Treatment outcomes of patients with Cutibacterium acnes-positive cultures during total joint replacement revision surgery: a minimum 2-year follow-up.

INTRODUCTION: Periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) is a devastating complication following total joint replacement (TJR). Cutibacterium acnes (C. acnes) is a low virulent skin commensal, commonly found during TJR revision surgery for "aseptic" causes. The purpose of the present study was to report the treatment outcomes of patients with C. acnes contamination or infection in the presence of a TJR treated with a revision surgery ± implant exchange ± prolonged (≥ 8 weeks) postoperative antibiotics. METHODS: Medical records of patients with at least one positive C. acnes culture in intraoperative tissue samples or sonication fluid from a TJR revision surgery between January 2005 and December 2014 were retrospectively evaluated. The primary endpoint was infection eradication according to Delphi criteria. The diagnostic accuracy of preoperative TJR aspiration regarding the diagnosis of C. acnes PJI was also investigated. RESULTS: A total of 52 TJR (28 shoulders, 17 hips, 7 knees) in 52 patients (35 males, 17 females) with an average age of 63 ± 11 (33-86) years were included. At an average follow-up of 67 ± 33 (24-127) months, the infection eradication of C. acnes PJI was 97% regardless of the surgical treatment or administration of prolonged postoperative antibiotics. The incidence of unsuspected C. acnes PJI was 28.8%. The sensitivity and specificity of preoperative joint aspiration in detecting C. acnes PJI were 59% and 88%, whereas the PPV and NNV were 83% and 67%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Infection eradication of C. acnes PJI was very high at a minimum follow-up of 24 months, suggesting that C. acnes PJI could be adequately treated with a combination of revision surgery and prolonged postoperative antibiotics. The preoperative diagnosis of C. acnes PJI might be challenging with more than one-quarter of patients presenting without suspicion of C. acnes PJI. The appropriate treatment of patients with a single positive culture remains still unclear. A negative TJR aspiration should not rule out a C. acnes PJI, especially in the presence of clinical correlates of infection. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Retrospective case-control study, Level III. IRB APPROVAL: Kantonale Ethikkommission Zürich, BASEC Nr.:2017-00567.

Terapia de juicio de lateralidad e imaginería de movimiento y ejercicios de activación muscular selectiva glenohumerales en sujetos con ruptura masiva del manguito rotador: serie de casos / Therapy of judgment of laterality and imagenery of movement and exercises of selective muscular activation glenohumeral in subjects with massive rupture of the rotating sleeve: case series

Introducción: El desgarro masivo del maguito rotador (DMMR) es una condición clínica degenerativa que corresponde a una ruptura de 5 cm, o una que compromete a dos o más tendones del manguito rotador (MR), generando pérdida de funcionalidad y dolor incapacitante. Objetivo: Describir los cambios en el dolor y función de hombro posterior a un programa de 6 semanas de terapia de juicio de lateralidad e imaginería de movimiento y ejercicios de activación selectiva glenohumerales en sujetos con rotura masiva del manguito rotador. Métodos: Este estudio es una investigación descriptiva y diseño serie de casos, con una muestra de 50 participantes con diagnóstico de ruptura masiva de manguito rotador. Los pacientes realizaron un programa de ejercicios selectivos glenohumerales más terapia de juicio de lateralidad e imaginería de movimiento durante 6 semanas. Se midieron las variables de función, dolor, ROM de abducción y flexión de hombro, a la sexta semana y al sexto mes de evolución. Resultados: Existen diferencias significativas en la intensidad del dolor, función de hombro, AROM de flexión y AROM de abducción de hombro, posterior a la intervención (p < 0,05). Existen diferencias estadísticamente significativas para todas las medidas de resultados entre la intervención y el sexto mes de seguimiento (p < 0,05). Solo el dolor presentó diferencias estadísticamente significativas entre la sexta semana y el sexto mes de seguimiento (p = 0,01). Conclusión: La aplicación de la terapia de juicio de lateralidad e imaginería de movimiento adicionada a un programa de ejercicios selectivos estabilizadores glenohumerales durante 6 semanas podría mejorar la función de hombro, disminuir el dolor y aumentar los AROM de flexión y abducción de hombro en pacientes con ruptura masiva del manguito rotador

Introduction: Massive tear of the rotator cuff (DMMR) is a degenerative clinical condition, which corresponds to a 5 cm rupture, or one that compromises two or more tendons of the rotator cuff (MR), generating loss of functionality and disabling pain. Objective: To describe changes in pain and shoulder function following a 6-week program of lateral-imaging and motion imaging therapy and selective glenohumeral activation exercises in subjects with massive rotator cuff tears. Methods: This study is a descriptive research and design of a series of cases, with a sample of 50 participants with diagnosis of rotator cuff mastication. Patients underwent a glenohumeral selective exercise program plus laterality and motion imaging therapy for 6 weeks. The variables of function, pain, abduction ROM and shoulder flexion were measured at sixth week and sixth month of evolution. Results: There were significant differences in pain intensity, shoulder function, AROM flexion and shoulder abduction AROM, after the intervention (p > 0.05). Statistically significant differences were found for all outcome measures between the intervention and the sixth follow-up month (p < 0.05). Only the pain of the statistically significant differences between the sixth week and the sixth month of follow-up (p = 0.01). Conclusion: The application of laterality trial therapy and motion imaging added to a program of selective exercises stabilizadores glenohumerales during 6 weeks, could improve shoulder function, decrease pain and increase AROM flexion and shoulder abduction in patients with massive rupture of the rotator cuff

Impaired sperm quality, delayed mating but no costs for offspring fitness in crickets winning a fight.

The outcome of male-male contest competition is known to affect male mating success and is believed to confer fitness benefits to females through preference for dominant males. However, by mating with contest winners, females can incur significant costs spanning from decreased fecundity to negative effects on offspring. Hence, identifying costs and benefits of male dominance on female fitness is crucial to unravel the potential for a conflict of interests between the sexes. Here, we investigated males' pre- and post-copulatory reproductive investment and its effect on female fitness after a single contest a using the field cricket Gryllus bimaculatus. We allowed males to fight and immediately measured their mating behaviour, sperm quality and offspring viability. We found that males experiencing a fight, independently of the outcome, delayed matings, but their courtship effort was not affected. However, winners produced sperm of lower quality (viability) compared to losers and to males that did not experience fighting. Results suggest a trade-off in resource allocation between pre- and post-mating episodes of sexual selection. Despite lower ejaculate quality, we found no fitness costs (fecundity and viability of offspring) for females mated to winners. Overall, our findings highlight the importance of considering fighting ability when assessing male reproductive success, as winners may be impaired in their competitiveness at a post-mating level.