Arthroscopically Assisted Humeral Head Decompression for Avascular Necrosis: Lateral Cortical Perforation Technique.

Avascular necrosis (AVN) of the humeral head is debilitating condition that, when left untreated, can progress to humeral head collapse and end-stage arthritis of the glenohumeral joint. Core decompression is widely regarded as a first-line surgical treatment for early-stage AVN, and when performed on the appropriate patient, core decompression is an effective treatment for improving symptoms and preventing progression and humeral head collapse. This article discusses operative indications and presents a relatively simple and effective arthroscopic method for core decompression of humeral head avascular necrosis.

Multifocal Xanthoma of Bone.

We report a case of a 40-year-old woman with hyperlipidemia and associated multifocal xanthoma of bone requiring prophylactic fixation of her bilateral femurs. Although xanthomas of bone are themselves a benign process, their presence may indicate that the patient has poorly controlled lipids and is at an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Lytic lesions may require prophylactic fixation to prevent pathologic fracture.

Sclerostin Antibody Treatment Stimulates Bone Formation to Normalize Bone Mass in Male Down Syndrome Mice.

Down syndrome (DS), characterized by trisomy of human chromosome 21, is associated with a variety of endocrine disorders as well as profound skeletal abnormalities. The low bone mass phenotype in DS is defined by low bone turnover due to decreased osteoclast and osteoblast activity, decreasing the utility of antiresorptive agents in people with DS. Sclerostin antibody (SclAb) is a therapeutic candidate currently being evaluated as a bone anabolic agent. Scl, the product of the sclerostin gene (SOST), inhibits bone formation through its inhibition of Wnt signaling. SclAb increases bone mass by suppressing the action of the endogenous inhibitor of bone formation, Scl. To examine the effects of SclAb on the DS bone phenotype, 8-week-old male wild-type (WT) andTs65Dn DS mice were treated with 4 weekly iv injections of 100 mg/kg SclAb. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), microCT, and dynamic histomorphometry analyses revealed that SclAb had a significant anabolic effect on both age-matched WT littermate controls and Ts65Dn DS mice that was osteoblast mediated, without significant changes in osteoclast parameters. SclAb treatment significantly increased both cortical and trabecular bone mass at multiple sites; SclAb treatment resulted in the normalization of Ts65Dn bone mineral density (BMD) to WT levels in the proximal tibia, distal femur, and whole body. Ex vivo bone marrow cultures demonstrated that SclAb increased the recruitment of the mesenchymal progenitors into the osteoblast lineage, as indicated by increased alkaline phosphatase-positive colonies, with no effect on osteoclast differentiation. Together, in the setting of a murine model of DS and decreased bone turnover, SclAb had a potent anabolic effect. SclAb stimulated bone formation and increased osteoblastogenesis without affecting osteoclastogenesis or bone resorption. These data suggest that SclAb is a promising new therapy to improve bone mass and reduce fracture risk in the face of the low bone mass and turnover prevalent in the DS population.

Bone metabolism in pediatric burned patients: A review.

Severe burns in children can lead to growth delays, bone loss, and wasting of lean body mass and muscle with subsequent long-term effects such as osteoporosis. The following review examines 11 randomized, placebo-controlled, prospective clinical trials in pediatric burns between 1995 and 2017. These studies included approximately 250 burned children, and they were conducted to evaluate the impact of severe burn on markers of bone formation and bone metabolism. Some trials also analyzed current therapy regimens such as pamidronate and vitamin D. The clinical utility of these outlined biomarkers is uncertain with regard to acute burn care, as the current literature remains unclear. This review thus serves to address the impact of severe burn on markers of bone formation and bone metabolism in pediatric patients but will not focus on the clinical utility of the markers. The aim of this review is to summarize the findings of the trials to guide the future care of burned patients to maximize bone recovery.

Patient-Identified Barriers and Facilitators to Pre-Visit Patient-Reported Outcomes Measures Completion in Patients With Hip and Knee Pain.

BACKGROUND: Although patient-reported outcomes measures (PROMs) provide valuable health information and aid medical decision making for patients with hip and knee arthritis, survey completion rates remain low. The purpose of this study is to elucidate patient preferences regarding location of completion, delivery method, and barriers or facilitators to pre-visit completion. METHODS: Patients with hip and/or knee pain who were asked to complete pre-visit PROMs at 2 urban arthroplasty clinics were recruited. In-person, semi-structured, audio-recorded interviews were conducted, transcribed, and coded for thematic analysis. Codes were developed using a data-driven approach. RESULTS: We analyzed 51 interviews. The mean age was 57 years, 57% were women, and 45% had private or Medicare insurance. Prevalent themes regarding location preferences were convenience and communication preferences. Thirty-four patients stated a preference for completing pre-visit PROMs at home, 19 for in-office completion, and 10 stated no preference. Prevalent themes around delivery methods included technology access and familiarity. Of the 43 patients asked to select their preferred pre-visit PROM delivery method (phone call, email, text message, or postal mail), 31 (72%) preferred email or text messaging. Barriers to completing pre-visit PROMs were technological issues, recognizing the message was healthcare-related, and being too busy or forgetting. Twenty patients identified no barriers. CONCLUSION: Electronic PROM collection is favored by many patients, but alternative methods for patients without access to or familiarity with technology remain important. Clear recognition that the message is from a physician's office and physician communication of the utility of PROMs in clinical decision making may increase pre-visit completion.

Interactions of Phosphate Metabolism With Serious Injury, Including Burns.

Approximately 85% of the body's phosphate pool resides within the skeleton. The remaining 15% is stored as high-energy phosphates or in its free form, where it acts as a substrate for adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production. Accordingly, phosphate plays a crucial role in energy metabolism. Trauma and critical illness result in a hypermetabolic state in which energy expenditure increases. The impact of trauma and critical illness on the body's phosphate stores and phosphate-dependent metabolic reactions is poorly understood. We had previously observed that after severe burn trauma, increased energy expenditure is temporally related to a marked reduction in serum concentrations of both parathyroid hormone and fibroblast growth factor 23, both of which have phosphaturic effects. The aim of this article is to describe as far as is known the similarities and differences in phosphate metabolism in different types of injury and to infer what these differences tell us about possible signaling pathways that may link increased phosphate utilization and phosphate retention. © 2017 The Authors. JBMR Plus is published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.