How the forensic multidisciplinary approach can solve a fatal dog pack attack.

The authors present the case of a 61-year-old man found dead in an agricultural plot. The first investigation of the scene revealed the corpse laid face up in a spot of partially dried blood, next to an olive tree. His face, arms, legs, and abdomen showed signs of severe contusion and laceration of dogs' bite wounds. Next to the victim, an olives bin had been found overturned on the ground. A multi-disciplinary approach, including crime scene analysis, autopsy findings, veterinary animals review, odontologist bite mark study, and forensic genetics DNA correlations, was performed. The present case is a documented watchdogs lethal pack attack and provides an example of how to recognize the more active participants thanks to their odontological alterations. It could be considered the first described dog pack attack case solved by dysgnathia alteration. Comparisons between the dental casts obtained from the dogs and the inflicted wounds were made, resulting in positive correlations between the injuries and the dental arches from two of the six involved dogs, thanks to dental abnormalities and DNA founding. The victim's clothes were also compared with the dogs' dental casts, confirming that they were the most active participants during the pack attack. Dogs' DNA was finally matched with saliva traces found on victim's clothes and skin bite marks.

Characterization of opioid consumption and disposal patterns after total knee arthroplasty.

AIMS: The aim of this study was to determine the general postoperative opioid consumption and rate of appropriate disposal of excess opioid prescriptions in patients undergoing primary unilateral total knee arthroplasty (TKA). PATIENTS AND METHODS: In total, 112 patients undergoing surgery with one of eight arthroplasty surgeons at a single specialty hospital were prospectively enrolled. Three patients were excluded for undergoing secondary procedures within six weeks. Daily pain levels and opioid consumption, quantity, and disposal patterns for leftover medications were collected for six weeks following surgery using a text-messaging platform. RESULTS: Overall, 103 of 109 patients (94.5%) completed the daily short message service (SMS) surveys. The mean oral morphine equivalents (OME) consumed during the six weeks post-surgery were 639.6 mg (sd 323.7; 20 to 1616) corresponding to 85.3 tablets of 5 mg oxycodone per patient. A total of 66 patients (64.1%) had stopped taking opioids within six weeks of surgery and had the mean equivalent of 18 oxycodone 5 mg tablets remaining. Only 17 patients (25.7%) appropriately disposed of leftover medications. CONCLUSION: These prospectively collected data provide a benchmark for general opioid consumption after uncomplicated primary unilateral TKA. Many patients are prescribed more opioids than they require, and leftover medication is infrequently disposed of appropriately, which increases the risk for illicit diversion. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2019;101-B(7 Supple C):98-103.

Reconstruction of non-contained acetabular defects with impaction grafting, a reinforcement mesh and a cemented polyethylene acetabular component.

This review summarises the technique of impaction grafting with mesh augmentation for the treatment of uncontained acetabular defects in revision hip arthroplasty. The ideal acetabular revision should restore bone stock, use a small socket in the near-anatomic position, and provide durable fixation. Impaction bone grafting, which has been in use for over 40 years, offers the ability to achieve these goals in uncontained defects. The precepts of modern, revision impaction grafting are that the segmental or cavitary defects must be supported with a mesh; the contained cavity is filled with vigorously impacted morselised fresh-frozen allograft; and finally, acrylic cement is used to stabilise the graft and provide rigid, long-lasting fixation of the revised acetabular component. Favourable results have been published with this technique. While having its limitations, it is a viable option to address large acetabular defects in revision arthroplasty. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2017;99-B(1 Supple A):25-30.

Survivorship of Extensor Mechanism Allograft Reconstruction After Total Knee Arthroplasty.

BACKGROUND: Extensor mechanism disruption remains a devastating complication after total knee arthroplasty. The purpose of this study is to describe the outcomes of extensor mechanism allograft (EMA) reconstruction in a large single-center case series. METHODS: Consecutive patients with a previous total knee arthroplasty undergoing extensor mechanism reconstruction using a fresh-frozen EMA tensioned in full extension were identified retrospectively from single-center institutional database (N = 25 patients, 26 knees; mean follow-up 68 months [range 22-113 months]). The primary outcome was initial allograft failure, defined as removal of the allograft or extensor lag >30 degrees at most recent follow-up. RESULTS: Sixty-nine percent (18/26) of knees had retained their initial allograft reconstruction at their latest follow-up despite reoperation rates of 58% (15/26). A younger age was significantly associated with failure of the initial allograft reconstruction. Knee Society Scores increased from 101 (38 standard deviation [SD]) to 116 (40 SD) at most recent follow-up for the group as a whole (P = .4). Patients undergoing a reoperation for any cause had lower Knee Society Scores (101 [SD 38] vs 138 [SD 32], respectively; P = .04) at most recent follow-up. CONCLUSION: EMA reconstruction shows adequate overall intermediate-term survival; however, reoperation rates were high and associated with worse functional outcomes.

