“Lytic” lesions in autologous bone grafts: demonstration of medullary air pockets on post mortem computed tomography

Donor bone grafts are an important aspect of orthopaedic surgery. The use of plain film as a pathological screening tool before donor bone dispatch has revealed “lytic” lesions in proximal humeri. Donor demographics did not support the diagnosis of myeloma and subsequent computed tomography (CT) scans of these bones identified the lesions as air, not pathology. In total, 27 long bones were scanned and 100% (27/27 cases) exhibited air within the trabecular bone. Three distinct patterns were found: ovoid, linear/branching, and broad channel. A longitudinal course of CT scans was performed to identify at which stage air appeared within the bone. Pre-retrieval, preprocessing, and postprocessing scans revealed that air originated between the retrieval and preprocessing stages of donor bone preparation. There may be multiple aetiology of this phenomenon, including bone retrieval and natural decomposition.     

Plasma pharmacokinetics of high-dose oral busulfan in children and adults undergoing bone marrow transplantation

Abstract: We have analyzed the plasma pharmacokinetics of busulfan in 272 patients receiving high-dose oral busulfan and intravenous cyclophosphamide in conjunction with allogeneic or autologous bone marrow transplantation. The patients ranged in age from 2 months to 59 yr (mean 10, median 12 yr) and had the following diagnoses: thalassemia or sickle cell anemia (n = 74); leukemia or myelodysplasia (n = 112); inborn errors of metabolism (n = 41) or immunodeficiency (n = 45). Plasma specimens were collected following the first dose for each patient which ranged from 1 to 4 mg/kg (mean ± SD, 1.21 ± 0.41, median 1.15). Busulfan was quantitated using ultraviolet absorbance detection after derivatization and HPLC separation. Pharmacokinetic parameters were derived by modeling the raw data to fit first-order single compartment kinetics. The kinetic parameters showed wide interpatient variability independent of age and diagnosis. There was a statistically significant correlation of age with the following parameters: area under the curve (AUC); maximal concentration; minimum concentration; clearance; volume of distribution and absorption half-time. The coefficients of determination (i.e. correlation coefficient squared) were low ranging from 0.04 to 0.12 implying only a small part (i.e. 4–12%) of the variance was explained by age. Although busulfan pharmacokinetics are age-related most of the variability is not explained by age or diagnosis.     

Distal radial fractures Injectable calcium phosphate bone cement versus conventional treatment

AMEDLINEsearchwasconductedtoidentifystudiespublishedfromJanuary1999toMarch2004thatcom-paredinjectablecalciumphosphatebone(NorianSRS)cementwithconventionaltreatmentindistalradialfrac-tures.Fromalistof13articlesidentifiedfromthesearchstrategy,fourarticleswe…     

A Tissue-Engineered Artificial Bile Duct Grown to Resemble The Native Bile Duct

The aim of this study was to fabricate an artificial bile duct for the development of a new treatment for biliary diseases. Eighteen hybrid pigs were implanted with a bile duct organoid unit (BDOU) made of a bioabsorbable polymer. Twelve of the transplanted BDOUs had been seeded with autologous bone marrow cells (BMCs) in advance. Six animals, the controls, were grafted with the scaffold alone with no BMCs seeded. The common bile duct was cut, the hepatic cut end of the native common bile duct was anastomosed to the BDOU and the other end was anastomosed to the duodenum. The controls underwent a similar operation. The neo-bile duct was removed at pre-determined time points and investigated histologically. All 18 recipient pigs survived until their sacrifice at 6 weeks, 10 weeks or 6 months. Histological examination revealed incomplete epithelialization of the neo-bile duct at 6 weeks and 10 weeks after transplantation. At 6 months, the organoid exhibited a morphology almost identical to that of the native common bile duct. No differences were found between the controls and BMC-seeded pigs. These results show that the artificial bile duct thus fabricated can serve as a substitute for the native bile duct.     

