Bone fracture is the most serious outcome of osteoporosis,the morbidity has been linked to age,gender and races.The characteristics of osteoporotic fracture include reduced bone quality,a delay in bone fracture union process,and a high incidence of re-fracture.The therapy of osteoporotic fracture includes surgical management and osteoporosis treatment.Osteoporosis treatment can improve bone quantity and bone quality,decrease the rate of fracture.The rule of surgical management is simpleness,safety,and efficacy.Because of poor bone quality,internal fixation and implant are easy lossened.Ideas for future research,such as development of a new implant with rigidity and elasticity like bone tissue,development of a new drug which can improve bone mass and quality quickly.Regardless of surgical management for osteoporotic fracture,pharmacological treatment of osteoporosis is also necessary.In order to get a good outcome of osteoporotic fracture treatment,both surgical management and osteoporosis treatment are important.

This issue of CJOT features geriatric fractures, involving surgical treatment of intertrochanteric femoral fracture, proximal humeral fracture, distal radial fracture, and fractures of distal femur, patella, tibial shaft, and ankle. Osteoporosis is not only a common high risk factor for fractures in the aged population but also a leading cause for most of the postoperative problems. Besides osteoporosis, the complications common to the aged people add to the difficulty of the treatment of the geriatric fractures. As a result, how to improve the clinical effects and prevent refractures for old patients has become the chief concern in the treatment of geriatric fractures.

Objective To investigate the effects of absorbable gelatin sponge, chitosan and sodium hyaluronate(HA) on inhibition of postoperatively epidural scar formation in animal models with posterior discectomy and the concentrations of HA in the cerebral spinal fluid was also determined. Methods 96 Wistar rats older than 12 months were equally allocated into four groups. Each animal underwent a unilateral hemi-laminectomy and discectomy. Absorbable gelatin sponge, chitosan and HA were placed at the sites of surgery in three groups respectively. The fourth group undergone laminectomy and discectomy only, was served as control. At the time of 2,4, 8, 12 weeks postoperatively, 6 rats in each group were sacrificed for gross evaluation, histology and transmission electron microscope studies. The areas of epidural scar and spinal canal were measured by a computer image processor, and were compared statistically. The concentrations of HA in the cerebral spinal fluid in the HA groups and control groups were tested. Results The epidural scar areas in the chitosan and HA groups were significantly less than those in the control and absorbable gelatin sponge groups; no significant difference was found among the spinal canal areas of all the groups at different time phase; the compression and dislocation of the dura and spinal nerve roots and the discontinuity of the annulus fiber were observed in every group and time phase. The two cases with highest concentrations of HA were in the HA group at 2-week. Conclusion Chitosan and HA are able to inhibit the epidural scar formation after posterior discectomy. The healing of the annulus must be considered when evaluating the scar inhibition effects of materials. When the materials are placed in the epidural space, their effects on the central nervous system should be considered.

As the structure of shoulder joint is complex, proper method s should be adopted to treat the injured shoulder joint according to the type an d position of the trauma. Conservative treatment has been widely used to treat t he slightly displaced or stable fractures (including those of the proximal humer us, clavicle and shoulder blade), and most of the fresh dislocations of shoulder joint and acromioclavicular joint if the injuries are not serious. As for the o bvious unstable shoulder fractures, recurrent dislocation of shoulder joint, sev ere dislocation of acromioclavicular joint, dislocation of shoulder joint accomp anied with fracture, and rotator cuff tear, an operation should usually be the r ight choice. In either conservative or operative treatment, earlier systematic f unctional rehabilitation should be widely used in order to achieve satisfactory functional recovery of should joint.

