Ultrasound-guided coracohumeral ligament release.

Long-term follow-up of patients with adhesive capsulitis (AC) reveals that approximately half of them suffer from a limited range of shoulder motion, particularly external and/or internal rotation. We report the surgical technique and short-term clinical outcomes of ultrasound-guided release of the thickened coracohumeral (CH) ligament in 8 patients (9 shoulders) with AC. Passive external rotation with the arm by the side significantly increased from an average of 18° preoperatively to 47° immediately after CH ligament release. VAS and ASES scores were improved at 3months follow-up in all 9 shoulders, and maintained at 6months follow-up in 6 shoulders. No procedure-related adverse events developed over the 6-month follow-up period. Ultrasound-guided release for thickened CH ligament is a reliable and effective minimally invasive surgery for persistent limited external rotation due to AC of the shoulder.

High-dose chemotherapy for high-risk retinoblastoma: clinical course and outcome of 14 cases in the National Cancer Center, Japan.

The prognosis of high-risk retinoblastoma (RB) with extraocular disease, relapse, or invasion of the cut end of the optic nerve is extremely poor. Following the discontinuation of thiotepa production in Japan, BU- and melphalan (Mel)-based regimens have been used, followed by the standard treatment for neuroblastoma. This study retrospectively analyzed 14 high-risk RB patients who underwent high-dose chemotherapy (HDC) and hematopoietic SCT; 8 received a BU/Mel conditioning regimen and 6 received other regimens. The disease status at HDC was relapse in 8 patients and extraocular involvement in 5. All patients received peripheral blood stem cell infusion >1.5 × 10(6)/kg. Engraftment occurred within a median of 11 days (BU/Mel: 10-13, others: 9-13). Primary toxicities included mucositis (⩾grade 3) in 9 patients (4 with BU/Mel, 5 with others). Veno-occlusive disease (VOD) occurred in two 1-year-old patients in the BU/Mel group. There were no treatment-related deaths. Of 4 (2 with BU/Mel, 2 with others) patients with central nervous system (CNS) relapse after HDC, 3 died. In conclusion, the BU/Mel regimen may be feasible for high-risk RB under careful monitoring for VOD, particularly in younger patients. CNS relapse associated with a lethal prognosis occurred after all regimens; therefore, further evaluation of HDC efficacy for high-risk RB is required.

ESR1 and ESR2 differentially regulate daily and circadian activity rhythms in female mice.

Estrogenic signaling shapes and modifies daily and circadian rhythms, the disruption of which has been implicated in psychiatric, neurologic, cardiovascular, and metabolic disease, among others. However, the activational mechanisms contributing to these effects remain poorly characterized. To determine the activational impact of estrogen on daily behavior patterns and differentiate between the contributions of the estrogen receptors ESR1 and ESR2, ovariectomized adult female mice were administered estradiol, the ESR1 agonist propylpyrazole triol, the ESR2 agonist diarylpropionitrile, or cholesterol (control). Animals were singly housed with running wheels in a 12-hour light, 12-hour dark cycle or total darkness. Estradiol increased total activity and amplitude, consolidated activity to the dark phase, delayed the time of peak activity (acrophase of wheel running), advanced the time of activity onset, and shortened the free running period (τ), but did not alter the duration of activity (α). Importantly, activation of ESR1 or ESR2 differentially impacted daily and circadian rhythms. ESR1 stimulation increased total wheel running and amplitude and reduced the proportion of activity in the light vs the dark. Conversely, ESR2 activation modified the distribution of activity across the day, delayed acrophase of wheel running, and advanced the time of activity onset. Interestingly, τ was shortened by estradiol or either estrogen receptor agonist. Finally, estradiol-treated animals administered a light pulse in the early subjective night, but no other time, had an attenuated response compared with controls. This decreased phase response was mirrored by animals treated with diarylpropionitrile, but not propylpyrazole triol. To conclude, estradiol has strong activational effects on the temporal patterning and expression of daily and circadian behavior, and these effects are due to distinct mechanisms elicited by ESR1 and ESR2 activation.

