No abstract

The anatomical relationships of the terminal branch of posterior interosseous nerve have been studied in 57 cadaver and amputation specimens. Removal of the nerve leaves the patient with no apparent sensory deficit. In all dissections the nerve was present and its location was constant. The mean obtainable length was 3.7 cm (range 2.7-5.1 cm) and its cross-sectional area made the nerve suitable for grafting of digital nerves.

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The newly developed silver-enhanced colloidal gold staining method was used in a rabbit model to characterize the repair tissue in large articular cartilage defects filled with a heterocyclic methacrylate polymer. By 6 weeks the resurfacing tissue consisted of highly organized hyaline-like articular cartilage, fully integrated with the adjacent normal cartilage. Immuno-histochemistry detected collagen type II, keratan sulphate, chondroitin 4-sulphate and chondroitin 6-sulphate in the matrix of the neocartilage. The level to which the polymer plug was recessed appeared to be critical to the overall quality of the repair tissue. Optimum results were obtained when the top surface of the biomaterial was at the level of the subchondral bone, below the level of the surrounding articular cartilage. Other technical aspects of implantation, that also affect the repair, are also discussed.