Humeral Head Osteochondral Allograft Reconstruction with Arthroscopic Anterior Shoulder Stabilization at a Long-Term Follow-Up: A Case Report.

CASE: The authors report a case of recurrent anterior shoulder instability in a 19-year-old man. Intraoperative arthroscopic examination identified Bankart and engaging Hill-Sachs lesions. The patient was treated with humeral head osteochondral allograft reconstruction and concomitant arthroscopic anterior stabilization. At the 14-year follow-up, there was no recurrent instability. CONCLUSION: Humeral head osteochondral allograft reconstruction combined with an arthroscopic anterior stabilization procedure can be successful for recurrent shoulder instability and engaging Hill-Sachs lesion.

Ultrasound-guided musculoskeletal interventions in American football: 18 years of experience.

OBJECTIVE: Myotendinous strains, contusions, and hematomas are common injuries in American football. Along with ligament sprains and inflammatory disorders, musculoskeletal injuries often result in lost participation time. This article summarizes 18 years of experience with 128 ultrasound-guided drainages and injections in 69 football players with 88 injuries. CONCLUSION: When performed by an operator with sufficient expertise in diagnostic and procedural skills, ultrasound-guided musculoskeletal interventions are minimally invasive, are safe, and can play an integral role in injury management.

Novel drug product to improve joint motion and function and reduce pain after arthroscopic anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.

PURPOSE: OMS103HP, an investigational drug product containing ketoprofen, amitriptyline, and oxymetazoline, is added to arthroscopic irrigation solution. OMS103HP was evaluated in patients undergoing arthroscopic anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction to assess the drug's safety and ability to improve postoperative knee function and motion, reduce postoperative pain, and allow earlier return to work. METHODS: This was a prospective, double-blind, vehicle-controlled, parallel-group, randomized study. Allograft anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction patients in both treatment and vehicle control groups were monitored for safety and efficacy (e.g., measurements of knee function and motion, pain, and return to work) over a 30-day postoperative period. The efficacy endpoints of primary interest were assessed by use of both responder and time-to-event analyses. RESULTS: There were statistically significant differences (P < or = .05) between the OMS103HP and vehicle control groups in the endpoints of knee function (knee function composite and straight-leg raise component of knee function composite), range of motion (median number of days to maximum passive flexion of 90 degrees or greater without pain and time to discontinuation of continuous passive motion), quadriceps and hamstring muscle strength, successful pain management, and return to work. The overall incidences of adverse events and abnormal clinical laboratory values for both OMS103HP- and vehicle-treated subjects were similar, and none was attributed to OMS103HP. CONCLUSIONS: The clinical benefits of OMS103HP in this study were reduced postoperative pain; improved postoperative knee motion, quadriceps and hamstring muscle strength, and knee function; and earlier return to work as measured by surgeons, nurses, and physical therapists across repeated clinic visits and rehabilitation sessions and recorded by patients in daily diaries. The drug was well tolerated.

Surgical decompression of the quadrilateral space in overhead athletes.

BACKGROUND: Quadrilateral space syndrome is an uncommon condition that can disable the overhead athlete. The authors describe 4 cases of quadrilateral space syndrome that may assist clinicians in recognition of this problem in patients with posterior shoulder pain. HYPOTHESIS: Quadrilateral space syndrome can present as posterior shoulder pain in the overhead athlete, and surgical decompression can relieve symptoms and allow full return to activity. STUDY DESIGN: Case series; Level of evidence, 4. METHODS: Between 2004 and 2006, the authors performed surgical decompression of the quadrilateral space in 4 overhead athletes (4 shoulders; mean age, 24 years). They evaluated the clinical presentations, diagnostic tests, surgical procedures, and results of treatment. Mean follow-up was 24.5 months. RESULTS: All 4 patients underwent surgical decompression of the quadrilateral space. Fibrous bands entrapped the axillary nerve in 3 shoulders, and venous dilation was found in the fourth shoulder. All patients returned to full activity without pain or limitation of overhead function 12 weeks after surgery. CONCLUSION: Quadrilateral space syndrome is an uncommon cause of posterior shoulder pain that is easily overlooked and can severely limit overhead function in the athlete. Surgical decompression can predictably relieve pain and improve function in patients who do not respond to nonoperative regimens.

