Primary extraosseous dural chondrosarcoma: a case report

Background Dural chondrosarcoma is a very rare intracranial tumor, given that meninges do not normally contain cartilaginous tissue from which it can originate. We present a case of primary extraosseous dural chondrosarcoma. Case presentation A 48-year-old woman presented to our tertiary center neurosurgery consultation with progressive headache, vomiting, vertigo, and gait instability of 5 months’ duration. An initial brain CT revealed a large parietal mass with gross calcifications and subtle hyperostosis of the inner table. Subsequent brain MRI showed a heterogeneous expansive lesion with a honey-comb enhancement. Discussion of intra- or extra-axial location was warranted, and finally, initial presurgical suspicion of meningioma arose although some atypical imaging features were detected. The differential diagnosis included solitary fibrous tumor–hemangiopericytoma and dural metastasis. Total resection of the lesion was performed, extra-axial origin was confirmed, and pathology resulted in a primary dural chondrosarcoma. Conclusion The importance of this case presentation lies in the unusual nature of the final diagnosis, the brief literature review and differential diagnosis with emphasis on imaging pearls, as well as the useful reminder for physicians to consider less frequent diseases when key findings do not unambiguously lead to the usual suspects.

The Effect of Single vs Serial Platelet-Rich Plasma Injections in Osteochondral Lesions Treated With Microfracture: An In Vivo Rabbit Model

Background: Biological adjuvants are used after a musculoskeletal injury to improve healing, decrease inflammation, and restore joint homeostasis. Work on 1 such adjuvant, platelet-rich plasma (PRP), has suggested a positive effect when introduced during cartilage repair. However, it remains unknown whether healing osteochondral injuries benefit from serial PRP injections. Purpose: To evaluate the effects of serial PRP injections versus a single PRP injection on reparative cartilaginous tissue, subchondral bone remodeling, and the expression of inflammatory cytokines in joint synovium. Study Design: Controlled laboratory study. Methods: A total of 48 New Zealand White rabbits were randomly assigned to receive 1 (1P), 2 (2P), or 3 (3P) PRP injections. Cylindrical full-thickness cartilage defects (2.9 × 2.9 mm) with microdrillings (0.6-mm diameter) were created on the medial condyles of both knees. PRP was injected into the right knee after closure (groups 1P, 2P, and 3P), at 2 weeks after surgery (groups 2P and 3P), and at 4 weeks after surgery (group 3P). The left knees did not receive any PRP injections. A total of 6 rabbits in each group were euthanized at 3, 6, and 12 weeks postoperatively. Cartilage repair tissue was assessed using the Goebel macroscopic and modified International Cartilage Regeneration & Joint Preservation Society (ICRS) histological scoring systems. Subchondral bone remodeling was evaluated by micro–computed tomography analysis (micro-CT). Inflammatory cytokine levels were assessed by quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Results: No significant differences were found for the mean macroscopic score between the PRP groups at 12 weeks (control, 6.1 ± 3.3; group 1P, 3.4 ± 2.7; group 2P, 4.2 ± 2.9; group 3P, 0.7 ± 1.5). All PRP groups had a significantly higher mean modified ICRS histological score compared with the control group, but no significant difference was found among the PRP groups. No significant differences were seen in outcomes for the tested micro-CT parameters or cytokine expression levels. Conclusion: Serial PRP injections conferred no apparent advantage over single injections according to evaluations of the macroscopic and histological appearance of the cartilaginous tissue, subchondral bone healing, and inflammatory cytokine expression levels in the synovium. Clinical Relevance: The use of PRP as a biological adjuvant to bone marrow stimulation for osteochondral lesions has the potential to enhance the quality of regenerative cartilaginous tissue. We recommend only a single PRP injection if the use of PRP is indicated by the operating surgeon as an adjuvant therapy for osteochondral lesions.

Dielectrophoretic Micro-Organization of Chondrocytes to Regenerate Mechanically Anisotropic Cartilaginous Tissue

Recently, many studies have focused on the repair and regeneration of damaged articular cartilage using tissue engineering. In tissue engineering therapy, cells are cultured in vitro to create a three-dimensional (3-D) tissue designed to replace the damaged cartilage. Although tissue engineering is a useful approach to regenerating cartilage, mechanical anisotropy has not been reconstructed from a cellular organization level. This study aims to create mechanically anisotropic cartilaginous tissue using dielectrophoretic cell patterning and gel-sheet lamination. Bovine chondrocytes were patterned in a hydrogel to form line-array cell clusters via negative dielectrophoresis (DEP). The results indicate that the embedded chondrocytes remained viable and reconstructed cartilaginous tissue along the patterned cell array. Moreover, the agarose gel, in which chondrocytes were patterned, demonstrated mechanical anisotropy. In summary, our DEP cell patterning and gel-sheet lamination techniques would be useful for reconstructing mechanically anisotropic cartilage tissues.

