Prediction of wound healing status following dental extraction using Adapted-University of Connecticut osteonecrosis numerical scale: A retrospective study.

Background and Aims: There is a scarcity of evidence concerning the use of a prognostic instrument for predicting normal healing, delayed healing, and medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ) occurrence following tooth extraction in medically compromised patients. The present study aimed to predict healing outcomes following tooth extraction in medically compromised patients using an Adapted-University of Connecticut osteonecrosis numerical scale (A-UCONNS). Methods: The digital medical records of medically compromised patients were reviewed, who underwent tooth extraction. The A-UCONNS parameters included the initial pathological condition, dental procedures, comorbidities (smoking habits, type and duration of medication, and type of intervention), and administered antiresorptive (AR) medications. Each parameter was assigned a different weight, and the scores were then accumulated and classified into three categories: minimal risk (less than 10), moderate risk (10-15), and significant risk (16 or more). The patient's healing status was categorized as normal healing, delayed healing, or MRONJ. Results: A total of 353 male patients (mean age: 67.4 years) were recruited from a pool of 3977 patients, where 12.46% of patients had delayed wound healing, and 18.69% developed MRONJ. The median A-UCONNS scores for MRONJ were higher based on initial pathology, comorbidity, and AR drugs compared to normal or delayed healing. In addition, a significant relationship existed between A-UCONNS and healing outcomes (p < 0.05), with a unit increase in A-UCONNS associated with 1.347 times higher odds of experiencing MRONJ compared to normal healing. In contrast, a low score was linked to an increased likelihood of normal wound healing. Conclusion: The A-UCONNS could act as a promising tool for predicting wound healing outcomes. It can provide clinicians the ability to pinpoint patients at high risk and allow tailoring of patient-specific strategies for improving healing outcomes following tooth extraction.

LncRNA MAGI2-AS3 promotes fracture healing through downregulation of miR-223-3p.

BACKGROUND: Long non-coding RNAs (LncRNAs) are recognized as a pivotal element in the processes of fracture healing and the osteogenic differentiation of stem cells. This study investigated the molecular mechanism and regulatory significance of lncRNA MAGI2-AS3 (MAGI2-AS3) in fracture healing. METHODS: Serum levels of MAGI2-AS3 in patients with normal and delayed fracture healing were verified by RT-qPCR assays. The predictive efficacy of MAGI2-AS3 for delayed fracture healing was analyzed by ROC curve. Osteogenic markers were quantified by RT-qPCR assays. MC3T3-E1 cell viability was detected using CCK-8 assay, and flow cytometry was utilized to measure cell apoptosis. The dual-luciferase reporter gene assay was used to determine the targeted binding between MAGI2-AS3 and miR-223-3p. RESULTS: Serum MAGI2-AS3 expression was decreased in patients with delayed fracture healing compared with patients with normal healing. Elevated MAGI2-AS3 resulted in an upregulation of the proliferative capacity of MC3T3-E1 cells and a decrease in mortality, along with increased levels of both osteogenic markers. However, after transfection silencing MAGI2-AS3, the trend was reversed. Additionally, miR-223-3p was the downstream target of MAGI2-AS3 and was controlled by MAGI2-AS3. miR-223-3p mimic reversed the promoting effects of MAGI2-AS3 overexpression on osteogenic marker levels and cell growth, and induced cell apoptosis. CONCLUSION: The upregulation of MAGI2-AS3 may expedite the healing of fracture patients by targeting miR-223-3p, offering a novel biomarker for diagnosing patients with delayed healing.

Risk of healing impairment following tooth extraction in patients administered with antiresorptive and non-antiresorptive polypharmacy.

