Archives of orthopaedic and trauma surgery
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Arch Orthop Trauma Surg · Oct 2010
Acute postoperative infection with Aeromonas hydrophila after using medical leeches for treatment of venous congestion.
Venous convulsion after reconstructive microsurgery procedures is one major complication a surgeon has to deal with. Today, especially in the field of reconstructive microsurgery, medicinal leech therapy enjoys a renaissance. The potential risks such as infections associated with leech therapy are generally underestimated and not sufficiently discussed in literature. ⋯ We recommend making a considered indication for leech therapy, to diagnose wound infections early and to think about prophylactic antibiotics in patients with leech application.
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Arch Orthop Trauma Surg · Oct 2010
Isolated fractures of the greater trochanter with occult intertrochanteric extension.
Isolated fractures of the greater trochanter (GT) are relatively rare. The diagnosis can be done on routine radiographs, but it is difficult to fully define the geographic extent of these injuries. This study examined the pattern and extent of an injury shown by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and radionuclide bone scan (RBS) in patients whose plain radiographs revealed fractures limited to the GT. ⋯ Patients with an isolated fracture of GT can have a broader fracture extending into the ITC region than that diagnosed by standard radiographs. We recommend that all patients presenting with an isolated GT fracture on the plain radiographs should undergo MRI examination.