Objective:To evaluate composite bridge internal fixation in the treatment of limb metaphyseal fractures in children.Methods:From October 2015 to December 2018, 16 children was treated by composite bridge internal fixation for limb metaphyseal fractures at Department of Orthopaedics, The Second People's Hospital of Changzhou. They were 11 boys and 5 girls, aged from 8 to 14 years (average, 11.0 years). Their fractures were located at proximal humerus in 4 cases, at distal femur in 3 cases, at proximal tibia in 3 cases and at distal tibia in 6 cases. According to the Salter-Harris classification, 6 cases were type Ⅱ, 5 cases type Ⅲ and 5 cases type Ⅳ. The time from injury to surgery ranged from 3 to 8 days, averaging 5.3 days. The fracture healing time, postoperative complications (infection and implant failure) and postoperative functional recovery were recorded.Results:This cohort obtained follow-up from 12 to 18 months (average, 13 months). All the children obtained bony union after 2 to 5 months (average, 2.4 months). At the last follow-up, the 4 proximal humeral fractures were evaluated by the Neer scores, giving 4 excellent cases; the 6 distal femoral and proximal tibial fractures were evaluated by the knee function scores of The Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS), giving 5 excellent and one good cases; the 6 distal tibial fractures were evaluated by the Baird scores, giving 5 excellent and one good cases. Follow-ups found no complications like postoperative infection, loosening or breakage of implants, or bone nonunion.Conclusion:Composite bridge internal fixation is a good alternative treatment for children metaphyseal fractures, because it has advantages of minimal invasion, operative simplicity, reliable fixation and limited postoperative complications.

Objective:To investigate the value of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in predicting the prognosis of patients with severe heat stroke.Methods:A retrospective analysis was performed on patients with severe heat stroke hospitalized in the ICU of Changzhou No. 2 People's Hospital from June 2013 to September 2019. The patients were divided into the survival group and death group according to their 30-day survival. The basic data of the patients were recorded. Blood routine, liver and kidney function parameters, troponin, brain natriuretic peptide, myocardial enzyme spectrum, blood coagulation routine, and acute physiology and chronic health evaluation (APACHE)Ⅱ were analyzed within 24 h after admission. Multivariate COX regression analysis was used to screen the risk factors of 30-day death. Spearman correlation test was used to analyze the correlation between NLR and APACHEII score. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were drawn to assess the predictive value of NLR for the 30-day death in patients with severe heat stroke. Kaplan-Meier survival curve was used to analyze 30-day cumulative survival of high-risk patients.Results:A total of 115 patients with severe heat stroke were included in this study, and they were divided into the survival group ( n=92) and the death group ( n=23) according to the prognosis. NLR in the death group was significantly higher than that in the survival group ( P<0.05). Multivariate COX regression analysis showed that NLR was an independent risk factor for death after adjusting confounders ( HR=1.091, 95% CI: 1.049-1.136, P<0.001). Spearman correlation test showed a correlation between NLR and APACHEII score ( r=0.655, P<0.001). ROC curve analysis showed that NLR had the greatest predictive value for 30-day death, with an area under ROC curve (AUC) of 0.787, a sensitivity of 82.6%, a specificity of 67.4%, and the cut-off value of 7.35. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis curve shows that patients in the below NLR cut-off value group had a significantly higher 30-day survival rate than those in the above NLR cut-off value group ( P<0.001). Conclusions:The increased NLR is a high risk factor for death in patients with severe heat stroke, and helps predict the prognosis of patients with severe heat stroke.

BACKGROUNDTotal knee arthroplasty (TKA) is a successful and frequently performed procedure in orthopedic surgery. The diagnosis of peri-prosthetic joint infection following TKA remains challenging. The present study estimated the usefulness of knee skin temperature (measured by infrared thermography) and serum soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1) in the diagnosis of post-operative knee peri-prosthetic infection.

METHODSPatients were divided into three groups: 21 patients undergoing uncomplicated TKAs, seven with prosthesis infection, and three undergoing TKA revisions. The serum levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6), C-reactive protein (CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and sICAM-1 as well as the local knee skin temperature were measured pre-operatively and on Days 1 and 7 and at 1, 3, and 6 months post-operatively in Groups 1 and 3. The same parameters were measured in Group 2 at the time of prosthesis infection diagnosis.

RESULTSIn Group 1, the levels of IL-6, CRP, ESR, and knee skin temperature were significantly elevated post-operatively, but returned to baseline levels within 6 months. The sICAM-1 levels were not significantly different. The mean differential temperature (MDT) and levels of siCAM-1, IL-6, CRP, and ESR differed significantly between Groups 1 and 2. The MDT had returned to normal in Group 3 by 6 months post-operatively.

CONCLUSIONSElevations in IL-6, CRP, ESR, and MDT in patients undergoing TKA could be a normal response to surgical trauma, but sustained elevations may be indicative of complications. The knee skin temperature and sICAM-1 may be used as indicators in the diagnosis of knee prosthesis infection following TKA.

Adult ; Aged ; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee ; adverse effects ; Blood Sedimentation ; C-Reactive Protein ; metabolism ; Female ; Humans ; Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 ; metabolism ; Interleukin-6 ; blood ; Knee Joint ; immunology ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prospective Studies ; Skin Temperature ; physiology ; Thermography ; methods