Age estimation based on the metamorphosis of the clavicle end: A test of Falys and Prangle method in two contemporary samples.

Upon finding skeletal unidentified remains, four are the questions that must be answered: age, sex, ancestry, and stature. Regarding age estimation, clavicle has received special attention because medial epiphysis is the last epiphysis, among long bones that ossifies. Falys and Prangle proposed a method of age estimation based on three degenerative characteristics-surface topography (TOP), Porosity (POR) and Osteophyte formation (OST)-evaluated on the sternal end of the clavicle according to the descriptions and the illustrations provided in the original article producing satisfactory results. The current study aims to test the applicability of the Falys' and Prangle's method on 174 individuals from two contemporary samples, one from Greece (Cretan osteological Collection and Athens Forensic Anthropology Lab collection) and one from Thailand (Osteological collection in Chiang Mai). Composite scores were calculated, inter and intra- observer error were estimated by kappa statistics and regression equations of the original study were tested in our sample and in subsamples divided by sex and population. The Greek sample gave more accurate estimates compared to the Thai sample. Regressions of known sex gave slightly better results in most cases. When individuals <40 years old were excluded, classification increased for both Thai and Greeks. The results of this pilot study indicate that there are morphological features on the clavicle that are highly correlated with age. Thus, there is a scope of expanding research on the morphological features of the collar bone.

Multidrug-resistant Gram-negative osteomyelitis: a 10-year study.

AIM: Few series of osteomyelitis due to multi-drug (MDR) or extensively-drug resistant (XDR) gram-negative bacteria exist. A retrospective study of MDR and XDR gram-negative osteomyelitis cases was performed, aiming to investigate causative organisms, proper surgical and medical management, as well as outcome. PATIENTS AND METHODS: All patients, treated at the University hospital of Crete between 2007 and 2016 for acute osteomyelitis, due to MDR or XDR gram-negative pathogens were evaluated. RESULTS: A total of 14 patients (8 males) were identified with a mean age of 50.6 years. Five Acinetobacter baumanii cases, 3 XDR and 2 MDR, were found. Furthermore, 3 MDR Klebsiella pneumoniae and 3 MDR Enterobacter cloacae isolates were identified. Additionally, 2 MDR Escherichia coli, as well as 2 Pseudomonas aeruginosa, 1 XDR and 1 MDR, were isolated. One case of Roseomonas gilardii was also identified. In 5 cases the same pathogen was also isolated from blood. Five out of the 14 patients were smokers, 6 were suffering severe injury, 4 had diabetes-mellitus, 2 chronic renal disease and 2 were obese. Most causative organisms had hospital origin. All patients received first line empirical combination antimicrobial treatment, proven effective in 4. Thirteen patients were also subjected to surgical treatment. The study included mainly young individuals, most likely due to the high incidence of traffic accidents involving young adults in Crete. CONCLUSIONS: Antimicrobial regimens are important supplements to surgical treatment of acute osteomyelitis. However, due to emergence of resistant microorganisms, compliance with strict rules of antimicrobial strategy is of utmost importance.

Impaired mRNA Expression of the Migration Related Chemokine Receptor CXCR4 in Mesenchymal Stem Cells of COPD Patients.

Defective tissue repair and remodeling are main aspects of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) pathophysiology. Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) have been implicated in this direction, as their functional impairment and recruitment could possibly contribute to disease development and progression. The present study characterizes for the first time the expression of migration related chemokine receptors and their ligands in BM-MSCs from COPD patients. CXCR4/SDF1a and CCR7/CCL19-CCL21 mRNA levels were evaluated in BM-MSCs obtained from twelve COPD patients and seven healthy donors. SDF1a protein levels in sera and BM-MSCs' conditioned media were also evaluated. CXCR4, SDF1a, CCL19, and CCL21 mRNA levels were significantly reduced in COPD BM-MSCs while CCR7 levels were undetectable. Notably, SDF1a protein levels were marginally elevated in both patient sera and BM-MSCs' conditioned media while the increase in SDF1a serum levels significantly correlated with disease severity in COPD. Our findings show posttranscriptional regulation of SDF1a levels in BM-MSCs of COPD patients and significant downregulation of SDF1a and CXCR4 mRNA indicating an involvement of the SDF1a signaling pathway in the disease pathophysiology.

Management of bone infections in adults: the surgeon's and microbiologist's perspectives.

