Functional Outcome of Kyphoplasty in Osteoporotic Vertebral Fractures in Patients with Severe Disability Above 60 Years of Age: Mid to Long Term Follow up.

Background:  Vertebral osteoporotic fractures are a worldwide problem and can cause significant morbidity.

Material And Methods: retrospective analysis reviewing functional outcome of 70 patients who underwent balloon-kyphoplasty(BK). Inclusion criteria, a-patients above 60 years of age b-symptomatic patients who failed conservative treatment c-radiological diagnosis of vertebral compression fracture(VCF).

Tuberculous arthritis of the knee with Staphylococcus superinfection.

We describe a case of septic arthritis of the knee in which the diagnosis of tuberculosis was masked by an initial culture growth of Staphylococcus aureus. This led to a delay in diagnosis and an adverse outcome. In the appropriate clinical setting, we suggest that the index of suspicion for skeletal tuberculosis be raised in developed countries in order to avoid diagnostic delay, by requesting cultures for acid-fast bacilli and synovial biopsies at arthroscopy.

The effect of varying percentage hydroxyapatite in poly(ethylmethacrylate) bone cement on human osteoblast-like cells.

Poly(ethylmethacrylate) (PEMA) bone cement has been developed, and the cements mechanical properties are improved by the incorporation of particulate fillers, such as hydroxyapatite (HA). In this in vitro study, human osteoblast-like (HOB) cells were used to examine the effect on cellular behavior of the addition of HA to PEMA using a plain PEMA control. Thymidine uptake ((3)H-TdR) and total DNA were used to assess cell growth and proliferation.