Magnetic Resonance Imaging Prior Authorizations for Orthopaedic Care Are Negatively Affected by Medicaid Insurance Status.

Background: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has revolutionized musculoskeletal care. However, its high costs and high utilization has prompted many insurance payors to require a prior authorization. This process remains burdensome and results in delays to patient care.

Photobiostimulation Therapy (PBST) and Pulsed Electromagnetic Field Therapy (PEMF) in Hair Loss Treatment: Multicentric, Retrospective, Case-Control Study.

Background: The combined use of micro-needling (MND), growth factors (GFs), and low-level light/laser therapy (LLLT), here identified as photobiostimulation therapy (PBST) and pulsed electromagnetic field therapy (PEMF), is a hair loss (HL) treatment that needs to be standardized as it seems to have promising effects on hair regrowth (HR-G).

Objectives: The study compared the clinical and instrumental results obtained in patients affected by androgenic alopecia (AGA) and HL related to COVID-19 treated using PEMF combined with PBST with those obtained by only PBST.

Methods: A multicentric, retrospective, observational, case-control study was conducted.

Multimodal layer-by-layer nanoparticles: a breakthrough in gene and drug delivery for osteosarcoma.

Osteosarcoma is one of the most common primary malignant bone tumours in children and adolescents, frequently arising from mesenchymal tissue in the distal femur. It is highly aggressive, often metastasising to the lungs. Current treatments, which include surgery combined with neoadjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy, are often unsatisfactory due to the inability of surgery to control metastasis and the side effects and drug resistance associated with chemotherapy.

An Efficiency Model for Decreasing Operative Room Turnover Time for Total Joint Arthroplasties.

Objectives: Despite an increased demand for total joint arthroplasty (TJA), rising health-care costs and bundling of payments by payers have shifted the focus to improving operating room (OR) efficiency. This study aimed to assess the efficacy of an efficiency model that optimized instrument trays on decreasing OR turnover time (TOT) and the benefits made possible by this improved efficiency.

Methods: All primary TJA procedures performed by a single fellowship-trained surgeon from January 2022 to August 2023 were reviewed.

A quantification of the electron return effect using Monte Carlo simulations and experimental measurements for the MRI-linac.

The integration of magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and linear accelerators into hybrid treatment systems has made MR-guided radiation therapy a clinical reality. This work aims to evaluate the influence of the Electron Return Effect (ERE) on the dose distributions. This study was conducted using MRIdian (ViewRay, Cleveland, Ohio) system.

Bioprinted High-Cell-Density Laminar Scaffolds Stimulate Extracellular Matrix Production in Osteochondral Co-Cultures.

Many tissues have a laminar structure, but there are limited technologies for establishing laminar co-cultures for in vitro testing. Here, we demonstrate that collagen-alginate-fibrin (CAF) hydrogel scaffolds produced using the reactive jet impingement bioprinting technique can produce osteochondral laminar co-cultures with well-defined interfaces between cell types and high cell densities to support cell-cell interaction across the interfaces. The influence of cell density and the presence of the two cell types on the production of extracellular matrix (ECM) and the emergent mechanical properties of gels is investigated using IHC, ELISA, gel mass, and the compression modulus.

Autologous Micrografts Containing Nanovesicles, Exosomes, and Follicle Stem Cells in Androgenetic Alopecia: In Vitro and In Vivo Analysis Through a Multicentric, Observational, Evaluator-Blinded Study.

Background: The use of micrografts (MCGs) containing human follicle mesenchymal stem cells (HF-MSCs) is a hair loss (HL) treatment that needs to be standardized as seems to have promising effects on hair regrowth (HR-G) also thanks to the presence of extracellular vesicles (EVs).

Objectives: The study aims to report both the in vivo results, obtained in patients affected by androgenic alopecia (AGA) treated using MCGs, and in vitro analysis characterizing the EVs.

Methods: A multicentric, retrospective, observational, evaluator-blinded study was conducted.

Investigating the long-term outcomes and efficacy of surgical intervention in patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis and Cobb angles ranging between 40 and 50 degrees.

Purpose: Patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) are either managed with non-operative strategies or surgery depending on the severity of lateral curvature and impact on quality of life. However, supportive evidence for the appropriate treatment approach is lacking in AIS patients with Cobb angles between 40 and 50 degrees. Therefore, we investigated differences in long-term patient-centered outcomes in AIS patients with Cobb angles between 40 and 50 degrees who received either operative or non-operative management.

Magnetic Resonance-Guided Stereotactic Radioablation for Septal Ventricular Tachycardias.

Background: Stereotactic arrhythmia radioablation (STAR) was introduced to treat ventricular tachycardia (VT) refractory to catheter ablation. No data are now available in the septal VT substrate setting, representing a challenge when using conventional techniques.

Objectives: This study sought to evaluate the arrhythmic burden in patients with septal VT treated with magnetic resonance-guided STAR (MRgSTAR).

Modified peri-areolar mastopexy and fat grafting in complex breast ptosis: A randomized open-label controlled trial.

