Pharmacological Treatment of Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy: A Critical Review of Current Evidence.

Degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM) is the leading cause of spinal cord dysfunction in adults, representing substantial morbidity and significant financial and resource burdens. Typically, patients with progressive DCM will eventually receive surgical treatment. Nonetheless, despite advancements in pharmacotherapeutics, evidence for pharmacological therapy remains limited. Health professionals from various fields would find interest in pharmacological agents that could benefit patients with mild DCM or enhance surgical outcomes. This review aims to consolidate all clinical and experimental evidence on the pharmacological treatment of DCM. We conducted a comprehensive narrative review that presents all pharmacological agents that have been investigated for DCM treatment in both humans and animal models. Riluzole exhibits effectiveness solely in rat models, but not in treating mild DCM in humans. Cerebrolysin emerges as a potential neuroprotective agent for myelopathy in animals but had contradictory results in clinical trials. Limaprost alfadex demonstrates motor function improvement in animal models and exhibits promising outcomes in a small clinical trial. Glucocorticoids not only fail to provide clinical benefits but may also lead to adverse events. Cilostazol, anti-Fas ligand antibody, and Jingshu Keli display promise in animal studies, while erythropoietin, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor and limaprost alfadex exhibit potential in both animal and human research. Existing evidence mainly rests on weak clinical data and animal experimentation. Current pharmacological efforts target ion channels, stem cell differentiation, inflammatory, vascular, and apoptotic pathways. The inherent nature and pathogenesis of DCM offer substantial prospects for developing neurodegenerative or neuroprotective therapies capable of altering disease progression, potentially delaying surgical intervention, and optimizing outcomes for those undergoing surgical decompression.

Indication for total knee arthroplasty based on preoperative functional score: Are we operating earlier?

BACKGROUND: The number of total knee arthroplasty (TKA) procedures performed annually is increasing for reasons not fully explained by population growth and increasing rates of obesity. The purpose of this study was to determine the role of patient functional status as an indication for surgery and to determine if patients are undergoing surgery with a higher level of preoperative function than in the past. METHODS: A systematic review and meta-analysis of the MEDLINE, Embase and Cochrane databases was performed in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Functional status was assessed using the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey's physical component summary (PCS) score. Only primary procedures were included. Articles were screened by 2 independent reviewers, with conflicts resolved with a third reviewer. Meta-regression analysis was performed to determine the effect of time, age and sex on preoperative PCS score. Subgroup analysis was performed to compare results for the United States with those for the rest of the world. RESULTS: A total of 1502 articles were identified, of which 149 were included in the study. Data from 257 independent groups including 57 844 patients recruited from 1991 to 2015 were analyzed. The mean preoperative PCS score was 31.1 (95% confidence interval 30.6-31.7) with a 95% prediction interval of 22.8-39.5. The variance across studies was found to be significant (p < 0.001) with 99.01% true variance. Year of enrolment, age, the percentage of female patients and geographic region did not have any significant effect on preoperative PCS score. CONCLUSION: Patients are undergoing TKA with a level of preoperative function similar to their level of function in the past. Patient age, sex and location did not influence the functional status at which patients were considered to be candidates for surgery.

Megaprosthesis anti-bacterial coatings: A comprehensive translational review.

Periprosthetic joint infections (PJI) are catastrophic complications for patients with implanted megaprostheses and pose significant challenges in the management of orthopaedic oncology patients. Despite various preventative strategies, with the increasing rate of implanted orthopaedic prostheses, the number of PJIs may be increasing. PJIs are associated with a high rate of amputation. Therefore, novel strategies to combat bacterial colonization and biofilm formation are required. A promising strategy is the utilization of anti-bacterial coatings on megaprosthetic implants. In this translational review, a brief overview of the mechanism of bacterial colonization of implants and biofilm formation will be provided, followed by a discussion and classification of major anti-bacterial coatings currently in use and development. In addition, current in vitro outcomes, clinical significance, economic importance, evolutionary perspectives, and future directions of anti-bacterial coatings will also be discussed. Megaprosthetic anti-bacterial coating strategies will help reduce infection rates following the implantation of megaprostheses and would positively impact sarcoma care. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: This review highlights the clinical challenges and a multitude of potential solutions to combating peri-prosthetic join infections in megaprotheses using anti-bacterial coatings. Reducing infection rates following the implantation of megaprostheses would have a major impact on sarcoma care and major trauma surgeries that require reconstruction of large skeletal defects.

Intramedullary Nailing Versus Plate Osteosynthesis for Humeral Shaft Metastatic Lesions.

