Analysis of Postoperative Gait, Hip Strength, and Patient-Reported Outcomes After OTA/AO 61-B and 61-C Pelvic Ring Injuries.

OBJECTIVES: To examine clinical gait parameters, hip muscle strength, pelvic functional outcomes, and psychological outcomes after surgical fixation of OTA/AO 61-B and 61-C pelvic ring injuries. DESIGN: Retrospective review identified 10 OTA/AO 61-B patients and 9 OTA/AO 61-C patients for recruitment who were between 1 and 5 years after pelvic fixation. Gait and strength assessments, and patient-reported outcome scores were performed/collected and analyzed. SETTING: Outpatient clinical motion performance laboratory. PATIENTS/PARTICIPANTS: Patients with OTA/AO 61-B and OTA/AO 61-C fractures who were between 1 and 5 years after pelvic fixation. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: Hip strength, kinetics, and spatial-temporal outcomes; Majeed Pelvic Outcome Score; Short Form 36; Hamilton Anxiety/Depression Rating Scales. RESULTS: There were no differences in age, body mass index, or time since definitive fixation between OTA/AO 61-B and 61-C groups. The OTA/AO 61-C group had higher median injury severity scores, longer length of stay, and greater postoperative pelvic fracture displacement. There was no difference in bilateral hip strength, bilateral peak hip moments, peak hip power, and walking speed between groups. Patients with OTA/AO 61-C fractures had lower scores on Short Form 36 General Health and Majeed Work, with a trend toward a lower Total Majeed score. There were no differences in self-reported total anxiety and depression symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: This study did not identify any gait, strength, or psychological differences between OTA/AO 61-B and 61-C injuries at 1-5 years of follow-up. However, increased injury severity in OTA/AO 61-C patients may have residual consequences on perceived general health and ability to work. This pilot study establishes a template for future research into functional recovery of patients with severe pelvic ring trauma. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Prognostic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

The Association of Surgical Timing and Injury Severity With Systemic Complications in Severely Injured Patients With Pelvic Ring Injuries.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the relationship between timing of definitive fixation, injury severity, and the development of systemic complications in severely injured patients with pelvic ring injuries. DESIGN: Retrospective review. SETTINGS: Level 1 trauma center. PATIENTS: One hundred eighteen severely injured [Injury Severity Score (ISS) ≥ 16] adult patients with pelvic ring injuries undergoing definitive fixation, excluding patients treated with external fixation for hemodynamic instability. INTERVENTION: Early fixation (≤36 hours) in 37 patients and delayed fixation (>36 hours) in 81 patients. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: Systemic complications (acute respiratory distress syndrome, pulmonary embolism, deep venous thrombosis, sepsis, multi-organ failure, and death). RESULTS: The delayed fixation group had a higher ISS and had more patients with chest injuries. There was no detectable difference in the number of patients with systemic complications between early versus delayed fixation groups [8 (22%) vs. 29 (35%), P = 0.1]. The only difference detected in specific complications was a higher incidence of pneumonia with delayed fixation [16 (20%) vs. 0 (0%), P = 0.004] with 11 of the 16 cases being associated with chest injury. Univariate analysis showed an association between complication and time to fixation, ISS, Glasgow Coma Scale, pH, base excess, and injuries to the head, chest, and abdomen. On multivariate analysis, only ISS remained significantly associated with the development of complications [Odds ratio 2.6 per 10 point increase, 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.4-4.4]. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that the severity of injury is most highly associated with systemic complications after definitive fixation of pelvic ring injuries. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Psychological outcomes affect functional outcomes in patients with severe pelvic ring fractures.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the correlation between post-traumatic functional and psychological outcomes in patients with severe pelvic ring injuries. METHODS: Forty-four patients who sustained a completely unstable pelvic ring injury (Tile C, AO/OTA 61C) treated in our institution from 2012 to 2017 were included. A telephone interview was performed in 16 of 44 patients to evaluate pelvic functionality, using the Majeed pelvic score, and psychological evaluation, using Hamilton anxiety and depression rating scales. RESULTS: The mean Injury Severity Score (ISS) was 27 ± 12, and mean GCS at presentation was 13 ± 4. Average time from trauma to interview was 3 years (range, 1-5 years). Mean Majeed pelvic score was 67 ± 22. Majeed sub-scores were pain 19 ± 9, work 10 ± 7, sitting 8 ± 2, sexual intercourse 3 ± 2, walking aids 11 ± 2, gait unaided 9 ± 2, walking distance 8 ± 3. Mean depression and anxiety scores were 16 ± 12 and 17 ± 14, respectively. Significant correlations were observed between functional and psychological outcomes (P < 0.005). Majeed score was negatively correlated with depressive symptoms (r = -0.721, P = 0.002) and anxiety symptoms (r = -0.756, P = 0.001). Depression and anxiety scores were positively correlated (r = 0.945, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Lower functional outcomes in patients with Tile C pelvic injuries were correlated with more severe symptoms of depression and anxiety. We recommend that providers consider and treat patients' mental health condition during posttraumatic recovery.

