Shedding Light on the Causes and Characteristics of Stroke in Lebanon: A Systematic Review of Literature.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence and severity of stroke in Lebanon has increased over the past decade and stroke is currently the second leading cause of death in the country. METHODS: We systematically reviewed existing research on stroke prevalence, risk factors, mortality and morbidity of stroke, stroke treatment, and stroke education to assess the epidemiology of stroke in Lebanon. A literature search was conducted on the PubMed database for articles presenting data in any of these 5 categories in Lebanon, as well as articles discussing the Middle East and North Africa region generally. RESULTS: A high prevalence of modifiable risk factors (cigarette and waterpipe smoking) and risk factors that could be mitigated by lifestyle changes (obesity and hypertension) were found in Lebanon. Stroke mortality rates and risk factors of mortality were consistent with global trends, though the cost of treatment in Lebanon was significantly higher than in other developing nations. CONCLUSION: Urgent public health initiatives are needed to educate the public about the dangers of modifiable stroke risk factors and to reduce the burden of stroke in Lebanon.

Cartilage Restoration Using Dehydrated Allogeneic Cartilage, Platelet-Rich Plasma, and Autologous Cartilage Mixture Sealed With Activated Autologous Serum.

Articular cartilage injury is a common source of knee pain and dysfunction. Patients in whom conservative treatment fails may benefit from surgical intervention to restore function and alleviate pain. Autologous cartilage procedures are a viable treatment modality for cartilage repair, providing comparable outcomes to osteochondral allografts while leaving the subchondral bone intact. This article discusses the senior author's method of cartilage restoration using BioCartilage (Arthrex, Naples, FL), platelet-rich plasma, and autologous cartilage collected using a designated collection device sealed with activated autologous serum.

Mini-open Subpectoral Biceps Tenodesis Using All-Suture Anchor.

The proximal biceps tendon is a common source of shoulder pain and dysfunction. When patients continue to have pain after exhaustive nonoperative treatment, the long head of the biceps tendon can be effectively treated with a tenotomy or tenodesis. Although biceps tenotomy is a less complex and highly reliable treatment, there is the potential for suboptimal outcomes including muscle cramping, fatigue, cosmetic deformity, and supination weakness. Biceps tenodesis eliminates the source of shoulder pain while securing the tendon proximally. Currently, there are multiple techniques for performing a biceps tenodesis (arthroscopic, open suprapectoral, open subpectoral) and myriad fixation methods (bio-tenodesis screw, bone bridge, cortical button, all-suture anchor). Our article presents a technique for a mini-open subpectoral biceps tenodesis using an onlay technique with an all-suture anchor preloaded with needles. This technique allows efficient and proper tendon fixation while minimizing potential complications.