Synovial fluid cell counts and its role in the diagnosis of paediatric septic arthritis

PURPOSE

Clinical presentation of paediatric septic arthritis (SA) can be similar to other joint pathologies. Despite potential for infection in all major joints, most diagnostic criteria are based on values from the hip. This study identifies the best joint aspirate values in diagnosing SA in all joints.

METHODS

In all, 166 patients who underwent 172 joint aspirations at the authors' institution between 01 September 2004 and 01 September 2014 were retrospectively identified. Recorded measures included age, sex, duration of symptoms, fever history, weight-bearing status, aspiration results, serum results and antibiotic administration. Patients were placed in the following four categories: 'culture confirmed SA' (C-SA), 'suspected SA' (S-SA), 'Other' and 'Other-rheumatologic' (Other-R), a subcategory of 'Other'.

RESULTS

Most common sites of aspiration were the knee (55%) and hip (29%). Diagnostic grouping was as follows: C-SA = 44, S-SA = 45, Other = 83 (Other-R = 21). Fever and non-weight-bearing prior to admission were useful predictors of SA, though in C-SA patients, 21% did not have a fever and 23% could weight bear at the time of admission. Aspirate white blood cell (WBC) count was significantly greater in both C-SA (92 000 cells/hpf) and S-SA (54 000) than in Other (10 000) and Other-R (18 000) patients. The percentage of polymorphonuclear (%PMN) was also significantly greater in C-SA (81.1%) and S-SA (80.9%) than in Other (57.9%) and Other-R (63.3%).

CONCLUSION

Joint aspirate values, especially %PMN, are valuable in diagnosing SA. Additionally, antibiotics pre-aspiration did not affect %PMN, facilitating subsequent diagnosis of infection. Lastly, while aspirate WBC count was a valuable indicator of SA, this finding is not as definitive as previous research suggests.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

IV Case Series.

Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial of an Exercise Program Requiring Minimal In-person Visits for Youth With Persistent Sport-Related Concussion

Objective: To evaluate feasibility and acceptability of a sub-threshold exercise program with minimal in-person visits to treat youth with persistent sport-related concussion, and explore efficacy for improving concussive symptoms, health-related quality of life, and fear-avoidance. Study design: We conducted a pilot randomized controlled trial comparing a 6 week sub-threshold exercise program requiring only two in-person visits to active control (stretching) for 12-18 year old youth with persistent sport-related concussion. We measured moderate-to-vigorous physical activity pre- and post-intervention using accelerometry, and increased goals weekly via phone contact. We examined feasibility and acceptability using qualitative interviews. We used exponential regression to model differences in trajectory of concussive symptoms by experimental group, and linear regression to model differences in trajectory of health-related quality of life and fear-avoidance of pain by experimental group. Results: Thirty-two subjects randomized, 30 completed the study (n = 11 control, n = 19 intervention), 57% female. Youth and parents reported enjoying participating in the study and appreciated the structure and support, as well as the minimal in-person visits. Exponential regression modeling indicated that concussive symptoms declined more rapidly in intervention youth than control (p = 0.02). Health-related quality of life and fear-avoidance of pain improved over time, but were not significantly different by group. Conclusions: This study indicates feasibility and potential benefit of a 6 week subthreshold exercise program with minimal in-person visits for youth with persistent concussion. Potential factors that may play a role in improvement such as fear-avoidance deserve further study.

Prolonged Antibiotics for Drains After Spine Injury Instrumentation for Trauma: Not Prophylactic or Necessary

BACKGROUND

Antibiotics after spine instrumentation are often extended while the surgical drain is in place, particularly for traumatic injuries. We sought to study if continuing antibiotics past 24 hours affected outcomes.

METHODS

We performed a retrospective observational study of all patients who underwent spine fixation with hardware and surgical drains for trauma at our institution. We compared the effect of perioperative (≤24 hours of antibiotics) versus prolonged (>24 hours) antibiotics on surgical outcomes. Bivariate and multivariable logistic and linear regression statistics were performed.

