Comparison of percutaneous and open repair of Achilles tendon rupture: results and complications from a single institution.

BACKGROUND: The Achilles tendon is the strongest tendon in the human body, but it is prone to injury, especially in modern times when recreational sports are growing in popularity. As a result, Achilles tendon rupture is becoming an increasingly common medical problem in modern society. The main objective of this study was to compare the outcomes of percutaneous repair and open repair for the treatment of Achilles tendon rupture. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted involving a total of 316 patients who had undergone surgical treatment for Achilles tendon rupture between 2013 and 2021. The data collected from the medical history of these patients included the type of surgical procedure, the mechanism of injury, the age and sex of the patients, the time spent in the hospital, and any possible complications of the surgical treatment (such as infections, reruptures, or sural nerve injuries). RESULTS: The study revealed that there was no significant difference between percutaneous and open surgical approaches in terms of sural nerve injury. However, there was a statistically significant advantage of the percutaneous method in terms of the number of infections, which was significantly lower than that of the open method. Additionally, the median length of hospital stay was found to be four days longer with the open approach. However, the study noted that a statistically significant advantage of the percutaneous method for rerupture could not be established due to the small number of patients with rerupture and the insufficient ratio of patients with rerupture in relation to the size of the observed population. CONCLUSIONS: Percutaneous repair is an effective treatment option for Achilles tendon rupture and has outcomes equal to or better than those of open repair. Therefore, this approach is recommended as the preferred method of treatment due to the presence of fewer complications, provided that the indications for this technique are appropriate.

Medicinal signaling cells niche in stromal vascular fraction from lipoaspirate and microfragmented counterpart.

AIM: To expand our previous findings by increasing the number of patients in a study characterizing medicinal signaling cells (MSC) of stromal vascular fraction from lipoaspirate (SVF-LA) and from microfragmented lipoaspirate (SVF-MLA) applied for the treatment of osteoarthritis (OA). METHODS: Twenty OA patients, including 8 new patients, acquiring autologous microfragmented adipose tissue were enrolled. In-parallel immunophenotyping of SVF-LA and SVF-MLA was performed. The samples were incubated in a DuraClone SC prototype tube targeting the CD31, CD34, CD45, CD73, CD90, CD105, and CD146 surface markers, stained with the DRAQ7 cell nuclear dye and Live/Dead Yellow Fixable Stain, and analyzed by flow cytometry. RESULTS: The population phenotypes in SVF-LA and SVF-MLA samples included CD31+CD34+CD73±CD90±CD105±CD146± endothelial progenitors (EP), CD31+CD34-CD73±CD90±CD105-CD146± mature endothelial cells, CD31-CD34-CD73±CD90+CD105-CD146+ pericytes, CD31-CD34+CD73±CD90+CD105-CD146+ transitional pericytes, and CD31-CD34+CD73highCD90+CD105-CD146- supra-adventitial-adipose stromal cells. Compared with the autologous SVF-LA samples, the prevailing cell type in SVF-MLA were EP, which outnumbered leukocytes and supra-adventitial-adipose stromal cells (SA-ASC). The ratio of progenitor cells in SVF-MLA samples differed between female and male patients, showing a higher EP-pericyte and pericyte-SA-ASC ratio in men. CONCLUSION: Our results, hallmarked by EP-enriched anti-inflammatory features and indicating a possible sex-specific impact, contribute to defining the cellular composition of the clinically applied MSC serving as a regenerative cell therapy in OA.

Polychromatic Flow Cytometric Analysis of Stromal Vascular Fraction from Lipoaspirate and Microfragmented Counterparts Reveals Sex-Related Immunophenotype Differences.

