Who, When, Why?-Traumatological Patients in the Emergency Department of a Maximum Care Provider.

Nationwide, there is an annual increase in the number of patients in German emergency departments resulting in a growing workload for the entire emergency department staff. Several studies have investigated the situation in emergency departments, most of which were interdisciplinary, but there are no data on a solely traumatological patient population. The present study therefore aims to investigate the situation in a university-based trauma surgery emergency department. A total of 8582 traumatological patients attending a university hospital from 1 January 2019 to 31 December 2019 were studied. Various variables, such as reason for presentation, time of accident, diagnosis, and diagnostic as well as therapeutic measures performed were analyzed from the admission records created. The mean age was 36.2 years, 60.1% were male, 63.3% presented on their own to the emergency department, and 41.2% presented during regular working hours between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. The most common reason for presentation was outdoor falls at 17.4%, and 63.3% presented to the emergency department within the first 12 h after the sustained trauma. The most common diagnosis was bruise (27.6%), and 14.2% of patients were admitted as inpatients. Many of the emergency room patients suffered no relevant trauma sequelae. In order to reduce the number of patients in emergency rooms in the future, existing institutions in the outpatient emergency sector must be further expanded and effectively advertised to the public. In this way, the emergency medical resources of clinics, including staff, can be relieved to provide the best possible care for actual emergency patients.

Measuring Bone Healing: Parameters and Scores in Comparison.

(1) Background: Bone healing is a complex process that can not be replicated in its entirety in vitro. Research on bone healing still requires the animal model. The critical size femur defect (CSFD) in rats is a well-established model for fractures in humans that exceed the self-healing potential. New therapeutic approaches can be tested here in vivo. Histological, biomechanical, and radiological parameters are usually collected and interpreted. However, it is not yet clear to what extent they correlate with each other and how necessary it is to record all parameters. (2) Methods: The basis for this study was data from three animal model studies evaluating bone healing. The µCT and histological (Movat pentachrome, osteocalcin) datasets/images were reevaluated and correlation analyses were then performed. Two image processing procedures were compared in the analysis of the image data. (3) Results: There was a significant correlation between the histologically determined bone fraction (Movat pentachrome staining) and bending stiffness. Bone fraction determined by osteocalcin showed no prognostic value. (4) Conclusions: The evaluation of the image datasets using ImageJ is sufficient and simpler than the combination of both programs. Determination of the bone fraction using Movat pentachrome staining allows conclusions to be drawn about the biomechanics of the bone. A standardized procedure with the ImageJ software is recommended for determining the bone proportion.

One Stage Masquelets Technique: Evaluation of Different Forms of Membrane Filling with and without Bone Marrow Mononuclear Cells (BMC) in Large Femoral Bone Defects in Rats.

The classic two-stage masquelet technique is an effective procedure for the treatment of large bone defects. Our group recently showed that one surgery could be saved by using a decellularized dermis membrane (DCD, Epiflex, DIZG). In addition, studies with bone substitute materials for defect filling show that it also appears possible to dispense with the removal of syngeneic cancellous bone (SCB), which is fraught with complications. The focus of this work was to clarify whether the SCB can be replaced by the granular demineralized bone matrix (g-DBM) or fibrous demineralized bone matrix (f-DBM) demineralized bone matrix and whether the colonization of the DCD and/or the DBM defect filling with bone marrow mononuclear cells (BMC) can lead to improved bone healing. In 100 Sprague Dawley rats, a critical femoral bone defect 5 mm in length was stabilized with a plate and then encased in DCD. Subsequently, the defect was filled with SCB (control), g-DBM, or f-DBM, with or without BMC. After 8 weeks, the femurs were harvested and subjected to histological, radiological, and biomechanical analysis. The analyses showed the incipient bony bridging of the defect zone in both groups for g-DBM and f-DBM. Stability and bone formation were not affected compared to the control group. The addition of BMCs showed no further improvement in bone healing. In conclusion, DBM offers a new perspective on defect filling; however, the addition of BMC did not lead to better results.

In vitro Evaluation of a 20% Bioglass-Containing 3D printable PLA Composite for Bone Tissue Engineering.

