Unobstructive Heartbeat Monitoring of Sleeping Infants and Young Children Using Sheet-Type PVDF Sensors.

Techniques for noninvasively acquiring the vital information of infants and young children are considered very useful in the fields of healthcare and medical care. An unobstructive measurement method for sleeping infants and young children under the age of 6 years using a sheet-type vital sensor with a polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) pressure-sensitive layer is demonstrated. The signal filter conditions to obtain the ballistocardiogram (BCG) and phonocardiogram (PCG) are discussed from the waveform data of infants and young children.

A Case Report of an Acromioclavicular Joint Ganglion Associated with a Rotator Cuff Tear.

We report a case of subcutaneous ganglion adjacent to the acromioclavicular joint with massive rotator cuff tear [1-7]. An 81-year-old woman presented with a ganglion adjacent to the acromioclavicular joint that had first been identified 9 months earlier. The ganglion had recurred after having been aspirated by her local physician, so she was referred to our hospital.

Infective Endocarditis Presenting as Right Shoulder Pain: A Case Report.

Although cases of referred shoulder pain due to ischemic heart disease have been well documented, to our knowledge no reports on infective endocarditis accompanied by referred right shoulder pain have been published. A 43-year-old Japanese man presented with severe right shoulder pain and a body temperature of 38°C.Blood tests showed inflammation and liver dysfunction, although magnetic resonance imaging did not indicate septic shoulder arthritis.

Factors Affecting Clinical Outcome in Patients With Structural Failure After Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair.

Purpose: (1) To compare clinical outcomes between patients with large or massive rotator cuff tears who have healed cuffs and patients with postoperative structural failure (retear after complete or partial repair) and (2) to identify factors associated with clinical outcomes in patients with postoperative structural failure.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective study of consecutive patients with large or massive cuff tears who underwent arthroscopic repair at our institution between 2005 and 2012. On the basis of intraoperative findings and magnetic resonance imaging at final follow-up, the patients were divided into 3 groups: healed group, retear group (after complete repair), and partial-repair group.

A Case of Acromioclavicular Joint Dislocation Associated with Coracoid Process Fracture.

Rupture of any two or more parts of the superior shoulder suspensory complex (SSSC) including the distal clavicle, acromion, coracoid process, glenoid cavity of the scapula, acromioclavicular ligament, and coracoclavicular ligament is associated with shoulder girdle instability and is an indication for surgery. Here we report a case of acromioclavicular joint dislocation associated with coracoid process fracture. A 48-year-old man sustained a hard blow to the left shoulder from a fall, and simple radiography detected a coracoid process fracture and acromioclavicular joint dislocation.

Effects of corticosteroids and hyaluronic acid on torn rotator cuff tendons in vitro and in rats.

Corticosteroids (CS) or hyaluronic acid (HA) is used in subacromial injection for the conservative treatment of rotator cuff tears (RCT); this study addresses the question of how CS and HA affect the tendon tissue and fibroblasts in vitro and in rats. Cell proliferation assays were performed in human tendon fibroblasts from RCT. Rats underwent surgery to create RCT, and the surgical sites were injected with CS or HA.

Anaplastic lymphoma kinase protein expression, genetic abnormalities, and phosphorylation in soft tissue tumors: Phosphorylation is associated with recurrent metastasis.

Gene and protein abnormalities of anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) play an important role in the pathogenesis of various cancers and serve as important therapeutic targets. We investigated ALK protein expression, phosphorylation, and genetic aberrations using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) in 81 soft tissue tumor samples: inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor, n=1; alveolar soft part sarcoma, n=2; leiomyosarcoma, n=10; well-differentiated liposarcoma, n=7; pleomorphic liposarcoma, n=2; extraskeletal osteosarcoma, n=1; epithelioid sarcoma, n=1; synovial sarcoma, n=4; malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor, n=4; undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma, n=19; rhabdomyosarcoma, n=6; myxofibrosarcoma, n=8; myxoid liposarcoma, n=11; fibrosarcoma, n=4; and desmoid-type fibromatosis, n=1. ALK protein expression, gene signal gain (without translocation), and phosphorylation were observed in 33/81 (40.

Pyogenic knee arthritis caused by group A β-hemolytic Streptococcus: a toxic shock-prevented case.

Pyogenic knee arthritis caused by group A β-hemolytic Streptococcus (GAS) is rare. GAS sometimes causes group A β-hemolytic streptococcal toxic shock syndrome. We encountered a case of pyogenic knee arthritis caused by GAS that resolved after appropriate treatment (emergency arthroscopic synovectomy and medication) administered within 48 h of onset.

Clinical outcomes of the Cadenat procedure in the treatment of acromioclavicular joint dislocations.

We report our clinical experience using the modified Cadenat method to treat acromioclavicular joint dislocation, and discuss the usefulness of this method. This study examined 6 shoulders in 6 patients (5 males, 1 female) who were diagnosed with acromioclavicular joint dislocation and treated with the modified Cadenat method at our hospital. Average age at onset was 49.

Risk factors for shoulder re-dislocation after arthroscopic Bankart repair.

Background: Recent studies have shown effective clinical results after arthroscopic Bankart repair (ABR) but have shown several risk factors for re-dislocation after surgery. We evaluated whether patients are at a risk for re-dislocation during the first year after ABR, examined the recurrence rate after ABR, and sought to identify new risk factors.

Methods: We performed ABR using bioabsorbable suture anchors in 102 consecutive shoulders (100 patients) with traumatic anterior shoulder instability.

Rapid collapse of the humeral head after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair.

Unlabelled: This report presents a case of rapidly progressive collapse of the humeral head following arthroscopic rotator cuff repair. We performed humeral head replacement 8 months after the index surgery; histological examination of the collapsed area revealed necrosis, degeneration, fibrillation, and granulation in the cartilage and trabeculae. Osteonecrosis due to the use of metal anchors was considered the primary cause of the post-operative humeral head collapse.