INTRODUCTION: Lack of evidence existed related to the essential role by which anticancer medications alone or in combination with other polypharmacy would be accountable for wound healing impairment post-dental extraction. The following study was conducted to assess the influence of antiresorptive (AR) and non-antiresorptive (non-AR) drugs and other patient-related risk factors on wound healing status following tooth extraction. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 353 patients (age range: 40-90 years, average age: 67.4 years, clinical and radiological follow-up) were recruited. All the patients were divided into three groups, which included, patients used polypharmacy with non-AR drugs, polypharmacy with a combination of AR + non-AR drugs, and the control group. Based on time of healing, the outcome was defined as, normal healing, delayed healing, and Medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ). The polypharmacy score was categorized depending on the sum of the number of administered medications. RESULTS: The odds of delayed healing were significantly higher in 80+ years old patients (OR=6.98, 95 %CI:2.45-19.88, p = < 0.001) administered with AR+ non-AR drugs (OR=14.68, 95 %CI:4.67-46.14, p = < 0.001), having a major polypharmacy score (OR= 15.37, 95 %CI:4.83-48.91, p = < 0.001). On the contrary, patient administered with non-AR drugs (OR=11.52, 95 %CI: 4.45-29.83, p = < 0.001) with hyper polypharmacy (OR=58.86, 95 %CI:25.03-138.40, p = < 0.001) were significantly more likely to develop MRONJ. Smoking and extraction sites showed no significant impact on wound healing impairment. DISCUSSION: Wound healing status in patients administered with both non-AR and AR+ non-AR polypharmacy was significantly impaired following tooth extraction. Other risk factors, such as increased age and high polypharmacy scoring, also significantly contributed towards the occurrence of delayed healing and MRONJ.

Effectiveness of 3-Day Prophylactic Negative Pressure Wound Therapy on Closed Abdominal Incisions in the Prevention of Wound Complications: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the impact of negative pressure wound therapy of closed abdominal incisions on wound complications. BACKGROUND: Surgical wound complications including surgical site infection complicating open abdominal operations are a burden on the economy. The outcomes of SSI include prolonged hospital stays, adjuvant treatment delay, and incisional hernias leading to a decrease in the quality of life. Prophylactic negative pressure wound therapy has recently been tried with promising results. METHODS: A randomized controlled trial involving 140 patients post-laparotomy with primary wound closure was divided into 2 groups (70 patients each). For the first group, NPWT dressings were applied for the first 3 days and then conventional dressings for 4 days after. For the second group, conventional dressings were applied for 7 days. Patients were followed up for SSI, seroma, wound dehiscence, and hospital stay. RESULTS: pNPWT was associated with a significantly lower rate of SSI development compared with gauze dressings (3/70 vs. 17/70) (p = 0.001). It also had a significant effect on lowering the incidence of seroma (0/70 vs. 7/70) (p = 0.007) and delayed wound healing (0/70 vs. 8/70) (p = 0.006) and on decreasing days of hospital stay (2.2 ± 0.6 vs. 3.5 ± 1.8) (p <0.00001). No significant difference was observed with regard to hematoma (0/70 vs. 1/70) (p = 0.5) or wound dehiscence (0/70 vs. 2/70) (p = 0.5). No burst abdomens or NPWT complications were recorded in our study. CONCLUSION: Three-day NPWT applied to primarily closed incisions is effective in reducing the incidence of SSI, seroma, and delayed wound healing in abdominal operations compared to conventional gauze dressings.

International validation of a venous leg ulcer risk assessment tool.

OBJECTIVE: To internationally validate a tool for predicting the risk of delayed healing of venous leg ulcers (VLUs). METHOD: A 10-item tool including sociodemographic factors, venous history, ulcer and lower limb characteristics, compression and mobility items to determine the risk of delayed healing of VLUs has previously been developed and validated in Australia. This study prospectively validated this tool using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) methods; using the area under the curve (AUC) to quantify the discriminatory capability of the tool to analyse the international populations of the UK, Austria and New Zealand. RESULTS: The validation of the tool in the UK, Austria and New Zealand has indicated that the model has moderate discrimination and goodness-of-fit with an AUC of 0.74 (95% CI: 0.66-0.82) for the total risk assessment score. CONCLUSION: The international validation of a risk assessment tool for delayed healing of VLUs will allow clinicians globally to be able to determine realistic outcomes from an early assessment and to be able to guide early tailored interventions to address the specific modifiable risk factors and thus promote timely healing.

Reducing Risks for Poor Surgical Wound Healing.

This review summarizes common risk factors for poor surgical healing on the face and neck and a generalized approach to treating a delayed healing wound. During the preoperative evaluation patients should be screened for prior irradiation, cigarette or e-cigarette use, chronic steroid use, alcoholism, diabetes, malnutrition, and other chronic medical conditions and medications. Despite the surgeon's best efforts to prevent poor surgical healing, some wounds may display signs of persistent inflammation. The facial plastic surgeon should be astute in recognizing delayed healing and identifying intrinsic and extrinsic risk factors so that timely intervention can be performed.

