Medial placement of trapezoid tunnel leads to higher reduction loss in acute acromioclavicular joint dislocation treated with anatomic coracoclavicular fixation.

Aim: To analyze the association between clavicular tunnel positioning and postoperative reduction loss in patients with acute acromioclavicular (AC) joint dislocation treated with anatomic coracoclavicular (CC) fixation using double clavicular tunnels. Methods: A retrospective review of patients with AC joint dislocation, treated with anatomic CC fixation using double clavicular tunnels, was conducted. Patients with pre-operative, immediate post-operative, and final follow-up Zanca-view X-rays were included. On each X-ray, the obtained measures included: distance from lateral border of clavicle to trapezoid and conoid tunnels, distance between tunnels, clavicle length, and CC distance of affected and un-affected sides. Loss of reduction was calculated as CC distance difference between immediate and final post-operative X-rays. Association between reduction loss and tunnel positioning was analyzed. Results: Conoid, trapezoid and tunnel ratios were 24% ± 4, 15% ± 3, and 9% ± 2, respectively. Significant reduction loss was seen in 21(45.7%) patients. Significantly higher probabilities of reduction loss were associated with trapezoid tunnels placed medial to 24 mm (30.8% vs 65.0%, OR 4.2 (IC95%: 1.2-14.4), p: 0.024) or 15% of the clavicle length (32.1% vs 66.7%, OR 4.2 (IC 95%: 1.2-14.9), p: 0.025). Conclusions: Trapezoid tunnels placed medial to 24 mm or 15% medial to clavicle length could lead to higher probabilities of significant reduction loss. These findings support the importance of clavicular tunnels' proper placement for decreasing significant reduction loss.

Rapid recovery protocols and minimally invasive surgery help achieve high knee flexion.

Although the primary goal of total knee arthroplasty is to relieve pain, the attainment of high flexion has emerged as an important secondary goal. Clinical pathways are evolving and focus on rapid recovery. The entire perioperative process for the patient and family, including office and hospital procedures, has been streamlined and patients are advised from the initial evaluation they will be able to quickly return to activities of daily living. Currently, patients are out of bed within hours of surgery, engaging in activities that require a substantial range of motion in the treated knee. They are frequently discharged directly to home within 24 to 48 hours. We retrospectively reviewed two groups of patients undergoing primary total knee arthroplasty whose perioperative management differed only by surgical approach, namely, standard versus less invasive. Refined perioperative protocols in combination with a less invasive, mini-arthrotomy approach using special instrumentation resulted in earlier discharge to home, higher range of motion and improved clinical and pain scores.