Knee stiffness is a well-recognised postoperative problem that has been reported to occur in 6% to 15% of all patients who undergo total knee arthroplasty (TKA), and there are multiple preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative risk factors that may predispose patients to postTKA knee stiffness. Preoperative risk factors include poor baseline range of motion (ROM), obesity, and a history of previous knee surgery and/or trauma. Potential intraoperative risk factors for having a stiff knee are malalignment, gap imbalance, and under-resection of patella. Possible postoperative risk factors include heterotopic ossification, pain, poor patient motivation, and poor physical therapy compliance. Three commonly used adjuvant treatments for this condition are custom knee devices, Botox, and ASTYM. These treatment modalities are most effective when used within 6 weeks after surgery. Multiple case series have reported that CKD can improve range of motion while maximising patient-reported functional outcomes. Botox can improve range of motion by paralyzing the muscle where the contracture is located. ASTYM therapy has recently been reported to resolve muscle contractures by effectively stimulating tissue turnover, scar tissue resorption, and regeneration of the normal soft tissue structure. When these adjuvant therapies fail, manipulation under anesthesia has been reported to be efficacious in restoring some of the original ROM. If this fails, there are surgical treatment options such as arthroscopic debridement, surgical release, revision TKA, or peroneal nerve release

Peroneal spastic flatfeet without coalition or other known etiologies in adolescence remain a challenge to manage. We present eight such cases with radiological and surgical evidence of bony abnormalities in the subtalar region just anterior to the posterior facet. All patients had presented as tertiary referrals with recalcitrant pain and had undergone a trial of orthotics and physiotherapy. Diagnostic workup included a clinical and radiographic evaluation. Clinical examination consisted of gait examination, foot alignment, range of motion, torsional profile of the lower limbs and marking of symptomatic foci. All patients had standing weightbearing AP and lateral projections of the foot and ankle. CT and/or MRI scans of the foot were performed in axial coronal and saggital planes. Coalitions and other intraarticular known pathologies were ruled out. All patients had bilateral flatfeet but unilateral peroneal spasm. All patients had an accessory talar facet in front of the posterior subtalar facet. This caused lateral impingement between the facet and the calcaneum, confirmed by bone edema around the sinus tarsi. All patients had stiff subtalar joints with very limited movement under anaesthesia, indicating peroneal muscle contracture. Patients were treated with a combination of facet excision, peroneal lengthening and calcaneal lengthening to correct the flatfoot and prevent lateral impingement. We propose a mechanism of subtalar impingement between the anterior extra-articular part of the talar lateral process and the Gissane angle and believe that resection of the accessory facet without addressing the the primary driving force for impingement, which is the structural malalignment in flatfeet, would only give partial relief of symptoms. This impingement appears to occur with growth spurts in adolescents, in patients with known flatfeet

The Gibson and Moore postero-lateral approach is one of the most often used in hip replacement. The advantage of this approach is an easy execution but it's criticized because of its invasivity to muscle-tendinous tissues especially on extrarotators muscles and because of predisposition to posterior dislocation. Since June 2003 we executed total hip replacements using a modified postero-lateral approach which allows to preserve the piriformis and quadratus femoris muscles and to detach just the conjoint tendon (gemelli and obturator internus). Articular capsule is preserved and it will be anatomically sutured at the end of the procedure as well as the conjoint tendon with two transossesous sutures. Piriformis and quadratus femoris muscles result untouched by this approach. We have executed 500 surgeries with this modified approach. We have used different stems (straight, anatomical, modular and short) and press fit acetabular cup with polyethylene or ceramic insert and we have always used 36 mm femoral heads when allowed by the cup dimensions. We have used any size both of stems and cups without limitation due to the surgical approach. The mean age is 61.8 y.o., 324 females and 176 males. Obese patients, hip dysplasia Crowe 3 and 4 and post traumatic arthrosis are exclusion factors for the execution of this approach. If possible we have maintained the capsulo-tendinous less invasivity. The BMI is not an excluding factor because it's just the gluteus region that is an important factor to decide if to execute or not a less invasive approach. Analyzing our 500 cases we didn't have any case of malpositioning of the stem in varus or valgus (more than 5°) and considering acetabular cup we had the tendency to position it in valgus position (not more than 40°) in the first 20 cases. No leg discrepancy more than 1 cm were observed. Intra-operative blood loss have been reduced of about 30 % and 50% in the post-operative. All the patients were able to active hip mobilization within the first day after surgery with a mean range of motion of 0-70°. The patients were mobilized the first day after surgery and 80% of them were able to assisted walk within second day after surgery. The mean time of stay in hospital was 6.8 days. After 4 weeks 98% of the patients were able to walk without crutches. One case of deep infection were evaluated and then solved with surgical debridement; no wound dehiscence. We had 1 case of anterior hip dislocation in dysplastic arthrosis due to a technical mistake. In 1 case we had femoral nerve palsy, then solved, probably because of anterior retractor malpositioning. We had 5 cases of piriformis muscle contracture without sciatic nerve palsy, then solved. We think that for total hip replacement this conservative postero-lateral approach, thanks to capsule-tendinous modification we have adopted, could be considered an anatomical approach, which doesn't present more dislocation risks compared to other approaches to the hip also thanks to the introduction of 36 mm femoral head that gives more stability and proprioceptiveness. Besides this approach gives the possibility of a shorter rehabilitation as seen above and it could be consider optimal for total hip replacement

