Osteoarthritis is a common cause of disability worldwide. Although commonly referred to as a disease of the joint cartilage, osteoarthritis affects all joint tissues equally. The pathogenesis of this degenerative process is not completely understood; however, a low-grade inflammation leading to an imbalance between anabolic and katabolic processes is a well-established factor. The complex network of cytokines regulating these processes and cell communication has a central role in the development and progression of osteoarthritis. Concentrations of both proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines were found to be altered depending on the osteoarthritis stage and activity. In this review, we analyzed individual cytokines involved in the immune processes with an emphasis on their function in osteoarthritis.

Incisional hernias occur primarily as a result of high tension and inadequate healing of a previous incision, the latter of which is frequently related to infection at the surgical site. Despite recent advances in operative techniques, the recurrence rate remains unacceptably high. To evaluate the impact of different predisposing factors for the recurrence of incisional hernia, we reviewed retrospectively the medical records of 297 patients who had undergone incisional herniorrhaphy (188 tissue repairs, 109 mesh repairs) in our hospital. Demographic data (age and gender), type of repair, body mass index, hernia size, presence of chronic illnesses and wound complications were evaluated in a univariate and multivariate manner analysis. The overall recurrence rate was 30.3%, with the recurrence rate in patients who underwent tissue repair being 39.4% and that in patients following prosthetic repair 14.6%. The recurrence rate was significantly influenced by type of repair, obesity, hernia size, wound healing disorders and some chronic comorbidities. We conclude that it is necessary to become familiar with the risk factors for recurrence of incisional hernia in order to eliminate or decrease their effect on the positive outcome of incisional herniorrhaphy.

Osteoarthritis is the most common musculoskeletal progressive disease, with the knee as the most commonly affected joint in the human body. While several new medications are still under research, many symptomatic therapy options, such as analgesics (opioid and non-opioid), nonsteroid anti-inflammatory drugs, symptomatic slow-acting drugs in osteoarthritis, and preparations for topical administration, are being used, with a diverse clinical response and inconsistent conclusions across various professional societies guidelines. The concept of pharmacogenomic-guided therapy, which lies on principles of the right medication for the right patient in the right dose at the right time, can significantly increase the patient’s response to symptom relief therapy in knee osteoarthritis. Corticosteroid intra-articular injections and hyaluronic acid injections provoke numerous discussions and disagreements among different guidelines, even though they are currently used in daily clinical practice. Biological options, such as platelet-rich plasma and mesenchymal stem cell injections, have shown good results in the treatment of osteoarthritis symptoms, greatly increasing the patient’s quality of life, especially when combined with other therapeutic options. Non-inclusion of the latter therapies in the guidelines, and their inconsistent stance on numerous therapy options, requires larger and well-designed studies to examine the true effects of these therapies and update the existing guidelines.

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Whereas open Lichtenstein inguinal herniorrhaphy is generally accepted as a safe, well-understood method with a high success rate, the laparoscopic repair of a inguinal hernia is a fairly recent technique. Although the laparoscopic approach to a hernia repair procedure is associated with less pain and faster recovery than open repair, many surgeons are not familiar with this technique owing to technical demands and a long learning curve. This study compares the results and complications between open tension-free mesh (Lichtenstein) repair and laparoscopic total extraperitoneal (TEP) repair. The study cohort was comprised of 345 consecutive patients who underwent an inguinal herniorraphy procedure. An open hernia repair was performed on one group of patients (n = 233), whereas TEP repair was performed on the other (n = 112), and then the comparison of intra- and postoperative complications and results obtained from both techniques was done. The mean hospital stay was similar in both groups. The average operative time in the TEP group was 58.6 +/- 18.1 minutes, and the average operative time in the open group was 58.2 +/- 17.8 minutes. There was no difference in postoperative complication rates between the two groups, except for urinary retention, which patients who underwent TEP repair were more likely to get. The following major complications were recorded: 2 cases of urinary bladder perforation-1 during TEP repair and the other during Lichtenstein repair, but both with good postoperative outcome-and 1 case of pneumothorax, which occurred during the TEP procedure. Despite the fact that TEP is a demanding procedure, it may be performed efficiently with an acceptable operating time and a low complication rate.