Patellar dislocation recurrence after pediatric MPFL reconstruction: Bone tunnels and soft tissues versus suture anchors and interference screw.

BACKGROUND: Several Medial Patellofemoral Ligament (MPFL) reconstruction techniques have been developed, and those with soft tissue fixation are often preferred in children because they allow the growth cartilage to be preserved. Nevertheless, the recurrence rate of patellar dislocation varies widely from one series to another, with no clear superiority of one technique in the pediatric setting. The objectives of this study were to compare the results of two tendon graft fixation techniques (tendon-tendon fixation and anchor-screw fixation) by analyzing: 1) the rate of patellar dislocation recurrence, 2) clinical outcomes, 3) tourniquet time and 4) complication rate. HYPOTHESIS: The two tendon graft fixation techniques used in MPFL reconstruction are equivalent in terms of the patellar dislocation recurrence rate. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This is a retrospective comparative study including 57 patients with a median age of 14 years (12-15 years) who underwent MPFL reconstruction between 2016 and 2020. The tendon graft was fixed upon itself, after passing through a patellar tunnel (Group A: tendon-tendon fixation; n=29) or by two anchors and an interference screw (Group B: anchor-screw fixation; n=28). The preoperative radiographic data were comparable in the two groups: patellar height [A: 1.3 (interquartile range (IQR): 1.2-1.4) / B: 1.2 (IQR: 1-1.4) (p=0.21)], tibial tuberosity to trochlear groove (TTTG) distance [A: 16 (IQR: 13-19) / B: 13.5 (IQR: 11.5-18.8) (p=0.12)], patellar tilt [A: 25 (IQR: 20-35) / B: 24.5 (IQR: 21-32) (p=0.93)]. For each technique, the rate of patellar dislocation recurrence, clinical and functional results (Kujala score, Marx activity score, Lille patellofemoral score), complications (pain, stiffness, revision) were analyzed. In addition to MPFL repair, 13 patients (2 in Group A, 11 in Group B) underwent additional orthopedic procedures to enhance patellar stability. RESULTS: no patients were lost to follow-up and the median follow-up was 30 months (IQR: 20-38). The dislocation recurrence rate was higher in Group A, 6.9% (2/29) compared to none in Group B. The clinical results were comparable for the two groups with a Kujala score [A: 94 (IQR: 89-100) / B: 92 (IQR: 87.5-94.5) (p=0.12)]; Marx score [A: 10 (IQR: 7-11) / B: 9.5 (IQR: 7.5-12) (p=0.89)] and Lille patellofemoral score [A: 97 (IQR: 91-100) / B: 94 (IQR: 90-98) (p=0.21)]. The tourniquet time was shorter in Group A than in Group B, 61minutes (IQR: 52-71) versus 85minutes (IQR: 55-115) (p=0.024) excluding additional orthopedic procedures. The complication rate was 17.2% (5/29) in Group A (dislocation n=2, stiffness n=2, ATT (anterior tibial tuberosity) revision with screw removal n=1) and 10.7% (3/28) in B (pain n=1, ATT revision with screw removal n=2) (p=0.35). CONCLUSION: Clinically, anchor-screw fixation appears to reduce the risk of patellar dislocation recurrence but this could not be statistically tested. On the other hand, the two techniques are comparable in terms of the functional results. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III; retrospective case-control study.

Comparison between anterior cuneiform osteotomy and Dunn procedure in the surgical management of unstable severe slipped femoral epiphysis: A case-control study of 41 patients.

BACKGROUND: There is little consensus on the best treatment algorithm for unstable severe slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE). Subcapital osteotomy, which is one of the surgical options, is performed either anteriorly (anterior cuneiform osteotomy, CO) or laterally with trochanteric osteotomy (Dunn procedure, DP). The CO is technically easier and decreases operating time. Moreover, because the DP was the standard in our department before it was replaced by the CO, we had a series of consecutive patients. Therefore, we did a retrospective case-control study in unstable, severe SCFEs treated by CO versus DP, which is to our knowledge the first one aiming to compare: (1) postoperative complications and in particular avascular necrosis, (2) functional outcome, (3) radiologic findings. HYPOTHESIS: CO is less or just as likely to cause avascular necrosis and has the same clinical and radiologic findings as DP. METHODS: A total of 41 patients (24 girls, i.e. 58.5%) were included between 2005 and 2018: 23 in the CO group and 18 in the DP group. The median age was 12.9 years (range, 11.5-14.9) and the median slip angle 70̊ (range, 62.5̊-80̊) with a median follow-up of 3 years (range, 2-4). Preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative clinical and radiologic parameters (Southwick and alpha angles, and femoral head-neck offset) were analyzed, and all complications were documented. RESULTS: Two (8.7%) cases of avascular necrosis were reported in the CO group and 6 (33.3%) in the DP group (p=.11), with an overall rate of avascular necrosis of 19.5% (8/41). Five out of the 41 patients (12.2%) underwent a total hip arthroplasty: 1/23 (4.3%) in the CO group and 4/18 (22.2%) in the DP group (p=.16). Two (9.5%) patients in the CO group and 7 (38.9%) in the DP group developed postoperative limping before any arthroplasty was performed (p=.055). The alpha angle at follow-up (54±6.1̊ vs. 59.1±7.2̊; p=.027), Oxford hip score at follow-up (17/60 [range, 14-20] vs. 23.5 [range, 19-27]) (p=.021), operating time (132 min [range, 103-166] vs. 199.5 min [range, 142-215]) (p=.011) and intraoperative bleeding (250 mL [range, 100-350] vs. 300 mL [range, 197-450]) (p=.088) were more favorable in the CO group than in the DP group. CONCLUSIONS: The CO has similar results to DP in the surgical management of unstable severe SCFE. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III; retrospective comparative study.

Original bar fixation technique in minimally invasive repair of pectus excavatum in adolescents: A 36-case series.

In pectus excavatum, minimally invasive endoscopic repair is the current gold standard in adolescents. The main postoperative pitfall is bar displacement, making fixation a major issue. We report an original transcostal technique using absorbable USP-2 suture in 36 patients. There was a single case of bar displacement (2.78%; 95% CI: 0.07-14.53). Bar stability was comparable to literature reports; but the present technique avoided the complications potentially incurred by use of metal wire, pericostal fixation points and stabilizers.