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Biomedical subjects

C N Kraft

Publications and source records attributed to C N Kraft.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2007

Osteoporosis in haemophilia - an underestimated comorbidity?

A relationship between haemophilia and osteoporosis has been suggested, leading to the initiative for a larger study assessing this issue. Bone mineral density (BMD) was measured by osteodensitometry using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) in 62 male patients with severe haemophilia A; mean age 41 +/- 13.1 years, mean body mass index (BMI) 23.5 +/- 3.6 kg m(-2). Using the clinical score suggested by the World Federation of Hemophilia, all patients were assessed to determine the severity of their arthropathy. A reduced BMD defined as osteopenia and osteoporosis by World Health Organization criteria was detected in 27/62 (43.5%) and 16/62 (25.8%) patients, respectively. Fifty-five of sixty-two (88.7%) patients suffered from haemophilic arthropathy. An increased number of affected joints and/or an increased severity were associated with lower BMD in the neck of femur. Pronounced muscle atrophy and loss of joint movement were also associated with low BMD. Furthermore, hepatitis C, low BMI and age were found to be additional risk factors for reduced BMD in the haemophiliac. Our data shows that in haemophilic patients osteoporosis represents a frequent concomitant observation. The main cause for reduced bone mass in the haemophiliac is most probably the haemophilic arthropathy being typically associated with chronic pain and loss of joint function subsequently leading to inactivity. Further studies including control groups are necessary to elucidate the impact of comorbidities such as hepatitis C or HIV on the development of osteoporosis in the haemophiliac.

Absorptiometry, Photon↗
PubMed2006

Successful pain treatment in arthropathic lower extremities by acupuncture in haemophilia patients.

Acupuncture is successfully used in the treatment of degenerative osteoarthritis. The treatment of haemophilic arthropathies can require strong painkillers with severe side-effects. Therefore, a special yet simple acupuncture technique was evaluated in the treatment of these joint problems. Twelve patients with a factor VIII activity<1% and at least one painful arthropathy in both lower extremities were included in this single-blinded study. The non-treated side served as a control. Treatment was assessed by a visual analogue scale (VAS) and an orthopaedic clinical examination. Only one needle was inserted at the rear fontanelle once per week and in 15 cycles. Ten of 12 patients showed an improvement of their pain perception. The average VAS could be reduced from 6.8 to 5.0. The side not receiving treatment showed a reduction from 4.1 to 4.0. No side-effects were observed. Even though interpretation of our data are limited due to the small patient numbers, significant improvement of the VAS after treatment suggests that acupuncture has a measurable positive effect in pain management for haemophilic arthropathy of the lower extremities.

Acupuncture Therapy↗
PubMed2005

Coccygectomy for coccygodynia: does pathogenesis matter?

BACKGROUND: Severity of vertical impact to the coccyx can range from mere contusion to a dislocated fracture of the coccyx. With early conservative management, most patients have a good prognosis and heal within weeks to months after the initial trauma. Occasionally, persisting symptoms make a surgical intervention with coccygectomy necessary. METHODS: We report on the results of patients surgically managed for traumatically induced, persisting coccygodynia and compare these to patients operatively treated for idiopathic coccygodynia. Sixteen patients with an average follow-up of 7.3 years were evaluated. Of these, eight were surgically treated for traumatic and eight for idiopathic coccygodynia. The clinical results were assessed by means of the Hambly Score and the Oswestry Low Back Pain Disability questionnaire. Patient satisfaction with the postoperative result was assessed by a visual analog scale. RESULTS: Seven of eight (88%) patients treated for traumatically induced coccygodynia had a good or excellent postoperative result, in contrast to only three of eight (38%) patients with idiopathic coccygodynia. The former group had better results in terms of sitting tolerance and general pain intensity as represented by the Oswestry Low Back Pain Disability questionnaire. According to the significantly better clinical results, personal satisfaction was clearly higher in the traumatic group. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that, in patients where all conservative treatment methods work to no avail, particularly those with traumatically induced persisting coccygodynia benefit from surgical intervention with coccygectomy.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2004

[Value of sonography after rotator cuff repair: a comparison with MRI and clinical results].

