Suprapectoral biceps tenodesis with bicortical drilling procedures: anatomic analysis of chondral and axillary nerve risk with transhumeral pin guide.

BACKGROUND: Many biceps tenodesis (BT) procedures are described for treating proximal biceps pathology. Axillary nerve injury has been reported during BT using bicortical drilling techniques with variable results depending on the location. In addition, there is a risk of potential articular damage during suprapectoral BT. We sought to determine the distance between the axillary nerve and the posterior passage of a bicortical pin, as well as the risk of articular damage, and to analyze whether a lateral inclination of the pin could avoid the chondral risk during suprapectoral BT with bicortical drilling. METHODS: Ten cadaveric shoulders were divided into 2 groups. In the first group, we determined the axillary nerve distance from the posterior exit point of 3 pins in a suprapectoral position 15 mm distal to the humeral cartilage: perpendicular, 10° caudal, and 20° caudal inclination. We measured 2 distances from the pin: to the axillary nerve and to the cartilage border. In the second group, we set one pin at the same perpendicular position and set the second pin 15° laterally tilted to determine its extra-articular passage. RESULTS: No pin injured the nerve, whereas all pins showed a transchondral direction. The 20° caudal inclination was the nearest to the nerve (18.8 mm [95% confidence interval, 5.5-32 mm]), but the perpendicular position was the safer position (38.8 mm [95% confidence interval, 28-49.6 mm]). Tilting the pin direction 15° laterally prevented cartilage damage (P = .008). CONCLUSIONS: Suprapectoral BT with bicortical drilling performed 15 mm distal to the humeral cartilage is a safe procedure regarding the axillary nerve. A potential humeral chondral injury could be prevented with 15° of lateral inclination of the pin guide.

[Safety and efficacy of Vildagliptin in real life Chilean diabetic patients]. / Evaluación del perfil de eficacia y seguridad de vildagliptina en vida real de pacientes chilenos con diabetes mellitus tipo 2.

BACKGROUND: Vildagliptin is a dipeptidyl peptidase IV inhibitor (DPP4i). Its efficacy and safety of DPP4i in Chilean real life type 2 diabetic (T2D) patients is not well known. AIM: To assess the safety profile and effectiveness of 12 weeks of treatment with Vildagliptin for glycemic control in T2D Chilean patients with a poor glycemic control. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Retrospective assessment of the effects of Vildagliptin treatment during 12 weeks in 103 T2D patients aged 29 to 92 years (47% males). The main outcomes were changes in glycosylated hemoglobin and the occurrence of adverse effects. RESULTS: After 12 weeks of Vildagliptin use, glycosylated hemoglobin decreased from 8.3 ± 1.4 to 7.2 ± 1.1% (p < 0.01). Fasting plasma glucose and the number of hypoglycemic events also decreased significantly. No significant weight change was observed. The treatment had good compliance, tolerance and patient satisfaction. CONCLUSIONS: Vildagliptin treatment reduced glycosylated hemoglobin by 1.1% and was well tolerated in this group of diabetic patients.

Endovascular management of radiotherapy-induced injury to brachiocephalic artery using covered stents.

Actinic vascular lesions tend to be stenotic-occlusive lesions. In this article, we present 2 exceptional cases of pseudoaneurysms caused by radionecrosis of the supra-aortic trunks. Both patients were treated by a retrograde carotid approach and deployment of a self-expanding covered stent. Proper exclusion of the pseudoaneurysm was attained in both cases; the first patient remained asymptomatic 12 months later; the second patient died of mediastinitis. Compared with conventional surgery, endovascular management is a viable, less invasive alternative in select patients, especially in life-threatening cases.

Management of disorders of the rotator cuff: proceedings of the ISAKOS upper extremity committee consensus meeting.

