Archives of orthopaedic and trauma surgery
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Arch Orthop Trauma Surg · Jan 1999
Beneficial effect of basic fibroblast growth factor on the repair of full-thickness defects in rabbit articular cartilage.
The effects of exogenous basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) on the repair of full-thickness cartilage defects were examined. Four-millimeter diameter, cylindrical defects were made in rabbit articular cartilage and were filled with human recombinant bFGF. The addition of bFGF to the defect induced the formation of a thick cartilage layer composed of chondrocytes and a metachromatic-stained matrix after 6 weeks. ⋯ Immunohistochemical analysis of the tissues at 6-12 weeks with an anti-bFGF monoclonal antibody suggested that a single application of bFGF increased the number of differentiating chondrocytes that synthesized bFGF at a high level. In contrast, immunostaining of the tissues at 6-12 weeks with a monoclonal antibody against proliferating cell nuclear antigen showed that the number of proliferating cells in the bFGF-treated tissue was fewer than in the untreated tissue. These findings suggest that administration of bFGF into cartilagenous defects promotes the differentiation of chondrocytes and their matrix synthesis, and that this growth factor is useful for improving cartilage repair.
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The purpose of this study was to evaluate the osteopenia in several parts of the shoulder joint in a series of individuals suffering from frozen shoulder and to elucidate the pathogenesis. The bone mineral density (BMD) was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). In 30 cases of frozen shoulder, 16 men and 14 women, BMD of the head of the humerus, greater tubercle of the humerus, surgical neck of the humerus, and neck of the scapula was evaluated. ⋯ Although frozen shoulder is a disease which may occur in both men and women, the loss of bone was conspicuous only in women. This may be due to the involvement of female hormones in alterations of bone in frozen shoulder, as in cases of osteoporosis, in addition to the originally low bone density in women. The degree of osteopenia of the proximal humerus with frozen shoulder was not correlated with the duration of the disease, range of motion of the shoulder joint, or patient's age.
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Injection techniques and immunohistochemical methods (antibodies against laminin) were performed to uncover the vascular pattern of the human tibialis anterior tendon with regard to spontaneous rupture of this tendon. Proximally, the blood supply of the tibialis anterior tendon mainly arises from the anterior tibial artery. Distally, the tendon is supplied by branches of the medial tarsal artery. ⋯ In the anterior half of the tendon, there is an avascular zone between 45 and 67 mm in length. The location of the avascular zone correlates well with the location of the most frequent site of spontaneous rupture of the tibialis anterior tendon reported in the literature. Hypovascularity has to be considered as an etiological cofactor for spontaneous rupture of the tibialis anterior tendon.
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Arch Orthop Trauma Surg · Jan 1999
Primary biomechanical influence of different sterilization methods on a freeze-dried bone-ligament transplant.
The transmission of bacteria and viruses in ligament transplants should be prevented by sterilization. In this study, the influence of two different methods on the mechanical properties of a freeze-dried medial collateral ligament was analyzed in sheep. Group I (n = 10) was treated with irradiation (26 kGy) and group II (n = 10) with ethyleneoxide. ⋯ The irradiation dose significantly reduced the maximal load, whereas ethyleneoxide sterilization resulted only in minor changes. Because of the potential cancerogenity of ethyleneoxide, a close monitoring of aeration times and its residuals are very essential. Further studies with lower irradiation doses of between 15 and 26 kGy seem to be justified.
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Arch Orthop Trauma Surg · Jan 1999
Case ReportsInsufficiency fractures, an often unrecognized diagnosis.
Diagnosis of sacral insufficiency fractures is difficult since the onset is mild, and usually discomfort is attributed to degeneration of the lumbar spine. Computed tomography and radionuclide bone scans are helpful in making the diagnosis, as regular X-ray and magnetic resonance imaging usually fail to demonstrate the fracture.