Platelet-rich plasma efficacy versus corticosteroid injection treatment for chronic severe plantar fasciitis.

Background: Chronic plantar fasciitis is a common orthopedic condition that can prove difficult to successfully treat. In this study, autologous platelet-rich plasma (PRP), a concentrated bioactive blood component rich in cytokines and growth factors, was compared to traditional cortisone injection in the treatment of chronic cases of plantar fasciitis resistant to traditional nonoperative management.

Methods: Forty patients (23 females and 17 males) with unilateral chronic plantar fasciitis that did not respond to a minimum of 4 months of standardized traditional nonoperative treatment modalities were prospectively randomized and treated with either a single ultrasound guided injection of 3 cc PRP or 40 mg DepoMedrol cortisone.

Platelet-rich plasma and plantar fasciitis.

Plantar fasciitis is the most common cause of heel pain and can prove difficult to treat in its most chronic and severe forms. Advanced cases of plantar fasciitis are often associated with ankle stiffness, heel spurs, and other conditions and can lead to extensive physical disability and financial loss. Most available traditional treatments, including orthoses, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and steroid injections have a paucity of supportive clinical evidence.

Platelet rich plasma treatment for chronic Achilles tendinosis.

Background: Chronic Achilles tendinosis is a relatively common but difficult orthopedic condition to treat. In this study, autologous platelet rich plasma (PRP), a concentrated bioactive blood component rich in cytokines and growth factors, was evaluated to determine its potential long-term efficacy in treating chronic cases of Achilles tendinosis resistant to traditional nonoperative management.

Methods: Thirty patients with chronic Achilles tendinosis who did not respond to a minimum of 6 months of traditional nonoperative treatment modalities were treated with a single ultrasound guided injection of PRP.

Magnetic resonance imaging in the evaluation of tibial eminence fractures in adults.

Proton density and T2-weighted sagittal, axial, coronal, and inversion recovery fat suppression magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) sequences were reviewed in 21 adults (10 men and 11 women) with 22 tibial eminence fractures. Average patient age was 43 years (range: 19-62 years). There were 3 type I, 3 type II, 12 type III, and 4 type IV fractures.

Medical support for athletic events.

With the continued growth of individual and team sports competition, there has been an increasing demand for qualified medical coverage at athletic events. Clinicians who provide medical coverage at athletic events must be prepared to handle a variety of injuries and other emergencies. This report reviews the clinician's medical responsibilities in athletic coverage, and lists the supplies and equipment that should be included in a field kit for this use.

Rupture of the posterior tibial tendon associated with closed ankle fracture.

Rupture of the posterior tibial tendon has rarely been associated with closed ankle fractures. All previous cases have been in association with pronation-external rotation type fractures in which the medial malleolus has been fractured. This case represents the first such report of a severed posterior tibial tendon in the absence of a medial malleolar fracture and reemphasizes the importance of critically evaluating intraoperative radiographs following the open reduction and internal fixation of closed ankle fractures to assess the possibility of soft tissue interposition.

Fatal fat embolism following total condylar knee arthroplasty.

Although fatality from fat emboli syndrome following total knee arthroplasty has been reported, most cases occurred following the insertion of hinged prostheses and few are documented with detailed pathology. The authors present the case of a 75-year-old patient with long-standing rheumatoid arthritis who underwent a total condylar type total knee arthroplasty procedure using an intramedullary femoral alignment system and expired 6 hours following surgery. On autopsy he had multiple organ involvement with fat emboli.

Team physician #9. The role and responsibilities of the competition physician.

The rapid growth of participation in contact sports has been accompanied by an increasing need for sporting event coverage by qualified physicians. The competition physician must not only be capable in contemporary emergency and sports medicine, but must also have organizational skills to coordinate satisfactory medical and ancillary backup. This monograph outlines a comprehensive plan for efficient preparation and execution of on-site sports injury assessment and care.

Type I dyserythropoietic anemia. A 30-year follow-up.

Dyserythropoietic anemias are extremely rare disorders which often are misdiagnosed as megaloblastic anemia, DiGuglielmo's syndrome, refractory sideroblastic anemia, paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria, or other hemolytic anemias. Dyserythropoietic anemia is now subclassified into four types, designated Types I through IV, depending upon light and ultrastructural morphology, erythrocyte immunology, and the course of the disease. This report details the findings in a case of Type I dyserythropoietic anemia that represented a puzzling case of anemia for over 30 years.

Prognostic factors in multiple myeloma.

The effect of certain disease parameters on remission and survial time was evaluated in 482 patients with multiple myeloma treated with intermittent courses of melphalan-prednisone combinations. Increasing degrees of anemia, hypercalcemia, azotemia, and high serum myeloma protein levels were associated with progressive lifespan shortening. The short survival of patients with anemia and hypercalcemia was associated with short remissions in responding patients with these abnormalities.