Growing rod instrumentation in the treatment of early onset scoliosis

The goal of the treatment of  early onset scoliosis (EOS) is correction of the deformity while still allowing for spinal growth. The aim of this study was to determine the safety and effectiveness of the single and dual growing rod techniques and which technique was the most effective in the management of EOS respectively. From 2003 to 2009, 23 patients underwent single (15) or dual (8) growing rod procedures using a pedicle screw construct and tandem connectors. The etiology of the patients’ spinal deformities were as follows; infantile, juvenile idiopathic, congenital and neuromuscular. Clinical evaluation included age, sex, diagnosis, follow-up, number and frequency of lengthenings, and complications. Radiographic evaluation included measured changes in Cobb angle, kyphosis, lordosis, frontal and sagittal balance. Overall 46 lengthening procedures were performed, the average number of lengthening procedures being 2.1 +/- 1.14 per patient. The average time between two lengthening procedures was 13 (2-28) months. Average follow-up time was 40.8 +/- 20.6 months.The mean coronal Cobb angle was improved from 64.8˚ +/- 16.6˚ to 39.7˚+/- 16.4˚.Statistically, at the final follow-up, early postoperative measurements in the coronal plane were better in the dual growing rod group than in the single rod group. Nine patients  underwent fusion surgery. Their mean age was 11 (10-14) years, with a follow-up of 34.6 (14-54) months. The mean Cobb angle before fusion was 58.7° (40°-75°).There were 0.9 complications per patient in all groups, 0.38 in the dual rod and 1.2 in the single rod group, respectively. Dual growing rods result in better deformity correction and stability of  correction with an acceptable complication rate

Sharing Information among various organizations in relief efforts

Today, information sharing is critical to almost every institution and organization. There is no more pressing need for information sharing than during an international crisis, where multi-national military-civilian coordination is formed. Successful information technology implementation for international crises could be increased by analyzing prior relief efforts. The purpose of this thesis is to explore the role of information technology in enabling the sharing of actionable information among various organizations in relief efforts. At all levels of relief efforts, strategies to provide adequate help to the victims of disaster will rely on the development and distribution of actionable information. It is essential that participants strengthen their capacity to gather, share, analyze and disseminate such information. When using or developing information technology in relief operations, it is necessary to be aware of the obstacles related to information sharing. Due to the uniqueness of each relief operation, dependant on the various participants and nature of the disaster, it is difficult to define the problems, symptoms and possible solutions of each situation. Specifically, this thesis attempts to establish the requirements for the development of a Disaster Information Management System by examining both the universal problems in disaster relief operations and their possible solutions from within information technology.http://archive.org/details/sharinginformati109452116Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited

An analysis of the 1964 Johnson Letter lessons for the 2003 Iraq crisis, Turkish-American relations, and global-power regional partner interactions

The dynamics in U.S.-Turkey relations in both 1964 and 2003 continued to be between a large global power and a medium regional power in the framework of a global threat that required regional cooperation. In both cases the priority of the global power was the fight against the global threat and this created expectations from the medium power ally in the region, who -in both cases- had its own reservations about the issue, considering its own national interests. The analysis of the 1964 Crisis shows that both U.S. and Turkey would have five main sources of influence over their foreign policy decisions leading to disagreement in 1964: the dynamics in the U.S. Turkish relations as one between a global power and a regional partner; domestic concerns of both countries; unaligned goals of the two parties; the international circumstances; and the influence of signaling failures and previous interactions. When we analyze the 2003 Crisis in light of these findings we see that all the main issues seem to be consistently relevant, though their effects might have changed slightly. Overall, both cases reveal that the above-mentioned five factors determine the outcome of interactions between large global powers and medium powers in the region.http://archive.org/details/annalysisofjohns1094513271st Lieutenant, Turkish ArmyApproved for public release; distribution is unlimited

An unusualcauseofmasslocalizedonvastuslateralismuscle in childhood: Hydatidcyst

INTRODUCTION: Musculoskeletal hydatid disease is a rare pathology and its diagnosis is often delayed because of slowly growing mass without inflammation. It is critical to suspicious clinical diagnosis in rural endemic areas and for pre operative diagnosis of this disease

Results of midshaft clavicle fractures treated with expandable, elastic and locking intramedullary nails

Objective: The aim of the study was to present the results of osteosynthesis with elastic expandable intramedullary nail for clavicle fractures

Idiopathic hypertonicity as a cause of stiffness after surgery for developmental dysplasia of the hip

INTRODUCTION: There are various complications reported with surgical treatment of DDH. Most studied complication is avascular necrosis of the femoral head and hip stiffness. The purpose of this report was to describe a case with severe stiffness of the hip due to hypertonicity in periarticular muscles after it was treated for developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH)

Unusual localization of an aneurysmal bone cyst in ulnar coronoid process

Aneurysmal bone cysts are non-neoplastic, expansile, osteolytic tumor-like conditions. All bones may be involved, but the most commonly affected is the metaphysis of the long bones, especially the tibia, humerus and femur. We present a 13-year-old female patient with a cystic lesion with cortical continuity and a large bone cyst in the coronoid process of the ulna. The bone cyst was treated with curettage, phenol application and cement implantation following cyst debulking. Aneurysmal bone tumors are rare tumor-like conditions and localization at the coronoid process of the ulna with mechanical block of the elbow motion has yet to be reported. Debulldng and curettage of the lesion and bone cement implantation are useful methods for local control of aneurysmal bone cysts

Surgical treatment of isolated trapezoid bone pseudarthrosis: A case report

Isolated trapezoid fractures are rarely observed. Clinical suspicion is necessary for a diagnosis that is usually delayed or missed. There is no consensus on whether treatment modalities should be conservative or surgical. A 20-yearold female patient complained of pain, and an MRI examination showed a non-union fracture of the trapezoid bone. Surgical treatment using a headless cannulated screw and grafting was performed for trapezoid pseudarthrosis. Clinical and radiological results were satisfactory

Charcot arthropathy of the knee after unsuccessful spinal stenosis surgery: A case report

INTRODUCTION: Charcot arthropathy was first described in 1868 by Jean Martin Charcot as a progressive and destructive joint disease. Diabetes, polyneuropathy, syphilis, syrengomyelia and chronic alcoholism are the main causes of the disease. In this study we present a Charcot arthropathy of the knee seen after unsuccessful spinal stenosis surgery