Relación entre los anticonceptivos orales y la incidencia de alveolitis. Revisión bibliográfica / Relationship between oral contraceptives and alveolitis incidence. A literature review

Introducción: La alveolitis es una complicación tras una exodoncia dental quecursa con dolor intenso, trismo y mal olor.Esta complicación se relaciona con el hábito tabáquico, la higiene oral, no seguirlas normas post extracción o la edad yel género del paciente. Otras causas potenciales que podrían desencadenar esteproceso son el ciclo menstrual en el casode las pacientes de género femenino o eltratamiento con anticonceptivos orales. Elobjetivo de esta revisión es comparar, según la literatura, la incidencia de alveolitisen mujeres en tratamiento con anticonceptivos orales respecto a las que no lostoman y respecto a los hombres.Métodos: Se realizó una búsqueda bibliográfica en las bases de datos PubMed/Medline, Science Direct, GoogleScholar y Scopus y se incluyeron artículos en inglés y en español relacionadoscon el tema a tratar. Las palabras claveutilizadas fueron: “alveolar osteitis” OR “fibrinolytic alveolitis” OR “localized osteomyelitis” OR “delayed extraction woundhealing” AND “contraceptives” OR “OC”OR “contraceptive pill”. Se incluyeron estudios sobre exodoncias en pacientes entratamiento con anticonceptivos o sin anticonceptivos o varones, según los gruposde control que se han propuesto estudiar,que registrasen casos de alveolitis.Resultados: Se observó una mayor incidencia media de alveolitis post extracciónen las pacientes en tratamiento con anticonceptivos (18,52%), respecto a otraspacientes que no lo estaban (6,78%) yrespecto a la población de género masculino (6,4%)...(AU)

Introduction: Alveolitis is a complicationafter dental extraction which courses withintense pain, trismus, and halitosis. This complication is associated with smoking,oral hygiene, not following post-extraction rules or the age and gender of the patient. However, other potential causes could trigger this process, such as the menstrual cycle in the case of female patients or the fact that they are under treatment with oral contraceptives. The objective of this review was to compare the incidence of alveolitis among patients treated with oral contraceptives with those who do not take them. Methods: A bibliographic search was carried out in the databases PubMed/Medline, Science Direct, Google Scholar and Scopus and articles in English and Spanish related to the topic were included.Keywords used were: “alveolar osteitis ”OR “fibrinolytic alveolitis” OR “localized osteomyelitis” OR “delayed extraction wound healing” AND “contraceptives”OR “OC” OR “contraceptive pill”. Studies on exodontia in patients treated with contraceptives with registered cases of alveolitis were included.Results: A higher mean incidence of alveolitis was observed in patients treated with contraceptives (18.52%),with respect to other patients who were not (6.78%) and with respect to male population (6.4%)...(AU)

Challenges faced in developing an ideal chronic wound model.

INTRODUCTION: Chronic wounds are a major drain on healthcare resources and can lead to substantial reductions in quality of life for those affected. Moreover, they often precede serious events such as limb amputations and premature death. In the long run, this burden is likely to escalate with an ageing population and lifestyle diseases such as obesity. Thus far, the identification of beneficial therapeutics against chronic wounds have been hindered by the lack of an ideal chronic wound animal model. Although animal models of delayed healing have been developed, none of these models fully recapitulate the complexity of the human chronic wound condition. Furthermore, most animals do not develop chronic wounds. Only the thoroughbred racehorse develops chronic ulcers. AREAS COVERED: In this review, the different characteristics of chronic wounds that highlight its complexity are described. In addition, currently available models reflecting different aspects of chronic wound pathology and their relevance to human chronic wounds are discussed. This article concludes by listing relevant features representative of an ideal chronic wound model. Additionally, alternative approaches for the development of chronic wound models are discussed. EXPERT OPINION: Delayed models of healing, including the streptozotocin diabetic model, skin flap model and magnet-induced IR models have emerged. While these models have been widely adopted for preclinical therapeutic testing, their relevance towards human chronic wounds remains debatable. In particular, current delayed healing models often fail to fully incorporate the key characteristics of chronic ulcers. Ultimately, more representative models are required to expedite the advancement of novel therapeutics to the clinic.