Evaluation of callus formation in distal femur fractures after carbon fiber composite versus stainless steel plate fixation.

INTRODUCTION: Carbon-fiber-reinforced polyetheretherketone (CFR) composite plates have a more favorable stress modulus than stainless steel (SS) plates that may confer an advantage to bridge plating. The purpose of this study was to compare callus formation after CFR and SS plating of distal femur fractures. METHODS: A retrospective review identified distal femoral fractures treated with CFR (n = 10) and SS (n = 21) plate fixation. Callus formation was measured using the modified Radiographic Union Score for Tibia (mRUST) at 3- and 6-month follow-up by three orthopedic trauma surgeons. Loss of alignment, implant failure, and revision surgeries were reviewed. RESULTS: At 3 months, the mRUST in the CFR and SS groups was 9.0 (range, 6.3-12.3) and 6.9 (range, 4.3-11.7), respectively (p = 0.01). At 6 months, the mRUST in the CFR and SS groups was 11.4 (range, 7.7-16.0) and 10.5 (range, 6.0-15.7), respectively (p = 0.3). CFR and SS groups had a loss of fracture alignment in 1 (10%) and 1 (5%) patient, respectively (p = 0.5), and an unplanned revision surgery in 0 (0%) and 3 (15%) patients, respectively (p = 0.2). All three revisions surgeries in the SS group were for nonunion repair. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment of distal femur fractures with CFR versus SS plating resulted in greater callus formation at 3 months. At 6 months, there was no difference in callus formation between groups. A larger series of patients is necessary to determine if the observed early increased callus formation confers a benefit to clinical outcomes. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic level III.

Metal-on-metal total hip arthroplasty adverse local tissue reaction with intermittent unilateral vascular claudication.

Osteolysis and adverse local soft-tissue reactions are well-documented complications of metal-on-metal prosthetic implants. This case report describes a 68-year-old man who presented to the clinic 10 years after staged bilateral metal-on-metal total hip arthroplasty revisions with the primary complaint of groin pain, intermittent right leg pain, swelling, and muscle cramping while ambulating that resolved with rest. A complete workup was negative for deep venous thrombosis and infection. His symptoms were found to be secondary to an iliopsoas bursal mass externally compressing the femoral vasculature resulting in vascular claudication. He was treated with revision arthroplasty and drainage of the fluid within the iliopsoas bursal effusion with symptomatic resolution.

Epidemiology of Anterior Tibial Spine Fractures in Young Patients: A Retrospective Cohort Study of 122 Cases.

