SARS-CoV-2 transmission during an indoor professional sporting event

Sporting events with spectators can present a risk during the COVID-19 pandemic of becoming potential superspreader events that can result in mass-infection amongst participants—both sportspeople and spectators alike. In order to prevent disease transmission, many professional sporting bodies have implemented detailed hygiene regulations. This report analyzes SARS-CoV-2 transmission during a professional sports event (2nd division professional basketball in Germany). Whilst social distancing in this context is not always possible, the rate of infection was significantly reduced by wearing face masks that cover the mouth and nose. There was no infection amongst individuals who continuously wore medical particle filter masks (Category KN95/FFP2 or higher) during this sporting event

New method of measuring cartilage using MRI to detect ostheoarthritis in comparison to the histological correlate

Hintergrund Mit zunehmendem Alter treten vermehrt und verstärkt Schmerzen durch arthrotische Gelenkveränderungen auf. Um den Einbau künstlicher Gelenke möglichst lange hinauszuzögern beziehungsweise unnötig zu machen, suchen Forschungsgruppen weltweit nach Möglichkeiten, den Knorpelverlust zu stoppen und Knorpel nachwachsen zu lassen. Dies ist jedoch in vivo noch nicht gelungen. Trotz intensiver Bemühungen ist es zudem immer noch schwierig, zeitaufwendig und/ oder ungenau, mögliche Knorpelveränder-ungen in vivo nichtinvasiv zu messen. Material und Methode Im Rahmen eines Forschungs-projektes des National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, ein Projekts des National Institutes of Health der USA, wurde eine Software zur semiautomatischen Segmentierung von Knorpel programmiert. Die vorliegende Arbeit evaluiert diese Software anhand von Schweineknien. Bei fünf Schweinen werden die Knie zunächst präpariert, indem zwei Ethipins eingebracht werden. Es folgt ein MRT-Scan und im Anschluss die Bearbeitung in der vorliegenden Software. Die Volumenergebnisse der Software werden mit dem nach dem Scan manuell abgetragenen und gemessenen Knorpel verglichen. Zudem wird versucht, die Dicke des Knorpels, die im Knie anhand der Schnittebene, die durch Pins definiert ist, mit den in der Software gemessenen Werten zu vergleichen. Ergebnisse Die Software liefert valide Intra-reader-Ergebnisse und in den Volumen-ergebnissen stets ca. 33% zu niedrige Werte im Vergleich zu den realen Werten. Somit ist die Software bereits jetzt als valide Möglichkeit zur Verlaufskontrolle nutzbar und mit Ergänzung eines Faktors 1,3 auch direkt zur primären Messung verwendbar. Die Messung der Dicke des Knorpels ließ sich zum derzeitigen Zeitpunkt nicht vervollständigen, da es zu einem Problem in der Übertragung der Pins zwischen den mittels Siemens 3T Somatom- MRT registrierten Datensätzen und der Software gekommen ist. Schlussfolgerungen Insgesamt kann bewiesen werden, dass die Software gut geeignet ist, als Diagnostik- und Verlaufswerkzeug in der Knorpel-Forschung verwendet zu werden. Sie muss jedoch bezüglich der Dickemessung an einer definierten Stelle noch weiterentwickelt beziehungsweise validiert werden.Background Pain caused by ostheoarthritis exacerbates with increasing age. Research groups all over the world are looking for a way to delay a total joint replacement and treatment options for cartilage regeneration. Up to now cartilage regeneration is not successfully feasible. Furthermore a valid, noninvasive method for measuring the loss or cartilage growth in vivo is still missing. Therefore a study of the Osteoarthritis Initiative a multi-center, four-year observational study of men and women - a project of the National Institutes of Health, USA - was launched with the long-term goal to find out factors that influence growth and diminution of cartilage. Materials and Methods This thesis evaluates a software, which is able to measure cartilage volume, thickness and surface area by using five pig knees. In step one, each knee was prepared by positioning two Ethipins© in the femur. In step two after a MRI-scan the pig knees have been cut in the line defined by the pins and the cartilage in this layer has been measured in vivo. Afterwards the cartilage was scraped and measured. The final step was the measurement of the volume of the cartilage with the software. Results The results of the software in comparison to the in vivo found volume show valid intra-reader results and constant 33% lower volumes. Therefore the software is useful as a controlling tool and by integrating a factor 1.3 to the results of the software as a primary measuring tool. The measuring of the thickness of the cartilage in the layer of the pins was not finished successfully due to a missing software interface between the data generating software of Siemens and the measuring software. Conclusion In summary the software is a good, valid measuring tool for the volume of cartilage. However the software has to be upgraded by the implementation of a software interface or a way to visualize the pins directly in the software

