ObjectiveTo analyze clinical outcomes of sutureless technique for patients undergoing surgical correction of total anomalous pulmonary venous connection (TAPVC). MethodsBetween July 2007 and December 2013, 132 consecutive TAPVC patients underwent surgical correction in Guangdong Cardiovascular Institute. Those patients with such associated congenital cardiac anomalies as single ventricle and right atrial isomerism were excluded from this study. All the patients underwent biventricular repair. Preoperatively, all the patients received echocardiography, and most patients received CT scan to know the development of pulmonary veins. Preoperative diagnosis was confirmed by intraoperative exploration. According to different surgical techniques, all the patients were divided to a conventional technique group and a sutureless technique group. In the conventional technique group, there were 69 patients including 54 males (78.3%)and 15 females (21.7%)with their median age of 60 (30, 225)days and median body weight of 4.85 (3.50, 6.35)kg. In the sutureless technique group, there were 63 patients including 48 males (76.20%)and 15 females (23.8%)with their median age of 90 (30, 210)days and median body weight of 4.58 (3.72, 6.20)kg. Follow-up was performed till January 1, 2014. ResultsIn-hospital mortality (4.8% vs. 7.2%, χ2=1.414, P=0.720)and postoperative overall mortality (4.8% vs. 13.0%, χ2=2.733, P=0.098)of the sutureless technique group were both lower than those of the conventional technique group, although there was no statistical difference. Postoperative incidence of pulmonary venous obstruction (PVO)of the sutureless technique group was significantly lower than that of the conventional technique group (1.6% vs. 10.1%, χ2=4.236, P=0.040). Cox proportional-hazards regression showed that conventional technique and preoperative PVO were significant risk factors for postoperative PVO (P=0.023, P=0.016). Conventional technique was not significantly correlated with postoperative mortality (P=0.060). ConclusionSutureless technique can significantly lower postoperative incidence of PVO for patients with supracardiac TAPVC.
Objective To analyze the sutureless technique use in the surgical repair for total anomalous pulmonary venous connection in neonates. Methods Between September 2002 and December 2015, 71 consecutive neonates with supracardiac or infracardiac type total anomalous pulmonary venous connection who underwent surgical repair in our institute were included in this study. There were 57 males and 14 females at median age of 8 (1, 29) d. And the median body weight was 3.3 (2.1, 4.7) kg. There were 45 patients (63.4%) with supracardiac, 26 patients (36.6%) with infracardiac. Patients were divided into two groups: a conventional technique group (29 patients) and a sutureless technique group (42 patients). To control for potential differences in the characteristics of patients between the sutureless technique group and the conventional technique group, the method of propensity-score matching was used. Results Basic characteristics of patients after propensity-score were not different.There were 11 operative deaths (15.5%), 7 late deaths (96.%), total 18 deaths (25.4%). The mortality was 58.6% (17/29) in the conventional technique group, 2.4% (1/42) in the sutureless technique group (P=0.000). Kaplan-Meier survival curve showed a difference in mortality between the two groups (P=0.005). The patients were followed up for 25.5 (1.0-13.0) months.Postoperative anastomotic or pulmonary vein stenosis occurred in 12 patients, 8 of them died at a higher mortality than that of the patients with smooth anastomosis [66.7% (8/12) vs. 16.9% (10/59), P=0.001]. Conclusion The patients who have postoperative anastomotic or pulmonary vein stenosis have higher mortality. Compared with conventional technique, sutureless technique can dramatically decrease the incidence of postoperative anastomotic or pulmonary vein stenosis and the mortality of surgical repair for total anomalous pulmonary venous connection in neonates.