In the event of surgical management of metastases to the humeral shaft, intramedullary nailing (IMN) is often preferred to plate osteosynthesis (PO) fixation despite a lack of consensus. In this study, we hypothesized that plate osteosynthesis will be associated with better functional and pain outcomes, thus better quality of life. Eighteen patients with the diagnosis of humeral shaft metastatic fracture or impending fracture were extracted from a prospective database of 140 metastatic patients collected across three hospitals over a five-year period. Musculoskeletal Tumor Society (MSTS) score, Toronto Extremity Salvage Score (TESS), Quality of Life (QOL) and Brief Pain Inventory (BPI) score were gathered during the year following the surgery. Statistical analysis was performed to compare the mean score differences between the two surgical options at baseline and five follow-up visits. Both treatment options were associated with an increase in functional outcomes based on both MSTS and TESS, and a decrease in pain level. However, no significant difference was found in quality of life and between the two treatment modalities. Thus, based on our results, a similar improvement in functional status and pain level can be achieved surgically by either intramedullary nailing or plating osteosynthesis.

Systematic review of primary total hip arthroplasty using titanium-titanium modular-neck prostheses: the true risk of revision.

AIMS: Modular-neck femoral implants are used to enable more variability in femoral neck version, offset and length. It has been reported that these implants carry a higher rate of revision. The aim of this review was to assess the overall and cause-specific revision rate of titanium-titanium alloy modular-neck implants in primary total hip arthroplasty (THA). METHODS: A systematic review was conducted following PRISMA guidelines and utilising multiple databases. All results were screened for eligibility. Studies published from 2000 onwards, using a current-generation, titanium-titanium, modular-neck implant were included. Overall and cause-specific revision rates were analysed, comparing to fixed-neck prostheses where applicable. RESULTS: 920 studies were screened. After applying exclusion criteria, 23 were assessed in full and 14 included. These consisted of 12 case series and 2 joint registry analyses. 21,841 patients underwent a modular-neck implant with a weighted mean follow-up of 5.7 years, mean age of 62.4 years, and average body mass index (BMI) of 28.4kg/m2. The overall revision rate was 3.95% and 2.98% for modular and fixed-neck prostheses, respectively. For studies with >5 years follow-up the mean revision rate was 3.08%. There was no difference in cause-specific revision rates by implant design. Mean improvement in Harris Hip Score was 41.9. CONCLUSIONS: At medium-term, revision rates for titanium-titanium primary modular-neck THA are acceptable. These prostheses are a sensible management option in patients with considerable anatomical hip deformity not amenable to correction with standard fixed-neck implants. Patients of male gender, high BMI and requiring prostheses with a larger neck, offset or head are at higher risk of implant failure.

Benign peripheral nerve tumors.

Benign peripheral nerve tumors encompass a wide range of neoplasms and non-neoplastic tumor like lesions. Some of these lesions if not encountered in the setting of genetic syndromes, are occurring sporadically. The principles of oncology should be respectfully followed in every step of diagnostic approach and surgical management. Albeit, classified as benign, some of them do have different level of malignant potential, thus the treating physicians should be aware of that to avoid possible pitfalls with devastating outcomes. This article reviews the most common benign peripheral nerve tumors discussing the clinicopathological findings, imaging appearance and the current trend in their approach.

Delayed presentation of bilateral central hip protrusio acetabuli: evidence-based management.

This is a case of a previously healthy 51-year-old man who sustained bilateral central hip dislocations following a sudden presentation of epileptic seizures. The patient was initially treated conservatively for a period of 9 months. On presentation, he had gross disability due to stiffness in both hips and left peroneal nerve paresis. Through minimally invasive direct anterior approaches, bilateral total hip arthroplasties were performed using tripolar head articulations. These were cemented into a biologic acetabular buttress constructed out of autologous bone graft. The femoral heads and necks were used as plugs and pressed into the acetabular defects, putting the medial acetabular walls under tension. At 24 months' follow-up, there was a good clinical outcome, and the acetabular walls remodelled bilaterally. In conclusion, in traumatic protrusio acetabuli, a functional, biologic reconstruction of the acetabular wall can be facilitated with the application of distraction osteogenesis (tension-stress) principles while using minimally invasive surgical techniques.

Multiple Soft Tissue Sarcomas in a Single Patient: An International Multicentre Review.

