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BackgroundChronic osteomyelitis is a challenging problem, and malignant transformation is a rare occurrence. We report a case of a patient with squamous cell carcinoma arising from an osteomyelitic hotbed and discuss through a literature review the etiopathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment of this lesion.Case presentationA 69-year-old Italian man had sustained an exposed tibial fracture 40 years ago during a road accident, for which he had undergone various surgical osteosynthesis treatments with multiple antibiotic therapies. He presented to our hospital because of recurrence of a fistula at the proximal third of the anterior region of the tibia. For 2 months, we treated the lesion with antibiotics, and local medication with curettage. We saw no evidence of lesion improvement, and we advised the patient to undergo a knee amputation, which he refused. The alternative we chose was a surgical toilet of the osteomyelitic hotbed and used bioglass as a bone substitute. After 2 months of follow-up, we noticed a fulminating, budding formation in the area of the surgical wound that turned out to be a squamous cell carcinoma on biopsy. The patient again refused the amputation and underwent a wide-margin surgical debridement. After 2 months, the carcinoma recurred, and an above-the-knee amputation was performed.ConclusionsOur experience with this case indicates that amputation is the most appropriate treatment for squamous carcinoma occurring in patients with chronic osteomyelitis. To avoid risks of lymphonodular and organ metastasization, this radical surgical procedure should not be delayed. Early diagnosis and timely therapy can prevent amputation only in selected cases. Surgeons who treat osteomyelitis and chronic wounds should be aware of the risk of tumor degeneration. Squamous cell carcinoma associated with chronic osteomyelitis has a low-grade malignancy, but implications of lymphonodular involvement and organ metastasis should not be excluded.

Purpose. To investigate long-term retinal changes after microincision pars plana vitrectomy surgery (MIVS) and internal limiting membrane (ILM) peeling outcome in retinitis pigmentosa (RP) patients affected by vitreomacular traction syndrome (VMT) with higher vitreous surface adhesion or coexisting epiretinal membrane (ERM). Methods. Eight RP patients suffering from VMT were evaluated by means of best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), anterior and posterior binocular examination, spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT), MP-1 microperimetry (MP-1), and full-field electroretinogram (ERG), before MIVS and ILM peeling and during the 36-month follow-up. Patients were hospitalized for two days after the surgery. Surgical procedure was performed following this schedule: surgical removal of crystalline lens (MICS), MIVS with 23-gauge sutureless system trocars, core vitreous body removal, and balanced-sterile-salin-solution- (BSS-) air-gas (SF6) exchange. Results. All patients presented visual acuity (VA) increase after MIVS. None of the patients developed ocular hypertension or vitreomacular adhesions during the 3-year follow-up. MP-1 bivariate contour ellipse area (BCEA) was reduced in its dimensions and improved in all patients demonstrating a better fixation. Conclusions. MIVS could be the gold standard therapy in RP patients with VMT and higher vitreous surface adhesion or coexisting ERM if medical therapy is not applicable or not effective.