Antibiotic-coated pins for prevention of pin-tract infection: a rabbit study.

PURPOSE. To evaluate the efficacy of antibiotic-coated pins for prevention of pin tract infection in a rabbit model. METHODS. 10 rabbits were divided into 2 groups. A unilateral external fixator was applied to the tibia with 4 self-taping 1.8-mm pins. In the test group, pins were coated with hydroxyapatite and antibiotic. In the control group, pins were not coated. All pins were then placed in Staphylococcus aureus- containing media. At postoperative day 5, all 40 pin sites were subcutaneously inoculated with S aureus. The sites were clinically examined for signs of pin tract infection. Nine days later, a piece of soft tissue around the pin site was harvested for microbiologic examination. RESULTS. In the test group, all except one pin sites appeared clean and without clinical infection, and the culture media remained clear. In the control group, all pin sites showed evidence of clinical infection and yielded positive cultures, and the culture media became dark indicating growth of S aureus. CONCLUSION. Antibiotic-coated pins were effective in preventing pin tract infection.

Diaphragmatic repair of hepatic hydrothorax with VATS after abdominal insufflation with CO(2).

Hepatic hydrothorax is defined as the presence of a significant pleural effusion that develops in a patient with cirrhosis of the liver who does not have an underlying cardiac or pulmonary disease. There have been few published case reports dealing with hepatic hydrothorax treated surgically. Recently, we treated a patient with refractory hepatic hydrothorax by directly suturing the diaphragmatic defect during VATS. During surgery, the diaphragmatic defect was identified by using abdominal insufflation with CO(2) . The defect was sutured and the diaphragm was covered by polyglycolic acid felt and fibrin glue. After surgery, the patient's pleural effusion improved, his postoperative course was uneventful and he did not require a drainage tube at discharge.

Complications of endoscopic lumbar decompression surgery.

BACKGROUND: Endoscopic lumbar decompression is useful for the treatment of various spinal conditions and is being performed in an increasing number of patients worldwide. We reviewed the surgery-related complications in patients who underwent endoscopic surgery and discuss the learning curve for this procedure. METHODS: Since the first case in August 2000, a total of 138 patients have undergone endoscopic posterior decompression surgery. Of these, there were 74 patients with Herniated Nucleus Pulposus (HNP), 57 with Lumbar Canal Stenosis (LCS), and 7 with other conditions. From 2003 to 2005, the senior surgeon took a sabbatical, and no endoscopic surgery was conducted. We divided the cases based on the date of surgery: there were 62 patients in the early (E) group (before September 2003), and 76 in the late (L) group (from January 2006 to April 2008). We compared the incidence of surgery-related complications between 2 disease types as well as between the E and L groups. RESULTS: We encountered 11 complications, which included 6 dural tears, 2 post-surgical hematomas, 2 neural complications and 1 fracture of the inferior articular process. The incidence of surgery-related complications was 8.6%. The incidences of complications were 8.1% and 9.3% for HNP and LCS, respectively, and 11.3%, and 5.3% in the E and L groups, respectively. The incidence was particularly high (16.7%) in the E group with LCS. CONCLUSION: There is a steep learning curve for endoscopic surgery. Based on the data, surgeons should start performing endoscopic techniques for LCS after gaining enough experience of endoscopic surgery for HNP.

Spondylolysis originates in the ventral aspect of the pars interarticularis: a clinical and biomechanical study.

Lumbar spondylolysis is a stress fracture of the pars interarticularis. We have evaluated the site of origin of the fracture clinically and biomechanically. Ten adolescents with incomplete stress fractures of the pars (four bilateral) were included in our study. There were seven boys and three girls aged between 11 and 17 years. The site of the fracture was confirmed by axial and sagittal reconstructed CT. The maximum principal tensile stresses and their locations in the L5 pars during lumbar movement were calculated using a three-dimensional finite-element model of the L3-S1 segment. In all ten patients the fracture line was seen only at the caudal-ventral aspect of the pars and did not spread completely to the craniodorsal aspect. According to the finite-element analysis, the higher stresses were found at the caudal-ventral aspect in all loading modes. In extension, the stress was twofold higher in the ventral than in the dorsal aspect. Our radiological and biomechanical results were in agreement with our clinical observations.

