Treatment Results of Reamed Exchange Nailing in Aseptic Nonunion of Tibial Shaft Fracture

Purpose@#Intramedullary nailing is used widely for treating tibial diaphysis fractures because of its relatively rigid internal fixation, which allows weight bearing, resulting in rapid bone healing and functional recovery. This study evaluated the results of exchange nailing in treating aseptic nonunion of tibial shaft fractures. @*Materials and Methods@#From November 2015 to December 2021, a retrospective study was conducted on patients who had undergone intramedullary nailing for tibial diaphysis fractures. Among them, this study focused on patients diagnosed with nonunion and who underwent exchange nailing. Twenty patients with a minimum follow-up period of at least 12 months were included in the study. @*Results@#The mean ages of patients were 60 years (range, 30-79 years). Of the 20 cases in which exchange nailing was performed, bone union was achieved in 18 cases (90.0%), and the mean period was 23 weeks (range, 14-46 weeks). Among the 18 cases of bone union, one case exhibited delayed union and achieved union without additional treatment after 46 weeks, while two cases of nonunion failed to achieve union and were lost to follow-up until the final assessment. @*Conclusion@#Reamed exchange nailing performed on aseptic nonunion after intramedullary nailing for tibial diaphysis fractures had satisfactory clinical outcomes.

Results of Intramedullary Nailing for Distal Metaphyseal Intra-Articular Fractures of Tibia

Purpose@#This study examined the results of internal fixation using an intramedullary nail in the treatment of distal metaphyseal fractures involving the articular surface. @*Materials and Methods@#From November 2009 to November 2018, distal tibia fractures involving the articular surface were treated with intramedullary nailing only for fractures corresponding to AO type 43 B and 43 C1, twenty-four cases were studied retrospectively. The tibial alignment was measured preoperatively and postoperatively, and the bone union time and nonunion were assessed. In addition, the clinical evaluation of ankle joint function was assessed using the Olerud and Molander ankle score (OMAS). @*Results@#Complete bone union was obtained in all cases, and the mean union time was 17.7±1.87 weeks (range, 15-20 weeks). The average preoperative coronal alignment was 6.4°±1.0° (range, 5.2°-8.4°), and sagittal alignment was 2.7°±0.6° (range, 1.9°-3.8°). The average postoperative coronal alignment was 2.5°±0.13° (range, 2.2°-2.6°) and sagittal alignment was 0.4°±0.25° (range, 0.09°-0.95°). There was no nonunion. The OMAS had an average of 85±7.9 points (range, 70-95 points). @*Conclusion@#In the treatment of distal metaphyseal fractures involving the articular surface, internal fixation using an intramedullary nail reduces complications and achieves satisfactory reduction and union.This method is considered an excellent treatment to obtain good clinical results.

Effect of Whole Body Horizontal Vibration Exercise in Chronic Low Back Pain Patients: Vertical Versus Horizontal Vibration Exercise

OBJECTIVE: To elucidate the effect of a 12-week horizontal vibration exercise (HVE) in chronic low back pain (CLBP) patients as compared to vertical vibration exercise (VVE). METHODS: Twenty-eight CLBP patients were randomly assigned to either the HVE or VVE group. All participants performed the exercise for 30 minutes each day, three times a week, for a total of 12 weeks. Altered pain and functional ability were evaluated using the visual analog scale (VAS) and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), respectively. Changes in lumbar muscle strength, transverse abdominis (TrA) and multifidus muscle thicknesses, and standing balance were measured using an isokinetic dynamometer, ultrasonography, and balance parameters, respectively. These assessments were evaluated prior to treatment, 6 weeks and 12 weeks after the first treatment, and 4 weeks after the end of treatment (that is, 16 weeks after the first treatment). RESULTS: According to the repeated-measures analysis of variance, there were significant improvements with time on VAS, ODI, standing balance score, lumbar flexor, and extensor muscle strength (all p < 0.001 in both groups) without any significant changes in TrA (p=0.153 in HVE, p=0.561 in VVE group) or multifidus (p=0.737 in HVE, p=0.380 in VVE group) muscle thickness. Further, there were no significant differences between groups according to time in any of the assessments. No adverse events were noticed during treatment in either group. CONCLUSION: HVE is as effective as VVE in reducing pain, strengthening the lumbar muscle, and improving the balance and functional abilities of CLBP patients. Vibrational exercise increases muscle strength without inducing muscle hypertrophy.

Posterior Epidural Migration of a Lumbar Intervertebral Disc Fragment Resembling a Spinal Tumor: A Case Report

Posterior epidural migration of a lumbar intervertebral disc fragment (PEMLIF) is uncommon because of anatomical barriers. It is difficult to diagnose PEMLIF definitively because of its relatively rare incidence and the ambiguity of radiological findings resembling spinal tumors. This case report describes a 76-year-old man with sudden-onset weakness and pain in both legs. Electromyography revealed bilateral lumbosacral polyradiculopathy with a mass-like lesion in L2-3 dorsal epidural space on lumbosacral magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The lesion showed peripheral rim enhancement on T1-weighted MRI with gadolinium administration. The patient underwent decompressive L2-3 central laminectomy, to remove the mass-like lesion. The excised lesion was confirmed as an intervertebral disc. The possibility of PEMLIF should be considered when rim enhancement is observed in the epidural space on MRI scans and electrodiagnostic features of polyradiculopathy with sudden symptoms of cauda equina syndrome.

Analytic Performance Evaluation of Blood Monitoring System G400 according to ISO 15197:2013

BACKGROUND: Self-monitoring of blood glucose is an important component of therapy for diabetes mellitus. The aim of this study was to evaluate the analytic performance evaluation of blood monitoring system G400 according to ISO 15197:2013. METHODS: We evaluated the G400 according to the ISO 15197:2013 guideline, we measured precision, accuracy, interference of hematocrit and interfering substances, user performance. RESULTS: Repeatability and intermediate precision of G400 showed standard deviation 2.7–3.8 mg/dL, 2.4–3.6 mg/dL and coefficient of variation 1.9-2.9% and 1.7–3.7%, respectively. Accuracy measured 98–98.5%, satisfied acceptable criteria. Error grid analysis showed that all results of this study were in zone A. Hematocrit between 20% to 60% did not cause interference. Three of 24 interfering substances were not acceptable criteria, and dose-response evaluation was needed. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that G400 was considered reliable results satisfying the ISO 15197:2013 criteria