AIM: How well do ultrasound- and MRI-results after rotator cuff reconstruction correlate with postoperative clinical findings? METHODS: Ultrasound- and MR-imaging of the afflicted shoulder on 40 patients who were surgically managed for isolated tear of the tendon of supraspinatus was performed at least 24 months after intervention. Patients were also clinically assessed. Based on the clinical result, sensitivity and specificity for the two imaging procedures was determined. RESULTS: Only 11 (27.5%) patients had a completely inconspicuous ultrasonography. By ignoring the sonographic parameter "echogenicity" this number was raised to 29 (72.5%) patients. Without the above mentioned parameter ultrasonography demonstrated a good specificity (90.3%) yet a poor sensitivity (33.3%). Incorporation of "echogenicity" markedly weakened both values. MR-imaging showed an intact cuff in 32 (80%) patients, 5 (12.5%) had signs for a partial tear and in 3 (7.5%) a recurrent tear was diagnosed. Based on the clinical result, MR-imaging showed sufficient specificity (87.1%), yet also a poor sensitivity (44.4%). CONCLUSION: After rotator cuff repair MRI- and ultrasound-findings frequently stand in distinct discrepancy to clinical results. Based on clinical findings, postoperative MR-imaging shows a slightly higher sensitivity than ultrasonography. Despite this, both radiographic methods do not allow deductions concerning the clinical outcome. The postoperative shoulder-scan and MRI should therefore be interpreted with utmost care. Symptoms and functional results are of high clinical relevance in the assessment of the postoperative shoulder.

Follow-Up Studies↗
PubMed2003

[Foot injury as a rare cause of scendosporiosis with fetal outcome].

After an attempted suicide with a fall from a height of 5 m, a 33 year old male suffered a subarachnoidal haemorrhage, an instable fracture of the second lumbar vertebra as well as a soft-tissue decollément in the vicinity of the right heel. Despite surgical management, the comatose patient showed slow wound-healing of the heel, making revision-surgery necessary 10 days after the first treatment. Fungi were histologically recognised, and subsequent culturing identified Scedosporium apiospermum. Systemic antimycotic therapy with itraconazol (800 mg/d) was immediately initiated. Despite this, S. apiospermum was repeatedly found in wound swabs over the following 2 weeks. After 4 weeks, a radiographically verified osteomyelitis of the calcaneus was diagnosed and local debridement was once again performed. After 5 days, an MRI of the cranium suggested an abscess in the posterior horn of the left lateral ventricle. Itraconazol was altered to voriconazol (4 mg/kg body weight). Neurosurgical opening of the abscess and subsequent culturing once again showed S. apiospermum. CT-scans performed over the following period showed an increase in lesions in the brain suggestive for numerous abscesses. At 78 days after the initial trauma, the still comatose patient died due to a massive cerebral haemorrhage. Microbiological assessment of the soil at the site of injury revealed S. apiospermum.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Long-term follow-up after osteotomy for haemophilic arthropathy of the knee.

In this study the long-term value of corrective osteotomy around the knee was evaluated by means of clinical and radiographic parameters. Between 1974 and 1984 we performed 52 corrective osteotomies in the vicinity of the knee on patients affected by haemophilic arthropathy. Forty-two patients (45 osteotomies) were adequately followed-up at an average 11.6 years postoperatively. Using the clinical score of the Advisory Committee of the World Federation of Haemophilia, 38 patients showed a postoperative improvement, five remained clinically unchanged and two showed deterioration. Range of motion of the knee joint did not significantly improve postoperatively. The radiographic Pettersson score showed only a marginal decrease by an average 0.003 points at the time of follow-up. Only one patient needed subsequent joint replacement of both knees, on the left side 13 years after osteotomy and on the right side 8 years after osteotomy. Even in cases of marked radiographic joint destruction, corrective osteotomy shows acceptable long-term clinical results, underlining the feasibility of this management option in the treatment of haemophilic arthropathy of the knee. Although moderate cartilage degenerations in the femoropatellar complex and in the contralateral compartment can be tolerated, this therapy should primarily be contemplated for those patients where damage is unicompartmental and a corresponding axial deviation is found. Particularly the younger patient can benefit from this treatment option in that joint replacement may possibly wholly be avoided or at least postponed to a later stage of life.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2003

Haemophilic arthropathy of the hip in children--prognosis and long-term follow-up.

