Injury
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Bone tissue engineering is a fast-growing field in regenerative medicine. Consequently, there is a high demand for new, fast and reliable methods to track and quantify the osteogenic differentiation of cells. Recently, a novel method was published to non-destructively quantify the hydroxyapatite content of monolayer and 3-dimensional mesenchymal stem cell cultures using the ability of 99mTechnetium-methylene diphosphonate (MDP), a well-established tracer in clinical nuclear medicine, to bind to newly synthesized hydroxyapatite. ⋯ This revealed a highly significant difference between the three osteogenic groups at each timepoint compared to their corresponding negative controls. However, there was no statistically significant difference between the three different tracers (MDP, DPD, HDP) in the osteogenic groups. Therefore all three tracers are of similar value when quantifying the extracellular hydroxylapatite content in osteogenic stem cells cultures.
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Due to aging society, osteoporotic posterior ring fractures of the pelvis are gaining importance. Percutaneous iliosacral screw fixation can reduce pain if conservative therapy is not sufficient. One of the surgical complications is the malposition of the screws in neuroforamen. The aim of this study is to correlate the measured pedicle angle with the screw position in postoperative CT scans. ⋯ Complications such as intraforaminal screw position and revision surgery are more frequent in patients with steeper S1 pedicles, making this a detrimental prognostic marker.
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Field tourniquets are often used for battlefield extremity injuries. Their effectiveness has been documented by a large combat theater trauma center. However, their use and effectiveness by an austere forward surgical team has not been reported. Aims of this study were to determine: Whether field tourniquets: (1) Were placed for appropriate indications; (2) significantly reduced hemorrhage as measured by transfusion requirements; (3) influenced vital signs and injury severity scores; and (4) did they cause limb amputation, changed amputation level, or other complications. ⋯ Field tourniquets applied for penetrating injuries with severe bleeding can significantly reduce transfusion requirements and help maintain adequate blood pressure. Tourniquets were not the proximate cause of amputation and did not determine the choice of immediate amputation level.
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Multicenter Study
Factors impacting trauma-specific quality of life following injury: A multi-center assessment in Lebanon.
Injuries account for a large portion of the global burden of disease, representing over 10% of all disability adjusted life years (DALYs). This study analyzes the economic impact of injury for those experiencing moderate-to-severe injury in Beirut, Lebanon. It further examines the impact of different demographic and socioeconomic factors on trauma-specific quality of life 1-2 years following injury. ⋯ Individuals that experienced moderate-to-severe injury in Beirut, Lebanon, suffered financial repercussions, including reductions in income, less employment, or unemployment. Across all patients surveyed, higher level of education was associated with better functional quality of life. More study into the intricacies of accessing healthcare care in Lebanon, especially given the current economic and political climate, are crucial to maintain the health of those experiencing injury and can help inform targeted interventions.