Background The most common complications of prosthetic hip joints are aseptic mechanical failure and infection. Delayed low-grade infections are seen most often, and they are also most difficult to distinguish from aseptic mechanical failures.Methods We conducted a prospective study to compare inflammatory markers in patients diagnosed with aseptic or septic prosthetic loosening. The diagnostic criteria were based on the decisions of experienced orthopedic surgeons and microbiological analysis of periprosthetic tissue samples taken perioperatively.Results Coagulase-negative staphylococci were the commonest pathogens in the infected patients. Pre-or perioperative elevation of C-reactive protein and erythrocyte sedimentation rate were significantly greater in the infection group, as were white blood cell count and levels of cytokines in synovial fluid. The patterns of infiltration of inflammatory cells in periprosthetic tissue were also significantly different between the groups.Interpretation A combination of clinical judgment and multiple tissue samples constitutes a good platform for distinguishing between septic and aseptic loosening of prostheses. Moreover, the combined use of several laboratory and histopathological markers of inflammation, especially infiltration of polymorphonuclear cells, further helps the diagnosis.
Elderly men with category T1a and/or Gleason score 4-5 prostate cancer have a favourable prognosis with conservative management. Immunohistochemical staining with Ki-67 may be of help in situations where further prognostic information is required.
To examine the role of radical retropubic prostatectomy in clinically localised prostatic cancer we reviewed a series of 201 patients all of whom had undergone bilateral pelvic lymphadenectomy. Frozen section showed metastatic pelvic lymph nodes in 13 cases and 6 cases were too locally advanced for operation; prostatectomy was done for the remaining 182. The pathological staging was based on examination of sections of the whole organ. In 109 (60%) the carcinoma was confined to the prostate gland or to the specimen, in 46 (25%) there was carcinomatous growth in the surgical margin, and in 27 (15%) there was invasion of the seminal vesicles. The Gleason score was significantly higher in cases with involvement of the surgical margin or seminal vesicles. There was one operative death (of pulmonary embolism), and the postoperative cardiovascular morbidity was 7%. The incidence of wound infection was 6%, and there were two rectal injuries and three symptomatic lymphoceles. A total of 135/170 evaluable patients (79%) were completely continent postoperatively, and only two developed severe incontinence. Erectile potency was preserved in 24 of 126 (19%). We conclude that radical retropubic prostatectomy is safe and that the complication rate is acceptable. The completeness of the tumour excision seems to be associated with the pathological grade of the tumour.
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