Three-dimensional (3D) printing is considered a key technology in the production of customized scaffolds for bone tissue engineering. In a previous work, we developed a 3D printable, osteoconductive, hierarchical organized scaffold system. The scaffold material should be osteoinductive. Polylactic acid (PLA) (polymer)/Bioglass (BG) (mineral/ion source) composite materials are promising. Previous studies of PLA/BG composites never exceed BG fractions of 10%, as increase of bioactive BG component negatively affects the printability of the composite material. Here, we test a novel, 3D printable PLA/BG composite with BG fractions up to 20% for its biological activity in vitro. PLA/BG filaments suitable for microstructure 3D printing were spun and the effect of different BG contents (5%, 10%, and 20%) in this material on mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) activity was tested in vitro. Our results showed that all tested composites are biocompatible. MSC cell adherence and metabolic activity increase with increasing BG content. The presence of BG component in scaffold has only slight effect on osteogenic gene expression, but it has significant suppressive effect on the expression of inflammatory genes in MSC. In addition, the material did not provoke any significant inflammatory response in whole-blood stimulation assay. The results show that by increasing the BG content, the bioactivity can be further enhanced.

3D-Printed PLA-Bioglass Scaffolds with Controllable Calcium Release and MSC Adhesion for Bone Tissue Engineering.

Large bone defects are commonly treated by replacement with auto- and allografts, which have substantial drawbacks including limited supply, donor site morbidity, and possible tissue rejection. This study aimed to improve bone defect treatment using a custom-made filament for tissue engineering scaffolds. The filament consists of biodegradable polylactide acid (PLA) and a varying amount (up to 20%) of osteoconductive S53P4 bioglass. By employing an innovative, additive manufacturing technique, scaffolds with optimized physico-mechanical and biological properties were produced. The scaffolds feature adjustable macro- and microporosity (200-2000 µm) with adaptable mechanical properties (83-135 MPa). Additionally, controllable calcium release kinetics (0-0.25 nMol/µL after 24 h), tunable mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) adhesion potential (after 24 h by a factor of 14), and proliferation (after 168 h by a factor of 18) were attained. Microgrooves resulting from the 3D-printing process on the surface act as a nucleus for cell aggregation, thus being a potential cell niche for spheroid formation or possible cell guidance. The scaffold design with its adjustable biomechanics and the bioglass with its antimicrobial properties are of particular importance for the preclinical translation of the results. This study comprehensibly demonstrates the potential of a 3D-printed bioglass composite scaffold for the treatment of critical-sized bone defects.

Early Immune Response in Foreign Body Reaction Is Implant/Material Specific.

The design of novel biomaterials should directly influence the host-immune system and steer it towards high biocompatibility. To date, new implants/materials have been tested for biocompatibility in vitro in cell cultures and in vivo in animal models. The current methods do not reflect reality (cell cultures) or are very time-consuming and deliver results only after weeks (animal model). In this proof-of-concept study, the suitability of a Whole Blood Stimulation Assay (WBSA) in combination with a Protein Profiler Array (PPA), as a readily available and cost-effective screening tool, was investigated. Three different biomaterials based on poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA), calcium sulphate/-carbonate (CS) and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) were exposed to native whole blood from three volunteers and subsequently screened with a PPA. Individual reproducible protein profiles could be detected for all three materials after 24 h of incubation. The most intense reaction resulted from the use of PLGA, followed by CS. If even marginal differences in implants can be reflected in protein profiles, the combination of WBSA and PPA could serve as an early biocompatibility screening tool in the development of novel biomaterials. This may also lead to a reduction in costs and the amount of animal testing required.

The Induced Membrane Technique-The Filling Matters: Evaluation of Different Forms of Membrane Filling with and without Bone Marrow Mononuclear Cells (BMC) in Large Femoral Bone Defects in Rats.

