Diagnosis of prolactinoma in two male‐to‐female transsexual subjects following high‐dose cross‐sex hormone therapy

Male‐to‐female transsexual persons use oestrogens + antiandrogens to adapt their physical bodies to the female sex. Doses are usually somewhat higher than those used by hypogonadal women receiving oestrogen replacement. Particularly in cases of self‐adminstration of cross‐sex hormones, doses may be very high. Oestrogens are powerful stimulators of synthesis and release of prolactin and serum prolactin levels are usually somewhat increased following oestrogen treatment. Prolactinomas have been reported in male‐to‐female transsexual persons, both after use of high and conventional doses of oestrogens but remain rare events. We report two new cases of prolactinomas in male‐to‐female transsexual persons, one in a 41‐year‐old subject who had used nonsupervised high‐dose oestrogen treatment since the age of 23 years and another one in a 42 year old who had initiated oestrogen treatment at the age of 17 years. Their serum prolactin levels were strongly increased, and the diagnosis of a pituitary tumour was confirmed by imaging techniques. Both cases responded well to treatment with cabergoline treatment whereupon serum prolactin normalised. Our two cases are added to the three cases of prolactinomas in the literature in persons who had used supraphysiological doses of oestrogens.     

Concept of variable angle locking—evolution and mechanical evaluation of a recent technology

Applications for fracture‐adapted screw positioning offered by variable angle locking screws are increasing. The locking strength of the variable angle locking mechanism at different insertion angles was compared to conventional fixed angle locking screws. Stainless steel (S) and titanium (Ti) variable and fixed angle 2.4 mm locking screws, inserted at different inclinations (0°?15°), and locked at 0.8 Nm were subjected to a load‐to‐failure test. Ultimate failure moment at the screw‐head interface and failure mode of the screws were determined. Significant differences were detected by one‐way ANOVA (p < 0.05). Stainless steel and titanium variable angle locking screws inserted at 2°?10° inclination exhibited a failure moment comparable to the 0° position (S 1.67± 0.04 Nm; Ti 1.67 ± 0.14 Nm) and failed predominantly at the screw neck, with the head remaining fixed to the plate. Inserted at 15° inclination, screws revealed a lower failure moment (S 1.33 ± 0.06 Nm, Ti 1.58 ± 0.05Nm), and failed predominantly by breakout of the head thread. Fixed angle locking screws inserted at an inclination >2° did not lock properly in the plate hole, providing insufficient locking strength. Variable angle locking screws offer a stable head‐locking mechanism at different inclinations, comparable to the locking strength of orthogonal inserted fixed angle locking screws. Marginal inclinations >15° should be used with care. © 2015 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 33:988–992, 2015.

     

股骨近端防旋髓内钉和股骨近端锁定钢板治疗股骨转子间骨折疗效比较

目的：比较股骨近端防旋髓内钉（PFNA）与股骨近端锁定钢板（PFLCP）内固定治疗股骨转子间骨折的疗效。方法70例股骨转子间骨折患者按治疗方法分为两组：采用 PFNA 治疗30例、PFLCP 治疗40例。比较两组切口长度、术中出血量、手术时间、术后下地时间、骨折愈合时间、优良率。结果70例均获随访,时间为6～24个月。两组切口长度、术中出血量、手术时间、术后下地时间比较差异均有统计学意义（P ＜0．05）;两组骨折愈合时间及优良率比较差异无统计学意义（P ＞0．05）。结论应用 PFNA 与 PFLCP 治疗股骨转子间骨折均能获得良好疗效。应用 PFNA 在切口长度、术中出血量、手术时间、术后下地时间方面优于 PFLCP,应用 PFLCP 治疗合并有严重骨质疏松或股骨颈内侧皮质的股骨转子间骨折优于 PFNA。     

