PURPOSE: The purpose of this systematic review was to evaluate crestal bone loss (CBL) around zirconia dental implants and clinical periimplant inflammatory parameters.
MATERIAL AND METHODS: The focus question addressed was, "Do zirconia implants maintain crestal bone levels and periimplant soft tissue health?" Databases were searched for articles from 1977 through September 2014 with different combinations of the following MeSH terms: "dental implants," "zirconium," "alveolar bone loss," "periodontal attachment loss," "periodontal pocket," "periodontal index." Letters to the editor, case reports, commentaries, review articles, and articles published in languages other than English were excluded.
RESULTS: Thirteen clinical studies were included. In 8 of the studies, the CBL around zirconia implants was comparable between baseline and follow-up. In the other 5 studies, the CBL around zirconia implants was significantly higher at follow-up. Among the studies that used titanium implants as controls, 2 studies showed significantly higher CBL around zirconia implants, and in 1 study, the CBL around zirconia and titanium implants was comparable. The reported implant survival rates for zirconia implants ranged between 67.6% and 100%. Eleven studies selectively reported the periimplant inflammatory parameters.
CONCLUSIONS: Because of the variations in study design and methodology, it was difficult to reach a consensus regarding the efficacy of zirconia implants in maintaining crestal bone levels and periimplant soft tissue health.
METHODS AND RESULTS: A detailed questionnaire was distributed to 28 highly-experienced interventional cardiologists ('Authors') from 13 Asia-Pacific countries. The results were discussed at a meeting on patient selection, technical consideration, deployment practices and patient management. Potential patient benefits of Absorb compared to metallic DES, the learning curve for patient selection and preparation, device deployment, and subsequent patient management approaches are presented.
CONCLUSIONS: Current practices are derived from guidelines optimized for European patients. Differences in approach exist in the Asia-Pacific context, including limited access to imaging and frequency of occurrence of complex lesions. Nevertheless, the use of the Absorb BVS ('Absorb') in certain Asia-Pacific countries has flourished and practices here are continuing to mature.
METHODS: Retrospective review of 48 patients (48 hips) with follow-up duration of average 11.4 years (range, 6.1-21.4 years) was conducted. At each follow-up, Harris hip score was used to assess functional outcome, and radiographic acetabular component osteolysis was measured by DeLee and Charnley classification. Bone defects were assessed preoperatively and intraoperatively using American academy of orthopedic surgeons and Paprosky classification. The common modes of ARRH failures were evaluated. Bone consolidation, presence of heterotopic ossification, and complications such as infection and dislocation were recorded.
RESULTS: The bone defects were varied and included cavitary, segmental, and combined defects without any pelvic discontinuity. Mean Harris hip score improved from 52.6 points preoperatively to 82.0 points postoperatively. Nine acetabular revisions and 3 stem revisions (2 concurrent with acetabular revisions and 1 isolated stem revision) were performed. There were 5 infected cases and 1 patient with recurrent dislocation. The 11.4-year survival of revision THA with ARRH was 71% as the end point for acetabular revision surgery for any reason. The expected 15-year survival of revision THA with ARRH was 60%. The most common failure mode of ARRH was superomedial migration followed by lateral migration.
CONCLUSION: ARRH combined with bone grafting produces relatively good average long-term clinical results.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: Candida albicans, Streptococcus mutans, and Staphylococcus aureus were incubated with modified and unmodified silicone groups (N = 35) for 30 days at 37°C. The counts of viable microorganisms in the accumulating biofilm layer were determined and converted to cfu/cm2 unit surface area. A scanning electron microscope (SEM) was used to evaluate the microbial adhesion. Statistical analysis was performed using t-test, one-way ANOVA, and post hoc tests as indicated.
RESULTS: Significant differences in microbial adhesion were observed between modified and unmodified silicone elastomers after the cells were incubated for 30 days (p < 0.001). SEM showed evident differences in microbial adhesion on modified silicone elastomer compared with unmodified silicone elastomer.
CONCLUSIONS: Surface modification of silicone elastomer yielding a smoother and less porous surface showed lower adhesion of different microorganisms than observed on unmodified surfaces.
BACKGROUND: Prosthesis should be donned and doffed few times during the day and night; thus, it is important to measure ease of donning and doffing.
STUDY DESIGN: A cross-sectional study.
METHODS: The questionnaire was designed and evaluated by a group of experts. The final questionnaire was administered to 50 individuals with trans-tibial amputation. A test-retest study was also conducted on 20 amputees to assess the repeatability of questionnaire items.
RESULTS: The prosthesis donning and doffing questionnaire was developed and tested through a pilot study. Based on Kappa index, the questionnaire items showed correlation coefficients greater than 0.7, which indicate good reliability and repeatability. The majority of the participants had good hand dexterity (80%) and could perform all types of grasps. The mean satisfaction scores with donning and doffing were 69.9 and 81.4, respectively. Most of the respondents needed to don and doff the prosthesis 3.44 times per day. Based on a 7-point score, the total scores ranged between 3 and 7.
CONCLUSION: The prosthesis donning and doffing questionnaire items showed good psychometric properties. A scoring method was suggested based on the pilot sample, which requires further evaluation to be able to differentiate between more suspension types. A larger international multicenter evaluation is required in the future to measure the responsiveness of the scales. This questionnaire will be useful in the evaluation of the ability of amputees to don and doff a trans-tibial limb prosthesis. Clinical relevance Donning and doffing of prostheses are challenging tasks for many lower limb amputees. The prosthesis donning and doffing questionnaire, on its own or combined with other prosthetic evaluation questionnaires, has the potential to help manufacturers, clinicians, and researchers gain knowledge and improve the donning and doffing qualities of prostheses.
BACKGROUND: The Occlutech® PDA occluder is novel, self-shaping Nitinol wire device with PET (polyethylene terephthalate) patches integrated into the shank of the device to assure a better obturation of the ductus. The Occlutech® PDA occluder has undergone two design modifications.
METHODS: A prospective, non-randomized pilot study was started in November 2011. Thirty-three patients were included until April 2013. Patients weighing <6 kg or those with associated cardiac anomalies that required surgery were excluded. All patients were followed up by transthoracic echocardiography at 24 hr, 30 days, 90 days, 180 days, and 360 days after implantation. Residual shunt, left pulmonary artery (LPA) and descending aortic velocities were among the parameters assessed. All occluders were delivered via 6-8 F long sheaths and PDA closures were performed following standard techniques.
RESULTS: Thirty three patients (20 female/13 male), with a median age of 2 years (6 month to 38 years), and median weight of 9.3 kg (6-69.2 kg) were included. The narrowest median PDA diameter was 3mm (1.8-5.8 mm). All the 33 patients were closed successfully using Occlutech ductal occluder, 16 patients (48.4%) had immediate and complete closure on angiography. Within 24 hr, color Doppler revealed complete closure in 27patients (81.8%), 32patients (97%) at 30 days, and in 100% of patients at 90 days. All patients with a large PDA had immediate residual shunt which was closed at the 90-day follow-up. There was no device embolization, hemolysis, or obstruction to the LPA or descending aorta.
CONCLUSION: The new Occlutech® PDA is safe and effective. In patients with a large PDA complete closure tended to take longer time.