Distal Tibial Metaphyseal Malunion Treated with Clamshell Osteotomy: A Case Report.

CASE: Here, we describe a case of a 49-year-old female patient with a history of hypertension and polysubstance use disorder presenting with a distal tibial metaphyseal malunion treated with a clamshell osteotomy. Her follow-up was 2.5 years long. CONCLUSION: Malunions in the tibial diaphysis and distal metaphysis can cause significantly increased joint reaction forces and altered gait mechanics leading to cosmetic dissatisfaction and decreased quality of life for these patients. Correction of these deformities can improve patient satisfaction and quality of life, along with decrease the risk of early arthritis. The clamshell osteotomy, although initially described to treat diaphyseal long bone malunions, can safely be performed for treatment of complex periarticular metaphyseal malunions.

Assessment and Trends of the Methodological Quality of the Top 50 Most Cited Articles on Patellar Instability.

BACKGROUND: Studies with a low level of evidence (LOE) have dominated the top cited research in many areas of orthopaedics. The wide range of treatment options for patellar instability necessitates an investigation to determine the types of studies that drive clinical practice. PURPOSE: To determine (1) the top 50 most cited articles on patellar instability and (2) the correlation between the number of citations and LOE or methodological quality. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. METHODS: The Scopus and Web of Science databases were assessed to determine the top 50 most cited articles on patellar instability between 1985 and 2019. Bibliographic information, number of citations, and LOE were collected. Methodological quality was calculated using the Modified Coleman Methodology Score (MCMS) and the Methodological Index for Non-Randomized Studies (MINORS). Mean citations and mean citation density (citations per year) were correlated with LOE, MCMS, and MINORS scores. RESULTS: Most studies were cadaveric (n = 10; 20.0%), published in the American Journal of Sports Medicine (n = 13; 26.0%), published between 2000 and 2009 (n = 41; 82.0%), and conducted in the United States (n = 17; 34.0%). The mean number of citations and the citation density were 158.61 ± 59.53 (range, 95.5-400.5) and 12.74 ± 5.12, respectively. The mean MCMS and MINORS scores were 59.62 ± 12.58 and 16.24 ± 3.72, respectively. No correlation was seen between mean number of citations or citation density versus LOE. A significant difference was found in the mean LOE of articles published between 1990 and 1999 (5.0 ± 0) versus those published between 2000 and 2009 (3.12 ± 1.38; P = .03) and between 2010 and 2019 (3.00 ± 1.10; P = .01). CONCLUSION: There was a shift in research from anatomy toward outcomes in patellar instability; however, these articles demonstrated low LOE and methodological quality. Higher quality studies are necessary to establish informed standards of management of patellar instability.

Surgical Intervention for Femoroacetabular Impingement Can Lead to Improvements in Both Hip and Back Function in Patients With Coexisting Chronic Back Pain at 1-Year Follow-Up.

PURPOSE: To determine whether patients with coexisting lumbar back pain experience back pain improvement after undergoing hip arthroscopy for femoroacetabular impingement (FAI). METHODS: An institutional review board-approved retrospective chart review compared patients undergoing hip arthroscopy for FAI with lumbar spine back pain to patients solely reporting hip pain. The modified Harris Hip Score (mHHS) and Nonarthritic Hip Score (NAHS) were recorded preoperatively and at 1-year follow up. The Oswestry Disability Index score, which quantifies disability from lower back pain, and visual analog scale were recorded from the hip-spine cohort alone. Statistical analysis was performed using paired sample t tests with P ≤ .05 considered significant. RESULTS: Sixty-eight patients who underwent hip arthroscopy between November 2016 and October 2018 were enrolled. Thirty-four patients with a mean age of 48.2 ± 14.0 years and body mass index of 26.6 ± 6.6 had a history of back pain and 34 patients were age- and sex-matched for the matched-control (MC) cohort. The MC cohort had lower mHHS and NAHS scores preoperatively. The MC cohort reported a larger increase in the mHHS (P = .01) and NAHS scores (P = .01) postoperatively. More patients in the MC cohort reached minimally clinically important difference with mHHS (P = .003) and NAHS (P = .06). Following surgery, the hip-spine cohort reported a lower Oswestry Disability Index score, indicating minimal disability (P = .01). CONCLUSIONS: Surgical intervention for FAI can lead to improvements in hip and back pain in patients with coexisting lumbar pathology. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III, retrospective comparative study.

Short-Term Clinical Outcomes of High Tibial Osteotomy with the iBalance HTO System.

PURPOSE: High tibial osteotomy (HTO) is an invaluable tool in the treatment of a variety of conditions in active patients with varus malalignment of the knee. The polyetheretherketone (PEEK) iBalance HTO system has been designed to make the osteotomy safer, more reproducible, and avoid metal hardware related complications. The purpose of this study was to evaluate short-term outcomes in patients who underwent an open wedge high tibial osteotomy with the iBalance HTO system. METHODS: We identified patientswho underwent HTO using iBalance with a minimum of 2-year follow-up. Medical records were reviewed for demographics, Workers Compensation and no-fault insurance claims, history of smoking, concomitant procedures, degree of correction, and complications. Patient outcomes using Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) and visual analog scale (VAS) were recorded before undergoing HTO and compared with those recorded after a 2-year follow-up. Statistical analysis was performed using paired sample t-tests with p < 0.05 considered significant. RESULTS: Twenty-three patients with mean age of 44.9 (± 8.48) were identified. The mean correction angle was 9.9° (range: 5° to 15°). Sixteen patients underwent a concomitant procedure. The average follow-up was 2 years (range: 2 to 3.5 years). Six patients reported a positive history of smoking. The mean preoperative KOOS scores of symptoms, pain, activities of daily living (ADL), sport, and quality of life were 14 (± 18.5), 53.1 (± 14.8), 69.1 (± 21.7), 29.2 (± 22.0), and 30.0 (± 20.0), respectively. The mean preoperative VAS score was 5.5 (± 2.5). At follow-up, the mean scores of symptoms, pain, ADL, sport, and quality of life all improved to 67.53 (± 24.9), 68.06 (± 23.4), 75.74 (± 25.3), 45.91 (± 36.1), and 43.47 (± 33.4), respectively. The mean VAS at follow-up was 1.9 (± 2.1). There was a significant increase (p < 0.05) in all KOOS categories, except ADL. Additionally, there was a statistical difference between smoking and change in ADL score. Former smokers demonstrated an average decrease of 10.3 points, increasing their disability, and nonsmokers increased 15.3 points on the KOOS ADL scale, decreasing their disability. There were three complications (DVT, cellulitis, and serosanguinous drainage) within a month after the procedure. There were three complications, including a revision HTO, pes anserine bursitis, and lateral hamstring tendinitis, within the 2-year follow up including one revision after 1 year. Five patients went on to total knee arthroplasty at an average of 3 years (range: 1 to 5 years). CONCLUSION: This study suggests that the iBalance medial opening wedge HTO system implant can be used with comparable outcomes to traditional methods, however the conversion rate to total knee arthroplasty may be higher than previously reported. This appears to be unrelated to implant choice and likely related to extended indications for the procedure in younger patients refusing knee arthroplasty. The iBalance medial opening wedge HTO system has shown to be safe, removing many of the complications existing with other osteotomy implant options. Our findings highlight the importance of additional studies in order to investigate the risk factors causing progression from HTO to TKA.