The goal of this article is to consolidate the International Society of Arthroscopy, Knee Surgery & Orthopaedic Sports Medicine (ISAKOS) Upper Extremity Committee's (UEC's) current knowledge on rotator cuff disease and management, as well as highlight key unresolved issues. The rotator cuff is an anatomically complex structure important for providing glenohumeral function and stability as part of a closed chain system. Current consensus suggests rotator cuff injuries are most accurately diagnosed, at levels similar to diagnosis by magnetic resonance imaging, with a combination of cuff- and impingement-specific clinical tests. Updates in the understanding of acromion morphology, the insertional anatomy of the rotator cuff, and the role of suprascapular nerve release may require changes to current classification systems and surgical strategies. Although initial management focuses on nonoperative protocols, discussion continues on whether surgery for isolated impingement is clinically more beneficial than rehabilitation. However, clear indications have yet to be established for the use of single- versus double-row repair because evidence confirms neither is clinically efficacious than the other. Biceps tenodesis, however, in non-isolated cuff tears has proven more successful in addressing the etiology of shoulder pain and yields improved outcomes over tenotomy. Data reviewing the benefits of tendon transfers, shoulder prostheses, and mechanical scaffolds, as well as new research on the potential benefit of platelet-rich plasma, pluripotential stem cells, and gene therapies, will also be presented.

Retrograde approach for endovascular salvage of an infrapopliteal vein bypass.

Endovascular treatment through femoropopliteal and infragenicular percutaneous transluminal angioplasty, both in native vessels and in bypass salvage, has been an emerging technique in recent years. However, in some cases, a difficult anterograde access in distal occlusions has limited the technical success of this procedure. Combined subintimal arterial flossing with antegrade-retrograde intervention is used as a resource technique to obtain precise recanalization in these cases. Here, we present the case of a retromalleolar access of the posterior tibial artery, based on subintimal arterial flossing with antegrade-retrograde intervention technique, to achieve femoral-posterior tibial bypass salvage.

Arthroscopically determined degree of injury after shoulder dislocation relates to recurrence rate.

BACKGROUND: The glenohumeral joint is the most mobile articulation in the body and the most commonly dislocated diarthrodial joint with peaks in the incidence of dislocation occurring during the second and sixth decades. Age at the time of the initial dislocation is inversely related to the recurrence rate. Traumatic anterior instability is often associated with intraarticular injuries. The frequency of injuries may increase with dislocation or subluxation episodes. QUESTIONS/PURPOSES: We compared the frequency of lesions associated with traumatic anterior instability in patients with primary and recurrent instability. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 96 selected patients with traumatic anterior instability treated arthroscopically between 2005 and 2008. Forty-five had arthroscopy after a first episode of dislocation (Group I) and 51 had two or more episodes of instability (Group II). We compared the frequencies and percentage of intraarticular lesions in both groups. RESULTS: We observed a Bankart lesion in all patients of both groups. The posterior Bankart lesion was observed more frequently in Group II than in Group I: 47% versus 28%. SLAP lesions were observed in 12% in Group I and 24% in Group II. In 10 patients in Group II, there was an associated rotator cuff tear. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with recurrent shoulder dislocation had a higher arthroscopic degree of injury. These patients presented more posterior labral lesions, SLAP tears, and rotator cuff pathology than patients with a first episode of shoulder dislocation. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level II, prognostic study. See Guidelines for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Coil embolization of persistent false lumen after stent graft repair of type B aortic dissection.

Patent false lumen after endovascular stent graft treatment of type B aortic dissection is a predictor for late death and retreatment. Between June 2008 and March 2010, five men with patent false lumen, due to a type B dissection previously treated with thoracic stent graft, underwent endovascular coiling treatment. Within a 30-day period, there were no deaths or major complications. The follow-up duration ranged from 1 to 22 months (mean 10.6 ± 8.5). Endovascular coiling of patent false lumen after endovascular stent graft treatment for type B aortic dissection avoided the risk of rupture or death due to secondary aneurysm formation.

