An intramedullary free vascularized fibular graft combined with pasteurized autologous bone graft in leg reconstruction for patients with osteosarcoma.

The use of pasteurized autologous bone graft has been an innovation in limb-salvage surgery; however, its principal disadvantage is fracture, infection, pseudoarthrosis, and bone resorption. We present two cases in which an intramedullary free vascularized fibular graft combined with pasteurized autologous bone graft was performed for immediate femur or tibia reconstruction following osteosarcoma resection. The rationale of this method is to combine the mechanical strength of a pasteurized bone with the biological activity of a vascularized bone.

Atypical Mycobacterium infections of the upper extremity.

Background: We encountered five patients with atypical Mycobacterium infections in the upper extremity, and examined their outcomes.

Patients And Methods: Two patients were male and three were female. The average patient age was 67 (range, 63-75) years.

Enhancement of pedicle screw stability using calcium phosphate cement in osteoporotic vertebrae: in vivo biomechanical study.

We conducted an experimental study using female beagles with and without ovariectomy-induced osteoporosis to determine the effect of calcium phosphate cement (CPC) on the mechanical stability of inserted pedicle screws. A drill hole was created from the base of the transverse process to the vertebral body; CPC was injected into the hole, and then a screw was inserted into the same hole. In the presence of osteoporosis evidenced by dual X-ray absorptiometry, the stability of the inserted screw augmented by CPC against pull-out and cephalocaudal forces were significantly greater by 28% and 54% at 1 week after operation, 48% and 71% at 2 weeks, and 56% and 68% at 4 weeks compared with those without CPC.