Background: Complex breast ptosis may be caused by moderate to severe degrees of skin and glandular sagging associated with breast and nipple-areola complex (NAC) asymmetries and deformities. The use of traditional peri-areolar mastopexy (t-PM) with or without implants is limited only to mild or moderate breast ptosis.

Objectives: This study aimed to report the safety and efficacy of the modified peri-areolar mastopexy (m-PM) characterized by a vertical shift of the classical pattern with implants and fat grafting (FG) in complex breast ptosis and to evaluate the influence of breast and NAC asymmetries, breast, and chest deformities on aesthetics outcomes.

Socioeconomic Status and Time to Treatment in Patients With Traumatic Rotator Cuff Tears.

Introduction: Socioeconomic status (SES) affects access to care for traumatic rotator cuff (RTC) tears. Delayed time to treatment (TTT) of traumatic RTC tears results in worse functional outcomes. We investigated disparities in TTT and hypothesized that individuals from areas of low SES would have longer time to surgical repair.

[The pulmonary artery catheter in the intensive cardiac care unit].

More than 50 years after its introduction in clinical practice, the increase in the intensity of care offered by the cardiac intensive care units, the shift in the population of patients treated and the wider availability of circulatory supports, still makes the pulmonary artery catheter (PAC) an essential tool for diagnosis, monitoring and prognosis in patients suffering from cardiogenic shock. In this review, we will discuss how to identify those patients who can benefit most from its use, the configuration and the correct insertion technique of a PAC. A pragmatic guide will also be provided for the interpretation of the hemodynamic indexes (direct and calculated) that the PAC is able to reveal as well as a summary of the most common errors in reading or interpreting the pressure curves provided by the PAC.

Synergistic nanocoating with layer-by-layer functionalized PCL membranes enhanced by manuka honey and essential oils for advanced wound healing.

Chronic wounds represent a significant global health concern, statistically impacting 1-2% of the population in developed countries throughout their lifetimes. These wounds cause considerable discomfort for patients and necessitate substantial expenditures of time and resources for treatment. Among the emerging therapeutic approaches, medicated dressings incorporating bioactive molecules, including natural compounds, are particularly promising.

AI-enhanced "Two-thirds Guidelines" for Lipolifting: Addressing Multiple Hallmarks of Facial Aging.

Background: Facial aging involves complex changes such as volume loss, ligament weakening, and skin quality alterations. The "two-thirds guidelines" emerge as a novel strategy to combat these aging signs, drawing from an extensive analysis of 2800 facial fat grafting procedures conducted over two decades.

Methods: Guided by facial lipolifting data, including patient age, fat type (microfat and nanofat), and injection depth, this study devises a systematic framework for multilayer fat rejuvenation and ligament restoration.

Mental Health Disorders and Surgical Outcomes in Patients With Bone and Soft Tissue Sarcoma.

Background: We conducted a study to investigate the relationship between a mental health diagnosis (MHD) and postoperative outcomes in orthopedic patients with bone and soft tissue sarcoma. We hypothesized that patients with sarcoma with a preoperative MHD would have worse outcomes and more postoperative complications.

Materials And Methods: A retrospective review was performed of 356 patients who underwent surgical treatment for bone or soft tissue sarcoma.

Differences in Risk Factors for Rotator Cuff Tears in Young Versus Old Individuals.

Background The etiology of rotator cuff tears is thought to be multifactorial with current literature that varies with regard to identifiable risk factors. The purpose of this retrospective review was to identify risk factors for full-thickness rotator cuff tears and determine whether they differ in young versus older individuals. Methods To determine the presence or absence of a rotator cuff tear, 1,561 patients with a shoulder MRI were reviewed.

Exploiting residual cocoa biomass to extract advanced materials as building blocks for manufacturing nanoparticles aimed at alleviating formation-induced oxidative stress on human dermal fibroblasts.

The global adoption of by-product valorisation processes aligns with the circular economy framework, ensuring sustainability in the agricultural sector. In cocoa production, residual biomass can offer the opportunity to extract advanced materials, contributing to nanotherapeutic solutions for biomedical applications. This study explores extraction processes for valorising cocoa pod husks (CPHs) and optimising valuable cocoa-derived biocompounds for enhanced health benefits.

Effectiveness of gellan gum scaffolds loaded with Boswellia serrata extract for in-situ modulation of pro-inflammatory pathways affecting cartilage healing.

In this study, we developed a composite hydrogel based on Gellan gum containing Boswellia serrata extract (BSE). BSE was either incorporated directly or loaded into an MgAl-layered double hydroxide (LDH) clay to create a multifunctional cartilage substitute. This composite was designed to provide anti-inflammatory properties while enhancing chondrogenesis.

Accuracy of Clinical Suspicion for Rotator Cuff Tears by Orthopedic Surgeons When MRI Was Ordered on Initial Visits: Should Physical Therapy Be Mandated by Insurance Before MRI?

Introduction: Insurance companies often mandate six weeks of physical therapy (PT) prior to approving MRIs for patients with atraumatic rotator cuff (RTC) tears. While this is designed to limit unnecessary imaging orders, it can increase healthcare costs and delay diagnosis and surgery. This study investigated the incidence of full- and partial-thickness tears when an MRI was ordered at the time of initial consultation for shoulder pain by an orthopedic provider.