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Patients affected by coxarthrosis may be treated surgically with total hip arthroplasty (THA). During the surgical intervention, the hip joint capsule can be completely removed, performing a capsulectomy. Otherwise it's possible to perform a capsulotomy, which allows for capsular conservation. Since there is no scientific evidence demonstrating the superiority of one method over the other, the choice whether to remove or conserve the capsule is at the surgeon's discretion and both procedures are actually accepted.

Fractures of the proximal humerus are relatively common injuries in adults accounting for 5% of fractures. Nowadays the most common technique used is open reduction internal fixation with LCP plates. The risks associated with open reduction internal fixation had led us to develop and apply a “hybrid” system, which is based on external fixation and closed surgery principles. This system is capable of stabilize up to 4 fragment fractures on different planes while conferring a strong enough fixation to maintain fracture reduction while allowing the patient to perform passive and active movement since the first day following the surgery. Our study group started on November 2009 until December 2015 and consisted of 118 patients with a mean age of 68.84±10.52 years for females (76) and 65.62±12.56 for males (44). Patients were classified according to the AO/OTA (Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Osteosynthesefragen/Orthopedic Trauma association) Classification. In a few patients we performed mini lateral accesses to allow reduction of the humeral head and greater tuberosity. Shoulder mobilization was initiated from the first day following surgery. The external fixator was removed at 5 weeks with successive check-ups at 3, 6, and 12 months. The majority of type B and type C1 fractures had almost a complete functional recovery. Patients also, especially in the elderly, reported a good quality of life without pain during any range of motion. Our group of patients, after removal of the apparatus at 5 weeks following the surgery, had a mean articular range of motion with active abduction of 90 degrees and about 100 degrees with passive abduction. Postoperative CS scores at 12 months follow-up was 75,47±8.02. In addition there was also significant (P<0.05) improvement between preoperative and postoperative visual analog scale measurements (in cm), 7.67±2.70 and 1.71±2.08, respectively. This technique has shown good functional results with reduced surgical risks and complications that are typical of open reduction surgical fixation of proximal humerus fractures, is quick in execution and minimally invasive. Given the very good results of the study of this new external fixation technique has shown to be a viable option for the treatment of proximal humerus fractures.

The aim of our study was to evaluate the effectiveness of both clinical and functional benefits after the surgical repair of the rotator cuff in irreparable lesions using a synthetic patch with augmentation of the long head of the biceps (LHB) tendon.

One of the crucial points for a successful tissue-engineering approach for cartilage repair is represented by the level of in vitromaturation of the engineered tissue before implantation. The purpose of this work was to evaluate the effect of the level of in vitromaturation of engineered cartilaginous samples on the tissue quality after in vivoimplantation. Samples were obtained from isolated swine articular chondrocytes embedded in fibrin glue. The cell-fibrin composites were either cultured in vitroor directly implanted in vivofor 1, 5, and 9 weeks. Other experimental samples were precultured for either 1 or 5 weeks in vitroand then implanted in vivofor 4 additional weeks. All the samples were analyzed by histology, immunohistochemistry, biochemistry, and gene expression. The results strongly suggest that the in vivoculture in this model promoted a better tissue maturation than that obtained in the in vitrocondition, and that 1 week in vitropreculture resulted in the primary structuring of the engineered composites and their subsequent maturation in vivo, without affecting the cell viability and activity, while a prolonged in vitropreculture caused a cell and matrix degeneration that could not be rescued in vivo.