Stabilization of flail chest injuries: minimized approach techniques to treat the core of instability.

PURPOSE: Stabilizing techniques of flail chest injuries usually need wide approaches to the chest wall. Three main regions need to be considered when stabilizing the rib cage: median-anterior with dissection of pectoral muscle; lateral-axillary with dissection of musculi (mm) serratus, externus abdominis; posterior inter spinoscapular with division of mm rhomboidei, trapezius and latissimus dorsi. Severe morbidity due to these invasive approaches needs to be considered. This study discusses possibilities for minimized approaches to the shown regions. METHOD: Fifteen patients were stabilized by locked plate osteosynthesis (MatrixRib®) between May 2012 and April 2014 and prospectively followed up. Flail chest injuries were managed through limited incisions to the anterior, the lateral, and the posterior parts of the chest wall or their combinations. Each approach was 4-10 cm using Alexis® retractor. RESULTS: One minimized approach offered sufficient access at least to four ribs posterior and laterally, four pairs of ribs anterior in all cases. There was no need to divide latissimus dorsi muscle. Trapezius und rhomboid muscles were only limited divided, whereas a subcutaneous dissection of serratus and abdominis muscles was necessary. A follow-up showed sufficient consolidation. COMPLICATIONS: pneumothorax (2) and seroma (2). CONCLUSION: Minimized approaches allow sufficient stabilization of severe dislocated rib fractures without extensive dissection or division of the important muscles. Keeping the arm and, thus, the scapula mobile is very important for providing the largest reachable surface of the rib cage through each approach.

First clinical study of a novel complete metal-free ceramic total knee replacement system.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of a novel metal-free ceramic total knee replacement system. METHODS: Thirty-eight primary total knee arthroplasties (TKAs) were performed on 34 patients using the metal-free BPK-S ceramic total knee replacement system with both the femoral and tibial components of an alumina/zirconia ceramic composite. The clinical outcome was evaluated pre- and postoperatively at 3 (n = 32 TKA) and 12 months (n = 32 TKA) using the Knee Society Score (KSS), the Oxford Knee Score and the EQ-5D. Safety analysis was performed by radiological examination and assessment of adverse events. RESULTS: Postoperatively, the KSS, Oxford Knee Score and EQ-5D improved significantly at 3 and 12 months (p < 0.001). Non-progressive partial radiolucent lines were observed in six cases, but there was no osteolysis and no implant loosening. Induction or exacerbation of allergies did not occur during the follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: The metal-free BPK-S ceramic total knee replacement system proved to be a safe and clinically efficient alternative to metal implants in this short-term follow-up study.

Prospective evaluation of follow-up in melanoma patients in Germany - results of a multicentre and longitudinal study.

BACKGROUND: Patient numbers requiring long-term melanoma surveillance are constantly rising. Surveillance is costly and guideline recommendations vary substantially. METHODS: In this German nationwide study, information on surveillance and treatment of patients diagnosed with melanoma and melanoma in situ (MMis) between April and June 2008 was prospectively collected over four years. Additionally, patient self-report questionnaires were evaluated to assess anxiety, depression, health-related quality of life, socio-demographic information and use of disease specific health information sources at year 4 after primary diagnosis. RESULTS: Complete data was available for 668 patients from 67 centres, of whom 96.0% were in regular melanoma surveillance. In year 3-4 of surveillance, only 55.6% of locoregionary metastases were detected during surveillance visits. Only 33.3% were self-detected by the patient even though 69.4% were documented as being clinically visible or palpable. Costs of 4year surveillance of 550 patients without tumour recurrence (stage I-IIC and MMis) accumulated to 228,155.75 €. Guideline-adherence for follow-up frequency, lymph node ultrasound, S100 serum level tests and diagnostic imaging recommendations was approximately 60% in year 3-4 of surveillance. Multivariate regression analysis showed that certain patient/tumour characteristics and regional differences were significantly associated with guideline deviations. The percentage of patients who exceeded published cut-off scores indicating clinically relevant symptoms of anxiety and depression were significantly increased. Patients frequently reported lack of psychosocial support and education but ascribed great importance to these. CONCLUSIONS: We recommend further reduction of melanoma follow-up in low-risk melanoma patients and improvement of psycho-social support and patient education for all melanoma patients.