The modern, hybrid total hip arthroplasty for primary osteoarthritis at the Hospital for Special Surgery.

We describe our technique and rationale using hybrid fixation for primary total hip arthroplasty (THA) at the Hospital for Special Surgery. Modern uncemented acetabular components have few screw holes, or no holes, polished inner surfaces, improved locking mechanisms, and maximised thickness and shell-liner conformity. Uncemented sockets can be combined with highly cross-linked polyethylene liners, which have demonstrated very low wear and osteolysis rates after ten to 15 years of implantation. The results of cement fixation with a smooth or polished surface finished stem have been excellent, virtually eliminating complications seen with cementless fixation like peri-operative femoral fractures and thigh pain. Although mid-term results of modern cementless stems are encouraging, the long-term data do not show reduced revision rates for cementless stems compared with cemented smooth stems. In this paper we review the conduct of a hybrid THA, with emphasis on pre-operative planning, surgical technique, hypotensive epidural anaesthesia, and intra-operative physiology.

Surgical site infections in oncologic orthopaedic prosthetics surgery.

BACKGROUND: Literature reports an incidence of surgical site infections (SSIs) in oncological patients undergoing prosthetic replacement between 8% and 35% after first implantation and 43% after revision. The purpose of this retrospective study, conducted at the oncologic orthopaedic unit of G. Pini Orthopaedic Hospital in Milan, was to evaluate: - number of SSIs in oncological megaprosthetic reconstruction between 2008 and 2011, - possible risk factors associated with the onset of SSIs, - antibiotic prophylaxis applied. DESIGN AND METHODS: We reviewed medical records of patients who underwent megaprosthetic reconstruction and collected data on whole treatment and follow up after discharge, focusing on possible risk factors implied in the onset of SSIs such as patient characteristics, site of surgery, duration of surgery, number of persons in the operating room, size of resection, antibiotic prophylaxis. We recorded every SSI which met the criteria set by the Hospital in Europe Link for Infection Control through Surveillance (HELICS) protocol. RESULTS: One-hundred and eleven surgeries were evaluated. Administration of prophylaxis was generally recorded and continued postoperatively for an average of 18.89 days, often depending on the length of the post-surgical stay. Mean duration of surgery was 254 minutes with an average of 7 persons attending the operating room. We recorded 6 SSIs.

Meta-analysis of cause of death following total joint replacement using different thromboprophylaxis regimens.

We performed a meta-analysis of modern total joint replacement (TJR) to determine the post-operative mortality and the cause of death using different thromboprophylactic regimens as follows: 1) no routine chemothromboprophylaxis (NRC); 2) Potent anticoagulation (PA) (unfractionated or low-molecular-weight heparin, ximelagatran, fondaparinux or rivaroxaban); 3) Potent anticoagulation combined (PAC) with regional anaesthesia and/or pneumatic compression devices (PCDs); 4) Warfarin (W); 5) Warfarin combined (WAC) with regional anaesthesia and/or PCD; and 6) Multimodal (MM) prophylaxis, including regional anaesthesia, PCDs and aspirin in low-risk patients. Cause of death was classified as autopsy proven, clinically certain or unknown. Deaths were grouped into cardiopulmonary excluding pulmonary embolism (PE), PE, bleeding-related, gastrointestinal, central nervous system, and others (miscellaneous). Meta-analysis based on fixed effects or random effects models was used for pooling incidence data. In all, 70 studies were included (99 441 patients; 373 deaths). The mortality was lowest in the MM (0.2%) and WC (0.2%) groups. The most frequent cause of death was cardiopulmonary (47.9%), followed by PE (25.4%) and bleeding (8.9%). The proportion of deaths due to PE was not significantly affected by the thromboprophylaxis regimen (PA, 35.5%; PAC, 28%; MM, 23.2%; and NRC, 16.3%). Fatal bleeding was higher in groups relying on the use of anticoagulation (W, 33.8%; PA, 9.4%; PAC, 10.8%) but the differences were not statistically significant. Our study demonstrated that the routine use of PA does not reduce the overall mortality or the proportion of deaths due to PE.

Complications after patello-femoral versus total knee replacement in the treatment of isolated patello-femoral osteoarthritis. A meta-analysis.

