Suprapatellar nail removal after suprapatellar nailing of the tibia: it could work!

BACKGROUND AND AIM OF THE WORK: Intramedullary nailing is a fundamental tool for the treatment of meta-diaphyseal tibia fractures. While, in the past, the infrapatellar approach was the only one available, over the last few years, an alternative approach has been developed: the suprapatellar tibial nailing. This technique has shown some advantages over the other one. However, as the most recent method has become increasingly more common, concerns have been put forward about the possibility to remove the nail using only the infrapatellar approach, thus incising the previously unviolated patellar tendon. The aim of our study is to describe the technique and the results of a suprapatellar approach to remove the nail. METHODS: We describe the surgical technique used to remove the tibial nail via the suprapatellar approach. We analyze a small case series of 12 patients who underwent the operation of nail removal, analyzing operation time, intraoperative and/or postoperative complications and clinical outcomes. RESULTS: The mean duration of the operation was 39.8 minutes. The difference between the two values of the Lysholm score (pre- and postoperative) in each patient was not statistically significant, ranging between -2 to +4 points. We did not observe any intraoperative or postoperative complications. CONCLUSIONS: After suprapatellar nailing of the tibia, it is possible to remove the nail using the same suprapatellar approach with a safe, easy and reproducible technique. The clinical results observed in our case series show excellent outcomes in terms of absence of complications and good functional knee score.

Osteolysis in total hip arthroplasty in relation to metal ion release: Comparison between monolithic prostheses and different modularities.

BACKGROUND: Among the various complications associated with total hip arthroplasty (THA) periprosthetic osteolysis and wear phenomena due to the release of metal particles, are two of the most common and have been reported to be correlated because of inflammatory responses directed towards released particles that generally activate macrophagic osteolytic effects. Therein, new masses known as pseudotumors can appear in soft tissues around a prosthetic implant. To date, there is paucity of reliable data from studies investigating for any association between the above mentioned adverse events. AIM: To investigate for the existence of any association between serum and urine concentrations of metal-ions released in THA and periprosthetic osteolysis for modular neck and monolithic implants. METHODS: Overall, 76 patients were divided into three groups according to the type of hip prosthesis implants: Monoblock, modular with metal head and modular with ceramic head. With an average f-up of 4 years, we conducted a radiological evaluation in order to detect any area of osteolysis around the prosthesis of both the femur and the acetabulum. Moreover, serum and urinary tests were performed to assess the values of Chromium and Cobalt released. Statistical analysis was performed to determine any association between the ion release and osteolysis. RESULTS: For the 3 study groups, the monolithic, modular ceramic-headed and modular metal-headed implants had different incidences of osteolysis events, which were higher for the modular implants. Furthermore, the most serious of these (grade 3) were detected almost exclusively for the modular implants with metal heads. A mapping of the affected areas was performed revealing that the highest incidences of osteolysis were evidenced in the pertrochanteric region at the femur level, and in the supero-external region at the acetabular level. Regarding the evaluation of the release of metals-ions from wear processes, serum and urinary chromium and cobalt values were found to be higher in cases of modularity, and even more so for those with metal head. Statistical linear correlation test results suggested positive correlations between increasing metal concentrations and incidences areas of osteolysis. However, no cases of pseudo-tumor were detected. CONCLUSION: Future studies are needed to identify risk factors that increase peri-prosthetic metal ion levels and whether these factors might be implicated in the triggering of local events, including osteolysis and aseptic loosening.

Analysis of skeletal status by quantitative ultrasonometry in a cohort of postmenopausal women with high blood cholesterol without documented osteoporosis.

Osteoporosis and atherosclerosis are leading causes of mortality and morbidity in the Western world. A link between osteoporosis and atherosclerosis was proposed by epidemiologic and laboratory data. In the present study, we investigated skeletal status in postmenopausal women with hypercholesterolemia using quantitative ultrasonometry (QUS). Six hundred healthy postmenopausal subjects were enrolled within a 2-mo period by primary care physicians. Information on lifestyle and calcium intake was collected for each enrolled subject. Subjects (n = 256) were divided into two groups according to lipid profile: normal (n = 180) with serum cholesterol <200 mg/dL and hypercholesterolemic (n = 76) with serum cholesterol >or=200 mg/dL. Hypercholesterolemic subjects were further stratified into two groups, one receiving dietary treatment (n = 34) and the other receiving statin treatment (n = 42). We found a statistically significant reduction in amplitude dependent speed of sound (AD-SoS) in hypercholesterolemic subjects compared with subjects with normal cholesterol (p = 0.006). Calcium intake behaved similarly to AD-SoS (p = 0.0001). No statistical significant difference in AD-SoS were observed between the group on diet treatment versus the group on statin (p = 0.52). Calcium intake was lower in patients on statins treatment compared with subjects on diet treatment only (p < 0.0001). Our data suggest that hypercholesterolemia per se is a risk factor for impaired skeletal status. Our data also call attention to the risk of a poor calcium intake in patient receiving diet to lower plasma cholesterol. Moreover, our data suggest that statins per se may exert a protective effect on bone independently from calcium intake.