Studies with 17 beta(16 alpha-[125i]iodo)-estradiol, an estrogen receptor-binding radiopharmaceutical, in rats bearing mammary tumors.

We have studied the distribution of 17 beta(16 alpha-[125I]iodo)-estradiol (I-E2) in tumor-bearing and normal rats. High early adrenal-to-blood ratios (up to 22 at 5 min) were seen in all groups, but this fell to six at 1 hr. Uterus-to-blood ratios of 15 were found, and these were fairly constant up to 2 hr after administration. Uptake of label in the uterus, but not in the adrenals, was sensitive to excess diethylstilbestrol, which competes with I-E2 for estrogen receptors. Mean tumor-to-blood ratios of 1.4, 5.5, and 8.7 were seen at 1 hr in rats with transplanted, spontaneous, and N-nitrosomethylurea-induced tumors, respectively. Diethylstilbestrol was shown to reduce uptake of label by spontaneous tumors. Most of the radioactivity was excreted in the bile by 1 hr. Better estrogen-receptor-binding radiopharmaceuticals can probably be designed.

Successful hemostasis during a major orthopedic operation by using recombinant activated factor VII in a patient with severe hemophilia A and a potent inhibitor.

The treatment of bleeding episodes and the provision of perioperative hemostasis in patients with hemophilia in whom coagulation factor inhibitors have developed are a major therapeutic challenge because ordinary replacement therapy is usually ineffective. Herein we report the use of recombinant activated factor VII (rFVIIa) in providing successful hemostasis in a patient with hemophilia A and a high-titer inhibitor to factor VIII during a major orthopedic operation. rFVIIa (102 micrograms/kg) was administered intravenously every 2 to 3 hours for a total of 9 days. No excessive bleeding occurred intraoperatively or postoperatively, and no adverse effects attributable to rFVIIa were observed. This surgical procedure probably represented a greater hemostatic challenge than any previously reported operation in which rFVIIa was used. Thus, this article adds considerably to the growing body of literature that suggests the safety and efficacy of rFVIIa in providing perioperative hemostasis and treating severe bleeding episodes in patients with hemophilia and inhibitors refractory to other treatment modalities.

Klippel-Trénaunay syndrome: spectrum and management.

OBJECTIVE: To describe a series of 252 patients with Klippel-Trénaunay syndrome (KTS), a rare congenital malformation characterized by the triad of capillary malformations, atypical varicosities or venous malformations, and bony or soft tissue hypertrophy usually affecting one extremity. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We reviewed the clinical characteristics and findings in 136 female and 116 male patients with KTS who underwent assessment at Mayo Clinic Rochester between January 1956 and January 1995. In addition, management options are discussed. RESULTS: Capillary malformations (port-wine stains) were found in 246 patients (98%), varicosities or venous malformations in 182 (72%), and limb hypertrophy in 170 (67%). All three features of KTS were present in 159 patients (63%), and 93 (37%) had two of the three features. Atypical veins, including lateral veins and persistent sciatic vein, occurred in 182 patients (72%). Operations performed in 145 patients with KTS included epiphysiodesis, stripping of varicose veins or venous malformations, excision of vascular malformations, amputations, and debulking procedures. CONCLUSION: Most patients with KTS should be managed conservatively. The clearest indication for operation is a leg length discrepancy projected to exceed 2.0 cm at skeletal maturity, which can be treated with epiphysiodesis in the growing child. If a functioning deep vein system is present, removal of symptomatic varicosities or localized superficial venous malformations in selected patients can yield good results.

The effect of superior placement of the acetabular component on the rate of loosening after total hip arthroplasty.

A method for measurement of the true acetabular region and the approximate femoral head center as well as a classification consisting of four zones for assessment of the acetabular position of the acetabular cup were used to analyze the results of primary total hip arthroplasty with cement in 117 patients (145 hips). All patients had Crowe type-II congenital dysplasia of the hip. The mean age at the time of the arthroplasty was fifty-one years (range, fifteen to seventy-six years), and the mean duration of follow-up was fourteen years (range, two to twenty-two years). The initial position of the acetabular cup outside of the true acetabular region and outside of zone 1 (inferior and medial) was associated with an increase in the rates of loosening (p < 0.05) and revision (p < 0.04) of the femoral components. Cups that initially were more than fifteen millimeters superior to the approximate femoral head center, without lateral displacement, were associated with an increased rate of loosening (p < 0.001) and of revision (p < 0.04) of the femoral components as well as with an increased rate of loosening (p < 0.002) and of revision (p < 0.01) of the acetabular components. These findings suggest that superior positioning of the acetabular component, even without lateral displacement, leads to increased rates of loosening of the femoral and acetabular components. An attempt should be made to position the acetabular component in or near the true acetabular region.

Long-term outcome of lumbar discectomy in children and adolescents sixteen years of age or younger.

