Long Bone Non-Unions and Malunions: Risk Factors and Treatment Outcomes in Calabar, Southern Nigeria

Background: Diaphyseal non-unions and malunions constitute significant morbidities in fracture care. Fracture treatment modalities seek to restore anatomic orientation and functional rehabilitation as soon as possible after a fracture incident. Malunions and non unions present a treatment challenge with the need for prolonged hospitalization, multiple surgical interventions and economic burden. In the developing world, traditional bonesetting practices are popular and these often result in a host of preventable complications. The added socioeconomic costs of treating these complications present a considerable strain on the resources of these already fragile economies and households. Aim: To document the risk factors, treatment options and outcomes for diaphyseal non-unions and malunions in our environment. Patients and Methods: Fifty-two consecutive patients comprising 37 non-unions and 15 malunions who presented in the orthopaedic unit of a tertiary hospital in Southern Nigeria were evaluated. Information sought included biodata, location of pathology, type of incident fracture, local risk factors including traditional bonesetting;treatment options and final outcomes. Information obtained was analyzed using SPSS version 20 (IBM, New York). Results are presented in simple frequency tables. Results: There were 34 males and 18 females (M:F = 1.9:1) with a mean age of 38.76 ± 14.55 years. There were 37 non-unions and 15 malunions. The femur was the commonest site of pathology in 21 (40.4%) cases, and among the non-unions, the atrophic variety was the commonest type (n = 26;70.3%). The mean fracture-to-surgery interval was 11.35 ± 7.95 months and traditional bonesetting was the commonest risk factor (n = 36;69.2%). Plate and screw Osteosynthesis with bonegraft augmentation was the commonest treatment modality and the overall union rate was 94%. Conclusion: Traditional bonesetting plays a major role in the health seeking behaviour of many African societies. The complications are varied and add to the overall socioeconomic burden of fracture care in these developing economies. Identification of traditional bonesetting practices as an important risk factor should translate into a focus on these practices in preventive public health decisions in fracture care. Continuing public health education backed by political will and can potentially drive a paradigm shift in health seeking attitudes in the developing word.

Septic Arthritis: A Need to Strengthen the Referral Chain in a Developing Economy

Aim: This retrospective analysis documents the features and factors that potentially affect outcomes in septic arthritis in the Cross River Basin area of south-south Nigeria. Patients and Methods: A retrospective analysis of 43 patients who presented with septic arthritis in 45 joints between September 2007 and August 2010. All patients with pain, fever, joint swelling and non-weight bearing/refusal to move the limb and had a joint aspiration productive of a turbid and/or purulent aspirate were included in the analysis. Patients whose joint aspiration produced frank blood or a clear exudate were excluded. Results: There were 24 males and 19 females (M:F = 1.3:1). Forty patients were children while three were adults. Thirty-three patients were urban dwellers, 8 were semi-urban dwellers and 2 were rural dwellers. Twenty-five children were first seen by a Paediatrician. Only 5 patients were first seen by an Orthopaedic surgeon. Definitive treatment was conservative in 28 children and arthrotomy/washout in 12 children and 3 adults. Staphylococcus aureus was the commonest isolated pathogen in both age groups. Conclusion: Injudicious interventions in musculoskeletal conditions consist not only of traditional bone setting and other unorthodox practices, but also sub-optimal orthodox medical practices. Healthcare outcomes in Africa are a function of the skewed distribution of the healthcare workforce and a weak referral chain. The near absence of follow-up culture underscores the need for education on injudicious antibiotic therapy to be directed at patients and physicians. Judicious interventions in musculoskeletal sepsis at first contact and a strengthening of the referral chain are important.

Comparison of the Outcome of Treatment of Chronic Osteomyelitis by Surgical Debridement with and without Local Antibiotic Delivery System: Experience from a Nigerian Teaching Hospital

Background: Chronic osteomyelitis is still common in the developing world and presents a continuing therapeutic challenge. Antibiotics cannot penetrate the dense fibrotic scar tissue that surrounds infected and avascular bone which perpetuates the infection. Surgical debridement/sequestrectomy is the cornerstone to treatment and aims to create a viable, vascularized base which promotes healing. Surgical debridement necessarily creates a dead space which must be dealt with to prevent re-infection. Local antibiotic delivery systems serve the dual purpose of obliterating dead space and creating a sterile local environment with high bactericidal concentrations. Aim: To determine the outcomes in patients with chronic osteomyelitis who received debridement/sequestrectomy alone, and those who received the procedure combined with a local antibiotic delivery system in the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital. Patients and Methods: A prospective descriptive analysis of patients managed surgically for chronic osteomyelitis from July 2007 to December, 2012. Patients’ biodata, aetiology, organisms, treatment options and outcomes were analysed. Results: Forty-four patients presented with the condition and accepted surgery. Male:Female ratio was 2.1:1, and mean age was 27.27 ± 17.48 years. The tibia was the most commonly affected bone (45.5%), Staphylococcus aureus was the commonest organism (56.8% of sinus cultures;73% of marrow/sequestral cultures) and previous acute haematogenous osteomyelitis was the commonest mechanism. The use of a local antibiotic delivery system improved cure rates from 57.7% to 77.8%). Conclusion: Multiple surgical interventions increase the socioeconomic costs of treating this condition and have a direct impact on the economies of individuals especially in the developing world. Surgical interventions should aim at achieving maximum impact with minimum repetition of the processes. Adequate surgical debridement combined with a local antibiotic delivery system offer improved chances of obtaining cure in this therapeutically challenging disease.

Prophylactic Wound Drainage in Orthopaedics: A Comparative Evaluation of Closed Suction Drainage versus No-Drainage in a Nigerian Teaching Hospital

Background: Surgical wound drainage is practiced routinely by many orthopaedic surgeons despite studies that challenge the practice. Among proponents, the advantages of drainage include prevention of haematoma and/or seroma formation which potentially reduces the chances for infection, prevention of wound swelling, prevention of compartment syndrome and improvement of the local wound environment. Opponents argue that prophylactic wound drainage confers no significant advantages, increases the risk of infection and the need for blood transfusion with the attendant risks of this therapy. Aim: To ascertain if prophylactic drainage of clean orthopaedic wounds confer any significant advantages by evaluating wound and systemic factors in two treatment groups. Patients and Methods: A prospective analysis of 62 patients was undergoing clean orthopaedic procedures. The patients were randomly assigned to a “No drain” (study) group and a “drain” (control) group. Each group had 31 patients. Surgeons were blinded to the randomization process and the evaluation of clinical outcomes. The parameters assessed included pain, superficial wound infection, the need for post-operative transfusion, wound leakage, dressing changes and the surgery-discharge interval. Data was analysed using SPSS statistics version 20 (IBM Corp., New York). Results: There were no significant differences in the demographic data. Femoral fractures were the commonest indication for surgery (43.55%), and plate and screw osteosynthesis was the commonest procedure (48.4% in the drain group and 67.7% in the no-drain group). There was a significantly higher need for post-operative transfusion in the drain group (22.6% against 0%) as well as a significantly prolonged capillary refill time (2.39 + 0.56 secs versus 2.03 + 0.41 secs). Although not statistically significant, there were four cases (12.8%) of superficial wound infection in the drain group and 1 case (3.2%) in the no-drain group. Conclusion: Prophylactic wound drainage confers no significant advantages over no drainage and may contribute to increased treatment costs through an increased post-operative transfusion requirements.