Vascularized Fibular Epiphyseal Transfer for Pediatric Limb Salvage: Review of Applications and Outcomes.

Vascularized fibular epiphyseal transfer (VFET) offers a functional advantage in pediatric limb salvage due to the preservation of growth potential and an articular surface for remodeling. This review summarizes the available evidence on the clinical characteristics and outcomes of pediatric reconstruction applying VFET at different recipient sites and with varying techniques. VFET was used to reconstruct the proximal humerus, distal radius or ulna, proximal femur, distal fibula, calcaneus, and mandible.

Role of the leucine-rich repeat domain of cryopyrin/NALP3 in monosodium urate crystal-induced inflammation in mice.

Objective: The mechanism by which monosodium urate monohydrate (MSU) crystals intracellularly activate the cryopyrin inflammasome is unknown. The aim of this study was to use a mouse molecular genetics-based approach to test whether the leucine-rich repeat (LRR) domain of cryopyrin is required for MSU crystal-induced inflammation.

Methods: Cryopyrin-knockout lacZ (Cryo(-Z/-Z)) mice and mice with the cryopyrin LRR domain deleted and fused to the lacZ reporter (Cryo(DeltaLRR Z/DeltaLRR Z)) were generated using bacterial artificial chromosome-based targeting vectors, which allow for large genomic deletions.