Evaluation of lithium as an inhibitory agent of herpes simplex virus in cell cultures and during reactivation of latent infection in rabbits.

Lithium carbonate inhibited plaque formation of herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2 in rabbit kidney and Vero cells (50% effective dose, 435.5 to 490 micrograms/ml). Plasma lithium levels of 67 to 134 micrograms/ml were achieved by oral therapy in rabbits. However, neither ocular virus shedding nor virus-positive trigeminal ganglia were reduced after intentional reactivation of latent herpes simplex virus infection.     

Total knee arthroplasty for patients 90 years of age and older

This study was done to review the reliability, durability, and safety of primary and revision total knee arthroplasty for patients 90 years of age and older. Because little data exist about the safety or efficacy of total knee replacement in this elderly population some physicians may be hesitant to recommend elective surgery to patients of this age. Fifty-one total knee replacements were done for 41 patients age 90 to 102 years (mean, 92 years). Forty-four primary total knee replacements and seven revision total knee replacements were done. Each patient was followed up until death or for a minimum of 2 years (mean, 4.0 years). The Knee Society pain scores improved significantly for the primary and revision groups from preoperative mean scores of 30 and 29 points to latest followup scores of 86 and 87 points, respectively. One patient died in the early postoperative period of causes related to the operation. The remaining patients have lived an average of 4.4 +/- 2.2 years after the primary knee arthroplasties and 5.7 +/- 2.8 years after the revision knee arthroplasties. No knees have required revision subsequently. Total knee replacement was reliable, durable, and safe in this group of patients older than 90 years. Primary care physicians and surgeons should be aware that primary and revision total knee replacement can be done safely and effectively for patients 90 years and older and result in years of marked pain relief for those patients.     

Acetabular osteotomy: indications and results

Acetabular osteotomy is the treatment of choice for young patients with symptomatic structural abnormalities of the acetabulum in the absence of severe secondary degenerative changes. These disorders can include hip instability from classic developmental dysplasia or posttraumatic acetabular dysplasia, hip impingement from retrotorsional acetabular deformities, or rarely, posttraumatic problems. During the last 15 years, various techniques of acetabular reorientation have evolved, making the procedure reliable, reproducible, and durable. In this report, the current indications and results of acetabular osteotomy in patients with symptomatic acetabular structural problems will be discussed.     

Acetabular labral tears rarely occur in the absence of bony abnormalities

We evaluated the percentage of patients with acetabular labral tears who have a structural hip abnormality detectable by conventional radiography. Records from our institution from 1996 through 2002 were reviewed to identify all patients with labral tears. Patients were excluded who had classic hip dysplasia, advanced osteoarthritis, or a history of pelvic or femoral osteotomy. The hip radiographs were evaluated for abnormalities of T?nnis angle, center-edge angle of Wiberg, acetabular version, femoral neck-shaft angle, congruency between the femoral head and acetabulum, anterior femoral head-neck offset, and presence of femoral head osteophytes. Twenty-seven of the 31 patients (87%) had at least one abnormal finding and 35% had more than one abnormality. Ten patients had a retroverted acetabulum, 16 had coxa valga, 11 had an abnormal femoral head-neck offset, and 14 had osteophytes on the femoral head. Four of 31 patients (13%) had no identifiable structural abnormalities. To our knowledge, this is the first study to document that the majority of patients with labral tears have a structural hip abnormality detectable with conventional radiographs. Familiarity with these structural abnormalities is important for early detection and accurate diagnosis, and may impact optimal treatment planning and prognosis.     

Hepatitis B virus infection in Haemodialysis Centres from Santa Catarina State, Southern Brazil. Predictive risk factors for infection and molecular epidemiology

Background

Patients under haemodialysis are considered at high risk to acquire hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. Since few data are reported from Brazil, our aim was to assess the frequency and risk factors for HBV infection in haemodialysis patients from 22 Dialysis Centres from Santa Catarina State, south of Brazil.

Methods

This study includes 813 patients, 149 haemodialysis workers and 772 healthy controls matched by sex and age. Serum samples were assayed for HBV markers and viraemia was detected by nested PCR. HBV was genotyped by partial S gene sequencing. Univariate and multivariate statistical analyses with stepwise logistic regression analysis were carried out to analyse the relationship between HBV infection and the characteristics of patients and their Dialysis Units.

Results

Frequency of HBV infection was 10.0%, 2.7% and 2.7% among patients, haemodialysis workers and controls, respectively. Amidst patients, the most frequent HBV genotypes were A (30.6%), D (57.1%) and F (12.2%). Univariate analysis showed association between HBV infection and total time in haemodialysis, type of dialysis equipment, hygiene and sterilization of equipment, number of times reusing the dialysis lines and filters, number of patients per care-worker and current HCV infection. The logistic regression model showed that total time in haemodialysis, number of times of reusing the dialysis lines and filters, and number of patients per worker were significantly related to HBV infection.