BACKGROUND: Historically, bicycle accidents were described as the most common mechanism for pediatric anterior tibial spine fractures (ATSFs). There is a paucity of current literature examining the demographic factors associated with these injuries. The purpose of this cohort study was to characterize the epidemiology of ATSFs presenting to a single tertiary referral pediatric hospital. METHODS: A consecutive cohort of 122 pediatric patients with ATSFs between 1996 and 2014 were reviewed. Radiographic variables, classification of fractures (Meyers and McKeever type), age, sex, height, weight, body mass index, and mechanism of injury were retrieved. Categories of mechanism of injury included organized sports (football, soccer, basketball, lacrosse, wrestling, and gymnastics), bicycling, outdoor sports (skiing, skateboarding, and sledding), fall, motor vehicle collision/pedestrian versus motor vehicle, and trampoline. RESULTS: Organized sports-related injuries represented the most common cause of ATSFs (36%). Other common mechanisms of injury included bicycle accidents (25%), outdoor sports (18%), and falls (11%). There was a higher proportion of males (69%) compared with females (31%). Males (mean age, 11.6 y) were significantly older than females (mean age, 9.8 y) (P=0.004). Younger patients (aged 11.5 y and below) were more likely to have displaced fractures (type III), whereas type I and type II were more common in patients above 11.5 years (P=0.02). Patients with fracture type I were significantly taller than patients with fracture type III. No other variables were found to differ significantly according to fracture severity, including sex, weight, and body mass index. CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge, our study represents both the largest (n=122) and most up-to-date epidemiological ATSF study in pediatric patients. A higher rate of ATSF occurs due to organized sports rather than bicycling or motor vehicle collision. This 18-year data collection represents a change in the paradigm, and is likely multifactorial, including increased participation in youth sports and early sport specialization. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV-retrospective, cohort study.

Mycobacterium phlei Vertebral Osteomyelitis.

A report of an instance of vertebral osteomyelitis secondary to an uncommon pathogen, Mycobacterium phlei. SUMMARY: Mycobacterium phlei is a rapidly growing nontuberculous osteomyelitis which is typically nonpathogenic with only four reported cases of human infection. Diagnosing infections related to nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) is difficult and can often be delayed as conventional microbiologic tests are inadequate. Currently, there are no consensus guidelines concerning the treatment of vertebral osteomyelitis caused by NTM. A 45-year-old man presented with chronic back pain and bilateral lower extremity radicular symptoms status-post lumbar fusion with previous deep infection. CT scan demonstrated incomplete union after fusion. He underwent irrigation and débridement on March 15, 2016, with tissue culture and biopsy. Given negative cultures and completion of a 6-week course of intravenous antibiotics, on May 3, 2016, he went for implant removal and repeat instrumentation. During the same hospitalization, deep spinal fluid acid-fast bacilli culture from March 15, 2016, came back positive at 8 weeks, identified as Mycobaterium phlei. He was started on an empiric 4-drug regimen for NTM which he continued for 12 months. There has been no recurrence of infection to date. DISCUSSION: This case serves as the first description of M. phlei osteomyelitis of the spine and as a reminder that proper diagnosis of infectious etiologies is necessary for adequate treatment.

Occult injuries of the contralateral sacroiliac joint in operatively treated pelvis fractures: incidence, root cause analysis, and proposal of treatment algorithm.

PURPOSE: To determine the most common injury patterns, root cause, and the frequency with which unrecognized contralateral posterior ring injury occurs in patients presenting with surgically treated pelvic fractures. METHODS: The medical records of 73 patients presenting to our level I trauma center (52 male and 21 female patients; mean age 41.8 years; range 18-89 years) with surgically treated pelvic ring fractures between January 1, 2016 and January 1, 2018 were reviewed. Patient demographics, mechanism of injury, associated injuries, imaging prior to binder or external fixation, use of temporary stabilization with pre-peritoneal pelvic packing (PPP) and anterior pelvic external fixation, and fracture pattern were recorded and analyzed to identify independent risk factors contributing to occult contralateral missed posterior ring injury. RESULTS: Occult contralateral pelvic ring injuries occurred in 6/72 patients (8.2% incidence). Pelvis fractures in multiply traumatized patients with associated orthopaedic injuries were associated with higher prevalence of occult contralateral pelvic ring injury (relative risk 1.85, 95% CI 1.13-3.02) as compared to patients with isolated pelvic fractures. CONCLUSIONS: There is an 8.2% incidence of unrecognized contralateral SI joint instability in patients presenting with unstable pelvic ring injuries. Multiply traumatized patients with multiple orthopaedic injuries were an independent risk factor for this injury pattern.

Avulsion of the Anterior Lateral Meniscal Root Secondary to Tibial Eminence Fracture.

