The role of erythropoietin and bone marrow concentrate in the treatment of osteochondral defects in mini-pigs.

Background: All available treatment options for osteochondral and chondral defects do not restore hyaline cartilage and are limited to decreasing associated pain, and maintaining or improving joint function. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the potential of erythropoietin (EPO) in combination with bone marrow aspiration concentrate (BMAC) in the treatment of osteochondral defects of mini-pigs.

Methods: 14 Goettinger mini-pigs, in which a 6 × 10 mm osteochondral defect in the medial femoral condyle of both knee joints was created, were randomized into four groups: biphasic scaffold alone, scaffold with EPO, scaffold with BMAC and scaffold in combination with EPO and BMAC.

The impact of arterial hypertension on polytrauma and traumatic brain injury.

Background: Pre-hospital hypotension in trauma patients is associated with high mortality. Especially for patients with severe traumatic brain injury (TBI), arterial normotension or even hypertension (AHT) is considered an important mechanism for sustaining adequate cerebral perfusion pressure. The effect of pre-hospital arterial hypertension (pAHT) on in-hospital mortality after trauma has not been studied to date.

Fixed-angle plates in patella fractures - a pilot cadaver study.

Objective: Modified anterior tension wiring with K-wires and cannulated lag screws with anterior tension wiring are currently the fixation of choice for patellar fractures. Failure of fixation, migration of the wires, postoperative pain and resulting revision surgery, however, are not uncommon. After preliminary biomechanical testing of a new fixed-angle plate system especially designed for fixation of patella fractures the aim of this study was to evaluate the surgical and anatomical feasibility of implanting such a plate-device at the human patella.

A transcuneiform fracture-dislocation of the midfoot.

Isolated fractures of the ossa cuneiformia are rare fractures of the foot and they usually occur in the context of a direct trauma. We report about a patient with a dislocation of the midfoot and concomitant fractures of the cuneiforme bones I-III due a car traffic accident. X-rays of the foot confirmed a lateral dislocation of the midfoot with multiple fractures of all ossa cuneiformia.