Developing multiple soft tissue sarcomas (STSs) is a rare process, sparsely reported in the literature to date. Little is known about the pattern of disease development or outcomes in these patients. Patients were identified from three tertiary orthopaedic oncology centres in Canada and the UK. Patients who developed multiple extremity STSs were collated retrospectively from prospective oncology databases. A literature review using MEDLINE was also performed. Six patients were identified in the case series from these three institutions, and five studies were identified from the literature review. Overall, 17 patients were identified with a median age of 51 years (range: 19 to 77). The prevalence of this manifestation in STS patients is 1 in 1225. The median disease-free interval between diagnoses was 2.3 years (range: 0 to 19 years). Most patients developed the secondary STS in a metachronous pattern, the remaining, synchronously. The median survival after the first sarcoma was 6 years, and it was 1.6 years after the second sarcoma. The 5-year overall survival rate was 83.3% and 50% following the first and second STS diagnoses, respectively. A diagnosis of two STSs does not confer a worse prognosis than the diagnosis of a single STS. Developing a second STS is a rare event with no identifiable histological pattern of occurrence. Presentation in a metachronous pattern is more common. A high degree of vigilance is required in patients with a previous STS both to detect both local recurrence and to identify new masses remote from the previous STS site. Acquiring an early histological diagnosis should be attempted.

Unusual Complete Isolated Scaphoid Dislocation, Report of a Case.

Isolated scaphoid dislocations are extremely rare injuries and are commonly associated with significant ligamentous disruptions. A dorsiflexion-supination force upon the hand is considered as the most common mechanism of injury. Different treatment options have been proposed for the management of this uncommon entity, ranging from conservative treatment with closed reduction and casting to a wide range of open or percutaneous surgical techniques. In this article, we reported ona case of this rare injury managed with open reduction and pinning along with ligamentous reconstruction.

Use of Ligament Advanced Reinforcement System tube in stabilization of proximal humeral endoprostheses.

AIM: To review outcomes following usage of the Ligament Advanced Reinforcement System (LARS(®)) in shoulder tumors. METHODS: Medical records of nineteen patients (19 shoulders) that underwent tumor excisional procedure and reconstruction with the LARS synthetic fabric, were retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS: Patients' median age was 58 years old, while the median length of resection was 110 mm (range 60-210 mm). Compared to immediate post-operative radiographs, the prosthesis mean end-point position migrated superiorly at a mean follow up period of 26 mo (P = 0.002). No statistical significant correlations between the prosthesis head size (P = 0.87); the implant stem body length (P = 0.949); and the length of resection (P = 0.125) with the position of the head, were found at last follow up. Two cases of radiological dislocation were noted but only one was clinically symptomatic. A minor superficial wound dehiscence, healed without surgery, occurred. There was no evidence of aseptic loosening either, and no prosthetic failure. CONCLUSION: LARS(®) use ensured stability of the shoulder following endoprosthetic reconstruction in most patients.

Two-Stage Revision Protocol in Multidrug Resistant Periprosthetic Infection Following Total Hip Arthroplasty Using a Long Interval Between Stages.

We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 31 patients with periprosthetic hip infections attempting to evaluate the outcome of a two-stage revision protocol characterized by prolonged interim period (mean=9.2 months, range 8-12 months) prior to the final re-implantation. In 3 cases (9.6%) the 1st stage was repeated after a mean period of 12.3 weeks due to relapse of infection. Five spacer dislocations occurred, not affecting the final clinical outcome after reimplantation, as evaluated by the Harris Hip Score. No protrusions or additional acetabular bone loss was noticed. Our proposed protocol is a simple, safe, efficient and reproducible treatment approach that may be successfully utilized predominantly when dealing with multidrug resistant pathogens.

Open Versus Arthroscopic Mosaicplasty of the Knee: A Cadaveric Assessment of Accuracy of Graft Placement Using Navigation.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to compare an open freehand mosaicplasty technique with an arthroscopic technique for the treatment of osteochondral lesions by measuring the instrument deviation, quantifying this deviation, and providing numerical information on the difference in the outcomes of these techniques. METHODS: Four cadaveric knees were used. Reference markers were attached to the femur, tibia, and donor/recipient site guides. A total of 10 osteochondral grafts were harvested and inserted into recipient sites arthroscopically and 10 similar grafts were inserted freehand. The angles of graft removal and placement were calculated for each of the surgical groups compared. Ostensibly, a navigation system was used as an aid, to measure the graft placement parameters. RESULTS: Statistical analysis revealed that there was no statistically significant difference between the arthroscopic method and the freehand method regarding the angle of graft removal at the donor site (P = .162), recipient site plug removal angle (P = .731), and recipient site graft placement angle (P = .630). In the freehand group, the mean angle of graft removal at the donor site was 12°, the mean angle of recipient site plug removal was 10.7°, and the mean angle of recipient site plug placement was 10.6°. Using the arthroscopic technique, the mean angle of graft removal at the donor site was 17.14°, the mean angle of recipient site plug removal was 12.0°, and the mean angle of recipient site graft placement was 10.14°. CONCLUSIONS: Our study revealed there was no statistically significant difference regarding precision and accuracy during harvesting, recipient site preparation, and plug placement between the 2 techniques. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Controversy exists whether an open or arthroscopic osteoarticular transfer system (OATS) technique provides superior accuracy. According to our results, there is no statistically significant difference regarding better visualization, precision, and accuracy between the freehand and arthroscopic techniques. However, larger number of specimens are required for study.