Hypersensitivity to suture anchors.

Hypersensitivity to suture anchor is extremely rare. Herein, we present a case in which hypersensitivity to suture anchor was strongly suspected. The right rotator cuff of a 50-year-old woman was repaired with a metal suture anchor.

Ganglion cyst in the supraspinous fossa: arthroscopically undetectable cases.

Studies have demonstrated favorable outcomes of arthroscopic decompression for ganglion cyst in the supraspinous fossa; however, little attention has been paid to the difficulty in detecting these cysts during arthroscopy. In this report, we present 2 cases in which ganglion cysts in the supraspinous fossa were undetectable during arthroscopy. The ganglion cysts were not identified in these cases during surgery despite arthroscopic decompression being performed through the area in which the cyst was expected until the suprascapular nerve was entirely exposed.

The modified massive cuff stitch: functional and structural outcome in massive cuff tears.

Background: The massive cuff stitch (MCS) is known to be a strong suture, suitable for rotator cuff repair. We modified this technique for massive cuff tears by employing a horizontal medial mattress suture from an anchor as well as a vertically crossing transosseous suture.

Methods: We included 42 patients with massive cuff tears suitable for repair: 22 were treated with the modified MCS (MCS group), and 20 with a simple transosseous suture (STS group).

Calcific tendonitis of the rotator cuff: an unusual case.

Few case reports have described the surgical treatment of calcifying tendonitis of the subscapularis tendon. We present a case of symptomatic diffuse calcifying tendonitis involving the subscapularis and infraspinatus insertions that was difficult to detect arthroscopically. The patient was treated with arthroscopic incision of the tendinous insertions thorough removal of the calcific deposits and subsequent repair using a suture-anchor technique.

Psoriasis vulgaris caused by ceramic inserts used in total hip replacement.

Background: Ceramics are inorganic nonmetallic materials and are used as bioinert components in joint replacement surgeries. Ceramics are known to be low allergenic. We experienced a ceramic-induced psoriasis.

Increased matrix metalloprotease-3 gene expression in ruptured rotator cuff tendons is associated with postoperative tendon retear.

Purpose: The role of matrix metalloproteases (MMPs) in ruptured rotator cuff tendons remains unknown. This study aimed to investigate the gene expression of MMPs in ruptured rotator cuff tendons and to compare their expression levels between patients with and without postoperative tendon retear.

Methods: Twenty-four patients (a median age of 61 years: interquartile range, 55-66 years) with full-thickness rotator cuff tears were examined in this study.

A case of rheumatoid arthritis improved from Steinbrocker classification class IV to class II after multi-joint surgery.

We report the case of a patient with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who showed a reduction in disease severity (from class IV to class II) after multi-joint surgery. The patient was a 61-year-old man with a history of RA, type-2 diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and nephrotic syndrome. He had been undergoing treatment for RA for the past 10 years, but his condition could not be appropriately controlled.

Computer-assisted total knee arthroplasty: comparisons with the conventional technique.

For successful total knee arthroplasty (TKA), it is very important to gain an accurate grasp of the mechanical axis of the lower limb and establish a suitable ligament balance. Recently, TKA using navigation systems has been developed to accomplish more accurate component placement and to achieve a better understanding of the mechanical axis. The purpose of this study was to compare the radiological results of computer-navigated TKA with those of conventional TKA.

Collagen production at the edge of ruptured rotator cuff tendon is correlated with postoperative cuff integrity.

Purpose: The purpose was to evaluate the correlation between messenger RNA (mRNA) expression of collagen at the edge of the ruptured rotator cuff tendon and postoperative cuff integrity.

Methods: The edge of the ruptured tendon was sampled during open rotator cuff surgery in 12 patients with full-thickness rotator cuff tears (mean age, 58.2 years).

Epiphyseal fracture of the coracoid process occurring at the conjoined tendon origin.

Fracture of the coracoid process is uncommon, and most previous studies have reported this fracture occurring in association with direct trauma to the shoulder or transmission of force from the upper arm or elbow (Ada and Miller 1991, Benton and Nelson 1971, Eyres et al. 1995). We present a case in which epiphyseal fracture occurred at the origin of the conjoined tendon following excessive muscle contraction.

Isolated fracture of the lesser tuberosity of the humerus: a case report.

Fracture of the lesser tuberosity of the humerus often occurs concomitant with posterior shoulder dislocation or proximal humeral fracture, while isolated fractures are extremely rare. We report a case in which an isolated fracture of the lesser tuberosity of the humerus occurred due to a distinctive pathogenic mechanism. A 43-year-old male had his right shoulder forced into internal-rotation (i.

Use of autologous fibrin sealants to treat ganglion cysts: a report of two cases.

Two patients underwent arthroscopy-guided injections of autologous fibrin sealants to treat ganglion cysts causing suprascapular nerve palsies. After at least 2 years of follow-up, both patients had no suprascapular nerve symptoms and their external rotation strength had returned to normal. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed no evidence of ganglion cyst recurrence.

Hyaluronan modulates cell proliferation and mRNA expression of adhesion-related procollagens and cytokines in glenohumeral synovial/capsular fibroblasts in adhesive capsulitis.

There is a growing body of evidence supporting the use of hyaluronan (HA) in patients with adhesive capsulitis of the shoulder, although the mechanisms of the effect have not yet been clarified. This in vitro study examined the effects of HA on glenohumeral synovial/capsular fibroblasts (GSCFs) from patients with adhesive capsulitis of the shoulder. The study subjects were seven patients with primary or secondary adhesive capsulitis of the shoulder (average age: 55 years; range: 42-65).