PURPOSE: Both patellofemoral arthroplasty (PFA) and total knee arthroplasty (TKA) are successful in treating isolated patellofemoral osteoarthritis, but the complication rates after PFA are concerning. We performed a meta-analysis to compare the incidence of complications, re-operations, and revision following PFA and TKA for patellofemoral osteoarthritis. METHODS: We systematically identified publications with patients who underwent PFA or TKA for patellofemoral osteoarthritis with minimum 1.5 year follow-up. Demographics, implant (TKA, first [1G] or second-generation [2G] PFA), complications, and cause of re-operations were extracted. Random-effects meta-analysis was used to pool incidence data, which was compared between groups using logistic regression to adjust for length of follow-up. RESULTS: Twenty-eight observational studies and no randomized trials were included in this meta-analysis, which limits its generalizability. There was a higher likelihood of any re-operation (odds ratio 8.06) and revision (OR 8.11) in PFA compared to TKA. Re-operation (OR 4.33) and revision (OR 4.93) were more likely in 1G-PFA than 2G-PFA. When comparing 2G-PFA to TKA, there was no significant difference in re-operation, revision, pain, or mechanical complications. CONCLUSIONS: Patients who undergo PFA rather than TKA are more likely to experience complications and require re-operation or revision, but subgroup analysis suggests a relation to implant design. There is no significant difference in re-operation, revision, pain, or mechanical complications between 2G-PFA and TKA. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Systematic review of Level III therapeutic studies, Level III.

[Cemented stems in hip arthroplasty: history and evolution]. / Vástagos cementados en la artroplastía de cadera: historia y evolución.

Despite the favorable results in cemented femoral fixation, there is a growing tendency to use uncemented stems. Due to the successful results of cementless acetabular fixation, the most versatile and easy implantation technique, to the misinformation about the "cement disease" and the poor performance of cemented stems with a rough surface. However, the advantages of cemented femoral fixation are numerous: it can be implemented successfully in femurs of diverse morphology and quality of bone, the surgeon can position the implant with the desired femoral anteversion, without it being determined by th natural femoral anteversion, very low incidence of intraoperative and postoperative fractures, allows the addition of antibiotics in patients with a history or predisposition to infection and minimal risk of postoperative leg pain during walking.

La planificación preoperatoria del reemplazo protésico en las fracturas de cadera del anciano / Preoperative planning of prosthetic replacement in hip fractures in the elderly

Existen numerosas publicaciones sobre la planificación preoperatoria en los reemplazos de cadera electivos con resultados satisfactorios. Sin embargo, ninguna de ellas se ha enfocado para el tratamiento de las fracturas de cadera. La planificación aumenta su importancia en estos pacientes debido a que la reconstrucción de la biomecánica de la cadera se ve dificultada por la ausencia de un fémur intacto.En este trabajo se describe un método de planificación preoperatoria basado en la reproducción de la biomecánica de la cadera contralateral no fracturada, siempre y cuando ésta sea anatómicamente normal. El plan registra medidas radiológicas que se reproducen durante la cirugía para lograr una reconstrucción de la biomecánica normal de la cadera fracturada (AU)

There are numerous reports on successful results for total hip replacement being achieved through preoperative planning. However, none of these reports have been focused on the treatment of hip fractures. Preoperative planning has increased importance in this group of patients as the correct biomechanical reconstruction of the hip is made more difficult by the absence of an intact femur.This report describes a method for preoperative planning based on the reproduction of the biomechanics of the intact contralateral hip, if and when it is anatomically normal. The plan is based on radiological measurements that are reproduced during surgery to achieve normal biomechanical reconstruction for the fractured hip (AU)

Bilateral total hip arthroplasty in siblings with Stickler Syndrome.

Stickler Syndrome is an infrequent autosomal dominant connective tissue disorder. The most prevalent mutation affects type II collagen gene and results in abnormalities in cartilage, vitreous and nucleus pulposus. Orthopaedic manifestations include joint hyper- mobility and pain with early development of secondary osteoarthritis. The condition has a predilection for the femoral head and patients usually present in their third to fourth decade with secondary hip arthritis. We report on two siblings with Stickler Syndrome who presented with hip osteoarthritis in their third decade of life and underwent staged bilateral total hip arthroplasties (THA). The patients experienced pain relief and improved quality of life after surgery.

[Substitutive therapies in sepsis and acute renale failure]. / Trattamenti emergenti e/o alternativi nell'nsufficienza renale acuta associata a sepsi.

