Although causes of restriction of knee extension in osteoarthritis are thought to be contractures involving the posterior capsule and the hamstring muscles, intercondylar notch stenosis, osteophyte, loose body, and displacement of ruptured meniscus, few studies have investigated incidence and treatment. The purpose of this study is to consider intercondylar notch stenosis and anterior impingement as major causes of flexion contracture in osteoarthritic knee and to assess their relationship through arthroscopic notchplasty. We performed arthroscopic notchplasty and debridement in sixty patients (sixty-eight cases) with more than Sflexion contracture for early osteoarthritic knee and compared flexion contracture before and after operation. The average flexion contracture was 13degrees (5degrees-35degrees) before operation and 4degrees (0degrees- 25degrees) immediately after. An average of 9degrees improvement was shown, with 29 cases ( 48% ) showing improvement of over 5degrees. Our study indicates that flexion contracture in the 29 cases (48%) improved by arthroscopic notchplasty was caused by intercondylar notch stenosis and anterior impingement. Arthroscopic notchplasty may beneficially affect those with flexion contracture in early osteoarthritic knee when conservative management of this disease has failed. This is a preliminary study on the immediate postoperative outcome, therefore, long-term follow-up and recurrence rate should be investigated in future studies.
Constriction, Pathologic ; Contracture ; Debridement ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Incidence ; Knee* ; Muscles ; Osteoarthritis ; Osteophyte ; Recurrence

Previous applications of laser bone and cartilage ablation have focused largely on the CO2 and the Nd:Yag lasers, using both the continuous wave and rapid superpulsed mode, which revealed severe thermal damage such as tissue necrosis and carbonization of the remaining tissue. In contrast, Excimer lases have provided better histologic results with minimal or no thermal damage, but the ablation rate and cutting efficiency have remained unsatisfactory. Though arthroscopic partial menisectomy has become the accepted technique for dealing with tears in menisci, division of the meniscus is sometimes difficult in the confined joint space of the knee and is associated with iatrogenic injury to the articular cartilage. The ability to quickly and safely divide or remove meniscal tissue would be a distinct advantage. The Holmium:Yag laser has many potential advantages over the CO2 laster, the Nd:Yag laser and the Excimer laser. Its principal advantages include minimal mechanical trauma to the articular cartilage, greater access to tight or restricted area of the knee joint, and its ability to function in a saline medium and to resect meniscus with minimal tissue necrosis. We have evaluated the effectiveness of the Holmium:Yag laser 74 partial menisectomies of 57 patients. Among 74 meniscal tears, there were 35 medial and 39 lateral meniscal tears. The average operation time was 33 minutes in the menisectomy and hospital stay was average 3 days. There was no significant carbonization on the surrounding tissue. Menisectomy of the posterior horn was safe and easy and there was minimal iatrogenic articular cartilage damage.
Animals ; Carbon ; Cartilage ; Cartilage, Articular ; Holmium ; Horns ; Humans ; Joints ; Knee ; Knee Joint ; Lasers, Excimer ; Lasers, Solid-State ; Length of Stay ; Necrosis ; Tears

Thrombomodulin (TM) is thrombin receptor present on the luminal surface of endothelial cells. Because the thrombin-TM complex acts as an anticoagulant, the functional variants or deficiency of TM may lead to increment of thrombotic tendency. In this study, we screened the genetic variants of the TM gene in patients with myocardial infarction (MI) and analyzed the genotype to elucidate the effects of genetic variations of TM gene on the development of the MI. We screened a promoter region and coding sequence of the TM gene using single strand conformation polymorphism-heteroduplex analysis and identified three common genetic variants: those were TM G-33A, TM Ala455Val, and TM C1922T. The genotype frequencies were investigated in the patients with MI (n=234) and control subjects (n=291) by the method of allele-specific oligomer hybridization. The frequencies of mutant genotypes (TM -33A, TM 455Val, and TM 1922T) were higher in patient group compared to the control subjects in males while there were no significant differences in females. In the multiple logistic regression analysis, TM 455Val and TM 1922T alleles were independent risk factors for MI (OR[95% CI: 1.799[1.125-2.878] p=0.014 and 5.624[1.019-31.025], p=0.048, respectively) in males. However, the genetic variations were not independent risk factors for MI in females. There were significant linkage disequilibriums among three genetic variants. These linkage disequilibriums explain the similar effects of three genetic variants on the development of MI. To investigate the effect of the TM G-33A mutation on TM promoter activity, the two TM promoter constructs (pTM-355 and pTM-125, bearing TM -33G or TM -33A) containing of firefly luciferase gene were transfected into HepG2, BAE, and CHO cells. The promoter activities were higher in the promoter constructs with TM -33G compared to the constructs with TM -33A in pTM-355. These results suggest the possibility of the positive predisposing effect of TM -33A allele on MI in males. The functional study for TM Ala455Val and TM C1922T should be followed to elucidate the genotype effects of these mutations on the development of MI. In this study, we identified three genetic variants of TM gene and showed the significant associations between genetic variants and MI in males. These results proposed that TM gene is an attractive candidate for genetic risk factor for MI in Koreans.
Alleles ; Animals ; CHO Cells ; Clinical Coding ; Cricetinae ; Endothelial Cells ; Female ; Fireflies ; Genetic Variation ; Genotype ; Humans ; Linkage Disequilibrium ; Logistic Models ; Luciferases ; Male ; Myocardial Infarction* ; Phenobarbital ; Promoter Regions, Genetic ; Receptors, Thrombin ; Risk Factors* ; Thrombomodulin