The lateral tibial eminence shares a close relationship with the anterior root of the lateral meniscus. Limited studies have reported traumatic injury to the anterior meniscal roots in the setting of tibial eminence fractures, and reported rates of occurrence of concomitant meniscal and chondral injuries vary widely. The purpose of this article is to describe the case of a 28-year-old woman who had a complete avulsion of the anterolateral meniscal root caused by a tibial eminence fracture with resultant malunion and root displacement. The anterolateral meniscal root was anatomically repaired following arthroscopic resection of the malunited fragment.

Correction to: The relationship of pelvic incidence to post-operative total hip arthroplasty dislocation in patients with lumbar fusion.

The original publication of this paper contain an error. The author name "Alan S. McGee Jr" is incorrect for it should have been "Alan W. McGee Jr".

The relationship of pelvic incidence to post-operative total hip arthroplasty dislocation in patients with lumbar fusion.

PURPOSE: To determine if lumbar fusion increases the risk of dislocation following total hip arthroplasty (THA) via a posterior approach and to investigate anatomic variables associated with this increased risk. METHODS: Five-year retrospective review of THAs performed through a posterior approach identifying cases of post-operative dislocation. Patients were grouped into those with or without previous lumbar spine fusion. Lumbar fusion patients were then further analyzed in terms of cup position, pelvic incidence, sacral slope, and pelvic tilt to determine if there were specific variables associated with the increased risk of dislocation. RESULTS: Five hundred nine primary THAs in 460 patients (non-simultaneous bilateral THAs in 41 patients) met inclusion criteria with a dislocation rate of 5.5%. Thirty-one patients were identified as having prior lumbar fusions. The dislocation rate was significantly higher in fusion patients (29 vs 4%; p = 0.009) yielding a relative risk (RR) of dislocation of 4.77 (p = < 0.0001). Additionally, cup anteversion was significantly different between groups (26.8 vs 21.42; p = 0.009). Dislocators in the fusion group were also at greater risk of requiring subsequent revision (RR = 3.24; p = 0.003). Subgroup analysis of fusion patients revealed that dislocators had lower pelvic incidence and sacral slope compared to non-dislocators (45.2 vs 58.6 [p = 0.0029] and 26.3 vs 35.6 [p = 0.0384] respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with lumbar fusion are at increased risk for post-operative dislocations requiring revision. Together, lower pelvic incidence and decreased sacral slope are associated with increased risk of dislocation in these patients.

Primary Versus Revision Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction: Patient Demographics, Radiographic Findings, and Associated Lesions.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the differences in intra-articular pathology, demographic characteristics, and radiographic characteristics of the knee associated with primary anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) versus revision ACLR at the time of initial presentation with either a native anterior cruciate ligament tear or an anterior cruciate ligament graft tear. Secondarily, we aimed to investigate risk factors for concomitant medial and lateral meniscal tears and cartilage injuries at the time of ACLR. METHODS: This was a retrospective review of patients who underwent primary or revision ACLR by a single surgeon. The exclusion criteria were as follows: skeletally immature patients; patients with an intra-articular fracture; patients with an ipsilateral knee infection; or patients who underwent an osteotomy, cartilage restoration procedure, or meniscal transplantation either previously or concomitantly with the ACLR. Detailed patient demographic data, radiographic long-standing alignment, tibial slope, and intraoperative findings including articular cartilage injury grade and meniscus integrity were documented at surgery. RESULTS: There were 487 patients included in this study (363 with primary ACLR and 124 with revision ACLR). There were no significant differences in age (P = .119), sex (P = .917), body mass index (P = .468), allograft versus autograft reconstruction (P = .916), or prevalence of meniscal tears (P = .142) between the primary and revision groups. Patients who underwent revision ACLR had a significantly increased medial tibial slope (P = .048) and a higher prevalence of chondral defects on both the medial (P < .001) and lateral (P = .003) femoral condyles when compared with primary ACLR patients. Logistic regression showed that a decreased tibial slope was correlated with femoral medial-sided chondral injuries and that varus or valgus coronal-plane malalignment was correlated with lateral meniscal tears in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study show that patients undergoing a revision ACLR have significantly more chondral lesions, as well as higher-grade chondral lesions, at the time of presentation. Furthermore, coronal malalignment and a decreased tibial slope may contribute to injury patterns of the lateral meniscus and medial compartment cartilage, respectively. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III, retrospective case-control study.