Tracheal Repair with Human Umbilical Cord Mesenchymal Stem Cells Differentiated in Chondrocytes Grown on an Acellular Amniotic Membrane: A Pre-Clinical Approach

Acellular amniotic membrane (AM) has been studied, with promising results on the reconstruction of lesioned tissues, and has become an attractive approach for tracheal repair. This study aimed to evaluate the repair of the trachea with human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (hucMSCs) differentiated in chondrocytes, grown on an experimental model. Tracheal defects were induced by surgical tracheostomy in 30 New Zealand rabbits, and the acellular amniotic membrane, with or without cells, was covering the defect. The hucMSCs were isolated and cultivated with chondrogenic differentiation over the culture of 14 days, and then grown on the AM. In this study, the AM was biocompatible and hucMSCs differentiated into chondrocytes. Our results demonstrated an important role for AM with cultured cells in the promotion of immature collagen, known to produce tissue regeneration. In addition, cartilaginous tissue was found at the tracheal defects, demonstrated by immunohistology results. This study suggests that this biomaterial implantation can be an effective future therapeutic alternative for patients with tracheal injury.

My Hips Hurt: An Unusual Presentation of Bilateral Groin Pain in an Adolescent Boy

Van Neck-Odelberg disease (VND) is a rare benign pediatric skeletal abnormality characterized by hyperostosis of the ischiopubic synchondrosis (IPS) and clinical symptoms.1,2,3 IPS is a strip of cartilaginous tissue between the superomedial pubic and posterolateral ischial ossification centers, which develops into the inferior pubic rami and ischial tuberosity, respectively.

Structural features of the intervertebral disc in rats

The aim of our work was to study the structural organization of the components of vertebral disc of rats on the microscopic level in the normal state.This goal was achieved by means of microscopic method of visualization of cellular components of the intervertebral disc of rats. Histological preparations were made in accordance with the conventional method of using the dye hematoxylin, eosin and azan according to the method of Heidenhain, PAS reaction according to MacManus and Alcian blue according to Steedman.As a result of the microstructural study, it was ascertained that the rat’s intervertebral disc normally consists of a gelatinous (pulpal) nucleus and a fibrous ring. It is separated from the vertebral bodies by a thin layer of cartilaginous tissue of the locking plates and hyaline cartilage, which covers the bodies of adjacent vertebrae. The data that rats do not have locking plates can be rarely found in the literature. The vessels verging the intervertebral disc radially -in front, back and from the sides, branch out from the vessels of vertebral periosteum. In the cartilaginous tissue of intervertebral disc, vessels are not visualized.

Bilateral Anophthalmia in Feline

Background: Anophthalmia is a rare, congenital condition, defined as the complete absence of the eye bulb due to inadequate growth of the vesicle or optic dome. The malformation can be primary (in the absence of complete), secondary (in the presence of only residual tissue), or degenerative (in which the eye begins to form, but for some reason, it begins to degenerate). This condition is rare in dogs, cats, cattle, and sheep. Microscopic evaluation of orbital tissue for identification is always recommended. The aim of this study was to report a case of bilateral anophthalmia in a domestic cat.Case: A feline male, healthy, Maine Coon breed with 60 days of life was attended at the one veterinary private clinic. The cat, negative for FIV and FeLV, was born in a commercial cattery, belonging to his mother's third litter, healthy litter with the exception of this feline. He arrived with a complaint of not opening his eyelids, like the rest of the litter. In the clinical examination, it was found the normality of vital signs, absence of other visible anatomical abnormalities, only the ocular region was observed with closed eyelids. The initial suspicions were anophthalmia and microphthalmia. The patient was referred for an ocular ultrasound, which showed the complete absence of the right and left eye bulbs. The right and left orbital cavities had only a volume of soft, amorphous, and predominantly homogeneous tissue. After the ultrasound report, the patient underwent a surgical procedure to remove a fragment of tissue from the eye socket, which was sent for histopathological examination to confirm anophthalmia and discard the differential diagnosis of microphthalmia. Microscopy revealed immature, epithelial, and glandular tissue in the middle of discrete and moderate connective tissue, loosely arranged. In some fragments, cartilaginous tissue was also revealed. Thus, the histological findings are compatible with immature, pseudoformed tissues and without neoplastic characteristics. The diagnosis of secondary anophthalmia was reached with use of ultrasound and histological reports.Discussion: Congenital malformations in domestic cats are less frequent than in dogs, some of which are rare, and little reported. Secondary anophthalmia in the reported patient was confirmed by histological and ultrasound examination. Bilateral secondary anophthalmia is characterized by the absence of the eyeball, but with the presence of adjacent tissue. The animal was submitted to an ocular ultrasound examination and the complete absence of ocular bulbs was found. The differential diagnosis of microphthalmia was ruled out because there was no evidence of the eyeball. Microphthalmia is a common congenital ophthalmic disorder in veterinary medicine. Representative fragments were submitted to histopathological examination, where immature, epithelial tissue was found. In some fragments sent for analysis, cartilaginous tissue was observed. The histological findings are compatible with immature, pseudoformed tissues, thus verifying bilateral congenital anophthalmia in the reported animal. The clinical examination in these cases serves to ensure that the animal does not have any other congenital changes, allowing a favorable prognosis in puppies. Based on the information presented, the animal in this study has bilateral secondary congenital anophthalmia, with a favorable prognosis for the patient to live with certain normality, with quality and well-being.