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Biomedical subjects

S M Tuli

Publications and source records attributed to S M Tuli.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

The use of immunomodulators as an adjunct to antituberculous chemotherapy in non-responsive patients with osteo-articular tuberculosis.

We studied 51 patients with osteo-articular tuberculosis who were divided into two groups. Group I comprised 31 newly-diagnosed patients who were given first-line antituberculous treatment consisting of isoniazid, rifampicin, ethambutol and pyrazinamide. Group II (non-responders) consisted of 20 patients with a history of clinical non-responsiveness to supervised uninterrupted antituberculous treatment for a minimum of three months or a recurrence of a previous lesion which on clinical observation had healed. No patient in either group was HIV-positive. Group II were treated with an immunomodulation regime of intradermal BCG, oral levamisole and intramuscular diphtheria and tetanus vaccines as an adjunct for eight weeks in addition to antituberculous treatment. We gave antituberculous treatment for a total of 12 to 18 months in both groups and they were followed up for a mean of 30.2 months (24 to 49). A series of 20 healthy blood donors served as a control group.Twenty-nine (93.6%) of the 31 patients in group I and 14 of the 20 (70%) in group II had a clinicoradiological healing response to treatment by five months. The CD4 cell count in both groups was depressed at the time of enrolment, with a greater degree of depression in the group-II patients (686 cells/mm(3) (sd 261) and 545 cells/mm(3) (sd 137), respectively; p < 0.05). After treatment for three months both groups showed significant elevation of the CD4 cell count, reaching a level comparable with the control group. However, the mean CD4 cell count of group II (945 cells/mm(3) (sd 343)) still remained lower than that of group I (1071 cells/mm(3) (sd 290)), but the difference was not significant. Our study has shown encouraging results after immunomodulation and antituberculous treatment in non-responsive patients. The pattern of change in the CD4 cell count in response to treatment may be a reliable clinical indicator.

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗

Tibialization of the fibula: a viable option to salvage limbs with extensive scarring and gap nonunions of the tibia.

I retrospectively reviewed 21 patients who had tibialization of the fibula for infected nonunions with scarring of soft tissues. Most of the patients had unsuccessfully had other operations to restore continuity of the tibia before this treatment. The prerequisites were adequate vascularity, an intact sensate sole, and intact fibula. Proximal site tibiofibular synostosis was done in all patients. Three patients required a supplementary procedure at the proximal tibiofibular junction because of screws cutting out. Distal tibiofibular synostosis was done as a second-stage procedure in a majority of the patients 3 to 6 weeks after the proximal procedure. Protected weightbearing was recommended for 4 to 8 months. The transplanted fibula hypertrophied and approached the diameter of the tibia (or double the size of original fibula) in 2-3 years. Tibialization of the fibula is a safe, nondestructive, salvage procedure for treating difficult infected nonunions of the tibia. It is a simple technique that can be done in hospitals with a moderate infrastructure. Despite scarring, shortening, and limitation of knee and ankle motion, the patients were satisfied to be able to take part in normal daily activities on their own. After the success of synostosis, all patients engaged in activities of daily living and during the followup of 4-14 years none developed stress fracture of the tibialized fibula.

Adolescent↗

General principles of osteoarticular tuberculosis.

Since approximately 1985, with the pandemic of the human immunodeficiency virus and with the increase in the number of people who are immunocompromised, there is a resurgence of tuberculosis worldwide. The diagnosis in endemic areas generally can be made on clinical and radiologic examinations. However, whenever there is doubt because of an atypical clinical presentation or lack of clinical exposure, tissue diagnosis is mandatory. If osteoarticular tuberculosis is diagnosed and treated at an early stage, approximately 90% to 95% of patients would achieve healing with near normal function. The mainstay of treatment is multidrug antituberculous chemotherapy (for 12 to 18 months) and active - assisted non-weightbearing exercises of the involved joint throughout the period of healing. Operative intervention is required when the patient is not responding after 4 to 5 months of chemotherapy (synovectomy and debridement), the therapeutic outcome is not satisfactory (excisional arthroplasty for the hip or the elbow), or the healed status has resulted in a painful ankylosis (arthrodesis for the ankle, the wrist, or the knee). Joint replacement may be considered if the disease has remained inactive for 10 years or more. Multidrug resistance should be suspected if the activity of disease does not subside after 4 to 6 months of uninterrupted multidrug therapy. Such patients (5% to 10%) present a desperate therapeutic challenge. Second-line and potential antitubercular drugs, and possible immunomodulations may control such a disease.

