Patellar tendon rupture repair using Dall-Miles cable.

Ten patients underwent patellar tendon repair with end-to-end suture technique and medial and lateral retinacular repair, as well as reinforcement with a Dall-Miles cable through the patella and tibial tubercle. The cable was tensioned at 60 degrees of flexion to allow immediate range of motion to at least 100 degrees of flexion and to protect the repair from undue tension while healing. Accurate tendon length was obtained from a lateral radiograph of the noninvolved knee in 60 degrees of flexion. Patients were allowed to bear full weight as tolerated postoperatively. A knee immobilizer was worn for approximately 2 weeks when adequate muscular control of the leg was attained. The cable was removed 6-8 weeks postoperatively, at which time range of motion equal to the opposite extremity was sought. Full extension was obtained by 1 week postoperatively. Average postoperative knee flexion was 88 degrees at 2 weeks, 112 degrees at 1 month, 133 at 3 months, and 138 degrees at 6 months compared to flexion of 141 degrees in the noninvolved knee. Mean quadriceps muscle strength 1 year postoperatively was 72%+/-11% of the noninvolved leg. No patient had patella infera or rerupture after surgery. Repair of a patellar tendon rupture with end-to-end techniques reinforced with a Dall-Miles cable allows immediate rehabilitation without the need for prolonged immobilization. This technique allows restoration of full range of motion early postoperatively and enables patients to regain adequate quadriceps strength.

Low-velocity knee dislocation with sports injuries. Treatment principles.

Knowing that the injured MCL and PCL can heal and that the injured ACL and lateral side, predictably, will not heal are the bases for the treatment approach to these injuries. (1) Allow MCL healing nonoperatively. (2) Allow PCL healing to occur as long as PCL laxity is 2+ or less (reconstruct the PCL acutely if posterior drawer is > 2+ initially). (3) Initially delay ACL treatment and reconstruct later, if needed posterior drawer. (4) Perform acute lateral side repair to reattach structures to their distally torn site.

Correlation of the intercondylar notch width of the femur to the width of the anterior and posterior cruciate ligaments.

The purpose of this study was to determine if a correlation exists between the intercondylar notch width (NW) of the femur and the width of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and posterior cruciate ligament (PCL). A study group of 124 consecutive patients (mean age 36.6 +/- 15.2 years; 67 men, 57 women) underwent a magnetic resonance imaging evaluation for knee pain but did not have an ACL or PCL tear or arthrosis. A T2 weighted coronal cut was identified and was located at the middle of the tibial spine, which represented the plane where the ACL and PCL cross each other when the knee is in 10 degrees of flexion. The NW and the width of the ACL and PCL were measured at the level of the middle of the popliteal hiatus on a physician-independent console that allowed for digital measurements in millimeters. Our results showed a statistically significant correlation between NW and ACL width (r = 0.87; P < 0.001) and between NW and PCL width (r = 0.75; P < 0.001). The mean ACL width was 6.4 +/- 1.4 mm (range 3-10 mm). The mean PCL width was 10.2 +/- 2.0 mm (range 6-17 mm). The mean ACL width was 5.7 +/- 1.1 mm for women and 7.1 +/- 1.2 mm for men (P < 0.001). The mean PCL width was 9.5 +/- 1.7 mm for women and 10.9 +/- 2.0 for men (P < 0.001). Our results indicate that NW correlates with ACL and PCL width. In addition, ACL and PCL widths are narrower in women than men.

Posterior tibial tendon tears in young competitive athletes: two case reports.

Unlike the Achilles tendon, the posterior tibial tendon does not typically undergo acute rupture. We report two cases of posterior tibial tendon tears occurring in young, athletic individuals (<30 years old) that required operative intervention before the patients could return to competitive sports. We believe that these are the first two reports of posterior tibial tendon tears occurring in this population without the patient having a prior history of steroid injections in the tendon. The tears we observed and described at surgical exploration were chronic and degenerative in nature. We also comment on our approach to treatment of posterior tibial tendon injuries in the athletic population.

The relationship between intercondylar notch width of the femur and the incidence of anterior cruciate ligament tears. A prospective study.

For 714 consecutive patients who underwent autogenous patellar tendon graft anterior cruciate ligament reconstructions we intraoperatively measured intercondylar notch width. We prospectively recorded height, weight, sex, and which patients subsequently tore their contralateral anterior cruciate ligament or the 10-mm autograft. The patients were divided into two groups based on notch width (group 1, < or = 15 mm; group 2, > or = 16mm. The mean notch width was 13.9 +/- 2.2 mm for women and 15.9 +/- 2.5 mm for men. There was no statistically significant difference in notch width between height groups for women or men. Analysis showed that, with height and weight as covariates, women had statistically significantly narrower notches than men. Twenty-three of 388 patients in group 1 and 4 of 326 patients in group 2 tore their contralateral anterior cruciate ligaments. Within groups, no statistically significant differences in contralateral tear rates existed between men and women. Once the men and women had reconstructions with equally sized 10-mm autografts, there was no difference in graft tear rate between groups or between men and women. Our results show that patients with narrower notches have a higher incidence of tearing their contralateral anterior cruciate ligament. After reconstruction with a 10-mm autograft, the incidence of graft rupture is the same for men and women.