The Masquelet technique is used to treat large bone defects; it is a two-stage procedure based on an induced membrane. To improve the induced membrane process, demineralized bone matrix in granular (GDBM) and fibrous form (f-DBM) was tested with and without bone marrow mononuclear cells (BMC) as filling of the membrane against the gold standard filling with syngeneic cancellous bone (SCB). A total of 65 male Sprague-Dawley rats obtained a 5 mm femoral defect. These defects were treated with the induced membrane technique and filled with SCB, GDBM, or f-DBM, with or without BMC. After a healing period of eight weeks, the femurs were harvested and submitted for histological, radiological, and biomechanical analyses. The fracture load in the defect zone was lower compared to SCB in all groups. However, histological analysis showed comparable new bone formation, bone mineral density, and cartilage proportions and vascularization. The results suggest that f-DBM in combination with BMC and the induced membrane technique cannot reproduce the very good results of this material in large, non-membrane coated bone defects, nevertheless it supports the maturation of new bone tissue locally. It can be concluded that BMC should be applied in lower doses and inflammatory cells should be removed from the cell preparation before implantation.

Fractures in Parkinson's Disease: injury patterns, hospitalization, and therapeutic aspects.

AIM: The primary aim of this study was to analyze the frequency and characteristic patterns of fall-related fractures as well as consecutive hospitalization and management relating to such fractures. In addition, important pathognomonic and therapeutic aspects are discussed. METHODS: This retrospective mono-center study was conducted at the University Hospital Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Between 2007 and 2017, a total of 145 PD patients with fall-related fractures were identified via a retrospective systematic query in the hospital information system using the ICD-10 German modification codes G20.0-G20.9. Patients with unclear or falsely coded PD were strictly excluded. RESULTS: The mean age of the cohort was 77.7 years (± 7.5, median 77.) and 57.9% of the cohort were females (n = 84). A total number of 151 fractures were reported, with 140 patients (96.6%) suffering from one, four patients from two (2.8%), and one patient from three fractures (0.6%) at a time. For 43.9% (n = 65) of the cohort, fractures concerned lower extremities (LE) followed by trunk (38.1%, n = 58) and upper extremities (UE, 17.9%, n = 27). Most common fracture types in LE were femoral neck fractures (52.3%, n = 34). Mean length of hospital stay (LOS) was 13.6 days (95% CI 12.4-14.7). In 43.4% (n = 63) of cases, an interim admission to an intensive-care unit (ICU) was necessary. Mean ICU LOS was 2.3 days (95% CI 1.5-3.0), and mean LOS for normal care unit was 10.5 days (95% CI 10.3-12.4). Surgical treatment was necessary in 75.9% of the cases (n = 110). Patients undergoing surgical treatment showed significantly longer LOS compared to conservatively treated patients (p < 0.001). Moreover, fractures of the LE (p = 0.018) and UE (p = 0.010) were associated with a significant longer LOS. CONCLUSION: Fall-related fractures are a common and relevant complication in PD patients leading to increased immobility, frequent hospitalization, and immediate surgical care. Fractures of the lower extremities and trunk were the most common in the cohort for this study. A PD patient presenting to the emergency room or at the general practitioner with a fracture should always be checked for osteoporosis and a fall-related injury should be seen as a red flag for reviewing a patient's individual therapeutic regime.

Registry-Based Mortality Analysis Reveals a High Proportion of Patient Decrees and Presumed Limitation of Therapy in Severe Geriatric Trauma.

BACKGROUND: The treatment of severely injured patients, especially in older age, is complex, and based on strict guidelines. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study by analyzing our internal registry for mortality risk factors in deceased trauma patients. All patients that were admitted to the trauma bay of our level-1-trauma center from 2014 to 2018, and that died during the in-hospital treatment, were included. The aim of this study was to carry out a quality assurance concerning the initial care of severely injured patients. RESULTS: In the 5-year period, 135 trauma patients died. The median (IQR) age was 69 (38-83) years, 71% were male, and the median (IQR) Injury Severity Score (ISS) was 25 (17-34) points. Overall, 41% of the patients suffered from severe traumatic brain injuries (TBI) (AIShead ≥ 4 points). For 12.7%, therapy was finally limited owing to an existing patient's decree; in 64.9% with an uncertain prognosis, a 'therapia minima' was established in consensus with the relatives. CONCLUSION: Although the mortality rate was primarily related to the severity of the injury, a significant number of deaths were not exclusively due to medical reasons, but also to a self-determined limitation of therapy for severely injured geriatric patients. The conscientious documentation concerning the will of the patient is increasingly important in supporting medical decisions.

