RESULTS: The DRUJ dislocation was reparted into six sprains, eight subdislocations, and three Galeazzi's fracture equivalents. The radius fractures were simple (n=20) or wedge fractures (n=3). These fractures were located at the proximal third (n=13), middle third (n=7) and distal third (n=3). The average consolidation delay was 10 weeks (8 to16 weeks). Two pseudarthrosis have been observed and then treated by a plate osteosynthesis. At the mean follow up of 37 months (18 to 41 months), the mean score according to Mestdagh was 7.8 points, with 20 satisfying results. Nineteen patients were satisfied by their treatment; the reasons were: the esthetic care of their scar, and the good functionnal resumption, as well as before the fracture. CONCLUSION: The intra-medullary pinning of radius in Galeazzi's fractures, in contrary to the previous studies, give good results compared to a plate osteosynthesis treatment. The systematic complementary lock by brachio-ante-brachio-palmar plaster cast during 3 to 4 weeks has balanced the stability defect that Mikic was reproaching to it. Moreover, it confers the benefits of elastic closed osteosynthesis. That less simple and less expensive method represents an alternative to a plate osteosynthesis in Galeazzi's fractures in adult, if it is well standardized.