In vivo evaluation of biomechanical properties in the patellofemoral joint after matrix-associated autologous chondrocyte transplantation by means of quantitative T2 MRI.

PURPOSE: To determine in vivo biomechanical properties of articular cartilage and cartilage repair tissue of the patella, using biochemical MRI by means of quantitative T2 mapping. METHODS: Twenty MR scans were achieved at 3T MRI, using a new 8-channel multi-function coil allowing controlled bending of the knee. Multi-echo spin-echo T2 mapping was prepared in healthy volunteers and in age- and sex-matched patients after matrix-associated autologous chondrocyte transplantation (MACT) of the patella. MRI was performed at 0° and 45° of flexion of the knee after 0 min and after 1 h. A semi-automatic region-of-interest analysis was performed for the whole patella cartilage. To allow stratification with regard to the anatomical (collagen) structure, further subregional analysis was carried out (deep-middle-superficial cartilage layer). Statistical analysis of variance was performed. RESULTS: During 0° flexion (decompression), full-thickness T2 values showed no significant difference between volunteers (43 ms) and patients (41 ms). Stratification was more pronounced for healthy cartilage compared to cartilage repair tissue. During 45° flexion (compression), full-thickness T2 values within volunteers were significantly increased (54 ms) compared to patients (44 ms) (p < 0.001). Again, stratification was more pronounced in volunteers compared to patients. The volunteer group showed no significant increase in T2 values measured in straight position and in bended position. There was no significant difference between the 0- and the 60-min MRI examination. T2 values in the patient group increased between the 0- and the 60-min examination. However, the increase was only significant in the superior cartilage layer of the straight position (p = 0.021). CONCLUSION: During compression (at 45° flexion), healthy patellar cartilage showed a significant increase in T2-values, indicating adaptations of water content and collagen fibril orientation to mechanical load. This could not be observed within the patella cartilage after cartilage repair (MACT) of the patella, most obvious due to a lack of biomechanical adjustment. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III.

Decrease of sympathetic cardiovascular modulation after temporal lobe epilepsy surgery.

In temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE), there is evidence of ictal and interictal autonomic dysregulation, predominantly with sympathetic overactivity. The effects of TLE surgery on autonomic cardiovascular control and on baroreflex sensitivity (BRS) have not been studied. To evaluate such effects, we monitored heart rate (HR), systolic blood pressure (BP(sys)) and respiration in 18 TLE patients 3-4 months before and after TLE surgery. We used Blackman-Tukey spectral analysis to assess sympathetic and parasympathetic modulation as powers of HR and BP(sys) oscillations in the low frequency (LF, 0.04-0.15 Hz) and high frequency (HF, 0.15-0.5 Hz) bands. BRS was determined as the LF transfer function gain between BP and HR. After surgery, HR, BP(sys), respiration and HF powers remained unchanged, while LF powers of HR (1.57 +/- 1.54 bpm(2)) and BP(sys) (2.19 +/- 1.34 mmHg(2)) and BRS (0.68 +/- 0.31 bpm/mmHg) were smaller than pre-surgical LF powers of HR (3.87 +/- 3.26 bpm(2)) and BP(sys) (4.80 +/- 3.84 mmHg(2)) and BRS (1.12 +/- 0.39 bpm/mmHg; P < 0.05). After TLE surgery, there is a reduction of sympathetic cardiovascular modulation and BRS that might result from decreased influences of interictal epileptogenic discharges on brain areas involved in cardiovascular autonomic control. TLE surgery seems to stabilize the cardiovascular control in epilepsy patients by reducing the risk of sympathetically mediated tachyarrhythmias and excessive bradycardiac counter-regulation, both of which might be relevant for the pathophysiology of sudden unexpected death in epilepsy patients (SUDEP). Thus, TLE surgery might contribute to reducing the risk of SUDEP.