In vitro testing of a first-in-class tri-alkylnorspermidine-biaryl antibiotic in an anti-biofilm silicone coating.

Biofilm-related infection is among the worst complication to prosthetic joint replacement procedures; once established on the implant surface, biofilms show strong recalcitrance to clinical antibiotic therapy, frequently requiring costly revision procedures and prolonged systemic antibiotics for their removal. A well-designed active release coating might assist host immunity in clearing bacterial contaminants within the narrow perioperative window and ultimately prevent microbial colonization of the joint prosthesis. A first-in-class compound (CZ-01127) was tested as the active release agent in a silicone (Si) coating using an in vitro dynamic flow model of surgical site contamination and compared with analogous coatings containing clinical gold-standard antibiotics vancomycin and gentamicin; the CZ-01127 coating outperformed both vancomycin and gentamicin coatings and was the only to decrease the methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) inocula below detectable limits for the first 3 days.

A prospective comparison of thoracoscopic vs open anterior instrumentation and spinal fusion for idiopathic thoracic scoliosis in children.

Background/purpose: The management of scoliosis in children has been evolving. Anterior release, diskectomy, and anterior instrumentation and spinal fusion (AISF) may be of benefit compared with a combined anterior and posterior or a posterior-only approach. Because thoracoscopic AISF (TAISF) has the potential benefit of muscle sparing, superior cosmesis, and less pain, the authors decided to prospectively compare this newer technique with open AISF (OAISF) to evaluate whether the 2 approaches were equivalent.

The biomechanical properties of the finger metacarpophalangeal joints to varus and valgus stress.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the normal biomechanical properties of the passive capsuloligamentous structures about the finger metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joints subjected to dynamic varus/valgus loading and to equate these findings to the clinical situation.

Methods: The finger MCP joints from 9 fresh-frozen cadaver hands were tested in a custom-designed testing apparatus that applied a varus/valgus force in each direction. Testing was performed at 0 degrees, 30 degrees, 60 degrees, and 90 degrees of MCP joint flexion.

Scaphoid fractures: dorsal versus volar approach.

Twenty-six patients with scaphoid fractures were treated with internal fixation using a cannulated differential pitch compression screw. Sixteen patients underwent a dorsal approach (group 1) 10 patients a volar approach (group 2). Average time from injury to surgery was 6.

Upper extremity limb-length discrepancy in brachial plexus palsy.

Residual limb shortening is common after obstetric brachial plexus palsy. The exact limb-length discrepancy remains undetermined, and the purpose of this paper is to determine the resultant discrepancy. Twenty-two skeletally immature patients with obstetric brachial plexus palsies were examined.