[Antibiotic strategies in trauma surgery : Treatment of implant-associated infections]

An ionic silver coating prevents implant-associated infection by anaerobic bacteria in vitro and in vivo in mice

Currently, implants are utilized clinically for bone transplant procedures. However, if infectious osteomyelitis occurs at implant sites, removal of bacteria can be challenging. Moreover, altered blood flow at peri-implant infectious sites can create an anaerobic environment, making it more difficult to treat infection with antibiotics. Thus, it would be beneficial if implants could be modified to exhibit antibacterial activity, even in anaerobic conditions. Here, we show antibacterial activity of silver ions coated on titanium rods, even against the anaerobic bacteria Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis), both in vitro and in vivo. Specifically, we implanted silver-coated or control uncoated titanium rods along with P. gingivalis in mouse femoral bone BM cavities and observed significantly inhibited P. gingivalis infection with silver-coated compared with non-coated rods, based on in vivo bio-imaging. Osteonecrosis by infectious osteomyelitis and elevation of the inflammatory factors C-reactive protein and IL-6 promoted by P. gingivalis s were also significantly reduced in the presence of silver-coated rods. Overall, our study indicates that silver ion coating of an implant represents a therapeutic option to prevent associated infection, even in anaerobic conditions or against anaerobic bacteria.

Expandable Titanium Cages in the Emergent Treatment of Severe Spinal Deformity Secondary to Osteomyelitis: A Series of Three Complex Cases

The literature lacks robust evidence on the benefits versus risks of instrumenting and fusing the spinal column in the setting of active osteomyelitis. We report three patients with vertebral osteomyelitis and subsequent severe and complex kyphotic deformities. Patients 1 and 2 had previous instrumentation that required revision because of hardware failure in the thoracic and thoracolumbar regions, respectively. Patient 3 developed a severe cervical kyphotic deformity at 2 months after being diagnosed and treated with antibiotics for osteomyelitis, necessitating emergent instrumentation and fusion. All the three patients are doing very well so far. Spinal instrumentation and fusion for correction of kyphotic deformity is sometimes necessary in the context of active osteomyelitis and should be done emergently and without hesitation when spinal cord injury from spinal instability is of concern.

[Open reduction and plate/screw osteosynthesis of proximal phalanx fractures]

OBJECTIVE

Anatomical open reduction and internal fixation using screw/plate osteosynthesis.

INDICATIONS

Extra-articular fractures with clinically evident malrotation of the finger, comminution fracture and/or loss of length, which cannot be treated non-operatively; fracture instability; intra-articular fracture with step off greater than 1 mm, which cannot be treated percutaneously but openly using plate/screw osteosythesis; failure of conservative treatment.

CONTRAINDICATIONS

General operative limitations.

SURGICAL TECHNIQUE

Dorsal, mediolateral, or palmar approach, temporary reduction using pincers or optional Kirschner wires; screw/plate osteosynthesis for internal fixation.

POSTOPERATIVE MANAGEMENT

Immediate mobilization facilitated by buddy loops for the first 4-6 weeks, prevention of edema using elastic dressing, physiotherapy.

RESULTS

Open reduction and internal fixation using screw/plate osteosynthesis provides good results in combination with immediate mobilization. Nevertheless, adhesion of tendons or capsule tissue with restriction of range of motion is observed.