Minimally invasive endoscopic bilateral decompression with a unilateral approach (endo-BiDUA) for elderly patients with lumbar spinal canal stenosis.

OBJECTIVES: Endoscopic spinal surgery has become increasingly common year for year because it is a minimally invasive procedure. In our hospital, we introduced endoscopic bilateral decompression with a unilateral approach (endo-BiDUA) in 2006. In this paper, we review clinically and radiographically the elderly patients who underwent the endo-BiDUA. METHODS: Fifteen patients aged over 65 years were included in this review. They had undergone endo-BiDUA between January 2006 and July 2008. Operation time, blood loss, complications, clinical outcome using the Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) score, and enlargement ratio of the dural tube on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), were evaluated. RESULTS: The mean operation time per level of endo-BiDUA was 144 min. Blood loss was about 60.2 mL. One patient had a post-surgical hematoma and required an additional laminectomy and removal of the hematoma 2 days after the surgery. No other complications such as dural tear, nerve root injury, or infection were encountered. All patients but one, who had a post-surgical hematoma, could start walking within 2 days following the surgery. Before surgery, the mean JOA score was 17.0 and it improved to about 23.3 after the surgery. The area of the dural tube increased to 408.0% after the surgery (range: 211-774%). CONCLUSIONS: Endo-BiDUA facilitated the return of elderly patients with lumbar spinal canal stenosis to their original daily activities.

Differential expression of Tenomodulin and Chondromodulin-1 at the insertion site of the tendon reflects a phenotypic transition of the resident cells.

The insertion site of the tendon to the skeletal element is hypovascular and is one of the most common sites of dysfunction in the musculoskeletal system. However, the resident cells have been poorly defined due to a lack of a specific marker for tenocytes. We previously reported that Tenomodulin (Tnmd) and Chondromodulin-1 (Chm1) are homologous angiogenesis inhibitors and predominantly expressed in the avascular region of tendons and cartilage, respectively. In this study, we analyzed the expression of Tnmd, Chm1, alpha 1 chain of the type I collagen (Col1a1) and alpha 1 chain of the type II collagen (Col2a1) at the insertion site of the Achilles, patellar, or rotator cuff tendons of 1-week-old rabbits by in situ hybridization analysis. Tnmd was co-expressed with Col1a1 in tenocytes of these tendons, while Chm1 and Col2a1 were detected in chondrocytes of the hyaline cartilage. Interestingly, the cell population between Tnmd/Col1a1 positive tenocytes and Chm1/Col2a1 positive chondrocytes expressed Col1a1 but none of the other markers (Tnmd, Chm1, and Col2a1). Red blood cells were exclusively present at the interface between the tendon substance and cartilage in the insertion site of the Achilles tendon. Lack of Tnmd and Chm1 in this newly characterized cell population may allow the transitional zone between the poorly vascularized tendon and cartilage to establish the unique vascular pattern for blood supply.

Association study of TRAF1-C5 polymorphisms with susceptibility to rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus in Japanese.