Substitutive treatment of sepsis associated acute renal failure is an emergent challenge in the intensive care unit due to the number of cases and to the high mortality rate. Standard hemofiltration is unable to improve survival, since a high mortality rate is sustained by the septic process. New therapeutic approaches currently available are based on the increased clearance of molecules ranging 10-30 kDa considered important in the physiopathology of sepsis and multiorgan failure. Clinical experiences in progress are: (1) adsorption resins able to bind bacterial products, cytokines, anaphylotoxins and several inflammation mediators; (2) the bioartificial kidney, that is the addition to hemofilter of human tubular cell culture grown in devices in order to mimic metabolic tubular function to a traditional hemofilter; (3) increased exchange volumes (high volume hemofiltration), up to 0-100 L/24 hr and; (4) increased membrane permeability associated with either discarded ultrafiltrate (high cut-off membranes) or plasma substitution plasmapheresis with regeneration by sorbents technology (C FA). Generally, by applying these new technologies to septic shock patients, the observed survival was higher than that predicted by the gravity score. While these results are encouraging, they are not conclusive and need further study.

High failure rate of a modern, proximally roughened, cemented stem for total hip arthroplasty.

The role of surface finish on the survivorship of cemented femoral stems continues to be debated. A total of 34 proximally roughened cemented stems were implanted in 33 consecutive patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty by a single surgeon. An alarmingly high failure rate was observed, prompting a retrospective chart review, analysis of radiographs, and evaluation of retrieved stems and pathological specimens. Nineteen patients were available with more than two years follow-up. Of these 19 patients, nine stems had failed (47%) due to severe osteolysis and stem loosening. Failures were significantly more common in the male gender (p<0.005), and young (p=0.05), tall (p<0.002), and heavy patients (p<0.004). All failed revised hips showed severe metallosis, with both gross and microscopic evidence of metallic shedding from the stems. Our findings suggest that this proximally roughened stem is susceptible to early failure. Failure is characterized by stem debonding, subsidence within the cement mantle, shedding of metallic and cement particles due to fretting, and rapidly progressive osteolysis. These findings have been observed with other rough surface finish cemented stems.

Hypotensive epidural anaesthesia in patients with preoperative renal dysfunction undergoing total hip replacement.

BACKGROUND: Hypotensive anaesthesia does not impair renal function after surgery in normal patients but there are no reports of hypotensive anaesthesia in patients with chronic renal dysfunction (CRD). METHODS: From a database of 1893 consecutive patients undergoing total hip replacement (THR) under hypotensive epidural anaesthesia (HEA) from 1999 to 2004, 54 patients were identified with CRD (preoperative serum creatinine > or =124 micromol litre(-1)). Fifty matched pairs were identified for patients with normal renal function who have hypertension (n=50) or no hypertension (n=50). Changes in serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) were recorded daily for 3 days. Acute renal failure was defined as an increase in serum creatinine of 44 micromol litre(-1). RESULTS: The mean duration of hypotension (MAP<55 mm Hg) was 94 min (range 35-305 min). The mean age was 71 yr. All patients with a creatinine level of 124 micromol litre(-1) had a creatinine clearance of <40 ml min(-1) 1.73 m(-2) (range: 13-56). Patients with CRD received more crystalloid during surgery (1755 ml) than the other two groups (1435 ml) (P<0.001). Otherwise, all three groups were similar. No patients developed evidence of acute renal dysfunction immediately after or by 24 h after surgery. Three patients with CRD had an increase in creatinine of >44 micromol litre(-1) at 48 and 72 h after surgery in the setting of volume depletion (acute blood loss in two patients and early ileus in one). Renal function subsequently improved. CONCLUSION: HEA, per se, when carefully managed does not appear to predispose patients with CRD to acute renal failure after THR.

A new technique to improve cup inclination accuracy in primary total hip arthroplasty.

Accurate inclination and anteversion of the acetabular component is paramount to achieve a stable total hip arthroplasty, prevent prosthetic dislocation and minimize long- term wear. We present and evaluate a simple new technique to improve consistency in cup inclination during primary total hip arthroplasty, based on information available from the preoperative plan. The technique consists of assessing the distance and relationship between the inferomedial border of the acetabular cup and the inferomedial margin of the teardrop, with the use of a measuring probe. This simple surgical gesture improved consistency in cup inclination during total hip arthroplasty.;

Thromboembolic disease in hip replacement surgery.

Total hip replacement surgery carries the risk of thromboembolic complications, which could be fatal. Over the last three decades however, the risk has decreased considerably thanks to progress made in the understanding of the physiopathogenetic mechanism of thromboembolic disease and perioperative prophylaxis. It is the purpose of this study to discuss the main medical and surgical preventive measures that must be carried out before, during and immediately after surgery. The old concept of deciding thromboembolic prophylaxis after surgery is now obsolete.

