The Modified Hedgehog Technique to Repair Pure Chondral Shear-off Lesions in the Pediatric Knee.

OBJECTIVE: The paediatric knee is prone to pure chondral shear-off lesions due to the developing osteochondral unit. Refixation of the chondral fragment is commonly done using metalwork or absorbable biomaterials. Both fixation methods come with biomaterial-related drawbacks. Earlier work on chondral allografts for cartilage repair in adults has shown successful osteochondral integration when the chondral allograft is treated with multiple incisions and then glued to the subchondral bone using fibrin glue. This is commonly referred to as the "hedgehog technique." This study investigates the feasibility of a modification of the hedgehog technique in autologous cartilage to repair shear-off lesions in children. DESIGN: Three consecutive patients (aged 11, 12, and 14 years) with shear-off chondral fragments of 2, 5, and 8 cm2 were treated using this modified hedgehog technique. The calcified side of the chondral fragments were multiply incised and trimmed obliquely for an interlocking fit in the defect site. Fibrin glue and, if indicated sutures, were applied to fix the fragment to the defect. In 1 patient, an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) repair was also performed. Patients were evaluated clinically and by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) up to 12 months postoperatively. RESULTS: Twelve months after surgery, all patients reported no pain and showed complete return to sport and full range of motion. MRI showed no signs of fragment loosening. CONCLUSIONS: The modified hedgehog technique is a feasible treatment option to repair pure chondral shear-off lesions in the paediatric knee. This was the first time this technique was used in autografting.

Short-term pain reduction after low-dose radiotherapy in patients with severe osteoarthritis of the hip or knee joint: a cohort study and literature review.

BACKGROUND: Low-dose radiotherapy (LDRT) for pain reduction in osteoarthritis (OA) is a frequently used treatment in Germany and Eastern European countries. The evidence on the effects of LDRT on pain in patients with OA remains unclear. This study evaluated the effect of LDRT on pain in patients with severe OA of the hip or knee joint. METHODS: This prospective study included a total of 16 joints in 12 patients (4 hips and 12 knees). The inclusion criteria were: patients older than 50 years, severe OA (Kellgren-Lawrence grade III-IV) of the hip or knee joint, patients not responding to conservative treatment and patients who are inoperable or not willing to undergo surgery. The joint was irradiated with a total dose of 6.0 Gray. The Numeric Rating Scale for pain (NRS-pain) and patient-reported outcome measures were obtained at pre-, 6, 13, 26, 39 and 52 weeks post-radiation. A decrease of two points on the NRS-pain was defined as clinical relevant. RESULTS: The median age of the included patients was 74 years (range 58-89). In 50% of the joints (n = 8, 3 hip and 5 knee joints), a clinical relevant difference in pain at 6 weeks post-radiation was observed. This clinical relevant difference decreased to 25% at 52 weeks post-radiation. CONCLUSION: LDRT showed a clinical relevant pain relief at 6 weeks after radiotherapy. The long-term effect of LDRT, however, was limited. A randomized placebo-controlled trial is necessary to assess the effect of LDRT on pain in patients with OA of the hip or knee joint.

Clinical and radiological results 7 years after Copeland shoulder resurfacing arthroplasty in patients with primary glenohumeral osteoarthritis: an independent multicentre retrospective study.

PURPOSE: The aim of this multicentre cohort study was to evaluate the midterm outcomes and survival after cementless stemless resurfacing arthroplasty (CSRA) in a series of 33 shoulders in 27 patients with primary osteoarthritis. METHODS: Clinical outcome assessment included: Constant-Murley score (CMS); Simple Shoulder Test (SST); Disability of Arm, Shoulder, Hand (DASH); EuroQol-5D (EQ-5D) utility scores; Numerous Rating Scale (NRS) for pain. Radiographs were assessed by two independent observers for oversizing, radiolucency, glenohumeral subluxation, glenoid erosion and subsidence. Correlations between the clinical and radiological outcomes were calculated. Complications were registered, and revision and survival rates were calculated. RESULTS: Mean age at time of surgery and mean follow-up time were, respectively, 67.7 (range 50.2-85.1) and 7.2 years (range 5.7-9.3 years). Means (SD) for CMS, age- and gender-adjusted CMS, SST, DASH and EQ-5D utility scores were: 56.4 (20.2), 76.5 (25.0), 54.0 (29.8), 37.6 (23.3) and 0.8 (0.1), respectively. NRS for pain was 2.0 and 3.8, respectively, in rest and during activities. Radiographic assessment of the CSRAs showed oversizing in 54.5%; radiolucency in 18.2%; superior glenohumeral subluxation in 33.3%; glenoid erosion in 45.5%; and subsidence in 3.0%. Perioperative complications did not occur. Revision surgery was performed in one patient (3.0%). CONCLUSION: For primary osteoarthritis, the CSRA showed good clinical but poor radiological outcomes at midterm follow-up.