Mesenchymal stem/stromal cells or medicinal signaling cells (MSC)-based therapy holds promise as a beneficial strategy for treating knee OA (osteoarthritis), but there is no standardized protocols nor mechanistic understanding. In order to gain a better insight into the human MSC from adipose tissue applied for autologous OA treatment, we performed extensive comparative immunophenotyping of the stromal vascular fraction from lipoaspirate or microfragmented lipoaspirates by polychromatic flow cytometry and investigated the cellular components considered responsible for cartilage regeneration. We found an enrichment of the regenerative cellular niche of the clinically applied microfragmented stromal vascular fraction. Sex-related differences were observed in the MSC marker expression and the ratio of the progenitor cells from fresh lipoaspirate, which, in female patients, contained a higher expression of CD90 on the three progenitor cell types including pericytes, a higher expression of CD105 and CD146 on CD31highCD34high endothelial progenitors as well as of CD73 on supra-adventitialadipose stromal cells. Some of these MSC-expression differences were present after microfragmentation and indicated a differential phenotype pattern of the applied MSC mixture in female and male patients. Our results provide a better insight into the heterogeneity of the adipose MSC subpopulations serving as OA therapeutics, with an emphasis on interesting differences between women and men.

Cytokines and Chemokines Involved in Osteoarthritis Pathogenesis.

Osteoarthritis is a common cause of disability worldwide. Although commonly referred to as a disease of the joint cartilage, osteoarthritis affects all joint tissues equally. The pathogenesis of this degenerative process is not completely understood; however, a low-grade inflammation leading to an imbalance between anabolic and katabolic processes is a well-established factor. The complex network of cytokines regulating these processes and cell communication has a central role in the development and progression of osteoarthritis. Concentrations of both proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines were found to be altered depending on the osteoarthritis stage and activity. In this review, we analyzed individual cytokines involved in the immune processes with an emphasis on their function in osteoarthritis.

Comprehensive Review of Knee Osteoarthritis Pharmacological Treatment and the Latest Professional Societies' Guidelines.

Osteoarthritis is the most common musculoskeletal progressive disease, with the knee as the most commonly affected joint in the human body. While several new medications are still under research, many symptomatic therapy options, such as analgesics (opioid and non-opioid), nonsteroid anti-inflammatory drugs, symptomatic slow-acting drugs in osteoarthritis, and preparations for topical administration, are being used, with a diverse clinical response and inconsistent conclusions across various professional societies guidelines. The concept of pharmacogenomic-guided therapy, which lies on principles of the right medication for the right patient in the right dose at the right time, can significantly increase the patient's response to symptom relief therapy in knee osteoarthritis. Corticosteroid intra-articular injections and hyaluronic acid injections provoke numerous discussions and disagreements among different guidelines, even though they are currently used in daily clinical practice. Biological options, such as platelet-rich plasma and mesenchymal stem cell injections, have shown good results in the treatment of osteoarthritis symptoms, greatly increasing the patient's quality of life, especially when combined with other therapeutic options. Non-inclusion of the latter therapies in the guidelines, and their inconsistent stance on numerous therapy options, requires larger and well-designed studies to examine the true effects of these therapies and update the existing guidelines.

Knee Osteoarthritis: A Review of Pathogenesis and State-Of-The-Art Non-Operative Therapeutic Considerations.

Being the most common musculoskeletal progressive condition, osteoarthritis is an interesting target for research. It is estimated that the prevalence of knee osteoarthritis (OA) among adults 60 years of age or older is approximately 10% in men and 13% in women, making knee OA one of the leading causes of disability in elderly population. Today, we know that osteoarthritis is not a disease characterized by loss of cartilage due to mechanical loading only, but a condition that affects all of the tissues in the joint, causing detectable changes in tissue architecture, its metabolism and function. All of these changes are mediated by a complex and not yet fully researched interplay of proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines, chemokines, growth factors and adipokines, all of which can be measured in the serum, synovium and histological samples, potentially serving as biomarkers of disease stage and progression. Another key aspect of disease progression is the epigenome that regulates all the genetic expression through DNA methylation, histone modifications, and mRNA interference. A lot of work has been put into developing non-surgical treatment options to slow down the natural course of osteoarthritis to postpone, or maybe even replace extensive surgeries such as total knee arthroplasty. At the moment, biological treatments such as platelet-rich plasma, bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells and autologous microfragmented adipose tissue containing stromal vascular fraction are ordinarily used. Furthermore, the latter two mentioned cell-based treatment options seem to be the only methods so far that increase the quality of cartilage in osteoarthritis patients. Yet, in the future, gene therapy could potentially become an option for orthopedic patients. In the following review, we summarized all of the latest and most important research in basic sciences, pathogenesis, and non-operative treatment.

