Musculoskeletal tissue engineering: Adipose derived stromal cell implementation for the treatment of osteoarthritis.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a progressive degenerative joint disease which results in chronic degeneration of articular cartilage and sclerosis of bone. While tendons and ligaments may heal to a limited extent, articular cartilage has poor intrinsic regenerative potential, and critical-sized bone defects and pathological fractures cannot regenerate spontaneously. OA represents a significant burden of disease globally, affecting 240 million people in the world. The objective of tissue engineering is to recapitulate the natural healing cascade and developmental process by transplanting stromal and progenitor cells which can act directly or indirectly. As the ultimate goal of regenerative medicine is to avoid in vitro expansion of cells and its associated complications, the adipose-derived stromal cell (ASC) is an attractive progenitor cell for tissue engineering for treatment of OA. While clinical studies are still in their infancy, ASCs together with novel scaffold materials represent promising treatment options for patients suffering from OA. How ASCs exert their regenerative potential is a topic of debate, whereby it may be a result of direct differentiation of ASCs into the desired regenerating tissue, and/or through paracrine activity. With the advancement of material science, it is increasingly possible to enhance engraftment of ASCs through the use of biomaterials or to direct progenitor cell fate by activating biophysical signals through designed material microstructures. There are currently over 180 completed or ongoing registered early stage clinical trials involving ASCs, with 17 completed studies reviewed herein detailing the use of ASCs in OA. In order for ASC therapy to become an "off-the-shelf" option for treating OA, several strategies are currently being explored such as ASC cryopreservation and use of allogeneic ASCs. Newer approaches, such as exosome therapy, allow for the use of acellular ASC-derived therapies and are also currently the focus of ongoing investigations.

Proliferative myositis of the latissimus dorsi presenting in a 20-year-old male athlete.

We describe the case of a 20-year-old rower presenting with an uncommon condition of Proliferative Myositis (PM) affecting the Latissimus Dorsi (LD). PM is a rare, benign tumour infrequently developing in the upper back. Its rapid growth and firm consistency may mistake it for sarcoma at presentation. Therefore, careful multidisciplinary work-up is crucial, and should involve appropriate radiological and histopathological investigations. Here, we propose the aetiology of LD PM to be persistent myotrauma induced by repetitive rowing motions. Symptoms and rate of progression ultimately determine the management which includes surveillance and/or conservative resection. There have been no documented cases of recurrence or malignant transformation.

Stem and progenitor cells: advancing bone tissue engineering.

Unlike many other postnatal tissues, bone can regenerate and repair itself; nevertheless, this capacity can be overcome. Traditionally, surgical reconstructive strategies have implemented autologous, allogeneic, and prosthetic materials. Autologous bone--the best option--is limited in supply and also mandates an additional surgical procedure. In regenerative tissue engineering, there are myriad issues to consider in the creation of a functional, implantable replacement tissue. Importantly, there must exist an easily accessible, abundant cell source with the capacity to express the phenotype of the desired tissue, and a biocompatible scaffold to deliver the cells to the damaged region. A literature review was performed using PubMed; peer-reviewed publications were screened for relevance in order to identify key advances in stem and progenitor cell contribution to the field of bone tissue engineering. In this review, we briefly introduce various adult stem cells implemented in bone tissue engineering such as mesenchymal stem cells (including bone marrow- and adipose-derived stem cells), endothelial progenitor cells, and induced pluripotent stem cells. We then discuss numerous advances associated with their application and subsequently focus on technological advances in the field, before addressing key regenerative strategies currently used in clinical practice. Stem and progenitor cell implementation in bone tissue engineering strategies have the ability to make a major impact on regenerative medicine and reduce patient morbidity. As the field of regenerative medicine endeavors to harness the body's own cells for treatment, scientific innovation has led to great advances in stem cell-based therapies in the past decade.

Brain metastasis from colorectal carcinoma: a single cancer centre experience.

