Bone reconstruction within a critical‐sized defect remains a real challenge in orthopedic surgery. The Masquelet technique is an innovative, two‐step therapeutic approach for bone reconstruction in which the placement of a poly (methylmethacrylate) spacer into the bone defect induces the neo‐formation of a tissue called “induced membrane.” This surgical technique has many advantages and is often preferred to a vascularized bone flap or Ilizarov's technique. Although the Masquelet technique has achieved high clinical success rates since its development by Alain‐Charles Masquelet in the early 2000s, very little is known about how the process works, and few animal models of membrane induction have been developed. Our successful use of this technique in the clinic and our interest in the mechanisms of tissue regeneration (notably bone regeneration) prompted us to develop a surgical model of the Masquelet technique in rats. Here, we provide a comprehensive review of the literature on animal models of membrane induction, encompassing the defect site, the surgical procedure, and the histologic and osteogenic properties of the induced membrane. We also discuss the advantages and disadvantages of those models to facilitate efforts in characterizing the complex biological mechanisms that underlie membrane induction.
The induced membrane technique is now quite adaptable to segmental bone reconstruction in children. This technique is much the same as the technique used in adults. A cement spacer is interposed, and in a second operating phase, occurring 6 weeks after the interposition of the spacer, the cement is removed and a morselized corticocancellous graft is installed in the induced membrane that had formed around the cement. Graft expansion using allograft chips should not exceed 30% of the total volume. An additional autograft strut is useful in the reconstruction of long femoral or metaphyseal-diaphyseal tibial defects. Despite the apparent simplicity of this technique, it requires rigorous technique during cement sleeving and to stabilize the defect to prevent nonunion, stabilization device loosening, or resorption of the graft, the main complications. This technique is now becoming the gold standard for bone reconstruction in trauma and septic bone surgery. In pediatrics, the Masquelet technique is now mainly used in the context of cancer surgery reconstructions. Constraints related to chemotherapy have led to deferral of the graft, which is therefore empirically performed 8 weeks after the last course of chemotherapy. Congenital anomalies, including congenital pseudarthrosis, may now be treated using this technique, replacing long and difficult conventional treatment. A longer follow-up would be necessary to assess and confirm the superiority of this pediatric reconstruction technique.
Pregnant women are exposed to various chemical products at home and at work. Some of these products contain endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) such as cosmetics, pesticides, industrial chemicals, heavy metals, plastics or medications that could alter sexual differentiation and increase the risk of hypospadias. We evaluated maternal occupational and household exposures that could constitute risk factors for hypospadias. From 2011 to 2014, we enrolled 57 full-term newborns with hypospadias and three randomly selected controls per case (162 control newborns), matched for gestational age, from 11 maternity units in Picardy, France. Neonatal and parental data were collected at birth (personal characteristics, maternal lifestyle, and medical history). Maternal occupational exposure was assessed by a job-exposure matrix for EDCs from a job history questionnaire completed by mothers. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated with univariate and multivariable logistic regression, and adjusted for relevant covariates. Multivariate analysis showed a strong association between hypospadias and potential maternal occupational exposure to EDCs and maternal household use of hair cosmetics (OR 6.1, 95% CI: 1.1–34.9; OR: 9.6, 95% CI: 1.4–66.1, respectively). Our results suggest that maternal occupational exposure to EDCs is a risk factor for hypospadias and suggests a possible influence of household use of hair cosmetics during early pregnancy on the incidence of hypospadias in the offspring. A larger study with more accurate exposure assessment should evaluate the impact of EDCs in hair cosmetics on the incidence of hypospadias.
Congenital pseudarthrosis of the tibia remains one of the most difficult orthopaedic problems. We describe early excision and the use of the Masquelet technique to reconstruct the bone defect in a child aged 14 months. Consolidation sufficient for complete weight-bearing was achieved by seven weeks. After two and a half years, the child was asymptomatic with a fully reconstructed tibia and no leg-length discrepancy.
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