The value of fibroblast growth factor 2 and microRNA-206 in predicting postoperative delayed union of closed tibial shaft fractures / 中国基层医药

Objective:To investigate the value of fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF-2) and microRNA-206 (miR-206) in predicting postoperative delayed union of closed tibial shaft fractures.Methods:The clinical data of 136 patients who underwent closed tibial shaft fracture surgery in Hospital of the 80 th Group Army of Chinese People's Liberation Army Ground Forces from May 2018 to May 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. Eighty-six patients who had delayed union of closed tibial shaft fractures were included in the observation group, and fifty patients who had normal union of closed tibial shaft fractures were included in the control group. Serum FGF-2 level was measured using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and serum miR-206 expression was detected using the real-time fluorescence polymerase chain reaction. The relationship between FGF-2 expression and miR-206 expression and closed tibial shaft fractures was analyzed. Results:At 1 day, 1, and 4 weeks after surgery, serum FGF-2 level was significantly lower in the observation group than the control group [(14.24 ± 2.15) ng/L vs. (20.36 ± 3.42) ng/L, (21.38 ± 3.27) ng/L vs. (30.45 ± 4.29) ng/L, (23.59 ± 4.36) ng/L vs. (36.67 ± 4.51) ng/L, t = 7.42, 8.42, 16.66, all P < 0.001]. Serum FGF-2 level gradually increased with time in each group. At 1 day after surgery, serum miR-206 expression was significantly lower in the observation group than the control group ( t = 7.50, P < 0.001). At 4 weeks after surgery, serum miR-206 expression was significantly higher in the observation group than the control group ( t = 17.24, P < 0.001). At 1 week after surgery, there was no significant difference in serum miR-206 expression between the two groups ( P > 0.05). Univariate analysis results showed that postoperative infection, FGF-2, and miR-206 were closely related to the delayed union of closed tibial shaft fractures after surgery (all P < 0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis results showed that postoperative infection ( OR = 1.93, 95% CI: 1.20-3.07), FGF-2 ( OR = 2.10, 95% CI: 1.31-3.36), miR-206 ( OR = 2.30, 95% CI: 1.35-3.89) were independent risk factors for delayed union of closed tibial shaft fractures after surgery (all P < 0.05). The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves plotting serum FGF-2 level and serum miR-206 expression after closed tibial shaft fractures showed that at 4 weeks after surgery, the optimal cut-off value of FGF-2 for predicting delayed union of closed tibial shaft fractures was 29.83 ng/L, with the area under the curve, sensitivity, and specificity of 0.76 (95% CI: 1.23-3.25), 79.34%, and 68.82%, respectively; at 4 weeks after surgery, the optimal cut-off value of miR-206 for predicting delayed union of closed tibial shaft fractures was 0.63, with the area under the curve, sensitivity and specificity of 0.72 (95% CI: 1.10-2.45), 75.33%, and 67.25%, respectively. The area under the curve, the sensitivity, and specificity of combined use of FGF-2 and miR-206 in predicting delayed union of closed tibial shaft fractures were 0.81 (95% CI: 1.35-3.26), sensitivity and specificity were 83.45% and 67.36% respectively. Conclusion:The decrease in serum FGF-2 level and the increase in serum miR-206 expression at 4 weeks after surgery are independent risk factors for delayed union of closed tibial shaft fractures. Combined use of FGF-2 and miR-206 can better predict the delayed union of closed tibial shaft fractures.

Effect of imatinib on oral wound healing after extraction: A rare case report.

BACKGROUND: Proper tissue repair and healing after oral surgery are vital to achieve optimal outcomes. Certain medications may interfere with wound healing, but this debilitating adverse drug reaction is often not reported in the literature. It is unknown whether imatinib (Gleevec; Novartis Pharmaceuticals) interferes with gingival healing after oral surgery. CASE DESCRIPTION: A 58-year-old man with a dislodged crown and core buildup of tooth no. 19 sought treatment at a prosthodontic clinic. After examination, the patient consented to extraction, ridge preservation, and future implant placement. He had previous surgical resection of a gastrointestinal stromal tumor and was taking 400 mg of imatinib daily. After extraction and ridge preservation, delayed soft-tissue healing and loss of the coronal portion of bone graft were observed at 8 weeks after surgery. Delayed wound healing was observed again after revision surgery. After imatinib therapy was paused, the adverse effect subsided and the wound healed properly. On the basis of causality assessment and clinical judgment, the authors determined that imatinib was the probable cause of this adverse drug reaction. To their best knowledge, this is the first report of delayed gingival healing after oral surgery secondary to imatinib. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: Dental practitioners should consider the possibility of impaired healing among their patients taking imatinib, especially before procedures that damage gingival tissue, although this adverse drug reaction is not reported in the drug's package insert. Consult with the patient's oncologist is advised before dental manipulations; temporary discontinuation (or dose reductions) of imatinib may be warranted until wounded tissue heals properly.