ObjectiveTo summarize the application and experience of repairing spontaneous Achilles tendon rupture by part-Kessler technique with suture anchor. MethodsBetween January 2011 and December 2013, 31 patients with spontaneous Achilles tendon rupture were treated by part-Kessler technique with suture anchor. Of 31 cases, 23 were male and 8 were female, aged 16-53 years (mean, 38 years). The left side was involved in 15 cases and the right side in 16 cases. The causes of injury included sudden heel pain and walking weakness during sports in 22 cases; no surefooted down-stairs, slip, and carrying heavy loads in 9 cases. The distance from broken site to the calcaneus adhension of Achilles tendon was 3-6 cm (mean, 4.2 cm). The time from injury to operation was 7 hours to 4 days (mean, 36.8 hours). ResultsAll incisions healed by first intention without nerve injury or adhering with skin. The patients were followed up 6-24 months (mean, 15 months). All patients could complete 25 times heel raising without difficulty at 6 months after operation. No Achilles tendon rupture occurred again during follow-up. At 6 months after operation, the range of motion of the ankle joint in dorsiflexion and plantar flexion showed no significant difference between normal and affected sides (t=0.648, P=0.525; t=0.524, P=0.605). The circumference of the affected leg was significantly smaller than that of normal leg at 6 months after operation (t=2.074, P=0.041), but no significant difference was found between affected and normal sides at 12 months after operation (t=0.905, P=0.426). The American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) scores at 6, 12, 18, and 24 months after operation were significantly higher than preoperative score (P<0.05); the score at 6 months after operation was significantly lower than that at other time points (P<0.05), but no significant difference was shown between the other time points (P>0.05). ConclusionRepairing spontaneous Achilles tendon rupture by part-Kessler technique with suture anchor can supply strong strain and decrease the shear forces of suture. So part-Kessler technique with suture anchor is successful in repairing spontaneous Achilles tendon rupture.
OBJECTIVE To investigate the effect of meniscus suture on meniscus healing which included healing time and healing pattern. METHODS Fourty healthy rabbits were adopted in this study. The model of meniscus injury was made by a longitudinal incision at the medial meniscus of the left knee. The rabbits were divided into two groups, the experimental group was treated by meniscus suture and the control group was unsutured. After operation, the meniscus samples were collected periodically and observed by gross, light and electronic microscope to analysis the meniscus healing. RESULTS The injured meniscus was healed gradually and completely at the sixth week in the experimental groups. More fibroblasts and less fibrocartilage cells could be observed in the healed meniscus. Oppositely, there was no meniscus healing in the control group and the edge of injured meniscus was sealed by epithelioid cells. CONCLUSION The meniscus suture can accelerate the healing process of meniscus injury. Besides, early suture make the injured meniscus correctly positioned to ensure the normal healing process.
Objective To establish chronic hindlimb ischemia model with suture-occluded method in rats， and then compare the effects of chronic hindlimb ischemia model with acute ischemia model. Methods Models of chronic hindlimb ischemia were established by using suture-occluded femoral artery method. The laser Doppler blood flow analysis and angiography were performed on day 7， 14， 28， 42， and 49 after operation， and then the rats were sacrificed after angiography， respectively， the quadriceps and gastrocnemius of contralateral and ipsilateral （surgical side） were gotten， which were tested by HE staining and α-actin immunohistochemistry staining， and then calculate arteriolar density. Results There were no lameness and limb necrosis after operation in chronic hindlimb ischemia models. Laser Doppler analysis found that chronic hindlimb ischemia models were still maintained in ischemia state on day 49 after operation compared with acute ischemic models. The resluts of HE staining showed no acute necrosis and muscle fibrosis in chronic hindlimb ischemia model group. Chronic hindlimb ischemia models after operation did not appear obvious lameness and limb necrosis. The arteriolar density of quadriceps femoris on day 7 after operation in chronic hindlimb ischemia models were less than that in acute hindlimb ischemia models （0.015 2 vs. 0.036 4）. Conclusions Compared with the commonly used acute ischemic models， the duration of arterial limb ischemia in chronic hindlimb ischemia rats， which were established by suture-occluded method， is longer and less likely to be affected by the compensatory mechanisms. So suture-occluded method can provide a new animal hindlimb ischemia model for further study of ischemia angiogenesis mechanism and treatment of severe lower extremity ischemia.
