Humans ; China/epidemiology* ; SARS-CoV-2 ; COVID-19

Objective:To evaluate the efficacy of implant surface culture in identification of pathogens for fracture device-related infection.Methods:A prospective study was conducted to include the eligible patients who were diagnosed with infection after fracture fixation and needed surgical removal of the implants according to treatment principles at Division of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Nanfang Hospital from November 2020 to January 2023. With informed consent, after rinsing with aseptic normal saline twice, their implants were gently covered with a thin layer of tryptone soy agar medium. Thereafter, the implants were incubated at 37 ℃ with 5% CO 2. Changes on the surface and in the surroundings of the implants were observed every day for consecutive 2 weeks to avoid drying up by supplementing the medium when necessary. Once pathogen colonies formed, samples were collected at 3 independent sites using sterile swabs for laboratory identification. Comparisons were made between the samples from implant surface culture and the intraoperative multisite samples from conventional culture. Results:Included were a total of 75 patients [56 males and 19 females with an age of (46.2±15.4) years]. The most common infection site was the tibia (37 cases), and the most common type of implants was plate and screw (59 cases). The positive rate of implant surface culture was significantly higher than that of conventional culture (86.7% vs. 52.0%, P<0.001). 80.5% (29/36) of the negative patients detected by the conventional culture obtained positive results by the implant surface culture; three of the positive patients detected by the conventional culture obtained negative results by the implant surface culture. The culture results were positive by both culture methods in 36 patients, and consistent by both culture methods in 35 patients, yielding a consistent rate of 97.2% (35/36). The time for implant surface culture was significantly shorter than that for conventional culture [1 (1, 2) d versus 3 (3, 4) d] ( P<0.001). Of the 65 positive patients by the implant surface culture, 59 were detected with monomicrobial infection, with Staphylococcus aureus on the top (29 cases). Conclusion:As the implant surface culture, a novel method, may be superior to the conventional culture in a significantly higher positive rate and a shorter culture time, it may be used as an effective adjunct to the conventional culture in identification of pathogens for fracture device-related infection.

Objective:To evaluate devascularized bone surface culture for identification of microorganisms for osteomyelitis.Methods:A prospective study was conducted to include the eligible patients who were diagnosed with osteomyelitis and treated at Division of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Nanfang Hospital from December 2021 to January 2023. Their infected bone tissues were collected for both bone sample culture (BSC) and general sample culture (GSC). For BSC, the devascularized bone fragments, harvested intraoperatively, were put flat on sterile culture plates with solidified agar, their surface was gently covered with cooled and molten tryptone soy agar, and then the plates with bone samples were incubated at 37 ℃ with 5% CO 2. Meanwhile, 5 suspected samples of infected bone tissue were randomly harvested by 5 independent instruments for laboratory GSC. The culture time, bacterial species, and bacterial positive rate were compared between the 2 culture methods. Results:Included were a total of 73 patients [59 males and 14 females with an age of 49.0(31.0, 58.5) years]. The culture time for BSC [1 (1, 1) d] was significantly shorter than that for GSC [3 (2, 3) d], and the total positive rate of BSC [78.1% (57/73)] was significantly higher than that of GSC [61.6% (45/73)] ( P<0.05). The bacterial species cultured by GSC were consistent with those cultured by BSC. Conclusion:In identification of microorganisms for osteomyelitis, since BSC may be quicker and lead to a higher positive rate of bacterial culture than GSC, it can be used as an optional choice besides GCS.

Incidence of acute closed Achilles tendon rupture is high in clinic. Accurate diagnosis of this injury depends on a combination of physical signs and imaging examinations. Although conservative and surgical interventions are common for acute closed Achilles tendon rupture, its optimal treatment remains controversial. This literature review focuses on the research progress concerning this injury so as to analyze its risk factors, diagnostic methods, treatments, early functional rehabilitation, postoperative complications and prognosis evaluation.