New precontoured long locking plate for proximal metadiaphyseal fractures of the humerus: a cadaveric study for its use with the minimally invasive technique.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to identify nerves at risk when using a minimally invasive plate osteosynthesis precontoured long proximal humerus locking plate and to evaluate the risk of injury to deltoid insertion and brachialis muscle. METHODS: Ten cadaveric upper limb specimens were used. A transdeltoid anterolateral approach was performed proximally and a second anterior approach was performed distally. A 14-hole "low" long precountored ALPS locking plate (Biomet Trauma; Zimmer Biomet, Warsaw, IN, USA) was used. Subsequently, anatomic dissection to measure the anatomic relationship of the plate with the deltoid insertion, with the brachialis muscle, and with the axillary, radial, and musculocutaneous nerves was performed. RESULTS: The mean humeral length was 302 mm (standard deviation 52.3, 99% confidence interval: 259.3-344.6). In 6 specimens, the axillary nerve was located at the level of the third row of holes of the plate; in 3 specimens, at the level of the fourth row; and in one specimen, at the level of the second row. The distance between the plate and the musculocutaneous nerve was on average 10.2 mm (standard deviation 4, 99% confidence interval: 6.9-13.5) and between the plate and the radial nerve was on average 7.9 mm (standard deviation 4.7, 99% confidence interval: 4-11.8). The plate pierced the anterior distal fibers of the deltoid in all specimens. In 8 specimens, no brachialis muscle fibers were located under the plate. CONCLUSIONS: The use of the long precontoured 14-hole ALPS locking plate with the minimally invasive plate osteosynthesis technique, previously identifying the axillary and musculocutaneous nerves, is feasible; however, the distances between the plate and the nerves remain low, so caution should be maintained. Despite the curved design of the plate, the deltoid insertion is partially compromised in all cases.

A public-private collaborative model for a trauma program implementation: findings from a prospective trauma registry at 14 hospitals in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

INTRODUCTION: Trauma is a leading cause of mortality and comprises an important cause of functional impairment among young people worldwide. The trauma registry (TR) is an integral component of modern comprehensive trauma care systems. Nevertheless, TRs have not been yet established in most developing countries. The objective of this study was to summarize the challenges, results, and lessons learned from a trauma program including initial results from a TR at tertiary-care public hospitals of Buenos Aires, Argentina. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This is a descriptive study of the implementation of a trauma program in 14 hospitals and analysis of the initial results in the period between January 2010 and December 2018, using data from Fundación Trauma TR. Patients fitting injury definition that remained in hospital for more than 23 h were included. Injured patients were divided by age groups. Data on patients' demographics, mechanism of injury and severity, complications, treatments, and in-hospital mortality were analyzed between groups. A descriptive analysis is presented. RESULTS: There were 29,970 trauma cases during the study period. Median age was 23 years (RIC 12, 39) with a 2.4:1 male-to-female ratio. Road traffic injuries (RTI) were the leading mechanism (30.8%) of admission and head was the most frequently injured body region (33.2%). Two-thirds of RTIs were motorcycle-related. Overall in-hospital mortality was 6.1%. Intentional self-harm in adult males and burns in adult females had the highest mortality rates (17.6% and 17.9%, respectively). CONCLUSIONS AND DISCUSSION: The implementation of a trauma program within a public-private collaborative program in a resource-limited environment is feasible. The hospital-based TR can be used as a tool for injury surveillance, monitoring of the quality of trauma care, development of a trauma system, and to guide public health policies.

Nonintensivist Training to Increase the Staff Capacity of Intensive Care Units During COVID-19 Pandemic Surge in Argentina.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to report the results of a nationwide critical-care course for non-intensivists to increase staff capacity of intensive care units (ICUs) during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in Argentina. METHODS: Three academic organizations, with special funding from 55 private companies, developed a short virtual course comprised of Web-based videos, virtual tutorials, and a forum chat. Each state assigned scholarships to non-ICU staff from public hospitals. Students received active follow-up for the completion of the course and took a survey upon course completion. RESULTS: After 4 m, there were 10,123 students registered from 661 hospitals in 328 cities. Of these, 67.8% passed the course, 29.1% were still ongoing, and 3.1% were inactive. Most students were female (74.2%) with a median of 37 y old (IQR 31-44). The group was composed of 56.5% nurses, 36.2% physicians, and 7.4% physiotherapists, of whom 48.3% did not have any experience in critical care. Mean overall satisfaction was 4.4/5 (standard deviation, 0.9), and 90.7% considered they were able to apply the contents to their practice. CONCLUSIONS: This course was effective for rapid training of non-ICU personnel. The assignment strategy, the educational techniques, and the close follow-up led to low dropout and high success rates and satisfaction.