Biofilm-Innate Immune Interface: Contribution to Chronic Wound Formation.

Delayed wound healing can cause significant issues for immobile and ageing individuals as well as those living with co-morbid conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. These delays increase a patient's risk for infection and, in severe cases, can result in the formation of chronic, non-healing ulcers (e.g., diabetic foot ulcers, surgical site infections, pressure ulcers and venous leg ulcers). Chronic wounds are very difficult and expensive to treat and there is an urgent need to develop more effective therapeutics that restore healing processes. Sustained innate immune activation and inflammation are common features observed across most chronic wound types. However, the factors driving this activation remain incompletely understood. Emerging evidence suggests that the composition and structure of the wound microbiome may play a central role in driving this dysregulated activation but the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying these processes require further investigation. In this review, we will discuss the current literature on: 1) how bacterial populations and biofilms contribute to chronic wound formation, 2) the role of bacteria and biofilms in driving dysfunctional innate immune responses in chronic wounds, and 3) therapeutics currently available (or underdevelopment) that target bacteria-innate immune interactions to improve healing. We will also discuss potential issues in studying the complexity of immune-biofilm interactions in chronic wounds and explore future areas of investigation for the field.

A dehydrated, aseptically-processed human amnion/chorion allograft accelerates healing in a delayed murine excisional wound model.

Since chronic, non-healing wounds represent an increasing source of economic and temporal burden for patients who suffer from them and healthcare professionals that treat them, therapeutic modalities that promote closure of delayed and non-healing wounds are of utmost importance. Recent clinical results of allografts derived from amnion and chorion placental layers encourage further investigation of the mechanisms underlying clinical efficacy of these products for treatment of wounds. Here, we utilized a diabetic murine splinted excisional wound model to investigate the effects of a dehydrated human amnion/chorion-derived allograft (dHACA) on delayed wound healing, as well as the effects of dehydrated allograft derived solely from amnion tissue of the same donor. We examined wound healing by histological endpoint analysis, and we assessed other parameters relevant to functional wound healing in the wound bed including angiogenesis, macrophage phenotypes, proliferative activity, and gene expression. Herein we demonstrate that application of dHACA to a murine diabetic model of delayed wound progression results in better macroscale wound resolution outcomes, including rate of closure, compared to unaided wound progression, while dehydrated human amnion allograft (dHAA) fails to improve outcomes. Improved gross wound resolution observed with dHACA was accompanied by increased granulation tissue formation, proliferation and vascular ingrowth observed in the wound bed, early macrophage polarization towards anti-inflammatory phenotypes, and downregulation of pro-fibrotic gene expression. Overall, our data suggest that improvements in the rates of delayed wound closure observed from combined amnion/chorion allografts are associated with modulation of critical cellular and tissue processes commonly found to be dysregulated in delayed healing wounds, including proliferation, vascularization, inflammation, and re-epithelialization.

Vascularization Strategies in the Prevention of Nonunion Formation.

Delayed healing and nonunion formation are major challenges in orthopedic surgery, which require the development of novel treatment strategies. Vascularization is considered one of the major prerequisites for successful bone healing, providing an adequate nutrient supply and allowing the infiltration of progenitor cells to the fracture site. Hence, during the last decade, a considerable number of studies have focused on the evaluation of vascularization strategies to prevent or to treat nonunion formation. These involve (1) biophysical applications, (2) systemic pharmacological interventions, and (3) tissue engineering, including sophisticated scaffold materials, local growth factor delivery systems, cell-based techniques, and surgical vascularization approaches. Accumulating evidence indicates that in nonunions, these strategies are indeed capable of improving the process of bone healing. The major challenge for the future will now be the translation of these strategies into clinical practice to make them accessible for the majority of patients. If this succeeds, these vascularization strategies may markedly reduce the incidence of nonunion formation. Impact statement Delayed healing and nonunion formation are a major clinical problem in orthopedic surgery. This review provides an overview of vascularization strategies for the prevention and treatment of nonunions. The successful translation of these strategies in clinical practice is of major importance to achieve adequate bone healing.

[Left posterior auricular Kimura's disease and related literature review: a case report].

