Minimally invasive surgical technique for unstable supracondylar humerus fractures in children (Gartland type III or IV).

Background: Achieving and maintaining anatomical reduction during the treatment of pediatric humerus fractures, classified as Gartland type III or IV, presents a clinical challenge. Herein, we present a minimally invasive surgical approach using a novel and simple K-wire push technique that aids in achieving and maintaining anatomical reduction. Methods: We reviewed data of children receiving treatment for supracondylar fractures of the humerus at our hospital between January 2016 and December 2020. Patients were divided into two groups based on the method of treatment: Group 1 was treated with the K-wire push technique, and Group 2 was treated with the standard technique as described by Rockwood and Wilkins. The medical records and radiographic images were reviewed. In total, 91 patients with Gartland types III and IV fractures were included, with 37 and 54 patients in Groups 1 and 2, respectively. Results: The postoperative reduction radiographic parameters and Flynn scores at final follow-up were not significantly different between the two groups. Conclusion: The minimally invasive K-wire push technique for unstable supracondylar fractures in children is a safe and effective alternative for improving reduction. Using this technique, complications can be minimized, and the requirement for open reduction can be reduced.

Effects of hydrocortisone-presensitized sugammadex on recovery from neuromuscular blockade induced by rocuronium: a rodent in vivo study.

BACKGROUND: Sugammadex is a specific antagonist of aminosteroidal neuromuscular blocking agents with 1:1 binding to guest molecules. Sugammadex can also bind to other drugs having a steroid component in its chemical structure. In this in vivo experiment, we investigated the differences in the recovery of rocuronium-induced neuromuscular blockade using sugammadex pre-exposed with two different concentrations of hydrocortisone. METHODS: The sciatic nerves and tibialis anterior muscles of 30 adult Sprague-Dawley rats were prepared for the experiment. The sciatic nerves were stimulated using a train-of-four (TOF) pattern with indirect supramaximal stimulation at 20 s intervals. After 15 min of stabilization, a 250 µg loading dose and 125 µg booster doses of rocuronium were serially administered until > 95% depression of the first twitch tension of TOF stimulation (T1) was confirmed. The study drugs were prepared by mixing sugamadex with the same volume of three different stock solutions (0.9% normal saline, 10 mg/ml hydrocortisone, and 100 mg/ ml hydrocortisone). The recovery of rats from neuromuscular blockade was monitored by assessing T1 and the TOF ratio (TOFR) simultaneously until T1 was recovered to > 95% and TOFR to > 0.9. RESULTS: In the group injected with sugammadex premixed with a high concentration of hydrocortisone, statistically significant intergroup differences were observed in the recovery progression of T1 and TOFR (P < 0.050). CONCLUSIONS: When sugammadex was pre-exposed to a high dose of hydrocortisone only, recovery from neuromuscular blockade was delayed. Delayed recovery from neuromuscular blockade is not always plausible when sugammadex is pre-exposed to steroidal drugs.

Effects of Anesthetic Techniques on the Risk of Postoperative Complications Following Lower Extremity Amputation in Diabetes Patients with Coagulation Abnormalities: A Retrospective Cohort Study Using Propensity Score Analysis.

Diabetic foot amputation is associated with high morbidity and mortality rates. To prevent cardiovascular complications along with vasculopathy in the course of diabetes mellitus, a high number of patients receive anticoagulant therapy. However, anticoagulants are contraindicated in neuraxial anesthesia limiting available anesthetic modalities. Therefore, in this retrospective study, we aimed to compare between general anesthesia and peripheral nerve block (PNB) with respect to postoperative complications following lower extremity amputation (LEA) in patients with coagulation abnormalities. In total, 320 adult patients who underwent LEA for diabetic foot were divided into two groups according to the anesthetic type (general anesthesia vs. PNB). The inverse probability of treatment weighting was performed to balance the baseline patient characteristics and surgical risk between the two groups. The adjusted analysis showed that compared with the general anesthesia group, the PNB group had lower risks of pneumonia (odds ratio: 0.091, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.010-0.850, p = 0.0355), acute kidney injury (odds ratio: 0.078, 95% CI: 0.007-0.871, p = 0.0382), and total major complications (odds ratio: 0.603, 95% CI: 0.400-0.910, p = 0.0161). Additionally, general anesthesia was associated with a higher amount of intraoperative crystalloid administration and a requirement for more frequent vasopressors. In conclusion, PNB appears to be protective against complications following LEA in diabetes patients with coagulopathy.

Comparison of the Effects of Normocapnia and Mild Hypercapnia on the Optic Nerve Sheath Diameter and Regional Cerebral Oxygen Saturation in Patients Undergoing Gynecological Laparoscopy with Total Intravenous Anesthesia.