动力髋螺钉和锁定钢板内固定治疗股骨转子间骨折的疗效分析

目的探讨动力髋螺钉(DHS)和锁定钢板内固定治疗股骨转子间骨折的临床疗效。方法将50例老年股骨转子间骨折患者根据随机数字表法分为锁定钢板组(25例)和DHS组(25例),比较两组切口长度、手术时间、术中出血量、术后引流量、住院时间、Barthel生活指数、骨折愈合时间、肢体短缩程度、疗效及术后并发症情况。结果两组患者术后均获随访,时间6~12个月。髋关节功能Harris评分:锁定钢板组优14例,良9例,可2例,差0例,优良率23/25;DHS组优9例,良13例,可2例,差1例,优良率22/25;两组比较差异无统计学意义(P0.05)。两组住院时间、Barthel生活指数、术后并发症情况比较差异无统计学意义(P0.05)。锁定钢板组患者在手术时间、切口长度、术中出血量、术后引流量、骨折愈合时间、肢体短缩程度方面与优于DHS组(P0.05)。结论 DHS和锁定钢板内固定治疗股骨转子间骨折均疗效显著,但锁定钢板内固定具有切口小、出血少、手术时间短等优点。     

颈前路椎体次全切除钛网植骨锁定钢板内固定术治疗双节段脊髓型颈椎病

目的探讨颈前路椎体次全切除钛网植骨锁定钢板内固定术治疗脊髓型颈椎病的临床疗效。方法对36例双节段脊髓型颈椎病患者采用颈前路椎体次全切除钛网植骨锁定钢板内固定术治疗。对术前和术后6、12个月的JOA评分进行比较,计算术后6、12个月的神经功能改善率,评价术后植骨融合情况。结果 36例均获随访,时间12~18个月。JOA评分:术前为8.8分±1.0分,术后6个月为12.8分±1.6分,术后12个月为13.2分±1.4分,术后6、12个月与术前比较差异均有统计学意义(P0.01)。改善率:术后6、12个月分别为56.6%±9.8%和57.9%±10.1%。术后3个月31例(86.1%)植骨融合,术后6个月36例全部植骨融合。结论颈前路椎体次全切除钛网植骨锁定钢板内固定术治疗双节段脊髓型颈椎病疗效确切。     

The use of a single volar locking plate for AO C3-type distal radius fractures

Background

A single volar locking plate (VLP) is now frequently used for open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) of many types of distal radius fractures. Comminuted intra-articular distal radius fractures (AO C3-type) are typically the most challenging to surgically treat. No studies directly address the adequacy of a VLP alone for maintaining reduction of AO C-type fractures. We hypothesized that a single VLP provides an effective method for maintaining reduction for these fractures.

Methods

We retrospectively evaluated radiographs of a series of AO C-type fractures. Seventy-seven patients with 77 AO C3-type fractures were identified from billing records and were eligible for the study. All patients were treated by fellowship-trained hand surgeons. Radiographs at the time of union were compared to those from immediately postoperatively.

Results

Sixty-nine of 77 (89.6 %) fractures treated with VLP fixation alone for AO C3-type distal radius fractures united without loss of reduction. Eight of 77 (10.4 %) patients treated with VLP for AO C3 fractures lost reduction. The most common fracture fragment to lose reduction was the lunate fossa (5 of 8); loss of reduction of the scaphoid fossa die-punch fragment (2 of 8) and the radial styloid (1 of 8) were also seen.

Conclusions

The majority (89.6 %) of AO C3-type fractures treated with a single volar locking plate come to union without loss of reduction.Level of evidence: Level IV.     

多轴锁定钢板内固定结合关节镜技术治疗高能量Pilon骨折

目的观察多轴锁定钢板内固定结合关节镜技术辅助治疗高能量Pilon骨折的疗效。方法自2010-02—2013-04诊治高能量Ruedi-AllgowerⅢ型Pilon骨折22例,利用CT三维重建骨折的形态及关节面情况,术中采用关节镜辅助观察胫距关节面并协助复位,然后用多轴锁定钢板固定胫骨远端碎骨折块。通过分析末次随访的踝关节影像学形态测量结果和踝关节功能Mazur评分评定术后疗效。结果 22例均获得随访10~24个月,平均13.3个月。骨折均获得愈合,愈合时间7~19周,平均11.4周。1例出现皮肤坏死,行转移皮瓣修复,其余无深部感染、骨折不愈合、钢板外露等并发症。末次随访时均行踝关节CT检查,仅1例CT显示胫骨远端关节面欠平整,但暂无骨性关节炎表现。疗效根据踝关节功能Mazur评分评定:优(92分)15例,良(87~92分)4例,可(65~86分)3例。结论多轴锁定钢板内固定结合关节镜技术治疗Ruedi-AllgowerⅢ型Pilon骨折具有手术创伤小、固定可靠、可早期功能锻炼、术后踝关节功能恢复好的优点。     

