Modified Double-Pulley And Rip-Stop Suture Bridge Technique In Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair.

Numerous techniques have been formulated for increasing the tendon-bone contact area and for providing a better healing environment for the tendon in cases of rotator cuff tear. An ideal rotator cuff repair maximizes the tendon-bone interface and provides the rotator cuff with sufficient biomechanical strength for it to withstand a high load. In this article, we propose a technique with the advantages of both the double-pulley and the rip-stop suture-bridge techniques, which increases the pressurized contact area along the medial row, achieves higher failure loads than non-rip-stop techniques, and reduces tendon cut-through.

Hericium erinaceus Mycelium Ameliorates In Vivo Progression of Osteoarthritis.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is an age-related disorder that affects the joints and causes functional disability. Hericium erinaceus is a large edible mushroom with several known medicinal functions. However, the therapeutic effects of H. erinaceus in OA are unknown. In this study, data from Sprague-Dawley rats with knee OA induced by anterior cruciate ligament transection (ACLT) indicated that H. erinaceus mycelium improves ACLT-induced weight-bearing asymmetry and minimizes pain. ACLT-induced increases in articular cartilage degradation and bone erosion were significantly reduced by treatment with H. erinaceus mycelium. In addition, H. erinaceus mycelium reduced the synthesis of proinflammatory cytokines interleukin-1ß and tumor necrosis factor-α in OA cartilage and synovium. H. erinaceus mycelium shows promise as a functional food in the treatment of OA.

Comparison of sacroplasty with or without balloon assistance for the treatment of sacral insufficiency fractures.

PURPOSE: Sacral insufficiency fractures (SIFs) can cause severe lower back pain and immobility, which have limited therapeutic options. No previous studies have compared clinical outcomes and radiographic findings of sacroplasty with or without balloon assistance for the treatment of SIFs. METHODS: Forty-five patients with SIFs were divided into two groups. One group had 18 patients treated using sacroplasty with balloon assistance, and the other had 27 patients treated without balloon assistance. The operation time and cement injection volume were compared between these two groups. Clinical outcomes were evaluated using visual analog scale (VAS), Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), and Odom's criteria. Cement leakage rate was examined by postoperative radiography and computed tomography. RESULTS: Sacroplasty with balloon assistance was associated with significantly longer operative time ( p = 0.003) and larger cement injection volume ( p = 0.038). Cement leakages were found in 4 of 18 patients (22.2%) with balloon assistance and 15 of 27 patients (55.6%) without balloon assistance, which showed significant difference ( p = 0.027). No significant differences were observed between sacroplasty with and without balloon assistance with regard to clinical outcomes including improvement in VAS, ODI, and Odom's criteria. CONCLUSIONS: Sacroplasty with balloon assistance was shown to achieve greater cement injection with longer operation time and can decrease the risk of cement leakage. Both sacroplasty with and without balloon assistance showed good-to-excellent clinical outcomes for the treatment of SIFs.