Strengthening exercises for old cruciate ligament tears

Fifty-three consecutive patients with troublesome old cruciate ligament lesions underwent a 3-month thigh and calf muscle training program. Before training, the diagnosis was established by arthroscopy and clinical examination under anesthesia. Significant improvement in strength, performance, knee score, and activity level took place; the majority were improved and declined surgery. A period of strength training is recommended before the decision to undertake surgery for cruciate ligament injury.     

Results of the Putti-Platt operation for recurrent anterior dislocation of the shoulder

Summary Between 1973 and 1981, 101 patients had a Putti-Platt repair for recurrent dislocation of the shoulder; 89 of them were followed up and 43 underwent a clinical examination, 23 being assessed with the Cybex dynamometer. The 46 who did not attend were interviewed by telephone. The mean follow up time was 8±2 years (range 5–14 years). Redislocation occurred in 18 patients (20%), but this was twice as high in patients who were aged under 26 years at the time of operation compared with those who were older (29% versus 13%). The time of recurrence was between 1 and 11 years after operation. A decrease in strength and power of abduction, internal and external rotation, was found in the affected shoulder. Restriction of all measured movements, particularly external rotation, was also found in all patients. Nevertheless most had a high functional score and relatively few symptoms. We conclude that the Putti-Platt procedure has a high recurrence rate in younger patients, and we hesitate to recommend it for young active individuals.

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Résumé De 1973 à 1981, 101 malades ont été opérés selon la technique de Putti-Platt pour luxation récidivante de l'épaule; 89 d'entre eux ont été suivis et 43 ont été examinés cliniquement, 23 étant testé à l'aide d'un dynamomètre Cybex. Les 46 qui ne pouvaient se présenter ont été interrogés par téléphone. Le recul moyen était de 8±2 ans (de 5 à 14 ans). Une nouvelle luxation était survenue chez 18 opérés (20%), mais la fréquence était deux fois plus élevée chez les sujets âgés de moins de 26 ans au moment de l'opération, comparativement aux autres (29% contre 13%). Le délai de récidive variait de 1 à 11 ans après l'intervention. On pouvait noter, du côté opéré, une diminution de la force de l'abduction et des rotations, interne et externe. Chez tous les malades il existait une limitation de tous les mouvements, et notamment de la rotation externe. Néanmoins la plupart d'entre eux avaient une cotation fonctionnelle élevée, et relativement peu de symptômes. Nous en concluons que l'opération de Putti-Platt comporte un risque important de récidive chez les sujets les plus jeunes et nous hésitons à la recommander chez les individus jeunes et actifs.

     

Concussion among Swedish elite ice hockey players.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the frequency of concussion in Swedish ice hockey and to establish a uniform grading and treatment model for concussions of different severity. METHODS: Frequency of concussion was investigated in two studies, one retrospective and one prospective. In the retrospective study, all Swedish elite ice hockey players (n = 265) were asked to answer a questionnaire on the number and treatment of previous concussions. Only concussions diagnosed by a doctor were recorded. The questionnaire was completed by 227 players (86%). In the prospective study, all injuries including concussions occurring during game and practice in the Swedish Elite League (n = 12 teams) were recorded during four years. The causes of injury, referees judgements, diagnosis, treatment, and time absent from ice hockey were registered on special cards. RESULTS: In the retrospective study, 51 out of 227 players (22%) in the Swedish Elite League reported at least one concussion. In the prospective study, 52 concussions were reported. The incidence of a concussion is at least one concussion every year/team or a yearly risk of about 5% for a player to sustain a concussion. Most concussions occurred during league play (81%). Body contact (checking or boarding) was the most common cause of concussions. The players were absent from full training and play on a mean of 6 d. CONCLUSIONS: As this injury is potentially dangerous it must be treated seriously according to a simple treatment model presented. In cases of repeated concussions during the same season, a longer period of time away from play is suggested. In players who have sustained several concussions over the years a thorough medical examination including EEG, CT/MRI, and neuropsychological tests should be performed. If any of these is pathological the player should be advised to give up ice hockey.     

The inhibition of granulocyte phagocytosis by various components of nasal drops

The effect of two decongestive substances and two preservatives used in nasal drops on phagocytosis by human granulocytes was studied. The vasoactive substances oxymetazoline chloride and zylometazoline chloride incubated with human granulocytes during 20 min. gave a reduction of phagocytosis to almost zero when using concentrations found in commercially used nasal drops (500 mg/l respectively 1000 mg/l). However, a dilution of 1:100 was consistent with an almost normal phagocytic function. The preservatives benzalkonium chloride and thiomersal gave a dose related reduction of phagocytosis down to zero. A dilution of 1:100 of the benzalkonium chloride solution used commercially (200 mg/l) and a dilution of 1:10 of the thiomersal solution used commercially (24 mg/l) were needed to get an almost normal phagocytic function. These results together with previous studies indicate that the addition of preservatives in nasal drops should be questioned, excluded or replaced with other less harmful substances.     

Locomotor-Related Presynaptic Modulation of Primary Afferents in the Lamprey

Presynaptic modulation of sensory afferent transmission during rhythmic motor activity was investigated in the lamprey spinal cord in vitro. Intracellular recordings were performed from the somata and axons of the glutamatergic sensory neurons from the skin (dorsal cells) during locomotor activity induced by N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA). Dorsal cells were phasically depolarized during each ipsilateral ventral root burst. In some soma recordings no or only small amplitude depolarizations were seen, although intracellular recording of their axons revealed the existence of large depolarizations, suggesting that the input synapses are located on the axons. The amplitude of the depolarizations increased during intracellular injection of hyperpolarizing current. The amplitude of the depolarizations increased when the frequency of the locomotor rhythm was increased by elevating the NMDA concentration. The depolarizations were not blocked by specific GABA_A (bicuculline) or GABA_B (phaclofen and saclofen) antagonists. To investigate whether the phasic depolarization may influence the monosynaptic excitatory transmission to giant interneurons, the amplitude of the monosynaptic excitatory postsynaptic potential (EPSP) was compared between the onset of the ipsilateral locomotor burst and the burst mid-point. The compound monosynaptic EPSP evoked from dorsal column was significantly smaller during the peak depolarization than at burst onset. The reduction of the amplitude of the EPSPs was not associated with any change of the membrane potential or input resistance of the giant interneurons, suggesting that this effect is mediated by a presynaptic mechanism. Phase-dependent effects were also seen on burst and cycle duration following dorsal column stimulation. Thus, the locomotor-related depolarizations in dorsal cell axons may represent a mechanism for a phasic gain control of sensory transmission during fictive locomotion.