Comparison of recovery of mobility and self-efficacy after total knee arthroplasty based on two different protocols: A prospective cohort study.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to compare the recovery of mobility and self-efficacy following total knee arthroplasty (TKA) between the 5-day and the 28-day protocol. This prospective cohort study was carried out at two hospitals.Methods: In total, 104 patients who underwent TKA were enrolled. The primary outcomes measured were Life Space Assessment (LSA) for mobility and modified-Gait Efficacy Scale (mGES) for self-efficacy. Knee Society Score (KSS) was used to estimate the functional outcomes. These assessments were performed in all patients preoperatively, and at 1, 3, and 6 months postoperatively. After calculating the propensity score using covariates, such as patient characteristics, LSA, mGES, and KSS at baseline, propensity score-adjusted multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) was performed.Results: MANCOVA revealed significant differences in LSA and mGES, but not in KSS, between the two protocols. The adjusted means of LSA and mGES in the 28-day protocol were significantly greater than those in the 5-day protocol in all the postoperative assessments.Conclusion: Mobility and self-efficacy were greater following the 28-day protocol than the 5-day protocol after TKA. Our findings suggest that the modified treatment procedure for improving mobility and self-efficacy is necessary to introduce the early discharge protocol in Japan.

Total knee arthroplasty for treatment of osteoarthritis with prolonged patellar dislocation.

Prolonged dislocation of the patella is a rare condition and is often related to severe osteoarthritis (OA) of the femorotibial (FT) joint. For this condition's treatment, numerous surgical techniques using total knee arthroplasty (TKA) have been published. To the best of our knowledge, this case report is the first description of the use of lateral release alone to treat recurrent patellar subluxation with TKA. An interesting point in this case is that the patient had a good recovery after TKA in spite of quite a long-term (a duration of almost 55 years) dislocation of her patella and development of secondary OA. We describe a case that we treated by TKA for FT-OA with a prolonged patellar dislocation. We were able to obtain good patellar reduction without additional surgery by performing adequate lateral release of the patellar retinaculum. This clinical case indicates the usefulness of lateral patellar retinaculum release for obtaining stable patellar tracking in TKA for FT-OA with remaining lateral patellar dislocation. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

Lidocaine induces ROCK-dependent membrane blebbing and subsequent cell death in rabbit articular chondrocytes.

Local anesthetics are administered intraarticularly for pain control in orthopedic clinics and surgeries. Although previous studies have shown that local anesthetics can be toxic to chondrocytes, the underlying cellular mechanisms remain unclear. The present study investigates acute cellular responses associated with lidocaine-induced toxicity to articular chondrocytes. Rabbit articular chondrocytes were exposed to lidocaine and their morphological changes were monitored with live cell microscopy. The viability of chondrocytes was evaluated using a fluorescence based LIVE/DEAD assay. Acute treatment of chondrocytes with lidocaine (3-30 mM) induced spherical protrusions on the cell surface (so called "membrane blebbing") in a time- and concentration-dependent manner. The concentration-response relationship for the lidocaine effect was shifted leftward by elevating extracellular pH, as expected for the non-ionized lidocaine being involved in the bleb formation. ROCK (Rho-kinase) inhibitors Y-27632 and fasudil completely prevented the lidocaine-induced membrane blebbing, suggesting that ROCK activation is required for bleb formation. Caspase-3 levels were unchanged by 10 mM lidocaine (p = 0.325) and a caspase inhibitor z-VAD-fmk did not affect the lidocaine-induced blebbing (p = 0.964). GTP-RhoA levels were significantly increased (p < 0.001), but Rho inhibitor-1 failed to suppress the membrane blebbing (p = 0.875). Lidocaine (30 mM) reduced the cell viability of isolated chondrocytes (p < 0.001) and in situ chondrocytes (p < 0.001). The chondrotoxicity was attenuated by pretreatment of cells with ROCK inhibitors or a myosin-II inhibitor blebbistatin (p < 0.001). These findings suggest that lidocaine induces ROCK-dependent membrane blebbing and thereby produces a cytotoxic effect on chondrocytes. © 2015 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 34:754-762, 2016.

Joint Arthroplasty With Osteochondral Grafting From the Knee for Posttraumatic or Degenerative Hand Joint Disorders.

