New method of local adjuvant therapy with bicarbonate Ringer’s solution for tumoral calcinosis: A case report

BACKGROUND Tumoral calcinosis is a condition characterized by deposits of calcium phosphate crystals in extra-articular soft tissues,occurring in hemodialysis patients.Calcium phosphate crystals are mainly composed of hydroxyapatite,which is highly infilt-rative to tissues,thus making complete resection difficult.An adjuvant method to remove or resolve the residual crystals during the operation is necessary.CASE SUMMARY A bicarbonate Ringer’s solution with bicarbonate ions(28 mEq/L)was used as the adjuvant.After resecting calcium phosphate deposits of tumoral calcinosis as much as possible,while filling with the solution,residual calcium phosphate deposits at the pseudocyst wall can be gently scraped by fingers or gauze in the operative field.A 49-year-old female undergoing hemodialysis for 15 years had swelling with calcium deposition for 2 years in the shoulders,bilateral hip joints,and the right foot.A shoulder lesion was resected,but the calcification remained and early re-deposition was observed.Considering the difficulty of a complete rection,we devised a bicarbonate dissolution method and excised the foot lesion.After resection of the calcified material,the residual calcified material was washed away with bicarbonate Ringer’s solution.CONCLUSION The bicarbonate dissolution method is a new,simple,and effective treatment for tumoral calcinosis in hemodialysis patients.

System describing surgical field extension associated with flap reconstruction after resection of a superficial malignant soft tissue tumor

BACKGROUND Flap reconstruction after resection of a superficial malignant soft tissue tumor extends the surgical field and is an indicator for potential recurrence sites.AIM To describe a grading system for surgical field extension of soft tissue sarcomas.METHODS Grading system:CD-grading is a description system consisting of C and D values in the surgical field extension,which are related to the compartmental position of the flap beyond the nearby large joint and deeper extension for the pedicle,respectively.C1/D1 are positive values and C0/D0 are negative.With a known location,1/0 values can be"p"(proximal),"d"(distal),and"b"(in the tumor bed),and the description method is as follows:flap type,CxDx[x=0,1,p,d or b].RESULTS Four representative patients with subcutaneous sarcomas who underwent reconstruction using fasciocutaneous flaps are presented.The cases involved a distal upper arm(elbow)synovial sarcoma reconstructed using a pedicled latissimus dorsi(pedicled flap:CpDp);a distal upper arm(elbow)pleomorphic rhabdomyosarcoma reconstructed using a transpositional flap from the forearm(transpositional flap:CdD0);an undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma in the buttocks reconstructed using a transpositional flap(transpositional flap:C0D0);and a myxofibrosarcoma in the buttocks reconstructed using a propeller flap from the thigh(pedicled flap:CdDd).CONCLUSION The reconstruction method is chosen by the surgeon based on size,location,and other tumor characteristics;however,the final surgical field cannot be determined based on preoperative images alone.CD-grading is a description system consisting of C and D values in the surgical field extension that are related to the compartmental position of the flap beyond the nearby large joint and deeper extension for the pedicle,respectively.The CD-grading system gives a new perspective to the flap reconstruction classification.The CD-grading system also provides important information for follow-up imaging of a possible recurrence.

Non-ossifying fibromas: Case series, including in uncommon upper extremity sites

AIM To investigate non-ossifying fibromas(NOFs) common fibrous bone lesions in children that occur in bones of the lower extremities.METHODS We analyzed 44 cases of NOF including 47 lesions, which were referred with a working diagnosis of neoplastic lesions. Lesions were located in the upper extremities(1 proximal humerus, 1 distal radius) and the lower extremities(25 distal femurs, 12 proximal and 4 distal tibias, and 4 proximal fibulas).RESULTS Three cases had NOFs in multiple anatomical locations(femur and fibula in 1 case, femur and tibia in 2 cases). Overall, larger lesions > 4 cm and lesion expansion at the cortex were seen in 21% and 32% of cases, respectively. Multiple lesions with bilateral symmetry in the lower extremities suggest that these NOFs were developmental bone defects. Two patients suffered from fracture and were treated without surgery, one in the radius and one in the femur. Lesions in the upper extremities(i.e., humerus of a 4-year-old female and radius of a 9-year-old male) expanded at the cortex and lesion size increased with slow ossification.CONCLUSION NOFs in the lower extremity had fewer clinical problems, regardless of their size and expansiveness. In these two upper extremity cases, the NOFs had aggressive biological features. It seems that there is a site specific difference, especially between the upper extremity and the lower extremity. Furthermore, NOFs in the radius are predisposed to fracture because of the slender structure of the radius and the susceptibility to stress.

