Biomechanical comparisons of three minimally invasive Achilles tendon percutaneous repair suture techniques.

BACKGROUND: While no gold standard exists for the management of Achilles tendon ruptures, surgical repair is common in healthy and active patients. Minimally invasive repair methods have become increasingly popular, while biomechanical equivalency hasn't been proven yet. METHODS: A mid-substance Achilles tendon rupture was created 6 cm proximal to the calcaneal insertion in 27 fresh-frozen cadaveric ankles. Specimens were randomly allocated to 1 of 3 repair techniques: Huttunen et al. (2014) (1) PARS Achilles Jig System, Nyyssönen et al. (2008) (2) Achilles Midsubstance SpeedBridge™, Schipper and Cohen (2017) (3) Dresdner Instrument and subsequently subjected to cyclic loading with 250 cycles each at 1 Hz with 4 different loading ranges (20-100 N, 20-200 N, 20-300 N, and 20-400 N). FINDINGS: After 250 cycles no significant differences in elongation were observed between PARS and Dresdner Instrument(p = 1.0). Furthermore, SpeedBridge™ repairs elongated less than either Dresdner Instrument (p = 0.0006) or PARS (p = 0.102). Main elongation (85%) occurred within the first 10 cycles with a comparable elongation in between 10 and 100 and 100-250 cycles. While all repairs withstood the first 250 cycles of cyclic loading from 20 to 100 N, only the PARS (468 ± 175) and Midsubstance SpeedBridge™ (538 ± 208) survived more cycles. Within all 3 groups suture cut out was seen to be the most common failure mechanism. INTERPRETATION: Within all groups early repair elongation was seen. While this was least obvious within the SpeedBridge™ technique, ultimate strengths of repairs (cycles to failure) were comparable across PARS and SpeedBridge™ with a decline in the Dresdner Instrument group.

Cortisol during adolescence organises personality traits and behavioural syndromes.

Despite the growing evidence for the importance of developmental experiences shaping consistent individual differences in behaviour and physiology, the role of endocrine factors underlying the development and maintenance of such differences across multiple traits, remains poorly understood. Here, we investigated how an experimental manipulation of circulating glucocorticoids during early adolescence affects behavioural and physiological variation and covariation later in life in the precocial cavy (Cavia aperea). Plasma cortisol concentrations were experimentally elevated by administering cortisol via food for 3 weeks. Struggle docility, escape latency, boldness, exploration and social behaviour were then tested three times after individuals attained sexual maturity. In addition, blood samples were taken repeatedly to monitor circulating cortisol concentrations. Exogenous cortisol affected mean trait expression of plasma cortisol levels, struggle docility and escape latency. Repeatability of cortisol and escape latency was increased and repeatability of struggle docility tended to be higher (approaching significance) in treated individuals. Increased repeatability was mainly caused by an increase of among-individual variance. Correlations among docility, escape latency and cortisol were stronger in treated animals compared to control animals. These results suggest that exposure to elevated levels of cortisol during adolescence can alter animal personality traits as well as behavioural syndromes. Social and risk-taking traits showed no correlation with cortisol levels and were unaffected by the experimental manipulation, indicating behavioural modularity. Taken together, our data highlight that cortisol can have organising effects during adolescence on the development of personality traits and behavioural syndromes, adding to the increasing evidence that not only early life but also adolescence is an important sensitive period for behavioural development.

[Partial exchange in total hip arthroplasty : What can we combine?] / Gelenkteilwechsel in der Hüftarthroplastik : Was dürfen wir kombinieren?

BACKGROUND: In case of hip revision arthroplasty, one component (cup/stem) is often well fixed and does not need to be exchanged. The newly implanted component needs to be compatible with the well-fixed implant. The combination of implants from different companies leads to "mix and match" or even mismatch between the implants. OBJECTIVES AND METHODS: The objective of this work was to describe possible combinations including their specifications that need to be considered in partial exchange of hip prostheses. For this purpose the literature, surgical techniques of companies and judgements concerning this topic were analysed and our own results and experiences were included. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Partial revision arthroplasty can be challenging and needs to be planned in detail. In case of isolated cup or inlay revision with exchange of a modular head the cone of the stem needs to be identified. A ceramic head may be used in revision with a titanium sleeve even from a different company as long as they are compatible. Patients however need to give their informed consent for this mix and match procedure. This procedure is done frequently and good study results support this, however from a juristic point of view a definite recommendation cannot be given. If the inlay of a cup is replaced, the original inlay should be used. If this is not available anymore, it can be manufactured as a special product in many cases. If this is also not possible, an inlay can also be cemented into a well-fixed cup. Biomechanical and clinical studies support this off-label technique. In case of an isolated exchange of the stem with a ceramic inlay that is retained in a well-fixed cup, the revision stem and ceramic head need to be from the same company as the cup. In case of ceramic fracture, a ceramic head with a titanium sleeve should be combined with a PE or ceramic inlay, a metal head or inlay should never be used.

