Giant Posttraumatic Angiolipoma of the Forearm: A Case Report and Review of the Literature.

Angiolipoma is a type of lipoma, a benign soft tissue tumor. It is distinguished by the excessive degree of vascular proliferation and the presence of mature adipocytes. It occurs commonly on the trunk and extremities. Angiolipomas larger than 4 cm are classified as "giant," and due to their size, histological evaluation is necessary to exclude malignancy. We report a case of a male patient who suffered from a giant noninfiltrating intramuscular angiolipoma which formed after venipuncture in the antecubital fossa. Clinical examination showed a palpable painless soft mass. Computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) demonstrated a giant angiolipoma on the right forearm. Surgical removal of the mass was performed, and the biopsy was negative for malignancy. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report in the literature of posttraumatic intramuscular angiolipoma. Physicians and orthopedic/general surgeons should be aware of the possibility of soft tissue masses in a posttrauma situation.

A study of the possible effect of abnormal patella height on meniscal tears.

OBJECTIVE: Patellar height is key to knee biomechanics. Variations (alta/baja) have been associated with instability/dislocations, ACL ruptures etch. The effect of abnormal patella height and meniscal lesions is not clear yet; this is a first investigation of this relation. METHODS: 100 patients with meniscal tears were X-Rayed to determine patellar height using the Insall-Salvati ratio and the Caton-Deschamps Index. RESULTS: 20% had abnormal patellar height according to the Insall-Salvati ratio and 9% based on the Caton-Deschamps index. CONCLUSION: This indicates that patella height could be a parameter in the occurrence of meniscal injuries worth investigating in larger populations; yet the mechanism remains unclear.

Traumatic Elbow Mediolateral Investigatory Screening: The value of the sitting axial mediolateral projection in the diagnosis of radial head fractures.

BACKGROUND: Elbow injuries are frequently encountered in hospital practice, while radial head fractures are the commonest result of such trauma. Diagnosis of radial head fractures is based on clinical and radiographic evaluation with a number of X-ray projections being available. A combination of views is chosen, comprising of routine elbow series screenings and modified techniques, as well as the assistance of the fat-pat sign; never the less fractures can still be occult on X-rays. PURPOSE: This article aims to demonstrate the diagnostic value of the sitting axial mediolateral projection, which in our hospital is referred to as the Traumatic Elbow Mediolateral Investigatory Screening (TEMIS). This projection has been successfully used in our hospital repeatedly for the identification of occult fractures that were missed by other projections. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 62 patients who presented to our Emergency Department due to trauma in the elbow over a six-month period were X-rayed for the identification of fractures. Projections included an anteroposterior, a lateral and TEMIS. RESULTS: Radial head fractures (Mason type I) were identified in 14 out of 62 patients. 2 of these were only visible on the TEMIS projection, while they were missed by the other two views. CONCLUSION: Trauma to the elbow is a common type of injury. Minor fractures can be expected to heal with good results; complications, however, should not be underestimated. Improper healing can result in a permanently malfunctioning joint with restricted movement and stiffness. To avoid such consequences the choice of a reliable screening projection is significant. In our case the diagnostic value of the TEMIS projection lies in the fact that it shows all fractures seen on routine screenings and reveals fractures missed by them, also being well tolerated by patients due to comfortable arm placement during the screening. All in all, when a fracture is suspected on the basis of clinical signs but no radiographic evidence is seen on conventional screenings, the TEMIS view is recommended for further investigation.

Closed Unassisted Reduction in Emergency: A Technique for Unassisted Closed Reduction of Colles Fractures Without Equipment.

BACKGROUND: Colles fractures are fractures of the distal radius that are often encountered in the emergency department. They result from accidents and sport injuries in the young but are a common outcome of falls in the elderly population. While Colles fractures are frequently expected to heal with good results, improper reduction, malunion, or later displacement are related to poor functional outcomes in the long term. Treatment is usually by closed reduction either manually or using longitudinal traction. The disadvantage of this is the need for either trained assistants or equipment. We propose a technique for closed unassisted reduction without the use of equipment that can be useful in acute settings where there is shortage of assistance and tools. DISCUSSION: Fifty-two patients with distal radius fractures were treated with closed unassisted reduction in emergency. The steps of the technique are explained in detail and shown in the accompanying videos. The key lies in the placement of the patient, the use of the doctor's thigh as a lever for the reduction, and positioning of the arm to support the reduction using its own weight. All 52 reductions were successful, while the duration of the reduction process was in all cases under 10 min. CONCLUSIONS: Closed unassisted reduction in emergency for Colles fractures is a reliable and simple technique, its major advantage being that it can be performed quickly by 1 physician without equipment.