First Human Leucocyte Antigen (HLA) Response and Safety Evaluation of Fibrous Demineralized Bone Matrix in a Critical Size Femoral Defect Model of the Sprague-Dawley Rat.

Treatment of large bone defects is one of the great challenges in contemporary orthopedic and traumatic surgery. Grafts are necessary to support bone healing. A well-established allograft is demineralized bone matrix (DBM) prepared from donated human bone tissue. In this study, a fibrous demineralized bone matrix (f-DBM) with a high surface-to-volume ratio has been analyzed for toxicity and immunogenicity. f-DBM was transplanted to a 5-mm, plate-stabilized, femoral critical-size-bone-defect in Sprague-Dawley (SD)-rats. Healthy animals were used as controls. After two months histology, hematological analyses, immunogenicity as well as serum biochemistry were performed. Evaluation of free radical release and hematological and biochemical analyses showed no significant differences between the control group and recipients of f-DBM. Histologically, there was no evidence of damage to liver and kidney and good bone healing was observed in the f-DBM group. Reactivity against human HLA class I and class II antigens was detected with mostly low fluorescence values both in the serum of untreated and treated animals, reflecting rather a background reaction. Taken together, these results provide evidence for no systemic toxicity and the first proof of no basic immunogenic reaction to bone allograft and no sensitization of the recipient.

3D-Printing of Hierarchically Designed and Osteoconductive Bone Tissue Engineering Scaffolds.

In Bone Tissue Engineering (BTE), autologous bone-regenerative cells are combined with a scaffold for large bone defect treatment (LBDT). Microporous, polylactic acid (PLA) scaffolds showed good healing results in small animals. However, transfer to large animal models is not easily achieved simply by upscaling the design. Increasing diffusion distances have a negative impact on cell survival and nutrition supply, leading to cell death and ultimately implant failure. Here, a novel scaffold architecture was designed to meet all requirements for an advanced bone substitute. Biofunctional, porous subunits in a load-bearing, compression-resistant frame structure characterize this approach. An open, macro- and microporous internal architecture (100 µm-2 mm pores) optimizes conditions for oxygen and nutrient supply to the implant's inner areas by diffusion. A prototype was 3D-printed applying Fused Filament Fabrication using PLA. After incubation with Saos-2 (Sarcoma osteogenic) cells for 14 days, cell morphology, cell distribution, cell survival (fluorescence microscopy and LDH-based cytotoxicity assay), metabolic activity (MTT test), and osteogenic gene expression were determined. The adherent cells showed colonization properties, proliferation potential, and osteogenic differentiation. The innovative design, with its porous structure, is a promising matrix for cell settlement and proliferation. The modular design allows easy upscaling and offers a solution for LBDT.

Changes in platelet-rich fibrin composition after trauma and surgical intervention.

Reconstruction surgery after trauma has always been a big challenge. The use of platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) as an autologous source could help accelerate the regeneration time of bone and soft tissues. PRF is a blood concentrate system obtained through a one-step centrifugation. The 3D matrix of the PRF clot serves as a reservoir of growth factors. In the present study, PRF from patients after trauma and after surgery was compared to healthy volunteers to evaluate the composition and potential of PRF as a possible autologous tool for growth factor delivering. Two PRF species and blood from healthy volunteers and patients after trauma and after following surgical intervention were compared (n = 10). FACS analysis, ELISA, and histological analysis were performed. The Pro-inflammatory potential after trauma and after the intervention is increased in PRF species whereas cellular and humoral factors with distinct regenerative potential remained on a level comparable to peripheral blood. It was demonstrated that cells in PRF express more pro-inflammatory species when obtained after the surgical intervention compared to PRF from healthy individuals. This pro-inflammatory potential should be considered, when combining PRF with bone substitute materials for reconstruction surgery prone to foreign body giant cell reaction. Accordingly, solid or injectable PRF-based matrices should preferably be prepared prior to a surgical intervention.

