Results of treatment of comminuted intra-articular fractures of the distal radius in young adults by external fixation

This study comprised a total of 37 patients with comminuted intra-articular fracture, classified according to AO classification into type C1,C2 and C3. All were treated by AO mini external fixator, aiming at evaluating both anatomical and functional outcome. Our results showed that type C3 fracture should be closely monitored as it has a high tendency to slip. The overall satisfactory result, which included both excellent and good grades, was 81.1% for the anatomical result and 78.4% for the functional result. We can conclude that anatomical reduction should be the goal to reach best functional outcome, depending on the quality of reduction

Some biochemical markers of bone formation and bone resorption in elderly patients with hip fracture

Serum concentrations of some biochemical markers of bone turnover were measured in 40 elderly patients who sustained hip fracture. They were 20 elderly males and 20 postmenopausal females showing different grades of radiological and histopathological osteoporosis. In addition, 20 radiologically free subjects [10 postmenopausal females, and 10 elderly males] served as controls. To all studied subjects the following bone markers were done: serum osteocalcin, serum total and bone specific alkaline phosphatase and urinary hydroxyproline.Serum total and ionized calcium, inorganic phosphorus and urinary calcium were also estimated. Markers of bone formation: osteocalcin and bone specific alkaline phosphatase were significantly increased in postmenopausal female patients and elderly male patients. Urinary hydroxyproline, a marker of bone resorption was also significantly increased in these two groups when compared to the controls. Based on some biochemical data [and not radiological] osteomalacia could be suspected in 20% of postmenopausal female patients and 15% of elderly male patients. These data are suggestive of high rate of bone turnover in such elderly patients where bone resorption exceeds bone formation leading to low skeletal mass which has an essential role in bone fracture

Osteosarcoma: DNA flow cytometry versus grading

A number of recent studies have emphasized the potential value of flow cytometry [FCM] as a "marker" to assess the malignity behavior of neoplasm, including bone tumors. In this study, flow cytometry analysis of 50 cases of osteosarcoma was done by means of preparation of nuclear suspension technique. A total of 125 specimens were analyzed. The 25 non-neoplastic tissue specimens taken away from the tumor and used as control had diploid amount of DNA, whereas all the tumor biopsies were DNA aneuploid with DNA indices ranging from 1.17 to 3.5 with a median of 1.74. Our findings demonstrate that flow cytometric DNA analysis is practical in osteosarcoma and support the observations of others that abnormal DNA content may serve as a general neoplastic marker in these tumors

Ulnar nerve entrapment at the elbow: clinical and electrophysiological study

23 patients with 25 nerve compressions at the elbow were operated upon by decompression of the nerve in the cubital tunnel together with proximal and distal neurolysis. Preoperative nerve conduction studies were carried out for all cases. At operation, the nerve was found constricted by the flexor carpi ulnaris aponeurosis in 16 extremities [64%], perineural adhesions in 3 [12%], distal fibrous constricting bands in 4 [16%], and no demonstrable pathology was encountered in 2 cases [8%], Results seemed to be independent of the patient's age. Recovery was greater when the operation was performed early [less than 12 month from the onset of symptoms] and when obvious aponeurotic constriction [Osborne lesion] was found. The results were worse when distal fibrous constricting hands, post condylar perineural adhesions or no demonstrable pathology were found