Bioabsorbable metal screws in traumatology: A promising innovation

MAGNEZIX® CS (Syntellix AG, Hanover, Germany) is a bioabsorbable compression screw made of a magnesium alloy (MgYREZr). Currently there are only two clinical studies reporting on a limited number of elective patients who received this screw in a hallux valgus operation. We applied MAGNEZIX® CS for fixation of distal fibular fracture in a trauma patient who had sustained a bimalleolar fracture type AO 44-B2.3. Clinical course was uneventful, fracture healing occurred within three months. Follow-up X-rays showed a radiolucent area around the implant for some months, yet this radiolucent area had disappeared in the 17-months follow-up X-ray. Keywords: Magnesium, Bioabsorbable, Compression screw, Osteosynthesis, Ankle fractur

Magnesium-Based Absorbable Metal Screws for Intra-Articular Fracture Fixation

MAGNEZIX® (Syntellix AG, Hanover, Germany) is a biodegradable magnesium-based alloy (MgYREZr) which is currently used to manufacture bioabsorbable compression screws. To date, there are very few studies reporting on a limited number of elective foot surgeries using this innovative implant. This case report describes the application of this screw for osteochondral fracture fixation at the humeral capitulum next to a loose radial head prosthesis, which was revised at the same time. The clinical course was uneventful. Degradation of the magnesium alloy did not interfere with fracture healing. Showing an excellent clinical result and free range-of-motion, the contour of the implant was still visible in a one-year follow-up

Incisional negative pressure wound therapy after hemiarthroplasty for femoral neck fractures - reduction of wound complications

The aim of the study was to evaluate the use of incisional negative pressure wound therapy (iNPWT) in wound healing after femoral neck fracture (FNF) treated with hip hemiarthroplasty (HA) and its influence on postoperative seromas, wound secretion, as well as time and material consumption for dressing changes. The study is a prospective randomised evaluation of iNPWT in patients with large surgical wounds after FNF. Patients were randomised either to be treated by iNPWT (group A) or a standard wound dressing (group B). Follow-up included ultrasound measurements of seroma volumes on postoperative days 5 and 10, duration of wound secretion, and time and material spent for wound dressing changes. For comparison of the means, we used the t-test for independent samples, P > 0.05 was considered significant. There were 21 patients randomised in this study. Group A (11 patients, 81.6 +/- 5.2 years of age) developed a seroma of 0.257 +/- 0.75 cm(3) after 5 days and had a secretion of 0.9 +/- 1.0 days, and the total time for dressing changes was 14.8 +/- 3.9minutes, whereas group B (ten patients, 82.6 +/- 8.6 years of age) developed a seroma of 3.995 +/- 5.01 cm(3) after 5 days and had a secretion of 4.3 +/- 2.45 days, and the total time for dressing changes was 42.9 +/- 11.0 minutes. All mentioned differences were significant. iNPWT has been used on many different types of traumatic and non-traumatic wounds. This prospective, randomised study has demonstrated decreased development of postoperative seromas, reduction of total wound secretion days and reduction of needed time for dressing changes

Negative pressure wound therapy for seroma prevention and surgical incision treatment in spinal fracture care

To evaluate the clinical use and economic aspects of negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) after dorsal stabilisation of spinal fractures. This study is a prospective randomised evaluation of NPWT in patients with large surgical wounds after surgical stabilisation of spinal fractures by internal fixation. Patients were randomised to either standard wound dressing treatment (group A) or NPWT (group B). The wound area was examined by ultrasound to measure seroma volumes in both groups on the 5th and 10th day after surgery. Furthermore, data on economic aspects such as nursing time for wound care and material used for wound dressing were evaluated. A total of 20 patients (10 in each group) were enrolled. Throughout the whole study, mean seroma volume was significantly higher in group A than that in group B (day 5: 19 ml versus 0 ml; P = 00007; day 10: 16 ml versus 05 ml; P 024). Furthermore, patients of group A required more wound care time (group A: 31 +/- 10 minutes; group B 138 +/- 6 minutes; P = 00005) and more number of compresses (total number; group A 35 +/- 15; group B 11 +/- 3; P = 00376). NPWT reduced the development of postoperative seroma, reduced nursing time and reduced material required for wound care