Psoas abscess with septic arthritis of the hip: a case report.

Psoas abscess associated with septic arthritis of the hip is unusual in infants. A 12-month-old infant presented with the complaints of fever, left hip pain and limp. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed left psoas abscess accompanied by septic arthritis of the hip. In this report, we present a case of psoas abscess with hip septic arthritis in an infant, and we describe the clinical and radiological findings and treatment of this case.

Distribution and evaluation of bone and soft tissue tumors in the middle Black Sea Region.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the characteristics of bone and soft tissue tumors operated on at the Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology at Ondokuz Mayis University Faculty of Medicine Hospital between January 1987 and January 2012. METHODS: This descriptive study retrospectively evaluated 1,925 patients hospitalized with a preliminary diagnosis of tumor. Patients were analyzed for age, gender, tumor incidence and localization. Three hundred and forty-nine patients found to have non-tumor causes. The 94 patients discharged at their own request or deceased during follow-up were not included in the tumor group. RESULTS: Of the 1,482 (76.9%) patients diagnosed with tumor, 687 (46.4%) were bone tumors, 586 (39.5%) soft tissue tumors and 209 (14.1%) metastatic tumors. The most common benign bone tumor was osteochondroma (118; 25%), followed by enchondroma (68; 14.4%) and giant cell tumor (59; 12.5%), and the most common malignant bone tumor was osteosarcoma (58; 27%), followed by chondrosarcoma (36; 16.7%) and Ewing's sarcoma (33; 15.3%). The most common benign soft tissue tumor was cystic hygroma (96; 22%), followed by lipoma (75; 17.2%) and hemangioma (52; 11.9%), and the most common malignant soft tissue tumors were pleomorphic cell tumor (29; 19.3%) and liposarcoma (29; 19.3%), followed by pleomorphic undifferentiated sarcoma (21; 14%). Seventy (33.5%) of the metastatic tumors were of pulmonary origin, 36 (17.2%) were of breast origin and the primary site of the tumor was not clearly determined in 58 (27.8%) patients. CONCLUSION: The distribution of bone and soft tissue tumors appear to have certain characteristics but can show regional differences. We believe that the establishment of a larger series through the collection of these types of studies from centers in which bone and soft tissue tumor surgery is performed will provide important information on the epidemiological features of bone and soft tissue tumors.

Effects of circulating endothelial progenitor cells, serum vascular endothelial growth factor and hypogammaglobulinemia in Perthes disease.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease (PD) pathogenesis by comparing absolute circulating endothelial progenitor cell (EPC) counts, serum levels of vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A) and immunoglobulins between PD patients and controls. METHODS: The study included 28 PD cases (mean age: 8 ± 3.8) and 25 healthy age-matched control subjects. EPC, serum VEGF-A and immunoglobulin levels were measured in peripheral blood samples. Comparisons and correlation analysis were performed. RESULTS: In the PD group, 17 subjects were in the fragmentation stage and 11 in the healing stage. Four patients had bilateral disease and 14 had hypogammaglobulinemia. Median EPC count of the PD group was 80 and was significantly higher than those of the control group (p=0.011). No significant difference was determined in serum VEGF-A levels (p=0.354). EPC count were inversely correlated with serum IgG levels of the PD group (r=0.403, p=0.03). Absolute EPC count was also significantly higher in the fragmentation stage than in the healing stage and were also greater in bilaterally affected than in unilaterally affected patients. Circulating EPC count was correlated to the serum VEGF-A levels in patients with fragmentation stage of PD (r=0.605, p=0.01) and in those with hypogammaglobulinemia (r=0.599, p=0.001). CONCLUSION: High EPC count at the fragmentation stage of PD and relatively higher counts in bilateral disease suggest that EPC may be a valuable marker in the diagnosis and follow-up of PD. Additional studies are needed to explain the strong correlation between EPC and serum VEGF-A level in the fragmentation stage and in the presence of hypogammaglobulinemia.

Osteoarthritis models after anterior cruciate ligament resection and medial meniscectomy in rats. A histological and immunohistochemical study.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the amount of degeneration based on the time spent, using 2 different methods of surgically induced osteoarthritis (OA) that frequently used in treating OA. METHODS: We undertook this research in Ondokuz Mayis University, Surgical Research Center between April 2006 and July 2006. In this study, 55 rats were used, 7 as the control group, and 12 in each of 4 groups. We compared the amount of OA formed by the medial meniscectomy (MMx) and anterior cruciate ligament transection (ACLT) at 8 and 16 weeks according to the Modified Mankin Score and histologically and immunohistochemically due to their response to Matrix metalloproteinase 13 expression (MMP13). RESULTS: We observed the highest degeneration in the MMx model at 8 weeks, and this situation continued until 16 weeks. However, the degeneration in the ACLT model was lower at 8 weeks compared with the MMx group, however, it reached the same amount as the MMX group at 16 weeks. CONCLUSION: The OA model formed by the ACLT method was better than the MMx model when degeneration and time were taken into consideration and should be used when researching drugs on an experimental basis in OA.