Total hip replacement in identical twins with Scheie Mucopolysaccharidosis.

Investigation performed at the Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, USA Scheie Syndrome is an autosomal recessive metabolic storage disease with distinct skeletal findings known as "dysostosis multiplex". This paper reports on identical twins with Scheie Syndrome who required total hip arthroplasty for early osteoarthritis of the hip. The surgical approach and exposure was particularly demanding due to the stiffness imposed by the soft tissues arising from infiltration of glycosaminoglycans. The small femoral head and acetabulum limited the diameter of the acetabular component and subsequently the prosthetic head diameter that could be safely utilized without compromising the thickness of the polyethylene liner. Twenty-two millimeter heads with a standard polyethylene insert were therefore utilized in the two arthroplasties performed in 1998 in the first twin, and a 28 mm head with a highly cross linked polyethylene liner, in the arthroplasty performed on the second twin in 2003. This is a relevant issue considering that these patients required an arthroplasty at a young age. Hip arthroplasty relieved pain, improved ambulation and provided a better range of motion in our two patients. There were no peri-operative complications. Long-term survivorship of total hip replacement in this population is not yet known. (Hip International 2005; 15: 55-8).

Biliopancreatic diversion with transitory gastric restriction and duodenal bulb preservation: 88 patients since 1992.

BACKGROUND: Over 10 years, 88 patients underwent biliopancreatic diversion with transitory gastric restriction (BPD-TGR) as a first choice operation or after gastric restrictive procedures. METHODS: From 1992 to 1999, BPD-TGR was performed on 71 patients as a first choice operation (Group 1 - BMI 41.9 +/- 6.5). The TGR was achieved by a polydioxanone (PDS) band. The duodenal bulb was maintained to 5 cm distal to the pylorus, constructing an end-to-side antecolic isoperistaltic duodeno-ileal anastomosis. Since 1993, a further 17 patients underwent BPD-TGR as a correction for restrictive procedures (Group 2 - BMI 37.4, range 27.2-61.0). RESULTS: Results in weight loss in Group 1 were similar to those in our previous classical BPD. Percent excess weight loss (%EWL) was 68.0 +/- 18.4, 75.9 +/- 12.3, and 75.4 +/- 12.0 at 1,5 and 10 years respectively. No patient had severe dysproteinemia (only 3% of patients had hypoalbuminemia of 3.0-3.4 g/dl). There was no case of diarrhea or halitosis. Anastomotic ulcers occurred in 2% of the patients. In Group 2, the patients had weight loss already present from the first operation, which continued after BPD-TGR with great variability from patient to patient. %EWL was 35.1 (range 0 to 72.5) and 35.2 (range 18.4 to 43.2) at 1 and 5 years. CONCLUSIONS: BPD-TGR appears to be an effective operation with few complications and also a satisfactory correction for failed gastric restrictive procedures, or even a sequential operation in the super-obese.

Age affects the perception of limb length discrepancy in patients with and without a total hip arthroplasty.

The amount of lengthening or shortening that can be detected by patients before and after total hip arthroplasty has not been yet quantified. We studied the ability to detect limb length inequality in 194 patients with and without a total hip arthroplasty, match-paired for age and sex. None of the participants had clinical signs of lumbosacral pathology, spinal deformity, or fixed pelvic obliquity; and all had equal functional and actual limb length. The participants walked with shoes, with and without the addition of fixed insoles, to simulate 2.5, 5, 10 and 15 millimeters of shortening and lengthening of the tested limb. Lengthening and shortening were similarly detected. Younger individuals detected the differences better than older ones (p=0.001), and there was a significant correlation between the decade of life and the ability to detect a limb length discrepancy (r=-0.22; p=0.002). This study demonstrates that perception of limb length is affected by the age, with older individuals having less awareness of changes in limb length than younger ones. (Hip International 2004; 14: 249-53).

Insufficiency subchondral fracture of the femoral head: report of 4 cases and review of the literature.

Insufficiency subchondral fractures are nontraumatic flattened lesions in the superolateral area of the femoral head, occurring in healthy adults. These lesions were recently described and are an infrequent cause of acute hip pain. We report on 4 patients who were diagnosed with an insufficiency subchondral fracture. All the patients showed radiographic progression of the lesion after 4 months, and 3 patients required a total hip arthroplasty. The etiology and the natural history of these rare lesions remain to be elucidated. These lesions should be differentiated from osteonecrosis and transient osteoporosis, because treatment and prognosis may differ.