[Does the certification according to EndoCert lead to a better quality of treatment?] / Bringt die Zertifizierung nach EndoCert eine messbare Verbesserung der Versorgungsqualität?

BACKGROUND: Certification according to EndoCert in the field of arthroplasty in Germany aims at standardization of treatment and with this optimization of its quality. However, huge capital investment and efforts are necessary. There are currently more than 400 certified centres in Germany. Our Department of Orthopaedics at a German medical school was certified in the pilot phase. The aim of this study was to analyse whether there was a difference in the quality in the year after the certification. A second aim was to analyse whether the defined quality criteria are adequate for a university hospital. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The quality criteria as defined by EndoCert were analysed in the year before (2011) and after certification (2012). The observed complications were noted for 1 year postoperatively. The clinical outcome was analysed with Western Ontario and McMaster University Osteoarthritis Index Score (WOMAC) 1 year postoperatively. RESULTS: There was no difference concerning the criteria analysed, including the clinical outcome in the year before and that after certification. In both years, nearly all criteria could be reached except the operation time and the infection rate in hip and knee revision surgery. CONCLUSION: Certification did not lead to a measurable change of the quality of care. Nearly all criteria, except the infection rate in revision arthroplasty (required: less than 3% at 1 year postop.) and the operation duration could be fulfilled. This rate as well as the operation duration should be revised. Certification according to EndoCert is an important tool to prove quality care, however big efforts and capital are needed. The criteria should be constantly revised and reduced, as these resources should not be missed in patient care.

Histopathological Analysis of PEEK Wear Particle Effects on the Synovial Tissue of Patients.

Introduction. Increasing interest developed in the use of carbon-fiber-reinforced-poly-ether-ether-ketones (CFR-PEEK) as an alternative bearing material in knee arthroplasty. The effects of CFR-PEEK wear in in vitro and animal studies are controversially discussed, as there are no data available concerning human tissue. The aim of this study was to analyze human tissue containing CFR-PEEK as well as UHMWPE wear debris. The authors hypothesized no difference between the used biomaterials. Methods and Materials. In 10 patients during knee revision surgery of a rotating-hinge-knee-implant-design, synovial tissue samples were achieved (tibial inserts: UHMWPE; bushings and flanges: CFR-PEEK). One additional patient received revision surgery without any PEEK components as a control. The tissue was paraffin-embedded, sliced into 2 µm thick sections, and stained with hematoxylin and eosin in a standard process. A modified panoptical staining was also done. Results. A "wear-type" reaction was seen in the testing and the control group. In all samples, the UHMWPE particles were scattered in the tissue or incorporated in giant cells. CFR-PEEK particles were seen as conglomerates and only could be found next to vessels. CFR-PEEK particles showed no giant-cell reactions. In conclusion, the hypothesis has to be rejected. UHMWPE and PEEK showed a different scatter-behavior in human synovial tissue.

Long-term stability of Cu surface nanotips.

Sharp nanoscale tips on the metal surfaces of electrodes enhance locally applied electric fields. Strongly enhanced electric fields trigger electron field emission and atom evaporation from the apexes of nanotips. Together, these processes may explain electric discharges in the form of small local arcs observed near metal surfaces in the presence of electric fields, even in ultra-high vacuum conditions. In the present work, we investigate the stability of nanoscale tips by means of computer simulations of surface diffusion processes on copper, the main material used in high-voltage electronics. We study the stability and lifetime of thin copper (Cu) surface nanotips at different temperatures in terms of diffusion processes. For this purpose we have developed a surface kinetic Monte Carlo (KMC) model where the jump processes are described by tabulated precalculated energy barriers. We show that tall surface features with high aspect ratios can be fairly stable at room temperature. However, the stability was found to depend strongly on the temperature: 13 nm nanotips with the major axes in the [Formula: see text] crystallographic directions were found to flatten down to half of the original height in less than 100 ns at temperatures close to the melting point, whereas no significant change in the height of these nanotips was observed after 10 [Formula: see text] at room temperature. Moreover, the nanotips built up along the [Formula: see text] crystallographic directions were found to be significantly more stable than those oriented in the [Formula: see text] or [Formula: see text] crystallographic directions. The proposed KMC model has been found to be well-suited for simulating atomic surface processes and was validated against molecular dynamics simulation results via the comparison of the flattening times obtained by both methods. We also note that the KMC simulations were two orders of magnitude computationally faster than the corresponding molecular dynamics calculations.

