Outcomes of direct superior approach and posterolateral approach for hemiarthroplasty in the treatment of elderly patients with displaced femoral neck fractures: A comparative study.

Hemiarthroplasty is a surgical choice for super-aged patients with a high surgical risk and a sedentary lifestyle. The direct superior approach (DSA), a minimally invasive modification of the posterior approach, is rarely studied in hemiarthroplasty. The aim of the present study was to compare the clinical outcomes in elderly patients with displaced femoral neck fractures undergoing hemiarthroplasty via DSA with the conventional posterolateral approach (PLA). A total of 48 elderly patients with displaced femoral neck fractures who underwent hemiarthroplasty between February 2020 and March 2021 were retrospectively included in the study. Of them, 24 patients (mean age 84.54 ± 2.11 years) were treated with hemiarthroplasty via DSA (DSA group), while the other 24 patients (mean age 84.92 ± 2.15 years) were treated with hemiarthroplasty via PLA (PLA group). Clinical outcomes, perioperative data, and complications were recorded. There were no obvious differences in the baseline characteristics between the DSA and PLA groups, including age, gender, body mass index, Garden type, American Society of Anesthesiologists score, and hematocrit. Perioperative data showed that the length of the incision in the DSA group was smaller than that in the PLA group (p < 0.001). However, the duration of the operation and blood loss in the DSA group were longer and higher than those in the PLA group, respectively (p < 0.001). In addition, the DSA group had a shorter hospitalization time than the PLA group (p < 0.001). The visual analog scale score and Harris score 1 month postoperatively in the DSA group were better than those in the PLA group (p < 0.001). Moreover, there were no significant differences between the two groups in Harris score (for assessment dysfunction) 6 months postoperatively (p > 0.05). DSA is less invasive and has better clinical outcomes, which can allow an early return to daily living activities in elderly patients with displaced femoral neck fractures undergoing hemiarthroplasty.

Establishment of a bipedal rat model of lumbar facet joint osteoarthritis using intraarticular injection of urinary plasminogen activator.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have demonstrated that by injecting uPA into the lumbar facet joints (LFJ) of normal rats, a rat LFJOA animal model can be successfully established. However, there is no evidence that intraarticular injection of uPA can induce or much serious osteoarthritis in bipedal rats, which biomechanics is much more similar to human than normal rats. To investigate whether intraarticular injection of urinary plasminogen activator (uPA) can induce LFJOA and low back pain symptoms in bipedal rats. METHODS: An experimental study on the construction of a modified animal model of lumbar facet joints osteoarthritis (LFJOA) which biomechanics is similar to human. Sprague-Dawley rats were treated with intraarticular injection of uPA in the L5-L6 facet joints (uPA group, n = 15) or saline (saline group, n = 15). The forelimbs of both two group rats were amputated. Mechanical and thermal hyperalgesia in the ipsilateral hind paws were evaluated using von Frey hairs and a thermoalgesia instrument, respectively. Toluidine blue staining, hematoxylin-eosin staining, and immunohistochemical examination of the LFJ was performed. RESULTS: The saline group rats have not demonstrated significant osteoarthritis in rats LFJ after surgery. The uPA group has not been induced significantly higher mechanical and thermal hyperalgesia in comparison with the saline group. But intraarticular injection of uPA in biped rats induced significantly stronger articular cartilage damage, synovitis, and proliferation of synovial cells in the LFJ. Inflammatory factors such as iNOS, IL-1ß, and TNF-a were more significantly expressed in bipedal rat injected with uPA (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Intraarticular injection of uPA can induce LFJOA in bipedal rats, while upright posture does not induce osteoarthritis in rats LFJ in the short term.

[Different skin-stretching devices for the treatment of skin and soft tissue defects].

OBJECTIVE: To compare clinical effects of tension-relief system(TRS) and self-made skin-stretching devices in treating skin and soft tissue defects caused by trauma. METHODS: Totally 41 patients with skin and soft tissue defects caused by trauma treated by skin-stretching devices were retrospectively analyzed from June 2015 to October 2016, including 28 males and 13 females, aged from 22 to 64 years old with an average of(43.2±10.4) years old. The patients were divided into two groups according to therapeutic methods, 18 patients were treated by TRS, including 11 males and 7 females, aged from 22 to 61 years old with an average of (41.7±9.5) years old; 5 patients injured on the upper limb, 11 patients on lower limb and 2 patients on the back; the area of defect ranged from 42 to 160 cm² with an average of(78.6±17.4) cm². Twenty-three patients were treated by self-made skin stretching device, included 17 males and 6 females, aged from 25 to 64 years old with an average of (44.4±12.7) years old; 6 patients injured on the upper limb, 13 patients on lower limb and 4 patients on the back; the area of defect ranged from 54 to 175 cm² with an average of(75.2±14.3) cm². Primary closure at stage I, blood loss, operation time, healing time of wound, complications between two groups were compared, VAS score was used to evaluate pain relief, vancouver scar scale(VSS) was used to assess recover of postoperative scars. RESULTS: Forty-one patients were followed up ranged from 3 to 12 months with an average of(16.2±3.7) months. There were no significant difference between two groups in blood loss and operation time(P>0.05). In TRS group, 16 patients' injury were closured directly, wound healing time of 16 patients were over 3 about weeks, VAS score was 3.9±1.1, VSS score was 3.5±1.2, and 1 patient occurred complication; In self-made skin stretch group, 12 patients' injury were closured directly, wound healing time of 9 patients were over 3 about weeks, VAS score was 4.8±1.4, VSS score was 5.3±1.6, and 9 patients occurred complication; there were no statistical differences between two groups in these items. CONCLUSIONS: Compared with self-made skin stretch, TRS has advantages of good effect of wound, minimal trauma, short healing time, less pain, good outlook, and less complication.