Weekly Teriparatide Therapy Rapidly Accelerates Bone Healing in Pyogenic Spondylitis with Severe Osteoporosis

Pyogenic spondylitis is a frequently observed disease in orthopedics, and the number of cases is increasing. Some patients with pyogenic spondylitis suffer from vertebral destruction due to infection. The disease is typically treated with antibiotics, bed rest, spinal support, and lesion curettage; however, vigorous drug therapy against vertebral body destruction by pyogenic spondylitis has not been attempted. In this report, a case of pyogenic spondylitis with spinal destruction caused by infection and treated with once-weekly teriparatide administration is presented. Vertebral body erosion in cortical and cancellous areas by the infection was rapidly repaired after 6 weeks of once-weekly teriparatide treatment. Treatment with once-weekly teriparatide appears to be a new strategy for patients with severe osteoporosis suffering from pyogenic spondylitis

Expression analysis of three isoforms of hyaluronan synthase and hyaluronidase in the synovium of knees in osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis by quantitative real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction

Hyaluronan is a major molecule in joint fluid and plays a crucial role in joint motion and the maintenance of joint homeostasis. The concentration and average molecular weight of hyaluronan in the joint fluids are reduced in osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. To elucidate the underlying mechanism, we analyzed the message expression of three isoforms of hyaluronan synthase and hyaluronidase from knee synovium, using real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. Synovia were obtained from 17 patients with osteoarthritis, 14 patients with rheumatoid arthritis, and 20 healthy control donors. The message expression of hyaluronan synthase-1 and -2 in the synovium of both types of arthritis was significantly less than in the control synovium, whereas that of hyaluronidase-2 in the synovium of both arthritides was significantly greater than in the control synovium. The decreased expression of the messages for hyaluronan synthase-1 and -2 and/or the increased expression of the message for hyaluronidase-2 may be reflected in the reduced concentration and decreased average molecular weight of hyaluronan in the joint fluids of patients with osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis

Treatment with eldecalcitol positively affects mineralization, microdamage, and collagen crosslinks in primate bone

Eldecalcitol (ELD), an active form of vitamin D analog approved for the treatment of osteoporosis in Japan, increases lumbar spine bone mineral density (BMD), suppresses bone turnover markers, and reduces fracture risk in patients with osteoporosis. We have previously reported that treatment with ELD for 6months improved the mechanical properties of the lumbar spine in ovariectomized (OVX) cynomolgus monkeys. ELD treatment increased lumbar BMD, suppressed bone turnover markers, and reduced histomorphometric parameters of both bone formation and resorption in vertebral trabecular bone. In this study, we elucidated the effects of ELD on bone quality (namely, mineralization, microarchitecture, microdamage, and bone collagen crosslinks) in OVX cynomolgus monkeys in comparison with OVX-vehicle control monkeys. Density fractionation of bone powder prepared from lumbar vertebrae revealed that ELD treatment shifted the distribution profile of bone mineralization to a higher density, and backscattered electron microscopic imaging showed improved trabecular bone connectivity in the ELD-treated groups. Higher doses of ELD more significantly reduced the amount of microdamage compared to OVX-vehicle controls. The fractionated bone powder samples were divided according to their density, and analyzed for collagen crosslinks. Enzymatic crosslinks were higher in both the high-density (≥2.0mg/mL) and low-density (<2.0mg/mL) fractions from the ELD-treated groups than in the corresponding fractions in the OVX-vehicle control groups. On the other hand, non-enzymatic crosslinks were lower in both the high- and low-density fractions. These observations indicated that ELD treatment stimulated the enzymatic reaction of collagen crosslinks and bone mineralization, but prevented non-enzymatic reaction of collagen crosslinks and accumulation of bone microdamage. Bone anti-resorptive agents such as bisphosphonates slow down bone remodeling so that bone mineralization, bone microdamage, and non-enzymatic collagen crosslinks all increase. Bone anabolic agents such as parathyroid hormone decrease bone mineralization and bone microdamage by stimulating bone remodeling. ELD did not fit into either category. Histological analysis indicated that the ELD treatment strongly suppressed bone resorption by reducing the number of osteoclasts, while also stimulating focal bone formation without prior bone resorption (bone minimodeling). These bidirectional activities of ELD may account for its unique effects on bone quality.Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd

A rare case of spinal injury: bilateral facet dislocation without fracture at the lumbosacral joint

AbstractLumbosacral dislocations are rare disorders; since they were first reported by Watson-Jones [1], only 100 cases have appeared in the literature [2]. A traumatic bilateral lumbosacral dislocation is even rarer, with a mere 10 cases reported [3]. Because of its low incidence and atypical location, the lesion may often go unnoticed on initial clinical assessment [4]. Surgical treatment modalities are not defined, but open reduction and internal fixation are often necessary because of a three-column involvement [5]. In this paper, we report on an initially misdiagnosed case of lumbosacral dislocation treated with open reduction and internal fixation

A Type III Monteggia Injury with Ipsilateral Fracture of the Distal Radius and Ulna in a Child: Case Report Followed for 21 Years

Bado type III Monteggia injuries complicated by ipsilateral forearm fractures are extremely rare. We report a case of a 6-year-old boy who sustained such an injury after falling from the top of a 3 m climbing pole. He was diagnosed with a Bado type III Monteggia fracture and forearm fractures. Manual reduction was attempted on the day of injury. However, because it was difficult to maintain the reduction of the radial head, open and percutaneous procedures were performed to reduce and fixate the fractures with Kirschner wires. The postoperative course was favorable. Twenty-one years later, the patient, now 27 years old, had no decreased range of joint motion or problems with activities of daily living. The fracture morphology observed in this case is rare, and this is the only case for which long-term follow-up has been carried out to adulthood

Arthroscopic Excision of Bone Fragments in a Neglected Fracture of the Lateral Process of the Talus in a Junior Soccer Player

Fractures of the lateral process of the talus are uncommon and often overlooked. Typically, they are found in adult snowboarders. We report the case of an 11-year-old male soccer player who complained of lateral ankle pain after an inversion injury 6 months earlier. He did not respond to conservative treatment and thus underwent arthroscopic excision of fragments of the talar lateral process. The ankle was approached through standard medial and anterolateral portals. A 2.7-mm-diameter 30° arthroscope was used. Soft tissues around the talus were cleared with a motorized shaver, and the lateral aspect of the talar process was then visualized. The lateral process presented as an osseous overgrowth, and a loose body was impinged between the talus and the calcaneus. The osseous overgrowth was resected piece by piece with a punch, and the loose body was removed en block. The patient returned to soccer 5 weeks after the operation. This case exemplifies 2 important points: (1) This type of fracture can develop even in children and not only in snowboarders. (2) Arthroscopic excision of talar lateral process fragments can be accomplished easily, and return to sports can be achieved in a relatively short time