Extensive Achilles tendon ossification: Repair using a fascia lata graft

Ossification of the Achilles tendon is a relatively common finding. However, a large ossification covering more than two third of the tendon is rarely seen. A 70 year old patient with a 12 cm long Achilles tendon ossification is discussed. The ossification was surgically removed and the tendon was subsequently reconstructed using a fascia lata autograft. Postoperatively the ankle was immobilised for 3 months. One year postoperatively the patient was completely recovered with the ability to stand on his toes, and minimal loss in range of motion.Level of clinical evidence4     

Impact of donor-specific antibodies on long-term graft survival with pediatric liver transplantation

BACKGROUNDIn a previous paper, we reported a high prevalence of donor-specific antibody (DSA) in pediatric patients with chronic rejection and expressed the need for confirmation of these findings in a larger cohort.AIMTo clarify the importance of DSAs on long-term graft survival in a larger cohort of pediatric patients.METHODSWe performed a retrospective analysis of 123 pediatric liver transplantation (LT) recipients who participated in yearly follow-ups including Luminex testing for DSA at our center. The cohort was split into two groups according to the DSA status (DSA-positive n = 54, DSA-negative n = 69). Groups were compared with regard to liver function, biopsy findings, graft survival, need for re-LT and immunosuppressive medication.RESULTSDSA-positive pediatric patients showed a higher prevalence of chronic rejection (P = 0.01), fibrosis (P < 0.001) and re-transplantation (P = 0.018) than DSA-negative patients. Class II DSAs particularly influenced graft survival. Alleles DQ2, DQ7, DQ8 and DQ9 might serve as indicators for the risk of chronic rejection and/or allograft fibrosis. Mean fluorescence intensity levels and DSA number did not impact graft survival. Previous episodes of chronic rejection might lead to DSA development.CONCLUSIONDSA prevalence significantly affected long-term liver allograft performance and liver allograft survival in our cohort of pediatric LT. Screening for class II DSAs in combination with assessment of protocol liver biopsies for chronic antibody-mediated rejection improved early identification of patients at risk of graft loss.     

Tracheotomy after laryngotracheopasty: Risk factors over 10 years

Background

Subglottic stenosis (SGS) is the most common congenital and/or acquired laryngotracheal anomaly requiring tracheotomy in infants. We sought to determine factors associated with a greater likelihood of tracheotomy in symptomatic infants with SGS who underwent laryngotracheoplasty (LTP).

Methods

Retrospective case series with chart review of patients undergoing single-stage LTP for SGS over a 10-year period (2001–2010) in a tertiary-care pediatric hospital.

Results

Twenty-two children (15 boys, 7 girls), with a mean gestational age of 32.5 weeks, underwent LTP with and without interpositional grafting, at a median age of 89 days. Ten patients (43%) required postoperative tracheotomy. Of patients weighing < 2.5 kg, 7 of 8 eventually required tracheotomy, while none weighing > 5 kg needed tracheotomy (p = 0.003). The average length of stay for patients with a tracheotomy was 125 days, while those without tracheotomy required only 58 days (p = 0.011). The grade of SGS (p = 0.809), gender (p = 0.968), age at surgery (p = 0.178), and gestational age (p = 0.117) were not significantly associated with the need for tracheotomy. Weight at surgery was significantly correlated with the likelihood of needing tracheotomy (p = 0.003).

Conclusions

Patients who weighed less than 2.5 kg at the time of LTP procedures were more likely to require a postoperative tracheotomy. Children who required tracheotomy had longer lengths of hospital stay.     

Mediastinitis after coronary artery bypass grafting increases the incidence of left internal mammary artery obstruction

Mediastinitis after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) gives a longstanding chronic inflammation and has a detrimental negative effect on long‐term survival. For this reason, we aimed to study the effect of mediastinitis on graft patency after CABG. The epidemiologic design was of an exposed (mediastinitis, n = 41) versus non‐exposed (non‐mediastinitis, controls, n = 41) cohort with two endpoints: (i) obstruction of saphenous vein grafts (SVG) and (ii) obstruction of the internal mammary artery (IMA) grafts. The graft patency was evaluated with coronary CT‐angiography examination at a median follow‐up of 2·7 years. The number of occluded SVG in the mediastinitis group was 18·9% versus 15·5% in the control group. Using generalized estimating equations model with exchangeable matrix, and confounding effect of ischaemic time and patients age, we found no significant association between presence of mediastinitis and SVG obstruction [rate ratio (RR) = 0·96, 95% CI (0·52–2·67), P = 0·697]. The number of occluded IMA grafts was 10·5% in the mediastinitis group and 2·4% in the control group. Using the Poisson regression model, we estimated RR = 5·48, 95% CI (1·43–21·0) and P = 0·013. There was a significant association between mediastinitis and IMA graft obstruction, when controlling for the confounding effect of ischaemic time, body mass index, presence of diabetes mellitus and the number of diseased vessels. Presence of mediastinitis increases the risk of IMA graft obstruction. This may confirm the importance of inflammation as a major contributor to the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and explain the negative effect of mediastinitis on a long‐term survival.     

