Wound complications after ankle surgery. Does compression treatment work? A randomized, controlled trial.

Purpose: Infection rates following ankle fractures are as high as 19% in selected material and is the most common complication following this type of surgery, with potential catastrophic consequences. The purpose of this study was to test a regime of intermittent pneumatic compression, a compression bandage and a compression stocking and its effect on the rate of wound complications. The hypothesis was that compression could lower the infection rate from 20 to 5%.

[Medical doctors' surgical abilities measured by means of a surgical simulator].

Introduction: The aim of the study was to test the surgical abilities between orthopaedic surgeons and anaesthetists on a surgical simulator intended for children.

Methods: The study was a prospective comparative study with 31 consultant or specialist grade medical doctors: 15 orthopaedic surgeons and 16 anaesthetists. The speed and failure rate when removing foreign bodies on a surgical simulator was measured.

[Volar dislocation of the second and third carpometacarpal joint three months after a fall during a soccer game].

Volar dislocation of the second and third carpometacarpal joint is extremely rare and most often caused by high-energy trauma. In this case a 15-year-old boy fell on his hand while playing soccer. The injury was undiagnosed for three months, perhaps due to an ipsilateral forearm fracture.

[Splash basins are contaminated even during operations in a laminar air flow environment].

Few studies have investigated the potential contamination of splash basins and they have shown very divergent results: contamination ranging from 2.13% to 74% has been reported. This study set out to examine if splash basins used in a laminar air flow (LAF) environment during elective knee and hip arthroplasty constitute an unnecessary risk.

[No contamination of instruments on the trolley during elective arthroplasty].

Infection following arthroplasty is a very serious complication as it has major impact on morbidity and mortality. This study set out to examine if leaving the instruments on the trolley would result in contamination from airborne pathogens during elective hip and knee arthroplasty. We conclude that instruments placed in a laminar airflow field do get contaminated, but further studies with a larger sample size are needed to verify the results.

[Bilateral rupture of the Achilles tendons after treatment with ciprofloxacin].

We report a case of spontaneous non-traumatic bilateral rupture of the Achilles tendons following ciprofloxacin treatment. A 54-year-old man presented with spontaneous Achilles tendon rupture on the left side, tendinitis and partial tear on the right side following few days of treatment with ciprofloxacin 500 mg twice daily and long-term treatment with prednisolon 10 mg once daily. This rare side effect caused by concurrent treatment with steroids and ciprofloxacin should be kept in mind.

Prothrombin fragment 1+2 in urine as an indicator of sustained coagulation activation after total hip arthroplasty.

Purpose: Prothrombin fragment 1+2 measured in spot urine (uF1+2) is an indicator of thrombin generation. We examined whether measured levels of uF1+2 can be used to differentiate between patients who do and do not acquire sustained coagulation activation after total hip arthroplasty (THA).

Methods: We performed two separate studies in patients undergoing THA.