We retrospectively reviewed the cases of seventy-two consecutive patients who had a lumbar discectomy, between 1950 and 1983, when they were sixteen years of age or younger. There were forty boys and thirty-two girls. At the time of the lumbar discectomy, twelve patients (17 per cent) also had a spinal arthrodesis. The mean duration of follow-up was 27.8 years (range, twelve to forty-five years). Twenty patients (28 per cent) had one reoperation or more, with the first reoperation performed at a mean of 9.7 years after the initial discectomy. Fourteen patients had one reoperation, four had two reoperations, one had three, and one had five. Fifty-two patients (72 per cent) did not need a reoperation. At the time of the latest follow-up, forty-eight (92 per cent) of the fifty-two patients either had no pain or had occasional pain related to strenuous activity and fifty-one (98 per cent) could participate in daily activities with no or mild limitations. Survivorship analysis showed that the overall probability that a patient would not need a reoperation was 80 per cent at ten years and 74 per cent at twenty years after the initial operation. With the numbers available for study, we could not show that age, gender, or an arthrodesis performed at the time of the initial operation were risk factors for a reoperation. We could not detect a difference, with respect to pain or the level of activity, between the patients who had had an arthrodesis at the initial operation and those who had not or between those who had a coexisting structural abnormality of the lumbar spine and those who did not.

Gait abnormalities following resection of talocalcaneal coalition.

Eleven patients (fourteen feet) had resection of a coalition of the middle facet of the talocalcaneal joint because of symptoms that had been present for a mean of four years (range, 0.5 to nine years). The mean age at the time of the resection was seventeen years (range, thirteen to thirty-two years). Nine patients were male and two were female. Five feet had resection of the bone bridge with interposition of fat or tendon, and nine had resection without any interposed material. The mean duration of follow-up was six years (range, two to thirteen years). The clinical result was excellent for five feet, good for four, fair for three, and poor for two. Inversion was 8 +/- 4.5 degrees (mean and standard deviation) on the involved side and 17 +/- 6.2 degrees on the uninvolved side (p = 0.002). Three feet later had evidence of osteoarthrosis of the subtalar joint. Gait analysis demonstrated decreased motion of the hindfoot and the ankle, compared with that in normal subjects and with that in the contralateral (uninvolved) foot, in the sagittal and coronal planes during walking on a level surface. Motion was also reduced, particularly in the sagittal and coronal planes, during walking on a side slope. Ground-reaction forces (F8 and F9), temporal force factors (T2, T3, and T7), and the percentage of the gait cycle that consisted of the stance phase on the side-sloping walkway were different from those in normal subjects or in the uninvolved foot. These data indicate that, although most of our patients who had resection of a talocalcaneal coalition had a successful clinical result, most had a residual functional deficit.

Aneurysmal bone cyst of the spine. Management and outcome.

STUDY DESIGN: The clinical records, radiographs, histologic sections, and operative reports of 52 consecutive patients with an aneurysmal bone cyst of the spine were reviewed to evaluate diagnostic and therapeutic options and to correlate treatment and outcome. OBJECTIVES: To define the incidence, clinical presentation, diagnostic and therapeutic options, and prognosis of patients with aneurysmal bone cyst of the spine. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: There are special considerations in the management of spinal lesions: relative inaccessibility of the lesions, associated intraoperative bleeding, necessity of removing the entire lesion to avoid the possibility of recurrence, proximity of the lesion to the spinal cord and nerve roots, and potential postoperative bony spinal instability. METHODS: Fifty-two consecutive patients with an aneurysmal bone cyst of the spine were treated from 1910 to 1993. Forty patients initially treated for a primary lesion had operative treatment (19 intralesional excision and bone grafting and 21 intralesional excision); four also had adjuvant radiation therapy. Preoperative arterial embolization was performed in two. RESULTS: There was a recurrence rate of 10% within 10 years. All recurrences were noted less than 6 months after surgery. Of 12 patients treated for a recurrent lesion, two had a subsequent recurrence (16.7%) within 9 years. At last follow-up examination, 50 patients (96%) were free of the disease. One patient died of postradiation osteosarcoma, and one died of intraoperative bleeding. CONCLUSION: Current treatment recommendations involve preoperative selective arterial embolization, intralesional excision curettage, bone grafting, and fusion of the affected area if instability is present.

Fishtail deformity following fracture of the distal humerus in children: historical review, case presentations, discussion of etiology, and thoughts on treatment.

Fishtail deformity is an uncommon complication of distal humeral fractures in children. This article reports four cases accompanied by premature closure of a portion of the distal humeral physis with resultant deformity, length retardation, decreased elbow motion, and functional impairment. The ages of the patients at time of injury ranged from 4 years 2 months to 6 years 1 month (average 5 years 4 months). The average length of follow-up was 9 years 9 months (range, 3 years 5 months to 18 years 10 months). The cause of the arrest is multifactorial and may be due to a gap in reduction of an intracondylar fracture, avascular necrosis of the epiphysis, or central premature physeal arrest (bar formation) without a fracture gap or avascular necrosis. If identified in a young child, surgical closure of the medial and lateral portion of the physis may prevent the deformity from progressing and would not cause significant additional humeral length discrepancy.

