Several choices available for repair of ligamental tears in the knee
Article Abstract:
In recent years, arthroscopic surgery has been the preferred method for ligament repairs of the knee. Arthroscopy involves the insertion of a tube equipped with an optical system through a small incision to examine the interior of a joint. The technique has reduced complications associated with the surgical opening of the knee. If the ligament tear is more extensive, then reconstructive or replacement surgery is necessary. Surgical methods include the use of autografts (grafting tissue from another part of the body), allografts (tissue from a donor), or prosthetic ligaments (replacement with an artificial ligament). Correct placement of the new tissue is considered essential for successful results in graft surgery. Swedish researchers have developed a method that uses fascia lata tissue (fibrous membrane that covers and supports muscle) to reconstruct the anterior intra-articular ligament (attached to the inner knee joint). When this technique was performed on athletes, 82 percent were able to resume their sport within about six months; 76 percent returned to competition within approximately six and one half months. This operation still contains risk; other studies have indicated that most patients never completely regain their original strength. Prosthetic grafts have lost their former popularity and the Swedish procedure is usually considered a last recourse. A great deal of controversy still surrounds the use of prosthetic grafts and experimentation with new types is underway.
Publication Name: JAMA, The Journal of the American Medical Association
Subject: Health
ISSN: 0098-7484
Year: 1990
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On the job because that's where the hazards are
Article Abstract:
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), a part of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) for the past 17 years, monitors the risks workers face on the job. The Institute has several divisions: Safety Research, Respiratory Disease Studies, Biomedical and Behavioral Science, Physical Sciences and Engineering, Standards Development and Technology Transfer, Training and Manpower Development, and Surveillance, Hazard Evaluation, and Field Studies. Leading work-related diseases and injuries occur to several systems or organs, which are listed. Mine safety is monitored in the Appalachian Laboratory for Occupational Safety and Health in Morgantown, West Virginia, one of the headquarters of NIOSH. When changes in technology seem appropriate, the agency makes written recommendations, as it did recently for limiting exposure to hand-arm vibration. Air quality in large office buildings, which often have windows that cannot be opened, has been an additional concern, since people can become sick for no apparent reason when ventilation systems fail. Heart disease can be complicated by workplace chemicals, such as carbon monoxide and nitroglycerin, and NIOSH works with industry to reduce levels of such substances. The agency also has an educational function, publishing booklets and holding seminars on relevant topics, and it maintains a hotline in its Cincinnati office to answer questions from the public. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)
Publication Name: JAMA, The Journal of the American Medical Association
Subject: Health
ISSN: 0098-7484
Year: 1990
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