RESUMEN
A malignant bone tumour may develop in the femur of a child. In the majority of cases it will be necessary to resect the bone involved, growth plate and adjacent tissues. A modular endoprosthetic system has been developed which can be extended non-invasively to bridge the defect resulting from such a resection. Elongation is achieved by using an external magnetic field. In vitro tests with a prototype showed that the lengthening element met all requirements. Six animal experiments showed that the lengthening element also functioned in vivo.
Asunto(s)
Alargamiento Óseo/instrumentación , Prótesis e Implantes , Tibia/cirugía , Animales , Neoplasias Óseas/cirugía , Fenómenos Electromagnéticos , Cabras , Técnicas In Vitro , Diseño de PrótesisRESUMEN
A leg length inequality can be treated by using a Wagner distractor. With this apparatus, it is possible to extend the upper or lower leg slowly. By analysing the measurements of the axial force acting on the femur or tibia the treatment can be optimized and soft tissue damage prevented. To measure the axial force, a load cell has been designed and constructed. This load cell is built into a Wagner distractor and connected with a specially designed measuring amplifier. The load cell and amplifier do not interfere with the lengthening procedure. They are safe for the patient and have an acceptable error of 7 per cent. So far, some test measurements were performed on two patients in the Rummelsberg Hospital in West Germany. The load cell proved to function in a clinical situation.
Asunto(s)
Alargamiento Óseo/instrumentación , Adolescente , Diseño de Equipo , Femenino , Humanos , Diferencia de Longitud de las Piernas/terapia , Estrés MecánicoRESUMEN
The Dutch College of General Practitioners recently published the practice guideline 'Erectile dysfunction'. The prevalence of erectile dysfunction increases with age. A lot of the men suffering from erectile dysfunction do not consult their general practitioner, or only do so after a lot of delay. It is recommended that inquiry about erectile dysfunction be made during routine follow-up consultations for co-morbid conditions.