Removal of a below knee plaster cast worn for 28 months: a case report

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>An unusual situation in which a below knee cast was removed after 28 months is reported. To the best of our knowledge no similar cases have been reported in the literature.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>The cast was removed from the leg of a 45-year-old Caucasian woman. Significant muscle atrophy and dense skin scales were present but the underlying skin surface was relatively healthy with only small pitted 1-2 mm ulcers. No pathogenic organisms were cultured from this environment.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>It seems likely that skin can tolerate cast immobilization for prolonged duration.</p

Desequilíbrios musculares entre flexores dorsais e plantares do tornozelo após tratamento conservador e acelerado da ruptura do tendão calcâneo Muscle imbalance between ankle dorsiflexors and plantarflexors after conservative and accelerated treatment of Achilles tendon rupture

A ruptura do tendão calcâneo (TC) reduz a sobrecarga mecânica dos flexores plantares (FP) do tornozelo. Essa alteração muda o equilíbrio natural entre os FP e flexores dorsais (FD) do tornozelo. O objetivo do estudo foi avaliar as razões isocinéticas concêntricas convencionais de torque de pacientes submetidos a tratamento cirúrgico de ruptura aguda do TC após dois protocolos diferentes de reabilitação. Após procedimento cirúrgico para reconstrução do TC, a amostra foi dividida de forma intencional em dois grupos: conservador (GC, 11 homens, 41,3±7,9 anos) e grupo acelerado (GA, 13 homens, 43,5±13,7 anos). O GC permaneceu com imobilização gessada no tornozelo por seis semanas (tratamento tradicional), enquanto o GA usou uma órtese robofoot em posição neutra e, após duas semanas, iniciou mobilização e apoio precoce do tornozelo, com reabilitação por seis semanas. Após 3 meses de pós-operatório, a razão do torque concêntrico máximo dos FD pelos FP do tornozelo foi avaliada por dinamômetro isocinético. As razões de torque do lado operado se mantiveram superiores às do lado saudável mesmo após 3 meses de pós-operatório (p<0,05). Não foi encontrada diferença no equilíbrio muscular entre os grupos. Pode-se concluir que os dois grupos requerem um período mais longo de reabilitação para recuperar o equilíbrio natural do tornozelo no lado operado.<br>Achilles tendon rupture reduces ankle plantarflexor (PF) muscles mechanical overload. This change in the ankle joint mechanics changes the natural muscle balance between dorsiflexor (DF) and PF muscles. The purpose of this study was to assess such imbalance by concentric conventional isokinetic torque ratios of patients who underwent different rehabilitation protocols after surgical repair of the Achilles tendon. After surgery, subjects were assigned to either a conservative or to an accelerated rehabilitation group. The conservative group (11 men, 41.3±7.9 years old) remained with a plaster cast for 6 weeks after surgery. The accelerated group (13 men, 43.5±13,7 years old) used a"robofoot" cast for 2 weeks and underwent ankle mobilization and early weight bearing for a period of 6 weeks post-immobilization. At 3 months post-surgery the ratio between the maximal concentric DF torque and the maximal concentric PF torque was evaluated with an isokinetic dynamometer. Torque ratios on the surgery side were higher (p<0.05) than on the sound side in both groups. No differences of muscle balance could be found between the groups. These results suggest that both groups require further rehabilitation to regain the natural muscle balance between surgery-side ankle DF and PF muscles

Regulation of mineral metabolism by lithium

Lithium, an inhibitor of glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK3), is widely used for the treatment of mood disorders. Side effects of lithium include nephrogenic diabetes insipidus, leading to renal water loss. Dehydration has in turn been shown to downregulate Klotho, which is required as co-receptor for the downregulation of 1,25(OH)2D3 formation by fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23). FGF23 decreases and 1,25(OH)2D3 stimulates renal tubular phosphate reabsorption. The present study explored whether lithium influences renal Klotho expression, FGF23 serum levels, 1,25(OH)2D3 formation, and renal phosphate excretion. To this end, mice were analyzed after a 14-day period of sham treatment or of treatment with lithium (200 mg/kg/day subcutaneously). Serum antidiuretic hormone (ADH), FGF23, and 1,25(OH)2D3 concentrations were determined by ELISA or EIA, renal Klotho protein abundance and GSK3 phosphorylation were analyzed by Western blotting, and serum phosphate and calcium concentration by photometry. Lithium treatment significantly increased renal GSK3 phosphorylation, enhanced serum ADH and FGF23 concentrations, downregulated renal Klotho expression, stimulated renal calcium and phosphate excretion, and decreased serum 1,25(OH)2D3 and phosphate concentrations. In conclusion, lithium treatment upregulates FGF23 formation, an effect paralleled by substantial decrease of serum 1,25(OH)2D3, and phosphate concentrations and thus possibly affecting tissue calcification