[What can we learn in future from the data of the German Arthroplasty Registry (EPRD) in comparison to other registries?]. / Welcher Zusatznutzen ergibt sich in Zukunft aus den Daten des EPRD im Vergleich zu anderen Registern?

The German Arthroplasty Registry (EPRD) was founded in 2010 and has been in full operation since 2014. Previous attempts at a systematic data collection of elective and non-elective knee and hip replacement in Germany failed mainly because of the long-term lack of funding. The EPRD is an interdisciplinary collaborative partnership between the German Association of Orthopedics and Orthopedic Surgery (DGOOC), all implant manufacturers of the German Medical Technology Association (BVMed), health insurers (AOK and the Association of Additional Healthcare Insurance) and hospitals (German Hospital Federation). As part of this cooperation a worldwide unique implant database has been set up, which includes all relevant components and a detailed description of implant specifications. This implant library enables a detailed evaluation of implant survival, revision rates and possible inferior implant performance of knee and hip replacements in Germany. At the end of 2015 the EPRD encompassed over 200,000 registered operations. Due to the high number of hip and knee arthroplasties in Germany with many different implants from different manufacturers there will be a rapid growth of data that are available for a national and also international comparison of the results.

Development and validation of a weight-bearing finite element model for total knee replacement.

Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is a successful procedure for osteoarthritis. However, some patients (19%) do have pain after surgery. A finite element model was developed based on boundary conditions of a knee rig. A 3D-model of an anatomical full leg was generated from magnetic resonance image data and a total knee prosthesis was implanted without patella resurfacing. In the finite element model, a restarting procedure was programmed in order to hold the ground reaction force constant with an adapted quadriceps muscle force during a squat from 20° to 105° of flexion. Knee rig experimental data were used to validate the numerical model in the patellofemoral and femorotibial joint. Furthermore, sensitivity analyses of Young's modulus of the patella cartilage, posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) stiffness, and patella tendon origin were performed. Pearson's correlations for retropatellar contact area, pressure, patella flexion, and femorotibial ap-movement were near to 1. Lowest root mean square error for retropatellar pressure, patella flexion, and femorotibial ap-movement were found for the baseline model setup with Young's modulus of 5 MPa for patella cartilage, a downscaled PCL stiffness of 25% compared to the literature given value and an anatomical origin of the patella tendon. The results of the conducted finite element model are comparable with the experimental results. Therefore, the finite element model developed in this study can be used for further clinical investigations and will help to better understand the clinical aspects after TKA with an unresurfaced patella.

Therapeutic effect of methotrexate encapsulated in cationic liposomes (EndoMTX) in comparison to free methotrexate in an antigen-induced arthritis study in vivo.

OBJECTIVES: Cationic lipid complexes bind to angiogenic endothelial cells of solid tumours and microvessels of chronic inflammatory tissue. Methotrexate (MTX) is one of the drugs used in the therapy of rheumatoid arthritis (RA); it is applied systemically but can have serious side-effects. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of MTX encapsulated in cationic liposomes (EndoMTX) in comparison to treatment with free MTX. METHOD: We used an antigen-induced arthritis (AiA) model and investigated the leucocyte- and platelet-endothelial cell interaction in arthritic female C57/Bl6 mice and in healthy controls. The arthritic animals were divided into four different groups receiving either trehalose, free MTX, EndoMTX placebo, or EndoMTX. These parameters and functional capillary density (FCD) were measured and assessed by intravital microscopy (IVM). We controlled clinical parameters such as the knee joint diameter (KJD) throughout the observation period. RESULTS: Animals treated with EndoMTX showed a significant and superior reduction in leucocyte- and platelet-endothelial cell interaction, FCD, and KJD. Free MTX or empty liposomes also showed a reduction in these parameters but not to a significant level. FCD decreased in the EndoMTX group in comparison to using free drugs or empty carrier-like liposomes. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates the advantage of using MTX encapsulated in cationic liposomes in contrast to free and generic MTX, with a higher efficacy in anti-inflammatory and anti-angiogenic abilities. Targeting with cationic liposomes may be a promising treatment option and should be elucidated in further experiments regarding dose reduction and side-effects due to MTX usage.

