Acute infective sacro-iliitis is a rare condition. Though gonococcal arthritis is not uncommon, this organism does not appear to have been isolated from the sacro-iliac joint. The first proven case of gonococcal sacro-iliitis is reported here. Difficulties in correct diagnosis of infective sacro-iliitis are highlighted. Management of gonococcal sacro-iliitis is described. With the increase in number of gonococcal infections, a case can be made for routine culture of joint material N. Gonorrhoeae in cases of septic arthritis in patients at high risk.
A 26-year-old male presented with claw toes and Factor XIII deficiency. Correction for his deformity was undertaken. Pre, intra and post-operative transfusions of plasma and blood prevented any haemorrhagic complications.
Revision arthroplasty of the hip is often complicated by infection, bone loss, and perioperative fracture of the femur. A simple, inexpensive spacer that keeps tissue planes intact and prevents soft tissue contracture during the interoperative period of a 2-stage revision is described. This can provide intramedullary support to a fractured or weak femur and enable local antibiotic delivery, as well as permit limited mobilization of the patient. It can be easily fabricated during surgery using universally available materials and can be tailored for specific requirements. Such a spacer was used in 5 cases. The experience is presented, and the technique and pitfalls are discussed.
Primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) is an intriguing condition. Routine automated biochemical screening has made the diagnosis commonplace in developed countries and the disease is diagnosed early in its course when it is often asymptomatic. In developing countries or in recent immigrants from these countries, PHPT is often seen in an advanced stage with bone involvement. Associated dietary deficiencies may alter the biochemical profile and cause a diagnostic dilemma. It is important to include it in the differential diagnosis of pathological fractures. We report three cases of PHPT presenting with pathological fractures and discuss their diagnosis and management.
Closed intramedullary nailing is a successful method of treating adult femoral shaft fractures. In comminuted or segmental fractures, this operation is associated with an incidence of rotational malalignment and malunion. After locked nailing, this can only be corrected by further operation. A simple method of judging and obtaining rotational alignment in such cases intra-operatively is described. A comparison of two groups of patients with such fractures, one using this technique and the other using conventional methods of judging alignment, revealed statistically significant improvement in rotational alignment (p = 0.016).