Sufian S. Ahmad

Mid-term results of transphyseal anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction in children and adolescents

BACKGROUND Optimal therapy for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture in the paediatric population still provokes controversy. Although conservative and operative treatments are both applied, operative therapy is slightly favored. Among available surgical techniques are physeal-sparing reconstruction and transphyseal graft fixation. The aim of this study was to present our mid-term results after transphyseal ACL reconstruction. METHODS Fifteen young patients (mean age=12.8±2.6, range=6.2-15.8 years, Tanner stage=2-4) with open physis and traumatic anterior cruciate rupture who had undergone transphyseal ACL reconstruction with unilateral quadriceps tendon graft were prospectively analyzed. All children were submitted to radiological evaluation to determine the presence of clearly open growth plates in both the distal femur and proximal tibia. Postoperatively, all patients were treated according to a standardized rehabilitation protocol and evaluated by radiographic analysis and the Lysholm-Gillquist and IKDC 2000 scores. Their health-related quality of life was measured using the SF-12 PCS (physical component summary) and MCS (mental component summary) questionnaires. RESULTS Mean postoperative follow-up was 4.1 years. Mean Lysholm-Gillquist score was 94.0. Thirteen of the 15 knees were considered nearly normal on the IKDC 2000 score. The mean SF-12 questionnaire score was 54.0±4.8 for SF-12 PCS and 59.1±3.7 for SF-12 MCS. No reruptures were observed. Radiological analysis detected one knee with valgus deformity. All patients had a normal gait pattern without restrictions. CONCLUSION Transphyseal reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament shows satisfactory mid-term results in the immature patient.

A novel technique, dynamic intraligamentary stabilization creates optimal conditions for primary ACL healing: a preliminary biomechanical study.

BACKGROUND Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture is a common lesion. Current treatment emphasizes arthroscopic ACL reconstruction via a graft, although this approach is associated with potential drawbacks. A new method of dynamic intraligamentary stabilization (DIS) was subjected to biomechanical analysis to determine whether it provides the necessary knee stability for optimal ACL healing. METHODS Six human knees from cadavers were harvested. The patellar tendon, joint capsule and all muscular attachments to the tibia and femur were removed, leaving the collateral and the cruciate ligaments intact. The knees were stabilized and the ACL kinematics analyzed. Anterior-posterior (AP) stability measurements evaluated the knees in the following conditions: (i) intact ACL, (ii) ACL rupture, (iii) ACL rupture with primary stabilization, (iv) primary stabilization after 50 motion cycles, (v) ACL rupture with DIS, and (vi) DIS after 50 motion cycles. RESULTS After primary suture stabilization, average AP laxity was 3.2 mm, which increased to an average of 11.26 mm after 50 movement cycles. With primary ACL stabilization using DIS, however, average laxity values were consistently lower than those of the intact ligament, increasing from an initial AP laxity of 3.00 mm to just 3.2 mm after 50 movement cycles. CONCLUSIONS Dynamic intraligamentary stabilization established and maintained close contact between the two ends of the ruptured ACL, thus ensuring optimal conditions for potential healing after primary reconstruction. The present ex vivo findings show that the DIS technique is able to restore AP stability of the knee.

Dynamic intraligamentary stabilisation: initial experience with treatment of acute ACL ruptures.