[Experience with medial unicompartmental prostheses with a mobile plateau]. / Erfahrungen mit medialen monokondylären Prothesen mit mobilem Plateau.

BACKGROUND: Unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA) has become an accepted therapy for medial osteoarthritis. The main reasons for its popularity are the minimally invasive surgical technique and the reports of excellent long-term results including high patient satisfaction and good knee joint function especially in younger patients. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of our retrospective study was to evaluate the physical activities of patients who had undergone an Oxford III medial UKA. Special attention was paid to implant positioning and osteoarthritis of the patellofemoral joint. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Of 181 implanted Oxford III prosthesis, 136 (75.1%) could be followed up. The mean age at time of surgery was 65.2 years; the average time of follow-up was 4.2 years. In addition to a physical examination and x-ray, the following scores were obtained: WOMAC (Western Ontario and McMaster Osteoarthritis Index), OKS (Oxford Knee Score), KSS (Knee Society Score), UCLA activity and the Turba score. RESULTS: The majority of the patients (81%) returned to their sporting activity following knee surgery. Higher complication rates or progression of osteoarthritis associated with sporting activities were not observed. The active patients had significantly higher scores for the OKS, KSS, WOMAC, and UCLA scores. The correct implant position, especially avoiding overcorrection to valgus malalignment, is important for good clinical outcome. CONCLUSION: Our results demonstrate that a high degree of patient satisfaction in terms of physical and sporting activity can be achieved using the Oxford III UKA for medial osteoarthritis without an increased risk for complications.

[Possibilities and limits of modern polyethylenes. With respect to the application profile]. / Möglichkeiten und Grenzen der modernen Polyethylene. Im Hinblick auf ihr Anwendungsprofil.

BACKGROUND: Polyethylene is still one of the most important materials in the field of hip and knee arthroplasty. The clinical results of the last decades have helped to further develop polyethylene into a high-tech material. Progress in the development of new materials must be compared with the tried and tested ones to provide optimal and most individual patient care. OBJECTIVES: This article gives an overview of the history and current application profile of the material ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) in hip and knee arthroplasty. MATERIAL AND METHODS: With the aid of the current literature, new developments in the field of the material UHMWPE, also with respect to the biological activity of wear, the particular biomechanics of the knee joint as well as alternative hard-hard bearing surfaces in the hip, are represented in terms of implant safety. RESULTS: The problems concerning polyethylene are now well recognized. The disadvantages of the material UHMWPE could be consistently reduced based on material research so that modern polyethylenes have gradually been shown in clinical trials that they can be reliably used. CONCLUSION: Despite this the potential for improvement has still not yet been fully exploited. Any further development must be extensively tested both biomechanically and biologically before the material can be used in vivo. Long-term results are still necessary before a material can be accepted as being clinically safe.

Simvastatin reduces leucocyte- and platelet-endothelial cell interaction in murine antigen-induced arthritis in vivo.

OBJECTIVES: The use of statins in the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases is well established. Their use as anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory agents in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has also been investigated, with several clinical and experimental studies indicating an anti-inflammatory effect of statins for RA, but other studies showing no effect or even the opposite. The current study was designed to examine the effect of simvastatin in an in vivo murine model of arthritis using intravital microscopy. METHOD: We assigned four groups (n = 7, female C57Bl6 mice), two with and two without antigen-induced arthritis (AiA), from which one of the non-AiA groups and one of the AiA groups were treated with simvastatin 40 mg/kg i.p. daily for 14 consecutive days after induction of arthritis. Platelet- and leucocyte-endothelial cell interaction was assessed by measurement of rolling and adherent fluorescence-labelled platelets and leucocytes, functional capillary density (FCD) was evaluated, and knee joint diameter was determined as a clinical parameter. RESULTS: In arthritic mice treated with simvastatin, a significant reduction in platelet- and leucocyte-endothelial cell interaction was observed in comparison to arthritic mice treated with vehicle. In addition, a significant reduction in FCD was seen in arthritic mice treated with simvastatin, along with a reduction in knee joint swelling of the AiA mice. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment of AiA mice with simvastatin showed significant reductions in platelet- and leucocyte-endothelial cell interactions, in FCD, and in the swelling of the knee joint. These results support the hypothesis of the anti-inflammatory effects of statins in the treatment of RA.

