Injury
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Despite the measures employed, fracture-related infections remain a concern after fracture fixation worldwide. Recently, the role of tranexamic acid as a protective drug against postsurgical infections in joint replacement and orthopedic trauma surgery has been proposed, where tranexamic acid has been associated with less surgical wounds complications and infectious complications including periprosthetic joint infection. ⋯ Although some authors hypothesize an indirect effect inhibiting the formation of postoperative hematoma, there are several studies that show a direct antibacterial effect of the drug against the capacity of bacterial aggregation, even avoiding biofilm formation, favoring the immune response of the host and the action of antibiotics. The purpose of this narrative review is to show the current role of tranexamic acid in orthopedic trauma, specifically its relationship with the prevention of infections related to implants.
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In orthopaedic trauma, fracture-related infections (FRI) are still dreadful challenges that can cause non-union, amputation and even death. Standardization of general treatment strategies for FRI is still lacking. ⋯ Surgical treatment, antibiotic therapy and host optimization for FRI were summarized and discussed. The goal of this review is to provide an overview and summary of current approaches of FRI management and to make suggestions on FRI prevention and treatment based on multidisciplinary principles.
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Multicenter Study
Risk factors for infection in severe open tibial shaft fractures.
To evaluate risk factors for infection in severe open tibial shaft fractures. ⋯ Surgeons can now counsel patients with these risk factors that they are at a markedly higher risk of infection. The identification of these risk factors may direct future research aimed at mitigating the risk of deep surgical site infection in this patient population.
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The diagnosis of fracture-related infections (FRI) is challenging and requires interdisciplinary efforts. Many diagnostic approaches are based on the algorithms established for prosthetic joint infections (PJI). Data specific to FRI are limited. ⋯ In addition to bacterial detection, the study of host tissue factors has the potential to transform the diagnostics of FRI by facilitating the assesment of clinical significance in clinical samples. The integration of host tissue analysis into microbiology reports has great potential to improve the diagnosis of FRI. This mini-review describes the potential improvement of diagnostic techniques by integrating new approaches into the diagnostic algorithm of fracture-related infections.
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Amniotic-derived products have been used for decades in various medical subspecialties and have proven to be a safe method of allograft tissue transplantation. These products have shown promising preclinical and early clinical results in the treatment of tendon/ligament injuries, cartilage defects, and osteoarthritis. ⋯ In vitro and pre-clinical studies using amniotic-derived products for orthopedic treatments have shown promising results and provide the foundation for further human trials to be conducted. With the rise of commercially available biologics, incorporating amniotic products into orthopedic practice is becoming more accessible, while further studies investigating long-term outcomes and potential adverse events are necessary.