Bone infection in adults is a potentially devastating complication following trauma or surgery. The clinician should diagnose osteomyelitis based on certain clinical manifestations and on laboratory and imaging findings. For pathogen identification, the treating surgeon should take appropriate tissue samples. Close collaboration with microbiologists is of paramount importance to dictate the appropriate duration and type of antibiotics to be administered. Treatment of acute osteomyelitis requires surgical debridement and prolonged course of antibiotics. Debate exists regarding the maintenance or the removal of any internal fixation device. Treatment of chronic osteomyelitis is more complicated. For its eradication the treatment course is often prolonged and frustrating. Based on the current literature an algorithm of treatment for both acute and chronic bone infections is recommended.

Angiogenesis-related cytokines, RANKL, and osteoprotegerin in multiple myeloma patients in relation to clinical features and response to treatment.

An essential cytokine system for the osteoclast biology in multiple myeloma (MM) consists of the receptor of activator of NF-κB ligand (RANKL), its receptor (RANK), and the soluble decoy receptor, osteoprotegerin (OPG). Myeloma cells cause imbalance in OPG/RANKL interactions. We measured serum levels of OPG, soluble (s) RANKL, sRANKL/OPG ratio, markers of disease activity [LDH, CRP, interleukin-6 (IL-6), ß2-microglobulin (B2M)], and angiogenic factors [hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)], in 54 newly diagnosed MM patients and in 25 of them in plateau phase. All the above values were higher in MM patients compared to controls and decreased in plateau phase. sRANKL and RANKL/OPG were higher with advancing disease stage and skeletal grade. Significant correlations were found among RANKL and RANKL/OPG with HGF, LDH, VEGF, IL-6, and B2M. In conclusion, RANKL and OPG play significant roles in MM pathophysiology, as regulators of bone turnover and mediators of angiogenesis.

The management of post-traumatic osteoarthritis.

Posttraumatic arthritis primarily affects younger individuals, leading to reduced physical activity, chronic pain, and prolonged symptomatic treatments. The management of post-traumatic arthritis after fracture, dislocation or ligament rupture continues to be one of the most challenging clinical entities in orthopaedic and trauma surgery. Therapies to address early symptoms include anti-inflammatory agents, pain killers, corticosteroid or hyaluronic acid joint injections but these offer only temporary pain relief with hardly any mid or long term benefit. There are many surgical options for the treatment of posttraumatic arthritis. For the early stages, arthroscopic debridement should be considered. At late stages, corrective osteotomies or arthrodesis are strongly recommended for the young patients. In older patients arthroplasties remain the treatment of choice.

Influence of acute anterior cruciate ligament deficiency in gait variability.

The objective of this study was to compare the gait variability of patients with isolated anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) deficiency (experimental group) with that of healthy individuals (control group). The hypothesis was that the gait variability of the experimental group would be higher than the control group. The experimental group consisted of 20 men with an ACL tear and the control group consisted of 20 healthy men without any neurological and/or musculoskeletal pathology or injury. The gait acceleration signal was analysed using the Gait Evaluation Differential Entropy Method (GEDEM). The GEDEM index of the experimental group in the medio-lateral axis was significantly higher than that of the control subjects. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was used to assess the diagnostic value of the method and to determine a cut-off entropy value. The GEDEM cut-off value had a 95.6% probability of separating isolated ACL patients from healthy subjects.

Management, complications and clinical results of femoral head fractures.

A systematic review of the literature was conducted to investigate data regarding femoral head fractures, particularly focusing on their management, complications and clinical results. Twenty-nine eligible articles, meeting prespecified inclusion criteria, reported on 453 femoral head fractures in 450 patients (mean age of 38.9 years with a mean follow-up of 55.6 months). 84.3% of patients had been victims of an automobile accident. The most widespread classification scheme used was that of Pipkin (65.4% of cases) whereas clinical results were evaluated mainly according to Thompson-Epstein criteria (63.3% of cases). Fracture-dislocations, in their majority, were managed with emergent closed reduction, followed by definite treatment (closed or open), aiming at anatomic restoration of both fracture and joint incongruity. Regarding Pipkin 1 subtype, fractured fragment excision seems to give better results compared to ORIF (p=0.07), while for the more challenging Pipkin 2 fractures the principles of anatomic reduction and stable fixation should be applied. Wound infection was encountered with a rate of 3.2% of surgical cases and sciatic nerve palsy complicated 3.95% of fracture-dislocations. Major late complications included avascular necrosis (11.9%), post-traumatic arthritis (20%) and heterotopic ossification (16.8%). Neither the trochanteric-flip nor the anterior approach seems to put in more danger the femoral head blood supply compared to the posterior one, with the former giving promising long-term functional results and lower incidence of major complication rates.