Effects of gastric bypass procedures on bone mineral density,calcium, parathyroid hormone,and vitamin d

Weight loss after gastric bypass procedures has been well studied, but the long-term metabolic sequelae are not known. Data on bone mineral density (BMD), calcium, parathyroid hormone, and vitamin D were collected preoperatively and at yearly intervals after gastric bypass procedures. A total of 230 patients underwent preoperative BMD scans. Fifteen patients were osteopenic preoperatively, and three patients subsequently developed osteopenia postoperatively within the first year. No patient had or developed osteoporosis. At 1 year, total forearm BMD decreased by 0.55% (n = 91; P = .03) and radius BMD had increased overall by 1.85% (n = 23; P = .008); both total hip and lumbar spine BMD decreased by 9.27% (n = 22; P < .001) and 4.53% (n = 31; P < .001), respectively. By the second postoperative year, BMD in the total forearm had decreased an additional 3.62% (n = 14; P<.001), whereas radius BMD remained unchanged. Although total hip and lumbar spine BMD significantly decreased at 1 year, by year 2 both total hip and lumbar spine BMD only slightly decreased and were not significantly different from before the operation. Serum calcium decreased from 9.8 mg/dL to 9.2 during the first year (not significant [NS]) and then to 8.8 (NS) by the second year. Parathyroid hormone increased from 59.7 pg/mL (nl 10-65 pg/mL) preoperatively to 63.1 during year 1 (NS) and continued to increase to 64.7 by year 2 (NS). No difference was noted among levels of 25-hydroxy vitamin D preoperatively (25.2 ng/mL; nl 10-65 ng/mL), at 1 year (34.4), and at 2 years (35.4). Our data indicate that bone loss is highest in the first year after gastric bypass with stabilization, and that, in some cases, there is an increase in bone density after the first year. Presented at the Forty-Sixth Annual Meeting of The Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract, Chicago, Illinois, May 14–18, 2005 (oral presentation).     

Secondary reconstruction of the short philtrum in the bilateral cleft deformity

Summary This technique for reconstruction of the short philtrum requires an understanding of the viscoelastic properties of the skin and how to use these to increase skin dimensions. This is combined with contouring and splinting with a subcutaneous cartilage graft. Three representative cases are presented to illustrate the method to achieve an aesthetically acceptable lip and its long-term follow-up. No complications have been encountered using this over a 15-year period. The technique can be combined with other secondary reconstructive procedures on the lip and palate. Work completed at: Providence Hospital, 16001 West Nine Mile Road, P.O. Box 2043, Southfield, Michigan 48037, USA     

不同鼠龄小鼠骨折愈合过程中钙沉积变化

本实验采用~(45)Ca液闪技术,测定骨折后不同天数的幼年小鼠和成年小鼠在注射~(45)Ca-氯化钙后24 h,各骨段~(45)Ca沉积量,发现:1.幼年小鼠各骨段中钙的沉积量均高于成年小鼠;2.右股骨中段骨折后,骨折股骨中段的钙沉积量急剧升高;健侧股骨上、中、下三段,骨折股骨上段及左右胫骨上段的钙沉积量则逐渐下降而骨折股骨下段的骨转换增加。说明骨折部位以外的各骨段均最大限度地调动了一切可以调动的钙,以满足骨折修复的需要。     

Evaluation of filling materials in membrane‐protected bone defects. A comparative histomorphometric study in the mandible of miniature pigs.

In recent years, bone grafts and bone substitutes have been increasingly utilized underneath barrier membranes to optimize the treatment outcome of bone reconstructive therapy for defects in the alveolar process. In the present study, 4 different filling materials were evaluated in bone defects of similar dimensions in the mandible of miniature pigs. Blood clots and autografts were used as controls. The defects were covered with barrier membranes and allowed to heal for 4, 12 or 24 weeks. Histologic examination demonstrated that bone repair progressed through a programmed sequence of maturation steps closely resembling the pattern of bone development and growth regardless of whether bone grafts or substitutes were present or not. Histomorphometric analysis showed that autologous bone grafts (autografts) had the best osteoconductive properties during the initial healing period, with 39% of newly formed bone inside the membrane-covered defects at 4 weeks of healing. In addition, 87% of the graft surfaces were already covered by bone at this time. Both values were significantly higher for autografts than for the 4 alternative bone fillers (P < or = 0.05). At 12 weeks, these differences were no longer apparent, with all 5 filling materials showing similar values. Among the tested bone substitutes, tricalcium phosphate (TCP) showed a significantly higher percentage of bone fill at 24 weeks of healing. It can be concluded that sites filled with autografts clearly demonstrated the best results underneath barrier membranes in the early phase of healing. As far as degradation and substitution are concerned, TCP showed the most promising results. This filler, however, needs to be tested further in a more demanding animal model. Less favorable results were obtained for coral-derived hydroxyapatite granules and for demineralized freeze-dried bone allografts.