PURPOSE: Brain metastases (BM) from colorectal cancer (CRC) are rare. As survival increases in patients with metastatic CRC, it is hypothesised that new metastatic patterns will emerge: for instance, as CRC with limited metastatic involvement of the liver and lung can now be successfully resected, we propose that sites, previously rarely involved in metastatic spread, will become more common. The objective of this study was to describe the experience with BM from CRC in a single cancer centre. METHODS: A prospectively compiled database (1988-2012) of patients with CRC treated in a tertiary referral hospital was retrospectively examined. Patients with a histological diagnosis of CRC and radiologically documented BM were included. Clinical information (including patient demographics, primary and metastatic disease factors) was obtained from medical records. RESULTS: Eleven patients (0.3 % of 4219 patients) were identified (8 male, 3 female). The median age at CRC diagnosis was 70 years (range 55-80 years) while the median age at diagnosis of BM was 73 years (range 56-83 years). Three patients diagnosed with synchronous metastases underwent palliative treatment while eight patients had undergone surgical resection of the primary tumour with curative intent a median of 24 months (range 0-48 months) prior to diagnosis of BM. 10/11 patients were symptomatic at diagnosis of BM. All were diagnosed using computed tomography and managed palliatively. The cerebellum was most the frequently involved site. The median overall survival time following diagnosis of BM was 2.5 months (range 2-9 months). Notably, 8/11 patients were diagnosed in the latter 8 years of the study period (between 2004 and 2012). CONCLUSION: With increased survival, improved systemic therapy and aggressive approaches to surgical management of "classical" metastases from CRC, it is likely that a changing pattern of metastases will emerge. As survival rates increase, we propose that metastatic sites, which were previously considered rare (e.g. brain), will now become more common and thus, surgeons must recognise pertinent symptomatology.

Impact of surgical innovation on tissue repair in the surgical patient.

BACKGROUND: Throughout history, surgeons have been prolific innovators, which is hardly surprising as most surgeons innovate daily, tailoring their intervention to the intrinsic uniqueness of each operation, each patient and each disease. Innovation can be defined as the application of better solutions that meet new requirements, unarticulated needs or existing market needs. In the past two decades, surgical innovation has significantly improved patient outcomes, complication rates and length of hospital stay. There is one key area that has great potential to change the face of surgical practice and which is still in its infancy: the realm of regenerative medicine and tissue engineering. METHODS: A literature review was performed using PubMed; peer-reviewed publications were screened for relevance in order to identify key surgical innovations influencing regenerative medicine, with a focus on osseous, cutaneous and soft tissue reconstruction. RESULTS: This review describes recent advances in regenerative medicine, documenting key innovations in osseous, cutaneous and soft tissue regeneration that have brought regenerative medicine to the forefront of the surgical imagination. CONCLUSION: Surgical innovation in the emerging field of regenerative medicine has the ability to make a major impact on surgery on a daily basis.

Open versus laparoscopic abdominal rectopexy: an examination of early postoperative outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Abdominal rectopexy is used to treat full thickness rectal prolapse and obstructed defecation syndrome, with good outcomes. Use of a laparoscopic approach may reduce morbidity. The current study assessed short-term operative outcomes for patients undergoing laparoscopic or open rectopexy. METHODS: Rectopexy cases were identified from theater logs in two tertiary referral centers. Patient demographics, intra-operative details and early postoperative outcomes were examined. RESULTS: There were 62 patients included over 10 years, a third of whom underwent laparoscopic rectopexy. Laparoscopy was associated with a longer operative time (195.9 versus 129.6 min, p = 0.003), but this did not affect postoperative outcomes, with no significant differences found for complication rates and length of stay between the two groups. Univariable analysis found no influence of laparoscopic approach on the likelihood of postoperative complications, and no factor achieved significance with multivariable analysis. This study included the first laparoscopic cases performed in the involved institutions, and a "learning curve" existed as seen with a decreasing operative duration per case over time (p = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic rectopexy has similar short-term outcomes to open rectopexy.

Primary colorectal lymphoma - A single centre experience.