MIPO of proximal humerus fractures through an anterolateral acromial approach. Is the axillary nerve at risk?

PURPOSE: It is known that shoulder surgery may cause iatrogenic injury to the axillary nerve as a serious complication, but there is little evidence to indicate whether the axillary nerve is at risk of injury during an anterolateral acromial approach for minimally-invasive plate osteosynthesis (MIPO) of proximal humerus fractures. We hypothesised that this surgical method is safe for the axillary nerve and would preserve it from iatrogenic injury. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a prospective follow-up cohort study on 49 consecutive patients with proximal humerus fractures who were managed with MIPO through an anterolateral approach. All patients underwent standardised electroneurographic testing, with assessment of amplitudes of evoked compound muscle action potentials (CMAP) and distal motor latencies (DML) of the axillary nerves, pre- and post-operatively. Six weeks after injury, all patients underwent needle electromyographic (EMG) testing of anterior, middle, posterior deltoid, teres minor and paraspinal muscles for detecting abnormal muscle activity as a sign of acute denervation. After six months of physical rehabilitation, patients with axillary nerve injury underwent control electroneurographic testing to check the recovery of neurographic features (CMAP, DML). All nerve measurements were compared to reference values, and between right and left side. RESULTS: Five patients had a mild-to-moderate traumatic axillary nerve injury before surgery. There were no significant differences between amplitudes of CMAP (p = 0.575) and DML (p = 0.857) pre- and post-surgical procedure. CONCLUSIONS: These results confirmed safety of this surgical method in the preservation of axillary nerve from iatrogenic injury, but the course of the axillary nerve must be kept in mind.

A biomechanical comparison of four fixed-angle dorsal plates in a finite element model of dorsally-unstable radius fracture.

PURPOSE: To compare the finite element models of two different composite radius fracture patterns, reduced and stabilised with four different fixed-angle dorsal plates during axial, dorsal and volar loading conditions. METHODS: Eight different plastic models representing four AO/ASIF type 23-A3 distal radius fractures and four AO/ASIF 23-C2 distal radius fractures were obtained and fixed each with 1 of 4 methods: a standard dorsal non-anatomical fixed angle T-plate (3.5mm Dorsal T-plate, Synthes), anatomical fixed-angle double plates (2.4mm LCP Dorsal Distal Radius, Synthes), anatomical fixed angle T-plate (2.4mm Acu-Loc Dorsal Plate, Acumed) or anatomical variable-angle dorsal T-plate (3.5mm, Dorsal Plate, Zrinski). Composite radius with plate and screws were scanned with a 3D optical scanner and later processed in Abaqus Software to generate the finite element model. All models were axially loaded at 3 points (centrally, volarly and dorsally) with 50 N forces to avoid the appearance of plastic deformations of the models. Total displacements at the end of the bone and the stresses in the bones and plates were determined and compared. RESULTS: Maximal von Mises stress in bone for 3-part fracture models was very similar to that in 2-part fracture models. The biggest difference between models and the largest displacements were seen during volar loading. The stresses in all models were the highest above the fracture gap. The best performance in all parameters tested was with the Zrinski plate and the most modest results were with the Synthes T-plate. CONCLUSION: There was no significant difference between 2-part (AO/ASIF type 23-A3) and 3-part (AO/ASIF 23-C2) fracture models. Maximal stresses in the plates appeared above the fracture gap; therefore, it is worth considering the development of plates without screw holes above the gap.

A retrospective study of antibiotic prophylaxis value in surgical treatment of lower limb fracture.