Paraskiing Crash and Knee Dislocation With Multiligament Reconstruction and Iliotibial Band Repair.

We describe the diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation, and complications of a 27-year-old male paraskiier who sustained a closed high-velocity knee dislocation after colliding with a tree at a speed of 45 mph and falling 40 feet to the ground. Extensive surgery to repair and reconstruct the knee included open lateral capsular repair, open anatomical posterolateral corner reconstruction with split Achilles tendon allograft, open iliotibial band reconstruction with Achilles tendon allograft, arthroscopic anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction with bone-patellar tendon-bone autograft, and double-bundle posterior cruciate ligament reconstruction with Achilles tendon allograft for the anterolateral bundle and tibialis anterior tendon allograft for the posteromedial bundle. Follow-up surgery was performed to treat arthrofibrosis. Postoperative stress radiographs and subjective outcomes demonstrated that stability was excellent overall.

Outcomes After 1-Stage Versus 2-Stage Revision Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction.

BACKGROUND: Revision anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) is becoming increasingly common as the number of primary ACLR cases continues to rise. Despite this, there are limited data on the outcomes of revision ACLR and even less information specifically addressing the differences in 1-stage revision reconstruction versus those performed in a 2-stage fashion after primary reconstruction. PURPOSE: To compare the outcomes, patient satisfaction, and failure rates of 1-stage versus 2-stage revision ACLR. STUDY DESIGN: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. METHODS: All patients who underwent revision ACLR between 2010 and 2014 by a single surgeon were collected, and skeletally mature patients over the age of 17 years were included. Patients were excluded if they were skeletally immature; had a previous intra-articular infection in the ipsilateral knee; underwent a prior alignment correction procedure, cartilage repair or transplant procedure, or meniscal allograft transplantation; or had an intra-articular fracture. An ipsilateral or contralateral bone-patellar tendon-bone (BPTB) autograft was the graft of choice. A BPTB allograft was considered for patients aged ≥50 years, for any patient with an insufficient ipsilateral or contralateral patellar tendon, or for those who chose not to have the contralateral patellar tendon graft harvested. Patients completed a subjective questionnaire preoperatively and at a minimum of 2 years postoperatively. Magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography of all knees were performed preoperatively to assess for associated injuries and to evaluate the ACLR tunnel size and location. Patients with malpositioned tunnels that would critically overlap with an anatomically placed tunnel or those with tunnels ≥14 mm in size underwent bone grafting. RESULTS: A total of 88 patients met the inclusion criteria for this study. There were 39 patients in the 1-stage revision surgery group (19 male, 20 female) and 49 patients in the 2-stage revision surgery group who underwent tunnel bone grafting first (27 male, 22 female). In both groups, the 12-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-12) Physical Component Summary, Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index, Lysholm, and Tegner activity scale scores significantly improved from preoperatively to postoperatively. There was no significant difference in the SF-12 Mental Component Summary score before and after surgery in either group. Furthermore, there was no significant difference in failure rates or other demographic data between the groups. We observed 4 failures in the 1-stage reconstruction group (10.3%) and 3 failures in the 2-stage reconstruction group (6.1%). CONCLUSION: In this study, objective outcomes and subjective patient scores and satisfaction were not significantly different between 1-stage and 2-stage revision ACLRs. Both groups had significantly improved objective outcomes and patient subjective outcomes without notable differences in failure rates. Further longitudinal studies comparing 1-stage and 2-stage revision ACLRs over a longer time frame are recommended.

Outcomes After Biologically Augmented Isolated Meniscal Repair With Marrow Venting Are Comparable With Those After Meniscal Repair With Concomitant Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction.

