Catastrophic cement reaction following cementation for megaprosthesis for proximal femoral fracture.

Bone cement implantation syndrome (BCIS) is a well-described and potentially fatal complication of orthopaedic surgery involving pressurised bone cement. Although also described for certain spinal procedures, it is most commonly associated with cemented hip and knee arthroplasty and with cemented hemiarthroplasty following neck of femur fracture in particular.Donaldson et alproposed the definition of BCIS as a syndrome "characterized by hypoxia, hypotension or both and/or unexpected loss of consciousness occurring around the time of cementation, prosthesis insertion, reduction of the joint or, occasionally, limb tourniquet deflation in a patient undergoing cemented bone surgery". Other features include increased vascular resistance, cardiac arrhythmias and cardiac arrest post cement use.We describe a case of a patient who suffered a catastrophic reaction to cement during surgery for a comminuted proximal femoral fracture.

What other anomalies? Failure to wean post ventricular septal defect repair secondary to anomalous origin of the left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery.

A six week old infant underwent ventricular septal defect and atrial septal defect closure. Preoperative echocardiography showed evidence of pulmonary hypertension. The post operative course was complicated failure to wean from ventilatory and inotropic support. Echocardiography showed severe left ventricular (LV) dysfunction and suggested some fistulous drainage of the left coronary artery into the right pulmonary artery; this anomalous drainage of the left coronary artery into the right pulmonary artery (ALCAPA) was confirmed with coronary angiogram. Re-implantation of the left coronary artery into the aorta was performed. Extra-corporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) was required to allow time for ventricular recovery. Supports were weaned gradually, with concurrent evidence of LV recovery and the child was discharged on postoperative day 30. ALCAPA is rare and typically presents at 8 weeks of age with symptoms of heart failure, as pulmonary pressure falls leading to myocardial ischaemia due to myocardial hypoperfusion with relatively desaturated blood. In our case the pulmonary hypertension and left to right shunt preoperatively were protective, maintaining forward flow of relatively oxygenated blood. While protective to the myocardium this made the preoperative diagnosis of ALCAPA difficult, as there was no flow reversal on Doppler echocardiography. Closure of the septal defects meant this protective effect was lost, with subsequent severe myocardial ischaemia and heart failure. This case highlights the diagnostic challenges of ALCAPA, the 'protective' effects of pulmonary hypertension with ALCAPA, and the importance of early cardiac catheterization in the setting of unexplained failure to wean post cardiac surgery.

Septic shock due to Fournier's gangrene of the scrotum.

A 57-year-old morbidly obese (160 kg) man presented with a 12 h history of severe bilateral scrotal pain and swelling. His scrotum was erythematous, with cellulitis advancing superiorly along the anterior abdominal wall. He was in septic shock. Following resuscitation with intravenous fluids, commencement of vasopressor infusion and broad-spectrum antimicrobials, he underwent surgical exploration and debridement. This revealed a devitalised gangrenous scrotum with abscess formation noted in the ischio-rectal spaces. This was debrided posteriorly to the wall of the rectum. The penis was de-gloved. Both testicles were spared. A colostomy was performed on day 3 to maintain a clean environment for healing. Subsequent scrotal reconstruction and grafting was performed with a pedicled gracilis flap and split skin grafting. The colostomy was reversed at 5 months.