We studied 11 patients (14 elbows) with gross rheumatoid deformity of the elbow, treated by total arthroplasty using the Kudo type-5 unlinked prosthesis, and who were evaluated between five and 11 years after operation. Massive bone defects were augmented by autogenous bone grafts. There were no major complications such as infection, subluxation or loosening. In most elbows relief from pain and stability were achieved. The results, according to the Mayo Elbow Performance Score, were excellent in eight, good in five and fair in one. In most elbows there was minimal or no resorption of the grafted bone. There were no radiolucent lines around the stems of the cementless components. This study shows that even highly unstable rheumatoid elbows can be replaced successfully using an unlinked prosthesis, with augmentation by grafting for major defects of bone

Aims

The aim of this study was to report the results of custom-made endoprostheses with extracortical plates plus or minus a short, intramedullary stem aimed at preserving the physis after resection of bone sarcomas in children.

Osteofibrous dysplasia is a rare condition usually affecting the tibiae and fibulae of males in the first two decades of life. Involvement at the ulna has also been reported in some cases. We describe an extensive, rapidly progressive lesion of the ulna in a three-year-old girl. The progression of the disease accelerated after a local marginal removal, and required extensive resection of the ulna with reconstruction using a fibular autograft. The particular features of this case are the change in the aggressive nature of the condition, which has not been previously reported. We believe that this is only the second recorded case of histologically proven involvement of the ulna

An injectable material consisting of calcium sulphate mixed with hydroxyapatite was investigated as a possible alternative to autograft in the restoration of bone defects. The material was studied both in vitro in simulated body fluid (SBF) and in vivo when implanted in rat muscles and into the proximal tibiae of rabbits. Variation in the strength and weight of the material during ageing in SBF was measured. Tissue response, material resorption and bone ingrowth were studied in the animal models. A good tissue response was observed in both the rat muscles and rabbit tibiae without inflammatory reactions or the presence of fibrous tissue. Ageing in SBF showed that during the first week carbonated hydroxyapatite precipitated on the surfaces of the material and this may enhance bone ingrowth

In 100 consecutive patients with chronic deficiency of the anterior cruciate ligament we reconstructed the ligament using a bone-patellar tendon-bone autograft either with or without a Kennedy ligament augmentation device. The patients had an aggressive rehabilitation programme supervised by two physiotherapists. They were followed prospectively for at least two years by one surgeon, and assessed after six months and at one and two years. No significant functional or clinical difference was found between the two groups and the stability of the knees did not deteriorate with time in either group. The addition of a Kennedy ligament augmentation device gave no better results than the bone-patellar tendon-bone technique alone

We treated 37 patients with chronic osteomyelitis of the tibia (25), femur (9), radius (2) and humerus (1) by a two-stage technique, comprising radical debridement of all infected bone and soft tissue with the provision of soft-tissue cover, and delayed autogenous bone grafting when necessary. All patients were reviewed at an average of 49 months (12 to 121). Infection-free bone union was achieved in 34. No patient required amputation. Wide excision of all compromised tissue and the closure of bone within a healthy vascularised soft-tissue envelope are essential if infection is to be eradicated. The combined assessment and management of such patients by an orthopaedic surgeon and a plastic surgeon are advocated

In 17 patients (eleven males, six females) with Morquio-Brailsford syndrome (mucopolysaccharidosis IV) we have used onlay femoral and tibial autografts placed posteriorly and secured to the laminae of C1 and C2 to obtain satisfactory occipito-C1/C2 posterior fusion. They were immobilised postoperatively in a halo-plaster body jacket for four months. The age at operation varied between three and 28 years. Those with myelopathic symptoms of recent onset made some recovery, but severely myelopathic patients showed little or no recovery. We advise prophylactic occipitocervical fusion in these patients since the cartilaginous dens is not strong enough to ensure atlanto-axial mechanical stability

We performed nine metatarsal and three proximal phalangeal lengthenings in five patients with congenital brachymetatarsia of the first and one or two other metatarsal bones, by a one-stage combined shortening and lengthening procedure using intercalcary autogenous bone grafts from adjacent shortened metatarsal bones. Instead of the isolated lengthening of the first and the other metatarsal bones, we shortened the adjacent normal metatarsal and used the excised bone to lengthen the short toes, except for the great toe, to restore the normal parabola. One skin incision was used. All the operations were performed bilaterally and the patients were followed up for a mean period of 69.5 months (29 to 107). They all regained a nearly normal parabola and were satisfied with the cosmetic results. Our technique is straightforward and produces good cosmetic results. Satisfactory, bony union is achieved, morbidity is low, and no additional surgery is required for the removal of metal implants

