Osteochondritis Dissecans

CHICAGO, Nov. 30, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Youth baseball players are prone to elbow pain and injuries, including repetitive overuse changes and fractures, based on the maturity of their bones, according to a new study being presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA). The repetitive motion and force of throwing a baseball places a large amount of stress on the growing bones, joints and muscles of the elbows of baseball players. Youth baseball players who have not yet reached skeletal maturity might be especially vulnerable to elbow pain and injuries. "When we look at the forces that baseball players, even Little League baseball players, deal with during routine practice and games, it becomes apparent why elbow injuries are so common amongst this group," said study co-author Vandan Patel, B.S., a radiology-orthopedics research scholar at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) in Pennsylvania. Most recent estimates show that 20 to 40% of youth baseball players between the ages of nine and 12 complain of elbow pain at least once during the season. Skeletally immature children have growth plates, which are areas of bone that are made up of cartilage, a rubbery and flexible connective tissue, that allows the bones to grow and change in shape as a child ages. Growth plates are weaker than the surrounding muscles and bones and prone to injury that can lead to either reversible changes or permanent deformity. Skeletal maturity occurs when the growth plates have closed, and no more bone (or growth) is being made. This usually occurs at the end of puberty, typically around age 13 to 15 for girls and 15 to 17 for boys. In this retrospective study, the researchers reviewed elbow MRI exams from 130 youth players (18 years of age and younger) being evaluated for elbow pain. MRI is an ideal method for identifying joint problems, because it can non-invasively show cross-sectional details of soft tissues (cartilage, tendons and ligaments) and bone. "We conducted this study in order to better understand the patterns of injuries that can occur among youth baseball players with elbow pain," said senior author Jie C. Nguyen, M.D., M.S., director for the Section of Musculoskeletal Imaging in the Department of Radiology at CHOP. "Tissue vulnerability and, thus, sites at risk for injury, change with growth and maturation. A younger player injures differently than an older player. It is our hope that this data will help us continue to improve and individualize the care of current and future generations of youth baseball players." The average age of this study group of patients was 13.9 years, with 115 boys and 15 girls included. The frequency with which the patients played baseball varied from daily to recreationally. Two radiologists independently reviewed the MRI exams to categorize the skeletal maturity and different findings of each patient's elbow. They classified 85 patients as skeletally mature and 45 patients as skeletally immature. The most common MRI findings in skeletally immature players included fluid build-up around the joint, stress injuries near the growth plate, fractures, and osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) lesions, where a piece of bone and the overlying cartilage is injured and can detach, leading to reduced range of motion and risk for premature osteoarthritis in adulthood. Conversely, in skeletally mature players, the injury pattern shifts from the growth plates to the soft tissue. These players most often had triceps tendinosis—a condition in which the tendon connecting the triceps muscle to the elbow bone becomes strained, irritated or torn—and fluid build-up in the bony area of the elbow where the ulnar collateral ligament attaches. The ulnar collateral ligament runs on the inner side of the elbow and helps stabilize it. Injuries that required surgery included intra-articular bodies (small fragments inside the joint), and unstable OCD. "In terms of the skeletally immature children, 9 patients (11%) had intra-articular bodies, and 19 patients (22%) had OCD lesions," Patel said. The researchers hope that the results of this study will help to identify elbow injuries in children who play baseball and to individualize treatment based on skeletal maturity. "This information is critically important not only to physicians, but also to parents and team coaches, all of whom provide crucial support for these children, reducing injury and preventing permanent damage on and off the field," said co-author Theodore J. Ganley, M.D., director of Sports Medicine and Performance Center in the Division of Orthopaedics at CHOP. "As parents, caregivers and coaches, it is important to be aware of these findings in order to ensure that symptoms of pain are not overlooked during the baseball season." Although they did find that prevalence of injury was linked to prolonged play, the researchers said further studies are needed to identify exactly which injuries are more time dependent compared to others. "This does not mean that elbow injuries are inevitable in baseball," Patel said. "With proper technique and proper rest, these injuries could potentially be avoided." Additional co-authors are Shahwar M. Tariq, B.S., Liya Gendler, D.O., Apurva S. Shah, M.D., M.B.A., and Adam C. Zoga, M.D., M.B.A. Note: Copies of RSNA 2023 news releases and electronic images will be available online at RSNA.org/press23. RSNA is an association of radiologists, radiation oncologists, medical physicists and related scientists promoting excellence in patient care and health care delivery through education, research and technologic innovation. The Society is based in Oak Brook, Illinois. (RSNA.org) Editor's note: The data in these releases may differ from those in the published abstract and those actually presented at the meeting, as researchers continue to update their data right up until the meeting. To ensure you are using the most up-to-date information, please call the RSNA Newsroom at 1-312-791-6610. For patient-friendly information on pediatric and musculoskeletal imaging, visit RadiologyInfo.org. SOURCE Radiological Society of North America (RSNA)

