Histological analysis of the effects of electroacupuncture stimulation on the femur fracture line in a rat model of hindlimb immobilization / 全日本鍼灸学会雑誌

[Introduction] This study compared the effects of joint immobilization and concurrent electroacupuncture stimulation on fracture line appearance, which is indicative of differences in cortical bone structure, in the femurs of young adult rats. [Materials and Methods] Forty-two 7-week-old Wistar rats were divided into three groups: a hindlimb immobilized group (IM), a hindlimb immobilized group with concurrent electroacupuncture stimulation (IMEA), and an untreated control group (CO). IM and IMEA were immobilized for two weeks with a jacket-type immobilization device that immobilized the hip joint in extension and restricted hip joint adduction and abduction. Acupuncture needles were inserted into the femoral region during the immobilization period in the IMEA group, and continuous alternating current was used for stimulation. A low-frequency stimulator was used to generate electrical current (250 μsec, 50 Hz, 0.24 mA, 500 Ω load resistance), and stimulation was performed daily for two weeks at 10 min/day. The extracted femur was fractured from the anterior part of the diaphysis or metaphyseal end by three-point-bending under constant conditions with 10 mm between the fulcrum and a crosshead speed of 10 mm/min. [Results] IM showed significantly lower Stiffness, Deformation, and Strength values than CO. Bone morphometry parameters also showed lower values for IM. A cement line was observed between lamellar and non-lamellar bone in CO and IMEA, but was indistinct in IM. In CO and IMEA, minute bone fragments were formed in the deep diaphysis region sandwiched between the inner and outer circumferential lamellae, but no such fragments were found in IM. IMEA had less resorption than IM, and lamellar bone with a structure similar to CO was maintained. Moreover, cracks observed in CO and IMEA ran longitudinally in the vicinity of the cement line and rest line, but no such cracks were found in IM. [Discussion and Conclusion] These findings suggest that electroacupuncture mitigates bone weakening in immobilized rat femurs, and this affects the appearance of the fracture line.

Bone quality and fracture line morphology of the posterior medial humeral calcar in proximal humerus fractures / 中华骨科杂志

Objective:To investigate the relationship between fracture line morphology, bone quality and fracture type in the posterior medial humeral talus of proximal humerus fractures.Methods:Retrospective analysis of CT data of patients with proximal humeral fractures diagnosed in our hospital from June 2020 to June 2021. Based on 3D reconstruction, the fracture line of the posterior medial humeral calcar was described, substituted into the proximal humeral template to depict the fracture map;and the coordinates of the turning point of the posterior medial fracture line were recorded, and the most concentrated coordinate interval was displayed using Matlab heat mapscript, substituted into the proximal humeral template to mark the area of concentration of the turning point of the fracture line. And according to the inclination angle of the humeral head to establish internal and external rotation and normal group, three groups of humeral distance posterior medial bone density, bone thickness and fracture horizontal line angle were performed and recorded by unordered multicategorical Logistic regression analysis.Results:A total of 62 patients with proximal humeral fractures were included; 21 (34%) were internally turned, 24 (39%) were externally turned and 17 (27%) were normal. Inversion: bone density 0.59±0.12 g/cm 3, bone thickness 2.33±0.48 mm, fracture horizontal line angle 4.54°±14.13°. Normal: Bone density 0.57±0.15 g/cm 3, bone thickness 2.60±0.33 mm, fracture level angle -1.87°±9.98°. Ectropion: bone density 0.62±0.11 g/cm 3, bone thickness 2.69±0.54 mm, fracture horizontal angle -5.64°±20.03°. Epiphyseal extension occurs most often posteriorly and medially, with the fracture line turning point located posterior to the greater tuberosity. Unordered multicategorical Logistic regression of the data showed that: inversion fracture horizontal line angle ( β=0.06, P=0.018), statistically significant, OR=1.06 [95% CI (1.00, 1.12)]; bone thickness ( β=-2.02, P=0.041), statistically significant, OR=0.13 [95% CI (0.03, 0.71)]; bone density ( β=-0.43, P=0.887), not statistically significant; none of the ectropion patterns were statistically significant ( P>0.05). Conclusion:The trend of the fracture line and bone thickness of the posterior medial humeral calcar are factors that influence internal rotation of the humeral head. The incidence of internal rotation is positively correlated with the upward trend of the fracture line and negatively correlated with the thickness of the bone. The fracture line turning point is most often located posterior to the greater tuberosity.