PURPOSE: To describe the operative procedure and report the clinical outcomes of articular surface reconstruction for various hand joint disorders using autologous osteochondral grafts from the knee. METHODS: Ten patients underwent articular surface reconstruction for hand joint disorders with autologous osteochondral grafts from the patellofemoral joint. Mean patient age was 35 years (range, 15-52 y). The patients were followed for an average of 48 months (range, 16-89 mo). Arthroplasty was performed on the metacarpophalangeal joint in 4 cases, and on the proximal interphalangeal joint in 6 cases. The patients' clinical outcomes were evaluated with joint range of motion, visual analog scale (0-10 points), and Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (DASH) score. Histological examination was performed in 3 cases after surgery. RESULTS: Graft union was confirmed in all cases without radiographic evidence of resorption or necrosis. Follow-up radiographic examinations showed good graft incorporation without signs of osteoarthritis such as joint space narrowing. The finger flexion-extension arc improved significantly from an average of 21° to 61°. The mean visual analog scale also improved significantly from 7.0 to 1.5. The mean total active motion showed a significant improvement from 151° before surgery to 201° after surgery, and the mean DASH score improved significantly from 33 to 12. There were no significant differences for the arc of finger motion and DASH score between metacarpophalangeal and proximal interphalangeal joint disorders or between hemiarthroplasty and total joint arthroplasty. Histological examination revealed viable chondrocytes in the implanted cartilage. CONCLUSIONS: Autologous osteochondral grafting from the patellofemoral joint provided satisfactory outcomes and may be a useful option for joint surface reconstruction of traumatic or degenerative hand joint disorders. TYPE OF STUDY/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic IV.

Improved quality of cartilage repair by bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells for treatment of an osteochondral defect in a cynomolgus macaque model.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Integration of repaired cartilage with surrounding native cartilage is a major challenge for successful tissue-engineering strategies of cartilage repair. We investigated whether incorporation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) into the collagen scaffold improves integration and repair of cartilage defects in a cynomolgus macaque model. METHODS: Cynomolgus macaque bone marrow-derived MSCs were isolated and incorporated into type-I collagen gel. Full-thickness osteochondral defects (3 mm in diameter, 5 mm in depth) were created in the patellar groove of 36 knees of 18 macaques and were either left untreated (null group, n = 12), had collagen gel alone inserted (gel group, n = 12), or had collagen gel incorporating MSCs inserted (MSC group, n = 12). After 6, 12, and 24 weeks, the cartilage integration and tissue response were evaluated macroscopically and histologically (4 null, 4 gel, and 4 MSC knees at each time point). RESULTS: The gel group showed most cartilage-rich reparative tissue covering the defect, owing to formation of excessive cartilage extruding though the insufficient subchondral bone. Despite the fact that a lower amount of new cartilage was produced, the MSC group had better-quality cartilage with regular surface, seamless integration with neighboring naïve cartilage, and reconstruction of trabecular subchondral bone. INTERPRETATION: Even with intensive investigation, MSC-based cell therapy has not yet been established in experimental cartilage repair. Our model using cynomolgus macaques had optimized conditions, and the method using MSCs is superior to other experimental settings, allowing the possibility that the procedure might be introduced to future clinical practice.

New option for surgical treatment of the trapeziometacarpal osteoarthritis: a case report.

We present the case of a 71-year-old, left-handed woman with left thumb carpometacarpal (CMC) joint arthritis. The patient had no pain and could use the hand actively in daily life with a new option of surgical treatment, a vascularized pedicled third CMC joint transfer to the thumb CMC joint.

Extracellular and intracellular mechanisms of mechanotransduction in three-dimensionally embedded rat chondrocytes.

PURPOSE: Articular cartilage homeostasis involves modulation of chondrocyte matrix synthesis in response to mechanical stress (MS). We studied extracellular and intracellular mechanotransduction pathways mediating this response. METHODS: We first confirmed rapid up-regulation of the putative chondro-protective cytokine, interleukin (IL)-4, as an immediate response to MS. We then studied the role of IL-4 by investigating responses to exogenous IL-4 or a specific IL-4 inhibitor, combined with MS. Next we investigated the intracellular second messengers. Since chondrocyte phenotype alters according to the extracellular environment, we characterized the response to mechanotransduction in 3-dimensionally embedded chondrocytes. RESULTS: Expression of aggrecan and type II collagen was significantly up-regulated by exogenous IL-4 whereas MS-induced matrix synthesis was inhibited by an IL-4 blocker. Further, MS-induced matrix synthesis was completely blocked by a p38 MAPK inhibitor, while it was only partially blocked by inhibitors of other putative second messengers. CONCLUSION: IL-4 mediates an extracellular pathway of mechanotransduction, perhaps via an autocrine/paracrine loop, while p38 mediates an intracellular pathway prevalent only in a 3-dimensional environment.

