Locally recurrent subcutaneous and muscular hydatid cysts of the leg: an unusual case report

We report a rare case of 50-year-old Moroccan woman with local recurrence of a subcutaneous hydatid cyst in proximity to the medial surface of the tibia and another cyst at the tibialis posterior muscle in the absence of liver, lung und spleen involvement. The first surgery was done in another hospital three years ago; no adjuvant treatment was performed after surgery. Recurrence was diagnosed according to the MRI appearance, serological and pathological findings. The patient underwent complete excision of the subcutaneous cyst with two centimeters of the medial gastrocnemius muscle; the tibialis posterior muscle cyst was intraoperatively drained and irrigated with scolicidal agent as it was next to the posterior tibial pedicle. A periopertive anthelmintic chemotherapy was administered. Two years after the patient showed no recurrence. This case report and literature review describe an approach to the diagnosis and management of this pathological entity

Ipsilateral fractures of tibia and femur or floating knee

Ipsilateral fractures of the femur and the tibia are relatively uncommon lesions, with critical consequences to the knee. We report a series of 18 ipsilateral fractures of the femur and the tibia treated at the Department of orthopaedics, CHU Hassan II of Fez, over an eight-year period (1996–2004). Various surgical procedures were used, in particular, intramedullary nailing. After an average follow-up of 2.5 years, we re-examined the 18 patients. The functional results were evaluated using the Schiedts’ criteria, and we had seven excellent results (38.9%), six good (33.4%), and five bad (27.8%). There was one major lesion of the popliteal artery that led to an emergency amputation, two cases of osteitis, one septic non-union, one case of late deep sepsis, one insignificant shortening of 2 cm, two cases of varus, three cases of stiffness, and one ankylosis of the knee. Through this work we will try to show the repercussions of this type of fracture of the knee and to evaluate our therapeutic choices