Safety of Temporary Use of Recycled Autoclaved Femoral Components in Infected Total Knee Arthroplasty: Confirming Sterility Using a Sonication Method

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of sonication technique for microbiological diagnosis and the sterility of the recycled autoclaved femoral components from infected total knee arthroplasty (TKA) using a sonication method. METHODS: Nineteen femoral implants explanted from patients with infected TKA were sterilized with a standard autoclave method. Standard culture of the fluid before and after sonication of the sterilized implants was performed to detect pathogenic microorganisms. Additional experiments were performed to evaluate the sterility of the recycled implant by inducing artificial biofilm formation. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) was inoculated into 10 implants and sterilization in a standard autoclave was performed, and then the fluid was cultured before and after sonication. RESULTS: Two of the 19 sterilized implants were positive for growth of bacteria after sonication, whereas no growth was detected in the cultured fluid from the sterilized implants before sonication. The bacteria were Staphylococcus species in all two cases. In one of 10 implants inoculated with MRSA, the culture was positive for growth of bacteria both before and after sonication. However, Staphylococcus epidermidis was cultured from both occasions and thus this implant was thought to be contaminated. CONCLUSIONS: We found sonication for identification of pathogens could be helpful, but this finding should be interpreted carefully because of the possibility of contamination. Sterilization of an infected femoral implant with an autoclave method could be a good method for using the temporary articulating antibiotic spacer in two-stage revision arthroplasty.

Conservative Treatment of Pyogenic Spondylitis in the Elderly

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective study. OBJECTIVES: To analyze the outcomes of conservative management in elderly patients over 65 years of age who were diagnosed with pyogenic spondylitis. SUMMARY OF LITERATURE REVIEW: The surgical treatment of pyogenic spondylitis can lead to complications in elderly patients in a poor general condition or with underlying diseases. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed a retrospective review of 32 patients who were diagnosed with pyogenic spondylitis and had a minimum of 12 months of follow-up. Age, sex, comorbidities, clinical symptoms, and the involved segments were analyzed retrospectively. The diagnosis was assessed using clinical, laboratory, and radiologic findings. Antibiotic therapy was either specific (if positive culture results were found) or broad-spectrum cephalosporin (when the pathogenic agent was not isolated). Outcomes were assessed using residual pain and neurologic deficits. RESULTS: The mean onset time was 23.5 days (range, 3-90 days). The mean period of intravenous antibiotic therapy was 36.3 days (range, 10-90 days). All cases underwent conservative management, and 4 patients with progressive neurologic deficits due to epidural abscess underwent posterior laminectomy and abscess drainage. In all cases, the infection was successfully treated, although 12 cases reported residual lower back pain and 2 continued to exhibit minor neurologic deficits. CONCLUSIONS: In elderly patients with pyogenic spondylitis, satisfactory results were obtained with conservative management using antibiotics and orthosis after an early diagnosis, unless progressive neurologic symptom instability or spine deformities were noted.

Two Case Reports of Calcified Spinal Meningioma and a Literature Review

STUDY DESIGN: Case Report. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to report 2 cases of calcified spinal meningioma that displayed differences in appearance during resection, and to review the current literature on calcified and ossified spinal meningiomas. SUMMARY OF LITERATURE REVIEW: Calcified and ossified spinal meningiomas are rare, and tumor calcification is a risk factor for poor neurological outcomes resulting from the additional manipulations required to dissect the tumor. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We describe the clinical course and intraoperative findings of 2 female patients who presented with symptoms of myelopathy. Magnetic resonance imaging showed calcified spinal meningiomas of the thoracic spine. The type of tumor resection performed was dependent on the solidity and texture of the individual tumors. RESULTS: Pathologic evaluation revealed psammoma bodies, which suggested calcified meningioma. The patients' neurologic symptoms resolved with no neurologic sequelae. CONCLUSIONS: Although there are a few pathologic differences regarding the main type and pathogenesis of ossified and calcified meningioma, both are thought to have a poor prognosis. For these tumors, adequately accounting for the expected poor prognosis and performing a wide laminectomy in order to ensure an adequate surgical margin are important factors for achieving a favorable outcome.

