Two cases of skeletal amyloidosis are described. In one the disease existed for many years, progressively destroying several vertebral bodies. There was no evidence of chronic infection, myelomatosis or cancer. In the other case myelomatosis was the primary disease but the first manifestation was a cystic tumour of the humerus. Not until several years later did typical bone lesions and Bence-Jones protein reveal the true nature of the disease.

A case of intramedullary neurilemmoma of the terminal phalanx of the right index finger is reported, and the cases previously reported are briefly reviewed.

A saw blade was made from two standard oscillating blades which were fixed to each other with channels between, so that cooling fluid could be directed to the saw teeth. The blade was connected to a standard arthroscopy pump which delivered a flow of 80 ml/min through the blade. The performance of this blade was compared with that of a standard saw blade, cutting ox-bone in the laboratory. Irrigation of the standard saw blade with saline delivered by a syringe only slightly diminished the maximum temperature. Pumped irrigation was more effective but required large volumes of fluid. The heat generated by the internally cooled saw blade was negligible and the temperatures achieved (19 degrees C to 34 degrees C) fell well below the critical level for bone death (44 degrees C to 47 degrees C)

1. Into osseous defects cut in the pelvis of rats, Kiel bone grafts were implanted after impregnation with the animals' own fresh bone marrow, obtained by femoral puncture. Unimpregnated Kiel bone grafts and Kiel bone grafts impregnated with an antibiotic solution were implanted as controls. 2. Histological examination of the implant area showed that in the marrow-impregnated grafts new bone formation could be observed after twelve days, and that during an observation period of 135 days after implantation bone formation occurred in thirteen out of nineteen rats. In four of these cases a continuous bony bridge developed over the defect. 3. In the unimpregnated grafts no more than a small amount of new bone was seen in only one of seven rats. In the antibiotic-impregnated grafts no bone formation was found in six rats during the same period of observation

Although success has been achieved with implantation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (bMSCs) in degenerative discs, its full potential may not be achieved if the harsh environment of the degenerative disc remains. Axial distraction has been shown to increase hydration and nutrition. Combining both therapies may have a synergistic effect in reversing degenerative disc disease. In order to evaluate the effect of bMSC implantation, axial distraction and combination therapy in stimulating regeneration and retarding degeneration in degenerative discs, we first induced disc degeneration by axial loading in a rabbit model. The rabbits in the intervention groups performed better with respect to disc height, morphological grading, histological scoring and average dead cell count. The groups with distraction performed better than those without on all criteria except the average dead cell count. Our findings suggest that bMSC implantation and distraction stimulate regenerative changes in degenerative discs in a rabbit model

We investigated the rates of expression of bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) in 29 adult patients with high-grade malignant fibrous histiocytoma of soft tissue, using the BMP-2-specific monoclonal antibody, AbH3b2/17, and found that they ranged from 1.9% to 78.9%. The survival at five years of the groups expressing high (≥30%) and low (< 30%) levels of BMP-2 was 85.7% and 36.3%, respectively. Multivariable analysis showed that only BMP-2 had prognostic significance for continuous disease-free survival and for overall survival (p < 0.05). Our findings indicate that over-expression of BMP-2 in malignant fibrous histiocytoma of soft tissue is the most reliable prognostic indicator of the parameters assessed

Of tumours arising in otherwise normal bones, fibrosarcoma is about one-third as common as osteosarcoma and may have a very slightly better prognosis. A comparison of the aetiology and behaviour of forty-nine fibrosarcomata and 152 osteosarcomata indicates several similar features. Fibrosarcoma lacks the characteristic peak incidence in adolescence of osteosarcoma, but the age and sex distributions of both tumour types in patients of middle life--twenty-five to sixty-five years--are remarkably similar, even in their frequency. With fibrosarcoma, perhaps, lung metastases are fewer and appear later, thus contributing to the slightly better survival, but there is some increase in the proportion of extra-pulmonary secondaries. As with osteosarcoma, patients with fibrosarcoma show some increase in the length of post-metastatic survival when metastases are of later appearance. For the whole series the five-year crude survival rate was 21 per cent, better results being recorded for patients with histologically well differentiated tumours (30 per cent) and for long bone tumours when the patient was metastasis-free initially and the tumour was treated by prompt ablation (40 per cent). These are probably the best results one may expect for osseous fibrosarcoma without recourse to adjuvant antimetastatic therapy. Complete control of the primary tumour is likewise mandatory, and can be assured only by complete surgical removal when this is technically feasible