Ligament stability two to six years after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction with autogenous patellar tendon graft and participation in accelerated rehabilitation program.

We studied patients who participated in our accelerated rehabilitation program after anterior cruciate ligament reconstructive surgery to determine if they showed signs of patellar tendon graft stretching. This program initiated in 1987 emphasizes early full hyperextension, early weightbearing as tolerated, and closed-chain functional activities with rapid return to sports when the patient has attained full range of motion, approximately 65% of strength, and has accomplished the running and agility drills prescribed. A total of 209 patients met the criteria of KT-1000 arthrometer followup at the time full range of motion (5 degrees/0 degrees/135 degrees) was attained and at 2 years or more after surgery. The KT-1000 arthrometer manual maximum difference between the reconstructed and normal knees was used as the indicator of change in the graft length. All patients completed postoperative subjective questionnaires. The mean KT-1000 arthrometer value was 2.06 mm (SD, +/- 2.2) at full range of motion and 2.10 mm (SD, +/- 1.9) at more than 2 years of followup (P = 0.7961). The patients' subjective stability scores averaged 19.6 with 97% reporting no instability episodes. Based on our findings, we conclude that an accelerated rehabilitation program after this type of reconstruction does not affect long-term stability as measured by the KT-1000 arthrometer.

The use of xenogeneic small intestinal submucosa as a biomaterial for Achilles tendon repair in a dog model.

A study was conducted to evaluate the tissue response to a xenogeneic biomaterial when this material was used to repair an experimentally induced Achilles tendon defect in the dog. Twenty dogs had a 1.5 cm segmental defect of the Achilles tendon created surgically which was then repaired with acellular connective tissue derived from porcine small intestinal submucosa (SIS). The animals were sacrificed at 1, 2, 4, 8, 12, 16, 24, and 48 weeks and the neotendons examined for uniaxial longitudinal tensile strength, morphologic appearance, hydroxyproline (collagen) content, and disappearance of the originally implanted SIS material over time. The contralateral normal Achilles tendons served as controls as did four additional dogs that had a 1.5 cm segmental Achilles tendon defect created surgically without subsequent surgical repair with SIS. Results showed the SIS remodeled neotendons to be stronger than the musculotendinous origin or the boney insertion (> 1000 N) by 12 weeks after surgery and to consist of organized collagen-rich connective tissue similar to the contralateral normal tendons. The four dogs in which no SIS was implanted showed inferior strength at the comparable time points of 4, 8, 12, and 16 weeks. Immunohistochemical studies suggest that the SIS biomaterial becomes degraded within the first eight weeks and serves as a temporary scaffold around which the body deposits appropriate and organized connective tissue. SIS is a promising biomaterial worthy of further investigation for orthopedic soft tissue applications.

MR imaging of anterior cruciate ligament injuries.

MR imaging has become the imaging modality of choice to evaluate the integrity of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). This article discusses the normal anatomy of the ACL and the clinical diagnosis of ACL disruption. The MR imaging appearance of chronic and acute ACL injuries, and the relative value of primary and secondary signs in injury diagnosis are reviewed. The clinical value of MR imaging in the evaluation of the ACL-deficient knee is also discussed.

Update on accelerated rehabilitation after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.

Rehabilitation of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstructed knee continues to be a topic of intense interest among surgeons and therapists. Since 1987, over 880 patients who have undergone ACL reconstruction using the central one-third of the bone patellar tendon bone graft have followed our accelerated rehabilitation protocol. Follow-up of the patients reveals early return to athletic activity and maintenance of long-term stability. Our 1987 accelerated rehabilitation program continues to be modified, with less constraints placed on the postoperative patient in our present rehabilitation protocol. These recent changes are once again prompted by noncompliant patients who, with close follow-up evaluation, continue to yield excellent results. Our present accelerated rehabilitation protocol is divided into four phases. The initial phase encompasses the preoperative period. The second phase involves the initial 2 weeks post ACL reconstruction. The third phase dates from 2-5 weeks postoperation, and the final phase (greater than 5 weeks) involves a safe return to athletic play. Our goal with the accelerated rehabilitation protocol remains to decrease postoperative complications without jeopardizing the long term stability of the ACL reconstructed knee. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 1992;15(6):303-308.