The management of symptomatic osteochondral lesions of the talus (OLTs) can be challenging. The number of ways of treating these lesions has increased considerably during the last decade, with published studies often providing conflicting, low-level evidence. This paper aims to present an up-to-date concise overview of the best evidence for the surgical treatment of OLTs. Management options are reviewed based on the size of the lesion and include bone marrow stimulation, bone grafting options, drilling techniques, biological preparations, and resurfacing. Although many of these techniques have shown promising results, there remains little high level evidence, and further large scale prospective studies and systematic reviews will be required to identify the optimal form of treatment for these lesions. Cite this article:
Periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) is a debilitating condition with a substantial socioeconomic burden. A novel autologous blood glue (ABG) has been developed, which can be prepared during surgery and sprayed onto prostheses at the time of implantation. The ABG can potentially provide an antimicrobial coating which will be effective in preventing PJI, not only by providing a physical barrier but also by eluting a well-known antibiotic. Hence, this study aimed to assess the antimicrobial effectiveness of ABG when impregnated with gentamicin and stem cells. Gentamicin elution from the ABG matrix was analyzed and quantified in a time-dependent manner. The combined efficiency of gentamicin and ABG as an anti-biofilm coating was investigated on titanium disks.Aims
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The purpose of our study was to determine whether mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are an effective and safe therapeutic agent for the treatment of knee osteoarthritis (OA), owing to their cartilage regeneration potential. We searched PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library, with keywords including “knee osteoarthritis” and “mesenchymal stem cells”, up to June 2019. We selected randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that explored the use of MSCs to treat knee OA. The visual analogue scale (VAS), Western Ontario and McMaster University Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), adverse events, and the whole-organ MRI score (WORMS) were used as the primary evaluation tools in the studies. Our meta-analysis included a subgroup analysis of cell dose and cell source.Aims
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The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is known to have a poor wound healing capacity, whereas other ligaments outside of the knee joint capsule such as the medial collateral ligament (MCL) apparently heal more easily. Plasmin has been identified as a major component in the synovial fluid that varies among patients. The aim of this study was to test whether plasmin, a component of synovial fluid, could be a main factor responsible for the poor wound healing capacity of the ACL. The effects of increasing concentrations of plasmin (0, 0.1, 1, 10, and 50 µg/ml) onto the wound closing speed (WCS) of primary ACL-derived ligamentocytes (ACL-LCs) were tested using wound scratch assay and time-lapse phase-contrast microscopy. Additionally, relative expression changes (quantitative PCR (qPCR)) of major LC-relevant genes and catabolic genes were investigated. The positive controls were 10% fetal calf serum (FCS) and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF).Aims
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The purpose of this study was to: review the efficacy of the induced membrane technique (IMT), also known as the Masquelet technique; and investigate the relationship between patient factors and technique variations on the outcomes of the IMT. A systematic search was performed in CINAHL, The Cochrane Library, Embase, Ovid MEDLINE, and PubMed. We included articles from 1 January 1980 to 30 September 2019. Studies with a minimum sample size of five cases, where the IMT was performed primarily in adult patients (≥ 18 years old), in a long bone were included. Multivariate regression models were performed on patient-level data to determine variables associated with nonunion, postoperative infection, and the need for additional procedures.Aims
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Platelet-rich fibrin matrix (PRFM) has been proved to enhance tenocyte proliferation but has mixed results when used during rotator cuff repair. The optimal PRFM preparation protocol should be determined before clinical application. To screen the best PRFM to each individual’s tenocytes effectively, small-diameter culture wells should be used to increase variables. The gelling effect of PRFM will occur when small-diameter culture wells are used. A co-culture device should be designed to avoid this effect. Tenocytes harvested during rotator cuff repair and blood from a healthy volunteer were used. Tenocytes were seeded in 96-, 24-, 12-, and six-well plates and co-culture devices. Appropriate volumes of PRFM, according to the surface area of each culture well, were treated with tenocytes for seven days. The co-culture device was designed to avoid the gelling effect that occurred in the small-diameter culture well. Cell proliferation was analyzed by water soluble tetrazolium-1 (WST-1) bioassay.Objectives
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The incidence of acute Achilles tendon rupture appears to be increasing. The aim of this study was to summarize various therapies for acute Achilles tendon rupture and discuss their relative merits. A PubMed search about the management of acute Achilles tendon rupture was performed. The search was open for original manuscripts and review papers limited to publication from January 2006 to July 2017. A total of 489 papers were identified initially and finally 323 articles were suitable for this review.Objectives
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Recently, the field of tissue engineering has made numerous advances towards achieving artificial tendon substitutes with excellent mechanical and histological properties, and has had some promising experimental results. The purpose of this systematic review is to assess the efficacy of tissue engineering in the treatment of tendon injuries. We searched MEDLINE, Embase, and the Cochrane Library for the time period 1999 to 2016 for trials investigating tissue engineering used to improve tendon healing in animal models. The studies were screened for inclusion based on randomization, controls, and reported measurable outcomes. The RevMan software package was used for the meta-analysis.Objectives
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