Objectives: This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of prolotherapy injections for the treatment of plantar fasciitis. Material and methods:Between October 2014 and October 2015, 60 patients with symptomatic chronic plantar fasciitis were randomly divided into two groups, as control (n=31) and prolotherapy (n=29) groups. In the prolotherapy group, ultrasound-guided prolotherapy injections into the plantar fascia up to five different points were performed three times every 21 days. In the control group, the patients received instructions for plantar fascia and Achilles tendon stretching exercises three times a week for three months. Additionally, all patients were given heel lifts and instructed to refrain from heavy loading activity. The patients were evaluated via the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), Food and Ankle Outcome Score (FAOS), and Foot Function Index (FFI) at baseline and at 21, 42, 90, and 360 days during follow-up.Results: A total of 50 patients completed follow-up (26 patients in the prolotherapy group and 24 patients in the control group). The VAS, FAOS, and FFI scores were significantly improved in both groups (p<0.001). There were no statistically significant differences in the pain and functional scores at 21 days of treatment between the groups. The VAS and FAOS scores were higher in the prolotherapy group than the control group at 42, 90, and 360 days of treatment. The FFI scores were also higher in the prolotherapy group than the controls at 42 and 90 days of treatment; however, both groups had similar scores at 360 days. Conclusion:Our study results suggest that prolotherapy is an effective auxiliary method for treating chronic plantar fasciitis.

ContextMusculoskeletal injuries may be painful, troublesome, life limiting and also one of the global health problems. There has been considerable amount of interest during the past two decades to stem cells and tissue engineering techniques in orthopedic surgery, especially to manage special and compulsive injuries within the musculoskeletal system.Evidence AcquisitionThe aim of this study was to present a literature review regarding the most recent progress in stem cell procedures and current indications in orthopedics clinical care practice. The Medline and PubMed library databases were searched for the articles related with stem cell procedures in the field of orthopedic surgery and additionally the reference list of each article was also included to provide a comprehensive evaluation.ResultsVarious sources of stem cells have been studied for orthopedics clinical care practice. Stem cell therapy has successfully used for major orthopedic procedures in terms of bone-joint injuries (fractures-bone defects, nonunion, and spinal injuries), osteoarthritis-cartilage defects, ligament-tendon injuries, femoral head osteonecrosis and osteogenesis imperfecta. Stem cells have also used in bone tissue engineering in combining with the scaffolds and provided faster and better healing of tissues.ConclusionsLarge amounts of preclinical studies have been made of stem cells and there is an increasing interest to perform these studies within the human population but preclinical studies are insufficient; therefore, much more and efficient studies should be conducted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of stem cells.

BackgroundShoulder dislocations account for almost 50 % of all major joint dislocations and are mainly anterior.ObjectiveThe aim is a comparative retrospective study of different reduction maneuvers without anesthesia to reduce the dislocated shoulder.MethodsPatients were treated with different reduction maneuvers, including various forms of traction and external rotation, in the emergency departments of four training hospitals between 2009 and 2012. Each of the four hospitals had different treatment protocols for reduction and applying one of four maneuvers: Spaso, Chair, Kocher, and Matsen methods. Thirty-nine patients were treated by the Spaso method, 47 by the Chair reduction method, 40 by the Kocher method, and 27 patients by Matsen’s traction-countertraction method. All patients’ demographic data were recorded. Dislocation number, reduction time, time interval between dislocation and reduction, and associated complications, pre- and post-reduction period, were recorded prospectively. No anesthetic method was used for the reduction.ResultsAll of the methods used included traction and some external rotation. The Chair method had the shortest reduction time. All surgeons involved in the study agreed that the Kocher and Matsen methods needed more force for the reduction. Patients could contract their muscles because of the pain in these two methods. The Spaso method includes flexion of the shoulder and blocks muscle contraction somewhat. The Chair method was found to be the easiest because the patients could not contract their muscles while sitting on a chair with the affected arm at their side.ConclusionsWe suggest that the Chair method is an effective and fast reduction maneuver that may be an alternative for the treatment of anterior shoulder dislocations. Further prospective studies with larger sample size are needed to compare safety of different reduction techniques.

BackgroundThe aim of this study was to present characteristics and publication patterns of studies arise from orthopedic theses obtained from National Thesis Center; database in terms of publication years, study types, topics, level of evidence between 1974 and 2014.MethodsFirstly, National Thesis Center database was searched for orthopedics and Traumatology theses. The theses, which their summary or full text were available were included in the study. The topics, study types and quality of study designs were reviewed. Then theses were searched in the PubMed database. Journals of published theses were classified according to category, scope and impact factors of the year 2014.Results1508 theses were included into the study. Clinical studies comprised 71,7% of the theses, while 25,6% of the theses were non-clinical experimental and 2,7% of the theses were observational studies. Clinical studies were Level I in 8,6% (n = 93) and Level II in 5,8% of the theses (n = 63). A total of 224 theses (14,9%) were published in the journals indexed in PubMed database from 1974 to 2012. Fifty-two (23,2%) were published in SCI; 136 theses (60,7%) were published in SCI-E journals and 36 theses (16%) were published in other Journals indexed in PubMed.ConclusionThe quantity and quality of published theses need to be improved and effective measures should be taken to promote quality of theses. Theses from universities and Training hospitals which did not allow open access, and; incomplete records of the National Thesis Center database were major limitations of this study.

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The chair method is an effective and successful reduction method for shoulder dislocation. We believe that orthopedists and emergency department physicians should be familiar with this simple technique which does not have to be performed under general anesthesia.

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