Subcutaneous Emphysema of the Upper Extremity After Elbow Arthroscopy

Subcutaneous emphysema of the upper extremity is rare. Crepitation on physical examination and visible gas on radiographs raise the concern of gas gangrene due to gas-producing bacteria. Rapid establishment of a differential diagnosis is necessary to initiate proper treatment. We present a case of subcutaneous emphysema after elbow arthroscopy caused by a noninfectious genesis. A 59-year-old woman with loose bodies in her left elbow due to mild degenerative joint disease and restricted range of motion was offered an elbow arthroscopy with removal of loose bodies and arthrolysis. Postoperatively, the elbow was actively put alternatively in maximum extension and flexion. On the first postoperative day, rapidly ascending swelling and subcutaneous crepitation starting from the hand to the forearm were noted. There was no clinical evidence of infection. Radiographs showed subcutaneous air. Frequent blood tests and clinical evaluation ruled out a potentially life-threatening bacterial infection, and the signs resolved after 1 week without surgical treatment. Presumably, the intensive postoperative range-of-motion exercises led to a sucking in of air into the wound during each movement. This case illustrates that it is important to differentiate nonbacterial from bacterial causes of soft-tissue gas formation to initiate the appropriate treatment.     

Early recognition of postoperative hematoma formation

Postoperative hematoma formation must be treated as a potential infection. One fourth of all postoperative hematomas are already contaminated. Ultrasonographical examination is an effective method for early recognition of such postoperative hematomas. Ultrasonic diagnosis on a routine basis is not necessary, but it should be carried out as soon as clinical symptoms appear. Our postoperative late results with only one early and one late infection after 100 postoperative treatments of the hip joint and femoral shaft emphasize the importance of early diagnosis of hematomas.     

The role of laparoscopic biopsies in lumbar spondylodiscitis

Infection of an intervertebral disk is a serious condition. Diagnosis often is elusive and difficult. It is imperative to obtain appropriate microbiological specimens before initiation of treatment. The authors describe a 51-year-old woman with lumbar spondylodiscitis that was because of infection after the placement of an epidural catheter for postoperative analgesia. A spinal magnetic resonance imaging confirmed the diagnosis, but computed tomography-guided fine needle biopsy did not provide adequate material for a microbiologic diagnosis. Laparoscopic biopsies of the involved disk provided good specimens and a diagnosis of Propionibacterium acnes infection. The authors believe that this minimally invasive procedure should be performed when computed tomography-guided fine needle biopsy does not provide a microbiologic diagnosis in spondylodiscitis.     

A simple point score for definition of the risk of postoperative complications

During a 5-year-period we recorded prospectively 5,823 patients who had undergone general surgery and documented the postoperative complications as wound infection, pneumonia, reoperations and death. A score including all these complications was developed to evaluate the risk of an operation more exactly than using the wound infection rate alone. This method seems to provide a continuous monitoring and the comparison of the complication risks of certain operations within a quality assurance program. For gastric and colon surgery we found a correlation between postoperative antibiotic use and score, but not between score and postoperative hospitalization time.     

防控新型冠状病毒肺炎期间足踝外科临床诊疗工作专家共识

新型冠状病毒肺炎(coronavirus disease 2019,COVID-19),是由SARS-CoV-2(severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2)病毒感染引起的急性呼吸道传染病,其特点为典型临床症状不明显、潜伏期长、隐蔽性和传染性强,患者早期常无特异症状,甚至无任何症状,但已具传染性。该病主要以飞沫与接触传播为主要途径,并存在粪口和气溶胶传播的可能。足踝外科门诊和住院诊疗过程需要详细问诊、严格查体,充分接触患者,故发生交叉感染的风险很大。为避免在诊治过程中出现患者之间、患者与医务人员之间、医务人员之间发生交叉感染,本文从足踝外科门急诊、术前、术中、术后防控等环节进行分析,同时结合全国多家抗疫一线医务工作者的救治经验及循证医学证据,通过专家讨论最终形成专家共识,为在COVID-19防控期间足踝外科临床工作防止交叉感染提供参考依据。     

Influence of scalp shaving on prevention of postoperative intracranial infection]

