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Biomedical subjects

O Diedrich

Publications and source records attributed to O Diedrich.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
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

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 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

[The posterior lumbar interbody fusion with cages (PLIF) and transpedicular stabilization].

The development of intervertebral cages has significantly innovated the original technique of posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF). In this study we present the results of patients treated for degenerative or postoperative segmental spinal instabilities by PLIF with cages and pedicular stabilisation (360 degrees-instrumentation). Between 1992 and 1999 we implanted either CFRP-, PEEK- or Titanium-cages in 86 patients. 78 patients were adequately followed up over a period of at least 12 months (average 2,6 years). 5 patients were stabilised over 2 segments, so that ultimately 83 fused segments were evaluated.15% of all patients had an excellent, 51% a good, 28% a moderate and 5% an insufficient clinical result. Degenerative instabilities had a better outcome with 73% good or excellent clinical results, compared to postoperative instabilities (56%). Based on stringent radiographic fusion criteria we found true bony fusion in 52% of all segments after 12 months, 63% after 24 months, 72% after 36 months, and 78% after 48 months. In 21 segments cage packing was performed with autologous spongiosa, while in 62 segments a combination of cortical bone and spongiosa obtained from osseous structures at the operation-site were used as packing material. At the 24 month radiographic control we found a slightly higher fusion rate for those segments treated with autologous spongiosa obtained from the iliac crest. Neither for cages nor for pedicular screws was implant failure or material fatigue found. Serious entero-, pulmo-, cardio- or urological complications were not observed. Nonetheless the necessity for operative revision was 9%. A postoperative semiquantitative evaluation of segments neighbouring the fused vertebra revealed in 28% an increase in degenerative changes. Particularly after 360 degrees-instrumentation, interpretation of the fusion-status should be based on structural and not on functional criteria. The modification of PLIF with cages compared to the use of only autologous spongiosa has the advantage of a high primary stability. Long-term studies are necessary to determine the implications of a radiographically evident uncertain fusion-status.

Bone Substitutes↗
PubMed2001

Radiographic characteristics on conventional radiographs after posterior lumbar interbody fusion: comparative study between radiotranslucent and radiopaque cages.

The problem of determining solidity of a fused spinal segment still remains. Our purpose is to evaluate radiographic findings after posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF) with cages and estimate their relative value in judging fusion status. Radiographic follow-up was performed in patients after PLIF with cages of either radiotranslucent or radiopaque material. Conventional radiographs were obtained 6 weeks, 3 and 6 months, and then yearly after surgery for spinal instability for 64 patients. We differentiated between uncertain (increased density within the cage, increase of sclerotic endplates, and posterolateral fusion) and definite (trabecular continuous bone bridging within the implant and periimplant new bone formation with bridging of the intervertebral space) fusion signs. A fusion rate of 51.5% after 12 months, 61.4% after 24 months, 66.7% after 36 months, and 77.8% after 48 months postoperatively was found. We found only a slight, nonsignificant correlation between radiographic fusion and patient-assessed clinical outcome. There is evidence that radiographic fusion criteria occur in a specific chronologic order. The interpretation of fusion status is notably impaired by the use of radiopaque cages. Criteria to standardize the interpretation and evaluation of radiographic findings after PLIF are discussed.

Bone Resorption↗
PubMed2000

[Non-Hodgkin lymphoma as differential spondylodiscitis diagnosis].

This case presents the history of a 56-year-old patient suffering from low back pain for a period of several weeks. The radiological und histopathological examination showed hints for a spondylodiscitis of the fifth lumbar vertebra. Due to a progressive destruction of the fifth vertebra a ventral stabilisation was performed. Again the histological examination showed the characteristics of an unspecific spodylodiscitis. The last biopsy, taken during the explantation of the fixateur interne showed a high malignant lymphoma. A course of chemotherapy was started following the CHOP-Protocol accompanied by radiotherapy. This case demonstrates that meticulous clinical examination as well as advanced radiological techniques can fail in rare differential diagnosis of spondylodiscitis.

Diagnosis, Differential↗
PubMed2000

[Secondary hypertrophic osteoarthropathy. Differential diagnosis of post-traumatic ossification of the interosseous crural membrane].

The case of a 48-year-old patient is presented, suffering from persisting pain in the right lower leg for more than a year following a distortion of the ankle. The patient was known to have a history of severe asthmatic disease. Conventional X-rays showed a periostitis of the lower tibia and fibula. To exclude a malignant process, an open biopsy was performed. Neither tumor nor any histological signs of chronic inflammation were found. The patient claimed to have a similar pain in the contralateral lower leg 5 months after initial biopsy. X-rays again showed signs of a periostitis of the tibia and fibula. Furthermore, an increase in isotopes in this area was found in a performed bone scan. Diagnosis of osteoarthropathia hypertrophicans was confirmed 2 years after onset of the first symptoms. Pathogenetic variables both of the primary and secondary forms of hypertrophic osteoarthropathy (HOA) are as yet not completely clarified. Secondary hypertrophic osteoarthropathy (SHOA) may be defined as a syndrome of the long bones with clubbing of the fingers and toes, and occurs in the process of chronic lung and mediastinal disease. We conclude that HAO detection may contribute to early detection of lung disease, especially bronchopulmonary cancer, before it becomes clinically and radiographically manifest.

Diagnosis, Differential↗
PubMed2000

[N. thoracicus longus lesion--a rare injury in weight lifting].

The case of long thoracic mononeuropathy associated with sport participation a presented. The diagnosis was confirmed with electromyography. It is suggested that the athletic activity caused a stretch injury to the long thoracic nerve. Degenerative changes and infections were excluded. Conservative management, consisting of range of motion exercises for the shoulder and strengthening of the serratus anterior muscle, resulted in a forable outcome. The 12 month follow-up showed only slight changes in EMG and clinical examination.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

fMRI reveals amygdala activation to human faces in social phobics.

Functional magnetic resonance imaging was used to determine the activation of the amygdala while seven social phobics and five healthy controls were exposed to slides of neutral faces as well as aversive odor stimuli. The amygdala was selectively activated in the social phobics during presentation of the face stimuli. The data show for the first time that the amygdala is active in human phobics when they are exposed to potentially fear-relevant stimuli. Further research is needed to determine the extent to which overactivation of the amygdala precedes or is a consequence of phobia.

Adult↗