AIMS The purpose of this study was to report the experience of dynamic intraligamentary stabilisation (DIS) using the Ligamys device for the treatment of acute ruptures of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). PATIENTS AND METHODS Between March 2011 and April 2012, 50 patients (34 men and 16 women) with an acute rupture of the ACL underwent primary repair using this device. The mean age of the patients was 30 years (18 to 50). Patients were evaluated for laxity, stability, range of movement (ROM), Tegner, Lysholm, International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) and visual analogue scale (VAS) scores over a follow-up period of two years. RESULTS At final follow-up, anteroposterior translation differed from the normal knee by a mean of 0.96 mm (-2 mm to 6 mm). Median (interquartile range) IKDC, Tegner, Lysholm and VAS scores were 98 (95 to 100), 6 (5 to 7), 100 (98 to 100) and 10 (9 to 10), respectively. Pre-injury Tegner activity levels were reached one year post-operatively. A total of nine patients (18%) required a secondary intervention; five developed instability, of whom four underwent secondary hamstring reconstructive surgery, and five required arthroscopic treatment for intra-articular impingement due to scar tissue which caused a fixed flexion deformity. In addition, 30 patients (60%) required removal of the tibial screw. CONCLUSION While there was a high rate of secondary interventions, 45 patients (90%) retained their repaired ACL two years post-operatively, with good clinical scores and stability of the knee. TAKE HOME MESSAGE Dynamic intraligamentary stabilisation presents a promising treatment option for acute ACL ruptures, eliminating the need for ACL reconstruction. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2016;98-B:793-8.

Accuracy of diagnostic tests for prosthetic joint infection: a systematic review.

PurposeThere are few evidence-based recommendations on the most effective methods for diagnosing prosthetic joint infections (PJIs), and the potency of tests in relation to each other also remains vague. This systematic review aimed to (1) identify systematic reviews reporting accuracies of available approaches for diagnosing PJI, (2) critically appraise their quality and bias, and (3) compare the available approaches in terms of accuracy for diagnosing PJI.MethodsPubMed and EMBASE databases were searched for meta-analyses reporting accuracies of different diagnostic modalities for PJIs. Thirteen systematic reviews met the inclusion and exclusion criteria, and their data were extracted and tabulated by two reviewers in duplicate and independent manners.ResultsThe 13 articles reported diagnostic accuracy from 278 clinical studies comprising 27,754 patients and evaluating 13 diagnostic tests grouped into 7 broad categories. Implant sonication had the highest positive likelihood ratio (17.2), followed by bacteriology (15.3) and synovial fluid differentiated cytology (13.3). The highest negative likelihood ratio was for interleukin (IL)-6 serum marker (0.03) followed by synovial fluid cytology and differentiation (0.12 and 0.13, respectively).ConclusionThe diagnostic tests that are most likely to rule out PJI include serum IL-6, serum C-reactive protein, and synovial fluid cytology. On the other hand, the diagnostic test that is most likely to confirm PJI is implant sonication. Nuclear imaging showed low overall accuracy as diagnostic tests for PJI. The findings of this study could enable clinicians to confirm or rule out PJIs using the most accurate, rapid, least invasive, and cost-effective tools available, thereby enabling fast treatment before formation of resistant biofilms and degradation of patient conditions.Level of evidenceSystematic review, Level IV.

Functional recovery following primary ACL repair with dynamic intraligamentary stabilization.

BACKGROUND Recently, a new technique, dynamic intraligamentary stabilization (DIS) was introduced for the acute repair of ACL ruptures. The purpose of this study was to report the functional recovery for patients undergoing acute anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) repair alongside DIS. METHODS Forty five patients sustaining acute ACL rupture and treated with DIS repair were retrospectively evaluated. Limb symmetry index of the hop test as well as knee function by means of range of motion, knee swelling, pain and maximum strength were evaluated. Following completion of the rehabilitation program, the difference in anterior-posterior translation (Δ-AP Translation), IKDC, Tegner score (TAS) was additionally analyzed. RESULTS Forty five (13 females, 32 males) patients were included in the study. Mean age was 26years (range 18 to 54years). Median time to successfully complete hop test was 22.0weeks (range 11 to 32weeks) postoperatively. Median limb symmetry index 91.6%±8.3%. Median delta anterior-posterior translation compared to the healthy side was plus 0.0mm±1.6mm. Median IKDC was 89.5±6.5. Mean Tegner score (TAS) at 12months of follow-up was seven (range four to nine). Three patients suffered a rerupture during the first 12 postoperative months. CONCLUSIONS DIS technique with proper rehabilitation following acute ACL rupture provides successful functional recovery and low rerupture rate at one-year follow-up.