The aim of this study was to report on the long-term follow-up of haemophilic children with avascular femoral head necrosis and to determine whether radiographic findings at initial diagnosis have any prognostic value. Seven patients with avascular necrosis of the femoral head were clinically and radiographically observed over a period of 5-50 years. The average age of patients at first diagnosis was 7.1 years. At follow-up, three of seven patients claimed to have occasional mild pain in the affected hip, four of seven showed loss of range of motion in the hip joint and two of seven patients showed a limp. Only one patient was clinically completely inconspicuous. The radiographically measured caput-collum-diaphysis angle at follow-up was pathologic in four cases and in one case a lateral subluxation of the femoral head was found. There was marked deformation of the femoral head in three of seven cases and a further two hips showing slight incongruency. Owing to the small patient-number, a statement concerning the prognostic value of defined radiographic signs cannot be made. As expected, the more 'risk signs' radiographically found, the higher the likelihood that patients will suffer arthrosis at a later stage. We propose that a clear distinction between haemophilic arthropathy of the hip and Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease should be made. In cases where radiographic changes are also found in the vicinity of the acetabulum, it is indicative for haemophilic arthropathy.

Child↗
PubMed2003

Microvascular response of striated muscle to metal debris. A comparative in vivo study with titanium and stainless steel.

Wear products of metal implants are known to induce biological events which may have profound consequences for the microcirculation of skeletal muscle. Using the skinfold chamber model and intravital microscopy we assessed microcirculatory parameters in skeletal muscle after confrontation with titanium and stainless-steel wear debris, comparing the results with those of bulk materials. Implantation of stainless-steel bulk and debris led to a distinct activation of leukocytes combined with a disruption of the microvascular endothelial integrity and massive leukocyte extravasation. While animals with bulk stainless steel showed a tendency to recuperation, stainless-steel wear debris induced such severe inflammation and massive oedema that the microcirculation broke down within 24 hours after implantation. Titanium bulk caused only a transient increase in leukocyte-endothelial cell interaction within the first 120 minutes and no significant change in macromolecular leakage, leukocyte extravasation or venular diameter. Titanium wear debris produced a markedly lower inflammatory reaction than stainless-steel bulk, indicating that a general benefit of bulk versus debris could not be claimed. Depending on its constituents, wear debris is capable of eliciting acute inflammation which may result in endothelial damage and subsequent failure of microperfusion. Our results indicate that not only the bulk properties of orthopaedic implants but also the microcirculatory implications of inevitable wear debris play a pivotal role in determining the biocompatibility of an implant.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

[Primary subcutaneous hematogenous osteomyelitis in childhood].

The most frequent form of bone infection is haematogenous osteomyelitis (HOM), typically affecting infants and children. Dependent on the virulence of the pathogen and the patients immune response, one can distinguish between the acute (AHOM) and primary subacute haematogenous osteomyelitis (PSHO). In contrast to AHOM, diagnosis of PSHO is severely impeded in that clinical and blood-chemistry findings usually do not enable differentiation from primary malignant bone tumors. With a comparable age predilection and clinical symptoms, as well as very similar conventional radiographic, MRI- and bone-scan-findings, the most important differential diagnosis is Ewing's-sarcoma. The here demonstrated case of a 12 year-old girl shows that PSHA may imitate a sarcoma very closely, even concerning such usually fairly reliable radiographic aspects like osteolysis and lamellar periostal bone reaction. Despite the use of MRI, the diagnosis initially remained uncertain and a malignant bony lesion could only be ruled out after open biopsy and histopathological evaluation.

Bacteremia↗
PubMed2002

Long-term follow-up after intertrochanteric varus osteotomy for haemophilic arthropathy of the hip.

In view of an increasing tendency in prosthetic management of haemophilic arthropathy, we intended to evaluate the efficacy of corrective osteotomy of the hip, specifically taking long-term clinical and radiographic results into consideration. Eleven hips affected by haemarthropathy in nine patients suffering from severe haemophilia A were treated with an intertrochanteric varus osteotomy. The average follow-up period was 15 small middle dot4 years. The preoperative clinical score of the Advisory Committee of the World Federation of Haemophilia was 5 small middle dot3 points (range 4-7) and the Pettersson score was 6 small middle dot4 points (range 2-10). The average WFH score at follow-up had increased to 3 small middle dot6 points. Seven hips showed clinical improvement, two hips showed a postoperative deterioration while a further two hips remained unchanged. The Petterson score increased to an average of 7 small middle dot7 points. Here the radiographs of six patients indicated postoperative deterioration, three remained unaltered and two showed improvement. Our study cannot conclusively answer whether intertrochanteric varus osteotomy for haemophilic arthropathy of the hip is always a feasible alternative to joint arthroplasty. The decision for or against this procedure must be individually assessed and the patient must be thoroughly informed about the advantages and disadvantages of both procedures.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2002

Clinical and radiographic scores in haemophilic arthropathies: how well do these correlate to subjective pain status and daily activities?