Management of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.

Knowledge regarding the etiology, natural history, evaluation, and treatment of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis continues to accumulate. Although the etiology of scoliosis remains unknown, spinal cord and brainstem pathology may play a role in its development. Natural history studies have confirmed earlier reports documenting respiratory failure in patients with curves of greater than 110 degrees. Screening tests are becoming more specific, limiting the number of unnecessary referrals. Surgical treatment has been advanced by the introduction of new instrumentation systems that attempt to correct spinal deformity in three dimensions. Unfortunately, problems such as postoperative decompensation have raised new questions that remain only partially answered.

Results of total hip arthroplasty for Crowe Type III developmental hip dysplasia.

From 1969 through 1980, 90 hips in 82 patients had cemented total hip arthroplasty for Type III developmental hip dysplasia. Seventy hips were reviewed at an average of 16.6 years (range, 5-23 years) after operation. Aseptic loosening developed in 53% of acetabular cups and 40% of femoral stems. Despite attempts to place acetabular components in the anatomic center, 18 cups (25.7%) were placed outside that area. Using a measurement method to determine the true acetabular region and approximate femoral head center, final acetabular loosening strongly correlated with initial cup placement. Loosening occurred in 15 of 18 cups (83.3%) initially positioned outside of the true acetabular region compared with loosening in 22 of 52 cups (42.3%) initially positioned within the true acetabular region. Acetabular loosening also correlated with initial lateral displacement or initial superior displacement of the hip center from the approximate femoral head center. Initial cup placement medial to the approximate femoral head center was predictive of successful long term acetabular component fixation. The method of acetabular reconstruction did not affect eventual cup loosening. Placement of the hip arthroplasty center of rotation in or near the true acetabular region is recommended.

A population-based study of school scoliosis screening.

CONTEXT: Although school-based screening programs for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis are mandated in 26 states in the United States, few program outcomes data exist regarding the effectiveness of such programs. OBJECTIVE: To determine the effectiveness of a community-based school scoliosis screening program. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Retrospective cohort study of children who attended kindergarten or first grade at public or private schools in Rochester, Minn, during 1979-1982. Children were followed up until age 19 years or until they left the school district. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Number of children diagnosed and treated for scoliosis, based on results from scoliosis screenings performed annually in grades 5 through 9, linked to community medical records data; performance characteristics of the screening program. RESULTS: Of the 2242 children screened, 92 (4.1 %) were referred for further evaluation. Of these, 68 (74%) had documented medical or chiropractic evaluation of scoliosis. School screening identified 5 of the 9 children treated for scoliosis but resulted in referrals for another 87 children who were not treated. The cumulative incidence of diagnosed scoliosis in this population was 1.8% (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.2%-2.3%) for curves of more than 10 degrees, 1.0% (95% CI, 0.6%-1.5%) for curves of at least 20 degrees, and 0.4% (95% CI, 0.1 %-0.6%) for curves of 40 degrees or more; 0.4% (0.5% of girls and 0.3% of boys) were treated for scoliosis. The positive predictive value of the school screening program for the identification of treated scoliosis was 0.05 (95% CI, 0.048-0.052), with 448 children needed to screen to identify 1 child who subsequently received treatment. The percent positive agreement across consecutive years of screening varied from 7% to 30%. CONCLUSION: In this population, school scoliosis screening identified some children who went on to receive treatment but referred many more who did not. These data should be considered in making decisions regarding school scoliosis screening.

Haemorrhage into a popliteal cyst: an unusual complication of haemophilia A.

A 7(1/2)-year-old boy with severe haemophilia A had increasing discomfort and pain in his left knee after sledding on ice and landing on his knees. Left knee pain persisted for days despite recombinant factor VIII replacement. Imaging studies showed that by day 10 a popliteal cyst had ruptured, with diffusion of blood into the calf muscles. This case illustrates another possible bleeding complication in patients with a bleeding disorder and a popliteal cyst.

The predictors of red cell transfusions in total hip arthroplasties.

BACKGROUND: Most blood crossmatched in a hospital blood bank is for surgical patients, and the majority is never transfused. The maximal standard blood order schedule is used to promote efficient ordering practices for surgical patients. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: To ascertain the predictors of red cell transfusions for patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty, the charts of 299 adult patients undergoing primary and revision total hip arthroplasty were reviewed. A surgical blood order equation was developed for calculating the number of units of red cells that should be ordered. Stepwise regression analysis was used to determine which patient-and-case-related variables should be considered in the surgical blood order equation. RESULTS: The significant indicators for allogeneic red cell transfusion to patients on the day of total hip arthroplasty were preoperative hemoglobin concentration, weight, age, estimated blood loss, and aspirin use. The surgical blood order equation would result in a lower crossmatch-to-transfusion ratio than would the maximal standard blood order schedule (1.23 vs. 3.14). Costs were also lower with the surgical blood order equation. CONCLUSION: Incorporation of patient factors resulted in increased efficiency of blood-ordering practices in total hip arthroplasty.