Operative treatment of metacarpal and phalangeal fractures in athletes: early return to play.

BACKGROUND: Evaluating the outcomes of operative treatment for metacarpal and phalangeal fractures in athletes returning early to play and discussing the more effective methods that permit rapid early return to athletic activity. METHODS: We retrospectively identified a total of 105 metacarpal or phalangeal fractures in 105 athletes with conservative or operative treatment in our department. Of these, 20 athletes required an early return to sport because of a pending important game in their competition within 1 month after injury. Therefore, they underwent surgical treatment with open reduction and internal fixation of metacarpal or phalangeal fractures in an attempt to achieve an early return to their chosen sport at their usual competitive level. The patients included 6 rugby football players, 2 soccer goalkeepers, 3 American football players, 3 handball players, 2 baseball players and 4 who participated in other sports. The clinical records of preoperative and postoperative radiographs were available for all patients, and clinical outcome was evaluated by total active motion (TAM). RESULTS: The patients were followed up for a mean of 27 (24-43) months. At the latest follow-up examination, bone union was obtained in all cases. In cases with metacarpal and phalangeal fractures, the average TAM was 263° (range 240°-270°). CONCLUSION: We consider that an early comeback to training and competition can be permitted exclusively for patients with metacarpal and phalangeal fractures. It is important for the attending physician to administer such treatment after obtaining informed consent and develop a trusting relationship with the patient and other related individuals while paying attention to their hope of quick recovery.

Comparison of repair between cartilage and osteocartilage defects in rabbits using similarly manipulated scaffold-free cartilage-like constructs.

BACKGROUND: Articular cartilage has a limited capacity for spontaneous repair, and its repair remains a clinical challenge. The purpose of this study was to prepare scaffold-free cartilage-like constructs and evaluate the feasibility of their use for the treatment of cartilage and osteocartilage defects in vivo. METHODS: The scaffold-free constructs were prepared by chondrocytes isolated from the articular cartilage of rabbits using a high-density three-dimensional culture system. Two different defects, i.e., a chondral defect without oozing blood and an osteochondral defect with oozing blood, of 4-mm diameter, were created on the patellar groove of rabbits and forwarded to in vivo trials. In each defect, the constructs cut into 4-mm-diameter cylinders were grafted at the bottom of the defects. As a control, defects were only made on the contralateral knee joint in each rabbit. At 2, 4, 8 and 12 weeks after surgery, six rabbits in each group were evaluated macroscopically and histologically. RESULTS: In vitro, histological examination revealed that the constructs have the character of hyaline cartilage with a potential adhesiveness to surrounding tissue. In vivo, in two control groups, incomplete spontaneous cartilage repair was observed in the osteochondral defects, whereas no repair was observed in the chondral defects. In the two treated groups, the surviving constructs in chondral defects showed significantly better repair compared to those in osteochondral defects. CONCLUSIONS: It is possible for a chondral defect to be repaired by scaffold-free constructs in certain conditions. Establishing the optimal environment suitable for cartilage repair is warranted.

Ultrasound-assisted closed reduction of distal radius fractures.

PURPOSE: To assess the accuracy and ability of ultrasound for monitoring closed reduction for distal radius fractures. METHODS: Consecutive patients undergoing ultrasound-guided closed reduction of acute, displaced distal radius fractures between January 2003 and December 2006 at our department were enrolled. The control group was extracted from patients who underwent a closed reduction for similar fractures under fluoroscopy or without any imaging assistance. To confirm the accuracy of the ultrasonography measurements, displacement distance values were compared with those on radiographic imaging before and after reduction. X-ray parameters for pre- and postreduction, reduction time, total cost, and success rate were compared between the ultrasound-guided and the control groups. RESULTS: The ultrasound-guided group consisted of 43 patients (mean age, 68 y) and the control group consisted of 57 patients, which included 35 patients (mean age, 74 y) with fluoroscopic reduction and of 22 patients (mean age, 72 y) with reduction unaided by imaging. There were no significant displacement differences between radiographic and ultrasound measurements. In x-ray parameters for pre- and postreduction, there were no significant differences between the 2 groups. Ultrasound-guided reduction took longer than the other 2 methods. The success rate of the ultrasound and the fluoroscopic groups were similar (95% and 94%, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that ultrasound assistance can aid reduction of distal radius fractures as well as fluoroscopy. TYPE OF STUDY/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic II.