Subclavian venous aneurysm: endovascular treatment.

Few cases of venous aneurysm involving the subclavian vein have been reported in the literature to date, and all were treated conservatively or with surgical excision. The present report describes a 73-year-old woman with a pulmonary thromboembolism that likely originated from a large right subclavian vein aneurysm that was treated by percutaneous endovascular means. The technique involved placement of a self-expanding stent in the parent vein across the aneurysm, followed by filling of the lumen of the aneurysm with coils through a microcatheter. The patient has remained symptom-free at 18-month follow-up.

Open surgical repair and endovascular treatment in adult coarctation of the aorta.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to compare the results of endovascular therapy (covered stenting) with surgical technique to repair aortic coarctation in adults. METHODS: A prospective study of 11 patients who were treated during the past 10 years was carried out. Of these, five patients underwent endoprosthesis (group A) and six an open surgical repair (group B). Follow-up comprised monitoring of the blood pressure, echocardiography, and computed tomography and magnetic resonance angiographic studies. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 46 years (range: 17-67 years) and the mean follow-up was 52.6 months (range: 1-117 months; 32.3 for group A vs. 69.7 for group B; p = 0.01). Two cases in group A were recoarctations after child angioplasty. The rate of postoperative complications was 27.7% (one hemothorax for group A vs. one pneumothorax and one hemothorax for group B); however, mortality did not occur. The success rate of the endovascular technique was 80%. The stay in the intensive care unit was 2.3 days with significant differences (one group A vs. three group B; p = 0.01), whereas length of hospital stay was 11 days (7.8 group A vs. 11.83 group B; p = 0.17). The pressure gradient across the stenosis decreased by 21.9 ± 3.7 mm Hg (24.5 ± 4.3 group A vs. 33 ± 3.2 group B). Six patients (54.5%) showed persistent hypertension (80% group A vs. 33% group B), with a mean residual pressure gradient of 23.4 ± 4.3 mm Hg (22.5 ± 5.4 group A vs. 22 ± 2.1 group B; p = 0.58). CONCLUSIONS: Short- and medium-term results of the endovascular therapy are similar, with shorter stay in the intensive care unit and higher necessity of antihypertensive treatment. Echocardiography and Doppler aortic coarctation gradients slightly higher than 20 mm Hg are usual during follow-up.

Comparison of magnetic resonance imaging findings in anterior cruciate ligament grafts with and without autologous platelet-derived growth factors.

PURPOSE: To determine whether the use of platelet-rich plasma gel (PRPG) affects magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings in the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) graft during the first year after reconstruction. METHODS: A prospective single-blinded study of 50 ACL reconstructions in 50 patients was performed. In group A (study group) PRPG was added to the graft with a standardized technique, and in group B (control group) no PRPG was added. An MRI study was performed postoperatively between 3 and 9 months in group A and between 3 and 12 months in group B. The imaging analysis was performed in a blind protocol by the same radiologist. RESULTS: The mean heterogeneity score value at the time of MRI, assigned by the radiologist, was 1.14 in group A and 3.25 in group B. Both groups were comparable in terms of sex and age (P < .05). The mean time to obtain a completely homogeneous intra-articular segment in group A (PRPG added) was 177 days after surgery, and it was 369 days in group B. Using the quadratic predictive model, these findings show that group A (PRPG added) needed only 48% of the time group B required to achieve the same MRI image (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: ACL reconstruction with the use of PRPG achieves complete homogeneous grafts assessed by MRI, in 179 days compared with 369 days for ACL reconstruction without PRPG. This represents a time shortening of 48% with respect to ACL reconstruction without PRPG.

