Severe joint inflammation following trauma, arthroscopic surgery or infection can damage articular cartilage, thus every effort should be made to protect cartilage from the catabolic effects of pro-inflammatory cytokines and stimulate cartilage anabolic activities. Previous pre-clinical studies have shown that pulsed electromagnetic fields (PEMFs) can protect articular cartilage from the catabolic effects of pro-inflammatory cytokines, and prevent its degeneration, finally resulting in chondroprotection. These findings provide the rational to support the study of the effect of PEMFs in humans after arthroscopic surgery. The purpose of this pilot, randomized, prospective and double-blind study was to evaluate the effects of PEMFs in patients undergoing arthroscopic treatment of knee cartilage. Patients with knee pain were recruited and treated by arthroscopy with chondroabrasion and/or perforations and/or radiofrequencies. They were randomized into two groups: a control group (magnetic field at 0.05 mT) and an active group (magnetic field of 1.5 mT). All patients were instructed to use PEMFs for 90 days, 6 h per day. The patients were evaluated by the Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) test before arthroscopy, and after 45 and 90 days. The use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to control pain was also recorded. Patients were interviewed for the long-term outcome 3 years after arthroscopic surgery. Thirty-one patients completed the treatment. KOOS values at 45 and 90 days were higher in the active group and the difference was significant at 90 days (P < 0.05). The percentage of patients who used NSAIDs was 26% in the active group and 75% in the control group (P = 0.015). At 3 years follow-up, the number of patients who completely recovered was higher in the active group compared to the control group (P < 0.05). Treatment with I-ONE aided patient recovery after arthroscopic surgery, reduced the use of NSAIDs, and also had a positive long-term effect.

A minimally-invasive procedure using percutaneous reduction and external fixation can be carried out for Sanders' type II, III and IV fractures of the os calcis. We have treated 54 consecutive closed displaced fractures of the calcaneum involving the articular surface in 52 patients with the Orthofix Calcaneal Mini-Fixator. Patients were followed up for a mean of 49 months (27 to 94) and assessed clinically with the Maryland Foot Score and radiologically with radiographs and CT scans, evaluated according to the Score Analysis of Verona. The clinical results at follow-up were excellent or good in 49 cases (90.7%), fair in two (3.7%) and poor in three (5.6%). The mean pre-operative Böhler's angle was 6.98 degrees (5.95 degrees to 19.86 degrees), whereas after surgery the mean value was 21.94 degrees (12.58 degrees to 31.30 degrees) (p < 0.01). Excellent results on CT scanning were demonstrated in 24 cases (44.4%), good in 25 (46.3%), fair in three (5.6%) and poor in two (3.7%). Transient local osteoporosis was observed in ten patients (18.5%), superficial pin track infection in three (5.6%), and three patients (5.6%) showed thalamic displacement following unadvised early weight-bearing. The clinical results appear to be comparable with those obtainable with open reduction and internal fixation, with the advantages of reduced risk using a minimally-invasive technique.

Acrylic bone cement has had for years an important role in orthopedic surgery. Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) has been extended from the ophthalmological and dental fields to orthopedics, as acrylic cement used for fixation of prosthetic implants, for remodeling osteoporotic, neoplastic and vertebral fractures repair. The PMMA bone cement is a good carrier for sustained antibiotic release in the site of infection. Joint prostheses chronic infection requires surgical removal of the implant, in order to eradicate the infection process. This can be performed in the same surgical time (one-stage procedure) or in two separate steps (two-stage procedure, which involves the use of an antibiotic-loaded cement spacer). The mechanical and functional characteristics of the spacers allow a good joint range of motion, weight-bearing in selected cases and a sustained release of antibiotic at the site of infection. The improvement of fixation devices in recent years was not accompanied by the improvement of elderly bone quality. Some studies have tested the use of PMMA bone cement or calcium phosphate as augmentation support of internal fixation of these fractures. Over the past 20 years, experimental study of acrylic biomaterials (bone cement, bioglass ceramic, cement additives, absorbable cement, antibiotic spacers) has been of particular importance, offering numerous models and projects.

