Version of femoral neck: a cadaveric dried bone study / Versión del cuello femoral: estudio cadavérico sobre huesos secos

The aim of this study was to measure the version of femoral neck on dried Thai human femora. The version of femoral neck varies widely. It is important to know the version of femoral neck in a particular population to undertake successful femoral neck reconstructive surgery. Paired 216 dried femora of adult Thais from the bone collection maintained in the Department of Anatomy at the Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Thailand, were used to measure the version of femoral neck. The mean+SD femoral anteversion (FNA) was 16.21+5.24 degrees. The 95% confidence interval of FNA was from 15.48 to 16.94 degrees. The 95% confidence intervals of male and female average FNA were 14.75 to 16.90 and 15.59 to 17.59 degrees respectively. There was no significance difference of the FNA between males and females in both anteversion and retroversion groups. The average male FNA showed no statistical difference to average female anteversion. The 95% confidence intervals of males and females average retroversion were -8.22 to -4.80 and -7.71 to -4.47 degrees respectively. The average male retroversion showed no statistical difference to average female retroversion. The overall 95% confidence interval of femoral neck anteversion and retroversion were 15.48 to 16.94 degrees and -7.33 to -5.27 with no significant difference between males and females. These degrees of FNA must be considered when the femoral neck reconstructive surgery is planned.

El objetivo fue medir el cuello femoral en fémures humanos de tailandeses adultos. La versión del cuello femoral es muy variable. Es importante conocer la versión de cuello femoral en una población en particular para llevar a cabo con éxito una cirugía reconstructiva. Se utilizaron 216 fémures secos de adultos tailandeses obtenidos de la colección del Departamento de Anatomía de la Facultad de Medicina de la Universidad de Khon Kaen, Tailandia. La anteversión femoral (AFM) media+DE fue de 16,21±5,24. El intervalo de confianza del 95% de la AFM fue entre 15,48 a 16,94. El promedio de intervalos de confianza del 95% en hombres y mujeres fue desde 14,75 a 16,90 y 15,59 a 17,59, respectivamente. No hubo diferencia significativa entre hombres y mujeres en ambos grupos de anteversión y retroversión. La AFM promedio en hombres no mostró diferencia significativa con la anteversión media de las mujeres. Se observó un promedio de -8,22 a -4,80 y -7,71 a -4,47 en el 95% de los intervalos de confianza entre hombres y mujeres, respectivamente. La retroversión promedio en hombres no mostró ninguna diferencia significativa con la retroversión media en las mujeres. Estos grados de AFM deben ser considerados en la planificación de una cirugía reconstructiva del cuello femoral.

Immunohistochemical composition of the human lunotriquetral interosseous ligament.

PURPOSE: The human lunotriquetral ligament (LTL) is a functionally important intrinsic hand ligament, which is assumedly subjected to insertion angle changes at the entheses during movement. To clarify whether the current model of the ligament's mechanical environment is reflected in its structural composition, we determined the regional distribution of extracellular matrix-related antigens. METHODS: The extracellular matrix was immunohistochemically investigated in 12 LTLs from both wrists of 6 human donors (Mean age: 60 y). RESULTS: The dorsal, proximal, and volar portions of the ligament immunolabeled for type I, III collagen and versican. Both entheses labeled strongly for type II collagen, aggrecan, and link protein and were distinctly cartilaginous. The ligament midsubstance was positive for collagen II in 30%, for aggrecan in 40%, and for keratocan and lumican in 100% of specimens. In contrast, keratocan and lumican were absent from the fibrocartilaginous entheses and the articular cartilage. Ligament insertion at a carpal bone occurs either directly through fibrocartilage or indirectly through a bilayered configuration of fibrocartilage and hyaline-like cartilage. The hyaline-like cartilage is continuous with the neighboring articular cartilage. CONCLUSIONS: The LTL has an extracellular matrix comparable with that of ligaments experiencing a combination of tensile and shear/compressive load at the attachment sites. All regions of the LTL exhibit fibrocartilaginous entheses; purely fibrous attachment sites are rare. The ligament midsubstance shows a more fibrous phenotype than the entheses and expresses keratocan and lumican, which previously have not been recorded in any human hand ligament.

Treatment of de Quervain disease with triamcinolone injection with or without nimesulide. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: There is uncertainty as to whether supplemental oral nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication improves the effectiveness of steroid injections in the treatment of de Quervain disease. We tested the hypothesis that there are no significant differences in the success rates when this condition is treated with triamcinolone injection with or without supplemental oral nimesulide. METHODS: In a randomized, double-blind trial, 160 patients with de Quervain disease received an injection of 10 mg of triamcinolone acetonide and either 200 mg of oral nimesulide for seven days (eighty patients) or placebo tablets for seven days (eighty patients). An independent, blinded evaluator assessed the primary outcomes (tenderness, pain, and the result on the Finkelstein test) at three weeks after injection. Adverse reactions were assessed, and probabilities of recurrence for both groups were compared. Factors possibly predictive of disease recurrence were also assessed. RESULTS: The success rate after one injection was 67% in the nimesulide group and 68% in the placebo group. The overall success rates after single or multiple injections with a mean follow-up of 13.6 months were 95% for both groups. No significant differences were noted with respect to the success rates (p = 0.69) or pain scores after treatment (p = 0.11). The most common adverse reactions to triamcinolone injection and nimesulide were pain after injection and dyspepsia, respectively. The symptoms of de Quervain disease recurred in 33% of the patients in the nimesulide group and in 37% of those in the placebo group. The median time of recurrence was at the fifth month in the nimesulide group and at the fourth month in the placebo group. The recurrence of symptoms was significantly (p = 0.01) related to the presence of crepitation (relative risk, 2.13; 95% confidence interval, 1.19 to 3.80). CONCLUSIONS: Supplemental oral administration of the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug nimesulide does not improve the effectiveness of a single injection of triamcinolone acetonide in the treatment of de Quervain disease. Patients with crepitation in the first dorsal compartment during thumb extension or abduction are at increased risk for recurrence of this disease. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic study, Level I-1b (randomized controlled trial [no significant difference but narrow confidence intervals]).

Geometry of carpal scaphoid in Thais: anatomical study.

In order to develop new surgical techniques on, and fixation devices for, carpal scaphoid fractures in Thais, the authors determined the mean and standard deviation of the length, width and thickness of 141 carpal scaphoid bones on 93 left and 48 right wrists from the skeletons of 99 Thai males and 42 Thai females. The deceased averaged 60 years (range, 22 to 89). The scaphoid length averaged 25.59 mm; the dorsal width at the distal, middle and proximal poles averaged 14.89, 10.23 and 7.08 mm, respectively; the palmar width at the distal, middle and proximal poles averaged 14.22, 9.81 and 7.44 mm, respectively; and the thickness at the distal, middle and proximal poles averaged 9.77, 10.96 and 9.19 mm, respectively. The authors found no signficant difference (p = 0.96) in the length and width of the Thai carpal scaphoid bone between the left and right wrist. The widths of the dorsal and palmar sides at the distal end were wider than the proximal end and tapered from the distal to the proximal pole. The thicknesses were constant throughout the length of the bone, ranging between 9 and 11 mm.