The Co-occurance of Meningitis and Para-spinal Infection after Repetitive Procedural Treatment of the Spine: A Case Report

STUDY DESIGN: Case report. OBJECTIVES: We report a case of meningitis combined with paraspinal infection in a patients who underwent numerous surgeries for and repetitive procedural treatment of the spine. SUMMARY OF LITERATURE REVIEW: In patients with a history surgical and repetitive procedural treatment of the spine, one symptom of infection may be a fever with localized pain or tenderness along the spine. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A 69-year-old man was hospitalized due to pyrexia and myalgia. Eight years ago, he underwented spine surgery. After that, the patient underwent spinal intervention more than once per week in another hospital due to remaining pain. One week before his visit to the emergency room, myalgia and aggravation in the lower back arose. However, a paraspinal infection was not detected in a non-enhanced MRI. One day after admission, the patient showed signs of meningeal irritation signs and the the patient's mental state suddenly deteriorated. An emergency cerebrospinal fluid analysis showed typical findings of bacterial meningitis. An enhanced MRI of the brain showed pachymeningeal enhancement. An enhanced MRI of the spine showed a small abscess formation on the left paravertebral back muscle, and bilateral psoas muscle. RESULTS: Serrtia marcescens was identified on blood cultures obtained upon admission. Since antibiotics were used to treat Serratia marcescens, the fever subsided, and the patient's mental status returned to normal. CONCLUSIONS: For patients with a history of repetitive procedural treatments of the spine, a fever should be acknowledged as a symptom in meningitis or other infectious conditions.

Results of High-Flex Total Knee Arthroplasty: Minimum 3-Year Follow-Up Result / 대한정형외과학회잡지

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the results of high-flexion total knee arthroplasty. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We evaluated 355 patients (372 cases) who underwent total knee arthroplasty using high-flexion implants from January 2005 to December 2011. The patients included 36 men and 336 women with a mean age of 70.6 (52-88 years) years. Average follow-up duration was 59 months (36-77 months) months. Three types of high flexion implants were used in this study. We performed preoperative assessment and last follow-up clinical evaluation was performed using range of motion (ROM), knee score and function score according to the knee society clinical rating system and complications. Radiologic evaluation was performed using plain radiographs to evaluate loosening or osteolysis. RESULTS: The mean ROM increased from 114.9° preoperatively to 127.0° at the final follow-up. The average knee score improved from 60.5 points preoperatively to 90.9 points at final follow-up and knee function score improved from 49.0 to 84.4 points. The clinical results were improved in each type of implants. A radiolucent line was detected in 2 cases in the Sigma rotating platform flexion group and patellar tendon rupture occurred in 1 case in the NexGex legacy posterior-stabilized-flex group. Infection occurred in 2 cases after 2 and 5 years postoperatively in the Scorpio non-restrictive geometry group and were treated with revision arthroplasty. No significant loosening was observed. CONCLUSION: This study obtained good results after total knee arthroplasty using high-flexion implants, and no loosening was observed. There were no differences in the type of implants in regard to the ROM and clinical variables.

Kyphotic Neck and Correlation With Clinical Outcomes

STUDY DESIGN: A literature review regarding the correlation between a kyphotic neck and its clinical outcomes. OBJECTIVES: This review examines normal cervical alignment, methods for assessing alignment, a specific correlation between kyphotic neck and clinical outcomes, and indications and methods of surgical treatment. SUMMARY OF LITERATURE REVIEW: Cervical kyphotic deformity is problematic in terms of HRQOL due to nerve damage or loss of horizontal gaze. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Review of the literature. RESULTS: Cervical kyphosis can be caused by postlaminectomy, degenerative disc disease, and trauma, and the symptoms exhibit diverse clinical progression including compensatory mechanisms, adjacent segment disease, changes in quality of life, and cervical myelopathy. Given the serious complications of cervical surgery, we need a deep understanding of spine anatomy, preoperative planning, and correction methods. CONCLUSIONS: It is vital to investigate cervical sagittal alignment and to perform intensive treatment and corrective surgery to achieve better clinical outcomes.

Treatment of Infections after Total Knee Arthroplasty / 대한정형외과학회잡지

The current infection rates after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) are reported to be 1% to 2% for primary TKAs and 4% to 8% for revision surgeries. The increased finding of resistant pathogens further complicates the problem of prosthetic joint infection. The infection occurs due to an imbalance between the epidemiologic triad of bacterium, host, and environment. The goals of treating an infected patient after TKA are eradicating infection, relieving pain, and providing a stable and functional prosthesis. The management of an infection after TKA should be based on the patient's condition, including the overall prognosis, associated disease, quality of bone, soft tissue coverage, extensor mechanism, and the patient's willingness and medical capability of undergoing multiple surgeries. For best results, the surgeon should make a careful pre-operative plan, and ensure the availability of pre-operative information including preoperative diagnosis, date of index operation, kind of implant, previously used antibiotics, time since index surgery, amount of resection, and complications.