Humans↗

Tuberculosis of spine (C1 to D4).

CLINICAL DATA: Thirty-one patients with 33 lesions of spinal tuberculosis (C1-D4) are reported. The distribution of lesions was C1-C2 (11), C3-C6 (13), C7-D4 (9). Neurological complications were present in 6 (55%), 8 (61%) and 7 (78%) in each region respectively. DIAGNOSIS: Increase in the prevertebral soft tissue shadow in a standard radiograph was a useful guide to resort to CT Scan/MRI to diagnose tuberculosis of C1 and C2 region at an early (pre-subluxation) stage. The diagnosis of TB spine from C3-C6 was made confidently on clinico-radiological features. The anterior convexity and forward displacement of tracheal shadow of more than 8 mm from the vertebral bodies in a lateral view of plain X-ray and widening of superior mediastinum in an AP X-ray are useful indicators of tuberculous involvement at cervicodorsal region (C7-D4). CT Scan/MRI should be done for early diagnosis in those cases with a high index of suspicion. TREATMENT AND OUTCOME: 12/33 lesions without neural complications healed with antitubercular drugs and the use of suitable orthosis. Out of 21 lesions with neural complications 14 recovered by local rest, skull traction and multidrug therapy. Seven lesions were surgically decompressed. Of these, five recovered completely, two did not achieve useful recovery. The neural recovery following the middle path regimen for tuberculosis of C1-D4 was 90% in our cases.

Adolescent↗

Severe kyphotic deformity in tuberculosis of the spine.

Almost 3% of cases of tuberculosis of the spine develop a severe kyphotic deformity. The patients at risk are those who developed the disease under the age of 10 years, who had involvement of three or more vertebral bodies and had lesions between C7 to L1. A severe kyphosis is more than a cosmetic disfigurement because nearly all such patients develop cardiopulmonary dysfunction, painful impingement between ribs and pelvis and compression of the spinal cord with paraplegia at an average of 10 years after the onset of the disease. Correction of the established deformity is difficult and dangerous. Anterior transposition of the cord does not always result in permanent neurological recovery, so it is imperative to diagnose and treat the condition either before bony destruction has occurred or when it is in an early phase. Those patients who are at risk of developing a severe deformity should be treated by posterior fusion of the spine.

Adolescent↗

Incorporation of diaphyseal sequestra in chronic haematogenous osteomyelitis.

Seventeen patients with haematogenous osteomyelitis and long diaphyseal sequestra are reported. Treatment was incision and drainage with antibiotics for at least 6 to 8 weeks, the limb being protected in plaster for a long time. The sequestra became incorporated in every case. Sequestrectomy should only be undertaken when successive radiographs show no reduction in size of the sequestrum and an increase in the amount of the involucrum.

Adolescent↗

Effect of size and shape of the allogeneic bone grafts in bridging experimental ulnar gap in rabbits.

Partially decalcified allogeneic bone matrix was cut into the sizes and shapes of cylinders, bone strips and pulverized bone powder. Large osteoperiosteal gaps were created in rabbit's ulnae. A total of 14 gaps were filled with bone strips, 20 with powder, six with cylinders and two were left unbridged to serve as control. The healing of gap was assessed at intervals with a maximum follow up of 24 weeks. Clinically at 12 weeks the bone strips could not be moved separately from each other, the whole tubular bone had also united whereas gaps filled with bone powder did not diminish in size. Radiologically union occurred earlier (around 12 weeks) in bone strips as compared to cylinders (approx-18 weeks). With bone powder only a faint line of the remnants was visible. Gross examination findings of the grafted area were in concurrence with the clinical and radiological findings. Overall the gaps filled with bone strips had 100 per cent success with early osteo induction and remodelling as compared to long cylinders whereas gaps filled with bone powder had complete failure.