Early management of complex proximal humeral fractures using the Aequalis fracture prosthesis: a two- to five-year follow-up report.

We reviewed the outcome of 28 patients who had been treated using the Aequalis fracture prosthesis for an acute fracture of the proximal humerus at a mean follow-up of 39.3 months (24 to 63). The mean age of the patients at the time of the fracture was 66.3 years (38 to 80). The mean Constant score was 68.2 (37 to 84) for the operated shoulder, which represented 89.5% of the mean score for the uninjured side (p < 0.001). The quality of the reconstruction as shown on the immediate post-operative radiographs was categorised into three types, anatomical, acceptable, and unacceptable, depending on the position of the tuberosities relative to the prosthetic head and the humeral shaft. Anatomical reconstruction was associated with a higher mean Constant score as well as higher mean values of anterior forward elevation, abduction and external rotation than the other types, but the differences were not statistically significant (p > 0.231). A total of 18 patients had active anterior elevation > or =150 degrees. Their mean active abduction and external rotation were 163.6 degrees and 31.3 degrees, respectively. In seven of the 28 patients, the mean active anterior elevation, abduction and external rotation were 130.7 degrees, 129.2 degrees and 22.8 degrees, respectively. In all, 12 patients were very satisfied with the results, 12 were satisfied, two were dissatisfied and two were disappointed; 26 reported no or only mild pain while only two had moderate pain. In five patients proximal migration of the humeral head was shown on the anteroposterior radiographs of the shoulder. No evidence of loosening was found in any prosthesis.

Fractures of the hip and osteoporosis: the role of bone substitutes.

Failure of fixation is a common problem in the treatment of osteoporotic fractures around the hip. The reinforcement of bone stock or of fixation of the implant may be a solution. Our study assesses the existing evidence for the use of bone substitutes in the management of these fractures in osteoporotic patients. Relevant publications were retrieved through Medline research and further scrutinised. Of 411 studies identified, 22 met the inclusion criteria, comprising 12 experimental and ten clinical reports. The clinical studies were evaluated with regard to their level of evidence. Only four were prospective and randomised. Polymethylmethacrylate and calcium-phosphate cements increased the primary stability of the implant-bone construct in all experimental and clinical studies, although there was considerable variation in the design of the studies. In randomised, controlled studies, augmentation of intracapsular fractures of the neck of the femur with calcium-phosphate cement was associated with poor long-term results. There was a lack of data on the long-term outcome for trochanteric fractures. Because there were only a few, randomised, controlled studies, there is currently poor evidence for the use of bone cement in the treatment of fractures of the hip.

The role of erythropoietin in the acute phase of trauma management: evidence today.

Trauma patients often present in a state of haemorrhagic shock. Blood products remain the gold standard of resuscitation, but allogeneic blood transfusions (ABTs) are associated with several risks. The stimulating effect of recombinant-erythropoietin (EPO-A) on erythropoiesis has raised interest in its administration as an alternative. The existing evidence on the early use of EPO-A in the acute phase of trauma patients management consists of only 14 publications. The level of evidence of these studies and the number of treated patients was not found to be adequate to support its generalised use, despite their favourable results. Its safety profile, the preliminary proofs of its efficacy, and the additional cyto-protective properties of EPO-A strongly encourage further controlled studies assessing its use in the acute setting of initial trauma management.

Pelvic ring disruptions: treatment modalities and analysis of outcomes.

A systematic review of the English literature over the last 30 years was conducted in order to investigate the correlation of the clinical outcome of different types of pelvic ring injuries to the method of treatment. Three basic therapeutic approaches were analysed: non-operative treatment (group A), stabilisation of anterior pelvis (group B) and internal fixation of posterior pelvis (group C). Of 818 retrieved reports, 27 case series, with 28 groups of patients and 1,641 patients, met our inclusion criteria. The quality of the literature was evaluated using a structured questionnaire. Outcomes of the eligible studies were summarised by the medians of the reported results. Most of the component studies were of fair or poor quality. Certain radiological results (quality of reduction, malunion rates) were significantly better in group C. From the functional point of view only walking capacity was proved to be significantly better in the groups of operative treatment compared to the non-operative group.