Rib hump deformity assessment using the rib index in adolescent idiopathic scoliotics treated with full screw or hybrid constructs: aetiological implications.

BACKGROUND: Review of literature reveals that in Idiopathic Scoliosis (IS) children, the post-operative rib hump (RH) correction using full transpedicular screw construct has never been compared to hybrid constructs, applying the Rib-Index (RI) method. Therefore the aim of this report is to study which of the above two constructs offers better postoperative Rib Hump Deformity (RHD) correction. METHODS: Twenty five patients with Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis (AIS) were operated using full pedicle screw construct or hybrid construct. Sixteen underwent full screw instrumentation (group A) and nine an hybrid one (group B). The median age for group A was 15 years and for group B 17.2 years. The RHD was assessed on the lateral spinal radiographs using the RI. The RI was calculated by the ratio of spine distances d1/d2, where d1 is the distance between the most extended point of the most extending rib contour and the posterior margin of the corresponding vertebra on the lateral scoliosis films and d2 is the distance from the least projected rib contour and the posterior margin of the same vertebra. Moreover the amount of RI correction was calculated by subtracting the post-operative RI from the pre-operative RI. RESULTS: Although within group A the RI correction was statistical significant (the pre-op RI was 1.93 and the post-op 1.37; p<0.001) and similarly in group B (the mean pre-op RI was 2.06 while the mean post-op 1.51; p=0.008), between group A and B the post-operative RI correction mean values were found to be no statistically significant, (p=0.803). CONCLUSION: Although the pre- and post-operative RI correction was statistically significant within each group, this did not happen post-operatively between the two groups. It appears that the RHD correction is not different, no matter what the spinal construct type was used. Provided that the full screw construct is powerful, the post-operative derotation and RHD correction was expected to be better than when an hybrid construct is applied, which is not the case in this study. It is therefore implied that the RHD results more likely from the asymmetric rib growth rather than from vertebral rotation, as it has been widely believed up to now. In 2013 Lykissas et al, reported that costoplasty combined with pedicle screws and vertebral derotation significantly improved RH deformity as opposed to pedicle screws and vertebral derotation alone. Another interesting implication is that the spinal deformity is the result of the thoracic asymmetry, implication in line with the late Prof. John Sevastikoglou's (Sevastik's) thoracospinal concept.

Reliability study for the Rib Index in chest radiographs of a control group.

BACKGROUND: The Rib Index, (RI), extracted from the double rib contour sign (DRCS) on lateral spinal radiographs to evaluate rib hump deformity, (RHD), in idiopathic scoliosis, (IS), patients, has been previously introduced. Although various papers using the RI have been published, no study on its reproducibility has been reported. The aim of this report is to estimate the variations of the RI in a number of a pair set of lateral chest radiographs (LCRs). The hypothesis was that the RI should have minimal variability for each subject having successive LCRs. METHODS: Seventy randomized patients who were treated in the hospital for lung diseases (mainly pneumonia or other communicable lung diseases), were initially included in the study. Each of these patients had two successive LCRs (named A and B group of radiographs) at the radiological department of the hospital, by the same technician, during the course of their treatment. The radiation source - patient distance was constant. LCRs obtained at an incorrect patient's position, or from patients who underwent a thoracic intervention and all LCRs with symmetric hemi-thoraces were excluded from the study. The LCRs of 49 patients were deemed suitable for inclusion in the study. The RI was calculated in both (A and B) LCRs of each patient. The statistical analysis included the following techniques: paired t-test, Pearson correlation coefficient and intra- and inter-observer error using the formula (SD/√2)/2, where SD is this of the differences of the two sets of measurement (As-Bs). The SPSS v16 statistical package was used. RESULTS: In the 49 pairs of LCRs there was no statistical difference of the RI, (paired t-test p< 0.314). The RI in the A and B group of LCRs was perfectly correlated (correlation coefficient = 0,924, p < 0.0001). The intra-observer error was 0.0080 while the inter-observer error 0.0213 in terms of 95% CI. CONCLUSION: The RI proves to be a reliable method to evaluate the thoracic deformity and the effect of surgical or non-operative treatment on the IS RHD. RI is a simple method, a safe reproducible way to assess the RHD based on lateral radiographs, without the need for any further special radiographs and exposure to additional radiation.

