A prospective study involving 500 consecutive patients undergoing hip replacement was performed to find out whether a combination of heparin and dihydroergotamine was effective in preventing postoperative fatal and non-fatal emboli. Deep-vein thrombosis was demonstrated in 131 cases (26.2%), in 99 of whom

Repercussions of osteomyelitis, in particular those caused by PVL S. aureus, and evolving resistance patterns internationally, highlight the need for further evaluation of daptomycin in the paediatric arena. The response seen with the addition of Daptomycin in this case suggests possible reduction in hospital stay and number of surgical procedures when compared to other published series using conventional antibiotic regimens.

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No abstract

Two cases of bacterial adductor myositis that presented as painful hips in boys aged 4 and 9 years are reported. Clinically, there was severe pain and a high pyrexia, a raised C-reactive protein and positive blood cultures but a negative hip ultrasound. Urgent magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated changes throughout the adductor muscles in keeping with bacterial myositis. Both boys settled with intravenous antibiotic therapy. We propose that magnetic resonance imaging is a valuable tool in the assessment of infection around the hip and should be indicated when other investigations have excluded a septic arthritis but the child remains unwell.