Haemophilic patients who reached adulthood before the establishment of prophylactic treatment frequently show multiple and substantial arthropathies. The aim of this study was to determine to what extent haemophiliac's subjective impairment due to arthropathies correlates with objective clinical and radiographic parameters. By means of a questionnaire and a visual analogue scale, we consulted 79 haemophiliacs concerning their joint-pain status, how these were treated and to what extent their daily activities had been affected. Using a scoring system suggested by the Advisory Committee of the World Federation of Haemophilia, clinical evaluation was performed. Radiographs of 60 patients were assessed by means of the Petterson scale. The results were statistically compared. We found a significant correlation between pain intensity and clinical pathology as well as between pain intensity and radiographic joint damage for both knees and for the right ankle. The number of painful joints correlated well with the number of clinically/radiographically affected joints. The more pronounced the objective damage to joints, the more frequently patients claimed to have constant pain, depressive episodes and a dependency on pain-relieving medication. The more pronounced the objectively assessed damage to the knee and ankle joint, the higher the likelihood that the patient suffers from severe joint pain and reduction of activity. Treatment of painful symptoms from arthropathies is often insufficient. Scores and questionnaires may help to define the haemophiliacs pain status more clearly, thereby offering a possibility of assessment and long-term observation.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed2002

Long-term observation and management of resolving infantile idiopathic scoliosis a 25-year follow-up.

Of 42 patients with resolving infantile idiopathic scoliosis, 34 were followed up for more than 25 years. Twenty had been primarily treated in a plaster bed and 14 by physiotherapy. The mean angle of the curve at presentation was 17 degrees and at follow-up it was 5 degrees. No patient had significant progression of the scoliosis during the growth spurt. When adults few had back pain or an increased disability score and there was no interference with work or social activities. The rib-vertebra angle difference proved to be an essential radiological sign when distinguishing resolving from progressive infantile idiopathic scoliosis. There was no advantage of plaster over physiotherapy with regard to either the time to resolution or the functional outcome. Treatment of resolving infantile idiopathic scoliosis in a plaster bed is therefore now outdated.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Impact of a nickel-reduced stainless steel implant on striated muscle microcirculation: a comparative in vivo study.

The impairment of skeletal muscle microcirculation by a biomaterial may have profound consequences. With moderately good physical and corrosion characteristics, implant-quality stainless steel is particularly popular in orthopedic surgery. However, due to the presence of a considerable amount of nickel in the alloy, concern has been voiced in respect to local tissue responses. More recently a stainless steel alloy with a significant reduction of nickel has become commercially available. We, therefore, studied in vivo nutritive perfusion and leukocytic response of striated muscle to this nickel-reduced alloy, and compared these results with those of the materials conventional stainless steel and titanium. Using the hamster dorsal skinfold chamber preparation and intravital microscopy, we could demonstrate that reduction of the nickel quantity in a stainless steel implant has a positive effect on local microvascular parameters. Although the implantation of a conventional stainless steel sample led to a distinct and persistent activation of leukocytes combined with disruption of the microvascular endothelial integrity, marked leukocyte extravasation, and considerable venular dilation, animals with a nickel-reduced stainless steel implant showed only a moderate increase of these parameters, with a clear tendency of recuperation. Titanium implants merely caused a transient increase of leukocyte-endothelial cell interaction within the first 120 min, and no significant change in macromolecular leakage, leukocyte extravasation, or venular diameter. Pending biomechanical and corrosion testing, nickel-reduced stainless steel may be a viable alternative to conventional implant-quality stainless steel for biomedical applications. Concerning tolerance by the local vascular system, titanium currently remains unsurpassed.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Radiographic spinal profile changes induced by cage design after posterior lumbar interbody fusion preliminary report of a study with wedged implants.