Improved sectioned images and surface models of the whole dog body

The objective of this research was to produce high-quality sectioned images of a whole dog which can be used to create sectional anatomy atlases and three-dimensional (3D) models. A year old female beagle was sacrificed by potassium chloride injection and frozen. The frozen dog was then serially ground using a cryomacrotome. Sectioned surfaces were photographed using a digital camera to create 3555 sectioned images of whole dog body (intervals, 0.2 mm; pixel size, 0.1 mm; 48 bit color). In a sectioned image, structures of dimension greater than 0.1 mm could be identified in detail. Photoshop was used to make segmented images of 16 structures. Sectioned and segmented images were stored in browsing software to allow easy access. Segmented images were reconstructed to make surface models of 16 structures using Mimics software and stored in portable document format (PDF) using Adobe 3D Reviewer software. In this research, state-of-art sectioned images and surface models were produced for the dog. The authors hope that the sectioned images produced will become a useful source of software for basic and clinical veterinary medicine, and therefore, are distributing the sectioned images and surface models through browsing software and PDF file available free of charge.     

Topical rather than intradermal application of the TLR7 ligand imiquimod leads to human dermal dendritic cell maturation and CD8+ T‐cell cross‐priming

Toll‐like receptor (TLR) ligands are attractive candidate adjuvants for therapeutic cancer vaccines, since TLR signaling stimulates and tunes both humoral and cellular immune responses induced by dendritic cells (DCs). Given that human skin contains a dense network of DCs, which are easily accessible via (intra‐)dermal delivery of vaccines, skin is actively explored as an antitumor vaccination site. Here we used a human skin explant model to explore the potential of TLR ligands as adjuvants for DC activation in their complex microenvironment. We show that topical application of Aldara skin cream, 5% of which comprises the TLR7 agonist imiquimod, significantly enhanced DC migration as compared with that resulting from intradermal injection of the TLR7/8 ligand R848 or the soluble form of imiquimod. Moreover, Aldara‐treated DCs showed highest levels of the costimulatory molecules CD86, CD83, CD40, and CD70. Topical Aldara induced the highest production of pro‐inflammatory cytokines in skin biopsies. When combined with intradermal peptide vaccination, Aldara‐stimulated DCs showed enhanced cross‐presentation of the melanoma antigen MART‐1, which resulted in increased priming and activation of MART‐1‐specific CD8⁺ T cells. These results point to advantageous effects of combining the topical application of Aldara with antitumor peptide vaccination.     

B‐cell modulation of dendritic‐cell function: Signals from the far side

An appropriate immune response against a specific pathogen requires finely orchestrated interactions between the various cell populations within the immune system. At the same time, immunological tolerance to self must be maintained. DCs play an essential role in achieving these dual requisites. They coordinate adaptive immunity by integrating signals directly emanating from both infectious agents and cells of the immune system. Many such signals, especially those from innate cells and T cells, have been extensively characterized. In contrast, little is known about how B cells modulate function of DCs. B cells produce a variety of cytokines, including IL‐10 and IL‐6, which are known to influence DC function. In addition, Igs constitute the major secretory products of terminally differentiated B cells (plasma cells). DCs express various types of receptors for binding Ig, such as Fc receptors and C‐type lectin receptors. In accordance, Igs can regulate DC function depending on the receptors engaged. Here, we review the emerging immunomodulatory role of cytokines and Ig secreted by B cells. We discuss the evidence for how these B‐cell‐derived factors may shape the adaptive immune response by directly acting on DCs.