Hypermagnesemia is a strong independent risk factor for mortality in critically ill patients: results from a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND Patients with electrolyte imbalances or disorders have a high risk of mortality. It is unknown if this finding from sodium or potassium disorders extends to alterations of magnesium levels. METHODS AND PATIENTS In this cross-sectional analysis, all emergency room patients between 2010 and 2011 at the Inselspital Bern, Switzerland, were included. A multivariable logistic regression model was performed to assess the association between magnesium levels and in-hospital mortality up to 28days. RESULTS A total of 22,239 subjects were screened for the study. A total of 5339 patients had plasma magnesium concentrations measured at hospital admission and were included into the analysis. A total of 6.3% of the 352 patients with hypomagnesemia and 36.9% of the 151 patients with hypermagnesemia died. In a multivariate Cox regression model hypermagnesemia (HR 11.6, p<0.001) was a strong independent risk factor for mortality. In these patients diuretic therapy revealed to be protective (HR 0.5, p=0.007). Hypomagnesemia was not associated with mortality (p>0.05). Age was an independent risk factor for mortality (both p<0.001). CONCLUSION The study does demonstrate a possible association between hypermagnesemia measured upon admission in the emergency department, and early in-hospital mortality.

Chondroitin Sulfate Proteoglycan CSPG4 as a Novel Hypoxia-Sensitive Marker in Pancreatic Tumors

CSPG4 marks pericytes, undifferentiated precursors and tumor cells. We assessed whether the shed ectodomain of CSPG4 (sCSPG4) might circulate and reflect potential changes in CSPG4 tissue expression (pCSPG4) due to desmoplastic and malignant aberrations occurring in pancreatic tumors. Serum sCSPG4 was measured using ELISA in test (n = 83) and validation (n = 221) cohorts comprising donors (n = 11+26) and patients with chronic pancreatitis (n = 11+20) or neoplasms: benign (serous cystadenoma SCA, n = 13+20), premalignant (intraductal dysplastic IPMNs, n = 9+55), and malignant (IPMN-associated invasive carcinomas, n = 4+14; ductal adenocarcinomas, n = 35+86). Pancreatic pCSPG4 expression was evaluated using qRT-PCR (n = 139), western blot analysis and immunohistochemistry. sCSPG4 was found in circulation, but its level was significantly lower in pancreatic patients than in donors. Selective maintenance was observed in advanced IPMNs and PDACs and showed a nodal association while lacking prognostic relevance. Pancreatic pCSPG4 expression was preserved or elevated, whereby neoplastic cells lacked pCSPG4 or tended to overexpress without shedding. Extreme pancreatic overexpression, membranous exposure and tissuehigh/seralow-discordance highlighted stroma-poor benign cystic neoplasm. SCA is known to display hypoxic markers and coincide with von-Hippel-Lindau and Peutz-Jeghers syndromes, in which pVHL and LBK1 mutations affect hypoxic signaling pathways. In vitro testing confined pCSPG4 overexpression to normal mesenchymal but not epithelial cells, and a third of tested carcinoma cell lines; however, only the latter showed pCSPG4-responsiveness to chronic hypoxia. siRNA-based knockdowns failed to reduce the malignant potential of either normoxic or hypoxic cells. Thus, overexpression of the newly established conditional hypoxic indicator, CSPG4, is apparently non-pathogenic in pancreatic malignancies but might mark distinct epithelial lineage and contribute to cell polarity disorders. Surficial retention on tumor cells renders CSPG4 an attractive therapeutic target. Systemic ‘drop and restoration’ alterations accompanying IPMN and PDAC progression indicate that the interference of pancreatic diseases with local and remote shedding/release of sCSPG4 into circulation deserves broad diagnostic exploration.

Hyperphosphatemia Is an Independent Risk Factor for Mortality in Critically Ill Patients: Results from a Cross-Sectional Study.

