Vascularized fibular graft in infected tibial bone loss

Background:

The treatment options of bone loss with infections include bone transport with external fixators, vascularized bone grafts, non-vascularized autogenous grafts and vascularized allografts. The research hypothesis was that the graft length and intact ipsilateral fibula influenced hypertrophy and stress fracture. We retrospectively studied the graft hypertrophy in 15 patients, in whom vascularized fibular graft was done for post-traumatic tibial defects with infection.

Materials and Methods:

15 male patients with mean age 33.7 years (range 18 - 56 years) of post traumatic tibial bone loss were analysed. The mean bony defect was 14.5 cm (range 6.5 – 20 cm). The mean length of the graft was 16.7 cm (range 11.5 – 21 cm). The osteoseptocutaneous flap (bone flap with attached overlying skin flap) from the contralateral side was used in all patients except one. The graft was fixed to the recipient bone at both ends by one or two AO cortical screws, supplemented by a monolateral external fixator. A standard postoperative protocol was followed in all patients. The hypertrophy percentage of the vascularized fibular graft was calculated by a modification of the formula described by El-Gammal. The followup period averaged 46.5 months (range 24 – 164 months). The Pearson correlation coefficient (r) was worked out, to find the relationship between graft length and hypertrophy. The t-test was performed to find out if there was any significant difference in the graft length of those who had a stress fracture and those who did not and to find out whether there was any significant difference in hypertrophy with and without ipsilateral fibula union. The Chi square test was performed to identify whether there was any association between the stress fracture and the fibula union. Given the small sample size we have not used any statistical analysis to determine the relation between the percentage of the graft hypertrophy and stress fracture.

Results:

Graft union occurred in all patients in a mean time of 3.3 months, at both ends. At a minimum followup of 24 months the mean hypertrophy noted was 63.6% (30 – 136%) in the vascularized fibular graft. Ten stress fractures occurred in seven patients. The mean duration of the occurrence of a stress fracture in the graft was 11.1 months (2.5 – 18 months) postoperatively. The highest incidence of stress fractures was when the graft hypertrophy was less than 20%. The incidence of stress fractures reduced significantly after the graft hypertrophy exceeded 20%.

Conclusion:

In most cases hypertrophy of the vascularized fibular graft occurs in response to mechanical loading by protected weight bearing, and the amount of hypertrophy is variable. The presence or absence of an intact fibula has no bearing on the hypertrophy or incidence of stress fracture. The length of the fibular graft has no bearing on the hypertrophy or stress fracture.     

Hepatolithiasis with biliary ascariasis – a case report

Background  

Biliary ascariasis is regarded as possible etiological factor for hepatolithiasis. Here we report one case of a patient with hepatolithiasis with biliary ascariasis who developed a liver abscess, which was treated with partial hepatectomy.     

Proliferative and inflammatory factors in the vitreous of patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy

Purpose:

The purpose was to measure the concentrations of various cytokines and growth factors (including vascular endothelial growth factor [VEGF] and pigment epithelium-derived factor [PEDF]) in the vitreous of patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) and to investigate interaction between inflammatory and proliferative factors in the genesis of PDR.

Materials and Methods:

Vitreous samples from 32 eyes with PDR and 25 eyes without diabetes mellitus and signs of DR (control) were collected. Vitreous concentrations of VEGF, PEDF, monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1), interleukin-4 (IL-4), IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-17A, and secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA) were simultaneously measured using enzyme-linked immunoassay.

Results:

Vitreous levels of VEGF, PEDF, IL-17A, IL-6, IL-8, IL-4, and sIgA were significantly (Π < 0.05) higher in eyes with PDR compared to control. The concentration of VEGF was more than 17-times higher than in control, and the concentration of PEDF was not changed oppositely and was also higher (1.45-times) compared to control, that may indicate disturbances of compensatory mechanisms in angiogenesis regulation in PDR. Significant (P < 0.05) positive correlations were observed between vitreous concentrations of VEGF and IL-17A (r = 0.45), VEGF and IL-8 (r = 0.48), VEGF and IL-4 (r = 0.51), PEDF and IL-17A (r = 0.48), PEDF and IL-8 (r = 0.59), MCP-1 and PEDF (r = 0.72), MCP-1 and IL-8 (r = 0.45), IL-4 and IL-17A (r = 0.65), IL-4 and IL-8 (r = 0.71), IL-8 and IL-17A (r = 0.59).