Conclusions

Frequency of HBV infection among haemodialysis patients at Santa Catarina state is very high. The most frequent HBV genotypes were A, D and F. The risk for a patient to become HBV positive increase 1.47 times each month of haemodialysis; 1.96 times if the dialysis unit reuses the lines and filters ≥ 10 times compared with haemodialysis units which reuse < 10 times; 3.42 times if the number of patients per worker is more than five. Sequence similarity among the HBV S gene from isolates of different patients pointed out to nosocomial transmission.     

Orthopedic injuries related to snowmobile use

OBJECTIVES: To document the locations of injury, frequency of associated injuries, and need for operative intervention in patients presenting to a tertiary medical center after sustaining an orthopedic injury related to snowmobile use. DESIGN: Retrospective review. SETTING: Tertiary care center with level I trauma designation in southern Minnesota. PATIENTS/PARTICIPANTS: Seventy-eight patients who sustained orthopedic injuries from snowmobile accidents between January 1985 and December 1996 were treated at our institution. Information regarding patient demographics and injury characteristics was collected. These data were stratified into patient populations presenting directly to the emergency department (n = 47) and those referred from outside hospitals (n = 31). RESULTS: A total of 209 injuries (118 fractures, 31 orthopedic soft-tissue injuries, and 60 nonorthopaedic injuries) were diagnosed within the study population. Tibia (n = 20), radius (n = 14), ulna (n = 12), and spine (n = 14) fractures accounted for half of the fractures reported. There were 13 open fractures. Twenty-four fractures were treated operatively. Ligament injuries to the knees (n = 7) and compartment syndrome of the lower extremity (n = 5) represented the most common orthopedic soft-tissue injuries. The acromioclavicular joint was the most frequently dislocated joint (n = 4). Associated injuries commonly involved the head (n = 17), abdomen (n = 13), and chest (n = 9). As compared to patients presenting directly to the emergency department, referred patients on average had a statistically greater number of total injuries, total operations, and operations for fractures. CONCLUSION: Snowmobile accidents represent a frequent cause of orthopedic injuries in northern regions. An understanding of these injuries may help emergency departments prepare for patients injured on these machines. Recognition of the most common orthopedic injuries may help in the design of safer snowmobiles.     

Impacted cancellous graft plus cement in hip revision

Revision of the femoral component is difficult in the presence of large cavitary defects of the femur. Impaction cancellous grafting used in conjunction with a cemented prosthesis has been recommended as a means of restoring bone stock while providing excellent and durable clinical results. Fifty-seven consecutive femoral revisions were done between 1993 and 1997 in 54 patients (24 men and 30 women) using the impaction grafting technique and a collarless, tapered, polished stem. Strut allografts were used for femoral reinforcement in 40 hips. No patient was lost to followup. One patient had an infection develop and had a resection arthroplasty. Three patients died of causes unrelated to the hip. After 6.3 years the clinical results were excellent. Radiographic evaluation showed no evidence of loosening in any of the 53 surviving hips. Subsidence of 1 to 3 mm was seen in 40 hips and subsidence of 4 to 6 mm was seen in two hips. Cancellous remodeling was observed in 42 hips. The most common complications were postoperative femoral fractures. All six fractures occurred at the distal end of the prosthesis, were not associated with prosthetic loosening, and were treated successfully with open reduction and internal fixation without prosthetic revision. These satisfactory results and the limited subsidence observed in our patients radiographs could be explained by the careful attention to the technical details of the procedure. However, even with the generous use of strut graft augmentation, postoperative femoral fractures remain our most serious complication.     

In vitro susceptibilities of bacterial ocular isolates to fluoroquinolones

PURPOSE: To evaluate and compare the in vitro antimicrobial activity of levofloxacin versus ciprofloxacin and ofloxacin against ocular isolates from patients with bacterial conjunctivitis. METHODS: The in vitro antimicrobial susceptibilities of ocular isolates to levofloxacin, ofloxacin, and ciprofloxacin were determined using both the agar disk diffusion and broth dilution methods. RESULTS: Disk diffusion susceptibility testing disclosed that 99% (100 of 101 isolates) of gram-negative isolates and 98% (127 of 129 isolates) of gram-positive isolates were susceptible to levofloxacin; 96% (97 of 101 isolates) of gram-negative isolates and 78% (100 of 129 isolates) of gram-positive isolates were susceptible to ofloxacin; and 94% (95 of 101 isolates) of gram-negative isolates and 61% (79 of 129 isolates) of gram-positive isolates were susceptible to ciprofloxacin. Broth dilution testing disclosed that 99% (72 of 73 isolates) of gram-negative isolates and 98% (111 of 113 isolates) of gram-positive isolates were susceptible to levofloxacin; 96% (70 of 73 isolates) of gram-negative isolates and 92% (104 of 113 isolates) of gram-positive isolates were susceptible to ofloxacin; and 95% (69 of 73 isolates) of gram-negative isolates and 82% (93 of 113 isolates) of gram-positive isolates were susceptible to ciprofloxacin. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, levofloxacin demonstrated superior in vitro activity against human bacterial conjunctival isolates compared with either ofloxacin or ciprofloxacin (levofloxacin > ofloxacin > ciprofloxacin).