Early management of proximal humeral fractures with hemiarthroplasty: a systematic review.

We performed a comprehensive systematic review of the literature to examine the role of hemiarthroplasty in the early management of fractures of the proximal humerus. In all, 16 studies dealing with 810 hemiarthroplasties in 808 patients with a mean age of 67.7 years (22 to 91) and a mean follow-up of 3.7 years (0.66 to 14) met the inclusion criteria. Most of the fractures were four-part fractures or fracture-dislocations. Several types of prosthesis were used. Early passive movement on the day after surgery and active movement after union of the tuberosities at about six weeks was described in most cases. The mean active anterior elevation was to 105.7 degrees (10 degrees to 180 degrees) and the mean abduction to 92.4 degrees (15 degrees to 170 degrees). The incidence of superficial and deep infection was 1.55% and 0.64%, respectively. Complications related to the fixation and healing of the tuberosities were observed in 86 of 771 cases (11.15%). The estimated incidence of heterotopic ossification was 8.8% and that of proximal migration of the humeral head 6.8%. The mean Constant score was 56.63 (11 to 98). At the final follow-up, no pain or only mild pain was experienced by most patients, but marked limitation of function persisted.

Mechanoreceptors of the posterior cruciate ligament.

The mechanical role of the anterior and posterior cruciate ligaments in the passive and functional stability of the knee joint has been well documented. Both these knee joint ligaments contain Ruffini, Pacinian, Golgi and free nerve endings with different capabilities of providing the central nervous system with information regarding movement and position as well as chemical events. The posterior cruciate ligament provides 95% of the restraining force to a posterior tibial displacement, is significantly stronger than the other knee ligaments, and sensory nerve endings are located in the tibia and femoral bone insertions. This report aims to review the anatomy and physiology of the various mechanoreceptors of the posterior cruciate ligament, placing special emphasis on their role in knee joint stability. It concludes that the posterior crude ligament may not only serve as a 'mechanical stabilizer' of the knee joint, but also probably has an important 'sensory function' that should be taken into account when dealing with injuries to it.

Is the lateral sacral fluoroscopic view essential for accurate percutaneous sacroiliac screw insertion? An experimental study.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of the lateral fluoroscopic view in optimising percutaneous sacroiliac screw insertion. Plastic pelvic models (n=26) were used for the introduction of 104 cannulated screws into the first and second sacral (S1 and S2) vertebral bodies, controlled with an image intensifier using either two views (inlet/outlet) for the right side (group A, n=52) or three views (inlet/outlet/lateral) for the left side (group B, n=52). The mean radiation exposure times for S1 were 18.6s and 14s, in groups A and B, respectively, and for S2 were 16.1s and 12.2s, respectively; 13 cortex perforations were noted in group A and 20 in group B. After insertion into S1, in both groups there were three cases of foraminal and none of central canal perforation, but after S2 insertion in both groups there were ten foraminal and five canal perforations. A higher incidence of misplacement of S1 screws was found in group A in comparison with group B (p=0.001), with sufficient data to support percutaneous screw fixation using inlet, outlet and lateral views rather than only inlet and outlet acquisition images.

Translational research: from benchside to bedside.

Translation of the achievements of basic science into everyday clinical practice remains a major issue in contemporary medicine, and is addressed through a new discipline, translational research, which aims to bridge the gap between basic and clinical research. Translational research encompasses laboratory studies, clinical demands, public health and health management, policies and economics; it is crucial in the evolution of contemporary biomedical science; and its interventions follow the political-economic, ethical-social and educational-scientific approaches. Translational research can progress through reorganisation of academic teams in a translational way. New academic posts translationally orientated are urgently needed, particularly in the field of trauma medicine, where lack of awareness of this new evolution is evident.

External fixation devices in the treatment of fractures of the tibial plafond: a systematic review of the literature.

We have compared the outcomes of the use of external fixation devices for spanning or sparing the ankle joint in the treatment of fractures of the tibial plafond, focusing on the complications and the rates of healing. We have devised a scoring system for the quality of reporting of clinical outcomes, to determine the reliability of the results. We conducted a search of publications in English between 1990 and 2006 using the Pubmed search engine. The key words used were pilon, pylon, plafond fractures, external fixation. A total of 15 articles, which included 465 fractures, were eligible for final evaluation. There were no statistically significant differences between spanning and sparing fixation systems regarding the rates of infection, nonunion, and the time to union. Patients treated with spanning frames had significantly greater incidence of malunion compared with patients treated with sparing frames. In both groups, the outcome reporting score was very low; 60% of reports involving infection, nonunion or malunion scored 0 points.