Shaving of the whole scalp is ordinarily performed prior to neurosurgical operation. Although it is performed in order to prevent postoperative intracranial infection, there has been no apparent basis for this practice published in previous reports. We examined whether shaving the whole scalp reduced the rate of postoperative infection or not. We divided 274 cases, who received their first intracranial operation in the last 2 years, into two groups; a whole shaving group and a partial shaving group. We compared the rate of postoperative intracranial infection between the two groups according to age, diagnosis, operation, operation time and placement of drainage. Overall, 12 cases out of 274 (4.38%) had postoperative intracranial infection. The long operation time and the long term placement of drainage mechanism increased the postoperative intracranial infection rate. There was no postoperative intracranial infection in 74 patients who received burr-hole/twist-drill operation. As for craniotomy/craniectomy operations, 7 cases out of 83 (8.4%) in the partial scalp-shaving group whole scalp shaving group and 5 cases out of 117 (4.2%) had postoperative intracranial infections. Thus, there was no significant difference in the rate of postoperative intracranial infection between the two groups, if anything, the whole scalp shaving group tended to show a higher rate. According to these results, partial scalp shaving did not increase the rate of postoperative intracranial infection. Considering that patients who have lost their hair find it embarrassing to return to society, it is well to know that the whole scalp shaving is not absolutely necessary for all first craniotomy.     

The role of imaging techniques in evaluating possible graft infections

Imaging plays a central role in the management of graft infections. Most graft infections are clinically apparent, and imaging techniques are used primarily for diagnostic confirmation and operative planning. The accurate diagnosis of less overt graft infections requires a thorough understanding of the available imaging options. Late aortic graft infections (more than 3 months postoperative) are best evaluated initially by computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance (MR) scanning. CT findings consistent with a graft infection include ectopic gas, perigraft fluid, perigraft inflammatory changes, anastomotic pseudoaneurysm, and thickening of adjacent bowel. MRI offers the additional advantage of T2-weighted images to identify perigraft inflammation and minute quantities of perigraft fluid. Radionuclide scanning techniques such as 111indium-labeled WBC scans are highly sensitive but suffer from a relative lack of specificity. Duplex ultrasonography is best applied to the diagnosis of late infections of superficial grafts. Sonographic findings of a graft infection include perigraft fluid and pseudoaneurysms. The imaging of early postoperative grafts (less than 3 months) for infection is problematic because perigraft fluid and inflammatory changes persist for up to 3 months postoperatively. Suspected early graft infections often require operative exploration for diagnosis. A thorough understanding of the utility and limitations of imaging techniques will enable the clinician to develop a reasonable diagnostic algorithm that is appropriate for each case.     

腰椎间盘摘除术后椎间隙感染的诊断治疗

目的探讨腰椎间盘髓核摘除术后椎间隙感染的病因、诊断、治疗方法。方法对我院在1994年12月至2007年12月收治9例的腰椎盘摘除术后，椎间隙感染进行回顾性分析。其中5例给予大剂量抗生素和皮质激素，4例使用抗生素及手术清除病灶。结果所有9例患者均痊愈。随访时间8个月至2年，疗效良好。结论根据术后持续痉挛性腰痛、CPR、ESR及早期MRI改变可对本病作出早期诊断，早期诊断与正确的处理可治愈本病。     

Drain fluid biomarkers for prediction and diagnosis of clinically relevant postoperative pancreatic fistula: A narrative review

Clinically relevant postoperative pancreatic fistula (CR-POPF) has continued to compromise patient recovery post-pancreatectomy despite decades of research seeking to improve risk prediction and diagnosis. The current diagnostic criteria for CR-POPF requires elevated drain fluid amylase to present alongside POPF-related complications including infection, haemorrhage and organ failure. These worrying sequelae necessitate earlier and easily obtainable biomarkers capable of reflecting evolving CR-POPF. Drain fluid has recently emerged as a promising source of biomarkers as it is derived from the pancreas and hence, capable of reflecting its postoperative condition. The present review aims to summarise the current knowledge of CR-POPF drain fluid biomarkers and identify gaps in the field to invigorate future research in this critical area of clinical need. These findings may provide robust diagnostic alternatives for CR-POPF and hence, to clarify their clinical utility require further reports detailing their diagnostic and/or predictive accuracy.     