Triple pelvic osteotomy: Report of our mid-term results and review of literature.

A wide variety of pelvic osteotomies have been developed for the treatment of developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH). In the present paper, we present a detailed review of previous studies of triple osteotomy as an alternative treatment for DDH. We also report our experience treating 6 adult cases of DDH by triple osteotomy in order to highlight the various aspects of this procedure.The mean age of our patients was 31.2 years with a mean follow-up period of 6 years. We assessed range of motion, center-edge angle, acetabular index angle, Sharp angle, acetabulum head index, head lateralization index, Japanese Orthopedic Association score, Harris hip score, patient satisfaction, and the difference between lower limb lengths before and after the procedure. At final follow-up, clinical scores were significantly improved and radiographic parameters also showed good correction of acetabulum.

Prevalence, distribution, and morphology of thoracic ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament in Japanese: results of CT-based cross-sectional study.

STUDY DESIGN: A cross-sectional study. OBJECTIVE: To gain an insight into the prevalence, morphology, and distribution of thoracic ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament of the spine (T-OPLL) by computed tomography (CT) and review of the literature. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: The epidemiology and cause of T-OPLL remains obscure. To date, to the best of our knowledge, there is no study that has comprehensively evaluated the thoracic spine by CT to assess the prevalence, distribution, and morphology of T-OPLL in a sufficiently large size of sample with wide distribution of age. METHODS: The participants of this study were the patients who have undergone chest CT for the examination of pulmonary diseases in our institute. The patients with previous thoracic spine surgery and younger than 15 years were excluded. Prevalence, distribution, and morphology of T-OPLL were reviewed. RESULTS: A total of 3013 patients (1261 females and 1752 males) with the mean age of 65 years were recruited. The CT-based evidence of T-OPLL was noted in 56 (38 females and 18 males) individuals (1.9%). Most frequently encountered type was liner type, followed by continuous cylindrical type and mixed type. Continuous waveform and beaked type were less frequently encountered. Statistical analyses revealed that T-OPLL was noted at a significantly higher rate among the females. The mean age of T-OPLL-positive males was significantly higher than that of T-OPLL-negative males. Furthermore, there was significant difference of body mass index between T-OPLL-positive and T-OPLL-negative individuals. Most of T-OPLLs were confirmed in higher or middle thoracic regions and the highest peak was found at T3-T4. T-OPLL was noted after the age of 40 years with the peak distribution found at the age of 60 years. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of T-OPLL in Japanese was 1.9%. Further studies that characterize definitive subtypes of T-OPLL on CT are warranted so as to establish possible association between clinical manifestations and size and/or subtypes of T-OPLL. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: N/A.

Immunohistochemical localization of D-serine dehydratase in chicken tissues.

Chicken D-serine dehydratase (DSD) degrades d-serine to pyruvate and ammonia. The enzyme requires both pyridoxal 5'-phosphate and Zn(2+) for its activity. d-Serine is a physiological coagonist that regulates the activity of the N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) for l-glutamate. We have recently found in chickens that d-serine is degraded only by DSD in the brain, whereas it is also degraded to 3-hydroxypyruvate by d-amino acid oxidase (DAO) in the kidney and liver. In mammalian brains, d-serine is degraded only by DAO. It has not been clarified why chickens selectively use DSD for the control of d-serine concentrations in the brain. In the present study, we measured DSD activity in chicken tissues, and examined the cellular localization of DSD using a specific anti-chicken DSD antibody. The highest activity was found in kidney. Skeletal muscles and heart showed no activity. In chicken brain, cerebellum showed about 6-fold-higher activity (1.1 ± 0.3 U/g protein) than cerebrum (0.19 ± 0.03 U/g protein). At the cellular level DSD was demonstrated in proximal tubule cells of the kidney, in hepatocytes, in Bergmann-glia cells of the cerebellum and in astrocytes. The finding of DSD in glial cells seems to be important because d-serine is involved in NMDAR-dependent brain functions.

Acceptable parameters for alignment of distal radius fracture with conservative treatment in elderly patients.