The long-term results of grafting with hydroxyapatite granules for acetabular deficiency in revision total hip replacement are not well known. We have evaluated the results of revision using a modular cup with hydroxyapatite grafting for Paprosky type 2 and 3 acetabular defects at a minimum of ten years’ follow-up. We retrospectively reviewed 49 acetabular revisions at a mean of 135 months (120 to 178). There was one type 2B, ten 2C, 28 3A and ten 3B hips. With loosening as the endpoint, the survival rate was 74.2% (95% confidence interval 58.3 to 90.1). Radiologically, four of the type 3A hips (14%) and six of the type 3B hips (60%) showed aseptic loosening with collapse of the hydroxyapatite layer, whereas no loosening occurred in type 2 hips. There was consolidation of the hydroxyapatite layer in 33 hips (66%). Loosening was detected in nine of 29 hips (31%) without cement and in one of 20 hips (5%) with cement (p = 0.03, Fisher’s exact probability test). The linear wear and annual wear rate did not correlate with loosening.

These results suggest that the long-term results of hydroxyapatite grafting with cement for type 2 and 3A hips are encouraging.

We have used dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry to measure bone mineral density (BMD) in patients with ankylosing spondylitis comparing 41 healthy control subjects and 33 patients with either mild or advanced ankylosing spondylitis. A Norland XR-28 bone densitometer was used to measure the BMD of the lumbar spine and that of the head, trunk, arms, femoral neck, Ward's triangle, legs, pelvis, and total body. Mild ankylosing spondylitis was defined as that showing no or incipient syndesmophytes between L1 and L5 vertebrae: we studied 16 men of mean age 37 years and six women of mean age 37 years. Advanced ankylosing spondylitis, in 11 men of mean age 42 years, showed a bamboo spine with bridging syndesmophytes across all disc spaces between L1 and L5. The mean BMD of the lumbar spine was significantly different in the patients and control subjects of the same sex (0.01 < p < 0.05, analysis of variance), being significantly reduced compared with control subjects in mild disease (0.001 < p < 0.01, t-test) and significantly increased in advanced disease over control subjects (0.01 < p < 0.05; t-test) and over patients with mild disease (0.001 < p < 0.01; t-test). The relevance of these findings to the aetiology and pathogenesis of spinal deformities and other complications in ankylosing spondylitis is discussed

The clinical records, radiographs and histopathological material of all forty-one patients recorded as suffering from fibrosarcoma of bone in the Swedish Cancer Registry for the years 1958 to 1968 have been analysed; in addition, four cases were found on histological review of a series of osteosarcomas. From this re-examination, twenty-four patients with genuine fibrosarcoma of bone were identified; twenty-two had primary neoplasms and two secondary. No sex or geographical differences were found. The tumours showed a prevalence for patients in the adult and older age groups. Half of the tumours arose from femoral or tibial metaphysial bone adjacent to a knee joint. All the tumours were of the medullary type. Almost one-third presented with a pathological fracture, and soft-tissue extension had occurred in all but three tumours. In contrast to previous reports, these tumours were more malignant than osteosarcomas and showed a five-year survival rate of only 4-2 per cent. In accessible sites, ablative surgery was used as the primary treatment, Fibrosarcoma of bone is a distinctive lesion and should be distinguished carefully from periosteal and soft-tissue fibrosarcomas because of differences in prognosis and treatment

We compared the mechanical properties of carbon fibre composite bone plates with those of stainless steel and titanium. The composite plates have less stiffness with good fatigue properties. Tissue culture and small animal implantation confirmed the biocompatibility of the material. We also present a preliminary report on the use of the carbon fibre composite plates in 40 forearm fractures. All fractures united, 67% of them showing radiological remodelling within six months. There were no refractures or mechanical failures, but five fractures showed an unexpected reaction; this is discussed

In order to improve the fixation of the stem in primary Charnley low-friction arthroplasty, the medullary canal was routinely closed off with a cancellous bone block. A prospective study of 611 consecutive arthroplasties were carried out between 1 and 5 1/2 years (average 2 years and 9 months) after operation. There were two cases of radiological loosening of the stem, both of which could have been avoided. Five other patients showed demarcation of the bone-cement junction at the calcar; two of these are considered to be "at risk" of loosening. There was no evidence of radiological loosening of the stem in 604 cases and the method is recommended for routine use in primary total hip arthroplasty