Ureteral obstruction after abdominal aortic surgery

Obstructive uropathy following abdominal aortic surgery can no longer be considered a rarity. Early hydronephrosis, developing in the first postoperative year, occurs in 10% to 20% of patients; it usually runs a benign, self-limiting course. The incidence of delayed ureteral obstruction, which develops or persists after the first postoperative year, is unknown because it is asymptomatic in most cases. Although spontaneous resolution is possible, it seems that this late form is more likely to persist. The diagnosis of postoperative hydronephrosis is not an indication for urologic intervention. This should seldom be necessary; it should be reserved only for patients with evidence of worsening obstruction or deteriorating renal function. Early and particularly, delayed hydronephrosis seems to be a marker for present or impending graft complications, such as infection or false aneurysms. A prolonged follow-up is therefore mandatory whenever the diagnosis is established as it may improve long-term survival and limb salvage. The need for routine screening for this condition remains to be established. With the availability of noninvasive methods, such a task could be easily accomplished.     

Diagnostic value of routine drain tip culture in primary joint arthroplasty

BACKGROUND: Closed suction drainage after joint arthroplasty is common practice in many institutions. The purpose of this study was to determine the correlation between routine drain tip culture and the diagnosis of superficial or deep postoperative wound infection after primary knee and hip replacement. METHODS: Over a 12-month period, drain tips were retrieved and cultured in all patients who underwent unilateral primary total knee or hip replacement with the use of closed suction drainage. A total of 393 cultures was performed in 387 patients (145 hip replacements, 242 knee replacements). Patients were followed for an average of 8.9 months after surgery to assess for postoperative wound infection. RESULTS: Three patients had a positive drain tip culture, none of which were diagnosed with superficial or deep infection. Four patients (1%) were diagnosed with deep infection, 16 (4.1%) with superficial infection. No patient with either superficial or deep infection had a positive drain tip culture after their index procedure. The sensitivity of routine drain tip culture for the diagnosis of postoperative infection in primary joint replacement was 0% and specificity was 99.2%. CONCLUSIONS: These data do not support the practice of routine drain tip culture after primary hip or knee replacement for the diagnosis of postoperative infection.     

C-reactive protein in the early diagnosis of postoperative infection following bone surgery]

Of a prospective 101 patient study group after different operative osteosynthetic procedures 94 patients without postoperative infection showed a uniform acute phase response which was characterized by determination of C-reactive protein levels, ESR, WBC and body temperature. 7 patients suffering from infection in the postoperative period but no patient with non-inflammatory complications showed distinct CRP value patterns. In 4 wound infections CRP increased from day 2 to 4 and thus was the earliest sign of developing infection. Latency to the clinical diagnosis based on clinical signs, ultrasound, WBC in blood and wound drainage was up to 14 days. There was no patient with CRP increasing after day 2 but no infection. CRP is a very sensitive, non-expensive tool for early diagnosis of bacterial infection. It is superior to ESR, WBC in blood and drainage, ultrasound and diagnosis based on clinical signs.     

Progress in diagnosis and treatment of cervical postoperative infection

Postoperative infection is the commonest complication that causes failure of spinal surgery. Although the rate of infection after cervical surgery is lower than that after lumbar surgery, the absolute number of cases is increasing. In recent years, new techniques, such as serum amyloid A and fludeoxyglucose (¹⁸F) positron emission tomography (18F‐FDG PET), have emerged and gradually been employed in the diagnosis of postoperative infection, updating the ability to identify the presence of infection. Most patients with cervical postoperative infection require re‐operation. There are three principles for such surgery: thorough debridement, adequate drainage and ensuring stability of the spine. Some severe cases even need emergency surgery. This article aims to discuss the controversial issues in diagnosis and treatment of cervical postoperative infection, as well as progress in related studies.     

The main utility of trans-anastomosis external drainage in the hydatid liver cysts treatment by peri-cystic-jejunostomy

We purpose to make a metanalysis of a external drainage and his role in the treatment of the hydatid liver cysts when it was made a anastomosis between peri-cystic cavity and a isolated loop of jejunum. The paper watch 74 cases which were operated in "I. Juvara" surgical clinic and in which it was used the external drainage of peri-cystic cavity. The drainage roles consist in follow up of peri-cystic cavity evolution, but, more than that, in early diagnosis and treatment of secondary infection of cavity, the main postoperative complication. The drainage excludes the possibility of unfavourable evolution of postoperative infection, in which case the result of operation may be compromised.     