Early MRI and arthroscopic findings were compared to evaluate the efficacy of the former for patients, who upon physical examination, were diagnosed with possihle acute ACL tears. MRI, taken between 1-21 days after injury, had to reveal complete ACL tears and arthroscopic surgery should have taken place 3-12 weeks after the injury for patients of this prospective study. Fifty such cases were initially catagorized according to five MRI patterns. Types I to V were separated by the following ACL tear characteristics: Enlarged and diffusely increased in signal, horizontally oriented, non-visualized, discontinuous and vertically oriented. The cases were then divided into two groups of arthroscopic findings; Group A included cases of complete ACL tearing and group B included those with intact or minimally torn ACLs. Of MRI types I through V, there were 31, 9, 5, 4, and I cases of each respectively. 37 cases resulted in complete ACL tears (21 type I, 6 type II, 5 type III, 4 type IV and 1 type V) and 13 cases were catagorized into group B, 10 of which had pattern type I and 3 of which had pattern type II. As result, types III, IV and V had a 100% Positive Predictive Value (PPV) whereas types I and II together had a 67% PPV vaiue. Division of the cases into the five pattern types in early MRI proved valuble for possible cases of acute ACL tears. MRI pattern types III, IV and V were correlated with definite complete ACL tears. However, caution must be taken for types I and II, the majority of the cases, for which there exists a significant possibility for misdiagnosis and consequently unnecessary arthroscopic surgery.
Arthroscopy ; Diagnostic Errors ; Humans ; Knee ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Physical Examination ; Prospective Studies

Eleven cases of arthroscopic ankle arthrodesis were reviewed. Average age of patients was 59 years, 4 male and 7 female. Underlying diseases were osteoarthritis in 7 cases, rheumatoid arthritis in 3 cases and one post-traumatic arthritis. At the mean follow up of 15 months, fusion rate was 100%, mean time to complete union was 9.5 weeks. There were no complications such as nonunion, infection and skin problems. All patients stayed at the hospital just overnight after the surgery. Patients satisfaction was high and the functional clinical grade was excellent in 9 patients, good in 1 patient and fair in 1 patient. We concluded that arthroscopic technique was a simple and effective method for ankle arthrodesis in the selected patients and had significant advantages over the open technique.
Ankle* ; Arthritis ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid ; Arthrodesis* ; Arthroscopy ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Osteoarthritis ; Skin

PURPOSE: We report a distinctive lesion in the articular cartilage of the talar dome in anterior bony impingement syndrome of the joint. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Arthroscopic debridement was done in 68 ankles under the diagnosis of anterior impingement syndrome of the ankle joint between October 1994 and June 1996. There were 6 tram track lesions of talar dome of the 68 ankles. We evaluated arthroscopic findings of tramtrack lesion, injury mechanism, and treatment results according to the criteria of Ogilvie-Harris DJ et al. RESULTS: All six male patients were professional or collegiate soccer players. Average age was 29 years (26 to 34). All 6 cases were dorminant ankles. Trauma history was not definite in all 6 cases. All 6 patients were anterior impingement syndrome of the ankle and treated by arthroscopic removal of osteophytes. The cartilage lesions were full thickness defects, located in the anterior half of the medial aspect of the talar dome and were longitudinal with variable widths resembling a tram track, thus named ""tram track lesion"". Tram track lesion and osteophytes were contacted by ankle dorsiflexion. Overall, good and excellent results were achieved in five patients at a mean follow up of twenty-seven months. Two cases had recurrences of osteophytes. CONCLUSIONS: Tram track lesion of talar dome occurred by repeated scratching of the osteophyte of distal tibia and treated effectively by arthroscopic removal of osteophyte and debridement.
Ankle ; Ankle Joint ; Arthroscopy ; Cartilage ; Cartilage, Articular ; Debridement ; Diagnosis ; Diphenhydramine ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Joints ; Male ; Osteophyte ; Recurrence ; Soccer ; Tibia

