Early changes in S100B maternal blood levels can predict fetal intrauterine growth restriction.

OBJECTIVES: Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) represents one of the main causes of perinatal mortality and morbidity. Nowadays, IUGR early diagnosis is mandatory in order to limit the occurrence of multiorgan failure, especially the brain. Therefore, we investigated whether longitudinal S100B assessment in maternal blood could be a trustable predictor of IUGR. METHODS: We conducted a prospective study in 480 pregnancies (IUGR: n=40; small for gestational age, SGA: n=40; controls: n=400) in whom S100B was measured at three predetermined monitoring time-points (T1: 8-18 GA; T2: 19-23 GA; T3: 24-28 GA). RESULTS: Lower S100B in IUGR fetuses than SGA and controls (p<0.05, for all) at T1-T3. Receiver operating characteristic curve showed that S100B at T1 was the best predictor of IUGR (sensitivity: 100 %; specificity: 81.4 %) than T2, T3. CONCLUSIONS: The early lower S100B concentration in pregnant women lately complicated by IUGR support the notion that non-invasive early IUGR diagnosis and monitoring is becoming feasible. Results open the way to further studies aimed at diagnosing and monitoring fetal/maternal diseases at earliest time.

S100B Maternal Blood Levels in Gestational Diabetes Mellitus Are Birthweight, Gender and Delivery Mode Dependent.

Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) is one of the main causes of perinatal mortality/morbidity. Today, a parameter offering useful information on fetal central nervous system (CNS) development/damage is eagerly awaited. We investigated the role of brain-protein S100B in the maternal blood of GDM pregnancies by means of a prospective case-control study in 646 pregnancies (GDM: n = 106; controls: n = 530). Maternal blood samples for S100B measurement were collected at four monitoring time-points from 24 weeks of gestation to term. Data was corrected for gender and delivery mode and correlated with gestational age and weight at birth. Results showed higher (p < 0.05) S100B from 24 to 32 weeks and at term in GDM fetuses than controls. Higher (p < 0.05) S100B was observed in GDM male new-borns than in females from 24 to 32 weeks and at term, in GDM cases delivering vaginally than by caesarean section. Finally, S100B positively correlated with gestational age and weight at birth (R = 0.27; R = 0.37, respectively; p < 0.01). The present findings show the usefulness of S100B in CNS to monitor high-risk pregnancies during perinatal standard-of-care procedures. The results suggest that further investigations into its potential role as an early marker of CNS growth/damage in GDM population are needed.

Mega prótesis a medida para la reconstrucción de defectos óseos masivos en pelvis ¨El cirujano como diseñador del implante¨ / ORTHOPAEDIC RECONSTRUCTION OF MASSIVE PELVIC BONE DEFECTS AFTER PELVIC TUMOUR RESECTION

Despite major developments in the field of orthopaedic reconstruction of pelvic bone defects after pelvic tumour resection, massive pelvic bone loss with bone defect and pelvic discontinuity, still remains a complex problem. Resection of big musculoskeletal sarcomas of the pelvis and the later reconstruction of the residual defect constitutes one of the more exigent challenges of orthopaedic surgery. The authors present a method for reconstruction with a personalized prosthesis by mean of a rapid prototype specially designed for each occasion. The authors describe this individually prefabricated prosthesis based on rapid prototyíng technique with a computer-assisted design in a 3D printing based version. The results obtained are presented and commented.

Intertrochanteric partial osteotomy for posterior hip approach.

The posterior dislocation remains one unresolved complication of the posterior approach to the hip joint. In this study, a variation of the posterior hip approach - a partial osteotomy of the greater trochanter - was performed in order to investigate whether it provides better stability to the operated hip joint and reduces the risk of dislocation. We carried out a partial intertrochanteric osteotomy, initially in a cadaveric model and then in 68 patients (30 acute neck of femur fractures and 38 patients with hip osteoarthritis) requiring a total hip replacement. The osteotomised fragment was reattached with wires. All arthroplasties were cemented with Müller acetabular component and Charnley-type stem with a 28-mm interchangeable neck. Intraoperatively, all hips were tested for stability. After the osteosynthesis of the osteotomised fragment, hip dislocation points were increased more than 15% in the flexion and 10% in the internal rotation plane of movement. At one year follow up, no dislocation was observed in the clinical component of the study. This technique was found reliable in providing a stable hip joint.