CT-guided radiofrequency ablation of osteoid osteoma in the long bones of the lower extremity

AIM:To present our initial experience with computed tomography guided radiofrequency ablation(RFA) of osteoid osteoma(OO) in our institution.METHODS:RFA was performed on eight patients(5 males and 3 females) with clinically and radiologically diagnosed OO(femoral neck,n = 4;femoral diaphysis,n = 2;tibial diaphysis,n = 1;fibular diaphysis,n = 1).Ablation was performed using an electrode with a 10-mm exposed tip for a total of 4-6 min at a targeted temperature of 90 degrees Celsius.No cooling system was used.The intervention was accepted as technically successful if the tip of the electrode could be placed within the center of the nidus.We defined clinical success as a disappearance within 2 wk after treatment of symptoms that had manifested at presentation.RESULTS:All procedures were technically successful.No major or immediate complications were observed.Clinical success was achieved in six of eight patients in the first procedure.A second procedure was performed for two patients who had recurrent or continued pain,and one of these cases was successfully treated.The overall rate of success was 87.5%(7/8).No complication was observed.CONCLUSION:Our preliminary results indicate a favorable success rate and no complications and are compatible with the previous reports of RFA of OO.

The 45-Degree Arthroscope Improves Visualization of the Femoral Attachment of the Anterior Cruciate Ligament

Background: Exposure of the insertion site of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is important for appropriate tunnel placement in ACL reconstruction surgery. However, observing the femoral ACL insertion site via the standard anterolateral portal is sometimes difficult. In this study, we compared views of the femoral ACL insertion site between 30-degree and the 45-degree arthroscopes. Methods: We first inserted the 30-degree and the 45-degree arthroscope into the anterolateral portal of a knee simulator in which we had drawn a lattice pattern on the lateral intercondylar notch based on the quadrant method. Next, we compared the arthroscopic views provided by the 30-degree and 45-degree arthroscopes during ACL reconstruction surgery by measuring the area of the lateral intercondylar notch visible through each of the arthroscopes. Results: In the knee simulator, the 45-degree arthroscope showed the entire area of the lateral intercondylar notch, whereas the 30-degree arthroscope had to be introduced more deeply to show the most superior and posterior quadrant, where the attachment of the anteromedial bundle of ACL is located. During the ACL reconstruction, the area of the lateral intercondylar notch in the field of view was larger through the 45-degree arthroscope than through the 30-degree arthroscope. Conclusion: The 45-degree arthroscope provides a better view of the femoral ACL insertion site via the anterolateral portal, which may be helpful during ACL reconstruction.

Myelin protein zero (P0)- and Wnt1-Cre marked muscle resident neural crest-derived mesenchymal progenitor cells give rise to heterotopic ossification in mouse models

Heterotopic ossification(HO)describes bone formation at non-skeletal sites and results from traumatic injury,surgery,or genetic disease such as fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva(FOP).1,2 Although it is known that BMP signaling regulates HO,knowledge about the developmental origin of the osteogenic progenitors responsible for the BMP-associated metamorphosis is comparably less.With the use of transgenic mice and labelled neural crest-derived cell,3 we found myelin protein zero(P0,or MPZ)-and Wnt1-lineage cells give rise to BMP-7 induced adult ectopic cartilage and bone.

Rice Stomatal Closure Requires Guard Cell Plasma Membrane ATP-Binding Cassette Transporter RCN1/OsABCG5

Water stress is one of the major environmental stresses that affect agricultural production worldwide. Water loss from plants occurs primarily through stomatal pores. Here, we report that an Oryza sativa half-size ATP-binding cassette （ABC） subfamily G protein, RCN 1/OsABCG5, is involved in stomatal closure mediated by phytohormone abscisic acid （ABA） accumulation in guard cells. We found that the GFP-RCN1/ OsABCG5-fusion protein was localized at the plasma membrane in guard cells. The percentage of guard cell pairs containing both ABA and GFP-RCN1/OsABCG5 increased after exogenous ABA treatment, whereas they were co-localized in guard cell pairs regardless of whether exogenous ABA was applied. ABA application resulted in a smaller increase in the percentage of guard cell pairs containing ABA in rcnl mutant （A684P） and RCN1-RNAi than in wild-type plants. Furthermore, polyethylene glycol （drought stress）-inducible ABA accumulation in guard cells did not occur in rcnl mutants. Stomata closure mediated by exogenous ABA application was strongly reduced in rcnl mutants. Finally, rcnl mutant plants had more rapid water loss from detached leaves than the wild-type plants. These results indicate that in response to drought stress, RCN1/OsABCG5 is involved in accumulation of ABA in guard cells, which is indispensable for stomatal closure.