Effect of the fracture line direction in the sagittal profile on the Gartland type Ⅲ supracondylar humerus fractures in children / 中华实用儿科临床杂志

Objective:To compare the effects of the fracture line direction in the sagittal profile on the Gartland type Ⅲ supracondylar humerus fractures in children.Methods:A total of 153 cases of Gartland type Ⅲ supracondylar humerus fractures treated in the Department of Pediatric Orthopedics, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University (Qingdao) from January 2017 to April 2019 were retrospectively analyzed.They were categorized into the traditional oblique type (the fracture line went downward in the front and upward in the back), transverse type (the fracture line went horizontally) and reverse oblique type (the fracture line went upward in the front and downward in the back). Gender, age, injury side, cause of injury, ecchymosis before elbow, preoperative neurological symptoms, operation time, incision ratio, and Flynn scores of the elbow joint at the last follow-up were compared among the 3 groups.Results:Patients were followed up for (8.65±2.47) months (6-15 months). There were 60, 64 and 29 patients in the traditional oblique type, transverse type and reserve oblique type groups, respectively.There were no differences in the gender, injury side, and injury causes among the 3 groups (all P>0.05). The age of the traditional oblique type, transverse type and reverse oblique type group were (4.76±2.51) years, (4.71±2.09) years and (6.32±1.98) years, respectively, which was significant different among the 3 groups ( F=5.826, P<0.05). There were 10, 7 and 11 cases of preoperative elbow ecchymosis occurred in children of the traditional oblique type, transverse type and reverse oblique type groups, respectively, which was significant different ( χ2=9.902, P<0.05). No significant differences were found in preoperative neurological symptoms of the 3 groups ( P>0.05). The operative time for the traditional oblique type, transverse type and reverse oblique type group were (43.28±24.25) min, (40.95±27.41) min and (58.66±34.08) min, which was significant different ( F=4.337, P<0.05). The traditional oblique type and transverse type groups had 1 failure case of closed reduction, respectively, and the incision was performed during the operation.There were 4 cases in the reverse oblique type group who underwent the open reduction.The reduction rate was significantly different among 3 groups ( χ2=6.883, P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the excellent to good rate of traditional oblique type (96.67%, 58/60 cases), transverse type(95.31%, 61/64 cases)and reserve oblique type (93.10%, 27/29 cases) among 3 groups ( P>0.05). Conclusions:The reverse oblique Gartland type Ⅲ supracondylar humerus fractures are relatively rare in clinical practice, which involves more severe soft tissue damages and more obvious antecubital ecchymosis.The conventional reduction methods seem to be ineffectual for the reverse oblique supracondylar humerus fractures.

Usefulness of SPAIR Image, Fracture Line and the Adjacent Discs Change on Magnetic Resonance Image in the Acute Osteoporotic Compression Fracture

OBJECTIVE: Osteoporotic compression fracture is an increasing issue in this community and its diagnosis depends on the magnetic resonance images (MRI). Although T1- and T2-weighted images (T1WI and T2WI) have high sensitivity and specificity, the fat suppression technique gives more clear delineation of this abnormalities. Accordingly, we re-evaluated its exact sensitivity and specificity for the imaging diagnosis of osteoporotic compression fractures in our cases. For additional information about the osteoporotic compression fractures, we evaluate the fracture lines, fluid sign and adjacent discs change on the MRI. METHODS: Retrospectively, total 85 patients who had been diagnosed with acute osteoporotic compression fracture were enrolled. They all had been underwent MRI including T1WI, T2WI and T2- Spectral Adiabatic Inversion Recovery (SPAIR) sequence. RESULTS: In this study, the incidence of high signal intensity on T2-SPAIR image was very high (0.9917). The fluid sign was seen in 56.7% on the SPAIR image. The fracture lines were more observed on the T2WI than T1WI (p=0.0062). The adjacent discs change on T2WI and T2-SPAIR image were higher than T1WI (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: For the acute osteoporotic compression fracture, T2-SPAIR image is the most specific sequence of the all sequences. The fluid sign is another suggestive finding when considered other studies. T2WI is more useful to find the fracture line than T1WI. Abnormal signal intensity on the adjacent discs may provide additional information for the acute osteoporotic compression fractures.

Tooth in the line of fracture: Its prognosis and its effects on healing.

Aims and Objective: The aim of this prospective study was to compare the postoperative results of mandibular angle fracture cases treated by open reduction and internal fixation wherein the third molar in the line of fracture was preserved in one group while it was extracted in the second group. Materials and Methods: Group I consisted of 30 patients in which the mandibular third molar in the line of fracture was preserved and group II consisted of 24 patients in which it was extracted following specific criteria. Various parameters like postoperative healing, infection, occlusion, tooth vitality, and mobility were graded numerically. Statistical analysis using a t-test was done. Data were expressed as mean±SD and a probability (P) value of <0.05 was considered significant. Results: The presence of infection with pain and tenderness was higher in group I. Osteogenesis was higher in group I till the end of the third week but the difference was not significant later. Discrepancy in occlusion was more in group II. Mobility of tooth decreased and status of periodontal tissue improved significantly with time. In the tooth involved, the return of vitality and decrease in pain/tenderness was significant after 1 week and continued till 24 weeks to normalcy. Two teeth showed mild root resorbtion and none showed ankylosis. Conclusion: Postoperative occlusal discrepancy is less but infection is higher when the tooth in the line of fracture is preserved as compared to when it is removed. More than half of the teeth in the fracture line show complete recovery within a period of 6 months to 1 year. Despite the risk of an increase in the rate of complications, the tooth in the line of fracture should be preserved for its merits.