Allergic Contact Dermatitis to Fentanyl TTS with Good Tolerance to Systemic Fentanyl.

BACKGROUND: Fentanyl is primarily an opioid agonist. It is frequently used in general anesthesia as a potent analgesic. It can be administered either orally, transdermally or systemically. Adverse effects due to opium alkaloids are usually because of a non-specific histamine release. Only in a few cases, a true allergy mechanism could be involved. Immediate reactions to opioids are most frequent than delayed reactions. In the past years, delayed reactions have increased in frequency because of the wide use of Transdermal Therapeutic System (TTS) with several opioids for its potent analgesic properties. OBJECTIVE: The objective was to study delayed reaction to fentanyl TTS and cross-reactivity with other opioids. METHODS: A 52-year-old man with a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer who began treatment for a bone metastases pain with fentanyl TTS, at a dose of 50 micrograms per hour (mcg/h) is the subject of the study. After 10-15 days of treatment, he developed an itchy papulovesicular rash in the application site of the fentanyl TTS. Afterward, eczema and superficial desquamation just on the application site of the patch were observed. He changed several times the site of application, but always developing the same symptoms in every single application. Later on, he tolerated other opioids such as oral morphine or tramadol. An allergy workout was performed. We performed Patch Tests (PT) with fentanyl at a concentration of 10% in aqua (aq) and with buprenorphine 10% aq., in order to investigate probable crossreactivity among other topical opioids. RESULTS: Readings were recorded at day 2 (D2) and day 4 (D4), with positive PT only with fentanyl at D2 (+++) and D4 (+++). We decided to perform a single-blind challenge test with buprenorphine 35 mcg/h in TTS, with a negative result. At this moment, fentanyl TTS was replaced by buprenorphine TTS, with good tolerance. CONCLUSION: We present the case of Allergic Contact Dermatitis (ACD) due to hypersensitivity to fentanyl with good tolerance to buprenorphine. Positive PT in this patient suggests a type IV hypersensitivity mechanism. Allergic reactions to opioids are frequently immediate, but delayed reactions could appear, especially when the drug is administered topically.

[Histological evaluation of ischemic injury to the spinal cord. Experimental study in the rabbit]. / Avaliação histológica das lesões isquémicas na medula espinal. Estudo experimental no coelho.

Sometimes in clinical practice the spinal cord is subjected to a more or less prolonged period of ischemia, after which cellular lesions may occur, causing paraplegia. The purpose of this paper is to quantify morphologically the damage of the spinal cord after an induced ischemia. Seventy male adult rabbits were used. They were divided into three groups: one group was used for evaluation of spinal cord ischemia at 3 hours, the second at 12 hours and the third at 24 hours. The recovery periods ranged from 3, to 12 and 24 hours. At the end of this period, the animals were anesthetized and killed. A clinical evaluation was made using the Tarlov method and criteria. The spinal cord was subjected to a histological evaluation. The results revealed different changes according to the multiple groups of study. The authors discuss the data of the present study and compare to the reports published in the bibliography on the subject.

Broadband and the Internet.

The Internet is a tool one can use every day to get information. In every location, the way you can access the Internet is different. The purpose of this article is to review the different types of Internet access available with emphasis on broadband. The advantages and disadvantages of every type of access are discussed.

Late bullet migration into the knee joint.

A 25-year-old active-duty police officer was found to have an intra-articular foreign body on radiographic study of his left knee joint. He had a gunshot wound to the midthigh 54 months prior to the presentation of symptoms. The bullet was lodged in the soft tissue without involving neurovascular structures. The patient complained of limited range of motion of the joint and a "rattle" sensation of the knee. Arthroscopically, a deformed metallic foreign body was found and retrieved. There was no injury inside the joint related to the loose body. These findings were consistent with a migrating bullet from the midthigh to the knee joint. The patient recovered uneventfully and returned to work.