Professor: Hiroyuki KATOH
Associate Professor: Shigeharu UCHIYAMA
Senior Assistant Professor: Jun TAKAHASHI

Summary of Activity
We investigated physiology, biology, mechanics about bone, cartilage, tendon, ligament, muscle, peripheral nerve, and other motor systems. We have several basic research teams as follows; 1) Carbon nanotube as a biomaterials, 2) Biomechanics of joint and tendon in the elbow and hand, 3) Osteoporosis, 4) Regeneration for cartilage, tendon, and bone, 5) musculoskeletal tumor. We also carry out 6) clinical research regarding rotator cuff injury, baseball elbow, entrapment neuropathy, tendon rupture, spinal deformity, total hip or knee arthroplasty, ACL reconstruction, ankle and foot disorders, musculoskeletal tumor, rheumatoid arthritis. In 2010, there are ten postgraduate students, eight of them are orthopaedic surgeons and two are hand therapists.

Research Projects
1) Carbon nonutube: We mainly perform a research about multi-walled carbon nanotubes(MWCNTs) now. In the medical field, development of new biomaterials using CNTs and their application to clinical practice are expected including applications for cancer treatment such as drug delivery systems and in vivo imaging systems. Use of CNTs in biomaterials applied to bone is anticipated to mainly improve the overall mechanical properties for applications. In our previous report, we performed in vivo studies, to demonstrate that implanted MWCNTs had high compatibility with bone tissues and did not induce bone resorption in the region of implantation in mice. And we showed that MWCNTs inhibit osteoclast differentiation and function. So we hope to develop highly functional biomaterials incorporating CNTs that are optimal for use in bone. The most important concerns for use of CNTs as a biomaterial are whether CNTs are safety. Now we are performing some experiments to solve the problem.
2) Hand biomechanics: Flexor tendon lubrication study has been done to make clear tendon lubrication in various conditions by rabbit tendon model, Thumb, finger, and wrist motion analysis is performed using human volunteers and measured by elecatrical goniometer. We will just start tendon regeneration study from molecular approach.
3) Osteoporsis study: We hypothesize that they necessarily occur asa result of accumulation of some undesirable conditions to the elderly, rather than accidental occurrence due to carelessness. Our prime purpose is to prevent fragility fractures. We try to find the risk factors of serious fragility fractures in elderly before they sustain those fractures, by looking at bone metabolism and biomechanics. This approach may allow us to begin appropriate treatment on appropriate timing for high risk patients. Both clinical and basic research projects are currently underway.
4) Musculoskeletal oncology: Reconstruction of the bone defect by β-TCP with cultured bone marrow stromal cells after curettage in benign bone tumors and tumor-like lesions. Incidence and prevention of deep venous thromboembolism (DVT) after surgery of bone and soft tissue sarcomas in lower extremities.Correlation of the expression of glycosaminoglycans and histological grading in chondrosarcoma.
5) Clinical ortopaedic study: Scoliosis, Spinal reconstruction by using navigator system, cubital tunnel, carpal tunnel, extensor tendon reconstruction, rheumatoid hand and elbow, total hip or knee replacement, ACL reconstruction, rotator cuff repair are analyzed in terms of pathology, treatments, and surgical results.,

1.Takahashi J, Aoki K, Ogihara N, Hirabayashi H, Hashidate H, Kato H Mini open foraminotomy (MOF) for cervical radiculopathy The Open Spine Journal. 2009; 1:1-4

2. Saito N, Usui Y, Aoki K, Narita N, Shimizu M, Hara K, Ogiwara N, Nakamura K, Ishigaki N, Kato H, Taruta S, Endo M Carbon nanotubes: biomaterial applications Chem Soc Rev 2009; 38:1897-1903

3. Nakamura K, Hirachi K, Uchiyama S, Iwasaki N, Minami A, Kato H. Long-term Clinical and Radiographic outcomes after open reduction for missed Monteggia fracture in children. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2009 Jun;91:1394-404.

4. Itsubo T, Uchiyama S, Momose T, Yasutomi T, Imaeda T, Kato H. Electrophysiological responsiveness and quality of life (QuickDASH, CTSI) evaluation of surgically treated carpal tunnel syndrome. J Orthop Sci. 2009;14:17-23.

5. Ikegami S, Kamimura M, Uchiyama S, Nakagawa H, Hashidate H, Takahara K, Kato H. Bone Mineral Density Measurement at Both Spine and Hip for Diagnosing Osteoporosis in Japanese Patients J Clin Densitom. 2009; 12:337-344

6. Ikegami S, Kamimura M, Nakagawa H, Takahara K, Hashidate H, Uchiyama S, Kato H. Comparison in bone turnover markers during early healing of femoral neck fracture and trochanteric fracture in elderly patients. Orthopedic Reviews. 2009; 21:50-55

7. Hirabayashi H, Takahashi J, Kato H, Ebara S, Takahashi H Surgical resection without dural reconstruction of a lumbar meningioma in an elderly woman Eur Spine J. 2009; 18:232-235

8. Hirabayashi H, Takahashi J, Hashidate H, Ogihara N, Tashiro A, Misawa H, Ebara S, Mitsui K, Wakabayashi S, Kato H Characteristics of L3 nerve root radiculopathy Surg Neurol. 2009;72:36-40

9. Aoki K, Usui Y, Narita N, Ogiwara N, Nakamura K, Ishigaki N, Kato H, Sano K, Ogiwara N, Kametani K, Kim C, Kim YA, Taruta S, Endo M, Saito N A Thin Carbon-Fiber Web as a Scaffold for Bone-Tissue Regeneration Small 2009; 5:1540-1546

10. Akahane T, Shimizu T, Isobe K, Yoshimura Y, Kato H Serum soluble interleukin-2 receptor levels in patients with malignant lymphoma of bone J Orthop Sci 2009; 14: 248-252