Is conservative treatment still defensible in grade III acromioclavicular dislocation? Are there predictive factors of poor outcome?

The optimal treatment of grade III acromioclavicular (AC) dislocation is still controversial. Recent studies recommend surgery at that stage whereas meta-analysis favours conservative management. The objective of the present investigation was to analyse a clinical series of non-operated grade III AC dislocations and to determine their functional status. Thirty-five patients treated conservatively with a grade III acromioclavicular dislocation were retrospectively reviewed. Simple shoulder test, Oxford shoulder and bilateral Constant shoulder score were used for assessment. Various predictive criteria of poor outcome, particularly scapular dyskinesis were taken into account for analysis. Overall mean and median Constant Score of the injured side were 92.9 and 94, whilst the contralateral shoulder values were respectively 94.9 and 95 (mean and median scores). Ten patients had scapular dyskinesis. Laterality, shoulder activity and scapular dyskinesis were not statistically related to worse outcome. Twenty-eight (80%) patients resumed normal activity within six months. All but two patients were subjectively very satisfied or satisfied. Conservative treatment provided satisfactory results whatever the shoulder activity. No risk factors were predictive of a poorer outcome. Conservative management should remain the first option to manage these injuries.

Percutaneous double metatarsal osteotomy for correction of severe hallux valgus deformity.

Double osteotomy of the first metatarsal is an option in treatment of severe hallux valgus deformity. Good short-term results have been reported with percutaneous surgery in hallux valgus with moderate deformity. We report short-term results with percutaneous double osteotomy of the first metatarsal in severe deformities. This is a prospective study of 6 patients with severe hallux valgus deformity who were treated with percutaneous double osteotomy of the first metatarsal (proximal closing wedge and distal chevron osteotomy) in 2008. They were assessed preoperatively and one year and two years after surgery, with clinical and radiological AOFAS MTP-IP score. All patients were satisfied. The AOFAS score improved from 34 to 84. The postoperative radiological assessment showed significant improvement, compared with preoperative values of the intermetatarsal and hallux valgus angles. No complications were encountered. Post-operative stiffness of the first MT joint was observed but resolved after physiotherapy. This preliminary study showed that correction of severe hallux valgus deformity by percutaneous double osteotomy can achieve good clinical and radiological results. A larger number of cases with a longer follow-up is needed to firmly demonstrate the advantages of this technique compared with classical open surgical techniques in the treatment of severe hallux valgus deformities.

Osteoarticular infections in Belgian children: a survey of clinical, biological, radiological and microbiological data.

The aim of this study is to report the pathogens which were found most frequently to be responsible for osteo-articular infections in infants and children in Belgium, and to propose an appropriate empirical antibiotic therapy applicable before identification of the responsible pathogen. Clinical presentation, imaging and blood biology are also reviewed and analysed. Fifty-six cases of osteo-articular infections (acute/subacute osteomyelitis, osteo-arthritis, septic arthritis, spondylodiscitis, sacro-iliitis) treated between 2001 and 2007 were retrospectively reviewed, focusing on clinical, biological, microbiological and radiological data. Septic arthritis, acute osteomyelitis, septic osteoarthritis and sacro-iliitis often have a loud clinical (fever, pain, inflammatory signs) and biological presentation. Subacute osteomyelitis and spondylodiscitis are almost asymptomatic, but for functional impairment. The responsible pathogen was isolated in 38% of the cases. The most frequent pathogen was Staphylococcus Aureus, followed by Pneumococcus, Streptococcus A and B, Kingella Kingae, and Haemophilus. None of them were resistant to usual antibiotics. Functional impairment is the only constant symptom of osteo-articular infections. Other clinical and biological symptoms may be absent, making diagnosis often difficult. We recommend oxacillin (> 5 years) or a combination of oxacillin with cefotaxime (< 5 years) in the empirical treatment of osteo-articular infection, and a total of 4 weeks of treatment.