BACKGROUND: There is a conflict in the treatment of distal radius fractures in elderly patients, because fracture reduction does not appear to be as strongly associated with functional outcomes as in younger patients. The purpose of this study was to evaluate radiographic findings of acceptable reduction without leading to wrist dysfunction and poor outcomes. METHODS: Fifty-two active and healthy elderly patients with conservatively managed distal radius fractures were included in the study. They consisted of 7 men and 45 women, all 60 years or older. Radiographic assessment included volar tilt, radial inclination and ulnar variance, and outcome evaluation included the Mayo wrist score and DASH score. As a control group, the preoperative radiographic and clinical outcomes were examined as well for 19 patients older than 60 with malunion, for whom corrective osteotomy was performed because of wrist dysfunction. The radiographic parameters and clinical outcomes were compared between the two groups in a statistical manner. Correlation coefficients of the radiographic parameters with Mayo wrist score and DASH score were analyzed by multiple regression. RESULTS: Volar tilt (mean -1.2°) and ulnar variance (mean 2.5 mm), as well as Mayo wrist score (mean 80.0 points) and DASH score (mean 8.6 points) in the objective group were significantly superior to those in the control group when comparing radiographic parameters and clinical outcomes. There was no significant difference between the two groups in regard to RI (mean 14.9°). Multiple regression analysis revealed that volar tilt and ulnar variance were significantly correlated with the clinical outcomes in the objective. CONCLUSION: The parameters of volar tilt and ulnar variance had a significant correlation with clinical outcomes. Clinical outcomes significantly worsened when those parameters exceeded a tolerable range. In elderly patients, it is important to determine an appropriate therapeutic modality for a distal radius fracture when considering the acceptable parameters for alignment.

Long-term clinical outcome of sacral chondrosarcoma treated by total en bloc sacrectomy and reconstruction of lumbosacral and pelvic ring using intraoperative extracorporeal irradiated autologous tumor-bearing sacrum: a case report with 10 years follow-up.

BACKGROUND CONTEXT: Primary malignant tumors of the sacrum are rare. Chondrosarcoma is one of the common malignant tumors arising from the sacrum. Chondrosarcoma is often invasive, and there is a high propensity for local recurrence. Surgical resection is often the only effective treatment; however, the treatment of malignant sacral tumors can be challenging, both because of the anatomy of the spinopelvic complex and the frequently large tumor size. PURPOSE: We report a case of sacral chondrosarcoma that was successfully treated by total en bloc sacrectomy and reconstruction of the lumbosacral and pelvic ring using intraoperative extracorporeal irradiated autologous tumor-bearing sacrum. STUDY DESIGN: A case report with 10 years follow-up. METHODS: A 51-year-old man presented with right lower leg pain. Plain radiographs and computed tomography (CT) showed an osteolytic lesion at the sacrum that extended to the sacroiliac joint. Magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated that the tumor mass was localized from S1 to S2 with an epidural lesion at L5-S1 disc level. Histopathologic evaluation by open biopsy revealed that the lesion was chondrosarcoma. Total en bloc sacrectomy of the tumor-bearing sacrum was performed. The removed tumor-bearing sacrum was extracorporeally irradiated at 200 Gy during the operation and returned to the original position as a bone graft and fixed with instruments thereafter. RESULTS: We needed two revision surgeries during the first 3 years because of the implant failures; however, 10 years after the initial surgery, CT revealed that the irradiated sacrum had remodeled into living bone and integrated with surrounding iliac bone without radiological evidence of tumor recurrence. The patient ambulates without any support and there was no clinical and radiological evidence of tumor recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: The advantages of our method include the availability of high dose of radiation because of extracorporeal irradiation, excellent fit between graft and host bone, reduction of the dead space, no immunological rejection, no need for a bone bank, availability of the sacrum not only for the augmentation of the large defect but also for the scaffold for the other bone grafts. Our report is of only one case; however, we consider that it could be one option for the treatment of sacral malignant bone tumors, such as chondrosarcoma.

Late-Emerging Lethal Exacerbation of Cardiomyopathy in a Patient with Mitochondrial Myopathy After Total Hip Arthroplasty: A Case Report.

CASE: Mitochondrial myopathy comprises heterogeneous neuromuscular disorders caused by mitochondrial dysfunction. Acute exacerbation of mitochondrial myopathy infrequently occurs sequentially after perioperative stress. We present an unusual case of a late-emerging and lethal exacerbation of mitochondrial myopathy after total hip arthroplasty. Despite special attention paid to perioperative control, the patient's condition drastically deteriorated on postoperative day thirteen, and she died later as a result of cardiomyopathy. CONCLUSION: When performing surgery on a patient with mitochondrial myopathy, the merits of surgery must always surpass the possible grave risk of this condition.