Closed Rupture of Anterior Tibialis Tendon after Minor Injury without Medical History: A Surgical Repair.

INTRODUCTION: Closed rupture of the anterior tibial tendon is uncommon, with only a few cases being documented in literature. It usually happens in the forceful plantar flexion of the foot while in eversion and the simultaneous contraction of the anterior tibialis muscle. CARE REPORT: We present the case of a 65-year-old man with closed rupture of the tibialis anterior tendon after injury who was treated by primary surgical repair. The surgical technique as well as the rehabilitation protocol are described in detail. CONCLUSION: Primary surgical reconstruction repair is indicated in younger, active individuals. It appears that early diagnosis and treatment provides the best clinical results, while delayed treatment usually requires the use of a tendon graft in combination with tendon transfers, giving inferior results compared to primary tendon repair.

The natural history of donor hamstrings unit after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: a prospective MRI scan assessment.

PURPOSE: The aim of this prospective study was to assess the natural history of the donor hamstrings, compared to the contralateral knee and thigh. METHODS: In 47 patients who had ACL reconstruction (hamstrings technique), bilateral knees and thighs were investigated using MRI scans, up to 2 years post-operatively. RESULTS: Tendon regeneration below the knee joint line of the semitendinosus occurred in 30/47 (64 %) patients and of the gracilis tendon in 17/47 (36 %) patients. Insertion of both tendons at the "pes anserinus", with normal anatomic relations, was observed in 5/47 (11 %) patients. Semitendinosus and gracilis donor muscles were found retracted in 41/47 (87 %) patients. In 25/47 (53 %) patients, there was evidence of fatty infiltration of the semitendinosus muscle. All (47/47) (100 %) patients showed semitendinosus muscle atrophy and 41/47 (87 %) patients showed gracilis muscle atrophy, compared to the contralateral limb. High signal intensity on STIR images was observed in the semitendinosus in 22/47 (46 %) patients and in the gracilis muscle in 30/47 (64 %) patients, on MRI examination performed up to 24 months post-operatively. CONCLUSIONS: The "regenerated" hamstrings tendons most commonly do not regenerate fully anatomically, so they should not be considered as a first choice for re-harvesting in revision ACL reconstruction. The "donor hamstrings muscles" are found to be shorter, contracted, thinner and with a long-term abnormal MRI signal, features which are considered to be related to reduced muscle performance (knee flexion and internal rotation) post-operatively. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: II.

Arthroscopically-assisted mini open partial synovectomy for the treatment of localized pigmented villonodular synovitis of the knee. A retrospective comparative study with long-term follow up.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to present the long-term results of treatment of localized pigmented villonodular synovitis (LPVNS) comparing two operative procedures of excision of the lesion-the arthroscopic and the arthroscopically assisted mini-open. We hypothesized that the latter approach allowed for treatment of LPVNS with acceptable recurrence rates, complication rates and functional outcomes. METHODS: Between 1990 and 2006, 21 patients with LPVNS were treated with partial synovectomy through an arthroscopically-assisted mini open technique (group A), and 23 patients were treated with an arthroscopic excision of the lesion (group B). All patients were clinically examined at one, three, and 12 months post-operatively and graded by the Lysholm knee score and the Ogilvie-Harris score. RESULTS: The mean Lysholm score was improved from 58.7 ± 9 to 94.2 ± 7 for group A (p < 0.05) and from 57.4 ± 9.1 to 95.5 ± 8 for group B (p < 0.05). The mean Ogilvie-Harris score was improved from 7.2 ± 2 to 11.2 ± 0.9 for group A and from 7.1 ± 2 to 11.75 ± 0.5 for group B (p < 0.05). We encountered two cases of CRPS and one case of recurrence of the lesion in group A and no complications for group B. CONCLUSIONS: Arthroscopically-assisted mini open partial synovectomy is a safe alternative treatment, especially for surgeons without extended experience in arthroscopic techniques. The arthroscopic localization of the precise position of the lesion and its subsequent mini-open excision is a safe and effective technique with very low morbidity and recurrence rate and equivalent functional outcome to fully arthroscopic excision due to limited incision. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Retrospective comparative study, Level III.

Adequacy of semitendinosus tendon alone for anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction graft and prediction of hamstring graft size by evaluating simple anthropometric parameters.

