Spinal epidural abscess (SEA) is a rare but severe infection with potentially devastating consequences. Epidural abscesses caused by Salmonella serogroup C2 are even rarer and tend to be more invasive with multidrug resistance. Early diagnosis, effective use of antibiotics and surgical intervention are the mainstay strategies for managing SEA, especially for more virulent and multidrug-resistant Salmonella infections. This case report presents a rare case of an elderly and fragile woman with Salmonella spondylodiscitis and an extensive epidural abscess, which were successfully treated with intravenous antibiotics and unilateral biportal endoscopic (UBE) debridement and drainage through four small surgical incisions. After surgery, her fever subsided, she regained consciousness and her low back pain dramatically improved. Follow-up magnetic resonance imaging showed complete resolution of the epidural abscess. At 6 months after surgery, the patient regained muscle strength, ambulated with a walker and had no recurrence of the infection. The UBE technique can effectively eradicate infection while minimizing surgery-related risks and complications. A multidisciplinary team is required to achieve a good outcome.

Fat embolism syndrome (FES) is a complication of long bone fractures that often occurs within 72 hours of injury. Early-onset isolated cerebral fat embolism is catastrophic and rarely reported. We herein present a rare case of delayed-onset isolated cerebral FES that developed 10 days after definite fixation of a left tibial plateau fracture. A 70-year-old woman was injured in a traffic accident and diagnosed with a left tibial plateau fracture. However, she developed sudden loss of consciousness (E4V1M1) and quadriplegia 10 days after fracture fixation. Her vital signs showed no respiratory distress. Diagnosis of isolated cerebral FES was made based on magnetic resonance imaging of the brain, the findings of which were compatible with the clinical neurological findings. After supportive care and rehabilitation, her consciousness became clear on the second day of admission, and her consciousness changed to E4V5M6. She gradually regained strength in her right limbs but had residual left limb paraplegia. Isolated cerebral FES should always be considered for patients who develop a change in consciousness, even beyond 72 hours after injury. Imaging may not initially show definitive abnormalities. Repeated magnetic resonance imaging should be considered if the initial clinical presentation does not fully meet Gurd’s criteria.

Pediatric osteochondral fracture dislocation of the patella is sometimes difficult to diagnose on the basis of physical examination or plain film radiography. Magnetic resonance imaging plays an important role in its early diagnosis, and early treatment can prevent damage to the articular cartilage as well as decrease the dislocation rate. Currently, many treatment choices have been reported with good results, but there is no consensus on which treatment option may lead to the best outcome. Herein, we describe the case of a 14-year-old girl with neglected osteochondral fracture dislocation of the patella. The outcome was optimal on the basis of a 2-year postoperative follow-up; thus, we believe that fixation with headless screws is a simple and effective method if the fracture fragment is large enough.

The most common osseous metastatic regions for colorectal cancer are the lumbar and sacral vertebrae and the pelvis. There are few reported cases of isolated solitary tibial metastasis, and simultaneous bilateral solitary tibial metastases in colorectal cancer are even rarer. A 62-year-old female patient was admitted to our inpatient clinic 3 years after receiving initial chemotherapy for a rectosigmoid adenocarcinoma with liver metastasis. The patient complained of left leg pain. Radiographs and magnetic resonance imaging revealed a 3- × 3-cm mass in the right proximal tibia and a 2- × 7-cm mass in the middle third of the left tibia; both were highly suggestive of bone metastases. Bilateral tibial metastases were confirmed after tumor excision and prophylactic open reduction and internal fixation. The postoperative course was relatively uneventful. Colorectal cancer with bone metastases is uncommon, and most metastases are found at a single site in an extremity. We believe this is the first published case of simultaneous bilateral tibial metastases in a patient with colorectal cancer.

Background: Although hallux valgus is known to cause lower-back pain, the association between hallux valgus and spinal degenerative disease remains unclear. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted between 1 January 2000 and 31 December 2015 using data from the Longitudinal Health Insurance Database in Taiwan. After propensity score matching for age, sex, and some potential comorbidities, 1000 individuals newly diagnosed with hallux valgus were enrolled in the study group, while 1000 individuals never diagnosed with hallux valgus served as the control group. Both groups were followed up until 2015 to evaluate the incidence of hallux valgus. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to determine the cumulative incidence of hallux valgus, while the Cox proportional hazard model was adopted to estimate the hazard ratio (HR) and adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results: The incidence densities of spinal degeneration in the hallux valgus and non-hallux valgus groups were 73.10 and 42.63 per 1000 person-years, respectively. An increased risk of spinal degenerative changes was associated with hallux valgus (adjusted HR = 1.75, 95% CI = 1.50–2.05). Age- and sex-stratified analyses showed a significantly higher risk of spinal degeneration in the hallux valgus group. Moreover, sub-outcome evaluations revealed significantly higher risks of spondylosis (aHR = 2.01, 95% CI = 1.55–2.61), intervertebral disorder (aHR = 2.27, 95% CI = 1.62–3.17), and spinal stenosis (aHR = 1.24, 95% CI = 1.47–1.76). There was also an increased risk of spinal degenerative change in those with hallux valgus without surgical intervention (aHR = 1.95, 95% CI = 1.66–2.99, p < 0.001). Conclusions: Hallux valgus was associated with increased risk of degenerative spinal changes and other spinal disorders.