Application of internal fixation of steel-wire limited loop in early Achilles tendon rupture

Objective:To explore the clinical effect and safety of internal fixation of steel-wire limited loop in early Achilles tendon rupture.Methods:Seventy-six patients respectively with early transected and avulsed types of Achilles tendon rupture were selected and treated with internal fixation of steel-wire limited loop.The patients began to take exercise for their lower limbs through continous passive motion as early as possible after surgical repair,and the loops were removed after 3-5 months.Six months later,the condition of complications including Achilles tendon re-rupture,wound fistula,wound infection and skin necrosis,cutaneous sensation in sural nerve dominance region,time back to preinjury work or learning as well as time to physical activities were observed.One year later,the therapeutic effect was evaluated,and the maximum circumferences of bilateral legs and raptured plane circumferences of Achilles tendon were measured.Results:The wound of all patients healed well,no complications like Achilles tendon re-rupture,wound fistula,wound infection and skin necrosis occured,and the cutaneous sensation in sural nerve dominance region was normal.The mean time back to preinjury work or learning as well as to pysical activities of all patients were respectively 10 and 22 weeks.Seventy out of 76 patients(92.1%) achieved an excellent effect,and 6(7.9%) good effect.The excellent and good rate came up to 100%.The maximum circumference in the affected leg decreased to 2 mm averagely compared with the offside,while the ruptured plane circumferences of Achilles tendon in the affected side increased to 2.2 mm compared with the offside.Conclusions:Kor early Achilles tendon rupture,internal fixation of steel-wire limited loop can recover the ankle function better,return to the preinjury state in the shortest lime,and has few complications.

Effect of Nb addition on microstructure and mechanical properties of 25CrNiMoV(DZ2)steel for high-speed railway axles

The microstructure,precipitates and properties of 25CrNiMoV(DZ2)steel for high-speed railway axles with different Nb contents were investigated by means of optical microscopy,scanning electron microscopy,electron back-scattering diffraction,transmission electron microscopy and physicochemical phase analysis.The results show that the grain size of the original austenite of the test steels decreases from 20.5 to 14.2 and 10.8μm after adding 0.026 and 0.039 wt.%Nb to a 25CrNiMoV steel,respectively.Moreover,the block width of the tempered martensite in the test steels is refined from 1.91 to 1.72 and 1.60µm,respectively.MC-type precipitates in 25CrNiMoV steel are mainly VC,while(Nb,V)C gradually precipitates when Nb is microalloyed,and the amount of precipitates increases with increasing Nb content.Through strengthening mechanism analysis,it is found that grain refinement strengthening is the primary way to increase the strength.The improvement in the yield strength with increasing Nb content is attributed to a significant increase in precipitation strengthening,grain refinement strengthening and dislocation strengthening.

Rolling Contact Fatigue Properties of SAE 8620 Steel after Case Carburizing

Rolling contact fatigue（RCF）properties of SAE 8620 steel after case carburizing have been investigated under two contact stresses of 4.0and 5.5GPa.Results show that the RCF life ranges from 2.5×10^6 to 3×10^7 cycles under the contact stress of 5.5GPa,while it can be more than 1×10^8 cycles under the contact stress of 4.0GPa.The rated fatigue life L_（10）（lives with the 10%failure）is also drastically shortened from 9.8×10^6 to 5.4×10^5 cycles when the contact stress is increased from 4.0to 5.5GPa.Theoretical calculations and fractographs show that the maximum shear stress and the contact area increase with increasing the contact stress,making RCF tend to occur earlier.