BACKGROUND: Meniscal repair in the setting of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction has demonstrated superior outcomes compared with isolated meniscal repair. Limited evidence exists for the effects of biological augmentation in isolated meniscal repair, particularly as compared with meniscal repair with concomitant ACL reconstruction. Purpose/Hypothesis: The purpose of this study was to compare the outcomes and survivorship of meniscal repair in 2 cohorts of patients: meniscal repair with biological augmentation using a marrow venting procedure (MVP) of the intercondylar notch, and meniscal repair with concomitant ACL reconstruction. We hypothesized that the clinical outcomes and survivorship of meniscal repair with concomitant ACL reconstruction would be improved compared with meniscal repair with biological augmentation. STUDY DESIGN: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. METHODS: Inclusion criteria were skeletally mature patients aged ≥16 years who underwent inside-out meniscal repair and either a concomitant MVP of the intercondylar notch or ACL reconstruction. Patients were excluded from this study if they were skeletally immature, underwent meniscus root or radial tear repair, or underwent meniscal repair with concurrent ligamentous reconstruction not limited to the ACL. At the preoperative evaluation and a minimum 2 years after the index meniscal repair procedure, patients were administered a subjective questionnaire. Differences in outcome scores, survivorship, and failure rates between the cohorts were assessed. Failure was defined as reoperation with meniscectomy or revision meniscal repair. RESULTS: There were 109 patients (52 female, 57 male) who met the inclusion criteria for this study. There were 37 knees in cohort 1 (isolated meniscal repair plus MVP) and 72 knees in cohort 2 (meniscal repair plus ACL reconstruction). The failure status was known in 95 patients, and patient-reported outcome scores were obtained in 89 (82%) patients. Both cohorts demonstrated a significant improvement in all outcome scores, and there was no significant difference in any of the preoperative or postoperative outcome measures. The overall failure rate was 9.5% (9/95). There were 4 (12.9%) failures in cohort 1 and 5 failures (7.8%) in cohort 2, with no significant difference in failures between the cohorts ( P = .429). There was a significant association between failure and female sex ( P = .001). CONCLUSION: The most important finding in this study was that there was no difference in outcomes in meniscal repair performed with biological augmentation using an MVP versus that performed concomitantly with ACL reconstruction. The similar outcomes reported for meniscal repair with an MVP and meniscal repair with ACL reconstruction may be partly attributed to biological augmentation.

Outcomes of Inside-out Meniscal Repair in the Setting of Multiligament Reconstruction in the Knee.

BACKGROUND: Limited evidence exists for meniscal repair outcomes in a multiligament reconstruction setting. Purpose/Hypothesis: The purpose of this study was to assess outcomes and failure rates of meniscal repair in patients who underwent multiligament reconstruction compared with patients who underwent multiligament reconstruction but lacked meniscal tears. The authors hypothesized that the outcomes of meniscal repair associated with concomitant multiligament reconstruction would significantly improve from preoperatively to postoperatively at a minimum of 2 years after the index surgery. Secondarily, they hypothesized that this cohort would demonstrate similar outcomes and failure rates compared with the cohort that did not have meniscal lesions at the time of multiligament reconstruction. STUDY DESIGN: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. METHODS: Inclusion criteria for the study included radiographically confirmed skeletally mature patients of at least 16 years of age who underwent multiligamentous reconstruction of the knee without previous ipsilateral osteotomy, intra-articular infections, or intra-articular fractures. Patients were included in the experimental group if they underwent inside-out meniscal suture repair with concurrent multiligament reconstruction. Those included in the control group (multiligament reconstruction without a meniscal tear) underwent multiligament reconstruction but did not undergo any type of meniscal surgery. Lysholm, Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index, Short Form-12 physical component summary and mental component summary, Tegner activity scale, and patient satisfaction scores were recorded preoperatively and postoperatively. The failure of meniscal repair was defined as a retear of the meniscus that was confirmed arthroscopically. RESULTS: There were 43 patients (16 female, 27 male) in the meniscal repair group and 62 patients (25 female, 37 male) in the control group. Follow-up was obtained in 93% of patients with a mean of 3.0 years (range, 2.0-4.7 years). There was a significant improvement between all preoperative and postoperative outcome scores ( P < .05) for both groups. The meniscal repair group had significantly lower preoperative Lysholm and Tegner scores ( P = .009 and P = .02, respectively). There were no significant differences between any other outcome scores preoperatively. The failure rate of the meniscal repair group was 2.7%, consisting of 1 symptomatic meniscal retear. There was no significant difference in any postoperative outcome score at a minimum 2-year follow-up between the 2 groups. CONCLUSION: Good to excellent patient-reported outcomes were reported for both groups with no significant differences in outcomes between the cohorts. Additionally, the failure rate for inside-out meniscal repair with concomitant multiligament reconstruction was low, regardless of meniscus laterality and tear characteristics. The use of multiple vertical mattress sutures and the biological augmentation resulting from intra-articular cruciate ligament reconstruction tunnel reaming may be partially responsible for the stability of the meniscal repair construct and thereby contribute to the overall improved outcomes and the low failure rate of meniscal repair, despite lower preoperative Lysholm and Tegner scores in the meniscal repair group.

