Popliteal artery pseudoaneurysm after a revision of total knee arthroplasty: endovascular treatment with a stent graft

Injury to the popliteal artery during total knee arthroplasty is a very rare but dangerous complication. Several mechanisms are capable of generating a direct trauma to the vessel, like posterior retractor and oscillating saw. We report a case of popliteal artery pseudoaneurysm in a 52-year-old woman that occurred during revision of total knee arthroplasty, requiring emergency repair by means of percutaneous endovascular covered stenting.     

Effect of HBSS storage time on human periodontal ligament fibroblast viability

Abstract – Hank’s balanced salt solution (HBSS) is recommended for the storage of avulsed teeth. The objective of this study was to evaluate if the HBSS storage time influences its ability to maintain the viability of human periodontal ligament fibroblasts (PDLF) by the analysis of cell metabolic function using MTT assay. PDLF were kept at 20°C for 3, 6, 24, 48, 72, 96 and 120 h in recently prepared HBSS (HBSS), HBSS stored for 6 months (HBSS 6 M), HBSS stored for 12 months (HBSS 12 M), and in Save‐A‐Tooth system’s HBSS (Save). Minimum essential medium (MEM) at 37°C and tap water at 20°C served as positive and negative controls, respectively. Cell viability was determined by the tetrazolium salt‐based colorimetric (MTT) assay. Data were statistically analyzed by the Kruskal–Wallis and Scheffé tests (α = 5%). Starting with the 6 h time‐point, HBSS was significantly more effective than HBSS 6 M, HBSS 12 M and Save in maintaining cell viability. HBSS 6 M effectiveness was similar to that of HBSS 12 M for up to 48 h, becoming higher at 72 h. In conclusion, the storage time of HBSS had a negative influence on its ability to maintain PDLF viability.     

Bullous dermatoses in childhood: part II

Bullous dermatoses are commonly encountered in childhood practice. Much confusion exists among clinicians because of the similarity of clinical lesions, paucity of relevant literature, and varied nomenclature used for these diseases. For a better understanding of the proposed classification, this second part is a review of diseases with nonhereditary characteristics of subepidermal cleavage and hereditary characteristics with intraepidermal and subepidermal cleavage.     

Bone changes of mucolipidosis II at different ages. Postmortem study of three cases.

Bone changes are a constant feature of mucolipidosis II, with striking differences between newborns and older children. Intracellular, membrane-bound vacuoles were found in the chondrocytes, osteoblasts, osteocytes, and stromal fibroblasts of three affected children. Osteoclasts and marrow cells were unaffected. Ricketslike lesions were present at birth in the two younger cases, whereas signs of high bone turnover and defective calcification were no longer present in the older child. Severe abnormalities of the metaphyseal plate with the loss of normal cartilage architecture and the absence of endochondral ossification were the major changes in this age group.     

Novel Henneguya spp. (Cnidaria: Myxozoa) from cichlid fish in the Amazon basin cluster by geographic origin

Parasitology Research - We describe three new Henneguya spp. (Myxobolidae) found parasitizing two species of cichlid fish from the Amazon basin, Brazil: H. tucunarei n. sp. from gill filaments of...     

Non-Union Scoring System (NUSS): Is It Enough in Clinical Practice?

IntroductionBone consolidation defects represent a real orthopedic challenge because of the absence of validated treatment guidelines that can assist the surgeon in his choices. The aim of this study is to evaluate the appropriateness of the Non-Union Scoring System NUSS treatment protocol in the management of long bone non-unions by comparing it to the experience-based therapeutic approach carried out in our facility.Materials and MethodsWe conducted a comparative outcome study of a retrospective series of 89 patients surgically treated for long bone non-union in our facility vs. clinical results reported by Calori et al. obtained following the NUSS treatment protocol.ResultsRadiographic healing was reached in 13/13 non-unions (100%) in group NUSS 1, in 58/62 (93.5%) in group NUSS 2, and in 13/14 (92.9%) in group NUSS 3. The mean time to radiographic healing was 5.69 ± 2.09 months in group 1, 7.38 ± 3.81 months in group 2 and 9.23 ± 2.31 months in group 3. 91% of patients in group I, 69% in group II and 48% in group III received what would be considered by the NUSS treatment protocol an “overtreatment”, especially from a biological stand point. The comparative outcome analysis shows that our case series achieved significantly higher global healing rates (p value = 0.017) and shorter radiological healing times in groups NUSS 1 and 2 (p value < 0.001).ConclusionFrom the results obtained, we can assume that the NUSS treatment protocol might underestimate the necessary therapies, particularly from a biological point of view.     

Selenium enhances prostacyclin production by cultured endothelial cells: possible explanation for increased bleeding times in volunteers taking selenium as a dietary supplement

Selenium added to the culture medium of confluent pig aortic endothelial cells caused a time-related elevation in the activity of the hydroperoxide scavenging enzyme: glutathione peroxidase. This increased activity was associated with an enhanced ability to produce prostacyclin irregardless of whether the agonist was arachidonic acid or thrombin. Since prostacyclin synthetase is believed to be irreversibly inhibited by alkyl hydroperoxides, we feel that the greater production of prostacyclin by selenium-treated cells as compared with control cells may reflect a protective effect of GSH.Px towards the synthetase enzyme. The results from this study may explain the observations made on a group of human volunteers ingesting selenium as a dietary supplement. After six weeks treatment with selenium, bleeding time in this group was prolonged suggesting an improved ability to synthesize prostacyclin as a result of selenium-dependent glutathione peroxidase activation in the vessel wall.