Necrotising fasciitis of upper and lower limb: a systematic review.

Necrotising fasciitis is a rapidly progressive, life threatening soft tissue infection. In a significant proportion of patients, the extremities are involved as a result of trauma, needle puncture or extravasation of drugs, often leading to limb loss and devastating disability. In this systematic review of necrotising fasciitis of the upper and lower extremities, we report on the clinical characteristics, the predisposing factors, the associated diseases, the pathogenic bacteria, the surgical treatment and the final outcome in terms of limb loss and mortality. Data for a total of 451 patients were analysed for each parameter of interest. A percentage of 22.3% of the reviewed patients underwent amputation or disarticulation of a limb following failure of multiple debridements to control infection and the mortality rate was estimated as high as 21.9%.

The efficacy of negative pressure wound therapy in the management of lower extremity trauma: review of clinical evidence.

A large number of aids have been conceived and introduced into clinical practice (nutritional supplements, local dressings, technical innovations) aimed at facilitating and optimising wound healing in both acute and chronic wound settings. Among these advances, negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) has been introduced during the last 30 years, and has been analysed in over 400 manuscripts of the English, Russian and German literature. Until very recently, vacuum assisted closure (VAC) (KCI, TX, USA) has been the only readily available commercial device that provides localised negative pressure to the wound and is the predominant agent used to deliver NPWT featured in this review. We conducted a comprehensive review of the existing clinical evidence of the English literature on the applications of NPWT in the acute setting of trauma and burns of the lower extremity. Overall, 16 clinical studies have been evaluated and scrutinised as to the safety and the efficacy of this adjunct therapy in the specific environment of trauma. Effectiveness was comparable to the standard dressing and wound coverage methods. The existing clinical evidence justifies its application in lower limb injuries associated with soft tissue trauma.

Embryo/fetus radiation dose and risk from dual X-ray absorptiometry examinations.

The aim of the current study was to estimate the embryo/fetus radiation doses and risks associated with spinal and hip dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scans performed on the pregnant mother. The results were compared with the embryo/fetus dose from a thoracolumbar radiograph and pelvic radiograph. Posteroanterior (PA) lumbar spine and proximal femur scans during the first, second and third trimesters were performed on a phantom simulating pregnancy at the three trimesters of gestation. All scans were carried out using a Hologic 1000/W pencil beam DXA unit. Moreover, embryo/fetus doses from a (a) thoracolumbar radiograph and (b) pelvic radiograph were estimated for all periods of gestation using the same phantom. Radiation doses were measured using thermoluminescent dosimeters. The dose reduction achievable by shielding the embryo/fetus with a protective apron during DXA scans was studied for all trimesters of gestation. The embryo/fetus doses during the first trimester were measured to be 1.7 mGy and 2.7 mGy for the PA spine and femur DXA scan, respectively, for an embryo/fetus located 8.5 cm from the anterior maternal surface. The risk of excess fatal cancer was 0.2 per million unborn children irradiated in utero for measurements of the spine and 0.3 per million unborn children for measurements of the femur. The embryo/fetus doses during the second and third trimesters were 2.7 mGy and 4.9 mGy respectively for the scans of the lumbar spine. The risk of childhood fatal cancer was 0.3 per million for the second trimester and 0.5 per million for the third trimester. The embryo/fetus radiation doses during the second and third trimesters were estimated as 1.4 mGy and 1.0 mGy respectively for the examinations of the proximal femur. The risk of childhood fatal cancer was 0.1 per million for both trimesters. The use of the apron resulted in a very small change in the dose absorbed by the embryo/fetus. The embryo/fetus dose associated with both DXA modes investigated in the current study is at least 700 times lower in comparison with embryo/fetus dose from a thoracolumbar or pelvic radiograph in all periods of gestation. In conclusion, the embryo/fetus dose in bone density measurements of spine and femur using pencil beam DXA is lower than the average daily natural background in the United States of 8 mGy. The health provider can decide whether a DXA scanning is beneficial to a pregnant woman, taking into account the potential radiation risks to the embryo/fetus presented in the current study.