Controlled laboratory study, Level II.

Therapeutic, retrospective comparative study, Level III.

Purpose. Surgical procedures are likely to be stressful for patients and their families. Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is a major surgical procedure used in the treatment of osteoarthritis. During this procedure the sounds of the saw and hammer may irritate the patient and adversely affect mood. The present study examines the effect of these intraoperative sounds during TKA on postoperative mood and anxiety, by comparing two different anesthetic procedures. Methods. A total of 40 patients who underwent TKA for grade IV gonarthrosis participated in the study. Patients were randomly divided into two groups: 20 patients in the general anesthesia group and 20 patients in the spinal anesthesia group. Mood and anxiety changes were evaluated using the Profile of Mood States (POMS) and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) instruments, respectively. Results. The postoperative POMS value in the spinal anesthesia group was definitively higher than the general anesthesia group, though the difference in preoperative and postoperative POMS and STAI scores between the two groups was not significant. Conclusion. It would seem that sounds of hammer and saw have no evident negative effect on patient's mood. Regional anesthesia is advisable for TKA patients and appropriate sedation can be administered during the operation if needed.

Boric acid (BA) has positive effects on bone tissue. In this study, the effects of BA on fracture healing were evaluated in an animal model. Standard closed femoral shaft fractures were created in 40 male Sprague-Dawley rats under general anesthesia. The rats were allocated into five groups (n = 8 each): group 1, control with no BA; groups 2 and 3, oral BA at doses of 4 and 8 mg/kg/day, respectively; group 4, local BA (8 mg/kg); and group 5, both oral and local BA (8 mg/kg/day orally and 8 mg/kg locally). After closed fracture creation, the fracture line was opened with a mini-incision, and BA was locally administered to the fracture area in groups 4 and 5. In groups 2, 3, and 5, BA was administered by gastric gavage daily until sacrifice. The rats were evaluated by clinical, radiological, and histological examinations. The control group (group 1) significantly differed from the local BA-exposed groups (groups 4 and 5) in the clinical evaluation. Front-rear and lateral radiographs revealed significant differences between the local BA-exposed groups and the control and other groups (p < 0.05). Clinical and radiological evaluations demonstrated adequate agreement between observers. The average histological scores significantly differed across groups (p = 0.007) and were significantly higher in groups 4 and 5 which were the local BA (8 mg/kg) and both oral and local BA (8 mg/kg/day orally and 8 mg/kg locally), respectively, compared to the controls. This study suggests that BA may be useful in fracture healing. Further research is required to demonstrate the most effective local dosage and possible use of BA-coated implants.

It was observed that aloe vera attenuated neuronal damage histopathologically and biochemically as pretreatment. Further studies may provide more evidence to determine the additional role of aloe vera in spinal cord ischemia reperfusion injury.