BACKGROUND:Vascularuzed fibular graft is one of the effective methods for repair of large segmental bone defects in the extremities OBJECTIVE:To explore the clinical effects of vascularized fibular graft for repairing large segmental bone defects in the extremities. METHODS:Twenty-eight non-malignant patients who received vascularized fibular graft for repairing large segmental bone defects in the extremities and were folowed up for more than 20 months were enroled. After lesion removal, vascularized fibula bone graft was used to repair the bone defects. If cases combined with soft tissue defects, fibula flap or anterolateral thigh flap was adopted. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Al patients were folowed up for 20 months to 6 years. The grafted bones were healed with the surrounding bone at 3-8 months after fibula bone grafting. The grafted bone was enlarged near to the diameter of recipient bone at 10-22 months after grafting. Based on the Enneking system, the average score of large segmental tibia bone defects was 24.2 points with 81% limb function recovered and 94.1% patient satisfaction; the average score of large segmental femur bone defects was 26.3 points with 87.7% limb function recovered and 100% patient satisfaction; the average score of large segmental bone defects of the distal radius and ulna was 21.75 points with 72.5% limb function recovered and 100% patient satisfaction. These findings reveal that vascularized fibular graft for repairing large segmental bone defects in extremities can effectively promote bone healing and reduce disability, infection, amputation rate; moreover, patients are satisfied with the postoperative recovery of limb function.

BACKGROUND:For the patients with proximal humeral fractures or serious complications, internal fixation is the effective method that cannot influence the activity of the shoulder with few trauma. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the biomechanical characteristics of percutaneous plate combined with anatomical locking plate fixation for the treatment of proximal humeral fractures. METHODS:Seventy-five patients with proximal humeral fractures were selected from Department of Orthopedics, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University between March 2007 and December 2011. The healing after the locking plate fixation and the shoulder joint score after internal fixation were observed. The biomechanical advantages of locking plate fixation in the treatment of proximal humeral fractures were analyzed. RESUTLS AND CONCLUSION:Al the 75 patients were fol owed up for 6-24 months, average 13.3 months. The X-ray film after treatment showed al the screws were in correct position with satisfactory fracture reduction, and the fractures were healed without neurovascular injury and humeral head necrosis;one case had infection and healed after treatment, 72 cases had no shoulder pain, while three cases had occasional shoulder pain. The Neer score was excel ent in 57 cases, good in 11 cases, moderate in seven cases and poor in none, and the excel ent and good rate was 90.7%. Compared with other fixation implants, the locking plate fixation in the treatment of proximal humeral fractures has the advantages of high fixation strength and satisfactory effect, becoming the first choice for the clinical treatment of proximal humeral fractures.

SAαt2,6 and SAα2,3 linked sialic acid molecules on epithelial cell membrane served as receptors for influenza virus, which axe specifically recognized by human and avian influenza viruses, respectively. The distribution of these two species of sialic acids in human respiratory tract from different anatomical sites and different age groups was investigated. The results showed that SAα2,3Gal species was prevalent in respiratory bronchiole and lung alveolar epithelium, but was infiequent in trachea, bronchus and bronchiole. On the contrary, the SAα2,6Gal species was more common in the trachea and bronchus and to a lesser degree in the alveolar epithelium. When compared the expression levels of SAα2,6Gal and α2,3Gal in the respiratory tract among different age groups, no significant difference was found. In the ex vivo H5N1 virus infection study, alveolus epithelium were found to be more susceptible to avian influenza than trachea and bronchus epithelial cells. These results suggest that the human respiratory tract, to some extent, is permissive for avian influenza viruses. The currently-observed limited human to human transmission of H5N1 virus may be associated with the different abundance of SAα2,3Gal linkages in human upper respiratory tract among individuals.