OBJECTIVE: The primary aim of this study was to investigate the association of polymorphisms of TRAF1-C5, a newly identified rheumatoid arthritis (RA) risk locus in Caucasians, with susceptibility to RA and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in Japanese populations. Gene expression levels of TRAF1 and C5 to assess the functional significance of genotypes were also analysed. METHODS: A multicentre association study consisting of 4 RA case-control series (4397 cases and 2857 controls) and 3 SLE case-control series (591 cases and 2199 shared controls) was conducted. Genotyping was performed using TaqMan genotyping assay for two single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that showed the best evidence of association in the previous Caucasian studies. Quantifications of TRAF1 and C5 expression were performed with TaqMan expression assay. RESULTS: Significant differences in allele frequency for both SNPs were observed between RA and control subjects (combined odds ratio = 1.09), while no significant difference was detected between patients with SLE and controls. Interestingly, alleles rs3761847 A and rs10818488 G had increased the risk for RA in the present study, while they decreased the risk in the original studies. A significant difference was found between risk allele carriers and non-carriers of rs10818488 for the expression level of TRAF1 in phorbol myristate acetate-stimulated lymphoblastoid cell lines (p = 0.04). CONCLUSION: Association of TRAF1-C5 locus with RA susceptibility was detected in the Japanese populations with modest magnitude, while no significant association was observed for SLE. Significant positive effect of genotype on the expression of TRAF1 might support the genetic association between TRAF1 and RA.

The effect of rheumatoid arthritis on the anatomy of the female cervical spine: a radiological study.

The effect of rheumatoid arthritis on the anatomy of the cervical spine has not been clearly documented. We studied 129 female patients, 90 with rheumatoid arthritis and 39 with other pathologies (the control group). There were 21 patients in the control group with a diagnosis of cervical spondylotic myelopathy, and 18 with ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament. All had plain lateral radiographs taken of the cervical spine as well as a reconstructed CT scan. The axial diameter of the width of the pedicle, the thickness of the lateral mass, the height of the isthmus and internal height were measured. The transverse diameter of the transverse foramen (d1) and that of the spinal canal (d2) were measured, and the ratio d1/d2 calculated. The width of the pedicles and the thickness of the lateral masses were significantly less in patients with rheumatoid arthritis than in those with other pathologies. The area of the transverse foramina in patients with rheumatoid arthritis was significantly greater than that in the other patients. The ratio of d1 to d2 was not significantly different. A high-riding vertebral artery was noted in 33.9% of the patients with rheumatoid arthritis and in 7.7% of those with other pathologies. This difference was statistically significant. In the rheumatoid group there was a significant correlation between isthmus height and vertical subluxation and between internal height and vertical subluxation.

Conservative treatment of lumbar spondylolysis in childhood and adolescence: the radiological signs which predict healing.

It has been noted that bony union of a pars defect can be achieved in children if they wear a trunk brace. Our aim was to evaluate how the stage of the defect on CT and the presence or absence of high signal change in the adjacent pedicle on T2-weighted MRI were related to bony healing. We treated 23 children conservatively for at least three months. There were 19 boys and four girls with a mean age of 13.5 years (7 to 17). They were asked to refrain from sporting activity and to wear a Damen soft thoracolumbosacral type brace. There were 41 pars defects in 23 patients. These were classified as an early, progressive or terminal stage on CT. The early-stage lesions had a hairline crack in the pars interarticularis, which became a gap in the progressive stage. A terminal-stage defect was equivalent to a pseudarthrosis. On the T2-weighted MR scan the presence or absence of high signal change in the adjacent pedicle was assessed and on this basis the defects were divided into high signal change-positive or -negative. Healing of the defect was assessed by CT. In all, 13 (87%) of the 15 early defects healed. Of 19 progressive defects, only six (32%) healed. None of the seven terminal defects healed. Of the 26 high signal change-positive defects 20 (77%) healed after conservative treatment whereas none of the high signal change-negative defects did so. We concluded that an early-stage defect on CT and high signal change in the adjacent pedicle on a T2-weighted MR scan are useful predictors of bony healing of a pars defect in children after conservative treatment.

Minimally invasive excision of lumbar epidural lipomatosis using a spinal endoscope.

In this report, we describe the case of a patient with a long-term radiculopathy due to epidural lipomatosis at the L3-4 intervertebral disc level. The fatty tissue was located on the dorsal side of the dural sac in the spinal canal and compressed the dural sac. The fatty tissue was removed endoscopically. After surgery, the symptoms disappeared, and neurological deficits normalized. We would like to state that epidural lipomatosis is a good candidate for minimally invasive endoscopic surgery because of its anatomic location.