A radiological analysis of the difference between MRI- and CT-based patient-specific matched guides for total knee arthroplasty from the same manufacturer: a randomised controlled trial.

AIMS: This prospective randomised controlled trial was designed to evaluate the outcome of both the MRI- and CT-based patient-specific matched guides (PSG) from the same manufacturer. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 137 knees in 137 patients (50 men, 87 women) were included, 67 in the MRI- and 70 in the CT-based PSG group. Their mean age was 68.4 years (47.0 to 88.9). Outcome was expressed as the biomechanical limb alignment (centre hip-knee-ankle: HKA-axis) achieved post-operatively, the position of the individual components within 3° of the pre-operatively planned alignment, correct planned implant size and operative data (e.g. operating time and blood loss). RESULTS: The patient demographics (e.g. age, body mass index), correct planned implant size and operative data were not significantly different between the two groups. The proportion of outliers in the coronal and sagittal plane ranged from 0% to 21% in both groups. Only the number of outliers for the posterior slope of the tibial component showed a significant difference (p = 0.004) with more outliers in the CT group (n = 9, 13%) than in the MRI group (0%). CONCLUSION: The post-operative HKA-axis was comparable in the MRI- and CT-based PSGs, but there were significantly more outliers for the posterior slope in the CT-based PSGs. TAKE HOME MESSAGE: Alignment with MRI-based PSG is at least as good as, if not better, than that of the CT-based PSG, and is the preferred imaging modality when performing TKA with use of PSG. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2016;98-B:786-92.

Accuracy of CT-based patient-specific guides for total knee arthroplasty in patients with post-traumatic osteoarthritis.

Published clinical trials who studied the accuracy of patient-specific guides (PSG) for total knee arthroplasty exclude patients with articular deformity of the knee joint. We prospectively analysed a series of 30 patients with post-traumatic osteoarthritis of the knee joint with use of PSG. At 1 year post-operative, the achieved biomechanical (HKA) axis and varus/valgus of the femur and tibia components were measured on anterior-posterior (AP) long-standing weight-bearing radiographs. Flexion/extension of the femoral and AP slope of the tibia component was measured on standard lateral radiographs. Percentages >3° deviation of the pre-operative planned HKA axis and individual implant components were considered as outliers. Approved and used implant size, median blood loss (ml) and operation time (min) were obtained from the operation records. Pre- and 1-year post-operative patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) were performed. Eighty-three per cent of the patients had a HKA axis restored <3° of the pre-operative planned alignment. Varus/valgus outliers were 0.0 and 6.7 % for the femoral and tibial components, respectively. Percentages of outliers of flexion/extension were 36.7 % for the femoral component and 10.0 % for the AP slope of the tibial component. Median blood loss was 300 ml (50-700), while operation time was 67 min (44-144). In 20 % of all cases, the approved implant size was changed into one size smaller. One-year post-operative PROMs improved significantly. We conclude that the accuracy of CT-based PSG is not impaired in patients with post-traumatic osteoarthritis and this modality can restore biomechanical limb alignment.

Tissue-engineered constructs: the effect of scaffold architecture in osteochondral repair.

Cartilage has a poor regenerative capacity. Tissue-engineering approaches using porous scaffolds seeded with chondrocytes may improve cartilage repair. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of pore size and pore interconnectivity on cartilage repair in osteochondral defects treated with different scaffolds seeded with allogenic chondrocytes. Scaffolds consisting of 55 wt% poly(ethylene oxide terephthalate) and 45 wt% poly(butylene terephthalate) (PEOT/PBT) with different pore sizes and interconnectivities were made, using a compression moulding (CM) and a three-dimensional fibre (3DF) deposition technique. In these scaffolds, allogenic chondrocytes were seeded, cultured for 3 weeks and implanted in osteochondral defects of skeletally mature rabbits. At 3 weeks no difference in cartilage repair between an empty osteochondral defect, CM or 3DF scaffolds was found. Three months post-implantation, cartilage repair was significantly improved after implantation of a 3DF scaffold compared to a CM scaffold. Although not significant, Mankin scores for osteoarthritis (OA) indicated less OA in the 3DF scaffold group compared to empty defects and CM-treated defects. It is concluded that scaffold pore size and pore interconnectivity influences osteochondral repair and a decreased pore interconnectivity seems to impair osteochondral repair.