Archives of orthopaedic and trauma surgery
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A prospective study of repair of longitudinal, peripheral, and posterior horn meniscus tears was carried out in 50 patients. The mean length of follow-up was 5 year. Forty-eight of the patients were symptom-free and post-repair arthroscopic examination confirmed that the repaired menisci have healed satisfactorily. The rationale and technique for surgical repair of the meniscus of the knee are presented.
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Arch Orthop Trauma Surg · Jan 1991
Further experiences of Küntscher's nailing for tibial shaft fractures.
We present the experience of managing 429 fractures of the tibia fixed with straight Küntscher rods. The overall impression is quite encouraging because this method involves a short and easy operation with limited exposure and provides sound fixation. Complications have been negligible.
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Arch Orthop Trauma Surg · Jan 1991
Association of incipient disc degeneration and instability in spondylolisthesis. A magnetic resonance and flexion-extension radiographic study of 20-year-old low back pain patients.
The concurrence of early disc degeneration and abnormal segmental motion in spondylolysis of young low back pain patients (n = 14) was investigated using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and flexion-extension radiography. Seven patients with L5 spondylolisthesis had normal discs on MRI and 7 had disc degeneration below the slipped vertebra. ⋯ The present study shows that in adolescents the motion pattern and hydration of discs associated with spondylolysis and spondylolisthesis are not always abnormal. The early dehydration and degeneration of lumbar discs observed on MRI are not always associated with abnormal mobility of the corresponding motion segment.
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Arch Orthop Trauma Surg · Jan 1991
Case ReportsOverdistraction: a hazard of skull traction in the management of acute injuries of the cervical spine.
In acute cervical spine trauma, skull traction is used to reduce a dislocation or fracture dislocation, to immobilize an unstable lesion until definitive treatment (operative or conservative) is possible or, more rarely, as a definitive treatment until healing occurs. This method may be dangerous when an unstable lesion is accidentally overdistracted. A few cases have been reported in the literature, some with neurological complications. ⋯ After reduction is completed, traction is reduced to 2 kg. This weight is sufficient to immobilize a lesion until definitive treatment is possible. Inadvertent rotation may be prevented by placing sandbags on both sides of the head.
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Arch Orthop Trauma Surg · Jan 1991
Acceleration of wound healing by local application of fibronectin.
The process of wound healing under the influence of locally applied fibronectin, heparin and thrombin was studied in adult rabbits. Using immunofluorescence microscopy, a higher concentration of fibronectin within the wound area was found on the 1st day after fibronectin treatment. ⋯ On the 9th day the tensile strength of the fibronectin-treated wounds was significantly higher than that of the control wounds on the 12th day after operation. The addition of heparin and thrombin, each in combination with fibronectin, did not show any significant effect on wound healing.