Edom. The purpose of the present study was to report the prevalence of and risk factors for heterotopic ossification following trauma-related amputation as well as the preliminary results of operative excision....

We retrospectively reviewed the results of 100 consecutive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusions (TLIFs) performed at one institution. The preoperative diagnoses included degenerative disk disease (55), spondylolisthesis (41; 22 isthmic, 19 degenerative), and degenerative adult scoliosis (4). There were 64 single-level, 33 two-level, 2 three-level, and 1 four-level TLIF (140 levels). The fusion mass was assessed by an independent observer using biplanar radiography, whereas clinical outcomes were assessed by means of several established outcome measures. By level, the posterolateral fusion was judged to be probably or definitely solid in 78% of levels, whereas the interbody fusion was radiographically solid in 88% of levels, for an overall 93% fusion success/patient (94%/level). All patients had >24 months of postoperative clinical follow-up, and 82 patients (82%) were available for outcome measure assessment at an average follow-up of 34 months (range 24-61 months) postoperatively. Eighty-one percent of these patients reported a >50% decrease in their symptoms, and 76% of patients were satisfied with their results to the degree that they would have the procedure again. However, a large percentage of patients experienced incomplete relief of their symptoms. Twenty patients sustained minor complications, and there were no major complications. We conclude that TLIF is a safe and effective method of achieving lumbar fusion with a 93% radiographic fusion success and a nearly 80% rate of overall patient satisfaction but frequently results in incomplete relief of symptoms. Complications resulting from the procedure are uncommon and generally minor and transient.

Musculoskeletal fibromatoses represent a wide spectrum of fibroblastic and myofibroblastic neoplasms with similar pathologic appearances and variable clinical behavior. These lesions can be categorized by location (superficial or deep) or by the age group predominantly affected. Superficial fibromatoses in adults (palmar and plantar) and children (calcifying aponeurotic fibroma, lipofibromatosis, and inclusion body fibromatosis) are often small slow-growing lesions; their diagnosis is suggested by location. Deep fibromatoses in adults (desmoid type and abdominal wall) and children (fibromatosis colli and myofibroma and myofibromatosis) are frequently large and more rapidly enlarging; location of these lesions may be nonspecific. Radiographic findings typically are nonspecific. Cross-sectional imaging (ultrasonography, computed tomography, or magnetic resonance [MR] imaging) reveals lesion location, extent, and involvement of adjacent structures for staging and evaluation of local recurrence. MR imaging findings of predominantly low to intermediate signal intensity, nonenhancing bands of low signal intensity on long repetition time MR images that represent collagenized regions, and extension along fascial planes ("fascial tail" sign) add specificity for diagnosis. Additional features that aid in diagnostic specificity include an abdominal wall location related to pregnancy (abdominal wall fibromatosis), a lower neck location in a young child (fibromatosis colli), an adipose component (lipofibromatosis), or multiple lesions in young children (myofibromatosis). Treatment may be conservative or surgical resection, depending on the specific diagnosis. Local recurrence is common after surgical resection owing to the infiltrative growth of these lesions. Recognition that the appearances of the various types of musculoskeletal fibromatoses reflect their pathologic characteristics improves radiologic assessment and helps optimize patient management.

Ease-specific patient survival, we retrospectively reviewed 203 consecutive patients with high-grade soft tissue sarcomas treated operatively and followed for at least 2 years (mean, 4.8 years) or until patient death. Among the 64 patients (32%) who had undergone previous unplanned excisions, six had gross residual disease and 40 of the remaining 58 (69%) had microscopic residual disease in the tumor bed. We observed subsequent local recurrence in nine of the 139 patients (6%) after planned excision compared with 22 patients (34%) after unplanned excision. More patients with unplanned excisions who underwent limb salvage procedures required flap coverage and/or skin grafting with their definitive resection (30% versus 5%). In the unplanned excision cohort, residual disease status at tumor bed excision predicted increased rates of local recurrence and decreased disease-specific survival. Unplanned excisions of high-grade soft tissue sarcomas resulted in increased rates of local recurrence but not disease-specific survival. Residual disease at reexcision predicted the likelihood of local recurrence. Level of Evidence: Level II, prognostic study. See the Guidelines for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence....

As modern battlefield preparations have shifted towards a focus on conflict against peer and near-peer adversaries, large-scale combat operations (LSCO) present challenges to casualty care on a scale not experienced since World War II. Medical evacuation capabilities are anticipated to be episodic. Prolonged casualty care will require massive consumption of far-forward medical resources and healthcare personnel, however, likely without access to protected medical facilities. LSCO will generate mass casualty events (MCE) requiring methods for triage to provide medical care for the “greatest good.” Blood product availability will continue to be a critical life-saving intervention as well as a constraint in an operational environment without prolific damage control surgical capability. Past and present experiences with LSCO combined with predicted future LSCO scenarios will challenge the feasibility and effectiveness of massive casualty response, triage, evacuation, logistics, surgical damage control, and hospitalization which will likely require the integration of civilian surgeons and trauma systems. In this paper, we will analyze challenges and discuss potential solutions to combat casualty care in modern LSCO.