PURPOSE: The incidence of primary colorectal lymphoma (PCL) is rare (0.2-0.6% of large bowel malignancy). Up to one third of Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma will present with extra-nodal manifestations only. Extra-nodal lymphomas arise from tissues other than the lymph nodes and even from sites, which contain no lymphoid tissue. The incidence of Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma has increased over the past fifty years. The objective of this study was to examine our experience of PCL. METHODS: A prospectively-compiled database (1988-2012) of patients with colorectal cancer was retrospectively examined for cases of colorectal lymphoma. A retrospective chart review identified cases of PCL based on Dawson's criteria. Clinical information was obtained from case notes. RESULTS: Eleven patients (0.3% of 4219 patients) were identified (6 male, 5 female). The median age at diagnosis was 63 years. Mode of presentation varied; abdominal pain, a palpable mass and per rectal bleeding being the most frequent. The caecum was the most frequently involved site (5/11). Nine patients underwent surgical management, one had chemotherapy alone and one had radiotherapy alone. All cases were non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma in majority. The median event-free survival of those treated with surgery and post-operative chemotherapy was 10 months (range 5-120 months). CONCLUSION: Primary colorectal lymphoma is rare. Management is multidisciplinary and dependent on the subtype of lymphoma. Due to the rarity of diagnosis, there is a paucity of randomised control trials. Most information published is based on individual case reports and there is, thus, no clear treatment algorithm for these cases.

Biomaterials for craniofacial bone engineering.

Conditions such as congenital anomalies, cancers, and trauma can all result in devastating deficits of bone in the craniofacial skeleton. This can lead to significant alteration in function and appearance that may have significant implications for patients. In addition, large bone defects in this area can pose serious clinical dilemmas, which prove difficult to remedy, even with current gold standard surgical treatments. The craniofacial skeleton is complex and serves important functional demands. The necessity to develop new approaches for craniofacial reconstruction arises from the fact that traditional therapeutic modalities, such as autologous bone grafting, present myriad limitations and carry with them the potential for significant complications. While the optimal bone construct for tissue regeneration remains to be elucidated, much progress has been made in the past decade. Advances in tissue engineering have led to innovative scaffold design, complemented by progress in the understanding of stem cell-based therapy and growth factor enhancement of the healing cascade. This review focuses on the role of biomaterials for craniofacial bone engineering, highlighting key advances in scaffold design and development.

Gastrointestinal Erdheim-Chester disease.

We report a rare case of Erdheim-Chester Disease, a non-Langerhans cell histiocytosis. A 60-year old female presented with a seven-month history of vague abdominal symptoms. A large retroperitoneal mass was detected on computed tomography (CT), but multiple CT-guided biopsy samples were inconclusive. Laparoscopy revealed a mass in the distal ileum, which was resected. Histology and immuno-histochemistry supported a diagnosis of Erdheim-Chester Disease.

Seppuku: a modern approach to an ancient injury.

A 67 year-old man with paraplegia and depression presented with self-inflicted evisceration and small bowel injury. Damage control surgery was undertaken at emergency laparotomy with definitive anastomosis performed at second-look laparotomy following 24 hours resuscitation in ICU. He had an uncomplicated post-operative course and was discharged to an inpatient psychiatric unit.

How I do it: the stapled ileal J pouch at restorative proctocolectomy.

BACKGROUND: Ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (IPAA) following proctocolectomy is the preferred option for patients with medically refractory ulcerative colitis, indeterminate colitis, and familial adenomatous polyposis. However, it remains a procedure associated with morbidity and mortality. Pelvic sepsis, pouch fistulae, and anastomotic dehiscence predispose to pouch failure. We report our experience with an adaptation for the formation of the stapled ileal J pouch using the GIA™ 100 stapling device (Covidien, Mansfield, Massachusetts, USA). When creating the J pouch, we remove the bevelled plastic protector from the thin fork of the stapling device, allowing the staple line to be completed to the tip of the stapled efferent limb of the pouch, thereby minimizing potential blind ending in the efferent limb and injury to the transverse staple line. METHODS: Patients undergoing elective IPAA at our institution over a 5-year period using this adapted stapling technique for creation of the ileal J pouch were reviewed. Data were collected from a prospectively maintained inflammatory bowel disease database, theater records, and patient chart review. RESULTS: Forty-one patients underwent IPAA using this technique at our institution during the study period. Postoperative morbidity was encountered in 11 of 41 patients including pelvic sepsis, pouch fistulae, anastomotic stricture, or leak. There was no morbidity observed related to a blind efferent limb or transverse staple line disruption. No mortality was observed in this series. CONCLUSION: Maximizing the length of the efferent fork of the GIA stapling device can reduce the length of redundant efferent J limb of the ileal J pouch. This may reduce the incidence of torsion, volvulus, distension, fistulae/sinuses, and pelvic sepsis/anastomotic leak following IPAA.