Background Phosphate imbalances or disorders have a high risk of morbidity and mortality in patients with chronic kidney disease. It is unknown if this finding extends to mortality in patients presenting at an emergency room with or without normal kidney function. Methods and Patients This cross sectional analysis included all emergency room patients between 2010 and 2011 at the Inselspital Bern, Switzerland. A multivariable cox regression model was applied to assess the association between phosphate levels and in-hospital mortality up to 28 days. Results 22,239 subjects were screened for the study. Plasma phosphate concentrations were measured in 2,390 patients on hospital admission and were included in the analysis. 3.5% of the 480 patients with hypophosphatemia and 10.7% of the 215 patients with hyperphosphatemia died. In univariate analysis, phosphate levels were associated with mortality, age, diuretic therapy and kidney function (all p<0.001). In a multivariate Cox regression model, hyperphosphatemia (OR 3.29, p<0.001) was a strong independent risk factor for mortality. Hypophosphatemia was not associated with mortality (p>0.05). Conclusion Hyperphosphatemia is associated with 28-day in-hospital mortality in an unselected cohort of patients presenting in an emergency room.

The 100 Most Influential Publications in Cervical Spine Research.

Study Design. Bibliometric study of current literature. Objective. To identify and analyze the 100 most cited publications in cervical spine research. Summary of Background Data. The cervical spine is a dynamic field of research with many advances made within the last century. The literature has, however, never been comprehensively analyzed to identify and compare the most influential articles as measured by the number of citations. Methods. All databases of the Thomson Reuters Web of Knowledge were utilized in a two-step approach. First, the 150 most cited cervical spine studies up to and including 2014 were identified using four keywords. Second, all keywords related to the cervical spine found in the 150 studies (n = 38) were used to conduct a second search of the database. The top 100 most cited articles were hereby selected for further analysis of current and past citations, authorship, geographic origin, article type, and level of evidence. Results. Total citations for the 100 studies identified ranged from 173 to 879. They were published in the time frame 1952 to 2008 in a total of 30 different journals. Most studies (n = 42) were published in the decade 1991–2000. Level of evidence ranged from 1 to 5 with 39 studies in the level 4 category. A total of 13 researchers were first author more than once and nine researchers senior author more than once. The two-step approach with a secondary widening of search terms yielded an additional 27 studies, including the first ranking article. Conclusion. This bibliometric study is likely to include some of the most important milestones in the field of cervical spine research of the last 100 years. Level of Evidence: 3

Calcium Disorders in the Emergency Department: Independent Risk Factors for Mortality

Background Calcium disorders are common in both intensive care units and in patients with chronic kidney disease and are associated with increased morbidity and mortality. It is unknown whether calcium abnormalities in unselected emergency department admissions have an impact on in-hospital mortality. Methods This cross-sectional analysis included all admissions to the Emergency Department at the Inselspital Bern, Switzerland from 2010 to 2011. For hyper- and hypocalcaemic patients with a Mann-Whitney U-test, the differences between subgroups divided by age, length of hospital stay, creatinine, sodium, chloride, phosphate, potassium and magnesium were compared. Associations between calcium disorders and 28-day in-hospital mortality were assessed using the Cox proportional hazard regression model. Results 8,270 patients with calcium measurements were included in our study. Overall 264 (3.2%) patients died. 150 patients (6.13%) with hypocalcaemia and 7 patients with hypercalcaemia (6.19%) died, in contrast to 104 normocalcaemic patients (1.82%). In univariate analysis, calcium serum levels were associated with sex, mortality and pre-existing diuretic therapy (all p<0.05). In multivariate Cox regression analysis, hypocalcaemia and hypercalcaemia were independent risk factors for mortality (HR 2.00 and HR 1.88, respectively; both p<0.01). Conclusion Both hypocalcaemia and hypercalcaemia are associated with increased 28-day in-hospital mortality in unselected emergency department admissions.