As advancements in total knee arthroplasty progress at an exciting pace, two areas are of special interest, as they directly impact implant design and surgical decision making. Knee morphometry considers the three-dimensional shape of the articulating surfaces within the knee joint, and knee phenotyping provides the ability to categorize alignment into practical groupings that can be used in both clinical and research settings. This annotation discusses the details of these concepts, and the ways in which they are helping us better understand the individual subtleties of each patient’s knee. Cite this article:
Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) graft failure from rupture, attenuation, or malposition may cause recurrent subjective instability and objective laxity, and occurs in 3% to 22% of ACL reconstruction (ACLr) procedures. Revision ACLr is often indicated to restore knee stability, improve knee function, and facilitate return to cutting and pivoting activities. Prior to reconstruction, a thorough clinical and diagnostic evaluation is required to identify factors that may have predisposed an individual to recurrent ACL injury, appreciate concurrent intra-articular pathology, and select the optimal graft for revision reconstruction. Single-stage revision can be successful, although a staged approach may be used when optimal tunnel placement is not possible due to the position and/or widening of previous tunnels. Revision ACLr often involves concomitant procedures such as meniscal/chondral treatment, lateral extra-articular augmentation, and/or osteotomy. Although revision ACLr reliably restores knee stability and function, clinical outcomes and reoperation rates are worse than for primary ACLr. Cite this article:
Dissatisfaction following total knee arthroplasty is a well-documented phenomenon. Although many factors have been implicated, including modifiable and nonmodifiable patient factors, emphasis over the past decade has been on implant alignment and stability as both a cause of, and a solution to, this problem. Several alignment targets have evolved with a proliferation of techniques following the introduction of computer and robotic-assisted surgery. Mechanical alignment targets may achieve mechanically-sound alignment while ignoring the soft tissue envelope; kinematic alignment respects the soft tissue envelope while ignoring the mechanical environment. Functional alignment is proposed as a hybrid technique to allow mechanically-sound, soft tissue-friendly alignment targets to be identified and achieved. Cite this article:
The continual cycle of bone formation and resorption
is carried out by osteoblasts, osteocytes, and osteoclasts under
the direction of the bone-signaling pathway. In certain situations
the host cycle of bone repair is insufficient and requires the assistance
of bone grafts and their substitutes. The fundamental properties
of a bone graft are osteoconduction, osteoinduction, osteogenesis,
and structural support. Options for bone grafting include autogenous
and allograft bone and the various isolated or combined substitutes
of calcium sulphate, calcium phosphate, tricalcium phosphate, and
coralline hydroxyapatite. Not all bone grafts will have the same
properties. As a result, understanding the requirements of the clinical
situation and specific properties of the various types of bone grafts
is necessary to identify the ideal graft. We present a review of
the bone repair process and properties of bone grafts and their
substitutes to help guide the clinician in the decision making process. Cite this article:
The Canadian Orthopaedic Trauma Society was started in an endeavour to answer the difficult problem of obtaining enough patients to perform top-quality research into fractures. By maintaining a high standard, including randomised study design, inclusivity, open discussion among surgeons and excellent long-term follow-up, this group has become a leader in the orthopaedic research community. This annotation describes the short history, important components and spirit necessary to build a research community or team which will function well despite the difficult research environment facing individual surgeons.
Fluoronavigation is an image-guided technology which uses intra-operative fluoroscopic images taken under a real-time tracking system and registration to guide surgical procedures. With the skeleton and the instrument registered, guidance under an optical tracking system is possible, allowing fixation of the fracture and insertion of an implant. This technology helps to minimise exposure to x-rays, providing multiplanar views for monitoring and accurate positioning of implants. It allows real-time interactive quantitative data for decision-making and expands the application of minimally invasive surgery. In orthopaedic trauma its use can be further enhanced by combining newer imaging technologies such as intra-operative three-dimensional fluoroscopy and optical image guidance, new advances in software for fracture reduction, and new tracking mechanisms using electromagnetic technology. The major obstacles for general and wider applications are the inability to track individual fracture fragments, no navigated real-time fracture reduction, and the lack of an objective assessment method for cost-effectiveness. We believe that its application will go beyond the operating theatre and cover all aspects of patient management, from pre-operative planning to intra-operative guidance and postoperative rehabilitation.
There is a trend towards the use of double-bundle techniques for the reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament. This has not been substantiated scientifically. The functional outcome of these techniques is equivalent to that of single-bundle methods. The main advantage of a double-bundle rather than a single-bundle reconstruction should be a better rotational stability, but the validity and accuracy of systems for the measurement of rotational stability have not been confirmed. Despite the enthusiasm of surgeons for the double-bundle technique, reconstruction with a single-bundle should remain the standard method for managing deficiency of the anterior cruciate ligament until strong evidence in favour of the use of the double-bundle method is available.