ObjectiveTo observe the characteristics of acetabular labrum injury in Pipkin fractures and the effectiveness of repairing the labrum with suture anchor. MethodsBetween July 2010 and July 2013, 10 cases of Pipkin fractures accompanied by acetabular labrum injury were treated. There were 7 males and 3 females with an average age of 32.5 years (range, 24-56 years). The causes of injury included traffic accident in 8 cases and falling from height in 2 cases. According to the Pipkin classification criteria, there were 6 cases of type Ⅱ, 2 cases of type Ⅲ, and 2 cases of type Ⅳ. The average interval from injury to operation was 8 days (range, 6-14 days). All the patients underwent open reduction and internal fixation through transtrochanteric approach with trochanteric osteotomy, and repair the labrum with suture anchor. The effectiveness was evaluated according to the Thompson & Epstein scoring scales after operation. ResultsAll incisions healed primarily without early complication of deep infection or deep vein thrombosis of lower limb. All the cases were followed up 22 months on average (range, 12-48 months). X-ray films showed that all osteotomies and acetabular fractures healed within 3-4 months, femoral head and femoral neck fracture healed within 6-11 months. MRI examinations showed that all repaired acetabular labrums well healed. One case had necrosis of the femoral head at 12 months after operation, and was treated by total hip arthroplasty. According to the Thompson & Epstein scoring scales at last follow-up, the results were excellent in 5 cases, good in 3 cases, fair in 1 case and poor in 1 case, with an excellent and good rate of 80%. ConclusionThe diagnosis of acetabular labrum injury can be easily missed during Pipkin fracture, preoperative diagnosis should be combined with hip MRI. Trochanteric osteotomy through transtrochanteric approach, and repairing the labrum with suture anchor can restore the hip function effectively.
ObjectiveTo compare the outcomes of sutureless technique and conventional technique in the surgical repair for infracardiac total anomalous pulmonary venous connection (TAPVC).MethodsThe clinical data of 46 consecutive patients with infracardiac TAPVC undergoing surgical repair in our hospital between June 2014 and April 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. Patients with combined congenital cardiac anomalies such as single ventricle and tetralogy of Fallot were excluded. Patients were divided into a conventional technique group and a sutureless technique group according to the surgical techniques. There were 35 patients in the conventional technique group, including 28 males (80.0%) and 7 females (20.0%) with a median age of 21 (8, 42) d and a median weight of 3.6 (3.0, 4.0) kg. There were 11 patients in the sutureless technique group, including 8 males (72.7%) and 3 females (27.3%) with a median age of 14 (6, 22) d and a median weight of 3.5 (2.9, 3.6) kg. The curative effect of the two groups was compared.ResultsThere were 5 deaths (10.9%) in the conventional technique group, including 4 in-hospital deaths (8.7%) and 1 late death (2.2%). Overall mortality of the conventional technique group (14.3%, 5/35) was higher than that of the sutureless technique group (0.0%, 0/11), although the difference was not statistically significant (P=0.317). Cox regression analysis showed that sex (P=0.042), age at repair (P=0.028), cardiopulmonary bypass time (P=0.007), aortic cross-clamping time (P=0.018) and duration of ventilation (P=0.042) were risk factors for postoperative mortality. The median follow-up was 18.00 (5.00, 37.75) months. Postoperative pulmonary venous obstruction occurred in 22 patients of the conventional technique group, which was significantly more than that of the sutureless technique group (P=0.000).ConclusionFor infracardiac TAPVC, sutureless technique can reduce the incidence of postoperative pulmonary venous obstruction compared with conventional technique.
ObjectiveTo investigate the surgical technique and effectiveness of arthroscopic ULTRA-Braid suture plane fixation for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tibial eminence avulsion fractures. MethodsBetween June 2012 and October 2014, 16 cases of ACL tibial eminence avulsion fracture were treated with ULTRA-Braid suture plane fixation under arthroscopy. There were 10 males and 6 females, aged from 17 to 38 years (mean, 25.8 years). The left knee was involved in 5 cases and the right knee in 11 cases. The causes were traffic accident injury in 9 cases, falling from height injury in 4 cases, and sports injury in 3 cases. The average interval from injury to operation was 7 days (range, 5-10 days) except 1 patient who received operation at 6 weeks after injury. The knee joint swelling was obvious; the result of Lachman test was positive; and the knee joint Lysholm score was 45.38±9.87. According to classification standard introduced by Meyers-McKeever-Zaricznyj, 7 cases were rated as type Ⅱ, 8 cases as type Ⅲ, and 1 case as type Ⅳ, excluding ligament and meniscus injury. ResultsAll the incisions healed by first intention. The patients received follow-up of 6-18 months (mean, 10 months). The postoperative X-ray and CT showed anatomic reduction (12 cases) or near anatomic reduction (4 cases); all fractures healed at 6 months after operation. The result of Lachman test was negative in the other 15 patients except 1 patient (Ⅱ degree). One patient had slight knee pain at 6 months postoperatively, and pain symptom disappeared after 1 year; the other cases resumed daily activities. Lysholm score at last follow-up was 98.13±2.34, showing significant difference when compared with preoperative score (t=-20.801, P=0.000). ConclusionArthroscopic ULTRA-Braid suture plane fixation for ACL tibial eminence avulsion fractures is an effective procedure with the advantages of minimal trauma, reliable fixation, satisfactory functional recovery, and simultaneously avoiding the second surgery.