Background. There are many difficulties during performing total hip replacement in high riding DDH. These difficulties include:. In Acetabular part: bony defect in antero lateral acetabular wall/finding true centre of rotation/shallowness of true acetabulum/hypertrophied and thick capsular obstacle between true and false acetabulum. In Femoral part: small diameter femoral shaft/excessive ante version/posterior placement of greater trochanter. anatomic changes in soft tissue & neurovascular around the hip including: adductor muscle contracture/shortening of abductor muscles/risk of sciatic nerve injury following lengthening of the limb after reduction in true acetabulum/vascular injury. The purpose of this lecture is how to manage above problems with using reinforcement ring (ARR) for reconstruction of true acetabulum and step cut L fashion proximal femoral neck shortening osteotomy in a single stage operation. Method. 23 surgeries in 19 patients, including 18 female and one male were performed by me from Jan. 1997 till Dec. 2009. Six patients had bilateral hip dislocation, but till now only four of them had bilateral stepped operation. Left hip was involved in 15 cases (65.2%). The average age was 40 years old. All hips were high riding DDH according to both hartofillokides and crowe classification. Reconstruction of true acetabulum was performed with aid of reinforcement ring and bone graft from femoral head in all cases. Trochantric osteotomy was done in all, followed by fixation with wire in 22 cases which needed two revisions due to symptomatic non union (9%). Hooked plate was use in one case for trochantric fixation. Due to high riding femur, it was necessary to performed femoral shortening in neck area as a step cut L fashion. In two patient, one with bilateral involvement, after excessive limb lengthening following trial reduction, it was necessary to performed concomitant supracondylar femoral shortening. (3 cases = 13%). 22 mm cup & miniature muller DDH stem were used in 18 cases (78.26%). In 5 cases, one bilaterally, non cemented stem and 28 mm cemented cup in ring were used. Primary adductor tenotomy was performed in 9 cases. Secondary adductor tenotomy needed in 2 cases (totally = 47.82%). Repair of iatrogenic femoral artery tear after traction injury with retractor, occurred in 2 cases (8.69%). All patients evaluate retrospectively. Average follow up month is 68.7. Results. One case of left acetabular component revision due to painful bony absorption in infero medial part of ring with poor inclination wad done, after 2 years of primary operation. Know after 13 years she has had early signs of stem loosening in the same side. Another acetabular component revision following traumatic dislodgment of cup and cement from ring was performed after 13 months from primary operation. Again she had poor implant inclination. So revision rate is 8.69%. (One case will need revision in near future, so the revision rate will increase to 13%) Radiological wires breakage which were used for greater trochanteric fixation, could be seen in 11 cases (47.82%), but only two of them with functional impairment needed to re-fixation with Menen plate(18.18% of trochanteric non union). Average limb lengthening after operation is 4.3 Cm (2-7 Cm). Only one case of transient Sciatic nerve paresis had happened for 2 months followed by complete recovery. Two case of secondary adductor tenotomy wre done, one after traumatic dislocation of prosthesis with pubic fracture, and the other one after restriction of hip abduction. The average Harris hip score from 23 pre -operatively has been increase to 85.38. (The pre op. scores were 12.625 – 40.775/The post op. scores were 64.92 – 96). No post operative infection was seen. Discussion. This is a midterm follow up survey, but 7 cases have more than 9 years follow up with only one stem loosening (11% long term loosening rate). It is a challenging procedure for performing joint replacement in high riding DDH, if so using reinforcement ring with graft for true acetabulum reconstruction and getting primary proximal femoral shortening in a step cut L fashion around the lesser trochanteric region would be a worthy procedure. In high riding DDH due to hypoplasia of lesser trochanter, there is not a significant difference in bone resistance and it is possible to get shortening in this area without fearing of deco promising bony stability. The average shortening is 3 Cm. In specific cases with more severe contracture for preventing neuro-vascular complication, concomitant shortening osteotomy in supracondylar area is recommended. Although greater trochanter fibrous union has produced less functional impairment, but a better technique should be considered. Distal and lateral advancement of osteotomised greater trochanter lead to better abductor muscle performance and less limp. Adductor tenotmy has a great importance in contracted soft tissue, so in any case with abduction limitation it should be performed

Limb lengthening by callus distraction and external fixation has a high rate of complications. We describe our experience using an intramedullary nail (Fitbone) which contains a motorised and programmable sliding mechanism for limb lengthening and bone transport. Between 2001 and 2004 we lengthened 13 femora and 11 tibiae in ten patients (seven men and three women) with a mean age of 32 years (21 to 47) using this nail. The indications for operation were short stature in six patients and developmental or acquired disorders in the rest.

The mean lengthening achieved was 40 mm (27 to 60). The mean length of stay in hospital was seven days (5 to 9). The mean healing index was 35 days/cm (18.8 to 70.9). There were no cases of implant-related infection or malunion.