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<p><b>Objective:</b> This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of soft-tissue release on hip subluxation and dislocation in cerebral palsy as well as activities of daily living after surgery.</p><p><b>Patients and Methods:</b> Soft-tissue release was performed in 13 patients (19 hips) with cerebral palsy. Of them, 10 had spastic quadriplegia and three had spastic diplegia. Mean ages were 8.6 years at surgery and 13.8 years at the last investigation. The mean follow-up period was 5.2 years. Hip subluxation and dislocation severities were analyzed before and after surgery and at the final investigation as migration percentage on radiographs. Postoperative activities of daily living were also evaluated in 12 patients.</p><p><b>Results:</b> Seven hips classified as mild and moderate preoperatively were classified as good, mild, and moderate at the last investigation. Nine of 12 hips classified as severe preoperatively continued to be severe at the last investigation. However, three of 12 hips classified as severe preoperatively improved at the last investigation. There was a positive correlation between preoperative migration percentage and that at the last investigation. Daily activities improved postoperatively in 12 patients.</p><p><b>Conclusions:</b> Early treatment is necessary to prevent hip dislocation and improve hip subluxation. However, several patients with severe subluxation might experience improvement with soft-tissue release alone. Soft-tissue release is effective for treating hip dislocation and subluxation in cerebral palsy and improving daily activities.</p>
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<p><b>Objectives:</b> This study was performed to elucidate the characteristics of amputees in our hospital. We also evaluated whether the causes and characteristics of the amputations influenced the patients’ prosthetic walking ability.</p><p><b>Materials and Methods:</b> We retrospectively examined 47 amputees in our hospital from December 1996 to April 2016 with respect to the causes and levels of amputation. Of 28 lower limb amputees from April 2008 to April 2016, 22 received prostheses and were divided into 2 groups according to the cause of the amputation, as follows: the internal cause group (e.g., vascular deficiency and infection) and the external cause group (e.g., trauma, burn injury, and crush syndrome). The characteristics and process of achieving prosthetic ambulation were compared between these groups.</p><p><b>Results:</b> Trauma was the most common cause of both upper (70.0%) and lower limb amputations (40.5%). Unilateral amputation was performed in 93.2% of patients (upper limb amputation, 100.0%; lower limb amputation, 91.9%). Patients were older in the internal than in the external cause group (<i>P</i> = 0.026). The serum albumin (<i>P</i> = 0.003) and total cholesterol concentrations (<i>P</i> = 0.046) on admission were significantly lower in the internal than in the external cause group. All patients in the internal cause group had comorbidities. The proportions of patients with diabetes mellitus (<i>P</i> = 0.011) and cerebrovascular disease (<i>P</i>=0.036) were significantly higher in the internal than in the external cause group. No significant difference in walking ability was found between the internal and external cause groups at the time of discharge.</p><p><b>Conclusion:</b> Most amputees in our hospital underwent unilateral lower limb amputation due to trauma. Although the patients with internal causes of amputation were older, more frequently had malnutrition, and had more comorbidities than those with external causes, they achieved prosthetic walking with statistically insignificant difference at the end of hospitalization, excluding six patients who had no prosthetic prescription.</p>
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<p><b>Objectives:</b> To investigate the details of patients’ status on admission and at discharge at our hospital, to compare the ambulatory group and non-ambulatory group at discharge, and to assess the factors associated with ambulatory ability at discharge in patients aged ≥ 90 years with proximal femoral fractures (PFFs).</p><p><b>Patients/Materials and Methods:</b> Twenty patients admitted to our hospital for rehabilitation after surgery for a PFF were evaluated retrospectively. The rate of regaining ambulatory ability, presence of dementia, body mass index, serum albumin level, hemoglobin level, lymphocyte count, and functional independence measure (FIM) were assessed on admission and at discharge. Relationships between patients’ ambulatory ability and ambulatory parameters were compared between the ambulatory and non-ambulatory groups.</p><p><b>Results:</b> The rate of regaining ambulatory ability was 55% at discharge. The serum albumin level at discharge was significantly higher in the ambulatory group than that in the non-ambulatory group. More patients had dementia on admission in the non-ambulatory group than in the ambulatory group. On admission, scores for the cognitive items of the FIM (“expression” and “memory”) were significantly higher in the ambulatory group than those in the non-ambulatory group.</p><p><b>Conclusions:</b> The rate of ambulatory ability at discharge was 55% in those with a PFF, who were aged ≥ 90 years. The presence of dementia on admission and serum albumin level at discharge were factors related to ambulatory ability. It is very important to use a general rehabilitation protocol that takes cognitive function and nourishment into account, in addition to the physical aspect.</p>
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<b>Objective:</b> The incidence of pulmonary embolism (PE) and leg deep vein thrombosis (DVT) has increased in recent years in association with aging and an increase in the number of bedridden individuals. We developed an active in-bed leg exercise apparatus labeled the Leg Exercise Apparatus (LEX) for DVT prevention. We compared the effect of leg exercises performed using the LEX to conventional active ankle exercises on increased blood flow.<br><b>Materials & Methods:</b> The subjects were eight healthy adult volunteers [five men and three women, aged 20–34 (mean 27.0) years]. Subjects performed two types of exercise; exercise 1 consisted of leg exercises using the LEX, while exercise 2 consisted of in-bed active plantar flexion/dorsiflexion exercises without the device. Measurements were taken 1, 5, 10, 20, and 30 minutes after exercise including common femoral vein blood flow, mean blood flow velocity, maximum blood flow velocity, and vessel diameter using Doppler ultrasound. Statistical procedures included timed measurement data analysis using a linear mixed model. A Bonferroni correction was used for multiple comparisons.<br><b>Results:</b> Compared to resting levels, blood flow reached a maximum value 1 minute after exercise for both exercise types, with a significantly greater increase after exercise 1 (1.76-fold increase) compared to exercise 2 (1.44-fold increase) (<i>p</i> = 0.005). There was a significant difference (<i>p</i> = 0.03) between the two exercises for all values from 1 minute to 30 minutes following exercise. There was no significant difference between exercises for peak or mean blood flow velocity. Compared to resting levels, blood vessel diameter reached a maximum value of 1.47-fold greater at 5 minutes post-exercise for exercise 1 and a maximum value of 1.21-fold greater at 1 minute post-exercise for exercise 2.<br><b>Conclusions:</b> Exercise using the LEX increased lower leg venous blood flow and vessel diameter. We propose that the LEX may serve as a new DVT prevention tool.
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<b>Objective:</b> Patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism caused by chronic kidney disease (CKD) develop secondary osteoporosis, which increases fracture risk. We report a case of insufficiency fractures complicated by secondary osteoporosis caused by chronic renal failure and gastrectomy.<br><b>Patient:</b> A 78-year-old man with a medical history of nephrotic syndrome and gastric cancer experienced an occult intertrochanteric fracture of his left femur after falling.<br><b>Results:</b> Ten days after the first fracture, the patient was treated with hemodialysis for acute uremic symptoms. Eight weeks after this fracture, he sustained a right insufficiency acetabular fracture and was treated with total hip arthroplasty (THA).<br><b>Conclusion:</b> For patients with CKD, effective fracture prevention is difficult. THA with reconstruction of the acetabulum was an effective therapy in a patient with nontraumatic central fracture dislocation of the hip.