Magnetic resonance imaging of articular cartilage of the knee: comparison between fat-suppressed three-dimensional SPGR imaging, fat-suppressed FSE imaging, and fat-suppressed three-dimensional DEFT imaging, and correlation with arthroscopy.

PURPOSE: To compare signal-to-noise ratios (S/N) and contrast-to-noise ratios (C/N) in various MR sequences, including fat-suppressed three-dimensional spoiled gradient-echo (SPGR) imaging, fat-suppressed fast spin echo (FSE) imaging, and fat-suppressed three-dimensional driven equilibrium Fourier transform (DEFT) imaging, and to determine the diagnostic accuracy of these imaging sequences for detecting cartilage lesions in osteoarthritic knees, as compared with arthroscopy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two sagittal fat-suppressed FSE images (repetition time [TR] / echo time [TE], 4000/13 [FSE short TE] and 4000/39 [FSE long TE]), sagittal fat-suppressed three-dimensional SPGR images (60/5, 40 degrees flip angle), and sagittal fat-suppressed echo-planar three-dimensional DEFT images (400/21.2) were acquired in 35 knees from 28 patients with osteoarthritis of the knee. The S/N efficiencies (S/Neffs) of cartilage, synovial fluid, muscle, meniscus, bone marrow, and fat tissue, and the C/N efficiencies (C/Neffs) of these structures were calculated. Kappa values, exact agreement, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value were determined by comparison of MR grading with arthroscopic results. RESULTS: The synovial fluid S/Neff on fat-suppressed FSE short TE images, fat-suppressed FSE long TE images, and fat-suppressed three-dimensional DEFT images showed similar values. Fat-suppressed three-dimensional DEFT images showed the highest fluid-cartilage C/Neff of all sequences. All images showed fair to good agreement with arthroscopy (kappa, 0.615 in FSE short TE, 0.601 in FSE long TE, 0.583 in three-dimensional SPGR, and 0.561 in three-dimensional DEFT). Although the sensitivity of all sequences was high (100% in FSE short TE, FSE long TE, and DEFT; 96.7% in SPGR), specificity was relatively low (67.6% in FSE short TE and FSE long TE; 85.3% in SPGR; 58.3% in DEFT). The peripheral area of bone marrow edema or whole area of bone marrow edema on fat-suppressed FSE images was demonstrated as low or iso-signal intensity on fat-suppressed three-dimensional DEFT images. CONCLUSION: Fat-suppressed three-dimensional SPGR imaging and fat-suppressed FSE imaging showed high sensitivity and high negative predictive values, but relatively low specificity. The Kappa value and exact agreement was the highest on fat-suppressed FSE short TE images. Fat-suppressed three-dimensional DEFT images showed results similar to the conventional sequences.

Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction using cryopreserved allografts.

Primary ACL reconstruction historically has been done using autograft tissues whereas allografts have been limited to revision cases and patients who are older or with lower physical demands because some animal studies suggested a slower biologic incorporation rate. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the cryopreserved Achilles tendon allograft in primary ACL reconstruction in a consecutive series of athletes. Fifty consecutive patients with a strenuous or moderate preinjury activity level, as defined by the International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC), had ACL reconstruction using cryopreserved Achilles tendon allografts secured with bioabsorbable interference screws. Five patients were professional athletes. The average age of the patients was 36 years (range, 17-50 years). A 3- to 5-year followup study was done in all of the patients using the IKDC form. Tunnel widening was measured in the lateral radiographs at the widest level. The overall outcome was normal or nearly normal in 94% of the patients. No failures were reported in this series. Forty-six patients (92%) returned to their same preinjury sport activity level. The average KT-1000 side-to-side difference was 2.3 mm. Average tibial tunnel widening was 2.7 mm (range, 0-6 mm); no significant correlation was observed between increased tunnel size and a fair or poor clinical outcome. This experience shows that favorable results can be obtained with cryopreserved Achilles tendon allografts in athletes in whom avoiding donor site morbidity may be an issue in terms of a prompt return to sport.

Articular cartilage of knee: normal patterns at MR imaging that mimic disease in healthy subjects and patients with osteoarthritis.