Conclusions:

Significantly raised levels of inflammatory and proliferative factors and numerous positive correlations between them may demonstrate a significant role of activation of vascular proliferation and local inflammation in the pathogenesis of PDR.     

Laparoscopic repair of hiatal hernias: new classification supported by long-term results

Background

Mesh repair may decrease the recurrence rate but bears risk of esophageal complications. This study aimed to analyze the long-term results of laparoscopic hiatal repair depending on hiatal surface area (HSA).

Methods

The results from 658 procedures were analyzed. Group 1 had 343 patients with HSA smaller than 10 cm² (small hernias), for whom primary crural repair was performed. Group 2 had 261 patients with HSA size 10–20 cm² (large hernias), for whom primary crural repair (subgroup A) or mesh repair (subgroup B) was performed. Group 3 had 54 patients with HSA larger than 20 cm² (giant hernias), for whom only mesh repair was performed.

Results

The mean follow-up period was 28.6 months (range, 10–48 months). Primary repair results in a higher recurrence rate for large hernias (11.9 %) than for small hernias (3.5 %) (p = 0.0016). For large hernias, the original method of sub-lay lightweight partially absorbable mesh repair provides a lower recurrence rate than primary repair (4.9 % vs 11.9 %; p = 0.0488) and a comparable dysphagia rate (2.1 % vs 2.2 %; p = 0.6533). For giant hernias, mesh repair results in a higher recurrence rate than for large hernias (20 % vs 4.9 %; p = 0.0028). The analysis of variance (ANOVA) HSA recurrence ratio confirmed the correctness of the chosen threshold levels (10 and 20 cm²) for subdividing hernias into three classes according to the new classification.

Conclusions

The authors advise routine measurement of HSA and use of relative classification, primary suturing as the optimal repair for small hernias, the original technique of sub-lay lightweight partially absorbable mesh repair as the apparent best treatment for large hernias, and the original technique for giant hernias, which provides results corresponding to those reported in the literature, although these results require improvement.     

Use of laser irradiation for the prevention and treatment of complications following surgery of the lungs and pleura]

Low-energy laser irradiation was used in treatment of 77 patients with surgical diseases of the lung and pleura. Laser therapy was performed by means of transcutaneous irradiation of the patients with the use of a semiconductor arsenide-gallium laser and influencing with helium-neon laser on the biologically active points. The use of laser therapy contributed to decrease in incidence of postoperative complications, shortening the duration of treatment of the patients at a hospital.     

Miniinvasive interventions for focal liquid accumulations in region of pancreas and surrounding tissues

The results of treatment of 264 patients, suffering an acute and chronic pancreatitis, are analyzed. In 30% of observations the liquid peripancreatic accumulations observed have had regressed under the influence of complex conservative therapy and in other--there were performed transcutaneous punctures under ultrasonographic guidance, the cysts drainage, using laparoscopic method. The recurrence free postoperative period had lasted not less than 3 months.     

Genetics of acute and chronic pancreatitis: An update

Progress made in identifying the genetic susceptibility underlying acute and chronic pancreatitis has benefitted the clinicians in understanding the pathogenesis of the disease in a better way. The identification of mutations in cationic trypsinogen gene(PRSS1 gene; functional gain mutations) and serine protease inhibitor kazal type 1(SPINK1 gene; functional loss mutations) and other potential susceptibility factors in genes that play an important role in the pancreatic secretory functions or response to inflammation during pancreatic injury has changed the current concepts and understanding of a complex multifactorial disease like pancreatitis. An indi-vidual's susceptibility to the disease is governed by ge-netic factors in combination with environmental factors. Candidate gene and genetic linkage studies have iden-tified polymorphisms in cationic trypsinogen(PRSS1), SPINK1, cystic fibrosis trans-membrane conductance regulator(CFTR), Chymotrypsinogen C(CTRC), Ca-thepsin B(CTSB) and calcium sensing receptor(CASR). Individuals with polymorphisms in the mentioned genes and other as yet identified genes are at an enhanced risk for the disease. Recently, polymorphisms in genes other than those involved in "intra-pancreatic trypsin regulatory mechanism" namely Claudin-2(CLDN2) andCarboxypeptidase A1(CPA1) gene have also been iden-tified for their association with pancreatitis. With ever growing number of studies trying to identify the genetic susceptibility in the form of single nucleotide polymor-phisms, this review is an attempt to compile the avail-able information on the topic.