RESULTS

Three hundred and forty-six patients were included in the analysis. On multivariate analysis, antibiotic duration >24 hours did not predict surgical site infection (odds ratio, 2.68; 95% confidence interval, 0.88-8.10, P = 0.08) or mortality (odds ratio, 0.59; 95% confidence interval, 0.10-3.44; P = 0.56).

CONCLUSIONS

Continuing antibiotics past 24 hours after traumatic spine instrumentation was not associated with improved outcomes. A prospective study to verify these findings may be warranted.

The Unwound Cochlea: A Specific Imaging Marker of Branchio-Oto-Renal Syndrome

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Branchio-oto-renal syndrome is an important syndromic cause of hearing loss. Our aim was to determine the test characteristics of the unwound cochlea on temporal bone CT for the diagnosis of branchio-oto-renal syndrome in a cohort of children with hearing loss.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Patients were identified retrospectively with a clinical diagnosis of branchio-oto-renal syndrome and CT imaging of the temporal bones. Age-matched controls were also identified with sensorineural hearing loss not related to a diagnosis of branchio-oto-renal syndrome and CT imaging of the temporal bones. All examinations were reviewed by 2 neuroradiologists blinded to the diagnosis of branchio-oto-renal syndrome versus controls for the absence/presence of an unwound cochlea defined as anteromedial rotation and displacement of the middle and apical turns away from the basal turn.

RESULTS

The final study group comprised 9 patients with branchio-oto-renal syndrome (age range, 1-14 years; mean age, 8.0 ± 4.3 years) and 50 control patients (age range, 1-16 years; mean age, 7.9 ± 4.1 years). The cochlea was subjectively abnormal in all 9 patients. In 8 patients (89%), imaging demonstrated a typical unwound cochlear morphology. By contrast, none of the control subjects demonstrated an unwound cochlea on either side. Statistically, the unwound cochlea was significantly more frequent in the branchio-oto-renal group compared with controls (P < .001). The unwound cochlea was 89% sensitive and 100% specific for the diagnosis of branchio-oto-renal syndrome.

CONCLUSIONS

The unwound cochlea is a specific imaging marker of branchio-oto-renal syndrome. These findings further support the diagnostic accuracy and therefore the utility of temporal bone imaging in the diagnosis of this disorder.

Alternative payment models: can (should) trauma care be bundled?

Background

Recent legislation repealing the Sustainable Growth Rate mandates gradual replacement of fee for service with alternative payment models (APMs), which will include service bundling. We analyzed the 2 years’ experience at our state-designated level I trauma center to determine the feasibility of such an approach for trauma care.

Methods

De-identified data from all injured patients treated by the trauma service during 2014 and 2015 were reviewed to determine individual patient injury profiles. Using these injury profiles we created the ‘trauma bundle’ by concatenating the highest Abbreviated Injury Scale score for each of the six body regions to produce a single ‘signature’ of injury by region for every patient. These trauma bundles were analyzed by frequency over 2 years and by each year. The impacts of physiology and resource consumption were evaluated by determination of the correlation of the mean and SD of calculated survival probability (Ps) and intensive care unit length of stay (ICU LOS) for each profile group occurring more than 12 times in 2 years.

Results

The 5813 patients treated over 2 years produced 858 distinct injury profiles, only 8% (71) of which occurred more than 12 times in 2 years. Comparison of 2014 and 2015 profiles demonstrated high frequency variation among profiles between the 2 years. Analysis of injury patterns occurring >12 times in 2 years demonstrated an inverse correlation between the mean and SD for Ps (R²=0.68) and a direct correlation for ICU LOS (R²=0.84).

Discussion

These data indicate that the disease of injury is too inconsistent a mix of injury pattern and physiologic response to be predictably bundled for an APM. The inverse correlation of increasing SD with increasing ICU LOS and decreasing Ps suggests an opportunity for measurable process improvement.

