Thermal burns typically display an injury pattern dictated by the transfer of the thermal energy into the skin and underlying tissues and creation of three zones of injury represented by a necrotic zone of disrupted cells and tissue, an intermediate zone of injured and dying cells, and a distant zone of stressed cells that will recover with proper treatment. The wound healing capabilities of a keratin biomaterial hydrogel were studied in two pilot studies, one using a chemical burn model in mice and the other a thermal burn model in swine. In both studies, keratin was shown to prevent enlargement of the initial wound area and promote faster wound closure. Interestingly, treating thermally stressed dermal fibroblast in culture demonstrated that soluble keratin was able to maintain cell viability and promote proliferation. Separation of so-called alpha and gamma fractions of the keratin biomaterial had differential effects, with the gamma fraction producing more pronounced cell survival and recovery. These results suggest that the gamma fraction, composed essentially of degraded alpha keratin proteins, may facilitate cell rescue after thermal injury. Treatment of burns with gamma keratin may therefore represent a potential therapy for wounds with an intermediate zone of damaged tissue that has the potential to contribute to spontaneous healing.
Ischiofemoral space impingement has become an increasingly recognized extracapsular cause of atypical hip, deep gluteal, and groin pain that can be treated endoscopically. We present a minimally invasive posterolateral technique that preserves the attachment of the iliopsoas tendon and quadratus femoris insertion while decompressing the ischiofemoral space by resecting the lesser trochanter. Furthermore, we present tips to perform this technique in a manner that minimizes the potential for damage to the sciatic nerve. This technique also allows the surgeon to treat concurrent hip pathology arthroscopically.
Recent advances in hip arthroscopy offer an approach for treating an uncommon but highly disabling injury from intra-articular missile injury to the hip. Hip arthroscopy affords the patient the benefit of minimally invasive surgery while allowing for the diagnosis and treatment of concomitant pathology, which may be either acute, from the trauma of the missile, or chronic. We present a technique for the removal of projectiles from the central and peripheral compartments of the hip joint. Through a surgical series of a variety of gunshot wounds, we detail the unique aspects of retrieval for the various missile endpoints. We describe this technique for bullets or pieces of bullets lodged within the hip joint space, bone of the acetabulum, or femoral head. Furthermore, we provide an example in which hip arthroscopy is not a suitable option for treatment because of the resulting fracture pattern, which necessitates open reduction along with internal fixation.
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