[Tendon repair with the strengthened modified Kessler, modified Kessler, and Savage suture techniques: a biomechanical comparison]. / Tendon tamirinde güçlendirilmis modifiye Kessler, modifiye Kessler ve Savage yöntemlerinin karsilastirilmasi: Biyomekanik çalisma.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to develop a suture technique that would be simple and easy to perform, but also strong enough to resist the strength formed during early active exercise protocols. METHODS: Thirty flexor digitorum profundus muscle tendons were obtained from lambs aged 12 to 16 months. The tendons were assigned to three in situ repair groups, including the modified Kessler technique, six-strand Savage technique, and a strengthened modified Kessler technique, all combined with an epitendinous suture. Each group was subjected to biomechanical tests and the maximum strength of the tendons to rupture and the power exerted to yield a 3-mm separation were recorded. RESULTS: The mean strengths of the tendons repaired with the modified Kessler technique for 3-mm separation and rupture were 29.9+/-2.9 N and 37.0+/-4.0 N, respectively. The corresponding forces were 39.1+/-6.7 N and 51.3+/-6.1 N with the six-strand Savage technique, and 59.9+/-8.3 N and 69.0+/-8.7 N with the strengthened modified Kessler technique, respectively. Forces to produce a 3-mm separation and rupture were significantly higher with the strengthened modified Kessler repair, whereas the lowest forces were seen with the modified Kessler technique (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: Tendon repair with the strengthened modified Kessler technique provides the highest resistance to both 3-mm separation and rupture. These biomechanical properties may allow safe and active motion without any gap formation in the repair area.

Treatment of intertrochanteric fractures in geriatric patients with a modified external fixator.

Forty-two geriatric patients who had an intertrochanteric fracture were treated with a semicircular modification of the Ilizarov frame designed by Cattaneo and Catagni between January 1997 and September 2001. Twenty-five of the patients were female, 17 male. The average age of the patients was 77.5 years (range, 63-99). No intraoperative complication occurred. Deep pin-track infection was found in four patients and varus deformity was observed in two patients and shortening of less than 2 cm in 10 patients. Fixator removal was achieved in a mean time of 12 weeks (range, 10-18). No implant failure, refracture or stiffness of knee and hip joint movements was recorded. We concluded that the treatment of intertrochanteric fractures of the elderly patients with our modification provides significant advantages such as minimal operative and anaesthetic risks, no blood loss, early weight-bearing, short hospitalisation time and rapid union time.

Early results of a modified technique of cryosurgery.

The objective of this study was to present a simple, convenient, and reliable technique for the application of liquid nitrogen and to evaluate the effectiveness of curettage and cryosurgery. Between 1992 and 2002, 24 patients who had benign aggressive and low-grade malignant bone tumors were treated by curettage and cryosurgery. While cryosurgery was applied by the "direct pour" technique in the first seven patients, it was applied by the "pressurized spraying" technique in the others. Functional results were graded according to Enneking. The mean follow-up was 47 (range 9-131) months. There were no local recurrences. Three patients who underwent the direct pour technique developed partial skin necrosis. The functional results were excellent in 14 patients, good in six, and fair in four. When compared with previous reports on cryosurgery and its application techniques, we detected no tumor recurrence or complications, including soft-tissue injury, infection, and late fracture with liquid nitrogen applied by the pressurized spraying technique.

[Evaluation of patello-femoral joint congruity following total knee arthroplasties]. / Total diz artroplastisi uygulamalarinda patello-femoral eklem uyumu.

OBJECTIVES: Complications associated with the patellar component have an important place for revision procedures following total knee arthroplasty (TKA). We evaluated the patello-femoral congruity both clinically and radiologically after TKAs performed with polyethylene patellar components. METHODS: The study included 60 knees of 55 patients (45 females, 10 males; mean age 66 years; range 33-82 years). Clinically, all patients were evaluated with respect to pain, knee functions, and range of motion of the knee joint. Antero-posterior, lateral, and patellar tangential radiographs were obtained. According to the tangential radiographs, the patients were divided into three groups; normal (group A), abnormal angular values without subluxation (group B), and the existence of subluxation, dislocation, or a fracture (group C). Patellar height, variations in the joint line, and patellar coverage by the component were measured on lateral radiographs. Patients with normal patellar congruity and patellar subluxation were compared. The mean follow-up period was 40 months (range 12 to 88 months). RESULTS: No significant differences were found between the three groups with respect to pain and range of motion of the knee joint; however, functional scores differed significantly (p=0.019). Radiologically, the mean valgus angles were not significantly different. According to the location of the patellar component on tangential radiographs, group A, group B, and group C included 39 knees (65.0%), 11 knees (18.3%), and 10 knees (16.7%), respectively. Measurements on lateral radiographs did not yield significant differences between patients with normal patellar congruity and patellar subluxation. CONCLUSION: Patellar subluxation should be investigated on tangential radiographs following TKA because lateral radiographs of the knee fail to show patello-femoral problems.

Anatomic variations of the coracoacromial ligament in neonatal cadavers: a neonatal cadaver study.

One of the most common causes of pain and disability in the upper limb is inflammation of the rotator cuff tendons. When no significant bony abnormality exists in the surrounding structures, the coracoacromial ligament has been implicated as a possible cause of impingement on the cuff tendons and various morphological variants of the ligament have so far been claimed to be either the cause or the result of impingement. In this study, 110 shoulders from 60 neonatal cadavers that were preserved in a preparation of formaldehyde were dissected. Anatomic variations of coracoacromial ligaments were investigated with metric and histologic analysis. Three main ligament types were identified: quadrangular, broad band and U-shaped. The multiple banded ligament was not found. Histologic analysis showed that in U-shaped ligaments a thin tissue existed in the central part of the ligament close to the coracoid. Comparing our data with the adult measurements of a previous study we suggest that the primordial ligament is broad shaped, but assumes a quadrangular shape due to the different growth rates of the coracoid and acromial ends. We also suggest that broad and U-shaped ligaments account for the primordial and quadrangular and Y-shaped ligaments account for the adult types of the single or double banded anatomic variants respectively. Our results show that various types of the coracoacromial ligament are present at the neonatal period and that the final shape of the ligament should be defined by developmental factors, rather than degenerative changes.