Varus mechanism is associated with high incidence of popliteal artery lesions in multiligament knee injuries.

PURPOSE: This study aims to identify multiple ligament knee injury patterns that possess a high-risk of vascular lesion. METHODS: We retrospectively compared torn ligament patterns and the presence of vascular lesions confirmed by magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography angiography from 122 consecutive patients with diagnoses of multiple ligament knee injury made at the emergency department between January 2012 and December 2017. Patients were not eligible if they had an ipsilateral lower extremity lesion (dislocations or fractures at another level), initial evaluation at another hospital, or follow-up for less than 12 months. The primary outcomes were the comparison between the imaging findings of torn structures patterns and the presence of a vascular lesion. RESULTS: We identified 48 eligible patients (50 knees) with multiligamentary knee lesions, of whom eight had popliteal artery damage, yielding an incidence of 16%. Our clinical examination detected six of these patients that were classified, according to the Schenck system, as KD-IIIL (6 knees) and KD-IIIM (2 knees). The odds of having a popliteal artery injury is 4.69 to 1 with a KD-IIIL injury that with any other type of injury on that classification (95% CI 0.960-22.98). CONCLUSIONS: This data suggests that varus forces causing enough energy to produce a KD-IIIL lesion possess a higher popliteal artery injury risk, making recommendable a thorough examination of the vascular integrity when diagnosing a KD-IIIL lesion.

Encuesta sobre el manejo de injertos del ligamento cruzado anterior contaminados accidentalmente / Survey on management of accidentally contaminated anterior cruciate ligament grafts

OBJETIVO: Encuestar a cirujanos de rodilla en Chile, sobre su conducta en contaminaciones accidentales del injerto, en reconstrucciones de ligamento cruzado anterior (LCA). MÉTODOS: Se realizó una encuesta anónima en relación a la incidencia, tratamiento y resultados clínicos de los injertos de LCA contaminados, a todos los médicos pertenecientes al área de traumatología y ortopedia asistentes al congreso Ateneo de rodilla 2015. RESULTADOS: Se encuestaron 54 médicos, 33 (61%) especialistas en cirugía de rodilla y 21 (39%) médicos en formación. De los cirujanos de rodilla, 15 (45%) reportaron al menos un caso de contaminación, de los cuales 12 (80%) informaron un único evento, 3 (20%) indicaron la eventualidad en 2, 3 y 5 ocasiones respectivamente, para un total de 22 injertos contaminados. De los cirujanos que reportaron injertos contaminados, 11 (73%) realizan 50 o más reconstrucciones al año. La decisión tomada en los casos de contaminación fue en 13 oportunidades (59%), lavar el injerto y utilizarlo de acuerdo al plan inicial; en 6 casos (27%), utilizar aloinjerto; en 2 ocasiones (9%), utilizar autoinjerto alternativo; y en 1 oportunidad (5%); triplicar el semitendinoso. Ninguno de los casos de contaminación reportó infecciones. CONCLUSIONES: En casos de una contaminación accidental, la mayoría de los cirujanos encuestados prefieren optar por la descontaminación del injerto y su utilización en la reconstrucción de acuerdo al plan inicial; para lo cual la clorhexidina y antibióticos sería la solución a usar de preferencia. NIVEL DE EVIDENCIA: Nivel V, opinión de experto.

OBJECTIVE: To survey knee surgeons who perform anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction in Chile, about the management when ACL graft contamination occurs. METHODS: An anonymous survey was conducted to all physicians belonging to the area of traumatology and orthopedics who attended the 2015 annual Chilean Knee Society meeting. The survey questioned the incidence, treatment, and outcomes of ACL graft contaminations. RESULTS: Fifty-four physicians were surveyed, of which 33 (61%) where knee surgeons and 21 (39%) physicians in training. Of the 33 knee surgeons, 15 (45%) reported at least one contamination during their career. Of those 15, 12 (80%) had one event, and three surgeons (20%) informed having 2, 3, and 5 episodes respectively, for a total of 22 reported contaminated grafts. Of the surgeons who reported a contaminated graft, 11 (73%) performed 50 or more ACL reconstructions annually. In 13 opportunities (59%) the management for a contaminated graft was cleansing the graft and proceeding as planned. In 6 cases (27%) an allograft was used, in 2 occasions (9%) a different graft was harvested, and in 1 opportunity (5%) a semitendinosus graft triplication was performed. No infections in any of the contaminated grafts were reported. CONCLUSIONS: In case of accidental graft contamination during an ACL reconstruction, knee surgeons most often preferred disinfecting the graft and using it as the initial plan. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level V, expert opinion.

Incidence of and Functional Significance of Floating Toe After Weil Osteotomy.

BACKGROUND: The most frequent complication after Weil osteotomies is a floating toe deformity, but there are no reports about its effect on the patient. In this study, we analyzed the consequences of floating toe deformities after the performance of a modified Weil osteotomy (MWO) or a modified Weil osteotomy with interphalangeal fixation (MWOIF). METHODS: We performed a retrospective review with a prospective follow-up of 50 patients (98% women, 120 rays) who underwent MWO (65 rays) or MWOIF (55 rays), with a mean age of 54 ± 12 years and a minimum follow-up of 4 years (mean of 6 years). We analyzed the presence of floating toe deformity in MWO and MWOIF and the outcomes measured by the subjective satisfaction, Lower Extremity Functional Scale (LEFS), American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society (AOFAS) ankle-hindfoot score, and quality of prehension force between patients with or without floating toe deformity. RESULTS: The mean floating toe incidence was of 57%, with no significant difference between operative techniques (48% MWO, 67% MWOIF; P = .053). Our analysis did not show differences in satisfaction, LEFS and AOFAS scores, or grip strength between the group of patients with or without floating toes. CONCLUSION: The presence of a floating toe deformity was more frequent than generally believed but did not have a meaningful impact on the patient's satisfaction or functional outcomes measured by the AOFAS and LEFS scales. There was no clear correlation between operative technique, floating toe, and quality of prehension force. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III, retrospective comparative series.

Arthroscopic Intercondylar Notch Bone Marrow Aspiration During Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction.

The anterior cruciate ligament is the most commonly injured ligament, with up to 10% of surgery failure. Atraumatic instability in the early postoperative period (<6 months) occurs as the result of poor surgical technique, failure of graft integration, or early mechanical overload during rehabilitation. Engineered cell therapy is a developing resource designed to increase the rate of tendon-to-bone interface healing. We describe a simple and safe technique to harvest mesenchymal stem cells by arthroscopic bone marrow aspiration from the intercondylar notch.