FOXO1 gene involvement in a non-rhabdomyosarcomatous neoplasm.

Myoepithelial neoplasms of soft tissue are rare tumors with clinical, morphological, immunohistochemical, and genetic heterogeneity. The morphological spectrum of these tumors is broad, and the diagnosis often requires immunostaining to confirm myoepithelial differentiation. Rarely, tumors show a morphology that is typical for myoepithelial neoplasms, while the immunophenotype fails to confirm myoepithelial differentiation.

[Scapholunate lesions and instabilities--how to recognize and treat them?].

The lesions of the scapholunate ligament are some of the most frequently encountered in the wrist. Left untreated, the complete rupture of the ligament is followed by degenerative arthritis according to a well-defined pattern of progression through the wrist, eventually leading to multifocal arthrosis, a condition described as scapholunate advanced collapse (SLAC wrist). The scapholunate lesions are classified in stages according to the degree of the lesion established by imaging studies or arthroscopy and to the chronicity of the lesion.

Midterm Outcome of Bone-Ligament-Bone Graft and Dorsal Capsulodesis for Chronic Scapholunate Instability.

Purpose: To assess midterm outcomes of our bone-ligament-bone (BLB) grafts for chronic scapholunate (SL) instability and better define criteria for their use.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of 26 patients treated with BLB grafts and dorsal capsulodesis between 1997 and 2009. Twenty-four patients were reviewed.

[When and which treatment for scapho-lunate ligament lesions?].

The lesions of the scapholunate ligament are some of the most frequently encountered in the wrist. Left untreated, the complete rupture of the ligament is followed by degenerative arthritis according to a well-defined pattern of progression through the wrist, eventually leading to multifocal arthrosis, a condition described as scapholunate advanced collapse (SLAC wrist). The scapholunate lesions are classified in stages according to the degree of the lesion established by imaging studies or arthroscopy and to the chronicity of the lesion.

Effect of controlled co-delivery of synergistic neurotrophic factors on early nerve regeneration in rats.

Present interventions to repair severed peripheral nerves provide slow and poor early axonal regeneration, which may cause unsatisfactory functional reinnervation. To improve early axonal regeneration in a 10 mm rat sciatic nerve gap model, we developed collagen nerve conduits loaded with the synergistically acting glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) and nerve growth factor (NGF). For controlling the concomitant GDNF and NGF release, the collagen tubes were cross-linked by a dehydro-thermal treatment (110 degrees C; 20 mbar; 5 days) prior to impregnating the tubes with GDNF and NGF and by coating drug-loaded tubes with layers of poly(lactide-co-glycolide).

Collagen nerve conduits releasing the neurotrophic factors GDNF and NGF.

Artificial nerve conduits (NC) can clinically be instrumental for facilitating the surgery of damaged peripheral nerves. To improve axonal regeneration of injured peripheral nerves, we have developed collagen nerve conduits (NC) releasing glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) alone or in combination with nerve growth factor (NGF), which exert synergistic action on axonal growth. Degradation of the NC and their mechanical and drug release properties were controlled by two means: (i) cross-linking the collagen tubes by physical means, through a dehydro-thermal treatment (DHT), before loading with the neurotrophic factors (NTFs) GDNF or GDNF/NGF; and (ii) coating the drug-loaded collagen tubes with layers of poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA).

Synergistic effect of GDNF and NGF on axonal branching and elongation in vitro.

There is a clinical need to enhance functional recovery of injured peripheral nerves. Local administration of neurotrophic factors (NTFs) after surgical repair has been proposed for this purpose. Little is known, however, on the optimal local dose and dosing frequency of NTFs in a peripheral nerve defect.

Controlled nerve growth factor release from multi-ply alginate/chitosan-based nerve conduits.

The delivery kinetics of growth factors has been suggested to play an important role in the regeneration of peripheral nerves following axotomy. In this context, we designed a nerve conduit (NC) with adjustable release kinetics of nerve growth factor (NGF). A multi-ply system was designed where NC consisting of a polyelectrolyte alginate/chitosan complex was coated with layers of poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) to control the release of embedded NGF.

