ABSTRACT
Background Meniscal tears are a common injury in the adult population. With the advent of newer devices, the adoption of the all-inside repair technique has been expanding substantially because of its feasibility and reduced risk to surrounding neurovascular structures. This study was conducted in a lower middle-income country to assess the functional outcome of the arthroscopic all-inside technique and to identify the potential factors that may affect the functional outcome that will eventually influence the future management of these patients. Method This study is a retrospective case series conducted at the Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan. Patients presenting to the outpatient clinics with meniscal tears who underwent arthroscopic all-inside repair from January 2015 to December 2021 were included in this study. The exclusion criteria included patients who had associated fractures and patients with meniscal tears greater than six months ago. Results A total of 29 patients underwent all-inside meniscal repair for meniscus tears. The mean age of our patients was 26.31 years (SD = 7.11 years), ranging from 17 years to 48 years. Of these patients, 26 were males and three were females, accounting for 89.7% and 10.3%, respectively. The most frequent mechanism of injury was twisting while playing sports, accounting for 51.7%, followed by falling while playing sports and road traffic accidents (RTAs), accounting for 13.8% and 20.7%, respectively. Of the 29 patients, 16 (55.2%) had lateral meniscal injuries, 10 (34.5%) were diagnosed with medial meniscus injuries, and three (10.3%) had injuries to both menisci. The most common type of tear that was observed in our sample size was bucket handle tears, which were found in 14 patients, accounting for a total of 48.3%, followed by complex tears in seven patients (24.1%). The majority of the patients, i.e., 19 out of 29 patients (65.5%), had an acute course of injury, i.e., less than six weeks. For the functional outcome, the Lysholm score was calculated at 12 months and was found to be excellent in 17 patients, good in six patients, and fair in six patients, accounting for 58.6%, 20.7%, and 20.7%, respectively. The mean Lysholm score was 90.03 ± 8.85 points. Of the 29 patients, 27 (93.2%) had no complaints at the regular 12-month follow-up, whereas one patient (3.4%) experienced rotatory instability and one patient (3.4%) experienced stiffness at the knee joint. None of the patients had to undergo a reoperation. The mean Lysholm score in the 25 patients who had an associated anterior cruciate ligament tear was 89.64 ± 9.442 points, whereas the four patients who had an isolated meniscal tear had a mean score of 92.50 ± 2.887 points, which was not significantly different (p-value = 0.831). Conclusion All-inside meniscal repair for treating meniscal tears has become the new treatment paradigm as it not only renders excellent functional outcomes with minimal complications but also prevents damage to the surrounding neurovasculature and the soft tissue envelope as it is a minimally invasive technique.
ABSTRACT
Background Intertrochanteric (IT) fractures in the elderly demand surgical intervention for optimal recovery. While dynamic hip screw (DHS) is standard for stable fractures, its use in unstable cases is debated. Proximal femur nail (PFN) addresses unstable per-trochanteric fractures, boasting biomechanical advantages. Many studies favor PFN over DHS, despite concerns like screw migration. In resource-constrained developing nations, the choice of implant is pivotal. This research assesses proximal femur nailing outcomes for unstable fractures, providing insights for regional orthopedic protocols and contributing to tailored treatment guidelines in contexts with limited resources. Objective To assess the clinical and radiological outcomes in patients undergoing proximal femur nailing for unstable per-trochanteric fractures. Material and Methods This retrospective single-arm cohort study was conducted from January 2020 to July 2022. All the consecutive patients who underwent PFN for unstable per-trochanteric fractures were included in this study. Harris Hip Score (HHS) and ambulation status were recorded to evaluate functional outcomes. In contrast, the radiological outcome was assessed by calculating Radiographic Union Score for Hip (RUSH) scores at six weeks, three months, and six months post-operatively. Results A total of 48 patients were included in this study with equal gender distribution and a mean age of 66 years. The functional outcome was recorded with 2.1% (1), 33.3% (16), and 50% (24) of patients achieving full weight bearing (FWB) without pain at six weeks, three months, and six months respectively while 14.6% (7) of the patients never achieved FWB. The radiological outcome was assessed by calculating RUSH score with 6.3% (3), 43.8% (21), and 50% (24) of the patients achieving complete union at the end of six weeks, three months, and six months respectively. One patient (2.1%) experienced malunion. Conclusion PFN remains an optimal treatment modality for the fixation of unstable per-trochanteric fractures yielding promising functional and radiological outcomes.
