Open supracondylar femur fractures with bone loss in the polytraumatized patient - Timing is everything!

Introduction: Open supracondylar femur fractures are rare, complex injuries which occur in polytrauma patients and are complicated by bone loss, contamination, compromised soft tissues, and poor host condition. The purpose of this study is to demonstrate a successful treatment protocol for these challenging injuries.

Methods: A consecutive series of 15 open supracondylar femur fractures in 14 polytrauma patients (ages 16-75, mean 41) were treated at one Level I trauma centre by a single surgeon.

Mesenchymal stem cells injection in degenerated intervertebral disc: cell leakage may induce osteophyte formation.

Recent studies have shown that mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)-based therapy might be an effective approach for the treatment of intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD). However, many unanswered questions remain before clinical translation, such as the most effective stem cell type, a reliable transplantation method, including the carrier choice, and the fate of stem cells after misdirected delivery, among others. The objective of the study was to evaluate the fate and effect of allogenic bone marrow MSCs after transplantation into an IDD model.

Surgical treatment of acute and chronic anterior and posterior cruciate ligament and medial-side injuries of the knee.

KD-IIIM knee injuries are challenging injuries that can do well when anatomic reconstruction techniques are used. This article describes the authors preferred reconstructions, timing of surgery, and rehabilitation techniques. The reconstructions are generally initiated 3 or 4 weeks after the injury when the local soft tissue injury allows and associated fractures have already been stabilized.

Gene therapy for the treatment of degenerative disk disease.

Recent biologic and biochemical advances have furthered our understanding of the complex environment of the intervertebral disk. This new understanding has allowed researchers to pursue novel treatments of intervertebral disk degeneration, targeting the biochemical pathways involved in the degenerative cascade. Gene therapy has shown much promise in this regard.

Regulation of transgene expression using an inducible system for improved safety of intervertebral disc gene therapy.

Study Design: Human nucleus pulposus cells (NPCs) were transduced with an adenoviral vector that expresses Fas Ligand (FasL) and green fluorescent protein (GFP) under the control of a tetracycline-regulated gene expression system to test the transgene control.

Objectives: To describe the application of a Tet-off gene regulation system for intervertebral disc (IVD) gene therapy.

Summary Of Background Data: Gene therapy has proven its ability to beneficially modulate the biologic processes of the IVD cells in vitro and in vivo.