PURPOSE: To evaluate normal magnetic resonance (MR) imaging findings that may mimic articular cartilage diseases in healthy subjects and patients with osteoarthritis of the knee. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sagittal fat-suppressed intermediate-weighted fast spin-echo (FSE) (repetition time msec/echo time [TE] msec, 4,000/13), sagittal T2-weighted FSE (4,000/39), and sagittal fat-suppressed three-dimensional (3D) spoiled gradient-echo (SPGR) (60/5, 40 degrees flip angle) MR images were acquired in 28 patients and four volunteers. FSE images with a TE of 13 msec were considered "short-TE images"; those with a TE of 39 msec were considered "long-TE images." Presence of normal MR imaging appearance of articular cartilage was determined by one author. Contrast between cartilage and adjacent structures (meniscus, joint capsule, synovial fluid, muscle) was calculated in posterior regions of the femoral condyle on images obtained with each sequence; Wilcoxon signed rank testing was performed. RESULTS: The following appearances were observed in patients with knee osteoarthritis (on short-TE FSE, long-TE FSE, and SPGR MR images, respectively): (a) ambiguity of surface contour in posterior region of the femoral condylar cartilage (in zero, zero, and 20 patients), (b) linear area of high signal intensity in deep zone adjacent to subchondral bone of femoral condyle (in zero, zero, and 26 patients), (c) pseudolaminar appearance in posterior region of femoral condylar cartilage (in seven, nine, and 24 patients), (d) truncation artifact in patellofemoral compartment (in seven, six, and 27 patients), (e) susceptibility artifact on cartilage surface caused by air or metal (in three, three, and 11 patients), (f) decreased signal intensity in distal part of trochlear cartilage (in 28, 28, and 28 patients), (g) cartilage thinning adjacent to the anterior horn of the lateral meniscus (in 19, 19, and 21 patients), and (h) focal cartilage flattening in posterior region of femoral condyle (in 16, 16, and nine patients). Cartilage-meniscus and cartilage-synovial fluid contrast was significantly higher on fat-suppressed FSE than on fat-suppressed 3D SPGR MR images (P <.001). CONCLUSION: Fat-suppressed FSE and 3D SPGR MR images showed nonuniform signal intensity arising from articular cartilage and cartilage thinning, both of which could mimic disease.

Imaging of the articular cartilage in osteoarthritis of the knee joint: 3D spatial-spectral spoiled gradient-echo vs. fat-suppressed 3D spoiled gradient-echo MR imaging.

PURPOSE: To compare three-dimensional (3D) spatial-spectral (SS) spoiled gradient-recalled acquisition in the steady state (SPGR) imaging with fat-suppressed 3D SPGR sequences in MR imaging of articular cartilage of the knee joint in patients with osteoarthritis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: MR images of six patients with osteoarthritis of the knee were prospectively examined with a 1.5T MR scanner. For quantitative analyses, the signal-to-noise ratios, contrast-to-noise ratios, and contrast of cartilage and adjacent structures including meniscus, synovial fluid, muscle, fat tissue, and bone marrow were measured. RESULTS: In patients with osteoarthritis, 3DSS-SPGR images demonstrated higher spatial resolution and higher mean signal-to-noise (S/N) ratios (cartilage, 24.9; synovial fluid, 12.3; muscle, 20.7; meniscus, 21.6), with shorter acquisition times (7 minutes 20 seconds), when compared to fat-suppressed 3D SPGR images (cartilage, 22.3; synovial fluid, 10.8; muscle, 16.7; meniscus, 13.4). CONCLUSION: 3DSS-SPGR imaging is a promising method for evaluating cartilage pathology in patients with osteoarthritis of the knee and has the potential to replace fat-suppressed 3D SPGR imaging.

Impingement syndrome of the ankle following supination external rotation trauma: MR imaging findings with arthroscopic correlation.

