BACKGROUND Diabetes is an established risk factor for complications following total joint arthroplasty. However, the correlation between postoperative blood glucose and preoperative hemoglobin A1C levels with complications following total joint arthroplasty is not well described. METHODS All patients undergoing elective primary total joint arthroplasty at our institution from 2004 through 201...

Tarsometatarsal (Lisfranc) destruction of the tarsometatarsal articulation of the lesser rays is most commonly due to midfoot Charcot neuroarthropathy. Tarsometatarsal arthrodesis is indicated when conservative management cannot relieve the symptoms. The purpose of this Technical Note is to describe a minimally invasive approach of arthroscopic arthrodesis of the destructed lesser ray tarsometa...

BACKGROUND Skin incisions have traditionally been made using a scalpel. Cutting diathermy, a more recent alternative, is thought to increase the risk of infection, impair healing and decrease cosmesis. Recent studies suggest otherwise, claiming that diathermy may offer potential advantages with respect to blood loss, incision time and postoperative pain. The aim of this meta-analysis was to com...

Local management of soft tissue sarcoma in humans generally involves multi-modality approaches whose cornerstones are surgery combined with radiation therapy. The usual radiation protocols are based on preoperative, intraoperative, or postoperative external beam treatment or adjuvant brachytherapy. The aim of these strategies is to maximize tumor control while minimizing side effects, especiall...

BACKGROUND Treatment of varicocoele is aimed at eliminating the retrograde reflux of venous blood through the internal spermatic veins. The purpose of this investigation was to compare laparoscopic varicocoelectomy (LV) with open high ligation technique in the adolescent population. MATERIALS AND METHODS We retrospectively evaluated 33 adolescents who underwent varicocoelectomy at our paediat...

Rupture of the diaphragm following penetrating injuries to the lower chest and upper abdomen is reported in as many as 10-15% of victims. The diagnosis may not be clinically apparent in the acute phase and routine investigations are often inadequate to identify any defect. Failure to detect the injury at the time ofpresentation may result in herniation of the abdominal contents into the chest c...

Diabetic foot ulcers are responsible for more hospitalizations than any other complication of diabetes. Bacterial infection is recognized as an important factor associated with impaired healing in diabetic ulcers. Pseudomonas aeruginosa is the most frequently detected Gram-negative pathogen in diabetic ulcers. P. aeruginosa infection has been shown to impair healing in diabetic wounds in a mann...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Wound-healing complications represent an important source of morbidity in patients treated surgically for soft tissue sarcomas (STS). The purpose of this study was to determine which factors are predictive of major wound complication rates following STS resection, including tumor site, size, grade, and depth, as well as radiotherapy and chemotherapy. METHODS We revie...

5 10 No 1 “In a biofilm, planktonic bacteria encase themselves in an extra cellular polymeric substance which adheres to the wound bed.” Wound infection is a complication that often contributes to a wound that is failing to heal (World Union of Wound Healing Societies [WUWHS], 2008). A wound that is infected presents many challenges to clinicians and may have a significant impact on the patient...

BACKGROUND Wartime missile injuries are frequently high-energy wounds that devitalize and contaminate tissue, with high risk for infection and wound complications. Debridement, irrigation, and closure by secondary intention are fundamental principles for the management of these injuries. However, closure by secondary intention was impractical in Iraqi patients. Therefore, wounds were closed def...