Objective To study the effects of glucosamine sulfate on nitric oxide(NO)production induced by interleukin(IL)-1β in human osteoarthritis chondrocytes(HOC),and explore the possible mechanism.Methods Chondrocytes were harvested from 10 osteoarthritis patients undergoing total knee replacement(TKR)operation.Human recombinant IL-1β(5 μg/L)and glucosamine sulfate GS in different concentrations(0.2 mmol/L,2.0 mmol/L,20.0 mmol/L)were administrated into cell culture medium for 24 h.The content of NO was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA).The mRNA and protein expression of inductive nitric oxide synthetase(iNOS)were measured by RT-PCR and Western blot,respectively.Results Stimulation of HOC with IL-1β enhanced production of NO and expressions of iNOS mRNA and protein(t=-14.81,-45.38,all P＜0.01).Pretreatment with 2.0 and 20.0 mmol/L GS showed a dose-dependent inhibition of IL-1β induced NO production(F=12.43,P＜0.05)and the expression levels ofiNOSmRNA(F=142.28,P＜0.05)and protein(F=78.08,P＜0.01).20.0 mmol/L GS alone did not influence NO production(t =-0.17,P＞ 0.05).Conclusions GS may inhibit the synthesis of NO induced by IL-1β in HOC through down-regulate mRNA and protein expressions of iNOS.

Objective To evaluate the result of open rotator cuff repair and to identify potential preoperative or intraoperative factors that could affect the outcome.Methods 43 cases(44 shoulders)with rotator cuff tear who undergone open repair surgery between May 1987 and October 2002 were retrospectively studied.There were 31 shoulders ruptured in supraspinatus, 9 shoulders in supraspinatus and infraspinatus,3 shoulders in supraspinatus and subscapulafis and 1 in supraspinatus, infraspinatus and subscapularis.And there were 13 shoulders torn with small size, 18 shoulders with middle size, 10 shoulders with large size and 3 shoulders with massive size.Ruptured rotator cuff was repaired with tendon to bone suture in 25 shoulders,with tendon to tendon suture in 7 shoulders, and combined suture in 11 shoulders.One shoulder was repaired by deltoid transfer.After an average 88.2-month-long follow-up(from 52 to 250 months),we evaluate the postoperative shoulder function with University of California at Los Angeles(UCLA)score.The patient's subject satisfaction was assayed by visual analogue scale (VAS).The risk factors as age, sex,dominant side, trauma history,preoperative duration and tear size were analyzed.Results The average UCLA score was 11.5±2.8 preoperatively and 29.7±5.3 at follow-up, with 36 shoulders reaching excellent or good and 2 shoulders ranking poor.According to VAS,the subject satisfaction rate was as high as 89%,being positively related to UCLA score significantly(r=0.72,P＜0.01).Preoperative duration(r=-0.332,P=0.028)and tear size(r=-0.404,P=-0.007)was negatively relative with surgical results.Age,sex,dominant side,trauma history had no effect on prognosis.Conclusion Open rotator cuff repair could acquire satisfying outcome.Preoperative duration and tear size was negatively relative with surgical results.

ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of raloxifene on osteoprotegerin (OPG)/receptor activator nuclear factor kappa B ligand (RANKL) expression in mouse osteoblasts.MethodsSterile calvaria of mouse was taken from 30 newborn mice, and the osteoblasts were separated by enzyme digestion methods. Raloxifene in different concentrations (0,10<'-12>, 10<'-10>, 10<'-9>mol/L) were administrated into culture medium. The OPG/RANKL mRNA expression and OPG protein secretion were examined by RT-PCR and ELISA methods respectively.ResultsOPG mRNA expression in osteoblasts after raloxifene treatment was significantly higher than that in control group(P<0.05), and compared to 10<'-9> mol/L and 10<'-12> mol/L groups, it was significantly increased in 10<'-10> mol/L group.RANKL mRNA expression in osteoblasts after raloxifene treatment was significantly lower than that in control group(P<0.01), and the effect showed a dose- dependent manner. Compared to the control group, OPG protein secretion of osteoblasts was promoted by raloxifene treatment (10<'-9> mol/L:3.017±0.459;10<'-10> mol/L: 3. 981±0.762;10<'-12> mol/L : 2.864±0.416; control: 2.106±0.316, P<0.05).ConclusionsRaloxifene can increase OPG mRNA expression, promote OPG protein secretion and inhibit RANKL mRNA expression in osteoblasts.