Salvaging of severely ruptured living-related renal allograft secondary to acute antibody mediated rejection

INTRODUCTION

Spontaneous renal allograft rupture (RAR) is a serious and potentially life-threatening complication of kidney transplantation. Debate on the management of RAR has focused on graft nephrectomy versus salvaging in cases where: the allograft rupture site is surgically manageable; the bleeding can be controlled; and/or leaving the renal allograft in situ does not compromise patient survival.

PRESENTATION OF CASE

A 45-year-old, living-related, female, kidney allograft recipient experienced RAR on the fourth day post transplantation. Surgical exploration showed 12 cm laceration along the convex border of the graft. Histologically the graft demonstrated mild acute kidney injury and linear deposition of C4d along the cortical peritubular capillaries; morphological features for violent humoral or cellular rejection were not identified. The graft was surgically salvaged with excellent clinical and biochemical improvement.

DISCUSSION

Observations arising from this case are: (1) RAR caused by rejection is still encountered in clinical practice despite effective immunosuppressive management; (2) the severity of the histopathological features of rejection does not necessarily correlate with the extent of graft rupture; and (3) salvaging the graft should be attempted whenever possible as current immunosuppression and advances in surgical techniques may have an impact on long-term graft function and survival, differing from those previously published.

CONCLUSION

With modern immunosuppression therapy and proven surgical procedures, the efficacy of salvaged renal grafts and graft survival rates may improve substantially.     

Oral Verrucous Hyperplasia: A Case Report

Oral verrucous hyperplasia is a whitish or pinkinsh elevated pre malignant lesion which occurs rarely. Its is also considered to be an early form of verrucous carcinoma. We have reported a case of verrucous hyperplasia which was diagnosed and treated with buccal fat pad as graft.     

后路寰枢椎侧块关节cage植骨融合内固定术治疗难复性寰枢椎脱位疗效初探

【摘要】 目的：探讨后路寰枢椎侧块关节cage植骨融合内固定术治疗难复性寰枢椎脱位的临床疗效,并与经口咽松解后路复位固定融合术进行疗效对比。方法：回顾性分析2018年1月～2022年8月我科采用后路寰枢椎侧块关节cage植骨融合内固定术（23例,cage组）与经口咽松解后路复位固定融合术（25例,对照组）治疗的难复性寰枢椎脱位患者的临床资料,cage组男8例,女15例,年龄9～79岁（48.35±14.38岁）;对照组男6例,女19例,年龄21～69岁（47.84±13.51岁）。记录两组患者手术时间、术中出血量、住院时间及并发症情况,术前、术后及末次随访时使用JOA评分评估患者神经功能状态,测量术前、术后及末次随访时的寰齿间距（atlantodental interval,ADI）、齿状突顶点距离Chamberlain线的垂直距离（vertical distance from odon to idprocess to Chamberlain′s line,DOCL）、延髓颈髓角（cervicomedullary angle,CMA）、斜坡枢椎角（clivus-axial angle,CAA）,评估寰枢椎复位情况。评估侧块关节cage及后方植骨融合情况。结果：所有患者内固定位置良好,减压充分复位满意,症状均明显缓解,未出现椎动脉损伤和脊髓损伤加重。cage组手术时间133.04±34.04min、术中出血量119.13±54.77mL、住院时间14.74±6.10d,均明显短于或少于对照组（253.20±53.98min、181.20±45.40mL、23.96±5.47d）。cage组术前JOA、ADI、DOCL、CMA、CAA分别为6.33±1.13分、7.31±3.05mm、9.47±3.32mm、122.89°±12.58°、122.02°±12.50°,术后分别为13.04±2.17分、2.18±0.67mm、0.89±1.00mm、148.81°±5.43°、146.70°±9.32°,末次随访时分别为14.89±1.17分、2.09±0.69mm、0.83±0.86mm、149.10°±5.11°、146.89°±8.95°;对照组术前JOA、ADI、DOCL、CMA、CAA分别为6.76±1.21分、7.70±0.97mm、10.56±1.99mm、121.53°±4.87°、123.77°±8.95°,术后分别为13.26±1.32分、1.89±0.50mm、1.13±1.08mm、151.40°±6.15°、149.86°±5.58°,末次随访时分别为15.02±0.88分、1.87±0.44mm、0.87±1.39mm、149.48°±4.06°、149.94°±6.61°,两组术后及末次随访JOA、ADI、DOCL、CMA及CAA均较术前明显改善（P<0.05）,术后JOA评分与末次随访相比存在统计学差异（P<0.05）,但ADI、DOCL、CMA及CAA无统计学差异（P>0.05）。cage组仅1例切口感染;对照组3例切口感染（口咽2例,后路1例）,1例脑脊液漏。两组随访期间内固定在位稳定,末次随访植骨均达到骨性融合,cage组关节间隙高度无丢失。结论：难复性寰枢椎脱位采用后路寰枢椎侧块关节cage植骨融合内固定术与经口咽松解后路复位固定融合术相比疗效相当,但增加了植骨融合位点,能更有效融合,避免了经口手术,减少了手术时间、术中出血量、住院时间及并发症的发生。