[Modified mini-Hardinge access for hip prosthesis implantation in the supine position]. / Modifizierter Mini-Hardinge-Zugang zur Implantation von Hüftgelenksprothesen in Rückenlage.

OBJECTIVE: Total hip arthroplasty with a minimal-incision technique that can be performed in the widely used supine position. The accustomed and good overview of this position allows safe positioning of the implant and combines this with the advantage of a soft tissue preserving technique. All standard instruments and implants can be further applied. INDICATIONS: Primary and secondary coxarthrosis, femoral head necrosis. CONTRAINDICATIONS: Revision surgery, severe anatomic deformity, implantation of hip resurfacing arthroplasty. SURGICAL TECHNIQUE: Supine position. The skin incision runs from the innominate tubercle proximally and falls slightly in the dorsal direction (20-30°). Incision of the iliotibial tract and exposure of the vastogluteal muscle sling. Starting from the greater trochanter, the sinewy onset of the minimal and medium gluteal muscle is split with an arched-shaped incision, which also falls proximally in the dorsal direction. Exposition of the joint capsule, longitudinal incision and resection of the ventrolateral parts. Dislocation of the hip by a combined adduction and external rotation movement. Osteotomy of the femoral neck and resection of the femoral head are performed in a figure-of-four position without adduction. To prepare the acetabulum and to insert the cup, the leg is placed in neutral position with a slight flexion of 20° in the hip. Preparation of the femur and implantation of the stem is again performed in a figure-of-four position in adduction. Reduction of the hip and stepwise wound closure. POSTOPERATIVE MANAGEMENT: Mobilization on postoperative day 1. Starting with half weight bearing and after completed wound healing rapid increase to full weight bearing. Intensive physiotherapy and rehabilitation. Thrombosis prophylaxis according to guidelines. RESULTS: The mini-incision approach has successfully been used in our clinic for years. Between September 2004 and November 2005, the less-invasive technique was evaluated in a randomized controlled trial with 51 patients (52 hips). Compared to the standard approach a significantly shorter incision length (8.9 vs. 14.0 cm) and a slightly lower blood loss (502 vs. 660 ml) were observed for the modified mini-Hardinge. Moreover, the mini-incision group showed slightly better functional results in the early course. A higher rate of implant malpositioning or a higher peri- and postoperative complication rate was not observed.

Biological activity and migration of wear particles in the knee joint: an in vivo comparison of six different polyethylene materials.

Wear of polyethylene causes loosening of joint prostheses because of the particle mediated activity of the host tissue. It was hypothesized that conventional and crosslinked polyethylene particles lead to similar biological effects around the knee joint in vivo as well as to a similar particle distribution in the surrounding tissues. To verify these hypotheses, particle suspensions of six different polyethylene materials were injected into knee joints of Balb/C mice and intravital microscopic, histological and immunohistochemical evaluations were done after 1 week. Whereas the biological effects on the synovial layer and the subchondral bone of femur and tibia were similar for all the polyethylenes, two crosslinked materials showed an elevated cytokine expression in the articular cartilage. Furthermore, the distribution of particles around the joint was dependent on the injected polyethylene material. Those crosslinked particles, which remained mainly in the joint space, showed an increased expression of TNF-alpha in articular cartilage. The data of this study support the use of crosslinked polyethylene in total knee arthroplasty. In contrast, the presence of certain crosslinked wear particles in the joint space can lead to an elevated inflammatory reaction in the remaining cartilage, which challenges the potential use of those crosslinked polyethylenes for unicondylar knee prostheses.

Elevated cytokine expression of different PEEK wear particles compared to UHMWPE in vivo.

