Early injection of autologous bone marrow concentrates decreases infection risk and improves healing of acute severe open tibial fractures

Traumatic Fracture Treatment: Calcium Phosphate Bone Substitute Case-Control Study in Humerus, Radius, Tibia Fractures-Assessing Efficacy and Recovery Outcomes

To date, insufficient investigation has been carried out on the biocompatibility of synthetic bioactive bone substitute materials after traumatically induced bone fractures in clinical conditions. This study encompasses the safety, resorption, healing process, and complications of surgical treatment. Our current hypothesis posits that calcium phosphate-based bone substitutes could improve bone healing. In this retrospective case-control study, over 290 patients who underwent surgical treatment for acute fractures were examined. Bone defects were augmented with calcium phosphate-based bone substitute material (CP) in comparison to with empty defect treatment (ED) between 2011 and 2018. A novel scoring system for fracture healing was introduced to assess bone healing in up to six radiological follow-up examinations. Furthermore, demographic data, concomitant diseases, and complications were subjected to analysis. Data analysis disclosed significantly fewer postoperative complications in the CP group relative to the ED group (p < 0.001). The CP group revealed decreased risks of experiencing complications (p < 0.001), arthrosis (p = 0.01), and neurological diseases (p < 0.001). The fracture edge, the fracture gap, and the articular surface were definably enhanced. Osteosynthesis and general bone density demonstrated similarity (p > 0.05). Subgroup analysis focusing on patients aged 64 years and older revealed a diminished complication incidence within the CP group (p = 0.025). Notably, the application of CP bone substitute materials showed discernible benefits in geriatric patients, evident by decreased rates of pseudarthrosis (p = 0.059). Intermediate follow-up evaluations disclosed marked enhancements in fracture gap, edge, and articular surface conditions through the utilization of CP-based substitutes (p < 0.05). In conclusion, calcium phosphate-based bone substitute materials assert their clinical integrity by demonstrating safety in clinical applications. They substantiate an accelerated early osseous healing trajectory while concurrently decreasing the severity of complications within the bone substitute cohort. In vivo advantages were demonstrated for CP bone graft substitutes.

Open fractures: Current treatment perspective

Severe open fractures present challenges to orthopaedic surgeons worldwide, with increased risks of significant complications. Although different global regions have different resources and systems, there continue to be many consistent approaches to open fracture care. Management of these complex injures continues to evolve in areas ranging from timing of initial operative debridement to the management of critical-sized bone defects. This review, compiled by representative members of the International Orthopaedic Trauma Association, focuses on several critical areas of open fracture management, including antibiotic administration, timing of debridement, bone loss, soft tissue management, and areas of need for future investigation.

Therapeutic Efficacy and Safety of Osteoinductive Factors and Cellular Therapies for Long Bone Fractures and Non-Unions: A Meta-Analysis and Systematic Review

BACKGROUND

Long bone fractures display significant non-union rates, but the exact biological mechanisms implicated in this devastating complication remain unclear. The combination of osteogenetic and angiogenetic factors at the fracture site is an essential prerequisite for successful bone regeneration. The aim of this study is to investigate the results of the clinical implantation of growth factors for intraoperative enhancement of osteogenesis for the treatment of long bone fractures and non-unions.

METHODS

A systematic literature review search was performed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines in the PubMed and Web of Science databases from the date of inception of each database through to 10 January 2022. Specific inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied in order to identify relevant studies reporting on the treatment of upper and lower limb long bone non-unions treated with osteoinductive or cellular factors.

RESULTS

Overall, 18 studies met the inclusion criteria and examined the effectiveness of the application of Bone Morphogenetic Proteins-2 and -7 (BMPs), platelet rich plasma (PRP) and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). Despite the existence of limitations in the studies analysed (containing mixed groups of open and close fractures, different types of fractures, variability of treatment protocols, different selection criteria and follow-up periods amongst others), their overall effectiveness was found significantly increased in patients who received them compared with the controls (I2 = 60%, 95% CI = 1.59 [0.99-2.54], Z =1.93, p = 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Administration of BMP-2 and -7, PRP and MSCs were considered effective and safe methods in fracture treatment, increasing bone consolidation, reducing time to repair and being linked to satisfactory postoperative functional scores.

Nonunion of the Coracoid Base Secondary to Cutibacterium acnes Infection in a Surgically Naive Patient: A Case Report

CASE

We present the case of a 42-year-old man with a coracoid base fracture that progressed to nonunion. The patient underwent percutaneous autologous bone-marrow and demineralized bone matrix (DBM) grafting 8 months after injury, with all intraoperative cultures positive for Cutibacterium acnes. The patient had no prior surgeries, but he began shaving his axillae around the time of injury. He was treated with amoxicillin; by the 6-week follow-up, computed tomography demonstrated complete fracture healing.

CONCLUSION

Our case demonstrates a novel etiology of coracoid nonunion treated successfully by eradicating the infection with biologic augmentation by percutaneous autologous bone-marrow grafting with DBM and oral antibiotics.

Current evidence on potential of adipose derived stem cells to enhance bone regeneration and future projection

Injuries to the postnatal skeleton are naturally repaired through successive steps involving specific cell types in a process collectively termed “bone regeneration”. Although complex, bone regeneration occurs through a series of well-orchestrated stages wherein endogenous bone stem cells play a central role. In most situations, bone regeneration is successful; however, there are instances when it fails and creates non-healing injuries or fracture nonunion requiring surgical or therapeutic interventions. Transplantation of adult or mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) defined by the International Society for Cell and Gene Therapy (ISCT) as CD105+CD90+CD73+CD45-CD34-CD14orCD11b-CD79αorCD19-HLA-DR- is being investigated as an attractive therapy for bone regeneration throughout the world. MSCs isolated from adipose tissue, adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs), are gaining increasing attention since this is the most abundant source of adult stem cells and the isolation process for ADSCs is straightforward. Currently, there is not a single Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved ADSCs product for bone regeneration. Although the safety of ADSCs is established from their usage in numerous clinical trials, the bone-forming potential of ADSCs and MSCs, in general, is highly controversial. Growing evidence suggests that the ISCT defined phenotype may not represent bona fide osteoprogenitors. Transplantation of both ADSCs and the CD105^- sub-population of ADSCs has been reported to induce bone regeneration. Most notably, cells expressing other markers such as CD146, AlphaV, CD200, PDPN, CD164, CXCR4, and PDGFRα have been shown to represent osteogenic sub-population within ADSCs. Amongst other strategies to improve the bone-forming ability of ADSCs, modulation of VEGF, TGF-β1 and BMP signaling pathways of ADSCs has shown promising results. The U.S. FDA reveals that 73% of Investigational New Drug applications for stem cell-based products rely on CD105 expression as the “positive” marker for adult stem cells. A concerted effort involving the scientific community, clinicians, industries, and regulatory bodies to redefine ADSCs using powerful selection markers and strategies to modulate signaling pathways of ADSCs will speed up the therapeutic use of ADSCs for bone regeneration.