Objective:To investigate the clinical efficacy of intramedullary nailing combined with bone cement in repair of segmental bone defects after tumor resection.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted of the 5 patients with malignant bone tumor who had been treated at Department of Orthopaedics, Qiannan People's Hospital from April 2018 to September 2019 for remaining segmental bone defects following limb salvage surgery. They were 4 males and one female, aged from 11 to 55 years (average, 35.4 years). Their defects ranged from 6 to 21 cm (average, 12.3 cm) after tumor resection. By the Karnofsky performance score (KPS) for long-term quality of life, all of them scored less than 50 points. Of them, 3 were treated by interlocking intramedullary nails and bone cement filling, and 2 by elastic intramedullary nails and bone cement filling. In the 2 cases with defects of 21 cm and 13 cm, the fixation was assisted by a plate and an external fixator. Defect length after resection, operation time and intraoperative bleeding were recorded; the efficacy was evaluated by the Enneking functional evaluation of reconstructive procedures after surgical treatment of tumors of the musculoskeletal system, visual analogue scale (VAS), and KPS.Results:All the 5 patients had uneventful surgery, with operation time ranging from 112 to 225 min (average, 154.2 min), intraoperative bleeding from 300 to 500 mL (average, 382 mL), and defect length after resection from 6 to 21 cm. The 5 patients were followed up for 6 to 28 months. Of them, 2 died of disease progression 6 and 7 months after surgery, respectively. According to the Enneking's evaluation, one patient scored 28 points, 2 patients 23 points and 2 patients 21 points, giving a high degree of satisfaction. Their VAS scores 6 months after surgery ranged from 1 to 6, averaging 3.6; their postoperative KPS scores ranged from 60 to 80, averaging 72.Conclusion:In repair of segmental bone defects after tumor resection, intramedullary nailing combined with bone cement filling can relieve pain of patients and lead to satisfactory short-term curative efficacy.

Objective:To compare the clinical effects on new bone formation and foot-ankle function between proximal tibial bone transport and distal tibial bone transport in the treatment of massive bone defects after tibial osteomyelitis debridement.Methods:From July 2012 to July 2017, 42 patients with chronic tibial osteomyelitis received bone transport surgery at Department of Orthopaedics, Nanfang Hospital.According to the Cierny-Mader classification for chronic osteomyelitis, all of them belonged to diffusive tibial osteomyelitis (type IV).Of them, 32 were treated by proximal tibial bone transport after tibial osteomyelitis debridement.In the proximal group, there were 27 males and 5 females, aged from 17 to 65 years and involving 20 left and 12 right sides. The other 10 cases received distal tibial bone transport. In the distal group, all of them were male, aged from 25 to 63 years and involving 6 left and 4 right sides. The 2 groups were compared in terms of external fixation index (EFI) and American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society(AOFAS) Ankle and Hindfoot Scale.Results:There were no significant differences between the 2 groups in the preoperative general data such as gender, age or osteomyelitis site, indicating the 2 groups were comparable ( P>0.05). Both groups obtained complete follow-up. The proximal group was followed up for 590.1 d ± 287.3 d and the distal group for 615.6 d ± 130.6 d, showing no significant difference between groups ( P>0.05). In the proximal group 2 cases developed talipes equinovalgus after bone transport while in the distal group 3 cases did, and surgical intervention was needed for them. Surgical intervention was also carried out for16 cases of non-union at the docking site in the proximal group and for 2 ones in the distal group. The EFI was 76.2 d/cm±50.0 d/cm for the proximal group and 84.3 d/cm ± 59.9 d/cm for the distal group, showing no significant difference between groups ( P>0.05). The AOFAS scores were 81.4±10.1 for the proximal group and 60.0±5.9 for the distal group, showing a significant difference ( P<0.05). Conclusion:In the treatment of massive bone defects after tibial osteomyelitis debridement, no significant difference has been observed in the effect on bone formation between proximal tibial bone transport and distal tibial bone transport, but the former transport may have a less adverse effect on foot-ankle function.

Objective:To characterize limb traumatic osteomyelitis in a regional trauma center in South China.Methods:The case system at Division of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Department of Orthopaedics, Nanfang Hospital was searched for the data of confirmed limb traumatic osteomyelitis from January 1, 2010 through September 1, 2019. The clinical items collected were gender, age of onset, cause of injury, injury nature (open or closed), infected site (single site or multiple sites), intraoperative culture of pathogenic microorganisms, number and type of pathogenic microorganisms, and amputation. The above data were sorted out and analyzed statistically.Results:A total of 674 patients suffered limb traumatic osteomyelitis in South China with a male to female ratio of 4.81∶ 1. The limb traumatic osteomyelitis resulted mainly from open injury (64.09%, 432/674). It was mainly caused by a traffic accident (39.51%, 211/534). It was featured by single-site infection (83.68%, 564/674). It affected mainly the lower limbs: the tibia (53.19%, 300/564), the femur (18.97%, 107/564), the calcaneus (11.70%, 66/564) and other foot bones (4.61%, 26/564). The positive rate of intraoperative microorganisms culture was 65.26% (355/544). In the majority of patients (74.65%, 265/355), the traumatic osteomyelitis was caused by infection of a single pathogenic microorganism. The most common single pathogenic microorganism was Staphylococcus aureus (38.11%, 101/265), followed by Pseudomonas aeruginosa (20.00%, 53/265). The rate of amputation related to traumatic osteomyelitis was 3.71% (25/674), and the overall disability rate was 4.45% (30/674).Conclusions:In South China, more males were prone to limb traumatic osteomyelitis. Most cases were secondary to an open fracture and caused by a traffic accident. Traumatic osteomyelitis usually occurred at a lower limb. The most common pathogenic microorganism was Staphylococcus aureus.

