Decreased blood perfusion in canine tibial diaphysis after filling with acrylic bone cement compared with inert bone wax

Sixteen dogs had one tibia filled with acrylic PMMA bone cement and the opposite, control tibia filled with inert bone wax. After 1, 4, and 12 weeks, the blood perfusion in diaphyses was measured with Sc-46 labeled microspheres. The blood flow rates increased from 1 to 4 weeks and dropped to about the 1-week level after 12 weeks on both sides, with the acrylic side lower than the control side. On both sides, Disulphine Blue staining of the bones showed severe endosteal avascularity after 1 and 4 weeks and massive periosteal apposition after 4 and 12 weeks. The initial increase in blood flow is considered due to periosteal apposition, and the differences in blood flow rates are attributed to avascularity caused by the polymerization heat and toxicity of the acrylic cement.     

Effects of polymerization heat and monomers from acrylic cement on canine bone

We investigated the effects of polymerization heat and toxicity of polymethyimetacrylate bone cement in the canine tibial diaphysis. Heat was studied by filling the tibias with either bone cement or bone wax contained in a monomer tight membrane pouch. Toxicity was studied by filling both tibias with cement, with the control side contained in the membrane pouch. Bone blood perfusion was measured by microsphere technic, and bone remodeling by ^99mTc-methylene diphosphonate uptake and by histologic technique. In bone exposed to the combination of polymerization heat and monomer, both perfusion and remodeling were impaired. We did not find any effects of polymerization heat alone.

We conclude that hot toxic chemicals from bone cement during polymerization may inhibit bone blood perfusion and remodeling, whereas heat alone seems to be of minor importance for the regenerative processes in cemented diaphyseal bone.     

Accuracy of radiologic and endoscopic diagnosis of gastric ulcer

Patients with upper abdominal pain are often examined with both double contrast study of the stomach and endoscopy. On the basis of the results of the two examinations four diagnostic criteria of an ulcer can be formed: 1) radiography reveals an ulcer, 2) endoscopy reveals an ulcer, 3) both radiography and endoscopy reveal an ulcer, and 4) radiography and/or endoscopy reveals an ulcer. In a prospective study the accuracy of each of the four diagnostic criteria was examined. Eighty-two randomly selected outpatients had a double contrast barium examination and an upper gastrointestinal endoscopy performed by staff personnel. The diagnosis of a specialist in upper gastrointestinal endoscopy was used as the standard. For the four diagnostic criteria the overall accuracy ranged from 0.80 to 0.88. The predictive value of a positive test result was around 0.70 and the predictive value of a negative test result ranged from 0.81 to 0.96. The specificity ranged from 0.87 to 0.95, and the sensitivity from 0.38 to 0.90. It is concluded that from a clinical point of view, the accuracy of the four diagnostic criteria does not differ to an extent that justifies recommendation of one diagnostic criterion of gastric ulcer rather than the other.     

Der Physiologische Mechanismus Beim tod Durch Psychischen Shock

Ohne ZusammenfassungKurzer Bericht anläßlich der Sitzung der Dänischen psychiatrischen Gesellschaft am 25. Januar 1941.     

Good performance of a titanium femoral component in cementless hip arthroplasty in younger patients

We performed 97 uncemented primary total hip arthroplasties in 80 patients having an average age of 50 years. The femoral implant was a titanium stem with a proximal circumferential plasma spray-coating. Three different acetabular components were used: a threaded and partly porous-coated design in 70% of the cases. The average follow-up period was 8 years. 1 stem was revised 9 years after insertion due to a comminuted fracture of the proximal femur, 1 stem was revised 9 years after insertion due to a deep infection. No stem revisions were due to aseptic loosening. 1 femora had areas of distal osteolysis associated with a deep infection, but no signs of proximal loosening. 3 femora had areas of minor proximal osteolysis. 16 acetabular components (14 threaded) had been revised in 13 patients. The average Harris hip score was 91 points at the latest follow-up We conclude that the uncemented titanium femoral component with a circumferential porous coating performed well in these patients, most of whom were young. As reported previously, aseptic loosening of threaded acetabular components was common.     

How Do We Define Congenital Heart Defects for Scientific Studies?

Estimates of the prevalence of congenital heart defects (CHD) have been published over many years and from many regions. As they are based on different definitions of which cases to include in the CHD prevalence, published prevalence estimates vary substantially. With the increasing use of echocardiography in neonatal intensive care, a patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) or flow over the atrial septum will often be visible. These findings may be coded as CHD at discharge and in this way falsely increase the CHD prevalence in the population. There are several purposes for which population‐based data on CHD may be used: etiology, planning of treatment, or obtain information on outcome, including mortality. For etiology studies, it is important to include terminations of pregnancy as well as all births with CHD. For mortality studies in live births, inclusion of preterm born infants with PDA will increase overall mortality of CHD. The Danish Register of Congenital Heart Disease is based on hospital discharge diagnoses and diagnoses from outpatient visits. To increase the validity of these data, extensive data cleaning has been carried out based on record review and knowledge on the discharge coding practice. We include PDA and atrial septal defects as CHD cases if these defects are still open 2 months after birth. International consensus on how to define CHD would improve the validity and comparability of epidemiological studies on CHD.     

Resection of the lateral end of the clavicle following osteolysis, with emphasis on non-traumatic osteolysis of the acromial end of the clavicle in athletes

Preoperative radiographs of 38 patients who had undergone resection of the lateral end of the clavicle were reviewed. Seven cases of osteolysis of the lateral end of the clavicle were found, of which four followed severe injury of the shoulder girdle. Three of the cases were young male athletes, with nontraumatic osteolysis. One additional patient with this disorder, in whom resection has not yet been performed, was also included. All four had practised weightlifting and benchpressing as part of their training. Hence, a feasible explanation for the osteolytic process seems to be repeated microfractures due to stresses imposed by these activities. Several conservative regimens provided only temporary relief. After resection, the symptoms ceased and the patients were able to return to competitive sport. With the increasing interest in bodybuilding, non-traumatic osteolysis of the acromial end of the clavicle should be borne in mind in cases of pain in the shoulder in athletes.