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A series of 140 patients with short stature operated on for limb lengthening (80 had achondroplasia, 20 had hypochondroplasia, 20 had Turner syndrome, 10 had idiopathic short stature due to an undemonstrated cause, 5 regarded their stature as too short, and 5 had a psychopathic personality due to dysmorphophobia that had developed because of their short stature) was reviewed. All patients underwent symmetric lengthening of both femora and tibiae; 10 of these achondroplastic patients underwent lengthening of the humeri. We carried out the 580 lengthening procedures by means of three different surgical techniques: 440 callotasis, 120 chondrodiatasis and 20 mid-shaft osteotomy. In the 130 patients with a disproportionate short stature, the average gain in length was 18.2 +/- 3.93 cm: 43.8% had complications and 3.8% had sequelae; the average treatment time was 31 months. In the 10 patients with proportionate short stature, the average gain in length was 10.8 +/- 1.00 cm: 4 experienced complications and none had sequelae; the average treatment time was 21 months. Patients who underwent lengthening of the upper limbs experienced an average gain in length of 10.2 +/- 1.25 cm: the average treatment time was 9 months and none of them experienced any complications or sequelae. The authors discuss how difficult it is to achieve the benefits of this surgery: they underline the strong commitment on the part of the patients and their families, the time in the hospital, the number of operations and, above all, the severity of those permanent sequelae that occurred.

The purpose of this study is to compare arthroscopic assisted reduction internal fixation (ARIF) treatment with open reduction internal fixation (ORIF) treatment in patients with tibial plateau fractures. We studied 100 patients with tibial plateau fractures (54 men and 46 women) examined by X-rays and CT scans, divided into 2 groups. Group A with associated meniscus tear was treated by ARIF technique, while in group B ORIF technique was used. The follow-up period ranged from 12 to 116 months. The patients were evaluated both clinically and radiologically according to the Rasmussen and HSS (The Hospital for Special Surgery knee-rating) scores. In group A, the average Rasmussen clinical score is 27.62 ± 2.60 (range, 19–30), while in group B is 26.81 ± 2.65 (range, 21–30). HSS score in group A was 76.36 ± 14.19 (range, 38–91) as the average clinical result, while in group B was 73.12 ± 14.55 (range, 45–91). According to Rasmussen radiological results, the average score for group A was 16.56 ± 2.66 (range, 8–18), while in group B was 15.88 ± 2.71 (range, 10–18). Sixty-nine of 100 patients in our study had associated intra-articular lesions. We had 5 early complications and 36 late complications. The study suggests that there are no differences between ARIF and ORIF treatment in Schatzker type I fractures. ARIF technique may increase the clinical outcome in Schatzker type II–III–IV fractures. In Schatzker type V and VI fractures, ARIF and ORIF techniques have both poor medium- and long-term results but ARIF treatment, when indicated, is the best choice for the lower rate of infections.

Composite cements have been shown to be biocompatible, bioactive, with good mechanical properties and capability to bind to the bone. Despite these interesting characteristic, in vivo studies on animal models are still incomplete and ultrastructural data are lacking. The acquisition of new ultrastructural data is hampered by uncertainties in the methods of preparation of histological samples due to the use of resins that melt methacrylate present in bone cement composition. A new porous acrylic cement composed of polymethyl-metacrylate (PMMA) and β-tricalcium-phosphate (p-TCP) was developed and tested on an animal model. The cement was implanted in femurs of 8 New Zealand White rabbits, which were observed for 8 weeks before their sacrifice. Histological samples were prepared with an infiltration process of LR white resin and then the specimens were studied by X-rays, histology and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). As a control, an acrylic standard cement, commonly used in clinical procedures, was chosen. Radiographic ultrastructural and histological exams have allowed finding an excellent biocompatibility of the new porous cement. The high degree of osteointegration was demonstrated by growth of neo-created bone tissue inside the cement sample. Local or systemic toxicity signs were not detected. The present work shows that the proposed procedure for the evaluation of biocompatibility, based on the use of LR white resin allows to make a thorough and objective assessment of the biocompatibility of porous and non-porous bone cements.