Peripheral nerve injury (PNI) is a worldwide problem which hugely affects the quality of patients’ life. Nerve conduits are now the alternative for treatment of PNI to mimic the gold standard, autologous nerve graft. In that case, with the advantages of electrospun micro- or nano-fibers nerve conduit, the peripheral nerve growth can be escalated, in a better way. In this systematic review, we focused on 39 preclinical studies of electrospun nerve conduit, which include the in vitro and in vivo evaluation from animal peripheral nerve defect models, to provide an update on the progress of the development of electrospun nerve conduit over the last 5 years (2016– 2021). The physical characteristics, biocompatibility, functional and morphological outcomes of nerve conduits from different studies would be compared, to give a better strategy for treatment of PNI.

Elbow dislocations associated with a medial epicondyle fracture and ulnar nerve palsy are uncommon injuries. We present the case of an 11-year-old girl with an elbow dislocation treated by closed manual reduction. The medial epicondyle fracture was missed initially until she developed an ulnar nerve palsy 2 months later. Intraoperatively we discovered the bony epicondyle piercing the joint capsule and compressing the ulnar nerve. Removal of the bony fragment relieved her symptoms and she returned to normal activities at 1 year follow-up. We would like to highlight this rare occurrence and present the detailed history and management of this case.

Formed in 1959, the Singapore Medical Association (SMA) is the national medical organisation representing the majority of medical practitioners in both the public and private sectors

Case: A 22-year-old man sustained a laceration that measured 180 cm², after debridement, over the anterolateral aspect of the right leg following a road traffic accident. The wound was treated with MyDerm (Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia), a cell-based, bilayered, bioengineered dermal substitute that contains no animal-derived components and is fully autologous. For its construction, only a small area of skin was harvested from the left groin, which was closed primarily with absorbable sutures. Conclusion: MyDerm is an alternative option for the treatment of a massive skin defect in patients who desire removal of only a negligible amount of skin from the donor site and when use of an autograft is insufficient.

Splinting of the wrist after carpal tunnel release (CTR) has been practised by many surgeons especially in North America. The main reason was to prevent possible adverse events of bowstringing of flexor tendons and the median nerve, pillar pain, entrapment of the median nerve in scar tissue and wound dehiscence. Studies on the effect of splinting after standard CTR have had dismal results. The duration of splinting in standard CTR has been either too long (for 2-4 weeks) or too short (48 hours only). The aim of our study was to compare the effects of post-operative splinting for a duration of one week with no splinting. All 30 of our patients underwent a standardized limited open CTR by a designated surgeon. Post operatively, they were randomized into a splinted (n=16) and a nonsplinted (n=14) group. The splint was kept for a week. Patients were reviewed at regular intervals of one week, two months and six months. At each follow up, these patients were clinically assessed for the following outcome measures: VAS (visual analogue score), 2PD (two-point discrimination), pinch grip, grip, Abductor Pollicis Brevis (APB)) power and completion of the Boston questionnaire. All patients presented with significant improvement in the postoperative evaluation in the analyzed parameters within each group. However, there was no significant difference between the two groups for any of the outcome measurements at sequential and at final follow-up. We conclude that wrist splinting in the immediate post-operative period has no advantage when compared with the unsplinted wrist after a limited open carpal tunnel release.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy of oral palm vitamin E in reducing symptoms of patients with osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee compared to oral glucosamine sulphate. METHODS: This open study was carried out at the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Center, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia between March 2006 and November 2007. Seventy-nine patients were recruited to receive either 1.5g oral glucosamine sulphate or 400mg oral palm vitamin E for 6 months. Symptoms were assessed using the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities (WOMAC) osteoarthritis index and visual analogue scale (VAS). RESULTS: Sixty-four patients completed the trial (vitamin E n=33, glucosamine sulfate n=31). After 6 months of treatment, both groups showed a significant improvement in WOMAC scale and significant reduction in the VAS score during standing and walking. There was no significant difference in WOMAC scale and VAS score between the 2 groups. Except for mild allergic reaction and abdominal discomfort in one patient, there were no other serious adverse effects reported. Serum malondialdehyde was significantly higher in the glucosamine group compared to palm vitamin E treated group at the end of the study. Serum of vitamin E was significantly higher in the palm vitamin E group compared to glucosamine. CONCLUSION: The finding of this study suggests that oral palm vitamin E in a dose of 400mg taken daily has a potential role in reducing symptoms of patients with OA of the knee. It may be just as effective as glucosamine sulphate in reducing the symptoms and free from serious side effects. Further study is required to ascertain the mechanism of action beside its antioxidant effect.