Cerebral hemodynamics may be altered by hypercapnia during a lung-protective ventilation (LPV), CO2 pneumoperitoneum, and Trendelenburg position during general anesthesia. The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of normocapnia and mild hypercapnia on the optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD), regional cerebral oxygen saturation (rSO2), and intraoperative respiratory mechanics in patients undergoing gynecological laparoscopy under total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA). Sixty patients (aged between 19 and 65 years) scheduled for laparoscopic gynecological surgery in the Trendelenburg position. Patients under propofol/remifentanil total intravenous anesthesia were randomly assigned to either the normocapnia group (target PaCO2 = 35 mmHg, n = 30) or the hypercapnia group (target PaCO2 = 50 mmHg, n = 30). The ONSD, rSO2, and respiratory and hemodynamic parameters were measured at 5 min after anesthetic induction (Tind) in the supine position, and at 10 min and 40 min after pneumoperitoneum (Tpp10 and Tpp40, respectively) in the Trendelenburg position. There was no significant intergroup difference in change over time in the ONSD (p = 0.318). The ONSD increased significantly at Tpp40 when compared to Tind in both normocapnia and hypercapnia groups (p = 0.02 and 0.002, respectively). There was a significant intergroup difference in changes over time in the rSO2 (p < 0.001). The rSO2 decreased significantly in the normocapnia group (p = 0.01), whereas it increased significantly in the hypercapnia group at Tpp40 compared with Tind (p = 0.002). Alveolar dead space was significantly higher in the normocapnia group than in the hypercapnia group at Tpp40 (p = 0.001). In conclusion, mild hypercapnia during the LPV might not aggravate the increase in the ONSD during CO2 pneumoperitoneum in the Trendelenburg position and could improve rSO2 compared to normocapnia in patients undergoing gynecological laparoscopy with TIVA.

Effects of sevoflurane and adenosine receptor antagonist on the sugammadex-induced recovery from rocuronium-induced neuromuscular blockade in rodent phrenic nerve-hemidiaphragm tissue specimens.

Sevoflurane affects on the A1 receptor in the central nervous system and potentiates the action of neuromuscular blocking agents. In the present study, we investigated whether sevoflurane (SEVO) has the ability to potentiate the neuromuscular blocking effect of rocuronium and if the specific antagonist of adenosine receptor (SLV320) can reverse this effect. In this study, phrenic nerve-hemidiaphragm tissue specimens were obtained from 40 Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. The specimens were immersed in an organ bath filled with Krebs buffer and stimulated by a train-of-four (TOF) pattern using indirect supramaximal stimulation at 20 s intervals. The specimens were randomly allocated to control, 2-chloroadenosine (CADO), SEVO, or SLV320 + SEVO groups. In the CADO and SLV320 + SEVO groups, CADO and SLV320 were added to the organ bath from the start to a concentration of 10 µM and 10 nM, respectively. We then proceeded with rocuronium-induced blockade of >95% depression of the first twitch tension of TOF (T1) and TOF ratio (TOFR). In the SEVO and SLV320 + SEVO groups, SEVO was added to the Krebs buffer solution to concentration of 400-500 µM for 10 min. Sugammadex-induced T1 and TOFR recovery was monitored for 30 min until >95% of T1 and >0.9 of TOFR were confirmed, and the recovery pattern was compared by plotting these data. T1 recovery in the SEVO and CADO groups was significantly delayed compared with the control and SLV320 + SEVO groups (p < .05). In conclusion, sevoflurane affects on the A1 receptor at the neuromuscular junction and delays sugammadex-induced recovery from neuromuscular blockade.

A Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing Novel Triple-Cuffed Double-Lumen Endobronchial Tubes with Conventional Double-Lumen Endobronchial Tubes for Lung Isolation.

Placing a double-lumen endobronchial tube (DLT) in an appropriate position to facilitate lung isolation is essential for thoracic procedures. The novel ANKOR DLT is a DLT developed with three cuffs with a newly added carinal cuff designed to prevent further advancement by being blocked by the carina when the cuff is inflated. In this prospective study, the direction and depth of initial placement of ANKOR DLT were compared with those of conventional DLT. Patients undergoing thoracic surgery (n = 190) with one-lung ventilation (OLV) were randomly allocated into either left-sided conventional DLT group (n = 95) or left-sided ANKOR DLT group (n = 95). The direction and depth of DLT position were compared via fiberoptic bronchoscopy (FOB) after endobronchial intubation between the groups. There was no significant difference in the number of right mainstem endobronchial intubations between the two groups (p = 0.468). The difference between the initial depth of DLT placement and the target depth confirmed by FOB was significantly lower in the ANKOR DLT group than in the conventional DLT group (1.8 ± 1.8 vs. 12.9 ± 9.7 mm; p < 0.001). In conclusion, the ANKOR DLT facilitated its initial positioning at the optimal depth compared to the conventional DLT.

