The December 2022 Research Roundup360 looks at: Halicin is effective against
The aim of this study was to determine whether early surgical treatment results in better neurological recovery 12 months after injury than late surgical treatment in patients with acute traumatic spinal cord injury (tSCI). Patients with tSCI requiring surgical spinal decompression presenting to 17 centres in Europe were recruited. Depending on the timing of decompression, patients were divided into early (≤ 12 hours after injury) and late (> 12 hours and < 14 days after injury) groups. The American Spinal Injury Association neurological (ASIA) examination was performed at baseline (after injury but before decompression) and at 12 months. The primary endpoint was the change in Lower Extremity Motor Score (LEMS) from baseline to 12 months.Aims
Methods
The December 2022 Foot & Ankle Roundup360 looks at: Evans calcaneal osteotomy and multiplanar correction in flat foot deformity; Inflammatory biomarkers in tibialis posterior tendon dysfunction; Takedown of ankle fusions and conversion to total ankle arthroplasty; Surgical incision closure with three different materials; Absorbable sutures are not inferior to nonabsorbable sutures for tendo Achilles repair; Zadek’s osteotomy is a reliable technique for treating Haglund’s syndrome; How to best assess patient limitations after acute Achilles tendon injury; Advances in the management of infected nonunion of the foot and ankle.
Objectives. Traumatic brachial plexus injury causes severe functional impairment
of the arm. Elbow flexion is often affected. Nerve surgery or tendon
transfers provide the only means to obtain improved elbow flexion.
Unfortunately, the functionality of the arm often remains insufficient.
Stem cell therapy could potentially improve
We compared the outcome of peri-operative humeral condylar fractures in patients undergoing a Coonrad-Morrey semiconstrained total elbow replacement with that of patients with rheumatoid arthritis undergoing the same procedure without fractures. In a consecutive series of 40 elbows in 33 patients, 13 elbows had a fracture in either condyle peri-operatively, and 27 elbows were intact. The fractured condyle was either fixed internally or excised. We found no statistical difference in the patients’ background, such as age, length of follow-up, immobilisation period, Larsen’s radiological grade, or Steinbrocker’s stage and functional class. There was also no statistical difference between the groups in relation to the Mayo Elbow Performance Score,
The decrease in the number of satellite cells (SCs), contributing to myofibre formation and reconstitution, and their proliferative capacity, leads to muscle loss, a condition known as sarcopenia. Resistance training can prevent muscle loss; however, the underlying mechanisms of resistance training effects on SCs are not well understood. We therefore conducted a comprehensive transcriptome analysis of SCs in a mouse model. We compared the differentially expressed genes of SCs in young mice (eight weeks old), middle-aged (48-week-old) mice with resistance training intervention (MID+ T), and mice without exercise (MID) using next-generation sequencing and bioinformatics.Aims
Methods
Aims. Improvements in the evaluation of outcomes following peripheral nerve injury are needed. Recent studies have identified muscle fatigue as an inevitable consequence of muscle reinnervation. This study aimed to quantify and characterize muscle fatigue within a standardized surgical model of muscle reinnervation. Patients and Methods. This retrospective cohort study included 12 patients who underwent Oberlin nerve transfer in an attempt to restore flexion of the elbow following brachial plexus injury. There were ten men and two women with a mean age of 45.5 years (27 to 69). The mean follow-up was 58 months (28 to 100). Repeated and sustained isometric contractions of the elbow flexors were used to assess fatigability of reinnervated
We aimed to develop a gene signature that predicts the occurrence of postmenopausal osteoporosis (PMOP) by studying its genetic mechanism. Five datasets were obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus database. Unsupervised consensus cluster analysis was used to determine new PMOP subtypes. To determine the central genes and the core modules related to PMOP, the weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WCGNA) was applied. Gene Ontology enrichment analysis was used to explore the biological processes underlying key genes. Logistic regression univariate analysis was used to screen for statistically significant variables. Two algorithms were used to select important PMOP-related genes. A logistic regression model was used to construct the PMOP-related gene profile. The receiver operating characteristic area under the curve, Harrell’s concordance index, a calibration chart, and decision curve analysis were used to characterize PMOP-related genes. Then, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to verify the expression of the PMOP-related genes in the gene signature.Aims
Methods