BACKGROUND: Surgical site infections (SSI) are nosocomial infections that cause considerable problems in orthopaedic surgery. Antibiotic prophylaxis can be used to reduce the risk for SSI. There is no universal antibiotic that can be recommended for prophylaxis in terms of coverage of all possible pathogens because of antibiotic resistance, and there are no universal recommendations for different types of patients in terms of injury type, selected operation and risk factors for development of SSI. The aim of this study was to analyse the effectiveness of antibiotic prophylaxis in surgical treatment (ORIF) of closed lower limb fractures in young, healthy patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patient details were collected from the patient histories. Inclusion criteria for participants were age 20-30 years, not suffering from any type of chronic disease or state that may affect postoperative infection and ISS≤9. Antibiotic prophylaxis use and outcome (SSI) were compared between two groups of patients. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Fisher's exact test and t-test for proportions. RESULTS: A total of 347 patients with closed lower limb fractures treated with ORIF met the inclusion criteria. There were 290 male and 57 female patients, with an average age of 24.47 years. Prophylactic antibiotics were given to 242 patients (69.74%); 2g ceftriaxone was administered to 88.02% of the patients who received antibiotic prophylaxis. Ten patients developed postoperative infection (eight out of 242 with antibiotic prophylaxis and two out of 105 without antibiotic prophylaxis). The difference between the two groups was not statistically significant (Fisher's exact test, P=0.749). CONCLUSION: Antibiotic prophylaxis was ineffective in preventing SSI in patients with no risk factors for SSI who were undergoing ORIF for closed lower limb fractures.

Treatment of ruptured Achilles tendon: Operative or non-operative procedure?

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to compare the efficiency of non-operative and surgical procedures in the treatment of ruptured Achilles tendon in athletes (professional and amateur). METHODS: Ninety professional or amateur athletes with rupture of the Achilles tendon were included in the study between 1998 and 2013. The athletes were aged between 25 and 40 years (mean 34.83±4.65). A total of 30 athletes underwent an open procedure, 30 were treated with a percutaneous method and 30 were treated non-operatively. All operated patients were tested one year after the surgical procedure. RESULTS: An isokinetic dynamometer was used to compare the open and percutaneous methods. The results for the patients who were treated using the percutaneous method were 15% better than those for the patients who underwent the open procedure; the results for the group treated conservatively were 20% better than those for the group treated percutaneously. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: The percutaneous method was easier technically than the open method. Time spent in hospital was 14.5 times shorter with the percutaneous procedure compared with the open procedure (percutaneous procedure: range 0.5-2 days, mean 0.79±0.36; open procedure: range 10-24 days, mean 11.46±2.70; p<0.00). Return to sport activities was twice as fast with the percutaneous procedure compared with the open procedure. There were no postoperative infections or reruptured Achilles tendon in the group treated with the percutaneous procedure. One patient in the group treated with the open procedure had postoperative infection (4.2%). In the non-surgical (conservatively treated) group, there were three reruptures of the Achilles tendon within one year, and one patient developed adhesions that resulted in loss of function and had to undergo an operation. The percutaneous method is the best method of surgical treatment for Achilles tendon rupture.

Computer representation of osteosynthesis stability in locking plates used for the treatment of osteoporotic proximal humerus fractures.

BACKGROUND: Proximal humerus fractures are represented as 4-5% of all fractures, with incidence notably growing with age. Since surgical internal fixation in treatment of proximal humeral fractures is used, fractures of osteoporotic bone and choice of plate for their osteosynthesis represent particular problem. The aim of the study was to test two locking plates: Philos plate with locking screws with determinated direction, and Arthrex plate with poliaxial locking screws, using the finite element method. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: This study used version 6.10 of Abaqus FEA software package for simulation and fine element analysis of Philos and Artrex plates attached to the osteotomy models of proximal humerus with fracture gap at 0°, 10° and 20° in four types of static load: abduction, adduction, axial compression and flexion. Simulation results of loads in abduction, adduction, axial loads and flexion, were described with the total bone displacement (U) and maximum bone displacement in the fracture gap (Uf). RESULTS: When examining the Philos plate in axial load on the bone with fracture gap angle from 0°, 10° and 20° no significant differences between the results for the displacements were observed. Therefore, results for other loads are related to total displacements of the bone only at the angle of 0°. Given that the results of the total bone displacement and maximum bone displacement in the fracture gap with Artrex plate were mostly higher, for comparison with the results of bone displacement in Philos plate it was taken that total bone displacement and maximum displacement in the fracture gap in Artrex plate represent 100% of the total displacement. Philos plate showed 60.71% for abduction, 76.07% for adduction, 102.24% for axial loads and 79.59% for flexion of total bone displacement in Artrex plate, and 60.48% for abduction, 76.07% for adduction, 96.05% for axial load and 79.96% for flexion of maximum displacement in the fracture gap in Artrex plate. CONCLUSIONS: Osteosynthesis for osteoporotic fractures of proximal humerus with Philos plate in computer simulation proved to be more stable than with Arthrex plate.