Objective To investigate the association between tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)and lymphotoxin α(LTα) gene single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and susceptibility to extremity post-traumatic osteomyelitis in Chinese population.Methods We used SNaPshot genotyping method to detect genotypes of 6 TNF-α gene SNP sites (rs1799964,rs1800630,rs1799724,rs1800750,rs1800629 and rs361525) and 1 LT α gene SNP site of rs909253 in 189 patients with post-traunatic osteomyelitis and 200 healthy controls.Genetic models were applied to investigate the potential links between the above-mentioned SNPs and risks of developing post-traumatic osteomyelitis.Results Outcomes revealed that the frequency of mutant allele C of rs909253 in the patient group was statistically higher than that in healthy controls (54.23％ versus 45.00％,P =0.010,OR =1.448,95％ CI 1.092 ～ 1.921).Significant correlations were found between rs909253 and risk of developing post-traumatic osteomyelitis by recessive model (CC versus CT+TT,P=0.012,OR=1.868,95％CI1.150～3.035) and homozygote model (CCversusTT,P=0.021,OR=2.016,95％ CI 1.111～3.658).The frequency of CC (29.63％) in the patient group was higher than that in the control group (17.50％).With regard to rs1800629 site of TNF-oα gene,we only found that the frequency of mutant allele A (4.23％) in the patient group was statistically lower than that(7.75％) in the control group (P=0.040,OR=0.526,95％ CI 0.283 ～0.978).Conclusions LTαgeneSNP site rs909253 may be linked with elevated risk of developing post-traumatic osteomyelitis in Chinese population.Mutant allele C may be a risk factor and people with genotype of CC may be a group at a higher risk of developing post-traumatic osteomyelitis in China.

Spatial epidemiology and molecular epidemiology have been widely used in the studies of tuberculosis (TB),but each with limitations.Integration of the two methods provides new ideas and methods in TB research.All referenced articles are from CNKI,Wan Fang database,PubMed database and Web of Science database.Method of combining spatial epidemiology and molecular epidemiology has been widely used in determining the local epidemic strains of TB genotype,the transmission mechanism,risk factors of TB,drug-resistant TB,as well as evaluating the effectiveness of TB prevention and control measures.Application of the combined methods is of important significance in the studies of TB,thus worthy to be further introduced to researchers and disease prevention and control workers in this country.

Objective To discuss the technique and clinical effect of infective long bone defect treated by external fixator combination of iliac bone graft with deep iliac circumflex vessels.Methods All 28 patients with posttraumatic infective long bone defect were treated by external fixator and iliac bone graft with deep iliac circumflex vessels from July, 2008 to June, 2014.The length of the bone defect was from 3 to 7 cm (averaged 5.1 cm), including tibia defect in 13 patients, femoral defect in 7, humeral defect in 4, and ulna and radius defect respectively in 2, and 17 patients also with soft tissue defect.After thorough debridement, the bone defect was fixed by the external fixator, and then VSD was applied for irrigation drainage.As fresh granulation tissue growth, iliac bone vascularized by deep iliac circumflex vessels, size from size 5.0 cm× 3.0 cm to 8.0 cm× 3.5 cm, was transplanted.As for composite defect of infective bone and soft tissue in 17 patients, 6 cases of them was repaired with the iliac flap combined free flap, three with the iliac flap combined local skin flap, 4 cases with the iliac flap doubled with both the deep and the shallow iliac circumflex vessels, 3 cases with the circumflex iliac artery chimeric perforators flap and 1 with random iliac osteocutaneous flap.Affected limb function was graded with Enneking's system.Results All transplanted vascularized iliac bone survived, postoperative infection controlled well, but there were 2 patients of iliac flap partial necrosis.After dressing exchange and reoperation, the wound all repaired again.Twenty-six patients followed from 8 to 50 months, with an average of 18 months while 2 patients lost postoperative.The osseous healing time of the iliac bone graft was an average of 6.5 months, 25 patients healed well but 1 case encouraged tibia fracture again.Appearance of the limb also recovered satisfactorily.Twenty-six patients had the average limb function restored in 89.7％.There was no obvious complication in the donor.Conclusion It is an effective technical method to treat infective long bone defect by external fixator combination of iliac bone graft with deep iliac circumflex vessels, which can not only fix and bridge bone defects and enhance bone healing, but also obliterate dead space and resist local infection by ensuring blood supply.But the method is suitable for the receipt site infection under control and the length of the long bone defect less than 10 cm.