SummaryA 43-year-old middle-aged woman admitted by our department was mainly featured by the discovery of the left posterior auricular mass for more than 1 week, and the physical examination was a painless subcutaneous mass. Peripheral eosinophil count was higher than normal, ultrasonic exceed examination showed slightly lower back after the left ear acoustic area with surrounding lymph node enlargement, CT indicated the subcutaneous tumor on the lateral side of the left parotid gland, and the enlarged lymph nodes in the bilateral carotid space, submaxillary space, the left parotid gland space and the posterior cervical space. The pathologic examination indicated lymphoid tissue nodular hyperplasia with lymphoid follicular formation, visible thin-walled blood vessels and the increase in the number of eosinophils in accordance with kimura's disease. Immunohistochemistry results showed: CD3（+）, CD20（+）, CD21 FDC network（+）, CD10 germinal center（+）, bcl-2（-）, bcl-6（-）, CD79a（+）, Lamda（+）, Kappa（+）, ki-67 germinal center（+）. After 4 weeks of operation, part of the scab skin of the incision was detached, with a small incision in the middle segment, about 0.5 cm long. Considering delayed healing of the incision, the patient's incision was restored after 2 weeks of intensive dressing change. No recurrence signs and complications of Kimura's disease were found during the 10-months follow-up.

[Effects of GBR and Delayed Loading on Bone Ring Grafting with Simultaneous Implant Insertion: an Experimental Study on Beagle Dogs].

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effects of guided bone regeneration (GBR) and delayed loading on autogenous bone ring grafting. METHODS: Autogenous bone ring augmentation with simultaneous implant insertion was performed in the mandibular premolars region of six Beagle dogs. The Bone quality of four mandibular premolars [second premolar (P2) and fourth premolar (P4)] were detected using cone beam CT (CBCT). The P2s and P4s of bilateral mandible were extracted, with three extracting sites being randomly selected to create buccal defects and the remaining one serving as control. GBR and bone ring grafting with simultaneous implant insertion was performed on two of the three experimental sites with buccal defects 3 months later, while the other one was treated with bone ring grafting with simultaneous implant insertion. Routine implant placement was performed in the control group. Vertical bone resorption and sulcus deep around the implants were measured three months after occlusal loading with abutment. RESULTS: Three months after operations, 83.3% of bone rings grafts were successful and 100% of implants survived. Delayed healing appeared more in the dogs with GBR compared those treated with bone ring grafting with simultaneous implant insertion, resulting in an increase in vertical bone resorption. Compared with the control group, delayed loading had no effects on vertical bone resorption and the health of gingiva tissues after autogenous bone ring transplant. CONCLUSION: GBR is not a preferred procedure for bone ring grafts, which may increase the risk of delayed healing and site infections, leading to failure of implants. Healed bone ring grafts can resist loadings as normal.

Glucocorticoid-induced delayed fracture healing and impaired bone biomechanical properties in mice.

BACKGROUND: The objective of the study was to investigate the effects of glucocorticoid (GC) on the fracture healing process in a closed femur fracture mice model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty 12-week-old female CD-1 mice were randomly allocated into four groups: healthy control and mice with prednisone exposure (oral gavage), 6 mg/kg/day (GC-L), 9 mg/kg/day (GC-M) and 12 mg/kg/day (GC-H). Three weeks after the initiation of prednisone dosing, closed femur fractures were created on prednisone-exposed mice and the healthy control. Prednisone administration was continued for 9 weeks post-fracture, and X-ray imaging was performed weekly to monitor the fracture healing process until the mice were euthanized. Necropsy was performed after 9 weeks and the fractured femurs were isolated and processed at necropsy for micro-CT and biomechanical property analysis. Another 20 mice (control and GC-H, 10 mice/group) were used for histology and micro-CT analysis at early time point (2-week post fracture) with continued prednisone exposure. RESULTS: The results showed that oral administration of prednisone for 3 months in this strain of mice could inhibit endochondral ossification and delay the healing process, especially hard callus formation (woven bone) and bone remodeling during healing. It also could significantly decrease bone biomechanical properties. CONCLUSION: Long-term GC administration leads to significantly delayed fracture healing and impaired bone biomechanical properties. This mouse model may be used to systematically study the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying fracture healing with GC treatment background and may also be used to study the influence of different therapeutic interventions for bone fracture healing.

Histopathologic and physiologic effect of overlapping vs single coronary stents: impact of stent evolution.

