Antimicrobial Activity Evaluation on Silver Doped Hydroxyapatite/Polydimethylsiloxane Composite Layer.

The goal of this study was the preparation, physicochemical characterization, and microbiological evaluation of novel hydroxyapatite doped with silver/polydimethylsiloxane (Ag:HAp-PDMS) composite layers. In the first stage, the deposition of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) polymer layer on commercially pure Si disks has been produced in atmospheric pressure corona discharges. Finally, the new silver doped hydroxyapatite/polydimethylsiloxane composite layer has been obtained by the thermal evaporation technique. The Ag:HAp-PDMS composite layers were characterized by various techniques, such as Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Glow Discharge Optical Emission Spectroscopy (GDOES), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The antimicrobial activity of the Ag:HAp-PDMS composite layer was assessed against Candida albicans ATCC 10231 (ATCC-American Type Culture Collection) by culture based and confirmed by SEM and Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy (CLSM) methods. This is the first study reporting the antimicrobial effect of the Ag:HAp-PDMS composite layer, which proved to be active against Candida albicans biofilm embedded cells.

Congenital scoliosis: an up-to-date.

Congenital scoliosis represents a spinal malformation due to defects of formation, segmentation or mixed ones. It is characterized by a longitudinal and rotational imbalance. 54 patients were analyzed and 39 out of them were operated by various approaches with anterior and posterior instrumentations during 2000 and 2012. The impossibility to appoint some patients encountered in the daily practice into the known classifications, allowed us to purpose two categories of congenital scoliosis related to the predominance of spinal deviances in the coronal and transversal views. No certain etiology of congenital scoliosis has been identified until today. The susceptibility of some polygenic defects is obvious due to the presence of a sum of defects associated to most of the congenital scoliosis cases and the rarity of the presence of a unique defect. The diagnosis requires a thorough clinical and imaging examination in order to establish an individualized therapeutic strategy. The treatment of congenital scoliosis is different from the adolescent idiopathic one. Therapeutic criteria are significantly different. It is essential to assess the difference in growth of the concavity related to the convexity when choosing a particular procedure. The magnitude of the curve and the progressive rate are fundamental issues to the surgeon.

Pesamosca osteoplasty: surgical procedure for the spatial correction of cubitus varus or valgus post malunited supracondylar fractures of the humerus.

INTRODUCTION: Supracondylar fractures of the humerus represent a current concern in the child's and adolescent's osteo-articular pathology. Even though orthopedic reductions are made correctly, fractures can become displaced when managed only by cast immobilization and complications may arise. The most frequent complications encountered in "Prof. Dr. Alexandru Pesamosca" Clinique, Bucharest, Romania, due to supracondylar humeral fractures, are valgus or varus deviations with angles that can sometimes exceed 40 degrees as a result of malunion. Varus or valgus deformations were rarely encountered after surgical treatment. The goal of this study is to present an alternative surgical technique to correct varus and valgus deformations as well as malrotation. MATERIAL AND METHOD: The study is a retrospective analysis of a 96 children study group surgically managed during 1985 and 2013. In the first period, various surgical techniques have been performed: cuneiform resections, step-cut osteotomies, open wedge osteotomies with external fixation, epiphysiodesis, hemichondrodiatasis and Pesamosca metaphyseal diaphyseal osteoplasty. Starting with 2005, all the cases that presented such complications--28 out of 96 (29.1%)--were managed with the Pesamosca procedure. Due to the malunion of supracondylar humeral fractures only varus or valgus deformities were admitted in the study. The malunion due to the pathologic fractures encountered in osteogenesis imperfecta or fibrous dysplasia was precluded. The experience accumulated with the other surgical techniques used in 68 out of 96 patients (70.9%) determined us to exclusively use the Pesamosca osteoplasty following the year 2005, seeing the simplicity and the efficiency of this procedure. RESULTS: The outcome was very good. In 5 cases out of the 28 (17%) an apparent residual elbow was encountered and one case of relapse (3%) was noted due to inadequate term of cast immobilization. The elbow's mobility was completely recovered, the thoracic member's axis was appropriate and the metaphyseal diaphyseal osteotomy site healed completely in 3 months' time. CONCLUSIONS: Compared to other surgical techniques, the Pesamosca technique offers to the surgeon the possibility of correcting the varus or the valgus deformity as well as the malrotation in a simple, secure and efficient manner.

Herbert capsuloplasty and Burnei tenomyoplasty for the correction of genu flexum in cerebral palsy, arthrogryposis and posttraumatic.

INTRODUCTION: Studies of gait dynamics revealed the complex motions that the knee must undergo in sync with the hip and ankle, in both the swing and support phase of walking. If these motions are restricted, usually as a consequence of cerebral palsy or arthrogryposis, normal gait is hindered; the patient may be able to walk for very short distances or, eventually, not at all. Children with knee extension limited by 10 - 30 degrees,especially those with cerebral palsy, exhibit a stance compatible with walking. Walking is difficult and the gait pattern, "crouch gait", is considered typical for this degree of limitation. AIM: This paper is meant as an update regarding the usefulness of Herbert knee capsuloplasty, conceived in 1938 and introduced in Romania in 1956 by Clement Baciu, and Burneidistal medial hamstring tenomyoplasty, invented in 1993. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Herbert knee capsuloplasty, although initially intended for ailments other than spasticity or arthrogryposis,became known, in time, as a useful operation for spastic genu flexum with a 15 to 30 degree limitation of extension. Severing the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) in children less than 10 years old often results in genu recurva tumor joint instability. In order to avoid these complications, PCL transection has been phased out and our clinic started to use, preferentially for spastic genu flexum rather than arthrogryposis,the Burnei tenomyoplasty. When applied in the same operative session, the two techniques complement each other and act in synergy. RESULTS: Herbert capsuloplasty can achieve only partial correction of genu flexum ranging between 30 and 60 degrees of extension deficit. Full extension is opposed by the PCL,contracture of the hamstrings and vascular retraction. Burnei tenomyoplasty used by itself is useful for genu flexum with less than 30 degrees of extension deficit. For children with 30 to 60 degrees of knee extension deficit, combining the Herbertand Burnei procedures achieves the best results. CONCLUSIONS: The simultaneous application of Herbert capsuloplasty and Burnei tenomyoplasty allows for the correction of stiff genu flexum and enables the patient to resume walking,with or without support. This course of treatment also avoids the progression of genu flexum beyond 60 degrees, which would require an osteotomy. This combined procedure avoids the cartilage lesions which may develop when patients with 30- 60 degree genu flexum undergo Herbert capsuloplasty alone.Not in the least, the risk of postoperative knee dislocation is significantly reduced.