Animals↗

Allograft in the treatment of benign cystic lesions of bone.

Seventeen patients with benign cystic osseous lesions were treated by curettage and grafting using allogenic decalcified bone. Human bones were partially decalcified using 0.6 N HCl and preserved in 90% ethanol in a deep freezer at -16 degrees C. The cystic lesions were: 5 cases of fibrous dysplasia, 4 aneurysmal bone cysts, 3 simple bone cysts, 2 giant-cell tumours, 1 chondromyxoid fibroma, 1 non-ossifying fibroma and 1 fibrous cortical defect. The bones involved were: femur, tibia, humerus, fibula and calcaneum. Infection was a complication in three patients. In two of these it did not interfere with healing, but in one it persisted for more than 1 year with partial resorption of the graft. The time to adequate incorporation of the graft varied from 6 to 9 months in children and 9 to 15 months in adults. The overall response compares favourably with that to allograft from more sophisticated bone banks.

Adolescent↗

Allogenic decalbone in the repair of benign cystic lesions of bone.

Forty-six cases of benign cystic lesions of bone were treated by curettage and compact filling using partially decalcified allogenic bone graft (Decalbone); of these, 35 were available for study. Decalbone was prepared by partial decalcification with 0.6 N hydrochloric acid (HCl) of human bones generally obtained from freshly amputated limbs. The commonest lesions of bone were giant cell tumours (14) and aneurysmal bone cysts (15), and the commonest bones involved were the femur (23) and the tibia (12). There was one failure and four recurrences. Five cases were infected but this did not interfere with healing of the primary lesion. Radiological incorporation of the graft was seen at about 3 months in unicameral bone cysts, at 4-6 months in aneurysmal bone cysts and at 6-9 months in giant cell tumours. There was no recurrence in any case of giant cell tumour, but three aneurysmal bone cysts recurred. There was no clinical immune reaction.

Adult↗

Autoclaved partially decalcified bone as osteogenic substances--an experimental study.

A large osteoperiosteal gap was created in rabbit's ulna. A total of 18 allogenic decalbone grafts in left ulnar gap and 20 autoclaved allogenic decalbone grafts on right ulnar gaps were implanted. Five gaps were left unbridged to serve as controls. The results were assessed by clinical, radiological, macroscopic, histological and tetracycline fluorescent studies. It is observed that whereas the decalbone can successfully bridge a large gap in a vast majority of cases; the standard autoclaving of decalbone denatures its proteins which melt and cover the outer surface. The union, incorporation and remodelling of autoclaved decalbone grafts are slower as compared to that with unautoclaved decalbone.

Animals↗

Osteoinductive property of fluoride impregnated decalcified allogeneic bone matrix.

Present study was carried out in order to explore the ability of a bone graft-decalcified as well as fluoridated to form new bone when put in the rectus abdominis muscle of rabbit. A total of 66 implants placed inside the pouches created in rectus abdominis muscle of rabbits were followed for 2 to 20 weeks. Radiologically decal implants formed bone in 74% cases and fluoridated implants in 68%; whereas histologically 86% of decalcified and 80% of fluoride impregnated decal bone matrix showed evidence of bone induction. It is concluded that fluoride impregnation does not enhance the osteogenic potential of a decal bone matrix.

Abdomen↗

Scurvy--the eternal masquerader.

Osseous involvement in scurvy is unusual in older children even though classical bony changes are well recognized in the infantile variety. This report describes two children with scurvy, aged 6 and 8 years, both of whom presented with bone pains and associated swelling. One child also had a pathological telescoping diaphyseal fracture--a complication not previously described in association with scurvy.

Child↗

Concomitant medial condyle fracture of the humerus in a childhood posterolateral dislocation of the elbow.

Fracture of the medial condyle of the humerus concomitant with a dislocation of the elbow is an extremely rare event in children. In this case of a 10-year-old boy, the fracture of the medial condyle was not diagnosed initially, which resulted in subsequent restriction of elbow range of motion. In such a case, it is suggested that one look for other injuries associated with elbow dislocations in children and undertake appropriate radiographic studies.

Casts, Surgical↗