Tourniquets have potential adverse effects including postoperative thigh pain, likely caused by their ischaemic and possible compressive effects. The aims of this preliminary study were to determine if it is possible to directly measure intramuscular pH in human subjects over time, and to measure the intramuscular pH changes resulting from tourniquet ischaemia in patients undergoing knee arthroscopy. For patients undergoing short knee arthroscopic procedures, a sterile calibrated pH probe was inserted into the anterior fascial compartment of the leg after skin preparation, but before tourniquet inflation. The limb was elevated for three minutes prior to tourniquet inflation to 250 mmHg or 300 mmHg. Intramuscular pH was recorded at one-second intervals throughout the procedure and for 20 minutes following tourniquet deflation. Probe-related adverse events were recorded.Aims
Methods
The purpose of this study was to clarify the appearance of the reparative tissue on the articular surface and to analyse the properties of the reparative tissue after hemicallotasis osteotomy (HCO) using MRI T1ρ and T2 mapping. Coronal T1ρ and T2 mapping and three-dimensional gradient-echo images were obtained from 20 subjects with medial knee osteoarthritis. We set the regions of interest (ROIs) on the full-thickness cartilage of the medial femoral condyle (MFC) and medial tibial plateau (MTP) of the knee and measured the cartilage thickness (mm) and T1ρ and T2 relaxation times (ms). Statistical analysis of time-dependent changes in the cartilage thickness and the T1ρ and T2 relaxation times was performed using one-way analysis of variance, and Scheffe’s test was employed for Objectives
Methods
Lower limb muscle power is thought to influence outcome following
total knee replacement (TKR). Post-operative deficits in muscle
strength are commonly reported, although not explained. We hypothesised
that post-operative recovery of lower limb muscle power would be
influenced by the number of satellite cells in the quadriceps muscle at
time of surgery. Biopsies were obtained from 29 patients undergoing TKR. Power
output was assessed pre-operatively and at six and 26 weeks post-operatively
with a Leg Extensor Power Rig and data were scaled for body weight.
Satellite cell content was assessed in two separate analyses, the
first cohort (n = 18) using immunohistochemistry and the second
(n = 11) by a new quantitative polymerase chain reaction (q-PCR)
protocol for Pax-7 (generic satellite cell marker) and Neural Cell
Adhesion Molecule (NCAM; marker of activated cells).Objectives
Methods
Matrix-assisted autologous chondrocyte transplantation (MACT)
has been developed and applied in the clinical practice in the last
decade to overcome most of the disadvantages of the first generation
procedures. The purpose of this systematic review is to document
and analyse the available literature on the results of MACT in the
treatment of chondral and osteochondral lesions of the knee. All studies published in English addressing MACT procedures were
identified, including those that fulfilled the following criteria:
1) level I-IV evidence, 2) measures of functional or clinical outcome,
3) outcome related to cartilage lesions of the knee cartilage.Objectives
Methods