Callus formation during healing of the repaired tendon-bone junction. A rat experimental model.

This study was undertaken to elucidate the mechanism of biological repair at the tendon-bone junction in a rat model. The stump of the toe flexor tendon was sutured to a drilled hole in the tibia (tendon suture group, n = 23) to investigate healing of the tendon-bone junction both radiologically and histologically. Radiological and histological findings were compared with those observed in a sham control group where the bone alone was drilled (n = 19). The biomechanical strength of the repaired junction was confirmed by pull-out testing six weeks after surgery in four rats in the tendon suture group. Callus formation was observed at the site of repair in the tendon suture group, whereas in the sham group callus formation was minimal. During the pull-out test, the repaired tendon-bone junction did not fail because the musculotendinous junction always disrupted first. In order to understand the factors that influenced callus formation at the site of repair, four further groups were evaluated. The nature of the sutured tendon itself was investigated by analysing healing of a tendon stump after necrosis had been induced with liquid nitrogen in 16 cases. A proximal suture group (n = 16) and a partial tenotomy group (n = 16) were prepared to investigate the effects of biomechanical loading on the site of repair. Finally, a group where the periosteum had been excised at the site of repair (n = 16) was examined to study the role of the periosteum. These four groups showed less callus formation radiologically and histologically than did the tendon suture group. In conclusion, the sutured tendon-bone junction healed and achieved mechanical strength at six weeks after suturing, showing good local callus formation. The viability of the tendon stump, mechanical loading and intact periosteum were all found to be important factors for better callus formation at a repaired tendon-bone junction.

Locking of the metacarpophalangeal joint as a result of the shape of the metacarpal head in achondroplasia.

A 21 year-old woman with achondroplasia exhibited locking of the metacarpophalangeal joint of the right index finger which required surgery to release the joint. Locking was confirmed to be due to entrapment of the fan-like part of the radial collateral ligament on a metacarpal head prominence arising from epiphysial thickening.

Minimally invasive endoscopic removal of a herniated nucleus pulposus that had migrated to the S1 nerve root foramen.

In this report, we described an adult case with a lumbar herniated nucleus pulposus that had migrated to the S1 nerve root foramen from L5-S1 disc space. Endoscopically, the migrated mass was successfully removed after laminectomy at the S1 with a small skin incision of 20 mm in length. Unlike the other levels, the intraforaminally migrated mass along the S1 root can be excised without any removal of the facet joints; therefore, additional spinal fusion is not necessary. Thus, an S1 foraminal migrated mass can be a good surgical candidate for minimally invasive endoscopic surgery.

Minimally invasive technique for direct repair of the pars defects in young adults using a spinal endoscope: a technical note.

Pars defect (spondylolysis) of the lumbar spine can cause chronic low back pain, and it sometimes requires surgical intervention. Direct repair is selected for the surgery if young adult patients do not present significant disc degeneration and lumbar instability. In order to lessen damages of back muscles during surgery, we added the use of a spinal endoscope to the "Buck's screwing procedure" the direct repair. There are four steps in this procedure: 1) identification of the defect, 2) curettage (refresh) of the defect, 3) percutaneous insertion of the annulated screws and 4) cancellous bone grafting. All these steps can be done endoscopically. We treated 3 young adults--a baseball player, a professional cycle-racer and a sculptor--using this endoscopic procedure. There were no complications during or after the operation. Union was obtained in all defects within 3 months, and they returned to their previous activities within 6 months after the surgery.

Genetic association of single nucleotide polymorphisms in endonuclease G-like 1 gene with type 2 diabetes in a Japanese population.