An Anatomic Analysis of Mid-anterior and Anterolateral Approaches for Hip Arthrocentesis: A Male Cadaveric Study.

PURPOSE: To determine the accuracy and safety of non-image-guided modified mid-anterior and anterolateral approaches to the hip joint for arthrocentesis. METHODS: Six pairs (n = 12) of human cadaveric hemipelvises underwent methylene blue hip injections through either a mid-anterior or an anterolateral approach. The distance from the mid-anterior approach to the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve (LFCN) was measured. Needle orientation was defined by a combination of 2 angles, calculated by the computer software analysis of digitized points. Distal Angle was defined as the angle between the lateral axis and an intermediate needle position, in the coronal plane, toward the distal axis. Anterior Angle was defined as the angle between the intermediate needle position of Distal Angle and the final position, toward the anterior axis. RESULTS: Methylene blue was successfully injected into the joint capsule in all specimens. The mean distances from the needle to the LFCN for both the mid-anterior and anterolateral approaches were 19.3 ± 7.9 and 80.3 ± 28.3 mm, respectively. For the mid-anterior approach, Distal AngleM was a mean of 53.9° ± 14.9° and Anterior AngleM was a mean of 33.4° ± 15.6°. For the anterolateral approach, Distal AngleL was a mean of 14.5° ± 14.2° and Anterior AngleL was a mean of 4.5° ± 13.6°. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that mid-anterior and anterolateral approaches for non-image-guided hip injections or arthrocentesis can avoid the LFCN and be effectively performed in males, despite the exhibited variability in the quantitative descriptions of these techniques. The landmarks and measurements presented can be used as general guidelines for clinical studies regarding hip arthrocentesis and injections. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The high variability of the needle placement and trajectory of the mid-anterior and anterolateral approaches performed in this study showed that these techniques were not easily quantitatively defined. However, both of these approaches appeared to be safe and effective.

Minimally Invasive Anatomical Reconstruction of Posteromedial Corner of Knee: A Cadaveric Study.

We conducted a study to determine if a minimally invasive posteromedial reconstruction technique would return medial knee stability to its intact state. Ten cadaveric knees were tested under 3 state conditions: intact, sectioned, and reconstructed. The medial compartment opening was measured on valgus stress radiographs at full extension and at 20° of flexion with a 10-N valgus load (applied with dynamometer) to assess valgus stability in the intact, sectioned, and reconstructed states. After posteromedial sectioning, mean medial gap was statistically significantly larger (P = .0002) at full extension (11 mm vs 3.3 mm) and at 20° of flexion (12.6 mm vs 3.7 mm). There was no statistically significant difference between the value of the intact state and the value after minimally invasive reconstruction at 0° (P = .56) or 20° (P = .102) of flexion. Interobserver reliability for the measurements was almost perfect (κ = 0.86). Minimally invasive medial knee reconstruction returns medial knee stability almost to normal at full extension and at 20° of flexion. Development of minimally invasive techniques will allow medial ligament reconstruction with minimal disruption of the surrounding tissue, potentially leading to less scarring and easier restoration of knee motion after surgery.

Hip Capsular Closure: A Biomechanical Analysis of Failure Torque.