Objective To analyse the treatment results of proximal humerus fracture in over sixty-years-old patients. Methods From January 1999 to January 2003, 32 cases suffered from fractures of the proximal humerus were studied, which involved 13 males (mean age 73.2 years, range 60-88 years), and 19 females (mean age 75.5 years, range 60-94 years). There were 22 cases (65.7%) with two-part fractures, among them, 68.1% was surgical neck fracture. 3 cases with two-part and 1 with three-part fracture were treated conservatively because of either their poor health condition or their refusal to operation. The other 28 patients were operated. According to the Neer classification, through the statistic and analysis for the method and outcome, all the cases were evaluated in term of the American UCLA scale system. Results 25 of the 28 operated patients were available at the final follow-up, the mean period was 1.5 years with a range of 1 to 3 years. All the fractures had united. 5 patients with healing time more than 3 months were those fractures classified as three or four-part, which needed the tension-band fixation. All the patients complained with joint stiffness in different degree, 6 of the patients with three or four-part remained with sustaining shoulder contracture. According to the UCLA, the good-excellent rate was 81.2% in the two-part fractures, and only 33.3% in the three or four-part fractures. Conclusion The treatment methods of proximal humerus fracture in aged patients should be selected according to individual condition. The tension band fixation is a good choice for those who can't accept the joint replacement, though the outcome after the four-part fractures fixation is less satisfactory. Joint contracture and humeral head necrosis may be the common complications among the patients rated as three or four-part fractures. After operation, early and complete rehabilitation are closely related to the treatment results.

Objective To evaluate alendronate with regards to its effect s on trabecular bone structural properties. Methods Alendronate was administered at a daily p.o. dose of 0.5 mg?kg－1?d－1 over a 12 weeks period in Hound do gs (n=8 ＋ 8 for control and treated group), the structural indices of the lumba r vertebral (L 1 and L 2) trabecular bone were assessed directly from 3 D image s. Results Treatment with alendronate increased bone volume fraction by 9.5％ a nd 7.7％ respectively, in the L 1 and L 2. Trabecular thickness significantly in creased after alendronate treatment, whereas trabecular separation remained cons tant. The degree of anisotropy for the alendronate treated group was decreased compared with that of the control group. Bone surface to volume ratio declined s ignificantly in the alendronate treated group, whereas alendronate induced a hi gher value of bone surface density. Conclusion Alendronate increased the struct ural properties of canine trabecular bone after short-term treatment at a dose of 0.5 mg?kg－1?d－1. Thus, alendronate could increase the structural properti es of healthy trabecular bone in a short-term period.

Objective To investigate the result of McBride operation for treatment of hallux valgus with more than 5 years follow-up. Methods There were totally fifity patients who underwent McBride operation in this study. The follow-up period varied from 5 years to 10 years and 2 months (average 7 years and 1 month). The symptoms and deformity before and after operation were compared statisticly. Results The angle between first phalanx and metatarsal is strongly correlated with the angle between first and second metatarsal.The coefficience of pre- and post-operation is 0.84 and 0.71 respectively.There were 64 feet whose symptoms were eliminated and the deformity were corrected basically. The effective rate was 71.1% according to the assessment criteria discribed by doctor ZHU Lihua. The common complications were pain residue, local numbness, hallux valgus recurrence, hallux varus and claw toes. The measurment showed the angle between first phalanx and metatarsal significantly decreased after operation and the angle between first and second metatarsal also decreased following the hallux valgus correction. Conclusion McBride operation is a good and reliable method to treat young patients with mild to moderate hallux valgus. Complications are related to congenital foot deformity, severe valgus deformity and normal structure injuries during the operation.