Opinion varies as to the incidence of nerve lesions in anterior dislocation of the shoulder after low-velocity trauma. Most studies are retrospective or do not use EMG. We have investigated the incidence and the clinical consequences of nerve lesions in a prospective study by clinical and electrophysiological examination. Axonal loss was seen in 48% of 77 patients. The axillary nerve was most frequently involved (42%). Although recovery as judged by EMG and
We report a review of 54 patients with chronic anterior cruciate ligament rupture treated by patellar-quadriceps tendon graft augmented with polypropylene braid (Kennedy-LAD). The femoral placement of the graft was randomised to either a modified over-the-top (OTT) or a tunnel position obtained by an isometric drill guide (ISO). At the two-year follow-up both procedures had resulted in improvement of subjective knee function and activity level. Stereoradiographic measurements showed reduction of anteroposterior laxity to near normal in about one-third of the patients, but
We performed bilateral femoral shortening operations on 15 skeletally mature patients (11 women and four men). Their mean height pre-operatively was 193.5 cm and they were shortened by 5 to 9 cm. We used a subtrochanteric Z-osteotomy with an AO condylar plate in 11 patients, and mid-diaphyseal osteotomy with an intramedullary locking nail in four. After an average follow-up of 8.1 years, isokinetic muscle testing showed that
1. The importance of accurate methods of measuring the
In order to investigate the difficulty of quadriceps training in the presence of an effusion into the knee we examined 13 patients with chronic effusions by recording isometric
We report the results in 33 patients who had nerve grafting of the axillary or the suprascapular nerve or of both. There were 32 men and one woman; their mean age was 21 years and the average interval between injury and operation was three months. At a mean follow-up of 27 months, the deltoid had recovered to M3 or better in 23 of 30 patients (77%) and the infraspinatus in 18 of 25 patients (72%). Shoulder elevation had reached 120° or more in 27 patients (82%), with external rotation of 30° or more in 27 (82%). Twenty-six patients (79%) could reach to the top of their head with their hand. Recovery of
The advantages and disadvantages of endoscopic compared with open carpal tunnelreleasearecontroversial. We have performed a prospective, randomised, blinded assessment in a district general hospital in order to determine if there was any demonstrable advantage in undertaking either technique. Twenty-five patients with confirmed bilateral idiopathic carpal tunnel syndrome were randomised to undergo endoscopic release by the single portal Agee technique to one hand and open release to the other. Independent preoperative and postoperative assessment was undertaken by a hand therapist who was blinded to the type of treatment. Follow-up was for 12 months. The operating time was two minutes shorter for the open technique (p <
0.005). At all stages of postoperative assessment, the endoscopic technique had no significant advantages in terms of return of
The aim of this study is to provide a detailed description of cases combining bridging patch repair with artificial ligament “internal brace” reinforcement to treat irreparable massive rotator cuff tears, and report the preliminary results. This is a retrospective review of patients with irreparable massive rotator cuff tears undergoing fascia lata autograft bridging repair with artificial ligament “internal brace” reinforcement technique between January 2017 and May 2018. Inclusion criteria were: patients treated arthroscopically for an incompletely reparable massive rotator cuff tear (dimension > 5 cm or two tendons fully torn), stage 0 to 4 supraspinatus fatty degeneration on MRI according to the Goutallier grading system, and an intact or reparable infraspinatus and/or subscapularis tendon of radiological classification Hamada 0 to 4. The surgical technique comprised two components: first, superior capsular reconstruction using an artificial ligament as an “internal brace” protective device for a fascia lata patch. The second was fascia lata autograft bridging repair for the torn supraspinatus. In all, 26 patients with a mean age 63.4 years (SD 6.2) were included.Aims
Methods
We compared two methods of reconstruction of the abductor mechanism in 15 patients after prosthetic replacement of the upper femur, to assess abductor strength and function. Six patients in group I had direct fixation of the gluteus medius tendon and a segment of the original bone to the prosthesis. Nine patients in group 2 had the abductor tendon fixed to the iliotibial band. We assessed clinical function, isometric
We have studied, prospectively, 116 patients with motor deficits associated with herniation of a lumbar disc who underwent microdiscectomy. They were studied during the first six months and at a mean of 6.4 years after surgery. Before operation, muscle weakness was mild (grade 4) in 67% of patients, severe (grade 3) in 21% and very severe (grade 2 or 1) in 12%. The muscle which most frequently had severe or very severe weakness was extensor hallucis longus, followed in order by triceps surae, extensor digitorum communis, tibialis anterior, and others. At the latest follow-up examination, 76% of patients had complete recovery of strength. Persistent weakness was found in 16% of patients who had had a mild preoperative deficit and in 39% of those with severe or very severe weakness.