Variations in glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor release from biodegradable nerve conduits modify the rate of functional motor recovery after rat primary nerve repairs.

Accelerating axonal regeneration to shorten the delay of reinnervation and improve functional recovery after a peripheral nerve lesion is a clinical demand and an experimental challenge. We developed a resorbable nerve conduit (NC) for controlled release of glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) with the aim of assessing motor functional recovery according to the release kinetics of this factor in a short gap model. Different types of resorbable NCs were manufactured from a collagen tube and multiple coating layers of poly(lactide-coglycolide), varying in poly(lactide-coglycolide) type and coating thickness to afford three distinct release kinetics of the neurotrophic factor.

Silk fibroin matrices for the controlled release of nerve growth factor (NGF).

Nerve conduits (NC) for peripheral nerve repair should guide the sprouting axons and physically protect the axonal cone from any damage. The NC should also degrade after completion of its function to obviate the need of subsequent explanation and should optionally be suitable for controlled drug release of embedded growth factors to enhance nerve regeneration. Silk fibroin (SF) is a biocompatible and slowly biodegradable biomaterial with excellent mechanical properties that could meet the above stated requirements.

Nerve conduits and growth factor delivery in peripheral nerve repair.

Peripheral nerves possess the capacity of self-regeneration after traumatic injury. Transected peripheral nerves can be bridged by direct surgical coaptation of the two nerve stumps or by interposing autografts or biological (veins) or synthetic nerve conduits (NC). NC are tubular structures that guide the regenerating axons to the distal nerve stump.

Hydrogel nerve conduits produced from alginate/chitosan complexes.

Nerve conduits (NCs) represent a promising alternative to conventional treatments for peripheral nerve repair. Materials for NC production should be biodegradable, possess adequate mechanical properties, and allow for exchange of nutrients. To this aim, we developed biodegradable NC made of a hydrogel that consisted of the oppositely charged polysaccharides alginate and chitosan.

Accessory extensor pollicis longus.

Phylogenetically the accessory extensor pollicis longus in man seems to find its origin in the deep extensor layer, and this has largely been described in primates. I describe a case and present a comprehensive review of other publications on the subject.

Development of neuropathic pain in the rat spared nerve injury model is not prevented by a peripheral nerve block.

Background: The mechanisms responsible for initiation of persistent neuropathic pain after peripheral nerve injury are unclear. One hypothesis is that injury discharge and early ectopic discharges in injured nerves produce activity-dependent irreversible changes in the central nervous system. The aim of this study was to determine whether blockade of peripheral discharge by blocking nerve conduction before and 1 week after nerve injury could prevent the development and persistence of neuropathic pain-like behavior in the spared nerve injury model.

A mechanical comparison of bone-ligament-bone autografts from the wrist for replacement of the scapholunate ligament.

A study was performed to compare the mechanical properties of two intracarpal ligaments with those of the dorsal component of the scapholunate interosseous ligament (SLIL). Trapezoid-to-second metacarpal, capitate-to-trapezoid ligaments, and the dorsal part of the SLIL were obtained as bone-ligament-bone grafts from fresh frozen cadavers. Their respective load to failure and stiffness were measured under uniaxial load on a servohydraulic machine and compared.

Complications of plate fixation in metacarpal fractures.

Background: The objective of this study is to assess the complications after open reduction and plate fixation of extra-articular metacarpal fractures.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the clinical and radiologic records of 129 consecutive patients with 157 metacarpal fractures treated by open reduction and internal fixation with plates between 1993 and 1999. Intra-articular fractures and fractures of the thumb metacarpal were excluded.

GDNF and NGF released by synthetic guidance channels support sciatic nerve regeneration across a long gap.

The present work was performed to determine the ability of neurotrophic factors to allow axonal regeneration across a 15-mm-long gap in the rat sciatic nerve. Synthetic nerve guidance channels slowly releasing NGF and GDNF were fabricated and sutured to the cut ends of the nerve to bridge the gap. After 7 weeks, nerve cables had formed in nine out of ten channels in both the NGF and GDNF groups, while no neuronal cables were present in the control group.