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: In order to identify type 2 diabetes disease susceptibility gene(s) in a Japanese population, we applied a region-wide case-control association test to the 20.4 Mb region between D3S1293 and D3S2319 on chromosome 3p24.3-22.1, supported by linkage to type 2 diabetes and its related traits in Japanese and multiple populations. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed a two-stage association test using 1,762 Japanese persons with 485 gene-centric, evenly spaced, common single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers with minor allele frequency >0.1. For mouse studies, total RNA was extracted from various organs of BKS.Cg-+Lepr(db)/+Lepr(db) and control mice, and from MIN6, NIH3T3 and C2C12 cell lines. RESULTS: We detected a landmark SNP375 (A/G) (rs2051211, p = 0.000046, odds ratio = 1.33, 95% CI 1.16-1.53) in intron 5 of the endonuclease G-like 1 (ENDOGL1) gene. Systematic dense SNPs approach identified a susceptibility linkage disequilibrium (LD) block of 116.5 kb by |D'|, an LD units map and a critical region of 2.1 kb by r (2) in ENDOGL1. A haplotype-based association test showed that an at-risk haplotype is associated with disease status (p = 0.00001). The expression of ENDOGL1 was rather ubiquitous with relatively abundant expression in the brain and also in a pancreatic islet beta cell line. Mouse Endogl1 expression increased in pancreatic islets of hyperglycaemic BKS.Cg-+Lepr(db)/+Lepr(db) mice compared with that in control mice. CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION: Based on the population genetics, fine mapping of LD block and haplotype analysis, we conclude that ENDOGL1 is a candidate disease-susceptibility gene for type 2 diabetes in a Japanese population. Further analysis in a larger sample size is required to substantiate this conclusion.

Surgical outcomes after treatment of fractures in femur and tibia in pycnodysostosis.

Pycnodysostosis is a rare hereditary disease, characterized by systemic bone sclerosis. The most important orthopedic problem in this condition is the recurrent pathological fracture of long bones. In this paper, the surgical results for fractures of six limbs (three femurs and three tibias) in five cases of pycnodysostosis are reported. Five limbs achieved fracture union and union is developing in one tibia after intramedullary nail (IM) nailing or Ilizarov external fixation (IEF), although fracture line tends to persist for longer periods of time. One femoral fracture was treated by IM nailing, and one femoral and one tibial fracture were treated by IEF leading to final bone union. One femoral and one tibial fracture were initially treated by IEF, and were treated by IM nailing after re-fracture. One tibial fracture was initially treated by IEF leading to a failure of union, and was converted to IM nailing. All cases are able to walk; one case requires a single crutch. Infection was noted in two limbs after IM nailing following IEF. Fixation with IM nail was effective in preventing re-fracture as well as in alignment correction. Although the surgical technique is more difficult, IM nailing in the initial surgery may be a better choice for achieving successful union while reducing the risk of re-fracture or infection.

The alpha2 type IX collagen tryptophan polymorphism is associated with the severity of disc degeneration in younger patients with herniated nucleus pulposus of the lumbar spine.

Tryptophan alleles in COL9A2 (Trp2) and COL9A3 (Trp3) have been linked to lumbar disc diseases in the Finnish population. Although such diseases consist of various pathogenetically different conditions, detailed analysis of each has not been well documented. The aim of this study was to clarify whether the collagen IX tryptophan alleles influence the symptomatic degeneration of the lumbar disc in Japanese patients with herniated nucleus pulposus. We performed a prospective study of 84 patients who underwent lumbar discectomy. The degree of disc degeneration was evaluated by magnetic resonance images in relation to the collagen IX genotype. Twenty patients (21.4%) had the Trp2 allele and no patients had the Trp3 allele. Patients under 40 years with the Trp2 allele showed more severe disc degeneration at the surgical level than did those without the Trp2 allele (odds ratio 6.00, P=0.043). In contrast, patients aged 40 years or over did not show significant association between disc degeneration and collagen IX genotype. Our results suggest that the Trp2 allele is an age-dependent risk factor for the severity of disc degeneration in younger patients with symptomatic herniated nucleus pulposus of the lumbar spine.