INTRODUCTION: Bare metal stents (BMS) and drug eluting stents (DES) have been deployed in single and overlap configurations, the latter mostly to cover long-lesions. Both type of stents in overlap configuration increases the risk of adverse events. AREAS COVERED: We present the rationale for either BMS or DES usage utilizing both preclinical and clinical studies for the use of single vs. overlapped stents. Further, employing experimental and pathological studies, we discuss the disadvantages of stent overlapping vs. single stenting and propose that vessel injury, local blood flow disturbance, higher drug/polymer dose are mechanisms leading to poor clinical outcomes including in-stent restenosis (ISR), delayed arterial healing, thrombosis, and hypersensitivity reactions. We also explore whether newer generation (2nd generation) DES with reduced strut thickness, optimized drug release profiles, better polymer biocompatibility minimize the disadvantages of stent overlap seen in 1st generation DES. Finally, we examine the reasons why fully bioabsorbable scaffolds resulted in increased adverse events. EXPERT COMMENTARY: DES innovations have minimized the risk of ISR and repeat revascularization. In contradistinction to 1st generation DES, major adverse cardiac events (MACE) is similar between single and overlapped stents in 2nd generation DES, suggestion stent design play an important role in clinical outcomes.

Intramedullary Metatarsal Fixation for Treatment of Delayed Regenerate Bone in Lengthening of Brachymetatarsia.

Delayed regenerate healing after distraction osteogenesis can be a challenging problem for patients and surgeons alike. In the present study, we retrospectively reviewed the data from a cohort of patients with delayed regenerate healing during gradual lengthening treatment of brachymetatarsia. Additionally, we present a novel technique developed by 1 of us (B.M.L.) for the management of delayed regenerate healing. We hypothesized that application of intramedullary metatarsal fixation would safely and effectively promote healing of poor quality, atrophic regenerate during bone lengthening in brachymetatarsia correction. We formulated a study to retrospectively review the data from a cohort of patients with delayed regenerate healing after gradual lengthening for brachymetatarsia. All patients underwent temporary placement of intramedullary fixation after identification of delayed regenerate healing. Patient-related variables and objective measurements were assessed. We identified 10 patients with 13 metatarsals treated with intramedullary fixation for delayed regenerate healing. All 10 patients were female, with 6 (46.2%) right metatarsals and 7 (53.8%) left metatarsals treated. No complications developed with the use of this technique. All subjects progressed to successful consolidation of the regenerate bone at a mean of 44.5 ± 30.2 days after placement of intramedullary metatarsal fixation. No regenerate fracture or reoperations were noted. In conclusion, intramedullary metatarsal fixation is a safe and effective method for managing delayed regenerate healing encountered during distraction osteogenesis correction of brachymetatarsia.

A multivariate analysis for delayed healing of facial muscle spasm after microvascular decompression.

OBJECTIVES: To analyze the related factors for delayed healing of facial muscle spasm after microvascular decompression. METHODS: After microvascular decompression, 116 of 425 patients with delayed healing were followed up, and their clinical data were analyzed. RESULTS: The incidence rate of postoperative delayed healing was 27.3%, which was not correlated with gender, age or intraoperative vascular compression. However, it was correlated with disease course, severity of preoperative symptoms, arteriosclerosis and abnormal facial muscle response. The duration of delayed healing was positively correlated with preoperative disease course. CONCLUSIONS: Delayed healing is a common phenomenon after microvascular decompression for facial muscle spasm, with an elusive reason. Therefore, the treatment outcomes should be evaluated after one year of follow-up.

An unusual presentation of a common condition: Allergic contact dermatitis.

Allergic contact dermatitis commonly affects patients with chronic venous leg ulcers and can contribute to impaired wound healing. Many allergens have been identified, and despite the use of advanced dressings, the incidence of allergy has remained high. We discuss an unusual presentation of allergic contact dermatitis in a patient with a chronic wound. The patient's history was consistent with a recurrent venous leg ulcer, but on this occasion, the wound continued to deteriorate despite optimal treatment. This prompted further investigation, which included patch testing. Although the clinical features were not suggestive of allergy, the patch test was positive for several allergens, including Atrauman® dressings, which the patient was using at the time. This case highlights the importance of regular reassessment and accurate diagnosis for the management of chronic wounds. It also demonstrates that allergic contact dermatitis can contribute to delayed wound healing without causing the classical clinical features of inflammation of the surrounding skin, and even hypoallergenic, non-adherent dressings can be sensitising.