Treatment of experimental osteomyelitis caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus with a synthetic carrier of calcium sulphate (Stimulan) releasing moxifloxacin.

The objectives of this study were to assess the efficacy of a synthetic semihydrate form of calcium sulphate (Stimulan) in experimental bone infection caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Osteomyelitis was induced after inoculation of the test pathogen in the left tibia of 72 New Zealand rabbits assigned to the following groups: 18 control rabbits (Group A); 18 rabbits with Stimulan implanted (Group B); and 36 rabbits with moxifloxacin-impregnated Stimulan implanted (Group C). Rabbits were sacrificed at weekly intervals and cancellous bone was harvested for histopathology and for estimation of bacterial growth and concentrations of moxifloxacin.

Mechanical failure of a Thompson's hemiarthoplasty stem 28 years post-implantation: an investigation with electron microscopy.

Tauhe authors would like to report a mechanical failure of a Thompson's prosthesis, 28 years post-implantation. A detailed examination of the specimen revealed no defects in the prosthesis and a dominating 'brittle component' fracture of the stem. In this context the detailed fractographic study by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed no detrimental manufactural defects that may have produced microcracks and consequently risked initiating the fracture propagation.

US of the shoulder: rotator cuff and non-rotator cuff disorders.

Ultrasonography (US) has been shown to be an effective imaging modality in the evaluation of both rotator cuff and non-rotator cuff disorders, usually serving in a complementary role to magnetic resonance imaging of the shoulder. US technique for shoulder examination depends on patient positioning, scanning protocol for every tendon and anatomic part, and dynamic imaging. The primary US signs for rotator cuff supraspinatus tendon tears are tendon nonvisualization for complete tears, focal tendon defect for full-thickness tears, a hypoechoic defect of the articular side of the tendon for an articular-side partial-thickness tear, and flattening of the bursal surface of the tendon for a bursal-side partial-thickness tear.