INTRODUCTION: Preoperative identification of patients with inadequate hamstring grafts for anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction is still a subject of interest. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine whether the semitendinosus tendon length is adequate for four-strand graft harvested by common technique (without bone plug) and whether there is correlation of gracilis and semitendinosus tendon grafts length and diameter of quadrupled graft with anthropometric parameters. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this retrospective study, 61 patients (45 males, 16 females) undergoing ACL reconstruction using four-strand hamstring autograft tendons were included. Results. The length of semitendinosus tendon, harvested by the common technique, was in 21% of our cases inadequate in order to be used alone as a four-strand graft especially in females (43%). There was moderate correlation between semitendinosus and gracilis graft diameter and patient's height and weight and fair correlation to BMI. We found no statistically important predictor for graft diameter in female patients. CONCLUSIONS: The length of semitendinosus tendon, harvested by common technique, is usually inadequate to be used alone as a four-strand graft especially in females. The most reliable predictor seems to be patient's height in males. In female patients, there is no statistically important predictor.

Clinical outcome of arthroscopic suture fixation for tibial eminence fractures in adults.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical outcome of arthroscopic suture fixation for tibial eminence fractures in adults. METHODS: Twelve patients with a mean age of 29.9 years (range, 18 to 45 years) were prospectively followed up after arthroscopic suture fixation for tibial eminence fractures. Along with clinical examination, Lysholm, Tegner, and International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) rating scales were used to evaluate the patients. Anteroposterior knee laxity was measured with a Rolimeter (Aircast, Vista, CA), and range of motion was measured with a goniometer. RESULTS: Patients were followed up for a mean of 50 months (range, 25 to 69 months). There were no detectable signs or symptoms of instability postoperatively. The mean preinjury Tegner score was 6.1 (range, 3 to 9), and at follow-up, the mean Tegner score was 5.8 (range, 3 to 9). No Lysholm or IKDC scores were obtained and no range-of-motion measurements were performed preoperatively because all injuries were acute. The mean Lysholm score was 98 (range, 94 to 100), and the mean IKDC score was 94.7 (range, 89.1 to 100). Anterior translation of the tibia, measured with the Rolimeter, was 0.58 mm on average (range, 0 to 3 mm) compared with the healthy side. Postoperatively, the mean extension deficit was 1° (range, 0° to 5°) and the mean flexion deficit was 2.7° (range, 0° to 10°) compared with the unaffected side. Overall, knees were graded as normal or nearly normal in 11 patients and abnormal in 1. CONCLUSIONS: Tibial eminence fractures in adults can be effectively treated with arthroscopic suture fixation. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV, therapeutic case series.

Locked bucket-handle tears of both medial and lateral menisci with simultaneous anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments injury.

The authors report the case of a 38-year-old male who presented to the accident and emergency department with a locked knee after falling from a height. The knee was locked at 35° of flexion without any signs of instability in clinical examination. The patient was operated within 6 h from injury. During arthroscopy bucket-handle tears of both medial and lateral menisci were found. The bucket-handle fragments were displaced into the intercondylar notch causing the knee to lock. Additionally, tears of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and the medial collateral ligament (MCL) were also found. The patient underwent ACL reconstruction with hamstrings autograft, medial subtotal meniscectomy and lateral meniscus repair. The MCL was treated conservatively. The postoperative period was uneventful and the patient returned to the preinjury level of activity within 8 months. The patient remains asymptomatic 2 years postoperatively.

Isolated posterior cruciate ligament calcification.

The authors present a case of calcified posterior cruciate ligament (PCL). A 61-year-old female presented in our department reporting 12 months history of knee pain that was getting worse during the night. The patient was under medication for epileptic seizure, osteoporosis and hyperthyroidism. X-rays demonstrated calcification of the PCL. CT and MRI excluded any other intra-articular and extra-articular pathology. Arthroscopic debridement of the calcium deposits was performed and the symptoms resolved immediately, while the postoperative x-rays were normal. Histological examination confirmed the calcium nature of the lesion. Two years postoperatively the patient remains asymptomatic.

Symptomatic ring-shaped lateral meniscus. MRI findings.

Ring-shaped lateral meniscus is a rare clinical entity that is usually asymptomatic. Moreover, diagnosis is always based on arthroscopic exploration of lateral meniscus. MRI has not been proven useful so far because the inner portion of the ring-shaped lateral meniscus is usually misinterpreted as a bucket-handle tear. The authors report a case of a 16-year-old girl with ring-shaped lateral meniscus in combination with a meniscal cyst. MRI demonstrated a cyst arising from lateral meniscus and meniscal tissue into the inner portion of the lateral compartment mimicking displaced meniscal fragment. Bucket-handle tears have not been reported to cause or accompany meniscal cysts. As a result the diagnosis of a ring-shaped lateral meniscus along with meniscal cyst was assumed based on MRI and confirmed during arthroscopy. The patient was treated with arthroscopic partial lateral meniscectomy and intra-articular cyst debridement.