Due to their mechanical properties, there has been growing interest in poly-ether-ether-ketone (PEEK) and its composites as bearing material in total and unicompartmental knee arthroplasty. The aim of this study was to analyze the biological activity of wear particles of two different (pitch and PAN) carbon-fiber-reinforced- (CFR-) PEEK varieties in comparison to ultra-high-molecular-weight-polyethylene (UHMWPE) in vivo. The authors hypothesized no difference between the used biomaterials. Wear particle suspensions of the particulate biomaterials were injected into knee joints of Balb/c mice, which were sacrificed after seven days. The cytokine expression (IL-1ß, IL-6, TNF-α) was analyzed immunohistochemically in the synovial layer, the adjacent bone marrow and the articular cartilage. Especially in the bone marrow of the two CFR-PEEK varieties there were increased cytokine expressions compared to the control and UHMWPE group. Furthermore, in the articular cartilage the CFR-PEEK pitch group showed an enhanced cytokine expression, which could be a negative predictor for the use in unicondylar knee systems. As these data suggest an increased proinflammatory potential of CFR-PEEK and its composites in vivo, the initial hypothesis had to be refuted. Summarizing these results, CFR-PEEK seems not to be an attractive alternative to UHMWPE as a bearing material, especially in unicompartmental knee arthroplasty.

Polyethylene wear particles induce TLR 2 upregulation in the synovial layer of mice.

A cellular and receptor mediated response to ultra-high-molecular-weight-polyethylene (UHMWPE) wear particles results in a release of proinflammatory cytokines and induces an inflammatory reaction causing osteolysis in total joint replacement. This investigation offers insight into the toll-like receptor (TLR) mediated activation by polyethylene wear particles in the synovial layer of mice. We hypothesized that, similar to recent in vitro results, UHMWPE particles lead to an upregulation of TLR 1 and 2 and TLR 4 in vivo in the synovial tissue of mice as well. Therefore, UHMWPE particles were generated in a common knee simulator according to the ISO standard, separated by acid digestion and determined by scanning electron microscopy. Endotoxin was removed using a method based on ultracentrifugation. A particle suspension (50 µl; 0.1 vol./vol.%) was injected into the left knee joint of female Balb/c mice (n = 8). In a control group, phosphate-buffered saline was injected into the left knee of Balb/c mice (n = 8). The mice were sacrificed after 7 days. Immunohistochemical staining was performed with TLR 1, 2 and 4 polyclonal antibodies for Balb/c mice and evaluated by light microscopy. The particle-stimulated group showed a thickened synovial layer, an increased cellular infiltration and a TLR 2-upregulation in the synovial layer compared to the control group. An increased expression of TLR 1 and TLR 4 could not be demonstrated. These results indicate a mainly TLR 2-induced inflammation to polyethylene wear debris in the synovial layer of mice.

Levels of Cr, Co, Ni and Mo in erythrocytes, serum and urine after hip resurfacing arthroplasty.

BACKGROUND: Hip resurfacing arthroplasty is known to increase the metal ion concentration in the serum, urine and whole blood, with potentially adverse effects on the organism. However, only few data are available about the metal ion concentrations in erythrocytes, although they are directly exposed to the higher concentrations of the serum. METHODS: The ion levels of chromium, cobalt, nickel and molybdenum in erythrocytes of 25 patients with a hip resurfacing implant were analysed with high resolution ICP-sf-MS (inductively-coupled-plasma-sector-field-mass-spectrometry). The results were compared to the ion levels in the serum and urine of the patients, and also to the ion levels of 27 control persons without an implant. RESULTS: Compared to the control group, ion levels in the erythrocytes of the hip resurfacing group were markedly increased for cobalt (0.10 vs. 3.26 microg/kg) and slightly for chromium (6.04 vs. 7.38 microg/kg). In contrast, ion levels in the serum of the hip resurfacing group were increased for cobalt (0.21 vs. 1.92 microg/l), chromium (1.48 vs. 5.64 microg/l), nickel (1.53 vs. 4.25 microg/l) and molybdenum (2.17 vs. 3.78 microg/l). CONCLUSION: Ion concentrations of cobalt and chromium are also increased in erythrocytes after hip resurfacing arthroplasty. Further research is required to evaluate the impact of the elevated ion levels on the erythrocytes, and to evaluate if metal ions also accumulate in other tissues of the body.

[The biomechanics of screws, cerclage wire and cerclage cable]. / Die Biomechanik von Schrauben, Draht- und Kabelcerclagen.

In contrast to fracture fixation, when performing an osteotomy the surgeon is able to plan preoperatively. The resulting fixation and compression of the bone fragments are the most important points. A stable osteosynthesis should prevent dislocation of bone fragments and improve bone healing. Beside plates, cerclages can be used for tension band or diaphysis bone fixation. Moreover, cortical or cancellous screws can be used for osteotomy fixation. This work describes biomechanical principles for fixation after an osteotomy with cerclages and cortical or cancellous screws. It also summarizes the materials and geometries used, as well as their influence on the stability of the osteosynthesis.