Midterm Results of Fourth-Generation Ceramic-On-Ceramic Total Hip Arthroplasty.

PURPOSE: There are limited reports for the results of the fourth-generation ceramic-on-ceramic (CoC) articulation total hip arthroplasty (THA). And, throughout the surgical experience, we encountered some cases of liner pulling-out phenomenon after liner fixation and femoral preparation. The objective of this study was to evaluate the incidence, risk factors of delta ceramic liner or head fractures, and also the clinical and radiological results of using the fourth-generation CoC articulation in THA. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 242 patients (263 hips) who underwent primary THA using the fourth-generation CoC articulation with a minimum followup of 2 years. Demographic data, Harris Hip Score (HHS), Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), Patient's satisfactory level were recorded. The radiological evaluation was used to evaluate the implant fixation and complications. Mean followup duration was 5.2 years. RESULTS: Mean HHS and WOMAC score were significantly (P < 0.05) improved at the last followup. About 98.5% of the patients were satisfied with results of the surgery. All acetabular components were placed in adequate position and there was no osteolysis on acetabular or femoral components and subsidence of femoral stem. Four patients showed complications including one-liner fracture. CONCLUSION: Our midterm study demonstrated excellent clinical and radiological results with only one ceramic liner fracture. Moreover, the results of this study indicate that one possible cause of pulling-out phenomenon is the resonance effect during implantation in Dorr type A patients with the thick cortex. If the surgeon is aware of the liner malposition throughout the operation, the fourth-generation CoC articulation THA could be an outstanding treatment.

Robotic versus conventional primary total knee arthroplasty: clinical and radiological long-term results with a minimum follow-up of ten years.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was (1) to compare the clinical and radiological outcomes of robotic and conventional total knee arthroplasty with a minimum follow-up of ten years, (2) to evaluate the survival rate, (3) and to estimate the accuracy of the two techniques by analyzing the outliers of the total knee arthroplasty (TKA) patients. METHODS: We evaluated 351 patients (390 knees), 155 patients undergoing robotic TKA, and 196 patients treated with conventional TKA with a mean follow-up of 11.0 years. HSS, KSS, WOMAC, and SF-12 questionnaires were used for clinical evaluation. Mechanical alignment, implant radiological measurements, and outliers were analyzed for radiological results. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was performed for survival rate. RESULTS: All clinical assessments showed excellent improvements in both groups (all p < 0.05), without any significant difference between the groups (p > 0.05). The conventional TKA group showed a significantly higher number of outliers compared with the robotic TKA group (0 < 0.05). The cumulative survival rate was 98.8% in the robotic TKA group and 98.5% in the conventional TKA group with excellent survival (p = 0.563). CONCLUSION: Our study showed excellent survival with both robotic and conventional TKA and similar clinical outcomes at long-term follow-up. And, in terms of radiological outcome, robotic TKA showed better accuracy and consistency with fewer outliers compared with conventional TKA. With longer follow-up and larger cohort, the accuracy and effectiveness of robotic TKA on implant survival rate can be elucidated in the future.

Objective quantification of ligament balancing using VERASENSE in measured resection and modified gap balance total knee arthroplasty.

BACKGROUND: Soft tissue balancing which is above all most important factor of total knee arthroplasty, has been performed by subjective methods. Recently objective orthosensor has been developed for compartment pressure measurement. The purpose of this study was: (1) to quantify the compartment pressure of the joint throughout the range of motion during TKA using orthosensor, (2) to determine the usefulness of orthosensor by analyzing correlation between the pressure in both compartment with initial trial and after final implantation, and (3) to evaluate the types and effectiveness of additional ligament balancing procedures to compartment pressure. METHODS: Eighty-four patients underwent total knee arthroplasty (TKA) using VERASENSE Knee System. TKA was performed by measured resection and modified gap balance technique. Compartment pressure was recorded on full extension, 30°, 60°, 90° and full flexion at initial (INI), after each additional procedure, and after final (FIN) implantation. "Balanced" knees were defined as when the compartment pressure difference was less than 15 pounds. RESULTS: Thirty patients (35.7%) showed balanced knee initially and 79 patients (94.0%) showed balance after final implantation. The proportion of balanced knee after initial bony resection, modified gap balancing TKAs showed significantly higher proportion than measured resection TKAs (P = 0.004) On both compartment, the pressure was generally decreased throughout the range of motion. Linear correlation on both compartment showed statistically significant throughout the range on motion, with higher correlation value on the lateral compartment. Total 66 additional ligament balancing procedures were performed. CONCLUSION: Using orthosensor, we could obtain 94% quantified balance knee, consequently. And between the techniques, measured resection TKA showed less balanced knee and also required more additional procedures compared to modified gap balancing TKA. Furthermore, with the acquired quantified data during appropriate ligament balancing, the surgeon could eventually reduce the complications associated with soft tissue imbalance in the future.