Outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy for orthopedic infections – a successful public healthcare experience in Brazil

Abstract Treatment of orthopedic infections usually requires prolonged antimicrobial therapy, ranging from 14 days up to 6 months. Nowadays, rising levels of antimicrobial resistance demands parenteral therapy for many patients. Outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy (OPAT) is a modality that allows treatment out of hospital in these situations. In Brazil, where a public universal healthcare system allows full coverage for all citizens, implantation and dissemination of OPAT programs would be beneficial for patients and for the system, because it would allow a better allocation of health resources. The Instituto de Ortopedia e Traumatologia do Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da USP (IOT) started, in July 2013, a partnership with municipal health authorities in Sao Paulo, Brazil, in order to initiate an OPAT program in which patients discharged from that hospital would be able to continue antimicrobial therapy at primary care facilities. When necessary, patients could also receive their therapy at the day-hospital located at IOT. Primary care nursing and physician staff were trained about antimicrobial infusion and peripherally inserted central catheter manipulation. An OPAT specific antimicrobial protocol was designed and a special reference and counter-reference organized. As a result, 450 primary healthcare professionals were trained. In the first year of this program, 116 patients were discharged for OPAT. Chronic and acute osteomyelitis were most frequent diagnosis. Teicoplanin, ertapenem and tigecycline were the most used drugs. Duration of treatment varied from 10 to 180 days (average 101, median 42). Total sum of days in OPAT regimen was 11,698. Only 3 patients presented adverse effects. Partnership between services of different levels of complexity allowed implantation of a safe and effective public healthcare OPAT program for treatment of orthopedic infections. This program can serve as a model for developing similar strategies in other regions of Brazil and Latin America.

Outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy for orthopedic infections - a successful public healthcare experience in Brazil.

Treatment of orthopedic infections usually requires prolonged antimicrobial therapy, ranging from 14 days up to 6 months. Nowadays, rising levels of antimicrobial resistance demands parenteral therapy for many patients. Outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy (OPAT) is a modality that allows treatment out of hospital in these situations. In Brazil, where a public universal healthcare system allows full coverage for all citizens, implantation and dissemination of OPAT programs would be beneficial for patients and for the system, because it would allow a better allocation of health resources. The Instituto de Ortopedia e Traumatologia do Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da USP (IOT) started, in July 2013, a partnership with municipal health authorities in Sao Paulo, Brazil, in order to initiate an OPAT program in which patients discharged from that hospital would be able to continue antimicrobial therapy at primary care facilities. When necessary, patients could also receive their therapy at the day-hospital located at IOT. Primary care nursing and physician staff were trained about antimicrobial infusion and peripherally inserted central catheter manipulation. An OPAT specific antimicrobial protocol was designed and a special reference and counter-reference organized. As a result, 450 primary healthcare professionals were trained. In the first year of this program, 116 patients were discharged for OPAT. Chronic and acute osteomyelitis were most frequent diagnosis. Teicoplanin, ertapenem and tigecycline were the most used drugs. Duration of treatment varied from 10 to 180 days (average 101, median 42). Total sum of days in OPAT regimen was 11,698. Only 3 patients presented adverse effects. Partnership between services of different levels of complexity allowed implantation of a safe and effective public healthcare OPAT program for treatment of orthopedic infections. This program can serve as a model for developing similar strategies in other regions of Brazil and Latin America.

A capacidade reacional do osso e os nomes das doenças ósseas inflamatórias / The bone reactional capability and thenames of inflammatory bone diseases

As reações ósseas frente às demandas funcionais e agressões são diferentes de acordo com a morfologia do local, intensidade e duração da irritação e do estado sistêmico do paciente. Nesse trabalho, inicialmente procurou-se correlacionar esses três importantes fatores para compreender o resultado final na estrutura óssea, especialmente do ponto de vista imaginológico. Em seguida, são apresentados os conceitos dos nomes universalmente aceitos para identificar as doenças ósseas inflamatórias, de forma a facilitar a comunicação científica e clínica entre os profissionais.

The bone reactions before functional demands and aggressions are different according to the local morphology,intensity and duration of the irritation and systemic state of the patient. In this work, initially it was sought to correlate these three important factors to comprehend the final result on the bone structure, especially from the imaging point of view. Then, it was presented the concepts of universally accepted names to identify inflammatory bone diseases, in order to facilitate the scientific and clinical communication between professionals.

A capacidade reacional do osso e os nomes das doenças ósseas inflamatórias na prática clínica endodôntica / Bone reaction capability and the names of inflammatory bone disorders in endodontic clinical practice

As doenças ósseas reacionais inflamatórias são frequentes nos maxilares e associadas às lesões periapicais. Um abscesso dentoalveolar crônico representa uma osteíte crônica purulenta, assim como o granuloma periapical uma osteíte crônica granulomatosa. Imaginologicamente, as lesões periapicais inflamatórias crônicas são osteítes que se manifestam ora como rarefações ósseas, ora como áreas esclerosadas. Os termos "lesão rarefaciente difusa" ou "esclerosante no periápice" são aplicados em laudos para identificar lesões periapicais crônicas inflamatórias que representam verdadeiras lesões ósseas inflamatórias reacionais com nomes específicos pela relação direta com os dentes como o abscesso dentoalveolar e granulomas periapicais. Quando os dentes são extraídos, podem deixar alterações estruturais imaginologicamente detectadas, como escleroses e rarefações ósseas, sem a possibilidade de estabelecer uma relação de causa e efeito, dificultando um diagnóstico seguro. Nos planejamentos, o diagnóstico prévio do estado ósseo implica em reconhecer as lesões e situações patológicas. A uniformização da nomenclatura e conceitos pode facilitar a comunicação e o estabelecimento de protocolos e condutas uniformes.

Diagnosis and treatment of infections associated with fracture-fixation devices.

The pathogenesis of infections associated with fracture-fixation devices is related to microorganisms growing in biofilms, which render these infections difficult to treat. These infections are classified as early (<2 weeks), delayed (2-10 weeks) or late infections (>10 weeks) according to the implant surgery. Most infections are caused by staphylococci and are acquired during trauma (in penetrating injuries) or subsequent fracture-fixation procedures. A combination of clinical, laboratory, histopathology, microbiology, and imaging studies are usually needed to accurately diagnose infection. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) scans are often used to diagnose infection and plan surgical treatment. Positron emission tomography (PET) and PET-CT are promising new tools for diagnosing implant-associated osteomyelitis. The treatment goal is achieving bone consolidation and avoiding development of chronic osteomyelitis. Successful treatment requires adequate surgical procedures combined with 6-12 weeks of antimicrobial therapy acting on adhering stationary-phase microorganisms. In chronic osteomyelitis, orthopedic and plastic- reconstructive surgery is combined in the same procedure or within a short time span. In this article, pathogenesis, classification, diagnosis, and treatment of infections associated with intramedullary nails, external-fixation pins, plates, and screws are reviewed.