Six highly unstable elbows with severe bone loss due to rheumatoid arthritis were replaced by a non-constrained, unlinked prosthesis. Bone defects were filled with autogenous bone grafts. The mean follow-up was 4.5 years (2 to 8). The clinical results were excellent in four elbows and good in two, with good varus-valgus stability in all. Radiological follow-up showed no appreciable signs of loosening, and the bone grafts had retained most of their original size, with minimal resorption. There were no major complications such as dislocation, skin necrosis, infection or ulnar neuropathy. The study has shown that the so-called mutilans elbow can be successfully replaced using a properly selected type of non-constrained, unlinked prosthesis with bone grafting of the major defects

Synthetic bone substitutes provide an alternative to autograft but do not give equivalent clinical results. Their performance may be enhanced by adding osteogenic growth factors. In this study, TGFβ1 was absorbed on to a carrier of β tricalcium phosphate and Gelfoam® and used to fill a defect around a tibial implant in a rat model of revision arthoplasty. We added 0.0, 0.02 μg, 0.1 μg or 1.0 μg of TGFβ1 to the carrier and then implanted it around an hydroxyapatite-coated stainless-steel pin in the proximal tibia of rats. The tibiae were harvested at three, six or 26 weeks and the amount of bone formation and ceramic resorption were assessed. TGFβ1 had no effect on the amount of bone in the defect, the amount of fluorescent label incorporated or the rate of mineral apposition. The growth factor did not significantly affect the amount of β TCP remaining in the tissue at any of the time points

1. An operation to re-establish the continuity of the bone after resection of tumours of the lower end of the femur or upper end of the tibia is described. 2. Sound bony union may be obtained, allowing walking with weight bearing after three to four months. 3. The combination of a massive tibial or femoral graft (Juvara procedure) with an intramedullary nail, a massive homogenous graft, and fixation of the patella to the autograft to accelerate its revascularisation. has given constant and rapid bony union in five cases. 4. This possibility gives real value to wide resection in the treatment of severe cases of giant-cell tumours. especially those that are recurrent. osteolytic or suspect of malignancy. 5. Its value in the treatment of sarcoma cannot be assessed in so short a series

We performed one-stage lengthening using intercalary autogenous bone graft in 34 metatarsals and seven proximal phalanges in 21 patients with congenitally short metatarsals. At operation, in order to decrease the tension in the surrounding soft tissues, we gradually distracted the osteotomies of the affected bones for 20 to 30 minutes. The patients, all women, were followed up for a mean period of 2.1 years (1 to 6.5). The average gain in length for the 34 metatarsal procedures was 14 mm (6 to 21), equivalent to an increase of 32% (11 to 51), and for the seven proximal phalangeal lengthenings 8 mm (5 to 11), an increase of 54% (47 to 65). There was no evidence of neurovascular impairment. The technique of gradual distraction during operation is simple and effective. It overcomes the disadvantages of one-stage lengthening such as a small gain in length and neurovascular damage

We performed MRI on 16 patients who had had reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) with a mid-third bone-patellar-tendon-bone autograft. Our aim was to assess the tendon and the site of its insertion at an average of seven years after the original operation. In four of these patients biopsies were taken from the donor site when they had revision of their original operation. MRI showed reconstitution of the tendon into the patellar defect with no evidence of bone formation. Six patients had a persistent defect in the patellar tendon itself. Histological examination of the biopsies of the donor site showed an indirect pattern of insertion with absence of the normal fibrocartilage zone. These morphological changes may adversely affect the biomechanical properties of the healed donor site and we suggest that another graft taken from this site may not be suitable for use in a further operation for reconstruction of the ACL

Patients suffering from generalised convulsions may dislocate their shoulders either anteriorly or posteriorly. Those with anterior dislocation are likely to have recurrent episodes because of secondary bony damage to the anterior rim of the glenoid and head of the humerus. In such patients there is high rate of failure of the standard soft-tissue stabilisation procedures. We have therefore devised a bone buttress operation in which autograft or allograft is secured to the deficient anterior glenoid and shaped to form an extension of its articular surface. We report our experience in 14 patients with grandmal epilepsy and recurrent anterior dislocation of the shoulder. After the bone buttress operation there were no further dislocations and all patients were satisfied despite a small restriction in their range of movement. We believe this to be the operation of choice for patients with this difficult problem