Ice Age saber-tooth cats and dire wolves experienced a high incidence of bone disease in their joints, according to new research. Ice Age saber-tooth cats and dire wolves experienced a high incidence of bone disease in their joints, according to a study published July 12, 2023 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Hugo Schmökel of Evidensia Academy, Sweden and colleagues. Osteochondrosis is a developmental bone disease known to affect the joints of vertebrates, including humans and various domesticated species. However, the disease is not documented thoroughly in wild species, and published cases are quite rare. In this study, Schmökel and colleagues identify signs of this disease in fossil limb bones of Ice Age saber-tooth cats (Smilodon fatalis) and dire wolves (Aenocyon dirus) from around 55,000 to 12,000 years ago. Researchers examined over 1,000 limb bones of saber-tooth cats and over 500 limb bones of dire wolves from the Late Pleistocene La Brea Tar Pits, finding small defects in many bones consistent with a specific manifestation of bone disease called osteochondrosis dissecans (OCD). These defects were mainly seen in shoulder and knee joints, with an incidence as high as 7% of the examined bones, significantly higher than that observed in modern species. This study is limited to isolated bones from a single fossil locality, so further study on other fossil sites might reveal patterns in the prevalence of this disease, and from there might shed light on aspects of these animals' lives. It remains unclear, for example, whether these joint problems would have hindered the hunting abilities of these predators. Furthermore, OCD is commonly seen in modern domestic dogs which are highly inbred, so it's possible that the high incidence of the disease in these fossil animals could be a sign of dwindling populations as these ancient species approached extinction. The authors add: "This study adds to the growing literature on Smilodon and dire wolf paleopathology, made possible by the unparalleled large sample sizes at the La Brea Tar Pits & Museum. This collaboration between paleontologists and veterinarians confirms that these animals, though they were large predators that lived through tough times and are now extinct, shared common ailments with the cats and dogs in our very homes today."

30 Deep TMS™ Devices Ordered by Large Mental Health-Focused TMS NetworkBURLINGTON, Mass. and JERUSALEM, June 21, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BrainsWay Ltd. (NASDAQ & TASE: BWAY) (“BrainsWay” or the “Company”), a global leader in advanced noninvasive neurostimulation treatments for mental health disorders, today announced significant expansion of its technology platform through the recent order of 30 new Deep Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (Deep TMS™) systems for the treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD) by a large TMS network of clinics based in the Western and Central United States. Several of the systems also include an H7 Coil, thus enabling obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) treatment capability. “BrainsWay is excited to partner with this growing key network customer, a leading large TMS provider in the Western and Central U.S. We are committed to bringing relief to those suffering from treatment-resistant MDD and OCD,” said Hadar Levy, Chief Executive Officer of BrainsWay. “Each Deep TMS device that becomes available to patients helps further BrainsWay’s mission to improve health and transform lives, and we are committed to ensuring that no community is deprived of access to our unique therapeutic solution.” The large TMS network that placed this order opened its first Deep TMS center in the mid-2000s in the Southwestern U.S. and has now grown to nearly 20 clinics across 6 states in the western and central U.S. These clinics offer cutting-edge technology and the newest breakthrough treatments in psychiatry to help patients find the right treatments that work for them. About BrainsWay BrainsWay is a global leader in advanced noninvasive neurostimulation treatments for mental health disorders. The Company is boldly advancing neuroscience with its proprietary Deep Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (Deep TMS™) platform technology to improve health and transform lives. BrainsWay is the first and only TMS company to obtain three FDA-cleared indications backed by pivotal clinical studies demonstrating clinically proven efficacy. Current indications include major depressive disorder (including reduction of anxiety symptoms, commonly referred to as anxious depression), obsessive-compulsive disorder, and smoking addiction. The Company is dedicated to leading through superior science and building on its unparalleled body of clinical evidence. Additional clinical trials of Deep TMS in various psychiatric, neurological, and addiction disorders are underway. Founded in 2003, with offices in Burlington, MA and Jerusalem, Israel, BrainsWay is committed to increasing global awareness of and broad access to Deep TMS. For the latest news and information about BrainsWay, please visit www.brainsway.com. Forward Looking StatementsThis press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements may be preceded by the words “intends,” “may,” “will,” “plans,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “projects,” “predicts,” “estimates,” “aims,” “believes,” “hopes,” “potential” or similar words. These forward-looking statements and their implications are based on the current expectations of the management of the Company only and are subject to a number of factors and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. In addition, historical results or conclusions from scientific research and clinical studies do not guarantee that future results would suggest similar conclusions or that historical results referred to herein would be interpreted similarly in light of additional research or otherwise. The commercial events described herein may not necessarily correlate with financial results within any time periods expressly or implicitly attributed to such events. The following factors, among others, could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements: inadequacy of financial resources to meet future capital requirements; changes in technology and market requirements; delays or obstacles in launching and/or successfully completing planned studies and clinical trials; failure to obtain approvals by regulatory agencies on the Company’s anticipated timeframe, or at all; inability to retain or attract key employees whose knowledge is essential to the development of Deep TMS products; unforeseen difficulties with Deep TMS products and processes, and/or inability to develop necessary enhancements; unexpected costs related to Deep TMS products; failure to obtain and maintain adequate protection of the Company’s intellectual property, including intellectual property licensed to the Company; the potential for product liability; changes in legislation and applicable rules and regulations; unfavorable market perception and acceptance of Deep TMS technology; inadequate or delays in reimbursement from third-party payers, including insurance companies and Medicare; inability to commercialize Deep TMS, including internationally, by the Company or through third-party distributors; product development by competitors; inability to timely develop and introduce new technologies, products and applications, which could cause the actual results or performance of the Company to differ materially from those contemplated in such forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statement in this press release speaks only as of the date of this press release. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or review any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as may be required by any applicable securities laws. More detailed information about the risks and uncertainties affecting the Company is contained under the heading “Risk Factors” in the Company’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Contacts: BrainsWay: Ido Marom Chief Financial Officer 844-386-7001 ext. 5Ido.Marom@BrainsWay.com Investors: Brian RitchieLifeSci Advisors646-889-1200britchie@lifesciadvisors.com Media Contact:Chris Boyer978-677-1777chris.boyer@BrainsWay.com