Our objective was to identify MR imaging findings in patients with syndesmotic soft tissue impingement of the ankle and to investigate the reliability of these imaging characteristics to predict syndesmotic soft tissue impingement syndromes of the ankle. Twenty-one ankles with chronic pain ultimately proven to have anterior soft tissue impingement syndrome were examined by MR imaging during January 1996 to June 2001. The MR imaging protocol included sagittal and coronal short tau inversion recovery (STIR), sagittal T1-weighted spin echo, axial and coronal proton-density, and T2-weighted spin-echo sequences. Nineteen ankles that underwent MR imaging during the same period of time and that had arthroscopically proven diagnosis different than impingement syndrome served as a control group. Fibrovascular scar formations distinct from the syndesmotic ligaments possibly related to syndesmotic soft tissue impingement were recorded. Arthroscopy was performed subsequently in all patients and was considered the gold standard. The statistical analysis revealed an overall frequency of scarred syndesmotic ligaments of 70% in the group with ankle impingement. Fibrovascular scar formations distinct from the syndesmotic ligaments presented with low signal intensity on T1-weighted images and remained low to intermediate in signal intensity on T2-weighted MR imaging. Compared with arthroscopy, MR imaging revealed a sensitivity of 89%, a specificity of 100%, and a diagnostic accuracy of 93% for scarred syndesmotic ligaments. The frequency of scar formation distinct from the syndesmotic ligaments in patients with impingement syndrome of the ankle was not statistically significantly higher than in the control group. In contrast to that, anterior tibial osteophytes and talar osteophytes were statistically significantly higher in the group with anterior impingement than in the control group. Conventional MR imaging was found to be insensitive for the diagnosis of syndesmotic soft tissue impingement of the ankle. Fibrovascular scar tissue distinct from syndesmotic ligaments is suggestive for the diagnosis of soft tissue impingement, but the reliability of these findings is still questionable.

Monopolar thermal treatment of symptomatic anterior cruciate ligament instability.

Patients with anterior cruciate ligament instability resulting from incomplete tears or elongation in continuity without ligament detachment historically have been treated conservatively or by graft replacement. The literature is sparse regarding alternative treatments. The current study presents experience using monopolar thermal repair on 28 consecutive knees with partial anterior cruciate ligament tears all symptomatically unstable. All lesions were less than 6 months old (average, 77 days; range, 7-180 days) and with a difference of 6 mm or more (average, 9 mm; range, 6-13 mm) when comparing both knees using KT-1000 evaluation. Incomplete tears of the anterior cruciate ligament were seen at arthroscopic evaluation. The rehabilitation protocol included use of a brace for at least 6 weeks and progressive weightbearing. A 2-year minimum followup (range, 24-35 months) was done in all patients following the International Knee Documentation Committee guidelines. The overall outcome was normal or nearly normal in 96% of the patients. One failure occurred at 8 weeks. Twenty-six knees had a KT-1000 difference between 0 and 2 mm (average, 1.9 mm). Because thermal application causes death to some of the cells directly treated, it should be taken into account in selection and application. Immediately after thermal use, the anterior cruciate ligament, although thicker and tighter, is at first weaker than normal. Rehabilitation and compliance are critical during early ligament healing. This procedure seems to be a reasonable alternative to anterior cruciate ligament grafting in selected patients.

Electrothermal chondroplasty--monopolar.

Despite the lack of clinical studies, monopolar RF energy is currently used for the treatment of grade 2, 3, and 4 chondromalacia. Basic science studies have confirmed that monopolar RF can mechanically debride the articular surface by smoothing, potentially reducing further delamination. However, a zone of thermal injury in the areas of treatment has been observed with loss of chondrocyte viability. Therefore, further use of this procedure lies in the surgeon's understanding of the potential deleterious effects of temperature on chondrocyte viability and the limitations of alternate treatment options. Monopolar RF energy is a potential alternative to other cartilage removal or smoothing techniques, but more science is needed to define optimal parameters for thermal chondroplasty. Great care is currently proposed in the selection of operative parameters by clinicians when using monopolar RF chondroplasty until safety and efficacy are confirmed.

Risk factors for progressive cartilage loss in the knee: a longitudinal magnetic resonance imaging study in forty-three patients.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the rate of progression of cartilage loss in the knee joint using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and to evaluate potential risk factors for more rapid cartilage loss. METHODS: We evaluated baseline and followup MRIs of the knees in 43 patients (minimum time interval of 1 year, mean 1.8 years, range 52-285 weeks). Cartilage loss was graded in the anterior, central, and posterior regions of the medial and lateral knee compartments. Knee joints were also evaluated for other pathology. Data were analyzed using analysis of variance models. RESULTS: Patients who had sustained meniscal tears showed a higher average rate of progression of cartilage loss (22%) than that seen in those who had intact menisci (14.9%) (P