Dysplastic acetabula were augmented during total hip replacement by superolateral autografts. In cases of primary arthroplasty these were taken from the excised femoral head and in revision surgery from the iliac crest. Two or (usually) three small grafts were used to facilitate revascularisation; they were fixed with lag screws to the roughened iliac bone above the acetabulum. We reviewed 84 hips (63 primary arthroplasties and 21 revisions) more than five years (mean 10.1) after operation. All but one of the grafts showed consolidation within three months and they had become structurally integrated with the iliac bone, as evidenced by the trabecular reorientation. Resorption, which has caused early socket failure when large bone grafts have been used, did not occur

Aims

To determine the effectiveness of prone traction radiographs in predicting postoperative slip distance, slip angle, changes in disc height, and lordosis after surgery for degenerative spondylolisthesis of the lumbar spine.

There are few reports on the treatment of pyogenic lumbar spondylodiscitis through the posterior approach using a single incision. Between October 1999 and March 2003 we operated on 18 patients with pyogenic lumbar spondylodiscitis. All underwent posterior lumbar interbody fusion using an autogenous bone graft from the iliac crest and pedicle screws via a posterior approach. The clinical outcome was assessed using the Frankel neurological classification and the criteria of Kirkaldy-Willis. Under the Frankel classification, two patients improved by two grades (C to E), 11 by one grade, and five showed no change. The Kirkaldy-Willis functional outcome was excellent in five patients, good in ten and fair in three. Bony union was confirmed six months after surgery in 17 patients, but in one patient this was not achieved until two years after operation. The mean lordotic angle before operation was 20° (−2° to 42°) and the mean lordotic angle at the final follow-up was 32.5° (17° to 44°). Two patients had a superficial wound infection and two a transient root injury. Posterior lumbar interbody fusion with an autogenous iliac crest bone graft and pedicle screw fixation via a posterior approach can provide satisfactory results in pyogenic spondylodiscitis

The revascularisation and remodelling of allografts used to replace the anterior cruciate ligament in the canine knee were studied by microangiographic, histological and biomechanical methods. The 26 allografts were obtained from the patellar tendons of other dogs and were stored by deep freezing. In a control study a strip of patellar tendon from the same leg was used as an autologous free graft. Microangiography showed that the allografts had been revascularised from the sixth postoperative week, and had later developed an intrinsic vascular pattern similar to that of a normal anterior cruciate ligament. Histologically, the allograft regained a fibrous framework similar to that of a normal ligament, and showed no evidence of immunological rejection. Biomechanical tests on the allograft replacements showed that their mean maximum tensile strength at 30 weeks was about 30% of that of the control ligaments. There were no significant differences between the mechanical properties of the allografts and the autografts

We have used the Ilizarov technique for the management of subarticular defects after the excision of giant-cell tumours in the proximal tibia in five patients. The defect was reconstructed with a segment of 5 to 6 cm obtained from the diaphysis of the affected tibia and by autogenous bone graft from the iliac crest. The newly developed defect in the diaphysis was reconstructed by distraction using the Ilizarov apparatus. Bone grafting at the docking site was performed soon after positioning the bone segments. The mean length of the bone defect was 5.7 cm and the mean duration of external fixation was 233 days. The relative blood flow in the leg measured by . 99m. Tc angiography increased by 1.7 to 2.3 times that of the control level during distraction and consolidation. When seen at a mean of 43 months all patients showed a normal range of motion in the knee and ankle with no collapse of the articular surfaces

We performed eight osteochondral autologous transplantations from the knee joint to the shoulder. All patients (six men, two women; mean age 43.1 years) were documented prospectively. In each patient the stage of the osteochondral lesion was Outerbridge grade IV with a mean size of the affected area of 150 mm. 2. All patients were assessed by using the Constant score for the shoulder and the Lysholm score for the knee. Standard radiographs, magnetic resonance imaging and second-look arthroscopy were used to assess the presence of glenohumeral osteoarthritis and the integrity of the grafts. After a mean of 32.6 months (8 to 47), the mean Constant score increased significantly. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed good osseointegration of the osteochondral plugs and congruent articular cartilage at the transplantation site in all but one patient. Second-look arthroscopy performed in two cases revealed a macroscopically good integration of the autograft with an intact articular surface. Osteochondral autologous transplantation in the shoulder appears to offer good clinical results for treating full-thickness osteochondral lesions of the glenohumeral joint. However, our study suggests that the development of osteoarthritis and the progression of pre-existing osteoarthritic changes cannot be altered by this technique