The use of the neonatal intensive care nursery for surgery on neonates weighing less than 1500 g with severe NEC can be justified and such use should be encouraged. In contrast, secondary transport of neonates weighing less than 1500 g to the OR for laparotomy is associated with significant deterioration in a number of physiological parameters, which may impact on morbidity.

Systemic capillary leak syndrome, or the Clarkson syndrome, is an extremely rare condition in which increased capillary permeability results in a massive shift of fluid into the extravascular space. This is followed rapidly by hypotensive shock, haemoconcentration, and, potentially, substantial oedema of the limbs resulting in an acute compartment syndrome. It is important for orthopaedic surgeons to be aware of this syndrome as our medical colleagues, who initially care for these patients, are less familiar with the diagnosis and the need for emergency management of the associated compartment syndrome should it develop. There have been fewer than 100 cases of this entity reported. This case report is the first to describe the subsequent development of a compartment syndrome in all four limbs. Clinical vigilance and continuous monitoring of intracompartmental pressure is necessary in these patients in order to help reduce limb-threatening complications.

We present a case of knee reconstruction 20 years after treatment of a giant cell tumor (GCT) with curettage and cementation. There is currently an ongoing debate whether cement or allograft bone is the preferred material for filling the void after GCT curettage. In this case we were able to readily implant a primary total knee replacement without disturbing the existing well-interdigitated large cement bolus and did not require any stems or augments for the reconstruction. Given the ease of TKR implantation in this patient, we feel that the use of cement following curettage of a GCT lesion is a better choice than allograft bone which may not provide enough structural support for the knee reconstruction and lead to a much more extensive procedure.

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