Acute, simultaneous tear of patellar tendon and ACL: possible mechanism of injury and rationality of the two-stage surgical treatment.

The authors report a case of a 47-year-old professional driver with an acute, simultaneous tear of patellar tendon and anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). The patient was treated in two stages. Acute patellar tendon repair and delayed (6-month postinjury) ACL reconstruction was performed. The authors discuss the possible mechanism of injury and the rationality of the two-stage surgical treatment.

Broken bioabsorbable femoral cross-pin as a cause of a chondral lesion after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.

We present a case of a chondral lesion after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction caused by femoral cross-pin breakage and intra-articular migration of the fragment. A 20-year-old man initially underwent ACL reconstruction using a hamstring autograft. The RigidFix bioabsorbable cross-pin (DePuy Mitek) was used for the femoral fixation. The patient returned to a pre-injury level of activity (professional soccer player) 6 months postoperatively. However, 20 months postoperatively, the patient presented with effusion and lateral joint-line pain after practice, without signs of instability in clinical examination. Conservative treatment failed and at re-arthroscopy a chondral lesion of the lateral femoral and tibial condyle was found, which had been caused by the broken femoral cross-pin. The fragment was removed and the symptoms resolved. Orthopaedic surgeons should be aware of this complication when using a bioabsorbable cross-pin for femoral fixation in ACL reconstruction.

Spontaneous, bilateral, quadriceps tendon rupture caused by local exposure to methidathion.

Spontaneous, bilateral, quadriceps tendon rupture is a rare injury. Many predisposing conditions have been reported that contribute to quadriceps tendon degeneration. We report a case of a 42-year-old farmer with spontaneous, bilateral, quadriceps tendon rupture and clear medical history. Clinical and laboratory investigations revealed no risk factors for tendon degeneration but the patient reported that he was exposed locally to methidathion 1 week before the rupture. Methidathion is an organophosphate insecticide commonly used in agriculture that is highly toxic via the dermal route. Methidathion induces lipid pre-oxidation and consequently alters quadriceps tendon blood supply and ultrastructure. The injury was treated with early surgical repair and final outcome was excellent 44 months postoperatively.

RigidFix femoral fixation: a test for detecting inaccurate cross pin positioning.

The RigidFix Cross Pin System (DePuy Mitek, Raynham, MA) is a popular technique for femoral fixation of graft in ACL reconstruction. In some cases, though, cross pins miss the femoral tunnel resulting in inadequate proximal graft fixation. We present a simple test to detect the incorrect placement of cross pins. The pinholes are drilled through the guide frame, leaving 2 sleeves for cross pins insertion. The manufacturer's recommendations, at this stage, are to reinsert the femoral tunnel guidewire, remove the guide frame, and insert the graft without verifying accurate pinhole positioning. We reinsert the femoral tunnel guidewire without removing the guide frame, and a second guidewire is introduced through each of the sleeves in turn. In case of appropriate pinhole placement, the 2 guidewires will meet in the cannulated rod of the guide frame and the surgeon will have the metal-to-metal feeling. If the pinhole misses the femoral tunnel, the 2 guidewires will not meet and the surgeon will not have the metal-to-metal feeling. In our practice, 9 cases of inaccurate pinhole placement were detected with this test and verified by direct vision of the femoral tunnel with the arthroscope. We find this test simple, reliable, and not time consuming.

Meniscal tears in the ACL-deficient knee: correlation between meniscal tears and the timing of ACL reconstruction.

Despite the fact that anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) is a common procedure, no clear guideline regarding the timing of reconstruction has been established. We hypothesized that there is a point in post injury period, after which significant increase in meniscal tears occurs. The purpose of this study was to derive a guideline in order to reduce the rate of secondary meniscal tears in the ACL-deficient knee. A total of 451 patients were retrospectively studied and divided into six groups according to the time from injury to ACLR: (a) 105 patients had undergone ACLR within 1.5 months post injury, (b) 93 patients within 1.5-3 months, (c) 72 patients within fourth to sixth month, (d) 56 patients within seventh to twelfth month, (e) 45 patients within the second year and (f) 80 patients within the third to fifth year. The presence of meniscal tears was noted at the time of ACL reconstruction and then recorded and statistically analysed. Fifty-three (50.5%) patients from group a, 46 (49.5%) from group b, 39 (54.2%) from group c, 31 (68.9%) from group d, 28 (62.2%) from group e and 54 (67.5%) from group f had meniscal tear requiring treatment. The statistical analysis demonstrated that the earliest point of significantly higher incidence of meniscal tears was in patients undergoing ACLR more than 3 months post injury. Therefore, ACLR should be carried out within the first 3 months post injury in order to minimise the risk of secondary meniscal tears.