The Results of Internal Fixation of Proximal Humeral Osteoporotic Fractures with PHILOS Locking Plate.

BACKGROUND: In the last fifty years since plate and screw osteosynthesis has been implemented in fracture treatment, osteosporotic bone fractures were observed as a special problem. Due to special histologic, anatomic, physical and biomehanic properties of osteoporotic changed bone the laws of biomechanics suggest that stable osteosynthesis for osteoporotic bone is necessary to increase the contact surface of metallic implants and bone and the stability of the screw-plate-bone compound. There are numerous surgical techniques and methods for treatment of osteoporotic proximal humeral fractures. Every surgical procedure has to establish anatomical reduction and stable fixation that will enable early mobilisation. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The aim of this study was to present results of internal fixation of proximal humeral osteoporotic fractures with PHILOS locking plate. Between 2007 and 2012, a total of 67 patients older than 65 years with closed proximal humerus fractures underwent surgical treatment with PHILOS plate system (Synthes, Switzerland). 42 patients were operated with deltopectoral approach and 25 with deltoid split approach. After a mean follow up period of 14.68 (6-28) months functional and radiologic results were assessed. RESULTS: We noted 9 postoperative complications related to surgical technique (1 intraarticular screw placement, 1 displacement in major tuberculum fragment, 1 displacement in major tuberculum fragment along with oblique placement of the plate, 2 cases of inadequate reduction, 1 case of humeral head avascular necrosis, varus humeral head fixation in 3 cases). None of the patients developed superficial or deep surgical infection. There was no nonunions. In the final evaluation, the Constant shoulder score was 91.75 (72-100). CONCLUSIONS: In this study PHILOS locking plate showed good applicability, respecting bone biologic properties because of negligible interference with blood supply of the humeral head. There was no requirement to shape the plate enabling stabilization at constant angles as clear benefit of this plate. All that enables early mobilisation, and no implant insufficiency resulting in satisfactory treatment results and high Constant shoulder scores.

[Use of new materials in the treatment of chronic post-traumatic wounds]. / Primjena novih materijala u lijecenju kronicnih posttraumatskih rana.

Postoperative infection and the presence of osteosynthetic material in human body pose a major problem for patients and operators. Previously, it was considered that osteosynthetic material must be removed, and only then the expected full infection recovery could occur. However, removal of osteosynthetic material in unhealed fractures complicates bone fracture healing, as well as infection recovery. Nowadays, it is indicated to place an external bone fixator and in case of soft tissue recovery access to reosteosynthesis. The negative pressure wound therapy has brought new opportunities for treatment of this type of infections without the need of osteosynthetic material removal. Direct and indirect effects of negative pressure wound therapy create optimal healing conditions. Local use of new materials, transforming powder (Altrazeal) and topical hemoglobin spray (Granulox), provide and improve physiological conditions for appropriate and safe healing.

Novel external fixation fracture method with circular locking mechanism compared with the application of dynamic axial external fixator on experimental tibial model ensures better stability in bending and favourable performance in dynamic loads.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to compare the biomechanical properties of a novel tibial external bone fracture fixator with a circular locking mechanism with standard dynamic axial external fixator. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In order to investigate the prototype usability in experimental conditions, a biomechanical study was performed in which 42 polyacetal tubes set in 14 experimental groups and subgroups represented the fractured tibia that were fixed by a standard dynamic axial external fixator and a novel fixator. Displacements under static and dynamic loads were measured, with static ones corresponding to three directions of fragment movement and dynamic simulating the human gait. Analysis was performed in SPSS v13, with significance set at P<0.05. RESULTS: The novel fixator showed biomechanical superiority in "fragments apart" study groups, while the standard dynamic axial external fixator outperformed the novel one in the situations of bending with "fragments in contact" study groups. There were no significant differences in dynamic load, despite better numerical result of the novel fixator. CONCLUSION: The novel fixator is expectedly faster applicable and offers greater extent of external fixation flexibility. Further developments of this model thus seems justified in both construction improvement and on clinical application.