STUDY DESIGN: A prospective comparative radiographic study between two geometrically varying implants utilized in single-level posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF) was performed. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine the influence of 4 degrees wedged cages on postoperative lateral lumbar spinal profile. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: The biomechanical and clinical importance of realigning the sagittal lumbar profile in surgical management of spinal instabilities is known. Wedged cages are therefore increasingly attaining popularity in PLIF. As yet the significance of wedged implants on postoperative sagittal spinal profile has not been assessed. METHODS: Forty patients were randomly assigned to two equal-sized groups. In one group rectangular cages and in the second group cages with a wedged design and an inclination of 4 degrees were implanted. Quantitative assessment of the lumbar spinal profile on standing neutral lateral radiographs was performed before surgery as well as 6 weeks and 12 months after surgery. Results were statistically compared. RESULTS: A significant improvement of lumbar sagittal profile after use of 4 degrees wedged compared with nonwedged cages was not found. The greatest effect on lumbar profile and segmental lordosis was observed in fusion of segment L4-L5 with 4 degrees wedged cages. CONCLUSIONS: These results show that normal sagittal alignment after single-level lumbar fusion can be achieved with rectangular and 4 degrees wedged cages. Although results after utilization of 4 degrees wedged cages do not significantly differ, these implants offer the surgeon one more sizing variation with which physiologic lumbar lordosis may be attained. The biomechanical implications of wedged implants on the rigidity of a fused segment remain to be analyzed.

Female↗
PubMed2001

Radiological signs of osteitis around extramedullary metal implants. A radiographic-microbiological correlative analysis in rabbit tibiae after local inoculation of Staphylococcus aureus.

Radiographic changes in the early stages of osteomyelitis may be subtle and, especially after plate osteosynthesis, frequently missed. A previously described experimental model of local bacterial infection was used in an attempt to determine the reliability of specific changes on conventional radiographs for the diagnosis of osteitis after metal-plate implantation and subsequent inoculation of Staphylococcus aureus in rabbit tibiae. Roentgenograms of the treated limbs were evaluated, and seven radiographic parameters, to which numerical scores were assigned, were determined for each bone. Our results substantiate the conclusion that a radiographically verified periosteal reaction is a constant and early skeletal feature of acute osteomyelitis and has the strongest association to the microbiological results (P < 0.05), emphasising its high predictive value. Plate implantation does not notably impede the diagnosis of osteomyelitis. An association between the amount of inoculated bacteria and the extent of radiographic changes could be found. The results of this present study closely resemble those described in man and suggest that this model may be useful for future experimental investigations in determining a score judging the severity of osseous involvement in local bacterial infection after plate osteosynthesis.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Three-dimensional ultrasonography in the diagnosis of rotator cuff lesions.

Two-dimensional (2-D) ultrasound (US) of rotator cuff lesions is a well-established tool. The aim of this study was to elucidate if the use of 3-D sonography can increase the diagnostic yield of US. A total of 40 patients were preoperatively evaluated using 2-D and 3-D sonography, and these results were compared to intraoperative findings. Ultrasound was performed on a 530D US machine (Kretztechnik, Zipf, Austria) with a 10-MHz transducer. We found an increased validity of 3-D imaging, mainly based on the higher reliability in the diagnosis of partial-thickness cuff lesions. Sensitivity and specificity were found to be 91% and 82% for 3-D sonography and 74% and 82% for 2-D sonography, respectively. With 3-D US partial-tear rotator cuff lesions can be predicted more accurately.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Pain status of patients with severe haemophilic arthropathy.

Patients with severe haemophilia A growing up before the establishment of prophylactic treatment frequently developed significant haemarthropathies. The goal of the following study was to clarify the role of haemarthropathic pain for haemophilic patients. Furthermore, we aimed to determine to what degree daily activities are influenced by the impairment and which therapeutic modalities are used in pain management. Using a questionnaire we consulted 71 haemophiliacs concerning their complaints and how they were treated in 1999 (average age 43 years; range 21-63 years). The pain in the large joints and spine and the effect of specific treatment was estimated by a visual analogue scale. On average, there were four joints with major pain and 0.5 with minor pain. The most frequent sources of pain were the ankle joints (45%), followed by the knee (39%), spine (14%) and elbow (7%). Fifty percent of all patients complained of pain throughout the day if no treatment was applied. In 29% of patients, pain persisted after application of factor VIII (FVIII), while 12% claimed that pain still remained after use of FVIII and pain killers. Restriction in activities of daily life was reported by 89% of the group and 85% reported on an impact of pain on their mood. Patients primarily used FVIII to decrease pain, followed in frequency by use of anti-inflammatory drugs, orthopaedic footwear, liniments and bandages. Haemophilic patients with haemarthropathy are chronic pain patients. By means of the questionnaire, it is possible to reveal the 'silent' sufferers. Sufficient pain treatment is essential so as to increase the patient's quality of life and avoid inadvertent abnormal postures possibly resulting in increased loading of joints and subsequent bleeding episodes.

Activities of Daily Living↗