Chronic alcohol abuse may lead to high skin iron content, but not to hepatic siderosis.

INTRODUCTION: In forensic cases, ante mortem chronic alcohol abuse can be of central importance in clarifying circumstances of death. However, reliable markers of alcohol consumption, which are still available postmortem, are needed. In addition to medical history data which may not be always authentic, the determination of ethyl glucuronide (EtG) in hair as a promising parameter is of no value in cases of missing or cosmetically treated hair. On the other hand, there exist reports that iron ions accumulate in liver tissue (siderosis) during chronic, excessive alcohol consumption, which, therefore, may be useful to serve as alcohol abuse correlate. However, the influence of ethanol on iron stored in the liver has not been adequately investigated and the study situation appears to be inconsistent. AIMS: The aim of the present study was to assess the suitability of assaying iron concentrations in liver and other tissues as postmortem alcoholism marker. METHODS: The iron concentration in tissue samples (liver, brain, skin, pancreas, spleen), vitreous fluid and blood taken during autopsy was analyzed by atomic absorption spectroscopy. The analytical method has been validated before. Cases were divided into two groups: chronic alcohol abusers and non-chronic alcohol consumers including total abstainers using ethyl glucuronide levels in hair as well as anamnestic data as criteria. RESULTS: No elevated iron concentrations in the liver of chronic alcohol abusers were detected. Surprisingly, the iron concentration in skin tissue was found to be significantly higher in cases of chronic alcohol abuse, independent on whether fatty liver or liver cirrhosis was present (as diagnosedduring autopsy). In 18.5% of the cases, chronic alcohol abuse was not confirmed by the EtG concentration in hair. Thus, anamnestic data should not be overestimated. CONCLUSION: The general assumption that chronic alcohol abuse induces hepatic siderosis, i.e. high iron concentrations in liver tissue, has not been supported by results of the present study. However, there seems to exist a correlation between chronic alcohol abuse and high iron concentrations in the skin.

Prevalence, risk factors and therapeutic aspects of injuries and accidents in women with epilepsy.

BACKGROUND: Epilepsy-related injuries and accidents (ERIA) are a frequent cause of hospitalisation and represent a relevant burden for patients with epilepsy. In particular, osteoporosis and other gender-specific aspects may increase the risk of seizure-related fractures and injuries in women with epilepsy. AIM AND SCOPE: The aim of this analysis is to determine the prevalence and clinical nature of ERIA in a cohort of women with epilepsy, to identify possible determinants including osteoporosis and to give an overview of the current knowledge of clinically important prophylactic and therapeutic aspects. RESULTS: In total, 167 women (mean age 39.0 years, range 18-67 years) with established diagnosis of epilepsy (mean disease duration 18.2 years, range 0-64) were analysed for the occurrence of ERIA. Overall, 22 patients (13.2%) reported at least one ERIA (mean number 3.4, ± 3.1) during the last three months prior to enrollment. The most frequent types of ERIA were lacerations (n = 7/22; 31.8%), abrasions, cuts, bruises or hematoma (n = 6/22, 27.3%), burns (n = 3/22, 13.6%), and fractures (n = 3/22, 13.6%). Moreover, one seizure-related road traffic accident with consecutive trauma (4.5%) was reported. Ictal falls, periictal abnormalities of behaviour and missing seizure freedom were associated with ERIA. Furthermore, female patients with ERIA had a significantly reduced quality of life (QoL, p = 0.002) and increased anxiety (p = 0.008) compared to patients without ERIA. A review of the pertinent literature suggests decreased bone mineral density and use of enzyme-inducing AEDs to be risk factors for ERIA in women with epilepsy. CONCLUSION: ERIA represent relevant complications for women with epilepsy and are associated with a lower QoL and anxiety compared with non-affected controls. Improvement of anticonvulsive treatment and therapy for osteoporosis or osteomalacia may help to decrease ERIA and the associated burden.