Lateral wall fixation with bone pegs for advanced osteochondritis dissecans of the humeral capitellum.

Background And Hypothesis: It is generally considered that fragment fixation with bone pegs (FFBP) for osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) of the humeral capitellum can be indicated for stages I and II according to the International Cartilage Repair Society (ICRS) classification of OCD and it is difficult to obtain complete bone union for advanced lesions. However, the clinical and radiologic results of FFBP with cancellous bone graft for ICRS-OCD stage III with lateral wall involvement have not been described in detail. Good bone union can be achieved with the lateral wall fragment of the capitellum by FFBP in combination with refreshing the sclerotic surface at the base of the lesion and cancellous bone grafting even in ICRS-OCD stage III lesions.

Conservative treatment of severe clubfoot using a novel functional dynamic splint.

Forty-six severe clubfeet in 29 patients were treated by serial castings, followed by a newly developed dynamic splint. The mean period of splint usage was 59.9 months and the mean period of follow-up was 81.

Strong adhesiveness of a new biodegradable hydrogel glue, LYDEX, for use on articular cartilage.

Aim: Until recently, only fibrin glue has been available for clinical usage to repair articular cartilage, although its adhesiveness is not strong enough for use with articular cartilage, and it is derived from human blood and thus carries the risk of contamination. Recently, LYDEX, a new biodegradable hydrogel glue, has come onto the market. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the adhesive strength and cytotoxicity of LYDEX when used on articular cartilage.

Articular cartilage repair with magnetic mesenchymal stem cells.

Background: Cell therapies are hampered by the difficulty of delivering cells to and retaining them in target tissues long enough to repair or regenerate local tissues.

Hypothesis: Magnetic-assisted delivery of magnetically labeled mesenchymal stem cells (m-MSCs) would be rapid, allowing for chondrogenic differentiation and functional joint repair without replacement.

Study Design: Controlled laboratory study.

Evaluation of joint position sense measured by inversion angle replication error in patients with an osteochondral lesion of the talus.

The etiology of the osteochondral lesion of the talar dome (OLT) remains unclear. A joint position sense deficit of the ankle is reported to be a possible cause of ankle disorder. Repeated contact of the articular surface of the talar dome with the plafond during inversion might be a cause of OLT.

Overexpression of microRNA-223 in rheumatoid arthritis synovium controls osteoclast differentiation.

Objectives: MicroRNAs, a class of noncoding RNAs, play roles in human diseases. MicroRNA-223 (miR-223) is reported to play critical roles in osteoclastogenesis. The purpose of this study was to analyze the expression pattern of miR-223 in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) synovium and examine the suppression of osteoclastogenesis from human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) by overexpression of miR-223.

Characteristic shape of the lateral femoral condyle in patients with osteochondritis dissecans accompanied by a discoid lateral meniscus.

Background: There are various indirect signs of a discoid lateral meniscus in radiographs, for example lateral joint space widening, hypoplasia of the LFC, etc. There has, however, been no previous report of the characteristic shape of the lateral femoral condyle (LFC) in patients with osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) accompanied by a discoid lateral meniscus. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the characteristic shape of the LFC in patients with OCD accompanied by a discoid lateral meniscus, and sex differences associated with the shape of the LFC in those patients.

Changes in microRNA expression in peripheral mononuclear cells according to the progression of osteoarthritis.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a family of non-coding RNAs that play an important role in human diseases, including osteoarthritis (OA). The objective of this study was to investigate the expression patterns of miRNAs in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of OA patients. PBMCs were isolated from 36 patients with OA, 6 RA patients, and 36 healthy controls.

Determination of the safe penetration depth during all-inside meniscal repair of the posterior part of the lateral meniscus using the FasT-Fix suture repair system.

Purpose: The objective of this study was to determine the safe penetration depth of the FasT-Fix meniscal suture repair system during all-inside repair of the posterior part of the lateral meniscus.

Methods: Thirty-one knees from 17 embalmed and formalin-fixed cadavers (11 women, 6 men) were used. In each case, the circumference of the cadaver knee was measured before dissection.

The inhibitory effect of microRNA-146a expression on bone destruction in collagen-induced arthritis.

Objective: MicroRNA, a class of noncoding RNA, play a role in human diseases. MicroRNA-146a (miR-146a) is a negative regulator of immune and inflammatory responses, and is strongly expressed in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) synovium and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). This study was undertaken to examine whether miR-146a expression inhibits osteoclastogenesis, and whether administration of miR-146a prevents joint destruction in mice with collagen-induced arthritis (CIA).

Effects of unloading bracing on knee and hip joints for patients with medial compartment knee osteoarthritis.

Background: Osteoarthritis affects the whole body, thus biomechanical effects on other joints should be considered. Unloading knee braces could be effective for knee osteoarthritis, but their effects on the contralateral knee and bilateral hip joints remain unknown. This study investigated the effects of bracing on the kinematics and kinetics of involved and contralateral joints during gait.

Medial patellofemoral ligament reconstruction fixed with a cylindrical bone plug and a grafted semitendinosus tendon at the original femoral site for recurrent patellar dislocation.

Background: The medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL) is the most important factor for stabilizing the patella and preventing lateral patellar dislocation. Medial patellofemoral ligament reconstruction is an accepted surgical technique to restore patellofemoral stability after lateral patellar dislocation. The authors recently developed a new anatomical MPFL reconstruction method using a cylindrical bone plug and grafted semitendinosus tendon at the anatomical femoral attachment site to mimic the native MPFL.

Silencing microRNA-34a inhibits chondrocyte apoptosis in a rat osteoarthritis model in vitro.

Objective: miRNAs, which are non-coding RNAs, play a role in the pathogenesis of disease including OA. miRNA (miR)-34a is induced by p53, subsequently leading to cell apoptosis, which is one of the major factors in the pathogenesis of OA. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of silencing miR-34a on IL-1β-induced chondrocyte apoptosis in a rat OA model in vitro.

Acceleration of muscle regeneration by local injection of muscle-specific microRNAs in rat skeletal muscle injury model.

MicroRNA (miRNA)s are a class of non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expression post-transcriptionally. Muscle-specific miRNA, miRNA (miR)-1, miR-133 and miR-206 play a crucial role in the regulation of muscle development and homeostasis. Muscle injuries are a common musculoskeletal disorder, and the most effective treatment has not been established yet.

Induction of apoptosis in the synovium of mice with autoantibody-mediated arthritis by the intraarticular injection of double-stranded MicroRNA-15a.

Objective: MicroRNA is a family of noncoding RNAs that exhibit tissue-specific or developmental stage-specific expression patterns and are associated with human diseases. MicroRNA-15a (miR-15a) is reported to induce cell apoptosis by negatively regulating the expression of Bcl-2, which suppresses the apoptotic processes. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether double-stranded miR-15a administered by intraarticular injection could be taken up by cells and could induce Bcl-2 dysfunction and cell apoptosis in the synovium of arthritic mice in vivo.

Potential risks of femoral tunnel drilling through the far anteromedial portal: a cadaveric study.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to estimate the potential risks when drilling femoral tunnels through the far anteromedial portal in double-bundle anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction in cadaveric knees.

Methods: Ten cadaveric knees were used. We drilled the anteromedial bundle (AMB) and posterolateral bundle (PLB) through the far anteromedial portal at 3 different knee flexion angles: 70 degrees, 90 degrees, and 110 degrees.