Level of evidence

Economic and value-based evaluations, level IV.

Study type

Economic/decision.

Second-Generation Electronic Ligament Balancing for Knee Arthroplasty: A Cadaver Study

BACKGROUND

Knee instability is emerging as a major complication after total knee arthroplasty (TKA), with ligament laxity and component alignment listed as important contributory factors. Knee balancing remains an art and is largely dependent on the surgeon's subjective "feel." The objectives were to measure the accuracy of an electronic balancing device to document the magnitude of correction in knee balance after soft-tissue releases and measure change in knee laxity after medial release.

METHODS

The accuracy of a second-generation electronic ligament-balancing device was compared with that of 2 mechanical balancing instruments. TKA was performed in 12 cadaver knees. Soft-tissue balance was measured sequentially before TKA, after mounting a trial femoral component, after medial release, and after resecting the posterior cruciate ligament. Coronal laxity of the knee under a 10 Nm valgus moment was measured before and after medial release.

RESULTS

The electronic balancing instrument was more accurate than mechanical instruments in measuring distracted gap and distraction force. On average, before TKA, the flexion gap was wider than the extension gap, and the medial gap was tighter than the lateral gap. Medial release increased the medial gap in flexion and increased passive knee valgus laxity. Posterior cruciate ligament release increased the tibiofemoral gap in both flexion and extension with a greater increase in the lateral gap.

CONCLUSION

The second-generation electronic balancing device was significantly more accurate than mechanical instruments and could record knee balance over the entire range of flexion. More accurate soft-tissue balance may enhance outcomes after TKA.

Differences in utilization of Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) within human services (HHS) regions and metropolitan megaregions in the U.S

BACKGROUND

Anecdotal evidence suggests that US practice patterns for ART differ by geographical region. The purpose of this study was to determine whether use of ICSI differs by region and to evaluate whether these rates are correlated with differences in live birth rates.

METHODS

Public data for 2012 were obtained from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Clinics with ≥100 fresh, non-donor cycles were grouped by 10 nationally recognized Department of Health & Human Services regions and 11 metropolitan Megaregions and were compared for use of ICSI, frequency of male factor infertility, and live birth rate in women <35 years.

RESULTS

There were 274 clinics in the Health & Human Services regions and 247 in the Megaregions. ICSI utilization rates in Health & Human Services groups ranged between 52.5-78.2% (P < 0.0001). Live birth rates per cycle in women <35 years differed (34.1-47.6%; P < 0.0001) but did not correlate with rates of ICSI (R² = 0.2096; P = 0.18) per cycle. For Megaregions, rates of ICSI per cycle differed (63.4%-93.5%, P < 0.0001) as did live birth rates per cycle for women <35 (36.0%-59.0%, P = 0.001) but there was only minimal correlation between them (R² = 0.5347; P = 0.01). Highest rates of ICSI occurred in Front Range (93.5%) and Gulf Coast (83.1%) Megaregions. Lowest rates occurred in the Northeast (63.4%) and Florida (64.8%) Megaregions. Male factor infertility rates did not differ across regions.

CONCLUSIONS

ICSI utilization and live birth rates per cycle for each clinic group were significantly different across geographical regions of the U.S. However, higher ICSI utilization rate was not associated with higher rates of male factor infertility nor were they strongly correlated with higher live birth rates per cycle. Studies are needed to understand factors that may influence ICSI overutilization in the U.S.

Dorsal plating of low-energy Lisfranc injuries: a case report

Surgically repairing acute Lisfranc injuries remains a difficult task, and the injury remains a challenging one for the treating surgeon. Although there are many proponents of acute arthrodesis for Lisfranc injuries, there remain a proportion of patients with low-energy trauma who may be best treated with open reduction internal fixation and joint salvaging procedures. Here, the authors present a case report and technique to anatomically fix Lisfranc injuries while preventing any concomitant articular damage in the process. They have found this to be a reliable and safe procedure in this demanding patient population.

LEVELS

Level IV-Case Report.