No abstract available.
Shoulder*

Congenital vertical talus is dufficult to correct and tends to recur. Reduction of the deformed talon-avicular joint is rarely possible by conservative means alone and consequently surgical reduction is usually necessary. The technique of Kumar, Cowell and Ramsey(TAL, capsular release, open reduction of navicular, and K-wire fixation) was combined with or without tendon transfer using Tibialis anterior(Grice operation) in 11 feet of seven children(bilateral in four) under the age of four(2 girls and 5 boys), and followed them for average 41 months. Three of them were combined with cerebral palsy, syringomyelia, and multiple joint stiffness with camptodactyly. In preoperative radiograms, all of their tali are so distorted plantarward and medially as to be almost vertical. The talus was in an equinus position also but to a lesser degrees. The forefoot was dorsiflexed at the midtarsal joint and the navicular lay on the dorsal aspect of the talar head. Seven feet are corrected normally after operation, but four feet were recurred and soft tissue releasing techniques combined with extraarticular subtalar arthrodesis or triple arthrodesis were planned after their skeletal maturity.
Arthrodesis ; Cerebral Palsy ; Female ; Foot ; Head ; Humans ; Joint Capsule Release ; Joints ; Syringomyelia ; Talus ; Tendon Transfer

Vascular ingrowth is essential for the survial of the graft tissue. The purposes of this study were to evaluate any changes in signal intensity of cqropreserved meniscal allograft with time in the magnetic resonance images(MRI) and to demonstrate the viability of the grafts. Eight patients underwent meniscal transplantation with cryopreserved allcgrafts using the bone block technique. MRIs of the knee were taken at 3 days, 3 weeks, 6 weeks, 3 month, 6 months. And I year after the implantation. A second-look arthroscopy and a small meniscal biopsy(sized 2mm x 2mm1 at the peripheral and central part of the meniscus were conducted at 3 months and 1 year. Three days after the operation, the signal intensity of the implanted meniscus revealed a homogenrous low signaJ intensity that could not be differentiated from that of' a contralateral normal meniscus. At 3 weeks, a high signal intensity appeared at the periphery of the meniscus. This signal, which did not communicate into the joint space, fuither intensified at 6 weeks. The high signal intensity of the meniscus, though still higher than that of the normal meniscus, decrexsed slightly at 3 months and continued to decrease progressively even a year after the implantation. The second-look arthroscopy revealed that the grafts were viable and that there was no tearing or shrinking of the meniscus. Cellular proliferation was also found at the central edge oi' the meniscus at 3 months. This cellular pattern differentiated from that of a nonmal meniscus in that the d stribution of cells was not in an even, but in a clonal pattem. The cellularity after a year, however, was sirnilar to that of normal meniscus except some area with deficiency of cells. It can be concluded that increased signal intensity of' the implanted meniscus with time indicates hypervascularity caused by vascular ingrowth, similar to the high signal intensity ot>tained from normal meniscus in young children. Increasecl signal intensity in the chronological postoperative MRls demonstrates the viability of the implanted cryopreserved meniscal allograft.
Allografts* ; Arthroscopy ; Cell Proliferation ; Child ; Humans* ; Joints ; Knee ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Transplants

BACKGROUND: Despite numerous investigations, the pathogenesis of Meniere's disease is uncertain. Endolymphatic hydrops (ELH) has been the main histologic finding of Meniere's disease. Experimentally induced ELH in animal model has been developed in order to understand better the consequences of this morphopathology on inner ear structure and function. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study is to develope the animal model of ELH. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We made an animal endolymphatic hydrops model on giunea pigs by mechanically obliterating the right endolympatic sac and duct. The left ears were used as a controls. RESULTS: After twelve weeks, the temporal bones were prepared for light and electron microscopic examination. The light microscopic study showed the distension and folding of Reissner's membrane, however other pathologic changes were uncertain in hydropic aminal. Under scanning electron microscopic examination, the cellular population of Reissner membrane remained normal but the microvilli of Reissner membrane were significantly decreased in hydrops group. The damage pattern of stereocilia were most severe in the apical turns, followed by the middle and the basal turns, in the order of severeity. The outer hair cell third row was most severely damaged in the entire cochlea, whereas the outer hair cell first row was relatively spared. On the single hair cell examination, abnormal distensions of the tip of stereocilia started from longer stereocilia. The number of microvilli on marginal cell was reduced in stria vascularis, but atrophic change was not observed.
Animals ; Cochlea ; Ear ; Ear, Inner ; Edema ; Endolymphatic Hydrops* ; Guinea Pigs* ; Guinea* ; Hair ; Membranes ; Meniere Disease ; Microvilli ; Models, Animal ; Stereocilia ; Stria Vascularis ; Swine ; Temporal Bone