Objective To analyze the short-term effectiveness of repairing musculus extensor carpi radialis brevis (ECRB) and extensor digitorum communis (EDC) tendon using suture anchor after debridement of extensor tendon insertion for recalcitrant lateral epicondylitis. Methods Between March 2009 and May 2011, 10 patients (10 elbows) with recalcitrant lateral epicondylitis received repair of the ECRB and EDC tendon to the lateral epicondyle using a single suture anchor after debridement of extensor tendon insertion. There were 6 males and 4 females with an average age of 45.4 years (range, 36-57 years). The dominant elbow was involved in 8 patients and nondominant elbow in 2 patients; there were 4 manual workers and 6 ordinary workers. The disease duration ranged from 8 to 24 months (mean, 12.3 months). All patients had epicondylus lateralis humeri pain, local swelling and tenderness, and positive Mill sign. The average elbow range of motion (ROM) was 11.3°(range, 0-30°) in extension and was 132.5°(range, 120-145°) in flexion. Preoperative MRI showed external humeral epicondylitis in all patients. ResultsPrimary wound healing was obtained in all patients without complications of infection, leakage of joint fluid, and stiffness of elbow. Ten patients were followed up 4 to 23 months with an average of 12 months (more than 12 months in 7 cases). The time to return to work was (3.75 ± 0.95) months for manual workers and was (2.91 ± 0.20) months for ordinary workers, showing no significant difference (t=1.715, P=0.180). Compared with preoperation, the mean visual analogue scale (VAS) score significantly decreased (P lt; 0.05), and Mayo score and the grip strength of dominant and nondominant significantly increased (P lt; 0.05), but no significant difference was found when compared with non-surgical side at last follow-up (P gt; 0.05). At last follow-up, the average ROM was —1.5° (range, 0-—10°) in extension and was 150.5°(range, 140-160°) in flexion. ConclusionTo suture anchor for repairing the ECRB and EDC after debridement is a satisfactory procedure to treat recalcitrant lateral epicondylitis. It can effectively prevent loss of the forearm extensor strength, relieve the pain, recover the grip strength, and obtain good results.
ObjectiveTo explore the effectiveness of non-absorbable suture or suture anchor fixation by anterior approach in the treatment of anteromedial facet fractures of the ulnar coronoid process. MethodsBetween February 2007 and February 2012,16 cases of anteromedial facet fractures of the ulnar coronoid process were treated with operation.There were 9 males and 7 females,aged 20-80 years (mean,43.5 years).The causes of injury were traffic accident injury in 7 cases,tumble injury in 5 cases,and falling injury from height in 4 cases.The time from injury to operation was 6.8 days on average (range,2-8 days).All cases had closed fractures.According to O'Driscoll classification,there were 4 cases of type Ⅱ a,7 cases of type Ⅱ b,and 5 cases of type Ⅱ c.Among 16 patients,7 had simple anteromedial facet fractures of the ulnar coronoid process,and 9 had associated injury,including terrible triad in 3,Monteggia fractures in 4,and olecranon fractures in 2.All fractures were fixed with non-absorbable suture in 10 cases,and with suture anchor in 6 cases.The Mayo Elbow Performance Score (MEPS),range of motion (ROM),and complications were used to assess the elbow function. ResultsThe incisions all healed by first intension,without neurovascular injury.Fifteen patients were followed up 10-48 months (mean,25.3 months).The X-ray films showed that all fractures healed,with the mean healing time of 17.5 weeks (range,11-30 weeks).At last follow-up,the mean MEPS score was 88.5(range,55-100);the results were excellent in 10 cases,good in 3 cases,fair in 1 case,and poor in 1 case,with an excellent and good rate of 86.7%.The mean ROM of flexion and extension was 118°(range,35-145°),and the mean ROM of forearm rotation was 138°(range,85-165°).One case had elbow instability,and 3 had slight pain.No heterotopic ossification and traumatic arthritis occurred during the follow-up. ConclusionThe anteromedial facet fractures of the ulnar coronoid process can be clearly exposed through anterior approach,and the fracture fixation using non-absorbable suture and suture anchor fixation usually can restore the elbow function.