BACKGROUND: Hip capsulotomy is routinely performed during arthroscopic surgery to achieve adequate exposure of the joint. Iatrogenic instability can result after hip arthroscopic surgery because of capsular insufficiency, which can be avoided with effective closure of the hip capsule. There is currently no consensus in the literature regarding the optimal quantity of sutures upon capsular closure to achieve maximal stability postoperatively. Purpose/Hypothesis: The purpose of this study was to determine the failure torques of 1-, 2-, and 3-suture constructs for hip capsular closure to resist external rotation and extension after standard anterosuperior interportal capsulotomy (12 to 3 o'clock). Additionally, the degree of external rotation at which the suture constructs failed was recorded. The null hypothesis of this study was that no significant differences with respect to the failure torque would be found between the 3 repair constructs. STUDY DESIGN: Controlled laboratory study. METHODS: Nine pairs (n = 18) of fresh-frozen human cadaveric hemipelvises underwent anterosuperior interportal capsulotomy, which were repaired with 1, 2, or 3 side-to-side sutures. Each hip was secured in a dynamic biaxial testing machine and underwent a cyclic external rotation preconditioning protocol, followed by external rotation to failure. RESULTS: The failure torque of the 1-suture hip capsular closure construct was significantly less than that of the 3-suture construct. The median failure torque for the 1-suture construct was 67.4 N·m (range, 47.4-73.6 N·m). The median failure torque was 85.7 N·m (range, 56.9-99.1 N·m) for the 2-suture construct and 91.7 N·m (range, 74.7-99.0 N·m) for the 3-suture construct. All 3 repair constructs exhibited a median 36° (range, 22°-64°) of external rotation at the failure torque. CONCLUSION: The most important finding of this study was that the 2- and 3-suture constructs resulted in comparable biomechanical failure torques when external rotation forces were applied to conventional hip capsulotomy in a cadaveric model. The 3-suture construct was significantly stronger than the 1-suture construct; however, there was not a significant difference between the 2- and 3-suture constructs. Additionally, all constructs failed at approximately 36° of external rotation. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Re-establishing the native anatomy of the hip capsule after hip arthroscopic surgery has been reported to result in improved outcomes and reduce the risk of iatrogenic instability. Therefore, adequate capsular closure is important to restore proper hip biomechanics, and postoperative precautions limiting external rotation should be utilized to protect the repair.

Posteromedially placed plates with anterior staple reinforcement are not successful in decreasing tibial slope in opening-wedge proximal tibial osteotomy.

PURPOSE: To document the effectiveness of a novel technique to decrease tibial slope in patients who underwent a proximal opening-wedge osteotomy with an anteriorly sloped plate placed in a posteromedial position. The hypothesis was that posteromedial placement of an anteriorly sloped osteotomy plate with an adjunctive anterior bone staple on the tibia would decrease, and maintain, the tibial slope correction at a minimum of 6 months following the osteotomy. METHODS: All patients who underwent biplanar medial opening-wedge proximal tibial osteotomy with anterior staple augmentation to decrease sagittal plane tibial slope were included, and data were collected prospectively and reviewed retrospectively. Indications for decreasing tibial slope included medial compartment osteoarthritis with at least one of the following: ACL deficiency, posterior meniscus deficiency, or flexion contracture. Preoperative, immediate postoperative, and 6-month postoperative radiographs were reviewed. RESULTS: Twenty-one patients (14 males and 7 females) were included in the study with a mean age of 36.5 years. Intrarater and interrater reliability of slope measurements were excellent at all time points (ICC ≥ 0.94, ICC ≥ 0.85). The osteotomy resulted in an average tibial slope decrease of 0.8 from preoperative (n.s.). At 6-month postoperative, average slope was not significantly different from time-zero postoperative slope (mean = +0.2°). CONCLUSIONS: The most important finding of this study was that posteromedial placement of an anteriorly angled osteotomy plate augmented with an anterior staple during a biplanar medial opening-wedge proximal tibial osteotomy did not decrease sagittal plane tibial slope. Whether a staple was effective in maintaining tibial slope from time zero to 6 months postoperatively was unable to be assessed due to no significant change in tibial slope from the preoperative postoperative states. The results of this study note that current osteotomy plate designs and surgical techniques are not effective in decreasing sagittal plane tibial slope. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: IV.