Postoperative infections: general principles and considerations

Every surgeon should have a thorough knowledge and awareness of the general principles of postoperative infections. The key to postoperative infections is in their prevention. Even with the most prudent and ardent regimens, however, postoperative wound infections will occasionally occur. Thus, the aforementioned knowledge will allow an improved clinical acumen and permit the early diagnosis of postoperative infection. Early and vigorous local wound care combined with systemic antibiotics are necessary to minimize the potentially debilitating sequelae of the postoperative wound infection.     

Early infection of peripancreatic tissue in mild acute pancreatitis: Report of a case

Mild acute pancreatitis (AP) is rarely complicated by infection, and the value of prophylactic antibiotics is questionable. We report a case of mild AP complicated by infection, which developed within 1 week after the onset. A 66-year-old woman was referred to our hospital where a diagnosis of mild AP was made, based on laboratory data and computed tomography (CT) findings. She was managed conservatively with fluid resuscitation, intravenous antibiotics, and protease inhibitor. Her general condition improved initially, but a high fever redeveloped on hospital day 3. On hospital day 7, a repeat CT scan showed a peripancreatic fluid collection with gas, indicating peripancreatic abscess. A drainage operation was performed, and the organism cultured from the abscess was Escherichia coli. Her postoperative course was uneventful. We report this case to stress that infection may develop even in mild AP, and even in the early phase.     

Postoperative spine infections

Postoperative spine infections can be a devastating complication with significant consequences for a patient. Focus should be placed on prevention, early diagnosis, and successful treatment strategies. Surgeons should maintain a high index of suspicion and initiate proper diagnostic workup and evaluation when concerned for a possible infection. This article will provide a global review of postoperative spine infection including incidence by surgical approach, specific risk factors, common presentations, diagnostic workup, prevention strategies, and both nonsurgical and surgical management.     

Indium 111 autologous tagged leukocytes in the diagnosis of intraperitoneal sepsis.

We report the results of a new test, indium oxine in 111 scanning, in the diagnosis of postoperative infection. Indium 111 was used to label autologous polymorphonuclear leukocytes, which when reinjected migrate to sites of infection, inflammation, or both. Standard scintigraphy localizes the labeled inflammatory cells at these sites. Sixty-six scans were performed in 43 surgical patients. Thirty-seven scans were categorized as true-positive; 19 scans were categorized as true-negative. Therefore, the accuracy rate was 85%. Two scans (3%) in one patient represented false-positive results. Two scans (3%) were positive for inflammation but there was no infection present; this group was denoted as equivocal. Six scans (9%) were false-negative; false-negative scans are more likely in old lesions with poor blood supply and in areas that overlap regions of normal uptake. The noninvasive nature of the test, high accuracy rate, and ease of administration make it a potentially useful tool in the diagnosis of postoperative infection.     

腰椎后路椎间融合（PLIF）术后深部感染手术治疗

目的 探讨腰椎后路椎间融合（PLIF）术后深部感染的诊断、治疗特点。方法通过对8例PLIF术后深部感染的检查及手术治疗，总结诊断PLIF术后深部感染的敏感指标、有效的治疗方法。结果血沉、CRP是诊断及监测PLIF术后深部感染的敏感化验指标；MRI对诊断急性感染有确诊意义，对诊断慢性感染早期意义不大；内固定牢固者可以保留内固定，不影响对感染的治疗；神经根刺激症状恢复不如腰痛症状恢复明显；所有病人经过规范治疗均在3个月内治愈。结论PLIF术后深部感染通过规范治疗，完全可以治愈，预后良好。     

Kompartmentüberschreitendes Weichteilemphysem nach arthroskopischer Meniskusteilresektion

Soft-tissue emphysema following surgical procedures needs prompt and accurate diagnosis in order not to miss severe infections, such as clostridial myonecrosis and necrotizing fasciitis. We report the case of a 32-year-old patient who developed massive crepitation of the right leg and thoracic wall after knee arthroscopy had been performed a few days earlier. He was readmitted under suspicion of gas gangrene. This could not be ruled out by preoperative examinations as a subacute infection existed in the range of the infrapatellar incision. A mini-arthrotomy was carried out to exclude necrotizing soft tissue infection and to rinse the joint. An intercompartment emphysema could be confirmed intraoperatively. The postoperative course was uneventful. The main differential diagnoses of benign soft Tissue emphysema are summarized and treatment options are recommended.