Treatment options for brachial plexus injuries.

The incidence of brachial plexus injuries is rapidly growing due to the increasing number of high-speed motor-vehicle accidents. These are devastating injuries leading to significant functional impairment of the patients. The purpose of this review paper is to present the available options for conservative and operative treatment and discuss the correct timing of intervention. Reported outcomes of current management and future prospects are also analysed.

Brachial plexus injuries in adults: evaluation and diagnostic approach.

The increased incidence of motor vehicle accidents during the past century has been associated with a significant increase in brachial plexus injuries. New imaging studies are currently available for the evaluation of brachial plexus injuries. Myelography, CT myelography, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are indicated in the evaluation of brachial plexus. Moreover, a series of specialized electrodiagnostic and nerve conduction studies in association with the clinical findings during the neurologic examination can provide information regarding the location of the lesion, the severity of trauma, and expected clinical outcome. Improvements in diagnostic approaches and microsurgical techniques have dramatically changed the prognosis and functional outcome of these types of injuries.

The McCash technique for Dupuytren's disease: our experience.

This study presents the clinical outcomes of 35 hands with Dupuytren's Disease treated with the McCash technique between 1990 and 2009. Of the 31 patients (28 males and three females, mean age 53 yrs), four patients had bilateral involvement (12.9%). Thirty hands had no previous medical or surgical treatment for the disease, while the remaining five hands had been operated on at least once. The mean contracture of metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joint improved from 42.14° to 1.83°, while that of the proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joint improved from 62.60° to 7.09°. All wounds healed within a mean 9.8 weeks. Sensory evaluation revealed no permanent numbness. With realistic expectations, clear documentation, meticulous surgical technique and implementation of a demanding post-operative rehabilitation program, an acceptable outcome may be achieved with the McCash technique for Dupuytren's disease.

When and how to operate on thoracic and lumbar spine fractures?

PURPOSE: To discuss when and how to operate on thoracic and lumbar spine fractures. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We retrospectively studied 77 consecutive patients with thoracic and lumbar spine fractures treated from 2000 to 2011; 28 patients experienced high-energy spinal trauma and 49 low-energy spinal trauma. Mean follow-up was 5 years (1-11 years). Surgical treatment was done in 15 patients with neurological deficits, and in 16 neurologically intact patients with fractures-dislocations, burst fractures and fractures with marked deformity. Non-surgical treatment was done in 46 neurologically intact patients with simple fracture configurations. Clinical and imaging examination and the Oswestry Disability Index (O.D.I.) questionnaire were obtained. RESULTS: All patients treated surgically maintained spinal alignment; patients with long fusion maintained the best alignment; however, they experienced back stiffness and moderate low back pain. Patients with combined posterior fusion and kyphoplasty experienced earlier recovery and improved sagittal correction. Mean O.D.I. was 22.4 and 14.2% at 3 and 12 months postoperatively. Thirty six (78%) patients treated non-surgically were asymptomatic, 22 (48%) experienced mild residual kyphosis, 10 (22 %) developed marked deformity during their follow-up and were finally operated; mean O.D.I. was 28.6 and 12.1% at 3 and 12 months. No difference in O.D.I. was observed between patients who had surgical and non-surgical treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Progressive neurological deficits and/or mechanical instability of the spine are absolute indications for early surgical treatment. Younger patients with high-energy spinal trauma, unstable fractures and neurological deficits should be treated surgically in order to provide optimum conditions for neurologic recovery, early mobilization and possibly ambulation. Most cases can be adequately operated through a posterior only surgical approach; an anterior or combined approach is usually indicated for burst and thoracic spine fractures. Postoperative complications, more common infection and neurological deterioration may occur. Elderly, neurologically intact patients with low-energy, stable spinal fractures without marked spinal deformity may be successfully treated conservatively. Most of these patients will do well; however, follow-up for progressive posttraumatic deformity is required.