Similar Biomechanics Between the Double-Cortical Button and Docking Techniques for Ulnar Collateral Ligament Reconstruction: A Cadaveric Evaluation.

Background: The docking technique is widely used to perform ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) reconstructions because of its high failure torque and reliable clinical outcomes. A double-cortical button technique was recently described, with advantages including the ability to tension the graft at the ulnar and humeral attachments and the creation of single bone tunnels. Purpose/Hypothesis: To compare the biomechanics between the docking and double-button UCL reconstruction techniques using cadaveric specimens. We hypothesized that there would be no difference in postoperative stiffness or maximum strength between the techniques. Study Design: Controlled laboratory study. Methods: Eight matched pairs of cadaveric elbow joints underwent controlled humeral valgus torsion cycles in a test frame. Toe region stiffness, elastic region stiffness, and maximum torque were measured during a 4-step protocol: intact, injured, reconstructed (10 and 1000 cycles), and ramp to failure. Graft strains were calculated using 3-dimensional motion capture. Results: After 10 cycles, intact ligaments from the docking and double-button groups exhibited mean ± SD elastic torsional stiffness of 1.60 ± 0.49 and 1.64 ± 0.35 N·m/deg (P = .827), while docking (1.10 ± 0.39 N·m/deg) and double-button (1.05 ± 0.29 N·m/deg) reconstructions were lower (P = .754). There were no significant differences in maximum torque between the docking (3.45 ± 1.35 N·m) and double-button (3.25 ± 1.31 N·m) groups (P = .777). Similarly, differences in maximum graft strains were not significant between the docking (8.1% ± 7.2%) and double-button (5.5% ± 3.1%) groups (P = .645). The groups demonstrated similar decreases in these measures after cyclic loading. Ramp-to-failure testing showed no significant differences in ultimate torque between the docking (8.93 ± 3.9 N·m) and double-button (9.56 ± 3.5 N·m) groups (P = .739). Conclusion: The biomechanical behavior of the double-button technique was not significantly different from that of the docking technique. Both reconstruction techniques restored joint stability, but neither fully recapitulated preinjury joint stiffness. Clinical Relevance: With its procedural advantages, results preliminarily support the use of the double-button reconstruction technique for UCL reconstruction as a reliable single-tunnel technique for primary or revision cases.

Is there a dose response of dexamethasone as adjuvant for supraclavicular brachial plexus nerve block? A prospective randomized double-blinded clinical study.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: The study objective is to examine the analgesic effect of 3 doses of dexamethasone in combination with low concentration local anesthetics to determine the lowest effective dose of dexamethasone for use as an adjuvant in supraclavicular brachial plexus nerve block. DESIGN: The design is a prospective randomized double-blinded clinical study. SETTING: The setting is an academic medical center. PATIENTS: The patients are 89 adult patients scheduled for shoulder arthroscopy. INTERVENTIONS: All patients were randomly assigned into 1 of 4 treatment groups: (i) bupivacaine, 0.25% 30 mL; (ii) bupivacaine, 0.25% 30 mL with 1-mg preservative-free dexamethasone; (iii) bupivacaine, 0.25% 30 mL with 2-mg preservative-free dexamethasone; and (iv) bupivacaine, 0.25% 30 mL with 4-mg preservative-free dexamethasone. All patients received ultrasound-guided supraclavicular brachial plexus nerve blocks and general anesthesia. MEASUREMENTS: The measurements are the duration of analgesia and motor block. MAIN RESULTS: The median analgesia duration of supraclavicular brachial plexus nerve block with 0.25% bupivacaine was 12.1 hours; and 1-, 2-, or 4-mg dexamethasone significantly prolonged the analgesia duration to 22.3, 23.3, and 21.2 hours, respectively (P = .0105). Dexamethasone also significantly extended the duration of motor nerve block in a similar trend (P = .0247). CONCLUSION: Low-dose dexamethasone (1-2 mg) prolongs analgesia duration and motor blockade to the similar extent as 4-mg dexamethasone when added to 0.25% bupivacaine for supraclavicular brachial plexus nerve block.

Knee sports injury is associated with an increased prevalence of unilateral knee replacement: a case-controlled study.

Injury to the knee during athletics is common and may limit future sports participation, but its long-term effects on patients are less well characterized. Examining the development of end-stage osteoarthritis (OA) in these patients may help better clarify this relationship. We hypothesize that sports-related knee injuries are associated with subsequent unilateral knee OA and need for total knee arthroplasty (TKA) relative to bilateral knee replacement. We present a single-hospital case-control study of 124 consecutive patients undergoing primary TKA over a 6-month period for end-stage OA. Patients were interviewed at the time of surgery using a standardized questionnaire to detect and characterize a history of athletic knee injury. The presence of contralateral knee arthritis based on preoperative assessment was noted for all patients. A control population was derived from patients with diagnosed or known bilateral OA undergoing TKA. Patients were all assessed for exposure to earlier sports or athletic injury. Prestudy power analysis and uni- and multivariate statistical analyses were performed. Of the 124 patients, 27 (22%) recorded a history of athletic knee injury. Evidence of bilateral significant knee OA was found in 73 patients and unilateral arthritis in 51 patients. Patients with unilateral OA were found to have an increased likelihood of previous athletic injury relative to those with bilateral disease (odds ratio: 6.08, p = 0.0001). There is a significant prevalence of sports-related injuries in patients with unilateral knee OA. This study suggests that patients with such injuries may develop arthritis via a different process, sports-related trauma, than patients with bilateral nontraumatic OA.